Tag: book revews

Pray For… And Prepare!

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Psalm 122:6 tells us to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem… May they prosper who love you.” Do you pray Shalom for Jerusalem? I do, and I realize this is the major reason that my family is prospering… not just financially, but in all ways.

This morning, my devotional chapter is Genesis 43, when Jacob finally lets his sons take his youngest son, Benjamin, to Egypt.  Katie Davis Majors says this chapter marks the beginning of God’s redemption story for Judah… and ultimately, I say, us! It always overwhelms me to tears with the great love and restoration of our God displayed. I like what Katie said,

“How often we hold on to something we believe to be precious, only to realize later that letting go yielded a much better result.”                                                            -Our Faithful God Devotional p. 249

Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 … indeed, I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…  that I may gain Christ.

Are you holding on to something God is asking you to give to him? I’m asking the Holy Spirit to show me what -and how- to give up what I’m holding on to… and what that thing  is! I realize that there’s nothing in my life that didn’t come from God. I also realize from  God’s Word that in Christ, all things consist, and all things come from Him and go back to Him.

What do you need to give up to go deeper in the things God has for you in Christ Jesus? I just read Eddie Hyatt’s book:

Turns out, God has kept a remnant through all generations that have experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Those who moved in the Spirit, spoke in tongues, and exercised the gifts of the Spirit, such as healing, were often written out of history. Alternately,  their stories were written from their detractors’ point of view. They were branded heretics, witches, or of the devil. They were put out of the church, lost family, friends…, burned at the stake, persecuted in many ways. To this day, those who won’t deny Jesus, who move in the gifts and speak in tongues, are persecuted in these ways. God doesn’t change, and neither does the devil and his tactics.

From reading Hyatt’s book, I found Phoebe Palmer. Her book is an account of Phoebe and her  travels with her husband to England, Scotland, and Ireland in the mid-to-late 1850s. They were part of the revival that was happening in the U.S.A. at this time, and the churches in the British Isles begged them to come spread the fire.

Watch and pray, get deep into the Word, and release your heart and life from the dross of the world that’s built up. We need to cleanse ourselves to run freely.

I found you can get the Kindle edition of this book for $.99 or a hard copy for an exorbitant price. You know which I chose! Some of what occurred has been repeated in revivals since then, like the contemporary Toronto Blessing. The Sword of the Spirit was piercing hearts and laying many out as they wrestled with the sin in their hearts. Afternoon meetings ran into evening meetings. Bars and stores closed.

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Well, I believe another heavy move of the Spirit has begun. Out of the turmoil we’re experiencing, I believe people’s hearts are going to be [and are] touched, and multitudes will come running and ask us how to find Jesus! Are we ready?

I leave you with my Scripture for 2024, which I haven’t referred to recently. Hold on to this as you walk through the coming days.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

As The Day Approaches…

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I have begun Pastor Penn Clark’s book, The Day, Living in Light of Eternity. You can find it at: http://www.pennclark.net and http://www.pennclark.study. He was my first spirit-led pastor, and I learned a lot about living in light of eternity from him. He has put his revelations and previous teaching on this subject, stemming from the Biblical fact that God has planted eternity in our hearts, into this newly published book.

Sunday, I went to church with my son Alex to the Methodist church he recently began attending. That experience, along with this book, brought the following Scripture passages to mind.

Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Colossians 3:15 let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

We need to aim to encourage each other to live lives that encourage others. There’s a choice to make. Are we going to sit with others, sharing tales of what’s going on in the news, complaining about the weather, the government, our wayward loved ones,… or are we going to share testimony of what good things God is doing? Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs… the apostle Paul used these words to encourage the church in Ephesis and Colosse to live as those whom Jesus has redeemed. Living in hope, joy, and thanksgiving, having the assurance of our heavenly reward in Christ Jesus. Paul knew we would need to live in hope and give encouragement even more as our journey of faith continues.

The Methodist church is not what I’m used to, but I had a blessed time in the fellowship hall with the women of the church, getting to know their joys and challenges. I believe you can join hearts in the Lord no matter which congregation of believers you attend, even if it’s not your style service, becausethe Jesus in you meets the Jesus in them, even through religious trappings you’re not used to.

Alex’s service dog, Luna, has become Mascot for this small congregation. When she’s down in the fellowship hall, her official coat comes off, and everyone has doggie treats to give her and lots of love. It’s a good time for Alex to socialize. His wife, Joanna, said she encouraged Alex to go to church and has seen a good change in him. She said Luna doesn’t eat breakfast when she knows it’s church day and the treats are coming!

This Methodist church is on the trail of Charles G. Finney’s revival. He originated in Henderson, so our trip from Henderson to Alex’s church followed Finney’s path. We are all praying for God to do a new revival along this route, and Alex coming to church after so many years is a definite answer to prayer. I believe revival has truly begun, and many more prayers shall be answered quickly.. Catch the fire and pass it on through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, encouraging each other and living in the Spirit, overcoming the flesh, and spurring each other on to good works and faith! I leave you with a couple of beautiful photos my son Chris sent from fishing with his daughters in Vermont. Shalom dear ones.

This Stage Of Publishing

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Welcome to another Musing with the Lord, dear readers. I have found myself stymied and a bit frustrated lately. Of course, life is getting busy, and I tend to really get ahead of God’s timing.

When I haven’t had a time with many books selling at one venue, the thought began to form that maybe I need books for my event in mid-August. Remember, on Saturday, August 12th, I will have a book table at Henderson Heritage Day on the historical society’s lawn, Henderson, NY, from 9-3PM.

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It was made clear to me today, thinking back to the individual sales/gifting I’ve done, that this book belongs to its originator, Father God. He inspired it by the Holy Spirit moving on me to write, just like the men of old who wrote the original Scriptures. What a privilege!

This book has led me to so many Kairos moments. Divine appointments straight from Father God to His children. It has opened unexpected opportunities when I least expect it. I just have to continue to keep my books in my vehicle, prepared wherever I travel. So if you see me, ask for my book and I can speedily produce a copy and sign it for you.

I love blessing people by gifting or donating, but if you can pay the $16.00 I ask, it will be sown into the audio version I’m working on, as well as my next book. Oh, and a tithe of the books I sell goes to the ACF Church building fund. Our church is bursting at the seams on Sunday mornings, so an expansion plan is in the works!

This is a book I just finished reading that impacted me. Brian Johnson, husband to Jenn Jonson, is the son of Bill and Benny Johnson, pastors at Bethel Church in Redding CA. Brian had his first encounter with an evil presence and anxiety at seven years old. His parents helped him learn how Scripture, prayers, and worship are how you battle anxiety and evil influence.

In his 30s, Brian experienced a panic attack that sent him to the hospital. As the EMTs worked on him and prepped him to leave the house, he made sure his three children could see him and told them, “This is when God becomes real kids!” After about six months of intense battle, God broke through and set him on a new path of intimacy. I recommend this book to anyone who’s life is touched with anxiety. God is faithful, and He is enough!

This book set me on a new path as well. My 100-day devotionals I told you about have been put aside for a bit. The morning after I finished Brian Johnson’s book, I woke up with the intro from Josh Turner’s song, “Would You Go With Me?”In my thoughts. I found the song on my phone and lay back, letting the Father invite me into His arms. This led to Brian Doerksen’s “Arms Of Love”/ I sing a simple song of love… then Charity Gayle singing “I speak Jesus”, followed with “There Was Jesus”, “Is He Worthy?” and “Holy Water”.

I said, “Yes, Lord, I will go with you.” I sing a simple song of love to my Jesus, my precious Savior, resting in his arms of love. I speak Jesus over every need I have and proclaim that Jesus, you were there every time I needed you. Yes! Jesus, You are worthy! Jesus, Your forgiveness is like sweet, sweet honey on my lips! I journal’s all of this and sense the Spirit wanting me to print the lyrics of these songs and meditate on what He’s saying to me.

Today, I journaled about a Kairos moment with a woman staying at the motel I was cleaning. Of course, it began with her sitting outside her room, reading. I took the chance to offer her a Christian memoir I’ve recently published. This led to a ministry session after I finished work. I had called my friend Pam before I went to work to see if we could do something this afternoon, but she was busy. Well, the woman at the motel is also named Pam! See how we make plans, but God has better ones for us?

Shalom to you all until we connect again. May the God of peace fill you with all hope as you trust in Him. May you overflow with love for those around you. Walk in peace and forgiveness as you follow Jesus. Amen.

Forgiveness-2022 Word

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Good day to you all, my faithful readers! Today I will share the word for the year that the Spirit impressed on me as well as what I am reading. This is day 7 of the 21-day fast and I am finding grace for the journey. I began with three days of liquids; mostly water, then began a small bowl of porridge in the morning and a small bowl of coleslaw in the evening [I made up a big batch of each so I wouldn’t be preparing food each day]. Last night, I shared some spaghetti squash noodles with homemade tomato sauce with John, but I did not have any meatballs. This morning the Lord prompted me to go back to liquids from now through the weekend. Our church is having a Spiritual Freedom weekend and I am on one of the prayer teams, so I want the best opportunity to deny my flesh and hear the Spirit.

I just watched Michelle Maggio of Michelle May ministries on YouTube and followed her suggestion to get quiet before the Lord and ask Him to give a word to concentrate on in the year 2022. Well, I got quiet and asked and the only word in my mind was forgiveness, so this is my word to concentrate on for this year. This is not surprising, as the Spirit is bringing people to mind that I need to release from my judgement.

I have been reading a lot, starting with The Prophet’s Devotional by Jennifer LeClaire, with forward by Cindy Jacobs. I plan to continue this devotional for all 365 days, Lord willing. If you are at all prophetic, which most Believers are, this is a great primer for what New Testament prophecy is and is not and how to walk in the way.

Last year in this blog, I shared Pastors Bill and Beni Johnson’s revelations on communion. When I saw an offer for this book, I jumped to buy it. I have the pre-made communion cups I bought last year and am taking communion with this devotional at a random time each day. It is excellent food for thought, teaching, and encouragement.

Paperback Stories from the Glory: Glimpses of Eternity Now Book

This is the third book I am working on. Kevin Zadai is letting Sister Ruth Carneal, who traveled for years with Sister Ruth Heflin, share her experiences with the glory of God through the years. Kevin comes in to add relative encouragement/challenge from his own experiences. This is the Scripture that’s been resonating in my spirit:

Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

We are in a time of testing that is concluding with glorious culmination! The Lord is doing a new thing. Can you see it springing up all around you? The Glory is the Lord, manifest in and through and around those who believe in Jesus and walk with Him in the Spirit. I recall stories from the Azusa Street Revival in California in the early 1900s. They said the glory came down as a cloud and filled the building. The children were running in and out of it playing hide-and-seek! We have entered a new era in God’s plan for the earth. The veil between heaven and earth is thinning, and He is raising up a people who are fearless to do great exploits as the Spirit leads. Mass salvations and healings are manifesting and shall increase. The evil is coming into the light and people are ratting on each other, so justice shall be done. What a great time to be here on this earth and part of this brilliant move of God! I heard the sound of the Shofar this morning; it was a snowmobile in the pastures behind us, going through the new snow that is over a foot deep, but the sound came across as a blast from the ram’s horn and I take it as a sign from God.

Image result for shofar blowing. Size: 258 x 160. Source: www.youtube.com

John has been watching a lot of programs about history and much about developments that could not have happened if certain things had not occurred. One of the shows is exposing lies we’ve believed about history. Many of what John and I have watched covers the second world war, the atrocities, war maneuvers, trials and aftermath. My son gave me the book The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris for Christmas. I finished that and am now reading the sequel, Cilka’s Journey, also by Heather Morris. Cilka is a character you meet in the first book and this second book fills out her character, taken from true stories from the era. Russian soldiers liberated the camp, and because the German officers used Cilka as a sexual toy, they count her as a collaborator and spy. They convicted her with no chance to defend herself, along with others who “aided and abetted” the Nazis, and the Russians transport them to a Siberian work camp.

I reference all of this to connect you with the word the Lord gave me for 2022: forgiveness. Through these portrayals of things that have happened in the past, I am seeing multiple accounts of forgiveness and unforgiveness. This brings me to the last book I will share:

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God Is Absolutely Good by Robin D. Bullock. I finished this book just as I began the fast. It will truly expand your understanding of the Bible and creation. It may overwhelm your mind as parts of it did for me, but it’s a good overwhelming. I stopped for over a week to ponder something in the middle of the book, which is why it took almost a month to finish. The biggest thing I took away from it is that the three parts of God and the names of God used in the Bible: Elohim, Yahweh, Lord, LORD, God, GOD… stand for unique attributes. YHVH, which we usually spell Yahweh, is the one that creates all things, the justice that governs. All of life revolves around planting seeds and reaping the harvest, as The Lamb slain before the foundation of the world; death that triumphed in life because Jesus was the good seed. Plant good seed, reap good things and life. Plant evil seed, reap bad things and death. At the end of the book, Robin takes the book of Proverbs and delineates the seed and the blessings or curses of that seed. This is a book you can use as a guide to life for the rest of your life! I surely need to train myself to speak words of blessing that lead to life and stop speaking words of cursing that lead to death and this book will help. I end with this Scripture:

Psalm 139:23–24

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

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