conqueror.

Luke 21:5-19 THE MESSAGE [emphasis mine]

One day people were standing around talking about the Temple, remarking how beautiful it was, the splendor of its stonework and memorial gifts. Jesus said,
"All this you're admiring so much - the time is coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of rubble."
They asked him, "Teacher, when is this going to happen? What clue will we get that it's about to take place?"
He said, "Watch out for the doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, 'I'm the One,' or, 'The end is near.' Don't fall for any of that.
When you hear of wars and uprisings, keep your head and don't panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end."
He went on, "Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over.
Huge earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. You'll think at times that the very sky is falling.
"But before any of this happens, they'll arrest you, hunt you down, and drag you to court and jail. It will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name.
You'll end up on the witness stand, called to testify.
Make up your mind right now not to worry about it.
I'll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters.
"You'll even be turned in by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Some of you will be killed.
There's no telling who will hate you because of me.
Even so, every detail of your body and soul - even the hairs of your head! - is in my care; nothing of you will be lost.
Staying with it - that's what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry; you'll be saved.

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If you take any time at all to just stop and look at what surrounds you, it can be pretty discouraging. We're in a season right now, in this nation and really all over the world where there is a lot we feel like we could legitimately worry about.  The Lord is clear with us that times of hurt and dissapointment and persection will come. He lets us know that it is only going to get worse and worse. But don't forget! Don't lose heart! As children of God, every detail will be saved if we stay with it. How awesome. In these times where our nation and much of our world is at such a low, we have such an open door.  We must arise with confidence and with passion, with boldness and joy. 

We must make up our minds now not to worry!

Everything we need will be given to us! 

Our God is passionate about us! He will provide all we need and more! 

What could happen if the church would step up in hard economic times with their giving?

What could happen if the church would have joy when everyone else is worrying?

What could happen if we walked around in the confidence of knowing we are the conquerors?

What could happen if we walked in the wisdom that He promises to give us if we ask?

What would happen if we became passionate about all these things again?

What happened to your passion? Where is the fire that kept you going? Where is that overwhelming desire to reach out to the lost and the hurt and the dying?

Where is your excitement and confidence about the call God has placed on your life? What happened to always seeing the joy in the chase? Where is your delight in the journey?

You see, it doesnt take much to be happy and excited and passionate when everything is hunky-dory. What is different about us right now? When were are in a season of plenty and everything seems to be going good, the world is happy. and the world is excited. and the world is passionate. If you notice, we aren't looking much different than that. We act like just because we have hit a rough spot, we can just stop and complain and blame it all on the enemy, or on other people... 

Have you looked lately? Our Bible promises us that these difficult times will be here. These are the times that we actually are given a clear opportunity to shine. We just have to live what we know to be the difference in these days.  When everything is going great, often times the world is actually more passionate about their beliefs, because we just use ours as a convenience.

We use good times to just chill out and say God is blessing us, and we use the bad times to grumble and complain. WHERE IS OUR ACTION? We can't let our only actions be sitting on our backsides till we find something to complain about. 

LETS ACT! BE ENCOURAGED! WE ARE THE CONQUERORS!

IT IS TIME

that we as the body of Christ, remember that when we turn to the back of the book WE ARE THE VICTORS! 

We must KNOW that we can conquer any work of the enemy. 

We must BELIEVE the Word when it says we WILL overcome.

We must TRUST that God keeps His promises.

And we must WALK in the power of His Spirit.

So I declare right now to myself and the rest of this body of Christ--

Wake up! Arise! Be strengthed! Stop Worrying! Trust again! Be full of Joy again! Walk this out and be the difference! Remember that you are His! Remember His passionate love and be that love to the world!!

God right now, I praise You for who You are. I am so thankful that You give us Your Word to lead and guide us and direct us. Thank You for giving us the promises that You will keep us and hold us safe and for being honest enough and loving enough to warn us about the trials that are to come. Teach us true love-- Your love. God I pray that You instill in us the courage to truly believe once again in Your faithfulness. Thank You for letting us know that we really can trust You. Thank You that You never go back on Your Word.  God  we want our passion back! We want our joy back! Lord pour out Your spirit on our dry and thirsty souls! God we don't deserve it, but You love us anyways.  Thank You for that. Lord, we just want You. We want to glorify You. We want to be light to darkness. We want to have faith in Your word. We want to trust You with everything. We want to look like You. We even want to want You more than we do now. So Lord fill us. Infiltrate our lives with Your presence so that we just become so addicted to Your presence that we never want to leave. And God teach us that we never have to leave. God we choose not to worry. We choose to walk in the wisdom and the passion and the fire that You are putting in us even now. Thank You Father. Lord, we know You are with us. God, keep on kissing us. We love Your face. Your kisses are so amazing. God there is nothing better. So we choose to stay with it! We will stick it out till the end!  You are all we want! You are all we have ever needed! You are all we want! Help us know You are near! 

Amen.

remember.

I remember walking in the first time knowing NO ONE. 

except for rebecca davis who I had only met hours before on myspace...

since no one knew me, everyone just assumed I came with someone else, thus I was able to just float around and plop myself down in the middle of everyone like I was family. And I became that real quick. Thanks. 

Although it was a room of brand new faces when I walked in, I felt like I had known all of you always.

I remember one certain day when Brian was talking to us and then immediately pacing through that row of chairs and speaking in tongues. In that moment I realized I could do that too. I realized that praying in the spirit didn't have to be something that was "stirred up," but rather something that you just release.

I remember the day I had gone to a prayer gathering at oneighty before going over to north, and once I got there, I stepped out of my car and immediately heard the roar coming from way up in the tower.

I remember the day when Jeremy told us to go to the windows and pray for dorms, and we cried and wailed till Jeremy told us we had reached the time the Lord told him. (Sometimes I still wonder how those windows didnt break)

I remember staying out till crazy hours of the night and getting up a few hours later to go take a test at my high school and doing great. 

I remember singing "let the fire fall through the window" and it going from hilarious to prophetic. 

I remember listening to wild dreams about roots and stones and colors and leaders and buildings and everything else.

I remember the times I had alone in my car on the way over to the prayer tower.

I remember the faces of those around me gripped for the city I had always lived in.

I remember the feeling of college students asking us young high schoolers what we were hearing.

I remember the fire that sustained me.

I remember how rested I felt even with the lack of sleep.

I remember the expectation I had every night. 

I remember leaving some days feeling on top of the world.

And then there was the other side...

I remember some days leaving feeling as low as I could be.

I remember the frustrations of hitting walls. 

I remember the lack of wisdom I walked in at times. 

I remember the days when nothing seemed to make sense. 

I remember the days where we saw demons trying to get to us.

I remember days when we felt like everything was in vain. 

I remember feeling rejected by students from a school I had yet to attend. 

I remember having to try and justify my actions and always explain myself. 

I remember the day where I felt I needed to be at prayer so I missed a party and later found out I was talked about the whole time.

I remember the frustrations of being distracted by little things. 

I remember people slipping away who we thought would stay on strong.

I remember resting when I should have been fighting and fighting when I should've been resting. 

In the midst of it all, I LEARNED. 

It was so worth it. 

I know I am where I am today because of those days. 

It was in those times where my calling to that city was confirmed. 

Right now I am in GA on a word from the Lord in an incredible environment getting equipped to go back to Cleveland and help fulfill all those words we still believe. As I walk out this calling to Cleveland, it feels good to know that in those times where its going to be the hardest I can know that there are people in California, Alabama, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee,  Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, and other places who know just what its like to cry out for Cleveland.  Wow. That is incredible. Yes, I am so glad the 'Cleveland' that got put in us is scattered all over, but I plead to you guys. Keep Cleveland in your hearts. There is still so much promise in that place. I know you know that. Thank you guys for taking on a city that you don't even call home. Even though I am away from all of you now, you forever have a place in my heart. 

Cleveland still needs us, as much as the rest of this nation needs the Cleveland that got put in us.

close.

You are so close today. 

I feel You right here with me.

I always know You're near, but there is something special about today.

Maybe it was my time last night with Nadine and Q. 

Community changes everything.

You are always here, but seeing and hearing what you are doing in individual lives just makes You feel that much closer. 

I guess I just become more aware. 

I can talk the talk all day about who You are and what You are doing, but its those times when You just come and embrace me that really change me.

My heart is for You. 

even when I just sit there.

And I know You see my heart.

Maybe this is a way that You are breaking ME. 

Really. 

I need to be shaken and broken and moved. 

I am sick of myself. 

My mind gets me nowhere but down a path of frustration.

But YOU....

You are so freeing.

and joyful. 

Lord I need your restoration.

I need the strength, energy, desire and fire

that come from You alone. 

Let the fire of intimacy burn deep into my heart, down into my bones.

Give me Your wisdom so I can fulfill the desires of Your heart. 

Hold me close so I can lay against Your chest and feel Your heartbeat.

I want to move WITH You. Not ahead, not behind. 

I need You. 

Lord help me to be able to focus on Your Word.

I say I will read time and time again...

Then I go to actually read and get so distracted. 

I am so over that. 

Help me. 

I want to read and learn more about You.

I guess this is one of those things I feel like I should be able to do...

but yet again- God I can't even do this on my own. 

There is beauty in that though, its living dead. 

When I'm dead I can't really do anything by myself huh?

I need You. 

I love You. 

fortyfour.

I just happened to realize that this is blogpost number 44. 

So I'll embrace it...

I read a blog today posted on the Ramp's myspace and I loved it....

Here it is.

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Order, Please

Well, over the past week the office staff here has been getting some awesome rebukes. I mean that without any sarcasm whatsoever. After a few years of walking with God, you begin to see rebukes as awesome. Whenever I hear we're going to have a staff meeting, something within me hopes that the boss has noticed my tardiness, laziness, and bad attitude. If we go through the whole meeting and no correction has come, then I honestly leave a little disappointed.

The reason I've grown to love correction and rebukes is because I know that my leaders are simply getting me in order with what I am suppose to be doing anyway. And according to scripture, glory follows order. Once Moses built the tabernacle according to God specifications, His glory descended upon it. When David attempted to bring the ark of God back to Jerusalem, judgement came because they "did not consult Him about the proper order" (1 Chr. 15:13). Once they got in proper order, they were able to move the ark again and get the glory back to Israel. In Malachi God reminds His people to be faithful in tithes and offering so He can pour out a blessing. Throughout scripture God makes it very clear that His glory follows order.

Therefore, if Ms. Karen is correcting me, yanking me into order, it means that God is preparing me for more glory. God intends for the Ramp offices to be full of glory, and if there is a lack of order, there will be a lack of glory. If we can set ourselves to have order in the natural, then there will be glory. Little things like arriving on time, staying on task, be truthful about your hours--these things matter. They matter to God, and He takes note when we disobey in these little, unseen things. His desire is to give His people glory. The question is will His people do what is takes to get in order?

Micah Wood

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This blog is so so true. I know the feeling so much. Embrace the cutting. The pruned vines are the ones that grow and produce the best fruit. 

So to Samuel.... 

I talked about you today and about how you taught me this concept... and I was reminded how thankful I am for you.

I accelerated so far because of you. 

There's no way I would ever regret those days.

I pray that the Lord blesses you and guides you and teaches you today. 

I love you. 

small.

I so strongly believe

God has His hand in this election.

His thumbprint is all over it.

Is it what we expected?

Nope. But what can we predict anymore?

It seems we can't be sure of much of anything these days... but really that excites me. When everything else is falling apart, our eyes can go to the only one who NEVER CHANGES. 

I believe so many people are going to begin to see that they need to stop looking for change and hold on to the one that never changes. 

What is this going to look like?

I don't know, but I trust that He will have His way, if we will pray. 

WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE. 

Getting to see and hear of hundreds and thousands of testimonies of how these elections have pushed people to prayer has been an incredible honor and blessing. Its made my world feel a lot smaller.  I am seeing that one SMALL act of obedience can reep HUGE results. 

We may feel small. But don't you see?? If God's hand is in something, it will shake nations all over the world.

Knowing that one story about these elections has touched more than 65 nations is amazing. There is no doubt God is in this. (visit agreeinprayer.com)

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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

ITS A PROMISE. 

LETS FULFILL OUR PART SO HE HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO FULFILL HIS.

secrets.

"Secrets"- Janna Adams

If you come and sit outside my window tonight
I’ll try my hardest to listen and be quiet
Like the ocean there’s treasures inside that you hide
I can tell you’re wanting to speak your mind

You can find me here anytime
You will find an ear every time
I wanna be the one you tell your secrets

I have to admit sometimes I push you away
I’ve gotta change that starting today
For some reason I hang on every word you say

You can find me here anytime
You will find an ear every time
I wanna be the one you tell your secrets

______________________________________

He is whispering the secrets of His heart. 

Will you come close enough to hear?

He's not always going to be in the wind, the earthquake or the fire. 

He doesn't want to shout at you all the time

He wants to be close to you. 

Are you willing to stand through the wind, earthquake, and fire

even if you can't hear Him?

His desire is to speak to you in that still small voice so that He has to be close.

[I am so thankful for Pastor Kelvin who lives this, thus was able to teach this principle to us.]

glimpse.

He is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

A lamp's light is not huge, but it keeps me from stumbling. 

A light to my path will show me the path I am to walk on- not everything else around. 

Its perfect.

Because that way I get to trust. 

And I LOVE trusting the Perfect One.

I really really do.

If I could see it all right now, I would for sure mess it all up.

Instead I get to see beautiful glimpses along the way.

And this way, He touches my eyes in those moments to see every part of it in the most beautiful way I can.

I am so thankful.

He's awesome.