An Amazing 2014 in Christ

I wrote a similar post on protectyourdreams.blogspot.ca, this year, but I thought it was worth duplicating to share this with you. Many said that 

2014 was both terrible and awesome at once.

 I can truly relate. That means, however, that we've all grown in some way. You may have learned that 

you're more resilient than you thought,

 or that there are more efficient ways to do something or quite simply that you'll do something very differently moving forward. Whatever you learned this year, I'm sure there is a positive perspective and takeaway, if not a few. Would you be willing to share what those were?

I believe none of our experiences are for naught. They're all necessary to help others advance too.

Source:

protectyourdreams.blogspot.com/2014/12/seasons-greetings-2014-review.html

My 2014 Eureka Moments

I don't know where to begin, but I'll aim for a list of 12 lessons I've learned this year, that I hope can help you find greater efficiency, balance and joy, in all areas of your lives.

1. If you enter every situation with Thanksgiving in Christ, believing it as you say it, you'll be surprised at how it will be turned around for good. Whether that's based on a change in perspective or a miracle, it's good.

2. Lesson #1 above has led to a series of serendipitous moments that I could not have dreamed up myself. From people to opportunities to new mindsets, our words to manifest our experiences.

3. In being true to myself, as I embrace the lessons above, I've also been a great source of inspiration without even realizing it! People have been moved to love and intrinsic purpose, after listening to me gush on about what I've been learning and how it's helped me.

4. Money is a friend, not a foe. This year, my mindsets around money have changed to understand that as a friend, financial wealth empowers me to be even more generous. When I am financially healthy, it is far easier for me to help others achieve the same.

5. My intuition is not just 'in my head', it works with Christ. It is a very real aspect of my being that has, to date, never (seriously) steered me wrong. I've attracted like-minded entrepreneurs, just by trusting my gut. It takes practice when you've ignored it for so long, but try it.

6. Love is the opposite of fear. We all believe it's Courage, but courage is merely a product of Love. This year, I've learned to focus on what I'm pursuing in Love, rather than dwelling on what could go wrong as I pursue it (fear). What would it look like for you to live this way?

7. Self care is not selfish. Self care is the wise setting of boundaries to ensure that you remain whole as you pursue your dreams which, inevitably, will help others. We are of no use to anyone if we are burnt out or spread thin. We can't do anything well if we're doing everything.

8. When I am taking care of myself, even when it means saying "No" from a place of love to someone or something, I have created a safe space for them, too, to do the same. No one is forced to do what they don't want to, or really can't, do.

9. Lesson #8 also no longer comes with guilt or anxiety about letting others down or fear that something or someone might fail because I said "No". I completely understand (most days) that this "No" sets clear boundaries for me to be able to be at my best when I do say "Yes".

10. Lessons #8 and #9 became real to me when I viewed them through the lenses of my Time, my Goals, my Space, my Perspective, my Pace of life and decision-making, my Feelings, my Preferences, my Comfort Zone and Stretch Zone*, and other aspects of life. (*Your stretch zone refers to moments where you risk stepping out of your comfort zone to try something new. You shouldn't be coerced to enter this zone; it should be your decision. The Panic Zone is that beyond your stretch zone. If you're in the panic zone, you're not ready. It's fine to step back.)

11. I've always known this, but never put it into words. I make decisions from a place of conscious awareness of why I'm making those decisions. Decisions are no longer based on false time-pressure or peer-pressure or any kind. When I've made decisions this way, I know I am committed to those decisions, to seeing them to fruition.

12. I'm now more comfortable knowing that I am not to be all things, at all times, to all people. I know that my part is important, but I am free to stay balanced, true to myself, as I do my part.

Some of you may have heard me rave about some or all of these, already, but those are my 2014 - year of Eureka Moments - lessons. I know I'm not alone though. 

Willing to share yours?

Wishing you, your loved ones and everyone you encounter, love, joy, healing and prosperity in every area of life.

See you in 2015!

Best, always!

[Adapted from:

Protect Your Dreams

, December 22, 2014]

Sharing God (Part 2)

In

part 1

, I examined the

challenges of persecution and how we address it,

in light of my own experience with those I love in the "New Age" or "Universe" movement, as the Church often refers to it. I spoke about Love, as it pertains to Christ, and touched on the appeal of this new movement to 'the youth' who are leaving the Church.

Here, I delve into the

similarities and differences

between the teachings of Christianity and the "New Age or "Universe" movement, and some considerations for how we can be

living examples of the Love of God in Christ,

through the Holy Spirit. Examples to 'the young people' and the world at large.

Source:

lovecoversall-godislove.blogspot.ca/2014/11/sharing-god-part-2.html

Christ and the "New Age" Movement

So many in the Church have risen up forcefully against the "New Age" or "Universe" movement. I can understand why. Still, we should pay attention.

Similarities

Here are some of their beliefs that we share:

• Love yourself. It's the only way you can love someone else. (Matthew 22:34-40 ESV)

• The world needs us to be all that we were made to be. (Matthew 25:14-30 ESV)

• Love is what everyone needs. Everything good comes from this. (again, Matthew 22:34-40 ESV)

• Be generous. Give when you can. (Matthew 25:31-40 ESV)

• Bless and you will be blessed. There's good in everyone. (Romans 12:14-21 MSG)

Differences

Here are a few places where we greatly differ:

• There is no right or wrong

• There is no absolute truth

• There is no God. 'God' is each of us and the collective us.

We can see where things begin to go awry in the absence of God in Christ. 

The enemy always uses a little truth to make the lies credible

 and our enemy is no fool. He's done a phenomenal job, right?

What's missing? 

The one thing that we all seem to miss when we raise this 'discussion' is

Salvation.

We know this is a matter of Life or Death.

We know this is precisely why the enemy has built in the element of "no right or wrong":

1. People were not designed to bear guilt, shame, feeling 'wrong' all the time. It's why we get sick.

2. Christ died to free us from all of that, reconcile us to God once and for all, so we can be whole.

3. "New Age" has to include all religions, which don't all free us, but they still have to 'free us'.

4. To do that, either everyone has to be 'good' or nothing is. So "New Age" just eliminates it.

As we should know by now, however,

ignoring something doesn't mean it no longer exists.

"Right and wrong" or "good and evil" is no different. Subconsciously, we all know this.

Eventually, Christian or "New Age", we all have to face it.

Freedom to Simply Be

To Christians, it seems ridiculous that someone would pass up Christ's sacrifice in favor of ignoring the existence of "good and evil", but if we move past our fear of questioning, we'll see that

right after Jesus tore the curtain to give us direct access to God, we let a few members of the Church build it right back up, again.

We almost immediately gave up our "freedom to simply be" exactly who we are before God, so that He could heal our hurts and release us to freely Love.

We too have been deceived.

The "New Age" or "Universe" movement has given that back, or has given the appearance of it.

Like the Church, however, you have it "as long as you agree with us".

Hence the persecution of the Christian philosophy. (I can only speak of my experience, but perhaps others feel it as well.)

The point is that

all human organization suffers from the politics of fear, control and manipulation.

How do we resolve that? As Christians, we have to

allow people to "get there when they get there".

No more, "you have to..." and quoting the Bible as a form of control to make those around us conform to our ideas of who God is.

We have to celebrate diversity,

share the word, starting in Christian community, and simply let people learn, respond and grow as they will. In all the parables,

God in Christ is always the only one allowed to "separate the weeds from the wheat".

It is only in relationship, through example,

that we open the door for Christ's Love and Salvation (not our Words, but the Holy Spirit, Himself) to reach anyone.

Did you come to know God because you were told, or because you had your own personal encounter with God and God's Love?

Don't force it. Let others enjoy the God-given freedom to Simply Be.

Are you free to Simply Be?

The root cause of our behavior as Christians is our own perspective of ourselves.

Do you love yourself as Christ loves you and has called you to love others? Do you really? So many of us believe it's

vanity or pride

to enjoy ourselves -

our physique, our features, our brains, our passions, our spirit (do you know your spirit?), our emotions, our unique person.

So much so that we dare not look to closely at ourselves. Well, then...

how on earth are you supposed to know what to take to God for healing if we don't know ourselves? (Hint:

It's not by what others tell us.) That's not personal, intimate relationship with God. If you are "not supposed to" stop to love and enjoy yourself,

how are you supposed to love others as you love yourself?

 Aah. Do you see?

That's exactly what we're doing.

We're harsh self-critics, and so that's how we love the world. Are you willing to change that?

Speak Love.

It's the language we all speak, or are learning to speak.

Share Christ simply by being, but first, you have to learn to Be.

Only then, will He flow naturally in your conversation. How does He flow naturally? It's situational. You'll have to take the time to know yourself first.

Not the "photocopied Christian self"

most of us know, but

the individual Christian self

that God has called You to be in this world.

Know how YOU hear God,

so you'll hear Him in each situation, as you respond. Know your unique passions, call, purpose, so you know exactly how you fit into Christian community, and the larger global community.

Persecution by the Church against You

As I write this, I recommend that you go back to

part 1

, which addresses

how to deal with persecution in Love.

We have to first learn how to

love those "at home" before we can go out and love the world.

In much the same way as we have to learn to love ourselves before we can go out and love others.

We speak of persecution in the world, but I invite you to consider another kind of persecution.

Boundaries destroyed. Perspectives obliterated. Voices silenced. Based on good intentions,

but founded on fear, groupthink (

definition

) and a limited perspective of Love,

we the Church (knowingly and unknowingly) have forced diversity out.

The very diversity that Christ built into the individual beings that should make up the complete and healthy body of Christ, a body that truly reflects every single aspect of possibility that is us, in the image of God, we've shut it down. Today, the very small part of the body of Christ thrives in our Church(es) is represented by a small representation of the character of God. With good intentions,

the small 'majority'

are men of a certain age who've been domineering enough to

bend the will of those who could have represented the rest of the character of Christ.

Those men and the women who agree with those men.

This is not a call to attack them. It is, however, a call to step out of bondage and seek God yourself.

Your Journey of Freedom to Simply Be

I'd like to invite you on a true journey of freedom.

A journey of self-exploration in your being, rather than in rigid fear and logic. I challenge you to explore this world that God put us in.

You were born exactly when you were supposed to be born, into the right generation.

You are exactly where you were meant to be at this time (

Psalm 139 ESV

), in your spirit, body and soul (i.e. your mind, your will, your emotions).

This will be your platform for future inspiration. You'll be surprised.

I invite you to step out empowered by the love, faith, hope and joy of Christ,

not driven by fear of being wrong or deceived. Read the Word, know God in Christ, but KNOW God in Christ, in the fullness of who He really is. He made everything on this planet - spiritual and physical - and we cannot have dominion over what we do not know or understand.

Explore with God in Christ as your guide.

The world has, perhaps, followed the Spiritual things of God in Christ that we have avoided for fear of encountering demons and demonic deception. If so, then they have benefited from

where the revival of God in Christ has taken them and desired to take us

- on a walk of self-discovery so that we are more effective in Loving as God in Christ loves. It is time to wake up, Church. Open your eyes to what God is doing all around us.

Let Him do that in us, too. Walk in the fullness of Christ.

Already Redeemed. Already Free to Simply Be

This is what God wants for all the world (

Isaiah 1:18 ESV

)

"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool"

. You see,

we are already free to be.

We just have to know it, walk in it and share it by

Simply Being.

I pray, quite simply,

that today you begin the journey to find, know, love you, in Christ and, thereby, to know and love others, truly, on a deeper level. Amen.

Thanks for reading.

Are you on this journey? Share your encouraging experience!

Sharing God (Part 1)

Persecution. What does it look like to you? How do you respond? 

Joyce Meyer says "hurt people hurt people"

and she always reminds her audience that people are not our enemy, but "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (

Ephesians 6:10-12 ESV

). It is for this reason that we are to "put on the whole armour of God" (

Ephesians 6:10-20 ESV

) - so we remember who we are, who we stand

for

and who we stand

against

 - so we can walk with eyes wide open. This is what drove

Paul's response to persecution

in

Acts 16:20-33 (ESV)

If you're fortunate enough to have less fatal persecution, you have even more of an opportunity to

respond in Love.

(Disclaimer: I'm not the authority on this. I fail here everyday; I too am learning. You're welcomed to hold me accountable.)

Source:

lovecoversall-godislove.blogspot.ca/2014/11/sharing-god-part-1.html

Please note:

this is not to say that you have to put your face under someone's boot.

Love does not enable bad behaviour

. Love stands,

but leaves room for offenders to receive

grace, mercy

and

forgiveness.

The response you're called to is different in each situation, as each individual is 'persecuting' due to a different combination of

hurts, experiences, traumas

and

perspectives.

The

Written Word

gives guidance, but the

Living Word, Christ,

the written word made life through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, guides in each situation.

You have to get to know Him.

I was prompted to write this because, in

my walk as an entrepreneur,

I have come across quite a lot of persecution for what I believe. I am not overt in my Christianity, and I explain why below, but people shut down or get defensive, in North America, when they hear that you're Christian. I've always believed that

we don't need to "defend God", but we need to "Love people".

This year, that belief was truly tested.

Christ moved me to Love, Pray for and Bless.

Self-Check:

Am I Persecuted? Am I Victim or Victor? Will I Cower, Argue or Love?

What does it look like to Respond in Love to Persecution?

Will you stand and share God? What does that mean to you? Fear of "being ashamed of God, lest He be ashamed of you" (

Mark 8:38 ESV

)

has led us to use Christ as a weapon, knowingly and unknowingly. This scripture, my beloved, is not about what you do with your lips, in every situation.

It's about the state of your heart.

  I do not in any way advocate being silent about our faith - we would be remiss in our love for God, our neighbors and our enemies, if we did. I am saying that, if our motive is always truly Love, then we'll know who, when and how, if at all. Sometimes, pray is our only call. My question is "are you listening?" Is your silence driven by 'love in Christ' or by 'fear of persecution'? It's not about letting everyone hear and see Jesus in literal ways all the time.

In fact, those He said He would say "depart from me; I never knew you" (

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV

) to, were very visibly seen bearing His name. Why do you think that is?

1 Corinthians 13 (ESV)

comes to mind - "if you have all these, but have not Love..." People always quote

1 Corinthians 13:4

at weddings, but

click and read

the whole chapter (just 13 verses).

Responding in Love meets needs.

It's not about you being heard or seen.

If we're really listening to the needs of others to meet them in Love, we find that that's not what people need. In a world hurt by the Church itself (we need to acknowledge our part in that),

it is the presence of God (of Love) in Christ that brings healing.

I'm not saying don't say Jesus' name; when asked, or when led by the Holy Spirit, definitely, but

let your heart's reason always be Love.

This is why

Paul and Peter went where they were invited or led.

Love honours the God-given free will of those we encounter, as God honours ours. Love forced is not love.

Love freely given and freely received is whole Love.

Self-Check:

In light of all of this, what does responding in Love to Persecution really mean?

Will you go with God anywhere? Really? Are you sure?

Where are you willing to go to learn more about God?

Can you walk confidently in the supernatural, or is that your worst fear? What if there's an area of God's intimate Love that you can't meet until you go there? Will you go? I went into the 2014 Leadership Development Program, Level 1 (

LDP 1

) very skeptical, but I'll tell you, once you submit to hearing God, miracles happen. In October, we explored the culture of Salvation and Righteousness, but last month was the Supernatural. During the conversation, many expressed concern that 'young people' have moved away from the Church and "bought into" the "New Age" or "Universe" movement.

I ask you. If you can step out in faith, trusting that your God in Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, will not let you be deceived,

why do you think the "New Age" or "Universe" movement is so appealing to them?

Is this the return of Paganism or is it inspired by the movement Holy Spirit? I'm not writing this to upset you. I know that many have been deceived by this. What I'm asking you, is why? Perhaps, as the Church, we've missed it

because we weren't listening.

If 'the young people' were heard, invited into the conversation meaningfully, honoured in their opinions and experiences, would we all have grown, or would they still have left? Do we really trust and follow our God everywhere? What's their example?

Fear, control, manipulation and bullying are attractive to no one.

They are not fruits of the Holy Spirit, and they have driven 'the youth' away, in favor of the places where they actually find the fruits of the Holy Spirit. So I ask you again - why do you think the "New Age" or "Universe" movement is so appealing to them? Are you awake, paying attention?

Freedom, boundless Love, Grace, those are attractive. AND it's what God promised.

Self-Check:

Is the "New Age" movement really delivering what God promised? Is the Church?

Rediscovering God. What is the face of His Love Today?

Some say that 'the great revival' never ended,

but that we the Church stopped following when it meant going beyond boundaries that we could control. Recently, someone said that,

perhaps, the "New Age" or "Universe" movement has latched on to the revival,

simply because they were open, and we weren't. If God said "even the rocks will cry out", I imagine that He will work with whoever's listening. He even told the disciples, when they were having a hard time believing, to do His work and obey, and the testimonies of those they save will increase their faith.

The bridge, as always, is Christ.

His walk, His way. He Loved. He spoke of God as His father, as Love itself, to gentiles. Is your life an example?

Is Christ your barrier or your opening?

How does it work? In testing everything against the Word, and asking God to open my eyes, I've begun to see very plainly how much I've missed out on for fear of stepping out. Once I walked in Christ, when I listened to what my friends in the "New Age" or "Universe" movement were saying, I understood. I was no longer guardedly avoiding deception, but I was actively listening free in the knowledge that God would prevent deception. It was then, in that freedom, that

their words were "rightly divided in Christ".

It was so amazing!

I saw what was God's hand and what wasn't. I saw clearly what God's heart was for us as Christians -

to so want the freedom they walk in - that we'd pursue Him all the more, but now in new relationship!

In the supernatural, where a new level of intimacy lies. Where healing, miracles, love and freedom are possible. Where we are re-introduced to the power of our spoken words, in Christ. What it means to be responsible, in Christ, with our ability to speak things into being. Every new level of learning God leaves me in awe, in Love, anew. I invite you to join me. Pay attention to what's happening in the world, and you'll see your role in it.

You have a unique role!

Self-Check:

Is the Holy Spirit's moving? Am I willing to find out? If yes, what's my role?

I pray that, in Christ,

your heart for Love abounds, casting out all fear. I pray that you find within yourself a burning desire to go to the ends of the earth, with God in Christ, to know Him better. I pray that you are led first by the Holy Spirit, and then by community that serves to reinforce what the Word says and build you up in your pursuit of God. Finally,

I declare that fear, manipulation, control and bullying are things of the past,

in your walk with God and Church, and that you move forward in the

love, faith, hope, joy and freedom

that God has called us into. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

What's your experience? What has persecution looked like for you? How have you responded? How would you have liked to respond?

In

part 2

, I explore some tangible examples of what I've discussed above, and some potential solutions.

God Is Pursuing You. Do You See? My Experience

Bless you, LORD, Your Majesty and Your Love. Thank you for always Loving me, and reminding me of that Love when the accuser comes after me and I hold hands in agreement with him, unknowingly. Thank You for never tiring of pursuing me!

Source:

lovecoversall-godislove.blogspot.com/2014/08/god-is-pursuing-you-do-you-see-my.html

Today, LORD, for the first time in a while, I completely surrendered to You, again, and leaving that Church to find alone time with You, You Would Not Let My Spirits Sink! As only You can, LORD:

1. You gave me sunshine, in the midst of a freezing summer.

2. You gave me worship songs during Communion and at the end of service, despite my missing it at the beginning.

3. You gave me Communion and new insight into it's bonding power in You, LORD - into why we say "Grace before meals" - not just to Thank, buy to Invite You to join us! Thank You!

4. You sent me Scott to talk Entrepreneurship, when I thought he'd find me difficult.

5. You sent me www.MellowDeeCanada.com to say Hello and sing "Hallelujah", to remind me of Your omnipotence and unyielding grace.

6. You sent me Smart Set's very cool window display/creative advertising to make me smile and, in the midst of that

7. You sent three (3) 'clowns' who were trying to photo-bomb my Smart Set shot to make me laugh heartily (instead of my usual scowl in response).

8. You showed me the Bible verse (Psalm 34:4 ESV "I sought the LORD and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears") - on the subway.

Items 3-5 happened in the space of maybe 30 minutes! And I know that You simply changed my heart and opened my eyes! You are amazing!

Professional Artiste:

www.MellowDeeCanada.com

God, literally, even my mistakes, You've used for good, and my steps of faith, you have blessed.

Remove the fear that holds me hostage, LORD, and replace it with boldness to walk in the freedom You died to give me; that I might walk in the " flow" that is the Holy Spirit, free of the burden of circumstances, as only You can make possible. Let Your glory be seen in Every aspect of my being, even as You turn my flaws (in Your grace) to healing for others, and draw me into more Conscious Relationship with You.

Smart Set

, Eaton Centre - Jeans-in-a-Tube Display Campaign

I repent, as Your Love overflows in me, of my blindness and my unbelief, and Thank You for the simple yet unimaginably Powerful, gift of Your Presence. I revere You now, and always, LORD Jesus Christ, God My Father, Holy Spirit, and Thank You for being the wind that makes me, Your Eagle, soar for Your glory.

I will be exactly who I am, fully, in each moment, conscious and aware, so that Your work may be done in me, and in those I encounter, in Truth, in Love and in Holiness, so that we will all experience Freedom on You.

Starting Today. Love You, God! Amen.

How has God hugged

You,

today?

Your Love Encounter with God (Part 2)

In

Part 1

of this 2-part series “Your Love Encounter with God”, I focused solely on You and God, in God’s Love, highlighting that it is only when we know and understand what a Love Encounter with God looks like, that we can share it with others. That that is what draws people to God – His Love. After reading that, I hope you are in a better position to share God from a place of overflowing Love, in Part 2.

Love First, Not the Word First, Calls People

If you didn't read it yet, I mentioned in

part 1

that I'm doing the

Leadership Development Program, Level 1 (LDP1)

 developed and delivered in Christ by the 

Bethel Church in Redding California

., and that I was listening to Chris Gore's session, 

"Today is a Great Day

 for a Miracle

"

.

Chris’ message truly brought confirmation, for me, on what God has been saying to me recently. We hear and say all the time that 

"It is God's 

Love

 that draws people into relationship with Him"

,

 yet time and time again we introduce people to 

God's 

Word

 before we share God's Love

. We also forget that 

we

 are the vessels of that 

Love

;

 that people go to the Word of God 

after

 they've encountered God's 

Love

.

 It is only 

then

 that they start wanting to learn more about 

this God

 that 

loves them 

so intently, so completely.

Source: 

http://lovecoversall-godislove.blogspot.ca/2014/05/your-love-encounter-with-god-part-2.html

Once God Has Your Heart...

Our God wants us to

go back to basics,

so that we

learn to rest in Him.

It is in the simple rest of Loving God and being Loved by God, that we truly

get food, Love, to share.

Chris shared an experience where he didn't see someone (close to death) whom he'd prayed for get healed – daunting. Later, she did get healed! She told him that she'd never heard of God's Love as a Father – that she'd never had a father's love, when Chris said

"Daddy, please take this thing from her",

it shook her.

That

changed her world!

He couldn't do it without first making time to grow in His own knowledge of God's Love.

God wants first our hearts,

then time and a deep love relationship with us, then complete surrender of every area of our lives – so that we can be further filled with His love, then

when filled to overflow,

we walk out and love others because

we simply can’t help it.

All because we have a simple but deep Love Relationship with God.

Love is our action, our task that yields results.

Love is what we're called to, the Love of God. That love drives action - a free action that flows out of us, from the peace of God and the certainty that God will act (not 'me', but God).

Only God's Love – Not Our Works

Once we start striving, we're on shaky ground.

When we start arguing, taking offence, being afraid for/of anyone or anything, plotting to persuade, then we know that

we have missed it.

When we "drop a word" on someone and walk away with

no regard for how they receive it,

we have missed it. We're not responsible for making sure people feel what we intended, but we are to check our hearts to

ensure that we Loved.

We will not be perfect in this journey

 – no one is – but

we can be transparent and loving when we're secure in God's Love for us.

This is why it's so important for us to

go to God,

not just with our plans, our ministries, our calling/purpose, but

simply with ourselves, for some Love!

We have to have down time with God, just laughing at nonsense, being in His presence and

basking in His Love,

to be able to share that complete Love with others.

Evangelism, the great commission,

our call as Christians – is that – sharing the Love of God. Those we share simple, true love with, will pursue Him after.

My Prayer for You

In the name of our Loving God, our Father, in Christ Jesus, through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, I lift up your hearts – our hearts – and ask for the slate to be cleared, of all woes, responsibilities and fears for a moment. I declare, now, that God will teach us to guard our time with Him jealously, and that we don't use that time for works, but for Love Relationship. I stand in faith on the knowledge that

it is finished,

and that His Love will overflow from us wherever we go, in all that we do. That people will see a "new glow" about us, and want it. I believe that You, God, will use our tongues, hands, our entire beings, to

pour forth Your Love,

so that others will draw near You – not just us – in pursuit of More. Amen!

I hope that this 2-part series has rejuvenated you, in some way! Bless you! (

Click here for

Part 1.

)

Your Love Encounter with God (Part 1)

Right now, thanks to my Church,

The Well on Bayview in Toronto, Ontario

, I'm doing the

Leadership Development Program, Level 1 (LDP1)

developed and delivered in Christ by the

Bethel Church in Redding California

. This month, we're building a

culture of Risk and Faith

into our lives. Today, I'm listening to Chris Gore's session, 

"Today is a Great Day for a Miracle"

. He really confirmed what God has been saying to me, and it’s given me the courage to share it with you in this 2-part series: 1 – Your Love Encounter, and 2 – Others’ Love Encounter through You.

What Keeps You Busy?

Part 1

of this blog post is focused on

Your Love Encounter with God.

We can't share an overflow of something that isn't in us. How many of us are caught up in the "action" of loving God? We’re

results-oriented

or

task-oriented

in our prayer lives – that is, if our tasks even give us time for prayer. I mean,

“the laborers are few and the harvest is plenty”

, and that’s our job – right? How satisfied would you be with a prayer life where you just had to spend time

saying "God, I Love You" and hearing that back?

Source: 

http://lovecoversall-godislove.blogspot.ca/2014/05/your-love-encounter-with-god-part-1.html

Full Disclosure

This is the walk that God has called me to. I have spent my whole life in a

performance-based relationship

with my God in Christ, the Lover of my Soul in the Holy Spirit, my Redeemer. For the past

five (5) years,

however, God has been pulling out all the stops to try to get me to understand that (

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

)

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

I know it in my head, but when all around you (even at Church) the call is "Do", "Do", "Do",

that head knowledge is never translated to reality.

For the past 2-3 years,

however, My Beloved Father in heaven has begun to, in a number of ways,

tie my hands

so I would not be able to do anything.

Literally

 – anxiety attacks that made me unable to move even my tongue,

financially

 – where I have nothing to tithe or pay my bills,

emotionally

 – where I am unable to forgive or manage my anger or fear. My mind, naturally, ran to, "where have I sinned to cause this", but God reminded me that I had forgotten that I have to

put first things first

(

Matthew 6:33 ESV

).

Funny, even as I'm writing this, God is reminding me to put first things first, again – His Love. This is the

verse of the day

on BibleGateway.com (

Zephaniah 3:17 ESV

)

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

Love is the Gospel.

What is a Love Encounter with God?

It looks different for everyone.

When you wake up and God says quite simply

"I Love You",

and you hear it and feel it in your bones. When you walk down the street and God interrupts your thoughts with

a flower, a cloud shape, a smiling face

in a sea of serious ones - just to remind you that

He loves you "just because".

When in tough circumstances you're so filled with the certainty of His Love that you know in your every fiber that

"all is well".

You know that

you're walking in His Love – it's never just one (1) encounter.

That is what God wants from You – Love Relationship with Him. That's what He wants from everyone, and so that is what we're all called to share. Everything else will come after we know His Love.

Healing, encouragement, getting others to come to Christ, all those

results

are God's responsibility. Yours is to bring His Love to people, but

only once you know His Love,

yourself

.

We all know the

1 Corinthians 13

definition of Love, but

do you know verses 1-3

(

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV

)? No matter how much you

Do,

if you do not first overflow with Love,

whose work are you doing? Yours or God's?

My Prayer for You

I pray that you have a powerful encounter with God's Love today, all week, and that every void in your heart is filled with this Love, to overflow! This I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our LORD, through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

(See

Part 2

for Others' Love Encounter through You.)

The Love and Freedom in the Truth of John 1:1-10

If you grew up

Anglican,

in both the A.C. (Anglican, Anglo-Catholic) and attended R.C.

(Roman Catholic)

schools and, thus, Churches, you have likely heard

1 John 1:8-10

every Sunday before you shared in Communion over the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, by faith.

Before I comment on these verses, and color your opinion,

I want you to read them

and listen to what God says to you, in these verses.

First John, Chapter 1, Verses 1-10

First John, chapter 1, verses 1-10, in the English Standard Version of the Bible (

1 John 1:1-10 ESV

):

The Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our[a] joy may be complete.

Walking in the Light

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

This is the Word of the LORD, our God in Christ Jesus, through the intercession of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Source:

http://lovecoversall-godislove.blogspot.ca/ by Crystal-Marie S.

Setting the Stage, My Morning Thus Far

Maybe I woke up high on God. No. I woke up worried, repenting, asking for forgiveness, faith and provision. Then, thanking God for His Love and mercy. I opened the biblegateway.com app. on my phone, and saw

1 John 1:9.

That verse swept over me with such peace, that I decided to read it in context.

I woke up at 7-something this morning, it's now 8:31 AM, and

I'm still high on God.

In fact, I woke up praying, read these verses and got high on Christ in the Holy Spirit and found out that

someone else was surprised to have woken up praying today

(on www.instapray.com). Lol. She was a bit freaked, but then she said "I'm not complaining, God, just saying this is new" and she thanked Him for loving her that much. All I know is that "God is in the air" in a big way, today -

she's in another country

and I don't know her - and great things will happen today.

[

Disclaimer:

the founder of

www.instapray.com

 told me that he is not a Christian and wanted to create a forum where anyone from any religion could pray. Christians dominate the forum, but not everyone is Christian. If you join, you have been notified.]

What I Get from 1 John 1:1-10, Today

Continuing from deciding to read it in context, one of the joys of living alone is that

you can read the Word out loud

without bothering anyone. So, I decided to read out loud - reading as John must have thought it as he wrote it (no, I wasn't there). Suddenly, my eyes were opened to the experience of

hearing about this Messiah from childhood, then being able to know Him,

clear in your very being that this is the Messiah they spoke of!

Can you imagine being clear in the knowledge that God sent His only Son to save us, and that

you get to be chosen to walk alongside Him?

Even now my heart swells! You wouldn't be able to contain all of that JOY - you too would automatically

walk out the Great Commission

(

Matthew 28:16-20 ESV

) - you would run and tell everyone! Anyone who would listen! And you'd be bubbling over. Yours actions would be

driven by nothing but awe and Love.

Wouldn't they? Not by judgement, fear and foreboding.

And that was just in verses 1-4! Reading verses 5-10 out loud, after that, I'd already been consumed by the Love of Christ, so to me these verses sounded like

"come to me, pour out all that you're hiding within and hiding from, so that I may forgive you and set you free"

(much like

Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

). It truly was like living water refreshing every cell of my body. Have you ever felt that reading God's Word? I pray you do, because He is the ONLY reason we can have Joy and Peace regardless of circumstances.

I knew God was up to something, though. :) LOL (literally). God has taken hold of me, but this year, I have opened my eyes to see it. I know He's up to something because ALL my life I've heard that verse, 1 John 1:9, I only ever heard

"woe to you, bad child and sinner - you hurt Jesus with every bad thought"

, but Today, even before reading the entire context, I saw it differently. I saw it as

"stop worrying about your sin and give it to me. I need you whole, confident in my Love for you, so that you will want to pursue relationship with Me (God in Christ) instead of feeling shame whenever you come."

My Understanding of God's Heart

I know this is long, but I hope you were inspired to read this far.

God does not want

our only conversation with Him to be

"Sorry, God, I'm bad, horrible, wretched, unworthy, please forgive me."

When He calls us into

relationship, He calls us to know His Love!

We repent, we leave our sin at His feet, in exchange for healing and deliverance from the things that make us sin - wrong beliefs, desires that stem from hurt, fear, doubt, shame, guilt -

things not of God!

God wants to see His children Joy-filled, and He knows that we can only do that in

Freedom!

The freedom His son died and then conquered the grave to give us!

God wants a joyful, peaceful and adventurous relationship with us, and He is pursuing us to give it to us.

Stop running and let Him.

Do you truly trust God in Christ?

God's Love in our unbelief

I have gone back and forth in my relationship with God on

the issue of trust.

While I realize that this is a lifelong journey, I can't say that I'm not always appalled by the knowledge that I'm so far removed from the faith I think I have. I thank God daily for our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and the intercession of the Holy Spirit, our guide and comforter in a fallen world.

I love my God,

my Beloved Father in Heaven, and I know that without a doubt, but I know that:

1. I love Him only because He Loved me first (unconditionally)

2. His Love in me is what makes me capable of love at all

3. He is working with me always to perfectly manifest His Love in me

4. Every time I grow in that Love, He allows it to overflow to those around me

5. I know that my God is good and sovereign, and that no one is born 'by accident'. We all have a purpose - one significant to Him.

Sin and the enemy's deception

Still, our enemy who roams like a roaring lion seeking to steal, kill and destroy our lives (literally) - an enemy that is not flesh and blood, but spiritual powers and principalities (

Ephesians 6:12 Amplified Version

) - is persistent.

I detest my sin nature, the sins I slip into from time to time and escape readily through conviction, as well as those sins that keep me in bondage, even when my eyes are opened to the knowledge that I am free to walk away from them. I detest the power that I have given these sins in my life, and I am not sure about how to walk in freedom from them, except that

in Christ I can do all things

(

Philippians 4:13

) - we have the authority to stop the enemy. Having

put on His armour,

during the times that I walk in wisdom (

Ephesians 6:13-18

), knowing that

the Word is my sword,

I know that

we are conquerors in Christ,

that if we

resist the devil he will flee

and that

our salvation is finished already in Christ,

we are simply walking it out.

For all the sins I cannot escape,

Hebrews 13:1-9

, particularly verse 5, reminds me that my key sin is

unbelief.

Do you truly trust God in Christ?

Do you truly trust God in Christ, or do you only trust Him when things don't go wrong?

Image Source: 

http://smsread.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Incredible-Wave-Pictures-006.jpg

Throughout 2013, I have struggled with the knowledge that I don't - and it rocked my world. How could I not trust God after all the miracles I've lived through?! We judge

the Israelites

in the desert during the Exodus from Egypt for seeing miracles yet doubting God, but how different are we? We attack

Adam and Eve

- Eve for eating the forbidden fruit and Adam for looking on and saying nothing - but is our faith that God would not forsake us any stronger?

I know that my entire walk with God is a journey to learn to

Love as He Loves

- Love everyone unconditionally - and that stems from understanding. To Love Adam, Even, the Israelites of Exodus, we walk in their shoes. Whose shoes are you walking in? 

I often feel like I'm walking in David's shoes.

In those moments, my David moments, when I'm about to hang my head in shame, I remember that

David was a man after God's own heart,

and I run after God, again. I try to run with Jacob's boldness. I LOVE my God.

He will never leave us. People need the Gospel

Whatever you're going through, whatever you're doing in secret, whatever wavering your faith is doing, I pray that God bring you - us - back to reality. There is no time for you to agree with your accuser, that you 'are what you do'. There is no time (

Matthew 24

). Knowing that we are already saved, we still stumble. We have hope! What about those who don't? How much worse is their plight?

There's only time for you to know who you are in Christ. We are born in sin - and the enemy would love to keep our heads buried in that, as though that's the end of our story. Don't let his lies in! That was the beginning of your story. Our journey is a milli-second-by-milli-second series of repentant moments - joyfully repentant moments - because we know that we actually have had our sin debt paid in full. We know that 

even this trial

 (however big, long, deep, dark) is not bigger than God, and cannot separate us from the Love of God (

Romans 8:35-39

). We need to share that knowledge!

Image Source: 

http://smsread.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Incredible-Wave-Pictures-006.jpg

Hold On

I relent to God that I am forever His and I will always return to Him, and believe that He forever draws me near and will never let me go (

Hebrews 13:5-6

). My Love for Him will not grow cold with doubt. I pray for the same unwavering fact to keep you firmly rooted in our God. Amen.