Lights Coming On

My God did something extraordinary for me this morning...permit me to share?

It has been obvious to me, and to those who know me, that I’ve been in a place of transition since early this year. A friend of mine asked yesterday how the transition was going. This was my reply:

"Transition not going as "planned"...but when does it ever? I've been struggling some, but ok. Just in a place where I've never been before and it's mighty uncomfortable. The best way I know to describe it is that every other transition I've been thru in life, I've been able to see the "marks" or each goal toward the high call...now, it's dark and the Lord is asking me to simply hold His hand and trust Him for the next step...which I don't see or have any clue as to what that step is? I sort of feel like I'm in a holding pattern, waiting, and allowing Him to take care of some things in me before I land into that next step or place."

Then, this morning, when I got to work, another email awaited me from a different friend with the following article attached:

"All New Things Begin in Darkness: Transitioning Through Your Dark Night" by John Paul Jackson

"This is a year of transition. As this is the eighth month already, no doubt you’re aware that transition means things are changing. If you allow God to move in your life and do what He wants to do, you’ll enjoy the change. And if you don’t … then you won’t, for obvious reasons. In this e-letter, I would like to talk to you about something that goes hand in hand with transition. It is the hardest part of change, actually, and is what makes change so often difficult. Jesus said that whoever loses his life will find it (Matthew 10:39). Growing spiritually is possible only if you’re willing to let go of the old in order to gain the new. In other words, you gain by losing; you give up your life in order to find it.

But there’s a secret in that. What you need to give up is the thing that’s holding you back. You might think it is good, but it is actually keeping you from your destiny. It is a virus, an infection, a germ that needs eradicating before it can metastasize. If God asks you to give up something, it is only what will destroy you — i.e., this isn’t something you want to keep! Here’s the catcher: The in-between time when you’re coming to that conclusion is usually confusing, painful and completely black. You can’t see a thing, and you have no idea where you’re going.

Have you felt like that this year … yet?

Three Levels of DarknessFrom pregnancy to creation, from anointing to new days, everything begins in darkness. It has been that way from the first day of creation, and it will continue to the end. New things begin in darkness. There are three levels, or deep times, of darkness that we encounter on the road to our destiny and true, pure spirituality: the Dark Night of the Wilderness or Desert, the Dark Night of the Soul and the Dark Night of the Spirit. With each one, you will feel like you are immersed in a deeper darkness than you have ever been in before. You will see less clearly, if at all, where you thought you were going. You most likely will not understand the purpose of it and why God is allowing you to go through such a dark, difficult time. Depending on what God is after, this time may shake you to your very core.

The First Sign of Healing

At some point in all three phases, you finally realize that what you have self-justified (the thing you’ve been trying to hold onto) is actually hindering your destiny, and with this realization, there is often a sense of failure or sorrow or both. But even here, do not give up hope, because this sense of failure is actually the initial sign of healing: You are on your way out. You have allowed God to remove the blinders, and as He does so, the first tendrils of light become visible again.Immediately after this point of despair, everything changes. Here you see the light at the end of the long tunnel. You have hope for a better life, and it is soooooo refreshing. Though you know the rest of the tunnel still lies ahead of you, you see the light at the end, and you know you will make it, even though, up until this point, you were pretty sure you wouldn’t.So many of us are walking blindly today, because God sees where we’re heading, but we do not.

As this is the eighth month already, no doubt you’re aware that transition means things are changing. You can’t get away with the things you got away with before; your Father has asked you to come up higher. He may have asked you to give up the “good” thing in order to give you the best. Times are dark. The way is hidden.The secret is this: No matter how dark your transitional time has been, you were always going to make it in God’s book, even during these times when the light has been hidden from you. If God is your Captain, you will survive this year — and the next year and the one after that.But for right now, as God transitions you and you walk through intense times of not knowing, don’t lose hope. As the sun rises from behind the peaks and you see life again for the first time in months … you’re going to fall in love all over again. God never leaves His children in the dark. You’ll see.

As I began to read…the light came on. Wow, so that’s where I am! If you are going through something similar, please let me know so that I can be praying for you, because I need prayer as well. I have an inkling of what God is asking me to let go of, and if it’s what I think it is, it’s a big one for me. I’m not quite to the point of that realization, but when I get there, I will let you know.

Looking to the Light, Jewelya

Transition: Boldly Going ...

Webster’s defines transition as simply: “passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another: change or: a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another.

From early this year there have been ‘buzz’ words flying around concerning what God is doing in 2008. Many have said this is a year of "New Beginnings," divine repositioning, change and transformation. Earlier this year we experienced a time of local super-natural occurrences in the weather. We had unprecedented winds and tornado warnings in this area like never before. Without sounding too deep, I believe that the natural was lining up with the spirit. I do believe that God is positioning His body where it needs to be for this season.

My family and I are personally experiencing these changes in the natural and in the spirit. The Lord takes us from one place to another with different assignments. We see this over and again in the New Testament as people finished what they were called to do in a particular place, the Holy Spirit would direct them where to go next. In Phillip’s case, the Holy Spirit literally picked him up and set him down into his next assignment.

The Lord has been teaching me so much about Himself during this time of transition. One of the biggest lessons is trust. Whenever the Lord has brought about change in my life in the past, there seemed to be a pattern, things I recognized. This time…it’s completely different. I’m in brand new territory. I’m feeling much like a pioneer in that the excitement of something new is grand, but the trepidation is very real as well. You know, the whole, "Going boldly where no man has gone before," thing! The process this time has caused me to rely on and trust in the Lord on a whole new level.

Something else I have learned is how much the enemy would like to take something beautiful that God is doing, and add in his two filthy cents to try and cause strife. Oh, how we need to be on guard against him and know that we wrestle not against flesh and blood! In a recent service I attended, the Lord spoke so clearly to the Body to simply “STOP believing the lies of the enemy.” If it was for not one else in the room (which is rarely the case), it was for me! Like any war strategist, we should know our enemy and his cunning devices.

Faith is another lesson. It never fails to amaze me how faith, hope and love work together in every situation. The actions that these three words accomplish is unfathomable. The life they bring. The expectation. The power. And through all of life’s transitions and changes this powerful stanza remains, “God changes not, His compassions they fail not; great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”

If you find yourself in the midst of one of God’s many life transitions…embrace it! Ask, “Lord, what do you need me to learn in this?” Learn it!! So you don’t have to do it again! Embrace His will and purpose for your life. Pursue Him with all of your being. Delight in Him (and His ways) and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Embracing transition with determination to reach the next mark of the high calling of Christ~

Jewelya

Are you THAT in love?

I get so disturbed with women who seem to always be asking God to “change” their husbands, but are rarely willing to get the log out of their own eye. I can hear someone now, “Oh, but you just don’t understand!” On the contrary, I do! Take it from someone who has been there, done that…married is better any day!! Don’t misunderstand, we all want our husbands to walk in their God-given potential and be all that God has called him to be; But if we aren’t careful, we can cross the line into ungodly praying…even into forms of manipulation, which is witchcraft. You see, we always want to pray Ephesians 5:25, but what about Ephesians 5:22 and 23; and my personal favorite, verse 33. Verse 33 in the Amplified reads, “…let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband, that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates and esteems him; and that she defers to him. Praises him and loves and admires him exceedingly!” Let’s get real… a while back, I didn’t even know ’venerate’ was a word!! It means “to regard with reverential respect or with admiring deference “OR “to honor (as an icon or a relic) with a ritual act of devotion.”

In a recent prayer meeting the LORD brought this verse to my attention. The LORD said to me, “Just as men should love their wives like I love My bride, women should love their husbands with the same kind of fervency they love Me;” We should love no one with the same passion we love Our LORD, however, in the same way that Ephesians 5:33 explains, I believe He wants us to love our husbands with a passion that is surpassed only by our love for HIM.

In a recent blogpost, I mentioned Enoch and how he was “Encountered” by God. Then I saw this quote from an article by Rick Joyner, check this out…: “Think about this: Any one of you reading this could become God's best friend in these times and do the greatest exploits for the sake of the Gospel. Nowhere does it say that any one of us cannot do what Enoch did--get so close to God that He just takes us straight to Heaven without passing through death. In fact, it could be that this is what the real rapture is--the Bride, the Church, becomes so perfect, without spot or blemish, and so in love with Him that He just takes her."

And that made me think…what an incredibly beautiful thought, that we could be so in love with our LORD that He simply sweeps us up into the arms of heaven! Are we that intimate with HIM? Can you feel his pulse and the beating of His heart? His breath on your face as you gently recline on his chest? Are we that in love with HIM?

My challenge to you today, is to be THAT in love with Jesus…and almost that in love with your Husbands…as the Bride prepares herself to be swept away…

Salty & Shiny

My son, Issac, who is involved in the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) at his high school, recently brought home a shirt that they designed for the members of FCA. On the shirt there is a saltshaker and a bright-smiling sun. The saltshaker is pouring salt on the earth, and the sun is shining on the earth. It simply says, “ Salty & Shiny!” I love it! That’s what we are to be!

If you have been a Believer for any length of time, you have probably asked the LORD “Why?” Why am I in this place, this neighborhood, this job or this church? What is my purpose? Am I being effective? Below, I have copied some quotes from a recent article on Elijah List written by Danny Steyne entitled, "New Barns, New Bowls, New Wineskins...”

After reading through the first few pages of this article, the story of Elisha and the spring near Jericho spoke volumes to me. Sometimes, God simply has us in a particular place to be SALT and LIGHT. Enjoy!

"The men of the city said to Elisha, 'Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.' 'Bring me a new bowl,' he said, 'and put salt in it.' So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, 'This is what the LORD says: I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.'" 2 Kings 2:19-21

It's Time for the New Bowls!
Elisha, the newly ordained prophet of Israel, is called on to do his first miracle in the Promised Land. Interestingly, it's at the same place that the first victory came to the people of Israel many years before. Jericho! Right outside of Jericho, there is this little spring that pours water through it constantly at a wonderful speed! It looks so refreshing, so inviting, and so full of promise and life, yet simply it is poison to the whole region! I imagine the people had spent their time praying for this spring to be cleansed. Likely, the whole community gathered to discuss some possible resolve for the situation at the spring.

It's likely that some may even have gone to Jerusalem to sacrifice something in the hopes that there would be a cleansing of the water. This was supposed to be a provider of life. It was supposed to be something that would result in fruit in the community and enough fruitfulness that the community would be able to live off of what was released as a result of this water. I think eventually, the people gave up; they realized the water simply wasn't any good, and all the considerations of how to purify it didn't work. But the men of the city, the ones who sat in the gates, the leaders, they still pressed into healing for the water. For some reason, they held on to the hope that this would provide life and sustenance for their community and families. In the same way many have walked away from the existing church believing it is too rife with problems. But there are a few who are holding out for a miracle. Those with a fresh sense of God to break the pattern of unproductivity and fruitlessness and release God into the mix where everything changes!

Can You Do Anything Elisha?
The conversation goes something like this (paraphrased): "Can you bring me a bowl?" Elisha says, "Oh, one that has no preconceived ideas. It must be a new one. It must not have any idea of what may be going into it. There must be no taste of leftovers on it." He hears back, "That may take longer to get, Elisha. My wife has a good used one nearby. Does it really matter?" Elisha says, "Yes! It REALLY matters! I want a new bowl. I want something that has no history other than the potter's wheel; no history other than the furnace; no history other than the simplicity of knowing that there is future destiny. I'm not sure how that will be fulfilled, only that one day it will be full of God's purpose!"

Elisha takes the new bowl. The one that doesn't look back at history, but looks forward into promise. The bowl that doesn't recall how things used to be and won't bring to recollection of how revivals started in the past. He pours salt...no, he fills the bowl with salt! He prophetically declares--that which poisons the fields of the enemy will in fact purify the springs of life!
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." Matthew 5:13 Jesus would one day indicate that we are the salt of the earth. He would declare that we would salt everything--not simply sit in bowls, but rather change the nature of everything that we touch! Paul indicates that we are "vessels"--pots--bowls intended to be filled with Jesus! Elisha was speaking into the erroneous teaching, which says that all we need is more power. We don't need more power, and the early church NEVER asked for more power. The Holy Spirit was fully poured out at Pentecost, how do you get more than fully, which is ALL? The early church asked for one thing: Make us saltier; make us bolder. (For the full article, please see Elijahlist.com and look for this article on 5/22/08)

Yes Lord! Make me saltier, make me bolder!

Blessings, Jewelya

Encountering God

Encounters with God are prevalent throughout the Bible. Enoch encountered God, and went straight to heaven, without passing “GO”, without collecting $200 and without dying! Esther encountered God when the entire Israelite nation in Persia was threatened with extinction and the intercession of the nation was on her shoulders. A man named Saul encountered God while on his way to Damascus to persecute believers; God changed him inside and out and even changed his name.

One definition of Encounter in Webster’s is: “to come face-to-face with;” Our church has recently begun a ministry that prepares people for just that…a “face-to-face” with our loving God. This ministry is called “Encounters.” Our first Encounter was held in April. Encounter #1 resulted in 15 participants and 7 leaders who have been changed, forever. This is the purpose…an eternal change, inside and out as we meet and spend time with our LORD. We prepare for these Encounters in the natural and in prayer, and then we take our hands off, and simply welcome the working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all. And what a wonderul work He does! I'm included in that change...and will never be the same.

"The Wind"

At our first Encounter, the Holy Spirit manifested Himself in such a glorious way. He came in literally like a mighty whirlwind, sweeping around us then lifting up, taking our breath away. Soon after, my friend and mentor, Jeanette, prophesied about the tornadoes and winds. Holy Ghost has been revealing so many things to us about this ‘wind.’ We heard how Holy Ghost came and manifested Himself in a very similar way to the group of people from Morningstar after two students had returned from a Breakout revival in Lakeland, FL. The report is that He came in a whirlwind, much like He did to us at the retreat center. In prayer service on 3/8, the LORD spoke to us from Hosea 8 and said that, “you have heard it said “sow to the wind and reap the whirlwind,” and you have always associated that with destruction, but I say to you now, sow to THIS wind and reap the wind of My Spirit!” Then, on 3/13 as I was driving down the street by the church, I glanced at the church’s billboard and Holy Ghost highlighted the phrase on the billboard, “the winds of change are blowing at FBC.” This sign has been up for nearly a year… it’s prophetic, and we (at least me) didn’t even notice it! Wow! Even today, I heard of a new outbreak of this Holy Ghost Outpouring in Oregon. What an exciting time to be alive! Thank You LORD!