Fast Begins Tomorrow

Ladies-

I pray that you are blessed and able to soak in the presence of the Holy Spirit on this Resurrection Sunday.  I also hope that you have prayed and prepared and are ready to begin to fast for the next 30 days for the individual spiritual and physical breakthroughs and success of the men of WNY.  I believe this is a timely season- as there have been 2 corporate gatherings of Christians in the past year in our region.  I believe that God desires to work through us to touch the spiritual atmosphere in our region and bless us as a whole beginning with individuals, specifically the men. 

I thank those of you who have been sharing this blog and hope that as we join together during this next season that we would be able to support each other, and bring forth the Father's heart.  What an awesome way to become His hands and feet!!

I pray for each of you that you would receive a new touch from our Abba Father, and that His presence would be made even more tangible in your lives.  As you begin to fulfill that which God has called you to do in this time, know that He is working in your life and in the lives of those around you even if you cannot see it in the natural. 

I look forward to beginning this journey with you and ask you to post prayers, supporting comments and testimonies on this blog that we may be able to lift each other up. 

Amen!!

Today- and Forever- HE LIVES!!

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day.

1 Cor. 15:4

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus... Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Romans 8:1, 34-35

Thank God that Jesus Lives!! As we celebrate His resurrection today let us remember that we need to go past the cross.  Let us not stop there where the suffering and apparent defeat lay.  So often, all we can see with our human eyes is the defeat.  We struggle to look past the defeat to the victory that is already won for us.  When we choose Jesus, we choose victory, love, forgiveness, strength, power, humility, grace, mercy, peace and so much more.  We choose to serve a God who crushed the power of death and holds our every moment in His hands. 

I praise Jesus that he uses our struggles to grow our character and that He is strong enough to see us through it all.  He will never leave us nor forsake us and just as Romans says: NOTHING can separate us from His love.  Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us every moment for our entire lives here on Earth when we choose Him.  Nothing is too big for Him, nothing scares Him and nothing will make Him change his mind about us.  He is steady, trustworthy, and he loves us more than we could ever imagine or comprehend. You can never be too far away to come back to the loving embrace of Jesus.

I pray that today you would choose Jesus.  Make a conscious choice to walk in His shadow and down the paths that He has chosen for you.  Enjoy the priceless gift of life that has been given freely to you.

May you live in victory on this Resurrection Sunday and every other day until you meet Jesus face to face.

Listen to the song "Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

 

1 Cor. 13:4-8

 

This is exactly what Jesus did on the cross as he was dying- he chose love for us, for those that were crucifying him, mocking him, and reveling in his suffering.  This is love at its best. 

 

When Jesus said Love One Another and Paul followed with this explanation of love it may seem impossible.  As humans, how can we possibly do all of these things all the time?  The answer is- we cannot, because of our fallen state.  However, with the help of the Holy Spirit in the form of love and wisdom, we can begin to do so.  We can love because He first loved us. 

 

Somewhere I read that to love is to put others' needs above your own.  This is why Jesus said "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." John 15:13 This is because in Jesus' life and death, he put aside his own desires- his desire to live, to escape the pain, and all other human desires he would have been feeling- for us.  As he is seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, he is now asking that we would follow his model and love those around us with this kind of love.  Few of us are asked to actually lay down our lives for our friends (or enemies in Jesus' case), however we are asked to lay down our time, our valuables, our finances, our "toys" to help those around us. 

 

In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to love even our enemies.  In other words, put the needs of you enemies above your own.  If you have no real "enemies", think of the people you do not like, or those that really get under your skin.  Begin to pray for them and that God would give you a heart for them that you may bless them.  David did this as he was running from King Saul- he continued to honor the king as God's chosen and beloved. 

 

As Christians- as God's chosen, sanctified people, we are called to live differently than the world around us.  The world is becoming so dark, lets rise up together on this Easter, Resurrection Weekend and choose to put others' needs above our own.  Lets choose Love and follow in our Savior's footsteps that He may be glorified.

 

I challenge you today to choose one person that you would otherwise not pray for, and begin praying for that person.  Then watch how God hears your prayers, changes your heart, and impacts lives!!

His Death, Our Life

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death- that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by  their fear of death.  For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants.  For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

Hebrews 2:14-18

On this Good Friday, as I reflect upon that which Jesus did for us, I feel the need to ask Him to help me understand it more fully.  I've seen The Passion, read the accounts and listened to sermons, but I want this deep in my spirit and heart because it is the essence of our faith.  That Jesus, fully God, came in human form, teaching us the ways of heaven, modeling Godly behavior and submission to Abba Father until the ultimate price was paid- death on the cross, bearing the weight of our sins.  His death was the price for our sins- the price that we, each person on the face of the Earth should have had to pay. But Jesus...

But Jesus took our sins, our iniquities, our sicknesses and bore them all for every person that has ever or will ever live.  The total wrath of God was placed fully on His son, that we may have eternal life, and life more abundantly in Him.

The inncoent made guilty in order for the guilty to be made innocent before the Lord. 

After this he rose from the dead to sit at the right hand of the Father for all eternity.

Today I am so thankful that I have a "high priest who has gone through the heavens... For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin." Hebrews 3:12-13

Therefore, "today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart" (Heb. 3:8), but turn to the one who is able to see you through every difficulty, trial and tribulation and allow him to enter your heart as your Lord and Savior that you too, might have eternal life and life more abundantly.

But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ... In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

1 Cor. 11: 3, 11 (clicking on the underlined portion will take you to this chapter in Bible Suite Online)


As women we are called to support our own husbands.  This looks different in every marriage, however it remains that Christ is the head of the man and the man is the head of the woman.   It is also true that we are to work together, as we were created to be interdependent.  Therefore, I urge you to put aside all anger, strife and things that hinder you and seek the Lord daily for His will in your life.  We are called to work together in love and support each other.  One way of putting action to this wisdom from Paul is to fast and pray, seeking the Lord daily and allowing ourselves to be led by Him and then walking with the Holy Spirit in faith and obedience. 


We are all called to love one another, lifting each other up, encouraging each other, and working together.  I believe the song "City on a Hill" (link) by Casting Crowns illustrates this point very well.  I also believe that as a city and region we have let the "light fade" and I pray that through intercessors all over this region, as we join with those who have been praying for decades, turn from our sinful ways and humble ourselves, the Lord will hear us from Heaven and heal our land.

Lord, I pray that you would hear us from Heaven.  Holy Spirit, please help each one of us as we begin this time of fasting and prayer, to seek you, hear you, and obey you more fully.  Although our flesh is weak, you are strong.  I pray that you would change the atmosphere over our city and region to be one of blessing and not of curses. Help us to turn away from everything that does not bring you glory.  Lord, heal the broken hearted, the down trodden, the sick and the weak.  Restore our families, our friendships and our dreams.  And I pray that in the process You would receive all the glory and honor.  Amen.

 

Sit at His Feet

"...He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!"
     "Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:39-42

As you seek the Lord today, sit at his feet and listen to him, allow him to whisper to you and love on you.  Pray this also for the men of our region.  That they would bow down and sit at the feet of King Jesus.  There they will find forgiveness, comfort, love, joy, peace and wisdom.  Pray that they will lead us down right paths and receive all they need through Him. 

I believe that the Lord is just as eager today to pour out His love as He was thousands of years ago.  I know it is impossible to only sit and worship, there are other things that have to be done, however, set some time aside daily and seek only God.  Put all other things to the side for a time and pour your love on Him.  You will be blessed, and it may begin with a struggle, however it will soon turn into a time in which you look forward to and long for  as you daily meet with the King of all Kings.

       

Turn the Hearts

Malachi 4:6

"He will turn the hearts of the Fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers..."

As we pray we ask the Lord to turn the hearts of the fulfill this word in our city and region in this season.  I pray that the breakdown of the family would be turned around and that families would begin to see restroation and salvation and begin to bless the Lord. 

This morning I was listening to the Chris Tomlin song, God of this City.  He says: 

"You're the God of this city, You're the King of these people,You're the Lord of this nation
You're the light in the darkenss, You're the hope to the hopeless, You're the peace to the restless....
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city"


I will be praying this over our city for the duration of this fast.  I pray that you will join me.  It is linked in the "worship songs" list. 

Ladies-

As you are praying and fasting, I hope that you would visit this blog regularly and post words of encouragement and prayer for all to share.  Let's gather in one accord as we intercede for the men of WNY.  Don't forget to pray for those without families, and those that are fully broken, even if you do not know them personally.  They are all here for a purpose and God can fulfill His purpose in anyone if they are willing.

Healing the Land

"...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."  2 Chronicles 7:14

Although I have heard this verse commonly quoted, I did not realize it came after a great time of the people humbling themselves before God.  Solomon led the Israelites for 14 days in festival and dedication to God.  It was after this that God shared this verse with Solomon.  It is also connected with a promise and a warning reflecting consequences of the choice to worship or not.  Read the chapter in it's entirety here. 

As Christians, we serve a King who is all love and able to do great things.  As we come boldly to His throne, we ask that He would help us to do exactly what this verse says, humble ourselves, pray and seek his face, and turn from our wicked ways, that he would forgive our sin and heal our land.  This is not an easy thing to do, but with the guidance, wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit  it is possible.

I hope that you would choose to seek the Lord today in your own quiet time and ask Him exactly what he would like for you to do in this season, and then choose obedience. 

On April 1st, we will begin fasting and praying for the men of WNY; for their individual spiritual breakthroughs, for salvation and family restoratation.  Pray for all the men you know, and the men you do not know.  Pray that God would lift up an army of believers to "heal our land".  I thank the Lord that He is allowing us the opportunity to touch our region for His glory as intercessors together.

To God be all the glory

Contending for a Breakthrough

I believe that God is desiring the women of this region to stand together and contend for the well being, the blessing, and the tearing down of strongholds for our men as we prepare for a breakthrough.  We are called to

...approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

I would like to invite you to 30 days of fasting and prayer for the men of this region beginning the day after Easter, Monday April 1st.  I believe that as we seek the Lord in our quiet times and through our fasting, we will be contending for a much needed breakthrough.

I challenge you to share this message and join in an opportunity for corporate, regional prayer and fasting to impact our region in a great way.