Do Not Go Forward

If You Are Not Sanctified

On this blessed Palm Sunday, I wish you God’s presence and His peace.  As you enter Holy Week commit to allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify you with the Lord’s truth this week.   Do not step out until you are anointed to go forward.  Wherever you are in your life journey, God has a unique plan for you.  It is a plan to give you hope and a future.  It is a plan to allow Him to bless others through you.  It is a plan to bring others to His salvation through you.   As with any plan, timing is of the essence.  To reach its fullest, this sacred plan must unfold in His perfect timing.  Do not step ahead of His plan.  Wait upon the Lord!

Do Not Be Fooled By Honey Laced Words

If not careful it can be easy to slip into the world and off the Kingdom path set before you.  When reading John 18, I noticed that Peter, out of fear, stood with those who had arrested Jesus.  It was cold and they had built a fire.  Peter stood with them to ‘warm himself.’  Have you ever stood with those who do not walk closely with Jesus?  Have you ever stood with them to bask in the warmth of worldly acceptance?  Out of fear of being alone, have you ever stayed in relationship with those not equally yoked with you spiritually? Worldly human acceptance can be alluring.

The Week That Transformed History

Picture Jesus and his followers triumphantly entering Jerusalem.  Palms are strewn before Him while shouts of Hosanna ring out.  Within days the same crowds seek His death. He is captured, tortured and dies on a wooden cross to set mankind free and open the door to eternal salvation.  In this one week He goes from being celebrated to being crucified.  He was not the earthly king they sought.  He is the King of kings.  His death and resurrection took place for you.

Your Decision Affects Your Eternity

If you have not received Jesus into your heart, do so today.  Accept Him as your Lord and Savior.  Let Him take your life and make all things new for you.  Seek Him with a repentant heart and He will set you free.  When you accept Him your old worldly self dies. You are resurrected with Him to live the rest of your life for Him and His Kingdom on earth.  You will still be living in the world with its trials but with His grace and peace you will find freedom. He overcame the world for you.

If you already walk with Him in your life, recommit to enrich that walk through deeper communion with Him.  Put Him first.  Let the truth of His word reign first in your daily life.  Live the Word, do not just recite it. Let Him live through you to reach others.  Make this commitment daily, hourly, minute to minute.

Let This Be Holy Week In Your Life

Be set apart to walk closely through this Holy Week with Jesus.  Let His Holy Spirit infuse you with His grace and direction to go forward resurrected in His anointing on your life ‘for such a time as this.’  Whether your Kingdom assignment is local or global the impact reverberates throughout the spirit realm.  The effect of a life lived for Him brings God’s Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven.  NEVER underestimate your call.  Christ followers are each called while on this earth.

As you prepare for Resurrection Sunday, prepare your heart (for it is always a heart issue). Release any dead thing residing in the tomb of your heart.Prepare to come forth in His resurrection power. 

You are called, you have been chosen. Keep your eyes on Jesus.  Be led by His Holy Spirit.  Let the Father be glorified through you.  God bless your Holy Week and bring you closer than ever to Jesus Christ.

Quotes to Ponder This Week

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  ~Jesus, John 16:33

 “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them by Your truth.  Your word is truth.  As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”  ~Jesus, John 17:16-19

“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth.”  ~Jesus, Revelation 3:16

“And the servants and officers [who had arrested Jesus] who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves.  And Peter stood with them and warmed himself…Peter stood and warmed himself.”  ~John 18:18, 25

 “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me…” ~Galatians 1:15-16 (Paul called to be an Apostle)

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”  ~Galatians 2:20

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”  ~Colossians 3:15

“My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”  ~Psalm 139:15-16 (David)

“Listen, o coastlands, to Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar!  The Lord has called Me from the womb; from the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.”  ~Isaiah 49:1 (Messianic prophesy)

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”  ~Jeremiah 1:5 (Jeremiah called to be a prophet)

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”  ~ Robert F. Kennedy

A Prayer Request

Thank you for your continued faithfulness to pray.  Please keep all who serve our country, our servicemen and women and their families in prayer for salvation and safety.  They are our front-line on the battlefield, let us be their front-line in the spirit.  Also, let us cover all who have come home wounded that they and their families will receive the kindness, help and support they need to go forward in their lives.  God bless all our diplomatic and military personnel and their families.  May the Lord keep them safe.

Pray for all throughout the world for hedges of protection against radical Islamic extremists and all forms of terrorism.   Pray for Christians who face violence and death for their faith.  We have long prayed for spiritual victory over radical Islam in Esther’s Warriors Ministry. We now see the reality of this threat come to the forefront in this time in world history.  As Iranians and Islamic extremists are shouting ‘Death to America,’ let us speak life, hope and a return to God in America!

Please pray for all in authority over us, for the full truth to come forth concerning Benghazi. May God richly bless the United States of America, bring to light every single crooked place and keep her safe.  The lives lost in Benghazi, the continuing targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service, Operation Fast and Furious, the Department of Justice targeting journalists phone records, the National Security Agency overstepping its legal authority are hardly “phony scandals.”  We continue to pray for truth to prevail in each of these situations.  Pray for the families who have lost loved ones, for those relentlessly targeted and for all of us who are proud to call ourselves American.

May we may arise united once again as One Nation Under God in this auspicious season in our country’s history. These are treacherous times and now more than ever we must maintain our walk with the Lord, saturate this country in prayer and stand for all that is right in America.  Fail not in this hour.

Pray for peace in Israel.  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Please Join Me In Prayer

Father we thank You for Your faithfulness and Your Son, Jesus Christ. During this Holy Week draw us closer to You.  Sanctify us through Your Holy Spirit to hear the truth of Your word not the words of the world.  Open our hearts in prayer to hear Your voice and follow Your direction for our life. Release us to wait for Your perfect timing in our lives.  Grace us to pray without ceasing for our brothers and sisters who suffer at the hands of Islamic terrorists. Open the eyes of our leaders to arise in this season to defend the very belief in You upon which our Nation is founded.  Thank You for keeping Your hand on America.  We humbly pray this in Jesus’ mighty name.  Amen and Amen.

SEEK:  Stay Equipped, Empowered, Kingdom focused!