The Grasshopper~The Bread Tie....False witnesses

Vision: 5/28/2011

SAW: I saw what looked like a grasshopper on a very beautiful wooden floor with white base boards... But as I watched the grasshopper it started walking and as it walked it turned into a spider... 

Many of you may remember the very first spider vision I had a couple of months ago...Where I saw a spider and heard "Watch your fingers".... Through that word and personal experiences God has taught me how to recognize witchcraft curses and enemy assignments in my life... A very important lesson!  

Last week I begin to see the signs and symptons of an attack and started binding and breaking the curses and assignments....It was a week long battle...So, when I had the spider vision on the 28th I felt that was a confirmation of that I was experiencing...But moments later I began to understand that there was more that what meets the eyes.... 

Parable:  Moments after I had that vision I walked into the my kitchen with my 5 year old following close behind...  I felt something brush under my foot as I walked....but I was in the middle of responding to a text and didn't pay a lot of attention to it...However, my 5 year old got my attention when she ran and jumped in a dining room chair with huge eyes and said so softly (as if it could here her), "Momma, you stepped on something..."  I turned around and look on the floor and saw nothing... I said, "What was it...I don't see anything...?"  ...but I knew that she was right because I did feel something under my foot as I took a step.... She said, "Its from outside...it's black..I think it's a lil baby snake"  I was so puzzled... "What are you talking about..."  She very sheepishly pointed to the bedroom door and and said, "Go..Look".  As I walked over to see what it was I was quickened to the vision I just had... I thought, "No, really.... was God warning me about an actual spider on the floor?"  Just then I saw a black thing..but I didn't have my glasses on so I really couldn't make out what it was...And since I couldn't really tell what it was I wasn't going to get to close to it... I called for my husband to come help...As he walked into the room I pointed to the door way to the bedroom at the black blob on the floor and said... "What is that...?"  He looked at me with the most curious look and bent down to pick it up... as he did he said, "It's a bread tie!"  You called me in here to pick up a bread tie....We all laughed but I couldn't help and feel as though there was something more to that...  

Today as I was cleaning my floors I was reminded of that event... 

HEARD: It's not always as it seems...

I feel this is a strong warning against false prophets...false teachers...false preachers...false evangelists...false witnesses

Romans 16:18

"For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people."

Jeremiah 2:11

"Has a nation ever changed it's gods? (Yet they are not gods at all). But my people has exchanged their glorious God for worthless Idols."

2 Peter 2:1

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. The will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord that brought them~bringing swift destruction on themselves."

Jude 1:4 

"For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. The are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only sovereign and Lord."

Proverbs 12:17

"An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies"

Proverbs 14:5

"An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies" 

2 Peter 2:17

"These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, Blackest darkness is reserved for them.' 

Jude 1:12

" These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm~ shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn tress without fruit and uprooted-twice dead." 

Revelation 2:14

" Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food scarified to idols and committed sexual immortality."


Revelation 2: 20
"Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immortality  and the eating of food sacrificed to idols."   




**YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS**

Galatians 5: 22
"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immortality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred and discord, jealousy,  fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness and orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those that live like with will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law." 


The enemy can disguise himself as whatever he chooses: A spider may disguise himself as grasshopper on a beautiful hardwood floor with glistening white baseboards...But, when he moves...he will move like a spider... 


Father God, 
I come to you right now on behave of my true brothers and sisters in Christ.  I think you Father for this word.  I thank you Father that you are so faithful to honor the word you placed in my spirit months ago as to revealing the enemy when he appears...  Father all for your glory and your honor... For I am nothing without you...And in understanding that I praise you Father that nothing escapes your watchful eyes and you are evermore seeing and protecting your children... Father I ask right now that you flush out the enemy from the camps of the righteous... Father that right now in our churches... in our bible studies...in our worship services...in all our gatherings your will reveal the wolves and will drive them out from among your sheep. Separate us right not Father for your glory and your honor... In Jesus Mighty name~Amen!  


Confirmation from QW:
http://injesus.com/message-archives/inspiration/thequickenedword/pix-keep-your-perspective-right

Struggles...

HEARD: Slipping away. Your not. It's a season.  Blooming will come. Patience.

Ecclesiastes 7:8
"The End of a matter is better than it's beginning..."

The Arm of God....

{DREAM} 5/29/11

I saw white everywhere.  There were white star shaped cloud like cushioned pedestals surrounding Jesus.  There were babies on these pedestals.  These babies started crawling towards this great strong arm that reached out across a divide.  Jesus was guiding/ensuring that the babies were going in the right direction.  I got a sense it was the arm of God. Three-fourths of this arm was bare but the upper part of the arm was clothed in white.

White: Righteousness
Babies- possible represents each nation or each state as they were on "STARS".

Isaiah 52:10
" The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. "

Isaiah 51: 5
"My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations."

Isaiah 46:13
" I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my spender to Israel."

Isaiah 11:11
" In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea. "

"Your kingdom come" ~ I can hardly wait!

Over the last month I have found my self opening my bible and inevitably ending up looking right at Mathew 6:9-13.  "The Lord's Prayer"

" This, then, is how you should pray:
" ' Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' "

The part of this glorious prayer that I am always drawn to is:

" Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

I so strongly feel that we are in a season where God is manifesting his Heavenly Kingdom here on this earth...I am hearing and seeing more and more open heaven manifestations in ministries... An outpouring of God's spirit... a river of new visions... new dreams....

Personally, I am experiencing more visions and dreams than I ever have...more vivid manifestations of the gifts of the spirit.... God has brought me to the river and I am drinking the life sustaining water.... overflowing...yet patiently waiting on the timing of the Lord... a delicate balance... that will in due time produce a harvest for the King of Glory!

Yes, Father~ Your Kingdom come, you will be done on earth as it is in heaven!!!

**photo provided by http://www.facebook.com/CreativeCurrents

Destruction or Signs and Wonders....

Yesterday a verse was quickened to me through a QW member... Romans 8:19, "For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed." This verse stayed with me all day yesterday... it just felt so powerful!  Creation, the universe, awaiting for God's children to show themselves...  Why?  This is what buzzed through my head... I was then reminded of all of this devastating weather and how through it all the children of God were showing themselves...either through service or through their faith....  Maybe it is through them coming out of the storm unharmed while death and destruction lay around them... This certainly reveals God's children as He so faithful promises that when you rest in the presence of the almighty, dwelling in the shelter of the Most High (Psalms 91:1) He will give His angels charge over you (Psalms 11-12)....your dwelling will remain untouched (Psalms 91:10)....He promises that you will only observe the destruction (Psalms 91:8).  This is such a beautiful promise and a very personal one to me as I have lived Psalms 91.  I have testified to how real this promise is~For God's Glory!

As a nation we have forsaken our first love.... God is no longer on the foreheads of so many of our leaders... Prayer no longer allowed in our schools... murder allowed upon incident babies....profanity and sexuality stream throughout our homes via the idol of television...movies...music... We are a nation of unclean hands...and unclean mouths....unclean hearts!  But yet, we cry out to God for him to heal our lands....and then wait for God to take action while we make no changes to our unclean lives...and in turn blame God for not doing what He promises... While in fact, each promise has an action and a reaction...  God says through David in Psalms 91, for example, If you dwell in the shelter of the Most High then I will command my angels over you...and no harm will befall you..... Additionally, If you will humble yourself, pray, seek God's face, turn from your wicked ways...Then God will hear from heaven, heal their sick and heal their land (2Chronicles 7:14).  

What we have lost sight of is that we are really not in control....  and when we pray...when we attend church...when we open our mouths to speak or move our bodies to take action we are doing this ALL under the watchful eyes of the KING of the universe... And His eyes are evermore seeing and his ears are evermore hearing what is going on in this vast earth.   

I turned on Benny Hinn yesterday and heard this incredible profound word.  It comes out of Exodus 11. In verse  9 God says to Moses, "Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you~so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt."  What I find interesting is that God didn't call the plaques "plaques", God calls them wonders...  Why? Because was setting the stage for Himself to worshiped.... In Acts 2: 19-20, " I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord."   We always want to think of signs and wonders being the healing of the sick... casting out of demons... breaking the chains the bind.... and they certainly are all of these things... However, things that we might consider to be a plague... a destruction God sees as showing his wonders...to make people believe....to draw His creation to Himself.   John 4: 48 says, "Unless you people see signs and wonders," Jesus told them, "You will never believe".   

Again in Exodus 11 this time in verse 4~5, "So Moses said, "This is the what the Lord says: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every first born son will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne to the first born son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well."  I was always taught that this was a death angel that went out through Egypt... But here in the word of God, The Lord says to Moses, "I will go throughout".  This is not a death angel this is the King of the universe taking his firsts, showing his wonders... Why? To free his people.... He is making a very clear distention between the Egyptians and the Israelites (v6-7).  The Lord says here that it will be worse than there ever has been before among the Egyptians....But the Israelites not even a dog will bark....This is amazing!  God's chosen people seated among death and destruction and not a one was harmed or even disturbed!!  

God says stop all of this... all of this back bitting...all of these judgments you place on each other... on your  brothers and sisters... Stop placing everything before me... Stop it!  Be fearful, be still and know that I am God!! I am calling you to myself... Please come to me... my heart is aching over your lives... so many of your burdens are unnecessary... come to me and I will give you rest... I will place you under my wing and there you will be safe.... Come to me~ I love you with an everlasting love....Come to me!!

Psalms 46:10
"He says, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Isaiah 32: 17--20
"The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure  homes, in undisturbed places of rest.  Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely, how blessed you will be..."


=================

Confirmation: June 2011
By Bob and Bonnie Jones

IF MY PEOPLE

If My people who are called My name are enjoying the tornadoes and this extreme weather system then don’t get on your knees and ask Me to change them.  Because if you repent and get on your knees and come into repentance and ask Me to pull back these storms, I will. 

If you will do nothing, I will do nothing! I’m waiting on your response. 

When you begin to come into agreement in prayer I’ll begin to pull back these extreme weather systems but not before. 

I’m calling My people to repent because they’ve put their focus on themselves instead of Me.  Once they put their focus on Me, I’ll focus on them and their prayers and begin to answer them. 

I’m waiting for you to begin.  Then I will begin.

2 Chronicles 7:14

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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.

The Winds and the Water Obey the Voice of Jesus!!!

Hello loved ones! 

I come to you with a very heavy heart tonight...a burden.... 

I typically make it my mission to avoid the news... especially in the last several years... Just so much negative info...But, here lately I can't escape it... and am finding that the news finds me more and more... and each time my heart is so full of hurt for God's people...it becomes so much...not too much... just sooo much... So, I want to share my heart right now with you loving intercessors...  

Having recently gone through our own tornada event...and it being so fresh in my mind...As every where I look I see reminders~ not of what once was, but what is... And what is, is God's grace and mercy!  So, with my own reminders... I have not watched the news regarding the Joplin tornadoes...but my heart has been so burdened for them...  Tonight my husband and I were eating out and he (the avid news watcher) begins to tell me the stories that he has read online... the news clips he has seen on TV.... and my heart just fills with hurt....unexplained unimaginable hurt for this town...

My town was blessed, we had massive destruction but God spared all of our lives.... We are rebuilding our school bigger and better for God's glory... we are rebuilding our town bigger and better for God's glory...we ALL know how blessed we were on April 27, 2011! Every fallen tree...every new roof...every  ray of sun that comes streaming through my kitchen windows( that was once blocked by trees) is a reminder of God's amazing grace and mercy!!   

At the end of March I received these two prophetic words in a vision: 

March 25th: Dark Days are Ahead

First vision:
"Then all of a sudden the wind started blowing and Jesus looked up to the sky... I looked and saw a dark storm coming in rolling across the land.... Jesus said in a very seriously but yet tender tone, "Dark days are ahead!" then he looked at me and immediately I was drawn into his eyes...I could see his expression and concern so clearly and he said in the most assuring tone, "I don't want you to be afraid! I am with you!"

Second vision:
"Jesus, I want to ask you about the dark days that are coming... What were you referring to...?  "Dark days are coming to America~but I don't want you to worry about that!" How do  I prepare?  "You prepare by keeping your eyes on me."

I am mentioning these now only because after the first Joplin tornado hit... 

Heard: There is more to come...

Not really wanting to realize what that meant... I had to stand firm on the two previous visions that I had received a month prior...and the fact that Jesus told me very matter a factly "Do not fear"!  

Then the second tornado hit and it was more devastating than the first...  I was quickened again to the prophetic word that Jesus had given... "Dark days are coming to America" ....

This is a very rude awaking for so many.... God is not real to so many people... They may attend church every Sunday morning but they aren't realizing they are coming and standing before the King of this universe...  So many people are walking in darkness... Even now after  all of this devastating weather (tornados and floods)...still they aren't seeing God for God... Some are clinging to the idea that He will come and hear their cries and heal their land...but not understanding the pre-requisite for that promise... God says humble yourselves...repent...then I will hear from Heaven and heal your land... (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Last night we had a major thunderstorm roll through with many tornado warnings all around... My phone started ringing...my husband was up watching the radar...I got up checked in with my famiy who were all still up... and the weather progressivly got worse...

HEARD:  Remember, Do not fear.

 I was then quickened to the vision I mentioned above... I went and layed down and went to sleep!  

Tonight at dinner my husband was tellng me how everyone he talked to mentioned how they were up all night watching the radar...there was no rest for these soul injured people...Now the very mention of a storm brewing and ears perk up...senses are heightened.  Instead of peace arising in knowing that God had his sovereign hand of protection on us once and He is certainly able to do it again...Fear and doubt creeps in... worrying about what is to come...    I was quickened to this verse:

Psalms 76: 8

"From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet."

Father, 

My heart is breaking for these people... the ones not living in the peace that Jesus died on the cross to give... My heart is breaking for the ones who have had their lives and families torn apart from this awaking...  The ones who now are in fear and are still before the Lord... I pray for Grace and Mercy abundantly to be showered down on them... Father, send forth your word and heal their families... send forth your word and heal their land... Father that they will recovery quickly...rising from these ashes Glorifying you! I pray not one will have a hardened heart... Father I pray...send forth your word and heal their wounds...I pray for your blood to be poured over America right now... Father that you would hear the cries of your righteous ones... standing for the weak and wounded... Father I ask for a vast deployment of your heavenly host carrying the healing oil to pour on your people... on all affected by these storms... Father show us all mercy... please father...extend your grace...extend your mercy...speak to the hearts of your children reminding them you are more than able to calms the storms around them...Father that when you speak the winds obey....Father when you speak the waters obey.... You Father are Lord of all....  Father~ I love you... For I am nothing without you... You are God alone, Father and all Glory goes to you!  

Mathew 7:24-27
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and bear against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundations on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, and streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

Mathew 8: 23-27
" The he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. but Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"  He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" The he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this ? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" 

Luke 8: 24-25
" One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake," So they got into the boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we going to drown!" he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. Where is your faith? he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

I have been before God tonight standing in the gap for everyone affected by our severe weather... Please stand with me... these hurting people need our prayers... they need God's grace and mercy to shower them...

With so much love~

Erica

A Covenant!

[vision] 5/24/11

SAW: I was in a gold raft on very calm water. The water was colored like a rainbow extending from a golden sky. 

[quote] "The Three Battlegrounds" by Francis Frangipane

"Only God's peace will quell your fleshly reactions in battle. The source of God's peace is God Himself. Indeed, "before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal"(Revelation 4:6). The glass sea is a symbol: there are no ripples, no waves, no anxieties troubling God. The Lord is never worried, never in a hurry nor without an answer. The sea around Him is perfectly still and totally calm. All our victories flow out from being seated here with Him."
[end quote]


Rainbow signifies a covenant... a promise!
Genesis 9:12-13: "And God said, "This is a sign of a covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you a covenant of all generations to come. I have set my rainbow in the clouds and it will be a sign of the a covenant between me and the earth."

Gold is also used in conjunction with a covenant...The Ark of the Covenant: the table, the lampstand, snuffers, even the wick trimmers covered in pure gold (Exodus 25).

As I lay awake pondering the meaning of this vision...searching scripture...I asked the Lord to show me the raft in more detail and as I did...

SAW:  Close up vision of a top part of a "fishing boat".  It was gold and I saw myself standing in the boat with a white cap on my head wearing a navy blue shirt holding a fishing pole in my hand. 

HEARD: Fishers of men

Fishers of men.... ministering Christians

Mathew 4:19 and Mark 1:17~ "Come, follow me", Jesus said, "And I will send you out as fisherman for people." 

White: Purity, Righteousness

Ecclesiastes 9:8
"Always be clothed in white and always anoint your head with oil.' 

Revelation 3:5, "The one victorious will be liken them dressed in white, I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels."

Esther 8:15, "When Mordecia left the kings presence he was wearing royal garments blue and white, a large crown of gold, and a purple robe of fine linen and the city of Susa held a joyous celebration."

As I now am pondering this vision I had another vision~

SAW: a close up of 2 hands nailed to a cross one top of the other...{as in my hand in Jesus's}

Romans 6:6, "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaved to sin." 

Galatians 5:24, " Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with it's passions and desires." 


Yes, Father~ I will place my hand in yours...nailed to the cross...accepting this covenant... Father, give me grace to be a fisher for people... for your glory Father... I can not walk alone... I am only able to walk with your grace... your guidance... give me vision Lord for my life in you... set the sails Lord... and point me in the right direction knowing with all certainty that you are my true North... I pray for grace and mercy as I might stumble...Lord pick me up and dust me off... help me Lord to keep my eyes on you... and always remember this covenant!!  In Jesus name... 

**Here is a great article a friend of mine complied regarding biblical significance of  colors!  FANTASTIC!! 

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=322286293494

A place to escape...

I am very interested to see where this one will be going...(smile) 

I have to share with you this morning before I even got out of bed I read an email response from a friend regarding a word I had for her a couple of weeks ago...  The title of the email was, "Time to Fly".  (smile) I won't tell her story but she had a couple of confirmations to that word...  Then I got out of bed and sat down with my bible and started praying... Felt so drawn to praise the Lord and thank him for providing niches for us to safely escape to...places that defy time and space...hidden within the fabric of the universe... .places of safety in times of distress...hardship...or even times of escape to learn...grow...fellowship with the Lord...(I feel like I often step out of this time and space when I pray...when I am seeking His face.. I feel as though I step into a recessed spot in the fabric of the universe an open door that leads to His presence)   Then I had an extreme feeling of trans location...not the actual event... NOT saying I was trans located...but the feeling, the sense that was coming...a knowing that we are being prepared for that... 

Confirmation from Sandy Warner: 

http://www.thequickenedword.com/rhema/TakenUpToFlyintheSpirit.htm

Confirmation from Bob Jones:

http://www.bobjones.org/Docs/Words%20of%202011/2011-05_ShangriLa.htm

Thank you Father, for you are to be glorified!  

Unity~

[rhema] 5/22/11

Quickened Word: Unity

Fill Thy cup: Come together in one accord~This will accomplish much...Identify yourself with leaders for I am rising you p to be a leader~Take time to examine up yourself for much irresponsibility falls on my leaders~ Watch~Listen~Learn~As my spirit will lead you~ Run this race with patience as time will yield a strong foundation. You are doing so good my child~ You have come so far~ Still so far to go~ But you have climbed many mountains and have moved others~ You are starting to look just like me~ This pleases me so...Take up your shield ~ for as you step further into this level many fiery darts will come your way~ Do not fear~ You have the tools to quiche each one~ Trust in your discerning spirit ~ it will serve you well~ You will start to see major shifts in the natural ~ Know that the spiritual is doing the same... Do not grow weary...I am here with you~ 

"⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had," (Romans 15:5-NIV)

 "¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. "(Ephesians 6:10-18)


**The above picture provided by The Quickened Word 

Choosing Trees...

DREAM 5-17-11

Choosing Trees...

My husband (Tom)  and I were in our yard choosing which trees to cut down...and as we were discussing which ones should go... I was awaken by Keely (my 5 year old) talking in her sleep.. she was saying, "Choose this one...I think you should pick this one.."  As I lay there somewhat stunned by how my dream and her talking in her sleep coincided...they seemed to go together... So, not being able to go back to sleep I got up with my bible and sat down to pray... 

SAW: the word "Cypress" 

Isaiah 60: 13-14

The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the fir and the cypress together, to adorn my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place for my feet. The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the city of the Lord, Zion the holy one of Israel

Isaiah 41:17-210 (KJV)

"When the poor and need seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth from thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.  I will open rivers in high places , and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry lands springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the ceder, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree, I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. 

I have learned that God will use certain people in dreams that have certain names... the meanings to these names give clues to the message that God is sending: 

Tom means Twin

When I look up Cypress on the WWW these are the characteristics I found: 

http://www.cypressinfo.org/

strength 

durability

has it's own persevering oil

stable

highly resistant to splitting and warping

resistant to insects, decay, chemical corroison and damaging elements

Strong's concordance: Cypress 8391: 1265

A small evergreen tree: cypress or cider

A noble tree of statilness

material for a temple

1 Corinthians 6:19

"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

Being the very temple of God we are called to be a picture of strength~as we are armed with the word of God; durable~ able to stand firm... unshakable;  stable~grounded in the word of God; resistant to all the wiles of the devil....Never swerving from who we are called to be... We are called to be Trees of Righteousness! 

God is choosing trees to make up his sanctuary...to build his temple... evergreens...noble trees... trees that are identical to his son...His children who have been made in the imagine of his son... Twins...The only material fitted for a temple... to bring Him Glory and Honor!

Father, I come to you...humbly asking to be made into a tree of righteousness for you...To bring you honor and glory.... Father create within me stability, durability, nobility... An evergreen for you Lord... Never swerving from who you are creating me to be...a firm pillar for you.... May I be a fitting temple for your Holy Spirit...In Jesus Name!! 

The Loudness of Death....

Have you ever heard some really bad news and all of a sudden your mind starts racing... everything seems to be magnified... it seems as though words just seem to bounce off of every corner of your mind and they echo as they stream past... That was exactly the scene on November 11, 2009.

It was dark and cold outside the perfect setting for the news we were about to receive!  The phone rang and it was my mother-in-law... Through her tears we heard the words.. "It's cancer, Lynn has cancer!"  As the moment seemed to stop... the world would freeze for us all... time stood still as we all simply stood there in unbelief!  Not Lynn, not cancer I thought...This is the strongest man I know... Cancer? Really?  It was shocking and heartbreaking...

Yes, the signs were there... over the last 6-9 months we had watched him deteriorate... losing weight...growing more short of breath bay the day... We knew the news was right... our hearts just couldn't accept it.

The following day I went to see Lynn.... For 16 years this man was my father... He was a man of strength, honor, charity, hope... He was a strong foundation for our family... He was a rock for us all... evermore making everything okay all the time... As I sat on the arm of his recliner that day and looked into his eyes.. He said, "Erica, it's bad news..."  As tears filled my eyes I said, "Yep, I know..."  He grabbed my arm and said, "Don't cry for me... I am at peace with this... I have lived a good long life... I have peace!"  This was just like him... in the midst of his storm he was thinking about me...about us...!

The next two months were so devastating watching this pillar of strength dwindle down to skin and bones...unable to stand on his own... unable to care for his family the way he always had... All the while he was evermore proclaiming he was "At peace".

In Jan of 2010, we hospitalized him as his lungs filled with fluid and his breathing became more labored... He insisted he wasn't going to die at home... He didn't want there to be any negative associations with his death and home.... (still thinking of us...).  When he left the house that morning he knew he would not be coming back... as he made the statement, "Well, this is the last time I will be leaving this house..."   When I made it to the hospital he looked at me with such sternness and said, "I am ready to go now... Tell Joe Ed to go throw a brick out and mark a spot to bury me..."  As his breathing became more labored and tons of family and friends gathered to pay their respects to this incredibly great man... we watched him struggle to acknowledge each one... Finally, the need for sedation came as he was simply starving for air... The week pasted and in a brief moments of lucidness he made comments to us...giving us orders to carry out.  He said to an aunt, "Make sure my grandkids are saved..." That was one of the very last things he spoke...

I wasn't there the morning he drew his last breath... the moment he went home to be the Lord.... But when I arrived at the hospital... there was peace in knowing that he was now breathing the purity of the heavenly air... no more stuggles...  The air of God... of Heaven was now filling his lungs... He was safe and sound now and we were left with a great void of a man that lived his life for others... always thinking of someone else... What a legacy he left for us all...

As we returned home and were greeted by so many members of the community...family... friends... His absence just seem to echo through our hearts...and his home...his chair was now empty! Loudness took over... the LOUDNESS of cancer seemed to ECHO....  I just wanted quietness... I wanted so badly for peace to reign in our minds again... but it seemed as though cancer would just march throughout our head...our hearts... resonating through us all...

I had never associated a sound with death or a disease before this...However as I think back to my days working in critical care as a nurse I am reminded of the sounds of death... As I have watched many people received the news of a loved one's life being cut short...the sounds of hopelessness... sadness...grief.... become tangible...not being limited at all by space and time...This time; however, death and disease are so personal... LOUDNESS was the only way I could describe what was happening!

I sit and ponder this now as old wounds, wounds I thought had healed are resurfacing as we have received word that Lynn's(my father-in-law) best friend has been diagnosed with cancer.  The loudness comes marching in again... Yes,  loudness is the perfect definition for disease and death..... As thoughts race through our minds again...Quietness, being the antonym for Loudness is certainly not present!  And as we struggled to readjust our lives a year ago...we found peace in having a bit of Lynn in his best friend...But that struggle was certainly not done in quietness.. as the following days, weeks, months... tears would flow even bouts of anger would emerge as the death and grieving process matured... I am realizing that we can not find our peace in anything in this world.. as God being Sovereign is a jealous God and will share His glory with no one!  

I am understanding with such deep revelations of the promises of peace and quiet that the Lord so graciously gives.  Loudness accompanies the prince of this world... one who comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10)...As he ravishes the lives of those he victimizes... quietness and peace flees and the loudness of heartache and sorrow take over...leaving wounded hearts and wounded souls!  But how beautiful are the promise from the God as He sent His son the Prince of Peace..to restore, replenish and rebuild what the enemy destroys and the wounds he inflicts.

Isaiah 9:6
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:  and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,  The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

John 14:27.
" Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Isaiah 49:6
"And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to rise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the persevered of Isreal: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles; that thy mayest by my salvation unto the end of the earth."

Jeremiah 30:17
"For I will restore health unto thy wounds, saith the LORD..."

Now as God ushers in his peace and heals the wounds...  The realism of these words His promises come to life... as the Most High God certainly reaches down from on high and exchanges beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness... He promises this so that through out trials and tribulations...through our walks through the shadows of death...the valleys of this life...we are made into trees of righteousness...planted firmly along the narrow pathway that leads us to him...  To bring him Glory! May we through our walks surrender diligently to the Prince of Peace... the Great Counselor... The Most High who is able to do exceedingly great and above all we hope and imagine...working all things together for our good!  My peace I give to you!

Isaiah 61: 3
" To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He might be glorified."

Luke 1: 78-79
"Through the tender mercy of our God; where by the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet unto the way of peace."

Job 12: 22-23
"He discovereth the deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. He increaseth the nations, and destroyth them: he enlarged the nations, and straightened them again."

Romans 8:28
" And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose."

Dear Father,
I pray asking for soul healing... I surrender to you the Prince of Peace... The Most High... to take the wounds of my soul... and the souls of my family... take them and heal them now... cover them with the blood of your Son, Jesus Christ...bring about peace and greatness from these wounds...May I be a tree of righteousness for your glory... May your light shine through me...and warm those around me... Father I praise you for your works are wonderful and your love endures forever... IN JESUS NAME~AMEN.