Faith is not clinging to a shrine, but an endless pilgrimage of the heart, audacious longing, burning songs, daring thoughts, an impulse overwhelming the heart, usurping the mind- These are all a drive toward serving Him who rings our hearts like a bell."
- Abraham Joshua Heschel

That God May Open To Us a Door

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account for which I am in prison--that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak."
Colossians 4: 2-4 ESV

Written by Tiffany Edwards:

Paul did not ask for prayer concerning his release, his health or anything else of that nature. He simple asked for prayer in regards to more opportunities to share Christ through his imprisonment. God does not call us to pretend as though we are not in pain or as though all is perfect in our little worlds. But He does call us to give thanks in all things and as we express our gratitude to Him and to those around us, the more others will be encouraged through our pain and through our heartache thus bringing glory to God. As a result, this will give us a platform to share Christ and to bring glory to the God that reigns above all things and above all schemes of man.

Father, I pray that I, like Paul, would see the value of my trials and the many opportunities that you give us because of our trials. Teach me how to pray that I may learn to see beyond my humanity to the heart of God who holds all things together. Give me a grateful heart, that rather than curse the one that crushes me, I will praise the God that lifts me up. May I see Your hand at work today in all things Lord, and may I have the heart to praise You for all you are going to do in me and through me regardless of the means by which You will use. Thank You that You are a God of circumstance and that in everything there is cause to praise You. Bless Your name oh Good and Wonderful God!

(Written by Tiffany Edwards)

From the Book: This is My Destiny

True freedom will only bloom in your life when you put on the truth of who God says you are. Knowing who God wants you to be is not the same as practicing who He wants you to be. When life gets complicated and failures abound, turn your heart and mind back to the basics. Remember who you are in Christ, practice being who God says you are, and in time, you'll be walking in the hall of freedom."

- Dennis Jernigan (This Is My Destiny)

It is Time

"You have stayed long enough on this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country..."
(Deuteronomy 1:6)

Where have you remained long enough? This verse has been resonating through my mind for days as the Lord has reminded "You have stayed long enough in this place. Break camp & advance."

We love to be comfortable. We can easily enjoy great time with the Lord, hear Him speak a word to our spirit, or enjoy a wonderful season of growth with Christ... and then set up camp there and sit. This can all to easily happen with our perspectives and presumptions as well. We presume God is a certain way (it's the way we've viewed Him our whole lives). We believe God to act a certain way (it's the way our believed God to act). We view life a certain way (a perspective we've seen life through for quite a while).

Oh that we would allow God to take us on from this place. It's time to break camp & advance. God is always after a fresh work in our lives. There is an adventure awaiting us , treasure to uncover, and power to behold... But it will not come if we remain at our tent. Ask the Lord to take up on from the place of comfort today and lead you up the mountain with Him. For that is where the glory of God dwells... and oh we want it.

R.A. Torrey on Prayer

"Prayer is God's appointed way for obtaining thing, and the great secret of all lack in our experience, in our life, and in our work is neglect of prayer. James brings this out very forcibly in chapter 4 verse 2: "You have not because you ask not." These words contain the secret of the poverty and powerlessness of the average christian- neglect of prayer. The men God set forth as patterns of what He expected Christians to be- the apostles- regarded prayer as the most important business of their lives."

-R.A. Torrey (How to Pray)

Lord it is true that post resurrection, after you disciples "got it", their prayers lives, their passion, their influence & power exploded. Prior to your death & resurrection it is clear they hadn't quite "gotten it". They were still full of doubt, fear of man, and apathy. They were not fully convinced of the power & glory of God that was at stake... the glory that they were beholding. Oh Lord may we get it. Let us taste of your goodness, your glory, your power... And may it drive us to the kind of extreme & crazy love it drove your apostles to. Awaken a desire for prayer within your women. There are lives at stake, marriages at stake, families at stake, purpose at stake, power at stake. More than anything we we desire to fulfill all that you designed and created us for. Oh that we would see it begins on our knees & faces before a mighty, consuming God. Consume us Lord.

O Lord guard us...

But as for me....

"Yet I am always with you; You hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire but you.
My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart & my portion forever.

Those who are far from you will perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."

Psalm 73:23-28

Lord we praise you that you desire to guide us daily. Give us a hunger to walk intimately with you...To talk with you... To hear from you. For your word makes it clear that you guide us when you seek you. Remove the callouses from our spiritual tongues and give us taste buds that savor You and your word. May our hearts truly declare that You alone are our greatest desire & satisfaction. As for me, it is good to be near my God. Be near O God... Be near.

The giant step in the walk of faith is the one we take when we decide God no longer is a part of our lives. He is our life.

-Beth Moore

He Waits to Be Gracious

"Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him." Isaiah 30: 18

Written by Tiffany Edwards:

As you read through the 30th chapter of Isaiah, you will quickly realize that the nation of Israel (to whom the chapter is referring to) are 'stubborn children', a rebellious people, lying children, unwilling to hear instruction, unwilling and unwanting to hear about the Holy One of Israel. Yet, God continues in the same chapter and the same breath to extend His mercy--His undeserved, unmerited favor, upon a people so unaware of their desolation without it. As I look at my life, I am so aware of the fact I do not deserve grace this morning. Despite my stubborn, selfish ways, God still chose to meet me here this morning and encourage my wayward heart with His principles. May your heart be encouraged in knowing that although we are sinful, stubborn and at times unwilling, our God of mercy and grace is there, waiting and longing to be gracious. Blessed are those that long for Him!

Who Are We That We Can Give?

"But who am I... that I should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand...O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you."
(29: 14-16)

Lord help us to remember as King David did- that what we have & what we give are yours. Just as we would be foolish to borrow a friends car and then boastfully return it to them saying "Well you'll be glad to know I decided to bring the car back to you"- may we not think that what you have given with your own hand & blessed us with is ours for the keeping. Thank you that we can give as generously as we can. We are a blessed people indeed. "Yours O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven & earth is yours." (1 Chron. 2911)

The Voice of the Lord

"The voice of the Lord shakes the desert... The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forest bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; The Lord is enthroned as King forever. The Lord gives strength to His people & blesses His people with peace."

Psalm 29:8-11

Oh Lord how desparately we desire to hear from you today. We confess and tear down any faulty image of you that we have created in our minds. Your voice shakes up, tears down, brings healing, brings life, speaks truth, administers love, purifies, sanctifies, brings wisdom, gives peace...

For the voice of the Lord is "powerful & majestic" (vs. 4). For your great glory speak to your servants.

Dinner with Mrs. Graham

In her book, Just Give Me Jesus, by Anne Graham Lotz (Billy Graham’s daughter) she tells the story of an evening her parents were invited to a prestigious dinner party in London. Her mother was seated next to the former head of Scotland Yard, Great Britians quivialant to the FBI. Fascinated she respectfully probed him for anecdotes. “As he opened up under her genuine interest, he revealed that the departments under his authority had included those for forgery and counterfeiting. When she surmised that he must have spent a lot of time studying counterfeit signatures, he corrected her. ‘On the contrary, Mrs. Graham. I spent all of my time studying the genuine thing. That way, when I saw a counterfeit, I could immediately detect it.’

In a society bombarded with counterfeit messages and seductive lies, we too must spend our time studying the genuine thing- the truth God has made clear to us in His Word- so that we can easily recognize a counterfeit when it comes our way. Cultural attitudes for our marriages, motherhood, jobs, purity.... can easily be accepted as they slowly creep into our mindset. Oh that we would be intentional about seeking the face of God, that He can keep our focus on the real deal & keep us far from any form of deception.

Praying Psalms

"Yet I am always with you. You hold me by your right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire beside you. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever...

As for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of your deeds."

-Psalm 73:23-28

Oh the POWER in praying scripture... Speak it. Pray it. Declare it.

Psalm 73 is a great scripture to pray:

Lord I praise you that you are always with me- holding and guiding me with your counsel. Lord I desire your counsel and guidance above all else. Would you drown out every other voice and distraction, that my spirit can clearly discern your leading in decisions we are facing.

I praise you that I can search this world over and find that there is nothing greater, nothing that satisfies like you. Be my greatest desire Lord. What does it mean for you to be the strength of my heart? Teach me by your Holy Spirit what this looks like for you to be my strength. Right now I need your strength in.....

As for me, it is good for me to be near God. Near You. Living in the Spirit and in continual communication with you. Oh I want this more than I want my next breath. Not only is life meaningless apart from you, but I am just steps away from the nearest pit when I am not in the closest of proximity to You. Your word says in John 15 that when I abide in you not only will I bear fruit for your glory, but I can ask whatever I want and will see answered prayer. This is fullness of life... This is freedom... This is the blessed life.

Today be my refuge and loose my tongue to praise You for your goodness & faithfulness to me. Let me praise you, praise you some more, and when I am done praising you... continue on praising & exalting my God. For you are the One who has set my heart free.

It Is Finished

"Who is a God like you who pardons sin and forgives the transgressions of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."

Micah 7:18-19

Lord we praise you that you delight in restoration. You never intend for us to wallow in the sin, guilt and shame the enemy loves to remind us of. Help us Lord to walk as the forgiven and not entertain the thoughts of the past. When thoughts of our flesh tempt and distract us may we turn our eyes quickly to you and hear the cry of your voice from the cross proclaim "It is FINISHED!" You have tread our sins underfoot so that we may bring you praise & glory with our lives. May we do so even today.