"Have you ever seen something, and thought to yourself, ‘I have always wanted to do that.’  A mode through which God speaks to us is through desires that, if nurtured, become visions.  When we develop a God-given vision, three very important processes occur; the vision becomes real to us, the vision becomes real in us, and finally, the vision becomes a reality.

 

During the first step, when the vision becomes real to us, we get a continuous nudging from the Holy Spirit to do something about something else.  It may be that we notice a need for something, and God places the desire in us to fulfill that need.  For example, you may notice that a young child whose actions are that of a person that is desperately in need of guidance, and immediately you get the feeling that you want to help.  Just like clock work, you begin to envision yourself volunteering at a community center as a mentor, or starting a program where kids can come to get help with homework, counseling, etc.  It is at this point that a vision has become real to you.

 

Next, the vision has to become real in us.  This is the step where most of us give up and forget about the vision because we suddenly recognize that the realization of the vision may not be as easy as we expect it to be.  When the children of Israel got word, while they were in Israel, that they would be going into a land flowing with milk and honey, they all got excited and envisioned how perfect life would be.  However, as soon as they began to journey through the wilderness, en route to the realization of their dreams, they got upset and impatient and made comments such as, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert?  There is no bread!  There is no water!  And we detest this miserable food.’ (Numbers 21:5) God had blessed them with manna to eat that they did not have to work for, and just because they couldn’t reach the Promise Land immediately, they pretty much slapped God in the face.  The vision could not become real in them.  They could not handle the vision!

 

Lastly, if we successfully go through the wilderness, a period where everything around us tells us that the realization of our dream is impossible, and still remain faithful, our vision becomes a reality.  Joseph had a vision at the age of 18, and for 12 years he was in the wilderness (sold to slavery, ended up in jail, became a servant, etc), but because he allowed the vision to become real in him and remained faithful to it, he got even more than he envisioned.

 

God is patient with us, and we also have to learn to be patient with him.  He will not bring us into a position that we are not ready to fill, so we have to allow him to prepare us and shape us until we reach a point where he can trust us with the realization of our vision.  Has God put a vision in your heart?  I challenge you today dear friend to let the vision become real to you, patiently endure in the wilderness so that it can become real in you, and most importantly stay faithful to God and to the vision, and  I assure you that the sky will not even be a limit when you realize your dreams.

 

Can you handle a vision?

  http://www.hfministry.com"


This was a devotional I received by email over two years ago. I was going through my old stuff and found it and felt convicted. Could I handle the vision God gave me? Good question! What happens when everything is taken from you? What happens when you are taken away? What happens when it seems like everything says that the vision is too big? And the resistance is too big? When the pain of separation is like the Jews on the rivers of Babylon? When there is intimidation of the rulers, of the ones who seem to control destiny?

I guess it's time to prepare. I guess it's time to grow. I guess it's time to pray.

Because it's in the wilderness, it's in the wild craziness of life, where faith is developed into something that stands strong as a pillar against the strong winds that threaten to destroy your house.

What is the house that God is building?

He is building it on a foundation that can not be shaken. So are you letting the wild winds shake your vision? Are you letting the present circumstance state what your future will be? Nothing can shake the vision of God- the purpose God has for you. If God has ordained it, it can happen, IF you have faith.

If you have faith, IF is so important. Can you allow one night of darkness to impact your future? One night of hopelessness to determine your future? Maybe it is not just one night, maybe it is more, but it is in the moments of darkness, it is in the moments of testing in the wilderness, where true faith is produced.

By faith Abraham pleased God, he went out not knowing where he was going, and yet he pleased God.

God is looking for faith, faith that sees what can not be seen. Faith in his character, faith in his virtue, faith in his love. Do you have that kind of faith today? Do you have faith in God? Even if your flesh be destroyed? Even if your family is taken away? Even if you loose your job? Even if you loose your dreams? Even if you loose your love? Even if you loose your heart? God will not fail you, He is faithful yesterday, today, and forever. He will see you through. He will carry you out of the desert! But make sure you are leaning on your beloved. Because as you lean on him and not upon your own understanding, you will find that he is leading you out of the wilderness.

Lean upon your beloved, and let Him lead you, lead you through the valley of the shadow of death. And as you see the flesh start to die, there will be a birth of new life. Resurrection will come, there will be a time to sing again, there will be a time of love. Spring will come and the summer sun will shine. Thunderstorms will pass away and the steadfast love of the Lord will never cease. God is calling out today, Can you handle a vision? Can you handle the vision that I have given you?

Can we hold on, though everything in this world shake us? Though mountains separate us, the oceans divide us, though the impossible challenges lay before us? Can we hold on to the one who has given us dreams to dream, to the one who is faithful and just to see us through?

We can hold on, and by the blood of the Lamb we will overcome. We will see the glory of God in our lives. We will see the glory of God in the earth.

Because it is in the hour of temptation and desperation, the hour of brokenness where we find that the Lord is drawing us to come even closer. When all we can see is the impossibilities and the heartache, He whispers yet again, Come closer, come closer,

Come closer and hear my voice my child, for I have called you and I want to touch you where the broken dreams have been torn apart. I want to bind up the broken hearted. I want to restore the calmness and peace to my lambs.

Oh my child, keep your eyes upon me. Not on the moment, for time will pass, but my words will last, and what I have spoken I will do. I have given words of life, and life you will have, so hold on to my treasures. Grow and glow in my glory and trust that the the dark night will pass and that my Light will smile upon you.

For if you cry out to me with all of your heart like Jacob for a blessing, I will hear. I will hear your cry. What I despise is apathy. I want to see those with passion, those with desire. The pure in heart will see God. I will use you to touch this generation, only seek my face, seek my face and see that I will change your face. I will touch you and impart to you my power and authority. You will find life in me. Life that not only sets you free but breaks the yoke and touches many. Hold on to me. Hold on to me. For now is the hour of temptation. Now is the hour of wilderness. But I have a plan. Seek me like Esther. Seek me like Esther. For if you humble yourself as Mordecai and wear the sackcloth, wear the garments of mourning, you will see that I will clothe you in garments of a Queen. I will clothe you like Esther- and whatever you ask, up to half of my kingdom, I will give. For if you seek me with all of your heart, you will find me. You will find that I am faithful. That I have plans to give you a hope and a future and to be a light unto the nation.

What I long for, and what you long for, is to hear the voice of one crying out in the wilderness and preparing the way of the Lord. But don't you see that is what I am doing with you? As you are crying in the wilderness, I am preparing you, and you will prepare the way of the Lord. Be bold be strong. Seek and you will find. Seek me with all of your heart and you will find me near. And when I am near, you will begin to regain your sight, your vision will be right. For the night will be consumed with my light. Don't you remember that I said I would be a light to your feet and light to your path?

I will be with you,
My presence,
My eye,
My love,
For you are my dove.

It's been a long time since I have kept up my little garden here on xanga. But I have kept up my writings. Tonight, I feel the need to go through some of the prayers and writings I have written and make some sense of them, and hold on to the good, hold on to what I believe that will help me and may help you. Here is a portion of whats been on my heart recently.

The simple truth to remember, one of the treasures of grace is: It is a new day.
With every new day, God gives us an opportunity to overcome, and grace that covers our shortcomings.

One day at a time we are carried from glory to glory. We need more: perseverance, discipline, faithfulness, love, joy, peace, the spirit of worship and intercession, compassion, wisdom, discernment, protection, and supernatural favor.

My heart is steadfast, I hold on strong
My heart is steadfast, I know where I belong.
My hope is in you, my strength is in you. My love is in you and you will show me your way.
Light of my eyes, King of my desire, You are eternity, you set my heart on fire.
Fear is far away, love has come to stay.
You carry me far past my fears, You carry me until I find you hold my tears.
Lover of my soul, lifting me into your refuge, Sweet Melody, Sweet Melody,
Giver of life to me, Giver of life to me.

Forgotten daughter of the night,
Tomorrow may bring you joy and light.
Lift up your hands,
Do not fear,
Look up and see,
It is I who holds your keys.
Hold on strong,
Hold on to Me,
And My love will come and set you free.



Notes on the message of Esther...

Ruth was a message of adoption.
Song of Songs, a message on the the inner life.
Esther is a book that has prophecy, history and a longing for a special relationship.

Vashti failed to realize that by offending the King she could loose her reward.
1 Cor 9:
 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Run to get the price, an imperishable crown.

One act of disobedience and she lost everything? Can we loose a crown by disobedience?
She needed to please her King all the time, when it counted the most she failed to please him. She refused to please her king.

The most painful loss is the King's presence. When we fail God, we loose His presence. We can "act" but we won't have the power.

Esther was taken and chosen, she entered into a season of preparation.

Before the final choice was made, she needed to learn how to please the King.. She needed to ask.

Five years before the battle that Hamon would bring, God chose Esther to be a deliver!

God is preparing those who would be delivers- before the appointed time.

what is going on in your heart, determines what you will be doing in heaven.

Esther had favor. She was provided with beauty treatments, and maids.

We are also in the process of beauty treatments, God is making us like his flowers, beautiful in His time.

God has a prescription, a plan. He uses myrrh, the symbol of death at funerals to put to death the bad things. He prunes the vines.

The maids that were her servants can be seen symbolically as angelic beings that minister to us. She wasn't alone in her room, she had servants ministering to her. We have angels ministering to us.

The best place was given to her, a place where she was totally yielded to God

God wants to hide you like Esther, he will cover up your past, to help you uncover your future.

When she went to the King, she needed wisdom to please the King.

She asked the man who knew the king the most, we need to seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit so that we can know how to prepare for heaven.

Haggai symbolically can represent the Holy Spirit and his counsel to us.

We will have the King's favor and approval and he will tell say, "You are the One that I love".

Our reward is our crown and we find authority in that. Don't let anyone or anything take away your crown!

March 19, 2008
Flying above the Seas

The distance comes,
As I cross the great divide.
I feel torn from Your side.
Not hearing Your song
Not knowing Your voice
And yet this is where I find my faith
To leap like the waves in the thrashing seas.
I am leaping, crashing as I might,
Going onward through the dark of night.

Music of my heart, awaken once more.
Awaken my dreams of yesterday,
I've buried so long ago.
Love come,
Song of my heart,
For night winds are blowing
And I stand here knowing,
Now is the time to arise
Now is the time to ask for more
Now is the time to lift the deep within the deep,
Calling out for the waterfalls.....

Hunger, pain, thirst,
No more.
For the song is coming!
The desire is showing,
Ears are opening,
And love is bringing me back to the place where I know, I see,
That I can let go of myself and be free,
And listen to my heart.
Listen to the song it sings and realize that God has a way of healing wounds,
God has a way of restoring the broken,
Even high above the raging seas,
He has a way of speaking tenderly to me.
Lifting my head, lifting my heart,
Until no more I see the pain of the dark,
Until no more I feel loneliness sting,
Until all I hear is heaven and creation singing,
"Gloria, Gloria," singing,
"Gloria, Gloria,"

I must remember I am on a "Esther Journey". In preparation to meet my King.
I am becoming beauty, becoming love, becoming secure in Him.
His Word makes my feet shine!
I must remember to walk in victory, so I can finish this season well.

I am called.
Nothing can shake my purpose.
I will succeed.
I will grow. I will be a lady worth pursuit.



Running away
Where is God's voice
When the thunder rolls?
I just want to hear,
Just to be near,
Just to believe,
Just to find that fear,
Is far from faith,
And that love has a way
Of whispering those clouds away.



Only He knows,
        He sees,
        He breathes
And sets me free
Into sweet release~

We are living in the days spoken of in Joel 2:28,29
Today, God can take you up farther with Him, if you HUMBLE yourselves. It is not about "knowing who you are", or "finding yourself". It is about finding a revelation of who the LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH is, and who the LAMB OF GOD is. When we have this revelation, God then wants to see those who are humble in heart. Are we "a nameless, faceless, placeless tribe?" Or are we more concerned in making a "name" for ourselves? Becoming famous? Being accepted by others? Being popular? Sometimes we have to stand for the truth, and the truth is not always popular. Are we really willing to deny ourselves in behalf of the glory of our leader? Or is it only a superficial service that we give to him? "No, I can't say that or do that, I'll be rejected!" If we are going be in the tribe of the Lion of Judah, we have to FACE OUR FEAR, TO FIGHT IT WITH LOVE, so that we don't fear man, but we fear the LION OF JUDAH!

If we are a placeless tribe. It's not about nationalism. It's not about our click, and our people group. There are no limits to where this tribe can go and where this tribe can reach, because like the beduins and the gypsies, we are on the move and though we might not have a place to lay our head, we are following our leader and the Lion is on the move.
Revelations 5
4I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
Mat 6:33
Youtube video of the song LION OF JUDAH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cp0biV0Ws0