Foolishness

When Jesus was confronted with the fear of death after fasting for 40 days, he conquered the fear by bringing into the situation the fact that “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”  

Not to be easily vanquished, the enemy appealed to another human weakness, our propensity toward foolish behavior. Jesus wisely responded, “You shall not tempt the Lord Thy God.”

We “tempt God” when we behave foolishly or presumptuously and expect God to rescue us. We are tempting him to not help us when it is in his nature and character to render assistance whenever possible. He just doesn’t like it when we purposely put ourselves in harm’s way and then expect him to come through for us.

He expects us to do our part and act prudently, and, then, he will do his part and see us through difficult times.

So, he conquered the fear of death with faith, and then he conquered foolishness with the fear of God.

It is written that “The fear of God is to depart from evil.”  Also, “With humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life.” And lastly, “Because there is forgiveness with God, he is to be feared.”

By holding on to God’s promises and nurturing a healthy and wholesome fear of Our Father, we, too, can overcome two of the enemy’s most potent weapons – the fear of death and the temptation of foolishness.

~ Brad Heilhecker

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Honored

Jesus said, “He who serves me, my Father will honor.” Also, “He who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.”  

That seems to be the point he is making: we are to be serving Christ and seeking his glory. If we are, the Father will honor us; the world most likely will not honor us, but God will.

So, how does God honor his servants? Psalm 45 says of Christ, “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God has honored you with the oil of gladness.” We could talk about other ways to honor someone, but this one is exquisitely beautiful and rare.  

Joy and gladness are rare commodities in this fallen generation. Sorrow, doubt, and despair are the order of the day.

If we can sustain a heart of gladness and joy as we walk this somber landscape of life, we will be an inspiration and a sign of hope to all who know us. What greater honor can we attain to in this life?

The apostle John wrote, “May you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” And then the apostle Paul wrote, “The kingdom of Heaven is not food and drink, but righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit.” Finally, Isaiah wrote of those that proclaim God’s word, “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst forth into song before you, and the trees will clap their hands.”  

All good things will accompany the one who continually rejoices in his Lord and in his salvation.  

To conclude: joy and peace are gifts, priceless gifts. They are incomparable in value. Through them we are enriched, our friends and family are enriched, and our God is glorified. This side of Heaven, they are as close to bliss and ecstasy as we can get, and they are a sure sign that we are walking the paths of Christ and storing up eternal treasures.

~ Brad Heilhecker

Hold On My Child

I know many of My son’s and daughter’s

are battle weary

Many are ready to throw in the towel

This has been a season of endless

challenges and trials for many

They feel defeated and drained

Everywhere they turn

the enemy is turning on the heat

And all they can do is watch

how their lives are spinning out of control

One moment everything still fine

The next moment everything falls apart

I see you standing with a finished puzzle

in your hand

The next moment it falls

to the ground

Pieces scattered everywhere

You fall to the ground trying

to collect the pieces

Then you realize that it’s going to take you

forever to put everything back together

You look up, defeated and lost

For its a reminder of your life

Spinning out of control

You hanging on by a thread

That’s how many feel at this moment

Your life feels scattered

All over the place

Your mind is racing

Trying to think of solutions

It feels like nothing will ever work out

Like there is no way out of all the challenges

That is choking the life out of you

Hold on to Me my child

I know you feel like hiding

You feel so alone

My voice has become quiet

You think I have left you

to fend for yourself

I am always with you

Even in your darkest hour

When your pain overtakes

every part of you

And you feel like your heart will never run free

I am working on your behalf behind the scenes

Making everything beautiful

in My time

I will come through for you

Like I always have

In this last stretch I would

want you to hide in Me

Focus on My plans and purposes for you

Focus on My dreams and promises

Know that I am true to My word

I will steady your heart and mind

As you seek My face

Don’t fight your battle’s in your flesh

Rest while I fight for you

For it’s not by might ,nor by power,

but by My Spirit

Let faith be your anchor

While I strengthen every

weak place in you

Look back over your life

I was always there to carry you through

every trying time

Why would I leave you now?

You are on My schedule and

We are right on time!

Soon you will marvel as every piece

of your puzzle will fall into place

You will taste My goodness

As it is payback time!

Every area of your life where the enemy

thought he had the upper hand

Will experience divine breakthrough

I am accelerating you into

every dream I have for you

Hold fast dear one

Let no one steal your focus

My anointing will destroy every yoke.

~ Ebigale Wilson

Hold On My Child

The Journey

http://www.restoredministries.org

Sold Out

My child, you are sold out to Me

When everything that this world has to offer

Is of no value to you

When dying daily is your focus

To embrace every dream I have for you

My presence your oasis

Where we meet and you are filled to the brim

Ready to face the world

And what it has to offer

Even when you’re handed difficulty

You smile in the face of your adversaries

Knowing that I am your strong tower

You need only run to Me

When money and success are mere words

Compared to the satisfaction

you have found In Me

When the things of the world

fade in the background

And the refiners fire melts

our heart’s together

And heavenly realms are

your abiding place

No one and nothing

Can imitate this love affair we have

Everything that once held your gaze

Fades in the background

My love has disrupted your existence

You only exist, because I exist

You only are, because I am

I am your joy, your strength

My grace invaded every part of your heart

Every chain that confined you

Dropped to the ground

Your heart runs free

Few will come to this point

Where it’s all about Me

and what I want to do

through emptied out vessels

You cannot fill your hand’s

with the things of this world

And expect to walk in My power and might

It’s a journey of letting go

To find Me in the midst of your pain

In the midst of heartache and betrayal

In the midst of losses

Your hands now empty

Like Paul you count everything as rubbish

For you have found the One

Who has ravished your heart

The places you found Me

Other’s might see as loss and defeat

You look through different lenses

Your heart now beats to the drum

of a different beat

Luring you further away

to what once held your gaze.

~ Ebigale Wilson

Sold Out

The Journey

http://www.restoredministries.org

Can’t Be Explained

How have you experienced God’s love?

This weeks #SongSunday is Blameless / How He Loves by Dara Maclean

Image by Nina Brown

Restored By His Love

She looks up

and I recognise her

A smile lit up her face

When she sees me

I can get lost

in her eyes filled with love

I can get lost in the hug that she gives me

I can get lost in the One who restored her

Does His love really have the ability

to restore a person back to His heart?

Set them free from fear and demonic oppression controlling them for years?

She told me that it was a revelation

of Papa’s love that forever changed her

A christian for years

Yet she was still bound in

fear and despair

Her mind always cluttered

Her body bowed low

For she didn’t know

Who she was in Christ

Papa took her on a journey

of discovering His love

Sometimes He separates us

from everyone we love

We go to our cave’s

For circumstances force us to visit there

We throw tantrums, because why would Papa lead us this way?

This was not on our to do list

Yet Papa knows that this detour

will forever change us

How long we stay here

Will be up to us

There is always something important to do

Yet the cave will be our place

of restoration and healing

Of dealing with everything under the mat

Papa will walk us through each painful step

Till we’re overcome by His joy

and we’re changed by His love

We go through relationship

and health challenges

Might lose our job, house or a loved one

There might be deep pain that

we never dealt with

We might struggle with insecurities, rejection, or deep pain

These things can keep us

in bondage and chains

Hindering us to discover

our position in Christ

The cave awakens our God given dreams

In the confinement we discover

our strength within

We discover that our challenges

are our training ground

It was never meant to

destroy us

Only to catapult us

into Papa’s will for us

Many times we want to give up

Not realising the strength we posses

Pressing through darkness

We worship

We pray

Then one day we wake up

and we are changed in His presence

Our hearts beat in rhythm

With the One called Love

Walking away from me

She leaves a trail of His amazing heart

She is a woman on a mission

Washed and restored by His blood

His love made her brave

She is running on waves with her King

Ready to bind up every broken

heart she encounters

To proclaim liberty to every captive daughter

To open every prison door

to them that are bound.

~ Ebigale Wilson

Restored By His Love

The Journey

http://www.restoredministries.org

Deeper And Deeper

Deeper and deeper

I want go with You

Till there is no division

Till I am One with You

Till I am lost to the world

And we are never apart

Dying daily

Till I am no more

Stripped to the core

Till my life is a portrait

of Your kindness and mercy

Till my life resembles Your heart

to the broken and hurt

Till You have moved in

Making me Your habitation

Your blood washed daughter

whom You restored

Lost in Your love

Is where I want to be

Separated and abandoned only unto You

In You I have found everything I need

You healed my broken heart

Gave me a brand new start

I am nothing

If I don’t have You

You are my life

My reason for living

The air that I breath

The dawn of my every day

Not for a moment

Do I want to be away from You

You are my Knight

Dressed in robe’s of light

You have rescued me

You are the One with the glass slipper

I just could not see

I searched all over for You

While You were right here

Nothing satisfies me

Like You do

No one fills my voids

Like You do

When I was searching for answers

You were right beside me

Lovingly healing and leading me

When darkness tried to draw me in

You stepped in

I will forever be thankful

For the price You have paid

When I did not know You

You thought of me

You fought for me

While I was lost in sin

What love is this?

I question myself

That the One without sin died for me

I am overtaken by Your presence

You quiet me with Your love

Nothing and no one can keep us apart

For everything we long for

Is found in Your presence.

~ Ebigale Wilson

Deeper And Deeper

The Journey

http://www.restoredministries.org

The Fruit Produced Is Divine Love

As you yield freely and fully to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self – life.

For your self – life craves the things that offend the Holy Spirit and hinder him from living free within you! And the Holy Spirit’s intense cravings hinder your old self – life from dominating you!

So then, the two incompatible and conflicting forces within you are your self – life of the flesh and the new creation life of the Spirit. But when you are brought into the full freedom of the Spirit of grace, you will no longer be living under the domination of the law, but soaring above it!

The cravings of the self-life are obvious: Sexual immorality, lustful thoughts, pornography, chasing after things instead of God, manipulating others, hatred of those who get in your way, senseless arguments, resentment when others are favored, temper tantrums, angry quarrels, only thinking of yourself, being in love with your own opinions, being envious of the blessings of others, murder, uncontrolled addictions, wild parties, and all other similar behavior.

Haven’t I already warned you that those who use their “freedom” for these things will not inherit the kingdom realm of God! But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues , patience that endures , kindness in action , a life full of virtue, faith that prevails , gentleness of heart , and strength of spirit . Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.

Keep in mind that we who belong to Jesus, the Anointed One, have already experienced crucifixion. For everything connected with our self – life was put to death on the cross and crucified with Messiah.

We must live in the Holy Spirit and follow after him. So may we never be arrogant, or look down on another, for each of us is an original. We must forsake all jealousy that diminishes the value of others.

~ Galatians 5:16-22,24-26 TPT

(The Passion Translation)

~ XXOO Michelle Bollom

Bad Or Good; Hard To Say

Explode with praise today!

Thank God for the spectacular and even the craptacular. When it doesn’t look or feel good; He is still good!

~ XXOO Michelle Bollom

I Have A Reason And A Rhyme

It’s time to go, it’s almost time,

I have a reason and a rhyme.

Did you think I’d let you down,

Perhaps you thought I might skip town.

I came to bring your Destiny,

I came to make you fully clean.

You thought that I forgot the time,

But I Am always right on time.

You did not see My plans for you,

But I knew what to plan for you.

I saw before your destined birth,

Just how you fit right into earth.

The plan I made was just for you,

This plan is just what you could do.

No one else could take your place,

You have My love, you have My grace.

I called you for a time like this,

I promise you, you will not miss.

I’ve placed my words inside your soul,

So speak them out for that’s the goal.

The words I send will not be void,

Their here to stay, I’ve made My choice.

I gave you wings so you could fly,

You are the Apple of My eye.

It’s time to fly to see new lands,

I’ve got your back, I’ve got your hand.

Fear is not a place for you,

I Am here in all you do.

You need not fret, I’ve planned it all,

There are no limits and no walls.

You’ve asked for Me to hear your cries,

You’ve asked Me how and asked Me why.

My reply to you was always yes,

Even when you were a mess.

It just took time to get you ready,

I made you firm, I made you steady.

The time has made you strong and brave,

For I knew what you did crave.

I set you up for all to see,

To be all that you could be.

It took a wait but now it’s time,

I’ve made this time for you to shine.

So go ahead and step on out,

Give a praise and give a shout.

I’ve honored those who’ve honored Me,

It’s time to partner, just you and Me.

So take My hand, we’ll fly away,

Into your perfect promise place.

You will be safe , no need to fear,

You’ve got my heart, you’ve got My ear.

Go ahead and March on in,

I’ll show you where, I’ll tell you when.

You’ll understand just what I’ve done,

My plan for you has just begun.

It’s time to go, it’s almost time,

I have a reason and a rhyme!

~ Krista Shirley

I Have A Reason And A Rhyme

http://www.thronebuilders.org