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Elul 5779 – Teshuvah Day 2 (9/2/19)

Posted: September 2, 2019 in Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
Tags: Song of Songs, teshuvah

How Hungry Are You?

I have been looking forward to this 40-day period of turning back to God with my whole heart and I am so ready. There is something so divinely assigned to this time for each of us — hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

I have heard again and again how the Spirit of God has been speaking to many of my friends to turn away from their regular routine and make more time for Him. One of our ministry partners shared how God had been speaking to him to put aside a game he normally played daily for years and years. He was one of the best in the world at this internet golf game and has set it aside for 40 day, not knowing the timing of the 40 days of Teshuvah.

John 6:44, The only way people come to me is by the Father who sent me—he pulls on their hearts to embrace me. And those who are drawn to me, I will certainly raise them up in the last day.”

Yesterday as I was quietly waiting before the Lord, I heard in my spirit the “Oh Draw Me Lord”, a song sung by Selah. https://youtu.be/SQf_NzKBH5w?t=3 . John 6:44 above is not only speaking about unbelievers, it is speaking to those of us who have gotten so busy in our lives that the Word and God is the last part of our day, and too often not in our day at all.

Because of what I was shown yesterday in my quiet time, I will be going over Song of Songs during some of these 40 day devotionals. At the beginning of this incredible book, the Shulamite is ‘dark’ — discouraged and burned out. But the King draws her near. That is you. That is me. That is the state of the lukewarm Church, but we can all rekindle our light in this special season on God’s calendar and come out of the Wilderness, ready to run with her King.

There are Four Levels of growth in the Maiden

“My beloved is to me” – self, what Jesus can do for her
“My beloved in mind, and I am his” – ownership, shows need to love him
“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine” – His agenda first, then my agenda
“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me” – His desire is all I want, totally sold out

Psalm 73:28, But it was good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.

James 4:8 (TPT) Move your heart closer and closer to God and He will come even closer to you (and He will be touching you)

Lord, lead and guide us back on the path and destiny that you have ordained for me before I was born. Help me to lay aside the things that so easily get in the way of a passionate love for you. Draw me near to You, draw me nearer and higher. Bring back the passion in my life I once had for the Word, prayer and heart-felt worship to You. Amen and Amen

Elul 1, 5779 – Teshuvah Day 1 (9/1/19)

Posted: August 31, 2019 in Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
Tags: Hebrew months, religion, repent, teshuvah

Every day for 40 days of Teshuvah the 27th Psalm is read aloud.

First of all, what is Teshuvah? Teshuvah is a 40 day season of time for introspection, judging yourself. It begins Elul 1 and ends Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). The last 10 days are known as The Days of Awe. This year the Biblical calendar and the Gregorian Calendar totally align the days of the month of September and Elul! I believe that God is bringing us into a special time of alignment and of really preparing for these last of the Last Days.

The Hebrew root for Teshuvah is shuv, number H7725 in the Strong’s Concordance and it means to return, to turn back, to restore, to cause to return. Spiritually speaking it is turning back to God. He never changes and if you feel distant from Him it is because you have distanced yourself by your own desires and choices in life. It is now an open portal to return to the Lord. For everything there is a season – and this is the season of what some call, an open heaven. Not for what we can get from God, but coming back to our First Love. The Passion Translation of Revelation 2:4 reads, “But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning.” Do you have that passionate love and joy you had when you first came to Jesus? Why? He has not changed. Just like the Ephesians, we have gotten too busy with good things.

Jeremiah 24:7, ‘Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return (shuv) to Me with their whole heart.

One of my favorite Jewish Roots teachers is Perry Stone. He calls this the season to prepare spiritually, financially and emotionally. https://perrystone.org/40-days-of-teshuvah/

I woke very early this morning, feeling empty and I realized that I have been looking forward to this “special open heaven season” for the past month, anticipating the time of coming back to the Lord with my whole heart! I am ready to drop off the ‘sins’ that have so easily ensnared me – namely the sin of busyness. My priorities were not in order.

The Passion Translation of Hebrews 12:1 reads, “As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has been already marked out before us.”

Prayer: Jesus, I need Your help. Lord, help me come back to the passionate love I had for You in the beginning. Help me to let go of all the distractions and offences that harden my heart and cause my ears to be dull. Bring my life back into alignment with Your perfect will, In Jesus Name, Amen.

Month of ELUL Begins Sundown 8/31/19

Posted: August 31, 2019 in Hebrew Months, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
Tags: Elul, King is in the Field, Month of Mercy, teshuvah

The word ELUL is only found once in the Bible. Nehemiah 6:15, “So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.” The 25th of ELUL is also the first day of Creation, when God said, “Let there be light.” This is the last month of the Hebrew civil year. The next month, Tishri, begins the civil year and the year changes to 5780, tied to the time when man was born (Adam).

The Month of Mercy

Historically this is when Moses went up Mt Sinai a second time for 40 days to seek forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf. God came down in a cloud and gave Moses the 13 attributes of who He is. (Exodus 34:5-7) Moses came down on Tishri 10, the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur and said “God forgives!”

The word ELUL is an acronym of “I am my beloved and my beloved is mine.” This is the time to come closer to God, begin to start dropping off time wasters and come back to the Bible, hear His voice.

The King is in the Field

This is the month historically when the King is in the Field. We can bring this into our lives spiritually because Jesus Christ is the King of Kings, our Bridegroom. When a person would request presence of a king there was a ritual that you would have to go through to come into the presence of the king on his throne. But in the month of ELUL, the king leaves his throne and goes out into the field to see his people. He comes to our life, our workplace, our prayer room, our level.

Jesus is always available, He is always near, He is always here because He said, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” (Mt 28:20) But there is a time when His presence comes closer to our corporate gatherings, and also into our prayer times. It seems there is a season when there is a more open heaven.

ELUL 1 begins the 40-day season of TESHUVAH

Chapter 3 – Can Two Walk Together?

Posted: August 28, 2019 in EAGLES- Those That Wait
Tags: Can Two Walk Together, Wait Upon The Lord

The first example the Spirit of the Lord taught me about waiting was of two people walking together while talking. One of the two began walking faster and the other called out, “Wait!” The only thing the first person could do was to turn around and wait.

This may seem like a very simple illustration, but this really did happen to King Saul. He was called, anointed, mightily used of God, and heard from God with the help of the prophet Samuel. He decided he could handle things himself.

I Samuel 13:8-14 tells the story, “Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, ‘Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering . Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. And Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ Saul said, ‘When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, the Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord. Then I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.’

And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’ The King James Version of verse 12 says “…….therefore I forced myself, and offered a burnt offering.”

Saul continued to do God’s work. Isaiah 10:27 says, “It shall come to pass in the last day that the burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.” The anointing of God is the only thing that removes burdens and destroys yokes. Now Saul would have the burden of taking care of the people by himself, in his own strength.

Too many ministers today are doing the work of the ministry without the Lord; they are doing it in their own strength. This has come about because of the cries of the people have drowned out the voice of the Lord and they feel pressured to perform.

Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man brings a snare, and whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.” Saul was caught in a trap because of the fear of the people. This is a big trap for ministers of God who start out in love with God and on fire with the calling God has given them. But many have become ensnared while trying to please people and have gotten ahead of God. They do not hear His voice, recognize his leading any longer and have gotten far off track. Some have lost the anointing needed to do the work of the ministry, resulting in broken lives; physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” We can do nothing without Him, and many of us are blinded and shortsighted because we are hearers only of the Word of God, not doers. James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

When we only hear the word and do not practice it we blind ourselves. It is as if a veil comes over us and hides the truth. Soon we are thinking we are totally in the will of God, doing His will but we are deceived, blinded, veiled and cannot see the truth. The best teaching of this I have found is from the book by Dutch Sheets, Intercessory Prayer. [1]

Saul was deceived. He really thought he was doing the will of God. What he should have done was waited, realizing he could not go into battle without the Lord’s help. If we cannot hear His voice we need to stop and wait until we hear clear direction from God.

What if we were on a journey and got lost? Would we just keep going, hoping to find our way somehow, somewhere? No, we would stop and get directions. The directions we get from the Lord should always bear witness in our spirit. The leading of the Spirit, the Word of God and circumstances all have to agree.

Too many people are waiting for an open door and sometimes fall for the trick of the enemy. There are times in our life when we have made mistakes, gotten off track and lost our course because of listening to people or making dumb mistakes. Remember I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Thank God we live in grace. We can stop where we are, repent of sin, ask forgiveness, and God is faithful and just to forgive us.

Furthermore, James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives all liberally, and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” The word “reproach” is the Greek word oneidizo, and in the Strong’s Exhaustive Dictionary gives the meaning as to defame, rail, chide, taunt, revile or to find fault. This means God wants to show us the right way and will not find fault or make us suffer where we are.

God’s will is for us according to 3 John 2 is for us to “….prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” But you cannot do this on your own. You need to stay in communication with God through prayer, Bible reading, fellowship with other saints, worship, etc. But mostly, it is just asking Him to help you, asking Him to guide you, to direct your footsteps. He wants us to ask.

John 15:7-8 tell us, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

We are told in Isaiah 1:19, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”

[1] Sheets, Dutch, Intercessory Prayer, Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1996)

Month of Elul 5779

Posted: August 27, 2019 in Hebrew Months, Holidays- Holy Days, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
Tags: Elul, Moses 40 Day on Mt Sinai, teshuvah

The Hebrew Month of Elul begins Saturday night at sundown. This year, the month of September and the Hebrew month of Elul totally align! I don’t ever remember that happening before!

This begins the 40-day season of Teshuvah, the month of repentance or ‘returning’ back to God. This is the 40 day period when Moses went back up Mt Sinai the 2nd time to seek the forgiveness for the Sin of the Golden Calf. The 40 days end with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when Moses came down and announced they are forgiven!

This is also the time when Jesus was led of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted by the devil for 40 days. Time to Align with Prophetic Timing.

The Key to this season is PREPARATION for the Fall Feasts! We prepare for years for a wedding, we prepare all month for a special birthday or gathering. Stores start playing Christmas music in July! But is the a special time to prepare on God’s calendar? A time to prepare to meet our Lord!

I will begin the 40 Day Teshuvah Devotion daily during these 40 days, beginning Sunday, September 1st. I really believe that this incredible alignment of the calendars will prepare us for the season ahead. We need to align ourselves with God’s prophetic calendar.

The TV Program below is from 2018, but it is still good to explain what to look for in the month of Elul. Preparing for the High Holy Days.

Chapter 2, “Tosha’s Testimony”

Posted: August 27, 2019 in EAGLES- Those That Wait

“Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed out of the hand of the enemy.” Psalm 107:2.

At the time of this writing (2003) I am employed as the administrator of The Church of the Living God in Galveston, Texas. Because I am also an ordained minister functioning as a staff pastor and Bible teacher, I am used often to teach classes and minister when our Senior Pastor Robert E. Dowdy, Sr is gone.

One week I felt very strongly that I was to minister in teaching at the Sunday 10 a.m. service. I went to Pastor Dowdy and told him that I never covet his pulpit, but I felt I had a message for the congregation on the practical teaching to “wait on the Lord”. Pastor Dowdy said he would think about it, but did not give me his answer until the following Saturday night at 8 p.m. I was ready because the Lord had spoken to me, and I obeyed by getting ready with the message.

As I spoke of examples of waiting that the Lord had given me, there was a holy hush throughout the congregation. At the end of the service Pastor Dowdy told the people that we were going to do nothing but wait on the Lord, and if they had to leave they should do so quietly. The praise leader began playing his guitar and one of the singers began to praise, but it seemed out of order in the spirit and they stopped. We sat quietly and waited.

After about 20 minutes, that seemed like hours, a lady got up and brought her child for prayer before she had to leave. Pastor and his wife prayed for the baby. As they prayed Pastor’s wife had a word of knowledge [1] for the mother. The mother of the baby fell to her knees sobbing as God totally delivered her. When that was over we all went back to sitting quietly. God had more for us.

The week prior in a mentor session I prophesied to Stella that she was to be bold when God had something on her heart. I felt God was going to use her in the near future to set someone free. Stella got up during this time of waiting and said, “Someone here feels like there are chains around their mind and they are being tortured. God has shown me who you are and I want you to come forward for God to set you free.” She stood there and waited but no one came. She repeated it and two ladies came forward and were set free from bondage. But she said the person God had shown her had not come forward.

Tosha was sitting with her husband and five children to Stella’s right. The church had been praying for Tosha because she was deeply depressed. We were concerned for her safety and the safety of her family. Here is Tosha’s testimony as she told it to me:

“This all started when I was 17 years old and had a nervous breakdown. I was put in a hospital and have no memory of that month. I had suffered so much abuse in my young life and at that time I basically checked out and lost one month of my life, walking around in the hospital in a vegetative state. One day I was looking at the television and came back to my senses, wondering how I got there.

At the age of 20, after my first child was born, I received Jesus in my heart in my bedroom and God just showered me with His love. I felt such freedom and love that I have never experienced before. That lasted for a few weeks and then I had distance again from God. During the next ten years I drifted from doing well to going into times of depression. Those times I did not have feelings, just numbness.

The same thing happened in the year 2000 and I went blank for about a week. I was taking care of my children and even went to a Full Gospel church. I found a note I had written during that time in my Bible and it was written so small it seemed like Jiminy Cricket wrote it.

After that I started getting really numb again and thinking thoughts of death constantly. I told my husband to take me to the hospital and he did, not knowing why I needed to go. He did not realize I had plans to kill myself that evening.

In the hospital I got gloomier by the minute. I was in there with many people with a lot of different issues they were dealing with. The only difference between me and them was that I had God in my life and no fear of death. The numbness was so great and thoughts of heaven were getting stronger every day. The pain was so great. I did not love my husband anymore or care for my children. They had me on so much medication that I was more numb than when I began.

Satan did not need to torment me anymore, he had me. I had given up. When I got home I stayed inside my room all the time. I would close myself in my bedroom and would get up and change a diaper or make a meal, but I would get back into my bed right away. That bedroom always had to be dark; I could not stand the daylight or the sunshine because it was so bright.

If I prayed with my children, it was a cold prayer with no feelings. I pushed everyone away including my husband and my children. I did not want anyone close to me. I did not love and I did not have any feelings at all. I would not allow anyone to love me, no matter how much they were reaching out to me. The chaos in the household was so great because I set a pattern in the house in front of my children. They were always fighting and it really had an effect on my husband.

I had many dreams about having fear of things. I was tormented all day long following a night of bad dreams. The odd this was during the nightmare, if I did pray, the fear and torment would stop there and I would not be tormented after I awoke.

I found God again in church one day during a song and I began to cry. Finally I felt something! I had feelings again! I began to pray about every little thing. I did not want to lose that feeling of having God again in my life.

One day at church I decided I needed to get rid of this once and for all. That is the day my husband and children wanted to leave and I couldn’t. Something said, “Don’t leave.” My husband needed to leave and the children were cutting up the worst that they had ever done in church, and I couldn’t leave.

Several people came forward, but I knew that the word Stella had was for me. One time I felt like trying to get up and I then had a feeling of being sucked into the chair like at the Astro World ride and could not move. I wanted to get up when she said it, knowing it was for me, but I was in a struggle. I felt like my feet were chained.

Finally, Stella told Pastor Dowdy that she still needed to minister to someone and pointed to me. That was all I needed. Miraculously I was able to get up and I went forward. When she prayed for me I felt like there was a puff of smoke that came out of me and I was free!

The major breakthrough was that Sunday. but I had days of getting more and more relief. In my spirit I had finally found joy and peace. I had searched for this peace for years and had never found it. This peace is a part of me and I have been so happy ever since. I can feel God again! I can hear Him again!

Things that I had gone through had begun to build and build to that point. People that do not have God in their lives have no hope. Fifteen years of my adulthood I had battled depression, but no more. I am free!

I am so blessed to have my husband as my best friend and such wonderful children. God has been so good to me and I will never be the same again. I no longer have a good day followed by bad days. Now I love the sunshine, I love to laugh with my children and husband, and especially being able to praise God again.”

Tosha has not been the same since that Sunday of ‘waiting on the Lord’. She smiles all the time and there is a sparkle in her eyes and a bounce in her step. That happened over two years from this writing and she is still free. John 8:36 says, “Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

We put aside our agendas that day and followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. What a blessing for all of us. I don’t want to make a doctrine of this subject, but we need to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit in praise, prayer, worship and waiting. Only God knows what we need and the best time for everything.

Jesus appeared to Kenneth E. Hagin, Sr. in 1987 regarding different types of services, and the plan and purpose for each meeting: Believer’s meetings, evangelistic meetings, healing services, teaching meetings, prayer meetings, worship services and so forth.

Kenneth Hagin spoke of believers meetings in his book “Plans, Purpose and Pursuits. [2] of the time he pastored in Farmsville, Texas in 1939 and 1940. The following are excerpts from Chapter Four, “What’s Your Purpose?”

“We had three sections of seats in our little auditorium. There would be times when the whole congregation just sat quietly, reverencing and waiting on God. Sometimes the Spirit of God would move in such a way that with no pianist or any music at all, the people in one section would simultaneously jump up and start dancing all at one just like someone was leading them! There was no music and there was no one leading them, but they’d all start dancing just like some Unseen One was orchestrating them. [3]

None of the services were alike. In some services, the Holy Ghost so came into the room and filled with His Presence that nobody moved, nobody said a word. You were afraid to move or speak because a holy awe gripped the crowd. We had no nursery. The babies were in their mother’s arms or asleep on the floor or on a bench. Little children were sitting by their mothers. Yet as we sat in total silence for an hour and a half, not a baby cried, not a child moved. The Presence of God filled His temple. Ohhhhh! You carry that presence with your for months and months. [4]

The following are exerpts from Chapter Eight, “Reverence: Key to God’s Presence and Power.” [5]

We need to learn that when the Presence of the Lord is in a place, we should not dissipate that Presence — that power. Be quiet and reverent and then you’ll see the manifestation of the Holy Ghost that your heart has longed for. You haven’t seen anything like what we will see when the Body of Christ gets to that place of worship. We were in that kind of atmosphere worshiping God in one of our crusades, and there were five people sitting in wheelchairs. Three of them just got up and walked off. No one laid a hand on them. But for that to happen, we have to begin getting into the flow of the Holy Spirit. [6]

However, sometimes when the anointing has come to minister in that office (prophetic), people in the congregation have gotten up and started moving about. The lack of reverence for God moving in the service grieved the Spirit and He left; the anointing lifted from me. I mean, just like a bird sitting on your shoulder, it flew away — the anointing left. And those people didn’t even know it; they went out talking and whispering. Maybe they were in a hurry to leave and get something to eat, but they didn’t know that they had just hindered some dear sick people from being healed — sometimes people with terminal cases. [7]

Several years ago, the Lord said to me, “There is a move of the Spirit of God that will be lost to this present generation unless they are taught and led into it.”[8]

During those times when the Presence of God came into our services, no one moved; an awesome Presence filled the room. I wish I could describe that awesome Presence to you. Some things are just too reverent to talk about and it’s had to find words to describe them. But I’ve seen the awesome Presence of God come in and fill the Temple. I long to see the Body of Christ experience that Presence on a continual basis! [9]

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up, a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

[1] I Corinthians 12:8

[2] Hagin, Kenneth E, Plans Purposes and Pursuits, Fifth Printing 1992 (Tulsa: Rhema Bible Church, AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc)

[3] Ibid. pg 45

[4] Ibid. pg 46

[5] Ibid. pg 99-113

[6] Ibid. pg 107

[7] Ibid. pg 108

[8] Ibid. pg 111

[9] Ibid. pg 112

Chapter 1: What Does It Mean To Wait?

Posted: August 22, 2019 in EAGLES- Those That Wait
Tags: #Bind Together, #Faith, #God shall Supply, #Soul Thirsts

“Be Diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of God.” 2 Timothy 2:15

In order to understand what the Word of God is saying to us in a particular situation it is important to do a word study. The Old Testament was primarily written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek.

For this reason I went to my Strong’s Concordance [1] to find the original meanings of the word “wait” or “waits”. I found in the Old Testament the word was used in many different Hebrew words. I am expounding a few of these meanings.

Arab– #693 is a prime root and it means to lurk; (lie in) ambush, lay (lie in) wait. This was used in over 35 instances where the enemies of God’s chosen people would seek to ambush them.

Psalm 59:3 gives an example of this word, “For look, they lie in wait for my life: the mighty gather against me.”

Dumiyah– #1747 in the Strong’s concordance means to silently wait with quiet trust. Here is a scriptural example that shows quiet confidence and trust:

Psalms 62:1-2 that says, “Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.”

Chakah– #2442 in the Strong’s Concordance means to adhere to, long for, desire. I have listed a few scriptural examples of this Hebrew word. I believe you will get a word picture of the longing and desire for the Living God, as a thirst that cannot be quenched with anything or anyone but God Himself.

Psalm 33:20 says, “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.”

Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God.”

Psalm 63:1, “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”

Habukkuk 2:3 encourages us; “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

Yachal– Strong’s #3176: To wait, tarry, hope, trust, expect; be patient; remain in anticipation. Yachal appears 38 times in the OT. It’s first occurrence is in Genesis 8:10, in the account of Noah’s waiting seven days, from the time he first sent out the dove until he sent her out again. Yachal is often translated “hope” (Psalms 31:24; 33:18; 130:5,7; 147:11). The correct way to hope and wait for the Lord is to steadfastly expect His mercy, His salvation, and His rescue; and while waiting, not take matters into one’s own hand. (Compare Genesis 15:1-17:22). [2]

The Spirit of God is able to help you overcome bad choices that were made in the past. Some of us have made a simple financial choice and suffer financially for years because they have not waited for God’s timing. God eventually was able to help Abraham outlive the bad choices he made.

Micah 7:7 declares, “Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.”

Oayah– #6960 means to wait for, with eager anticipation, to bind something together by twisting or braiding.

Psalm 27:14 says “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage. And He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!”

Isaiah 40:31 promises us, “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

This prime root word means to bind together, perhaps by twisting, that is collect’ (figuratively) to expect; gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on upon).

In this book I will be using the meaning of Qavah because that is the word the Lord used while teaching me. When I was meditating on waiting on the Lord, I kept hearing the word “wicked” in my spirit. I had learned the meaning of the word wicked in Hebrew years ago when I taught on Psalm 1. “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of the sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” The word ungodly is the same word wicked (#7563, rasha) which means a morally wrong, bad person, guilty. This is where we get the word wicked from as used in Genesis 18:23. “And Abraham came near and said, Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?”

The ungodly and the wicked have twisted thinking much like the twisting on a wicker basket. Their thinking has nothing to do with the word of God and when they twist their thinking with the natural, human reasoning it becomes twisted. Their thinking of who God is and how He will operate may be twisted by a former abuse of a father and they cannot trust God because of what their father has done to them. Or it may be twisted by traditions of man, forming religious strongholds in their mind. There are many things that can cause wicked or ungodly thinking and they do not realize that they have a mind set against God.

There are strongholds in our thinking and many more causes than I can list here. What God wants us to do is to twist our thinking around the Word of God and let that be our standard, our measurement for living. When we are waiting on the Lord, we need to meditate on his Word and promises. If waiting for a financial breakthrough one of the versus we can use to help our thinking is Psalm 23:1 that states, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want!” or Philippians 4:19 that promises, “But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.”

As you meditate on the Word of God you magnify they Word inside of you. It is much like putting something under a magnifying glass; it appears larger. As you meditate on the Bible promises your hope grows and gives your faith a base; a firm foundation.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” As you wait and meditate, the Word of God becomes bigger than your problem. If you meditate on the problem your fear becomes bigger and the situation looks larger than the promises of God.

[1] James Strong, S.T.D., L.L.D. Abingdon’s Strong’s Ehaustive Concordance of the Bible, copyright 1890, (Abingdon, Nashville) Fortieth Printing 1981

[2] Jack Hayford, The Spirit Filled Life Bible, New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers), 1327

Those That Wait – Introduction

Posted: August 22, 2019 in EAGLES- Those That Wait
Tags: Leonard Ravenhill, The Hour That Changes The World, They that wait, Those That Wait

They that wait upon the Lord renew their strength. They that wait upon men dissipate their energies. Leonard Ravenhill (1867-1942)

This all began at Christmas time, 2001. I had just finished helping with the Christmas production at the church, with all the months of rehearsal and the last minute trials that are involved My husband and I had guests at our home frequently for the past few months, in addition to the usual Christmas activities, parties, shopping and Christmas cards to send. I was exhausted!

One day when I was spending time with the Lord I prayed something like this, “Lord, you promised in your word that, ‘they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.’ (Isaiah 40:31) Lord, I am weary. It seems like I am under and not over the circumstances. I have definitely gotten off course. Please, teach me to wait. I guess I am doing everything wrong, because I know that your Word will never fail. It is alive and active, causing me to overcome in all areas. What am I doing wrong? Please, please Lord, teach me to wait.”

The promise of God in James for anyone who needs wisdom is found in the first chapter of James, the fifth verse; “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” God wants to give us His wisdom in every area, but we are to ask. The Amplified Bible calls God ‘the giving God’ in this verse. He will give you the wisdom you need without reminding us of our shortcomings. I think we limit God too much in trying to do things for ourselves, without the help of the God who knows all things.

I had been born again almost twenty years at that time. I had completed two Bible Schools and was in the ministry full time so I felt I had a more than average understanding of the Word of God. Therefore, I realized this problem was something I was in error about. God promised us rest in Jesus. Matthew 11:28-30 says to “Come to Me, all of you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I have always had a problem taking on too many projects and most of the time my health has suffered because of it. At each of these times the Lord has gently shown me to come back to Him and refresh. It seems that I forget those teachings when I am too busy.

Several years ago I was introduced to a marvelous teaching of Dick Eastman, the book called “The Hour that Changes the World.” [1] He was teaching on how to pray one hour by breaking the hour into twelve segments of five minutes each.

That book has revolutionized my life and the lives of all those to whom I have been a mentor in this prayer teaching. In the time frame of meditation, I chose to meditate on ‘waiting’. This book you are now reading is a result of the Holy Spirit revealing to me three different ways we wait on the Lord, according to the season of life we are in at that time. I know there are many more teachings and writings on this topic, but this is the revelation the Holy Spirit used to teach me to wait on the Lord.

Following the hour of prayer I always feel complete and fulfilled. I have slightly improvised Dick Eastman’s teaching as he suggested doing. Prayer should never be a religious form, but a relationship; communication between you and your Maker. As I pray this way I feel I have covered everything that I have been commanded to do according to Scripture. After that time of prayer and throughout the day I can pray how I am led by the Holy Spirit.

I have brought out my hourly prayer frame in the last chapter of this book. I trust that the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth, will teach you as you submit yourself to the Great Teacher.

Systematic prayer adds health to the devotional habit. Most tasks in life are accomplished systematically. In fact without a systematic approach in life, many goals would remain unreached. [2]

Please pray with me: Father, I come to you in Jesus name, and ask according to Ephesians 1:18 that the eyes of my understanding may be enlightened and that I may see the truth of this teaching. May I hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church right now. Holy Spirit, I thank you that you have come to help me, to lead me, to guide me. I trust you Holy Spirit and I trust the Word of God. Lead me and guide me to the whole truth. Amen

[1] Eastman, Dick, The Hour That Changes The World (Grand Michigan, Baker Books)

[2] Ibid. pg 16-17

Those That Wait – PREFACE

Posted: August 21, 2019 in EAGLES- Those That Wait
Tags: Busyness of Ministry, Isaiah 40:31, Not by might, Those That Wait

This book is no longer in print. It was self-published in 2004 under Morris Publishing. I have been teaching this on High Five and several are asking for the book and they are unable to find it. For that reason I will be putting all chapters separately on this blog site.

PREFACE: This book is not intended for the believers that are waiting to do something before they will step out. This is meant to be a help for those who fall into the trap of doing the work of the Lord in their own strength and their own power. Too many ministers are caught up with doing the mechanics of ministry without the power of God.

The majority of the people who are called to any work of the ministry really have heard from God regarding their assignment. But the problems come when they get caught up with the busyness of ministry. We are all called to be ministers in some area or another. It does not have to be limited to those called into the five-fold ministry spoken of the Ephesians 4:11, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.”

Every one of us has a motivational gift from God that is used to motivate us in the work He has called us to do according to Romans 12:4-8 that says, “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

The obstacle with any assignment is the trap of losing focus, strength, courage and love for the brethren and for God. This is the state of the church of Ephesus spoken of in Revelation 2:1-4. The Amplified Bible says in verse 4, “But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me].” This does not come on suddenly, but over a period of time by getting too busy and beginning to do things in their own strength, mechanically doing the work of the ministry from experiences.

This is to be used as a tool to help you pull away from the trap that has so easily ensnared you, to help you drop off the weights that so easily beset you and to run the race you are called to run with all the power of heaven helping you.

Remember, the work of the ministry is “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)

Black Supermoon July 31, 2019

Posted: July 31, 2019 in Signs In The Heavens
Tags: 9th of Av, Black Supermoon, Black Supermoon July 31 2019, Dire Straits, Supermoon, Tisha B'Av

This is a new one for me! I had never heard of a Black Moon Supermoon before so I though many of my subscribers were as clueless as I was.

Depending on where you are on the earth, the new moon falls on either July 31 or August 1st. There will either be a ‘second’ of two new moons in July or August.

Just as a Blue Moon is the 2nd full moon in one month, the Black Moon is the 2nd new moon. So for those who see the new moon tonight, this will be the Black Moon for you. For those who see the new moon tomorrow (August 1st), the Black Moon will be prior to the 2nd new moon. Clear as mud? haha

This new moon is a Supermoon, which means that it is closer to the earth on its monthly orbit and appears larger.

You will not be able to see this until the first sliver of the new moon is seen — a Black Moon cannot be seen with a naked eye. But for us on the Gulf Coast, or other coastlines around the world, they will see a significant tide change — expect extra-large spring tides because of the force of the extra-close moon.

When there is no light on the moon, it is totally black and that is the phase between the waning and the waxing of the moon. The new moon sliver will announce the new moon being ‘born again’, coming back to the cycle to wax to quarter, the to full, then to wane to quarter and then to none.

Each new moon begins a new ‘month’ on the Hebraic calendar that started in the Book of Genesis. That month will begin at sundown August 1st and is called the month of Av. The month of Av has both the most tragic dates (9th of Av) on the calendar and the most happy date on the calendar (15th of Av). The historical site I use to find thing in Jewish History is aish.com/dijh. I will write more about those dates as we draw nearer.

Currently we are in the Season of the Dire Straits on the Hebraic Calendar. This is a 3-week period of time between the 17th of Tammuz to the 9th of Av. More on this blog from last year.