Tag: Shawn Bolz

Early March Musings

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I am busy doing a big editing job. The manuscript comes from a local Vietnam Vet who wants to share his personal account of a year in Nam and lay out the failure of our Nation to deal with the “police action” and its aftermath so the festering wound many veterans and activists- our nation as a whole-have can be cleaned out and reconciliation may come. The author’s wish is that we would learn from and correct the mistakes to keep from repeating them. I will let you know when this manuscript becomes a book; the author has wanted to speak out for decades and could use the encouragement!

Since I didn’t share any books I’m reading last post, here is one I finished over the weekend: 8 Keys to Kingdom Resources by Shawn Bolz. He begins with this:

“I have heard it said (and have said myself) that Heaven has an economy. A better statement is that Heaven is full of the best economic principles in existence.”

Shawn Bolz in 8 Keys to Kingdom Resources page 3.

This book is a condensation of Keys To Heaven’s Economy An Angelic Visitation from the Minister of Finance. In 8 Keys, Shawn covers:

1. Giving And Generosity

2. Finance, Resources, and Time

3. Favor, Relationship, and Influence

4. Hard Work

5. Creativity

6. Education

7. Risk and Faith

8. Intimacy With God

Have you ever thought about this many things being involved in Heaven Economy? It’s more than:

Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Add to it:

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

The parable of the talents in Matthew 25, adding:

Daniel 1:17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

And so much more. As we discover God’s storehouses are overflowing and He is our Father who loves to give good gifts to His children and what Mark shares about the abundant, and more abundant, life Jesus died to give to us,

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

8 Keys is a simple, but deep little book that goes far beyond the false “Prosperity Doctrine” many churches have adopted. Jesus does not want us to be poor, but to put our trust in Him to use what we’ve been given as the man with the five talents and the man with the three talents did. If you live in fear and hold tight to what God has given you to give away, invest, or share with others, the Kingdom cannot advance. This is illustrated by the man with the one talent who buried it because he knew it was a hard taskmaster that it belonged to.

Heaven’s economy has no lack. That means wealth is a renewable resource; the more you give, the more you have to give. The more you get and use knowledge, the more knowledge you have to give. It’s worth the risk, as long as you are intimately involved with God’s plan for you and those around you. The Gospel is free, but it takes finances to spread it! Let us do all things in the spirit of God’s love!

God’s Love Is All In All!

It is all we need!

Through The Eyes of Love

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Image result for Ice Castles movie Theme Song. Size: 203 x 160. Source: www.youtube.com
From Ice Castles the movie

Through The Eyes of Love

Melissa Manchester

Please, don’t let this feeling end
It’s everything I am
Everything I want to be
I can see what’s mine now
Finding out what’s true
Since I found you
Looking through the eyes of love

Now, I can take the time
I can see my life
As it comes up shining now
Reaching out to touch you
I can feel so much
Since I found you

Looking through the eyes of love

[Chorus]
And now, I do believe
That even in a storm we’ll find some light
Knowing you’re beside me, I’m all right

Please, don’t let this feeling end
It might not come again
And I want to remember
How it feels to touch you
How I feel so much
Since I found you
Looking through the eyes of love

https://genius.com/Melissa-manchester-through-the-eyes-of-love-lyrics

If you’re old enough, you may remember this song as the theme song from the 1979 movie Ice Castles. I was sixteen that year and we girls all went to the movie theater and cried our eyes out over the story of young love and figure skating! We ice skated at the small rink on our way home from school; the village iced the tennis courts and had built a warming house where we could change our skates. It was my favorite pastime during our long North Country winters and gave us lots of dreams of Olympic performances and the beautiful ice dancers with their beautiful young man to hold on to. I’m not sure Melissa Manchester or the makers of the movie had Jesus in mind with this song, but I think it fits well with a personal relationship with the God of the Universe!

Through the Eyes of Love: Encouraging Other Through Prophetic Revelation by [Shawn Bolz, Matt Crouch]

This leads me to the book I read this week: Through The Eyes Of Love Encouraging others through prophetic revelation by Shawn Bolz. Shawn has revelation that prophecy and revelation knowledge all hinge on the love of God. We cannot impact lives for the Gospel without seeing people through God’s eyes of love. Shawn has learned through years of trial and error and experimenting with prophecy that it all boils down to how much the Lord cares about individuals. The first of his books I read was Translating God. In that book, he shared many experiences, many from his own life, that boiled all prayer and prophecy down to that love. In Through The Eyes Of Love, Shawn shares stories of people he has interviewed on his Exploring podcasts as well as his own amazing testimonies of how the Spirit has used him when he has been bold enough to step out in love.

God wants to speak to people right where they’re at. This book begins with connection with the Father. When we prophecy, it has to be out of a loving relationship. We need the true revelation of who we are as beloved children of God, then seeing others through that love, we can work from a healed relationship, knowing that acceptance comes from God and not from your gift. Then you can humbly let Him flow through you. Shawn covers marriage & family, life direction, restoration, entertainment, work, finances, government, and redemption. I think this covers all areas of life on earth that the gift of prophecy, used with love, can minister to others. I remember Pastor Penn Clark teaching our congregation how to use the gifts of the Spirit. Thirty-some-years later, the thing that has helped me most: think about what God wants to say to the person. I think sometimes I need a rock dropped on me to get things into my heart. I’ve always known the love of God is what brought Jesus to save us, the love of God sent Holy Spirit down to be our comforter, teacher, guide and friend. It has not always infiltrated my heart and soul how much I am loved by the Father and how much He loves others just as much. Shaw Bolz’s ministry has added a lot to my life, changing my outlook and thought life, which is seeping down into my heart and progressively manifest in my life. I recommend this book along with Shawn’s others, even if you don’t think you are a prophet. We are all called to prophecy, even if we don’t wear the mantle of the office of the Prophet. [Apostle Paul said he wished we all prophesied and that we should covet the gift of prophecy]

Going back to the theme song from Ice Castles, I can relate this love song to my relationship with Father God, through Christ Jesus. I was looking for love in all the wrong places after my Dad died. When I found a relationship with Jesus, I found a love that I didn’t want to let go. Through the years I’ve had a deeper revelation of Father God. I can see what’s mine now. I have seen a light that opened up another world for me. I have found the Love that will never let me go. I’m in a relationship that I could never have imagined when I first saw that movie, since I didn’t meet Jesus until five years after I saw it. I know from experience He’s with me in the eye of the storm. I know who I am, looking through the eyes of love. I am complete and I see others through His love and can call them into the completeness He has for them.

In the natural, I have experienced the love that was portrayed in Ice Castles. The first time my husband and I were together, we held each other and never wanted to let go. We still experience this feeling over forty years later, but I also experience this with my Savior daily and know that relationship will last through eternity. I hope you all experience this eternal love and share it with those around you. I pray each of us has a deeper encounter with the Lover of our souls and experience true Shalom this side of heaven.

Chaos to Victory!

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Why did the chicken cross the road? This question does not compute!

This is the puzzle I just finished after almost a week’s work and my husband’s help. It’s been in our family for decades and this is the first time in about five years anyone has attempted to put together! I’ve lost most of the box and have only the front picture and the challenge from the back of the box, so I’m not sure if it’s 1,000 pieces or more! Look at all the little cubicles and workers in brightly colored jumpsuits, along with the cars and trucks that transported them there or shuffle data back and forth from top to bottom. Notice the many signs labeling everything. Very Telling: electrical cord is not plugged in? Chaos is the only word I can come up with to describe this scene! Sort of like what our country is dealing with currently? Like when people are not plugged in to God.

Proverbs 3:25 Do not be awed in sudden fear, nor the desolation of the wicked when it comes! [One New Man Bible]

Well, I’m excited because God is on the move and His justice is flowing to expose all the deep dark secrets; not just in our country, but around the world. I’ve been encouraging myself listening to God-honoring, hope-filled people of God on Elijah Streams, Shawn Bolz’ pod casts, and Sid Roth’s ISN. I’m not totally ignorant about what’s going on, but I don’t choose to steep myself in all the swirling mess.

Proverbs 22:12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge and He overthrows the words of the deceitful. [NKJV] I’m excited to see how God’s glory will be revealed when He steps into the picture as He did for Lazarus, Daniel, the three Hebrew children in the fire… this is an opportunity to learn patience and grow our faith. I’m going to see the victory because the battle belongs to the LORD! Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. [One New Man Bible]

Hardcover Exploring the Prophetic Devotional Book

If you follow my blog regularly, you’ve noticed I took a hiatus from posting. I just finished a twenty-one-day fast along with our congregation, reading and studying the twenty-one chapters of the book of John. This year my plan is to do periodic Bible studies instead of a year-long devotional book. For the next ninety days, I am working through Exploring The Prophetic by Shawn Bolz, learning to increase my ability to hear God.

Day 1, “Prophetic Gifts Show the Nature of God” ‘How have you been changed by love through the hearing of God’s voice?… This could be a Scripture that stuck out to you in love and changed you.‘ I chose Philippians chapter 4; specifically verses 6-7.

Day 2, “Sharing Headspace with God” ‘Pick a subject you really care about right now and sit down to really think about it… Observe your own thoughts… you’re in charge of what goes on in your mind.‘ I wrote out all my thoughts about my cousin I’m trying to mentor. Now I need to analyze which thoughts partner with God and which are more human driven. This is a good exercise for training my mind to think frequent God-thoughts.

Chillin’ in the Spirit!

Reading Billye Brim’s blog last week, she referenced a Bible prophecy in this book which has been on my shelf for a year… making my choice for my next book to read. It so rivetted me, I read it in less than three days! Jonathan Cahn begins: “What you are about to read is presented in the form of a narrative, but what is contained in the story, all that the Oracle reveals, is absolutely real.” Chapter one begins: “What if I told you of a mystery so vast that it spans the world and the ages, from ancient times to this very moment… a mystery that moves behind and through all human events, directs and turns the paths of leaders, determines the future of nations and empire… and of the world itself… to bring all things to their appointed end?” “I wouldn’t believe it” said the narrator’s friend. Well, the narrator would not believe if he hadn’t seen it himself!

The Oracle, after being found by the narrator, begins with the narrator’s vision which revealed Moses reading the Law to the Israelites in the wilderness when God first gave it to them. This narrative, through visions and revelations, takes you from that time in the Bible to our current age. It’s amazing how God orchestrates people, nations, the Shabat Scriptures, years and dates to bring about His plans and fulfill His Word to men through the prophets and the Spirit’; specifically the history of the Israelites and how it relates to all of us. Jubilee means all reverts back to the original owner, all debts are forgiven. Every fifty years is a Jubilee and the Jubilee years accumulate, building on each other.

When I reviewed this book on Goodreads, another reviewer, a Pastor, said he began reading the book because a group in his church were reading it and were very excited about it. He found it repetitive and did not like it at all, or finish reading; he said he’d give it less than one star if he could. I found this book fascinating, with my hunger to understand how God works and what’s going on behind the scenes, especially as it pertains to the Jewish people. Yes, the book is repetitive, but Kahn had a reason for writing the way he did. I highly recommend this book, also Jonathan Kahn’s other books. He’s a Messianic Jew who’s knowledgeable of Jewish culture, the Word of God, the prophetic and how it’s fulfilled in our world. The history he shares woven with Bible prophecy and world events always educates, amazes, and causes me to think! It’s always enlightening when you look behind the scenes to see how God is faithful to all generations.

Here are some grandchildren of the 2000s, Me from the 1960s, husband John from 1950s, Ravi from 1940s, soil and flower that God promises will continue for all generations on earth, and Abraham Lincoln from the 1800s as representatives of several generations.

May you find true Shalom in Emmanuel, God with us as we head to the end of January 2021. Hallelujah, sing His praises for Jesus Christ is worthy of all! I put my trust in the Lord forever because He has been faithful through all generations and promises to be with us forever! Stand firm on faith in Him and see His glory revealed in Victory! Amen.