Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Rest, Realignment, Floating In The Refreshing River To Your Next Assignment~


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Jo Ellen Stevens 

Rest, Realignment, Floating In The Refreshing River To Your Next Assignment 
Some of you had gotten to a place that you thought that you would never attain in your life and in fact, for a time you thought God was finished with you! It was another level in God for you but now since you have gotten to this place, you are going through another dry season again; another hall of transition. You are now feeling unfulfilled again and yes, even useless, but the Lord wants you to know that it is time to go deeper into Him for He is the fountain that will never run dry! He is the source of your satisfaction. 
~Come Deeper Again~ 
He is saying that you have also not seen the miracles that God has promised to bring through your hands but as you come deeper again into Him, that through your love relationship with Him, you will not only be satisfied but, through the overflow of it, there will be a continuous flow of miracles, signs and wonders that will follow you! The Lord says, “There will again be a flow of revelation and inspiration that will be poured out to you but again I have brought you to your need of me and your need to find another depth to me. Draw into my wooing. Press past the distractions and make Me your focus.” 
~It Is Time To Abide Again~ 
Do not allow the enemy to bring hopelessness to you again for this is only a time of coming into His rest and realignment! As the Apostle John did, this is a time to “lay your head on His breast and hear His heartbeat.” It is not you that the world needs but me. You can do nothing without abiding in the vine. It is time to abide again! It is time to come away and draw near for I have new plans and new strategies for the new season that is about to begin. Stop feeling guilty about this rest and flow with my leading. Stop resisting. Yes, stretch out your arms in this refreshing stream. Flow and rest in Me until we get to your next destination for it is a place of great glory!! Yes, this stream will refresh, restore and renew you for the greater glory that is about to come forth out of you and upon you!
“There is a river the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the sanctuary of the habitations of the Most High.” Psalm 46:4 (DARBY)
Arise Shine!
Jo Ellen Stevens is a prophetic speaker, author, worship leader, intercessor, She has ministered with her husband for 23 years pastoring, teaching, and leading prophetic worship. She is a prophetic author for Spirit Fuel. She has taught many bible study groups and has led prophetic intercessory prayer groups. She operates in a prophetic anointing and in word of knowledge and word of wisdom. She believes that every believer should be hearing the Lord's voice and resounding His heart out of their intimate relationship with Him. She believes God called her many years ago to encourage the body of Christ to arise and shine with the glory of the Lord for such a time as this no matter what their age, background or social status! She also believes that God has given us each a platform to use the gifts and talents that He has given us to bring those who do not know the Lord out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God and that social media will play a great part in covering the earth with His glory! Jo Ellen is available to speak in churches and conferences. For more information, contact Jo Ellen Stevens via e-mail at: dstevens7@frontier.com or on Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/joellen.stevens.9 
http://dstevens7.wix.com/tcic#!books/cnec

Sunday, January 11, 2015

"Overcoming All in 2015"



John Belt, Oklahoma City, OK
For 2015 the Lord has emphasized a few things that I believe will be helpful to you as you integrate these into your life. God is good. He is for us. His ultimate goal is to transform us into the image of His Son Jesus. Through a rested life in His Presence, valuing the things that He values and helping us to better see as He sees, He will cause us to overcome this year. What does it mean to overcome? It means we go "over the top" of every and any obstacle and hindrance and into an overwhelming victory.
Prospering Through the Prophesying
In the Book of Ezra we see how the Jewish people prospered through the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah. At the time they were rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, facing opposition through discouraging words. But God had sent them these prophets of God to help them overcome and attain victory in the building of the house of God.

Ezra 5:1 Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

Ezra 6:14 So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel...

What a clear picture of how important it is for us 
to value prophetic input into our lives that is rooted in the plans of God, bringing encouragement and life into the process of building for the Kingdom of God. Whether applied to our personal or corporate lives, there is a need for us to receive of the prophetic anointing to live overcoming lives. In this year be encouraged that God has only good plans in store.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity...

God gives us a promise to deliver us when we set our whole heart to seek His face. God is faithful. He is consistent. He is not shifting back and forth, but His thoughts toward us are anchored in the good plans that He has for us. Jesus, the outlaying of God, showed us the Father through His works of love and sacrifice. When God receives our fully committed heart to His desires, He moves Heaven and earth on our behalf.
Lift Up Your Banner in Worship
When armies go out to war they lift up their banners. We need to continually lift up our banner in worship. Engage in your worship-warfare lifting up the Name of the Lord.

Exodus 17:15-16 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it The Lord is my Banner: For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek (meaning "dweller in a valley") from generation to generation.

God has called His people to ascend into the high places of His Presence. The enemy would have us stay "earth-bound" keeping us from soaring as eagles in prophetic vision and purpose, seeing from Heaven's view. Worship causes us to ascend in the Spirit experiencing the glory and Presence of God, also simultaneously filling out spiritual tanks to walk in victory.

I recently had a dream where a prophet was singing "Eagles fly and walk the earth" over and over again. The truth is we live in two different realms of existence. In the natural we walk the earth, and in the Spirit we soar and fly with a view being seated with Christ in heavenly realms. 

With this understanding, we must also arm ourselves with the truth that we need to fight through worship-warfare to take ground in the Spirit.
Seeing Jesus
God wants to open our spiritual eyes to see Jesus as He really is. He is the irresistible God-man who is consumed with the Father's desires. In His earthly ministry, Jesus was completely focused on the one passion of doing His Father's will. Then we see the results of that passion in the way He helped people through manifesting Heaven on earth in healings and miracles – manifesting the Father's glory. This is the real Jesus that is absolutely addictive to the hungry heart. This is the Jesus we want to see and the Jesus the world is needing to see. Get a fresh vision of who Jesus really is in 2015.
Inexplicable Favor
Favor is the blessing of God upon our lives that overflow us. God has a vast inheritance that He wants His people to lay hold of. When the favor of God is put upon our lives it is almost like "surprise blessings" that are inexplicable. Ask for God to reveal His favor to you in a fresh way this year. His favor has nothing to do with our works, but rather comes because we trust in the Lord with all of our heart. When God has our heart, He has everything that we are.

Psalm 30:7 Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong.
No Rush. Wait in His Presence
This year spend time waiting in His Presence. Don't rush. See the eternal value of spending time in the Presence of the Lord. There is no limit to what God can do in these times. What we value and trust the most is where we spend our time. Ask the Lord to draw you deeper into the waters of His Spirit where He can pour into you, then pour out of you.

John and Brandi Belt
Overflow Global Ministries

Email: office@overflowglobal.com
Website: overflowglobal.com
Overflow Global Ministries is the ministry of John and Brandi Belt. The heart of their message is that God's greatest desire is to indwell His people with His presence. They believe that man was created to be inhabited by God through His Spirit. With a sincere devotion to God through the Holy Spirit, people can live in a place of overflow in His presence. This overflow translates into touching the lives of others through living encounters with God. When John and Brandi minister, the intimate presence of God is manifest – being accompanied with demonstrations of God's power to heal, revive, and restore.

Friday, January 9, 2015

"Watch For Suddenlies, Divine Encounters And Visitations"



Phyllis Ford, Arlington, TX
A Separation of the Past and Present
A line of separation is being drawn between your past (2014) and your now (2015). Now is the time to turn from the past recognizing that it can no longer limit your present nor hinder your future. Walk in the moment and embrace the future that is before you. This is a significant time in your life and you owe this time everything you have in order to proceed into the manifestation that awaits you.

Let go of past frustrations and don't allow them to marginalize you, delay you, or hold you back from achieving the fulfillment of the coming promises. Look with eyes of great expectancy. This is not a year for the disappointments of your past to be entangled with what is before you. What you prepare for will be measured by what you do, what you say, and how you see it.
A Fresh Mindset
God is releasing a pattern for a mindset that will impact how we achieve based on how we perceive. By allowing our past mindset to rule present thinking, we limit our future and become a great hindrance to our ability to access newly present possibilities. We must have an outlook that carries renewed faith and the momentum to blaze new trails and open new doors.

The uniqueness of this time will call forth a new day anointing that can create new atmospheres around us. As a result, sweeping changes will show themselves in the face of limited circumstances, but our connecting to the plumb line of His Spirit will transform us in the presence of His glory.
The old guard of religious systems that has dictated in the past will no longer have jurisdictional authority over today's people, whether it be political, financial, or otherwise. Personal circumstances and even the way things have been in times past are now rapidly changing. Those who have waited and endured will see the harvest of seeds planted and the results of the prayers that watered the process. (Photo via Pixabay)

Isaiah 9:3-4 (NASB) You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
Breaking the Yokes of Delusion & Moving in God's Perfect Timing
This year brings with it a reality that will break the yoke of any delusions off the minds of God's people. Many will awake from the reality of what they feared they could not overcome and find that the delusion has been cleared like a smoke and the way out revealed. In 2015 the chains will be broken, and many will feel as if they awoke from a deep sleep. A sleep where they fought for a way out only to awake to divine direction with inroads prepared by the very hands of God.

Word of the Lord: "For I am removing the sting of past experiences to help you fulfill accomplishments that you could not do on your own. Mark this time, because you will witness this year how I will transform time, move through time, and even redeem time in your lives."

He will release keys so that we will forge ahead no matter what is opposing us. God said that some of the greatest battles were won because of timing. Time will play a key factor in how the year plays out. We are in a time when the tares will be easily identified. Many things will happen in accelerated moments of time.
His Healing in the Glory Realm and Medical Discoveries
Many accomplishments and discoveries will be created and found in the area of healing and medical research. There will be great advancements of technology achieved. Some of them will come out of the hands of common people who will experience new understandings in cures and remedies of sickness (such as Lorenzo's Oil). These cures will be revealed to those who will attest that it was revealed to them by the Lord.

Those who have suffered in areas of mental illness and those who are vexed by spirits of infirmity will experience deliverance with wholeness of mind and spirit during moves of God. Many manners of sickness will be removed under waves of glory falling in services. In prayer, I heard the Lord say, "For I have heard the cries of My people and I am coming down to deliver them out." Those who were previously bound with anxiety and fear will experience waves of glory that will bring both peace and joy. We will see the breaking of the spirits of fear and torment off God's people.

His joy will be evident in the presence of His glory; this will not be like or compared to previous moves of laughter. A peace will fall and settle upon the people, and the joy of their salvation shall rest upon their hearts. Many will even attest to seeing angels enter a place, and as a result, a peace settled upon the people. There will be weeping, but it will be tears of joy, an entering into restful joy. In the Lord's presence will be joy unspeakable. As people go out to witness in hospitals and pray for the sick, angels will accompany them. Many will be healed in services and prayer meetings that will be recorded by the media. (Photo by Jennifer Page "His Joy" via elijahshopper.com)

Romans 15:13 (KJV) Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
The Marketplace From Mending to Making Nets
This is the year where we will transition in the marketplace from mending nets to making networks. There will be a convergence of a new breed of people who will enter the financial arena working with groups who walk in demonstration, carrying a depth of revelation concerning multiplication and increase. In the midst of this strong fusion will come a new flow of Holy Ghost power in the marketplace. There will be a breakdown of financial systems, but new strategies will direct them on how to navigate through some of the financial woes.

When the Lord spoke to me about the marketplace, He related to me this Scripture below. I looked at The Message Bible translationand it spoke volumes. In 2015 there will be shifting of emphasis in the marketplace.

1 Peter 1:7 (MSG) "Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of His victory."

Know that when some doors slammed shut in 2014, it allowed us the ability to see doors that were open before us even NOW. In 2015 the ways of Lord will be walked out through the lives of a sold-out people. We will see them in places of leadership; we will see them in remote places, regions, and nations. We will see them in the marketplace fulfilling the plan and assignments that have been set before them by the Lord.
Word of the Lord For January 2015
Word of the Lord: "In the month of January, know I am calling you close. It's a month of bringing important elements together only as I can. There is a forming and fusing bringing key parts into place, so that which I have fashioned will reveal My glory. I am mending hearts and healing hearts. It is a time to unite in your heart that which is necessary to move forward and let go of that which is holding you back. For where I am calling you now is necessary and meaningful.

"My hand is extended to lend strength to help you accomplish every endeavor that is placed before you. Even in this month I will move mightily among you in waves of glory and times of peace to bring reconciliation now and throughout this year. Just believe! You will walk in realms of glory and bring others into places that they have never thought existed. Look for opportunities where My presence will usher many into the Kingdom. (Photo via Wikimedia)

"As the river ebbs and flows, watch the tide as it becomes strong in My presence. Catch the waves as they approach and you will find new strength covering you and increasing you.Don't just stand on the shore and wonder what it would look like and be like to become a part of it. But step out into what I am forming and creating in you.

"This is a time of recovery. Release the old and take in that which is new before you. Get ready to walk in new levels of understandings concerning the things that I need to unveil to you. For I am releasing great words of revelation and reconciliation that will unite a people to heed My call in this hour. Those who walk in obedience and faithfulness will inherit great favor and light. You will not lack spiritually and that will produce things in the physical that you could not have received upon your own. For I will add to you that which you need the most to obtain the things that are essential for you to grow.

"Watch for suddenlies, divine encounters, and visitations in My presence that will encourage you, empower you, and even transform your life. Look beyond where you are! Dare to dream! Watch how I will help you resolve many things that need closure. For My hand is extended to help you bring forth that which you need to conquer, to overcome, and to fight the battles of the day."

Psalm 63:8 (ESV) My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
John 10:27-30 (ESV) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.

We are excited about this New Year and how it carries endless possibilities. This a year that we will overcome, deal with the challenges that face us, while walking in new places of glory. It is the Lord who is our strength and our Deliverer!

Phyllis Ford
Phyllis Ford Ministries

Email: PhyllisFordMinistries@gmail.com
Website: phyllisfordministries.com
Phyllis Ford has been called by God's grace to be a prophetic vessel. For the last 30 years she has been active in women's ministry and carries a strong emphasis toward prayer and intercession. She travels internationally and has released the Word of the Lord on the Internet for the past 10 years, and has conducted training in spiritual warfare, prophetic schools, and deliverance workshops, and has worked with abused and addicted women in secular settings for the State of Illinois. Phyllis lives in the DFW area in Texas and has three sons and one daughter.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

"God, Do You Think I'm Wise Enough?



Tiffany Ann Lewis, Rexford, NY
Breath of Heaven
Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." Luke 1:30-35

Our worship team sang one of my favorite songs recently at church, "Breath of Heaven." This song portrays possible fears and worries that Mary might have been experiencing as she considers the reality of saying,"Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be done according to Your word" (Luke 1:38). My eyes welled up with tears as we sang verse three: (Photo via Flickr)
Breath of Heaven
Do you wonder as you watch my face
If a wiser one should have had my place
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of Your plan
Help me be strong
H
elp me be
Help me...
Breath of Heaven
Hold me together
Be forever near me
Breath of Heaven
Breath of Heaven
Lighten my darkness
Pour over me Your holiness
For You are holy

You see, as a pastor of a new church going through her first Christmas, I too wonder, Should a wiser one than me be doing this? I am gripped with concern as I consider the joy and sorrow of the families in front of me and tremble as I attempt to hold the hearts of God's precious children during this most tender time of the year. We all can identify with this type of worry no matter what we are called to do for the Kingdom of God. You see, we are all called, as Mary was, to bring forth Jesus to a world that is in desperate need for faith, hope, and love. Yet, I think we all wonder, God, do you think I am wise enough?

Can you identify? If so, let me introduce you to a gentleman by the name of Bezalel in the Book of Exodus. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship" (Exodus 31:2-3). (Photo via Wikipedia)

God had given Bezalel the enormous task of creating the furniture that would go in the Tabernacle so that God could dwell with His children. Now, we're not just talking any home here, we are talking the HOUSE OF GOD! Bezalel was to work with gold, silver, and precious jewels and make a masterpiece for the Master of the universe according to the pattern of His design that He created in Heaven. Easy peasy...NOT!

I love to decorate and have even been hired to decorate homes for Christmas. The specific thing I like to do is to take family memories, old treasures, and create something modern and fresh. I say all this simply because I understand the pressure of trying to make someone's home something special for them.

Scripture doesn't reveal if Bezalel had any of the doubts and fears that we all face. It doesn't reveal if he wondered if he was wise enough for the job. I can only imagine what must have been running through Bezalel's head when he got commissioned to the task. However, what Scripture does reveal is that God called him and filled him with His Spirit in order to do what he was called to do.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

This portion of Scripture tucked away in the Book of Exodus is there to speak to us even today. You see, there was a reason God used a person named Bezalel and that it is recorded in the pages of Scripture for all of us to read. Names were very important in Biblical times and often expressed character and destiny.

Bezalel (pronounced Betzal'el;Strong's #1212) means: "in the shadow of God, i.e. protection of God." We see this in a beloved passage of Scripture, Psalm 91: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.' Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler" (Psalm 91:1-4). (Photo by Lillis Boyer "Healing in His Wings" via elijahshopper.com)

To dwell in the shadow of the Almighty is to dwell in the shadow of El Shaddai, the All Sufficient God. When we dwell in His presence, we have exactly what we need for whatever situation or task we are called to. You see, when we dwell in God, we dwell in all that He is. We dwell in His love, His joy, His peace, His patience, His strength, His wisdom, His justice, His compassion, His grace. The list goes on and on.

God is searching for people who will allow Him to overshadow them and be filled with power from on high and to bring hope to the hurting. Beloved, it is God who empowers us to perform whatever He has called us to today. Whether it is to give a kind answer to the person who is yelling at you, to be a listening ear to the one who is overwhelmed, or a genuine embrace to the one who is hurting, God will equip you to do it.
Breath of Heaven
H
old me together
Be forever near me
Breath of Heaven
Breath of Heaven
Lighten my darkness
Pour over me Your holiness
For You are holy
Breath of Heaven
Don't be afraid; be the gift God has created you to be. Allow Him to use you to deliver Jesus to those in need this Christmas and beyond. Amen and Amen.
Merry Christmas!

Tiffany Ann Lewis
Dancing With the Flame of the LORD Ministries

Email: tiffanyann@tiffanyannlewis.com
Website: tiffanyannlewis.com

Tiffany Ann Lewis is an enthusiastic Bible teacher with a unique focus on Biblical Hebrew and a worshiper of God whose heart has been awakened by a God who sees us in our shortcomings and loves us in spite of them all. He calls out to us so we can live fully free from the trappings of guilt and shame, because we are accepted in the Beloved, Christ Jesus (see Ephesians 1:6). She is passionate about empowering individuals through the Word of God, knowing it will instill a deeper devotion to Him and give them hope for the journey.

Tiffany Ann and her husband Rodney have been married for twenty-five years and have one darling daughter, Ashley, a glorious granddaughter, Gloriana, and two pups that are also a part of their precious family. They live in upstate New York where Tiffany is pastor at Crossroadz Christian Church in Rexford, New York.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

What Does a Boundary Look Like?


Galatians 6:5-7 – “For each one should carry their own load. Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

The parents of a twenty-five-year-old man came to see me with a common request: they wanted me to “fix” their son, Bill. When I asked where Bill was, they answered, “Oh, he didn’t want to come.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Well, he doesn’t think he has a problem,” they replied.

“Maybe he’s right,” I said, to their surprise. “Tell me about it.”

They recited a history of problems that had begun at a very young age. Bill had never been “quite up to snuff” in their eyes. In recent years he had exhibited problems with drugs and an inability to stay in school and find a career.

It was apparent that they loved their son very much and were heartbroken over the way he was living. They had tried everything they knew to get him to change and live a responsible life, but all had failed. He was still using drugs, avoiding responsibility, and keeping questionable company.

They told me that they had always given him everything he needed. He had plenty of money at school so “he wouldn’t have to work and he would have plenty of time for study and a social life.” When he flunked out of one school, or stopped going to classes, they were more than happy to do everything they could to get him into another school, “where it might be better for him.”

After they had talked for a while, I responded: “I think your son is right. He doesn’t have a problem.” You could have mistaken their expression for a snapshot; they stared at me in disbelief for a full minute. Finally the father said, “Did I hear you right? You don’t think he has a problem?”

“That’s correct,” I said. “He doesn’t have a problem. You do. He can do pretty much whatever he wants, no problem. You pay, you fret, you worry, you plan, you exert energy to keep him going. He doesn’t have a problem because you have taken it from him. Those things should be his problem, but as it now stands, they are yours. Would you like for me to help you help him to have some problems?”

They looked at me like I was crazy, but some lights were beginning to go on in their heads. “What do you mean, ‘help him to have some problems’?” his mother asked.

“Well,” I explained, “I think that the solution to this problem would be to clarify some boundaries so that his actions cause him problems and not you.”

“What do you mean, ‘boundaries’?” the father asked.

“Look at it this way. It is as if he’s your neighbor, who never waters his lawn. But, whenever you turn on your sprinkler system, the water falls on his lawn. Your grass is turning brown and dying, but Bill looks down at his green grass and thinks to himself, ‘My yard is doing fine.’ That is how your son’s life is. He doesn’t study, or plan, or work, yet he has a nice place to live, plenty of money, and all the rights of a family member who is doing his part.

“If you would define the property lines a little better, if you would fix the sprinkler system so that the water would fall on your lawn, and if he didn’t water his own lawn, he would have to live in dirt. He might not like that after a while. As it stands now, he is irresponsible and happy, and you are responsible and miserable. A little boundary clarification would do the trick. You need some fences to keep his problems out of your yard
and in his, where they belong.”

“Isn’t that a bit cruel, just to stop helping like that?” the father asked.

“Has helping him helped?” I asked.

His look told me that he was beginning to understand.

From Bible Gateway . . .
http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/servlet/MailView?ms=NDc2NjQ2NDQS1&r=ODY3MjkyMzY2MDQS1&j=NTgzNjE2MTAzS0&mt=1&rt=0


Thursday, December 18, 2014

REST : Recreating the I Am in Me


This is a profound word . . .

Rest is a place where we take our identity in God, and promises 
He’s spoken over our lives, and move forward in faith towards 
what we cannot see. Whatever your circumstances, ask for 
courage to step out in faith towards the promised land! 

http://podcasts.ibethel.org/en


Why Unhealed People Attract Unhealthy Relationships


 by  


Boundaries-UnhealedUnhealed relational wounds drive us to compulsive attempts to repair the damage. That is, without being aware of it, we seek out people we believe can “fix” what’s wrong with us or help us find a piece of ourselves we feel is missing. We function emotionally like the starving man who looks in a dumpster and sees lunch instead of garbage. His perception is so driven by his need that he is willing to eat something that might make him sick.
Though we may not be aware of it, something in us wants completeness. God has “set eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11), and we long for him and the full life he promises. But if we remain unaware of the powerful forces at work within us, such as our family dynamic and how we responded to it, we can be blind to its influence and seek out the completeness we lack by making all the wrong choices. For example, consider the following scenarios:
  • The overly nice person lacks assertiveness and the ability to confront, so he attracts controlling and aggressive people.
  • The overly angry person can’t allow herself to feel helpless or sad, so she finds empathic people who won’t confront her moods.
  • The rigid, black-and-white person is not able to let go of control, so he seeks out spontaneous, creative people who won’t try to control him.
  • The over-responsible, guilt-ridden person lacks self-care, so she finds self-absorbed people who care for no one but themselves.
Of course, the problem is that these kinds of responses do not reflect God’s intentions for us. And they don’t lead to healthy or fulfilling connections.
These missing pieces are part of what is called the “internalization process.” We become who we are by incorporating experiences that we have with other people. On a developmental level, kids come into this life incomplete. In the process of healthy development, they receive safety and acceptance and develop assertiveness, self-control, and self-care that prepare them for life on their own. Once internalization is complete, we become functioning adults who are called to pursue wholeness; or, in Jesus’ words, “What I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity” (Matthew 5:48).
What Jesus means is that he wants us to be mature and complete. But we are not complete. We have missing pieces—soul holes we carry from childhood into adulthood. The path to completeness or wholeness is to find a relational context, such as a healthy church, small group, mentor, or therapist, who can help us finish the emotional work that enables us to grow into the capacities we lack and become who we are meant to be.
This is especially important in romantic relationships, where there is often a glitch in our emotional hardware. We feel strongly that the other person will complete us, but not in the way I am describing. It is not about becoming more connected, intimate, assertive, or real. It is about being in the presence of someone else who has those attributes without having to take responsibility to learn them.
“You complete me” is a great line from the movie, “Jerry Maguire,” but it doesn’t work in real relationships. You can’t outsource health. You must learn it all and take it inside your skin. Complete people then attract other complete people. That is why most of us need to put less energy into romance and more into personal growth. It pays off later in romance.
Understanding your missing pieces also pays off in other ways. Perhaps your concern isn’t about a marriage or dating relationship. It may be that the difficult relationship you need to address is with your parents, siblings, or a person from your childhood. Or it’s about a work relationship. Whatever your interest, you will find great benefit, in looking at the missing pieces, to understanding why things ended up like they did. The more information, the better for you.
Beyond Boundaries_smDon’t let unhealed relational wounds or the pain of a past relationship affect your future. You can prevent the past from repeating itself. Read Beyond Boundaries to discover how to tell who you can trust, when the time is right to be vulnerable, and learn the keys to identify a healthy relationship.
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