Are You Ready For 2012?

Well, seems I have let time come between us again...Lol! I hope everyone enjoyed their End of the Year Celebrations, Family Time, Christmas, New Year, etc. Are you ready for 2012? We are half way into this first month. Have you started working on those pesky Resolutions yet? You know, join a gym, lose weight, buff up, be a better person, cut out the negativity, clean your bad mouth out, be a better Mom/Dad/Sister/Brother/Husband/
Wife/Daughter/Son/Friend...whatever! The list of many millions of people around the world. The list you start and somehow by the end of the year, during the times of reflection, you gripe at yourself for not living up to something as simple as this list. Oh, but that's not you, right!?!?!


I will admitt, I have been that person many a time. I have joined gyms in January (I joined one this January), then stopped going. I always had justifiable reasons WHY? Once you disrupt the routine you amped yourself up to begin, it's so hard to jump back in the game. Then it's one excuse after the next. Excuses do Not produce results people! I KNOW!!!


For the past few years now, I have started the New Year with a  F a s t. It seems churches everywhere have caught on to the "F a s t i n g  F a d". Oh, but I don't want my time of Fasting to be a Hobby or Bi-Anual Habit, a Trendy Thing To Do, an All-About-Food-Focus, an Anything but God time...For me, Fasting is a way to Force my Flesh to Submit. Simple as that! I consider myself a Moderately Disciplined Person. Some areas of my life are very disciplined, while others..well....I am a Procrastinating Perfectionist. It is what keeps me sane, yet also seems to drive me insane. Some weird catch-22 I suppose. Maybe even a tad sad. Eh, it's how I usually operate. Fasting somewhat breaks that cycle for a time...or maybe it doesn't, but it is definitely a Boot Camp for my flesh and my spirit. You see, my Flesh is learning to relinquish control (something I disillusion myself that I have), it's being put through Ettiquiette Training, it's Stretching Out  a l l  E l a s t i c-Like...like a Giant Rubber Band Ball Bouncing Around the Walls of "Shut-Up, Sit-Down, and Listen!"...It's not a bad thing at all! It's great! My flesh forgets who it is, gets a little Hot-Headed, Pride pushes in, Self-Will begins to take control...No Good I tell ya! But the Boot Camp isn't JUST for "Reminding my Flesh" of some things. This Boot Camp is producing Strength, Power, Authority, Righhteousness, Stature, Awareness, Soberness, Agility, Passion, Purpose Released! My SPIRIT is finally allowed Freedom to operate how it was intended. My Flesh, always trying to steal the spot light from My Spirit...it's my Fiesty Flesh...a good smack, a little time-out, all goes a long way! 

F a s t i n g!

Sing it out now....

"FREEEEEEEDOM, FREEEEEEEEDOM, 

FREEEEEEEEEDOM, FREEEEEEEDOM! 

I'm gonna Clap a little louder, sing a little stronger, 

dance more freely, jump higher, spin around, shout it out loud! 

No More Shackles, No More Chains, No More Bondage, My Spirit is Free! 

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, 

FREEEEEEEEEEEDOM!"

BUT....then also, Fasting isn't so Fancy Free and Fun! It's at times very challenging! It does not feel good to see your flaws. Have you ever started a workout routine...energy is high, then comes pain and soreness, then energy kicks up again and you "feel" like your really making changes, but maybe you don't "see" them changing fully yet. I was listening on the radio this morning and they were discussing a News Releasing indicating a New Pill they want to release on the market that has all the answers...you know this pill...the one that gives you the perfect body WITHOUT the workout. Sadly, if that does ever actually come out, people WILL buy it. I mean who would want to actually DO the work that produces results, when a pill could DO it for you. (insert sarcastic eye rolling here!) It's the EASY BUTTON MENTALITY...always looking for shortcuts. At what price though and with what reward? Is your life worth it? What is more rewarding than sweating it out and achieving a goal! Gee, wonder if Jesus had a shortcut to our salvation....oh wait, He did! LUKE 4...you see Jesus was coming off a 40 day fast, He was hungry...wouldn't you be? I mean He sure wasn't eating Corn Tortillas, because technically they are a vegetable. Or drinking your morning cup of coffee because taking that away just doesn't work, caffeine withdrawals, needing the wake-up-in-a-cup to get through the day. Now I am not saying your fast doesn't count when you do this. The focus of the fast is not about food, what you can or can't eat. The focus is denying your flesh, replacing those fleshly desires for closeness with God, being more sober, more spiritually aware that you are weak and you need God. I am a huge modifier of fasting(yep I admitted it), so I am not being hypocritical, just stating the obvious in regards to how we desire the Easy way. My life isn't even all that awful, it's actually pretty great, yet I still find myself looking for something easy amidst so many other "not-so-easy" things. Anyways, off track as usual....Satan tempted Jesus with the EASY BUTTON more than once. What if He took it? Where would our Freedom and Salvation be then?


Let me put it like this.....

If God doesn't step in 

and intervene, 

we get stoned!

I was thinking of Mary, the mother of Jesus, when the people found out she was pregnant and UN-married and Joseph wasn't claiming that baby. The people wanted to stone her to death, that was the law! She must be punished! After all, it wasn't Joseph's baby, people don't just become pregnant without the "doing-it" part! BUT, God totally stepped in and intervened. The Angel visited Joseph, the story takes a dramatic turn back on track. For every "YES" to God's Will and to God's Way, something marvelous is birthed. You see, Mary said "YES" to God and the Salvation of the World was birthed. Jesus said YES to God, and The Salvation of Mankind was Fulfilled! What happens when we say YES to God...What amazing thing is God birthing through our YES? From Moses to Abraham to Issac to Jacob all the way to David and all the way to Mary. All these people said YES and something GREAT was able to be made manifest. If just ONE of them said NO, the picture would not be like this. So what thing(s) is God asking you to say "YES" to? Have you said Yes? It doesn't actually Stop with the Yes. Yes is the beginning. Don't let that scare you though. The rest is Easy, well not Easy Button Easy, but Easy in the sense that you just Let God Be God! You pray, you seek Him, you worship, you guard and protect the thing you birthed, you let Him be God. Mary said YES to God, Jesus was birthed, then she had to Let God be God. She was not in control of how Jesus would Save the World. As a Mom, I am sure she had moments of being Mom-like, but in the end God had to step in, intervene, and have HIS way so His will would be accomplished. "IT IS FINISHED!"
Yet, it's not over! Jesus is returning for His people...are we ready for Him? Have we done all God has asked us to do to Prepare the Way for the King? What things are we still needing to Say YES to? God works in steps to fulfill His purpose. It was steps from the beginning of creation, the flood era, the promise of Abraham, the heart of David and the restoration of the Tabernacle, the birth of Jesus, the obedience of the Disciples. Each person, each area, played a significant role to accomplish the bigger picture. I am sure that when each person said YES they didn't realize the magnitude of what was then able to be accomplished at large. God may have even given them glimpses, but to take in in full the vastness of His plans....


If you don't say YES, if you don't Let God Be God, if you skip out on Your Part of the Whole...what are you doing to the Larger picture? 


ARE YOU READY FOR 2012 now?

The NOW and The AHEAD...

My heart carries these most beautiful and very precious smiles within it. Lately, God has graciously allowed me to see glimpses of the impact I make on His people and for His Kingdom. In my pursuit to live a life dedicated to the Lord, I have often found myself wondering if I was even making a dent of an impact at all. I live to please God and not man, at least I aim to. I am not perfect, but I am perfected through an Almighty God who sees me as a finished work standing before Him. I strive for excellence. I set my sights high. I have to. I cannot look downward or shift my focus on anything other than God and His Agenda. Anytime I have done other than that, I have had to work that much harder just to get back on track.

Have you ever peered out of one of those telescopes on a Harbor Peer? You pop in a quarter, or probably a dollars worth of quarters nowadays, and you can see closely certain landmarks or scenery you can't see up close with just your eyes. Maybe you always brought your own binoculars...lol! I didn't usually have any binoculars on me, but as a kid I remember it seemed to be the coolest thing to be able to look through these giant telescopes and see what those other people were able to see. I didn't want to miss anything! Once I was finally able to see through it though, I couldn't get it to focus on the area I was looking for. My view in the telescope was somehow skewed. "Is this thing broken", I thought. I would go back and forth looking in the telescope and then out with my eyes until they both fell upon the same destination. Wow! It was so exciting. It was just a building or a mountain, but I felt so cool being able to look through this thing that it became a Wow to me. When I would try and look at the next object of interest the telescope would seem to move too quickly and I would spend another chunk of time trying to align the image between my eyes in and out of the telescope. No easy task for an impatient and excited kid I tell ya. My coordination as an adult is definitely better, but it's still not an easy way to see things up close. Binoculars would be the better choice (more control), but the giant telescope cemented into the ground is still a cherished memory that I hold onto and will take every opportunity to experience whenever I get the chance. 

Strangely, I wonder what life would be like if that was our ONLY view...through the giant telescope that is. I cannot imagine the kinds of frustration that would evoke as you tried to go from one place to the next (Mental Images of People Walking Around With Binocular Eye Extension Eyeballs...lol). It would be almost neglecting, not almost it would be neglecting, to your up close surroundings. How do you move about The NOW and still keep in view The AHEAD? Hmmm...my methods of using the giant telescope may have proven useful after all. My back and forth perceptions using my eyes and using the scope allowed me to best navigate and remain aware. The pairing is what helped me find the destination I was seeking. Now I must admit, I needed help at first with the giant telescope and thus my own way of doing it was born...LOL! Classic finding the way! I have tried to pass my methods on to my kiddies, but alas they too must find the way that works best for them, as much as I think that my way is the best. :) 

God is like that with us too...although He DOES Know the best way. He just patiently waits for us to try ourselves until we ask for help and THEN we can from there figure out how it will work for us. Hmmm...HERE is the Way, but everyone will step their feet down differently and approach it at different times. JESUS is the Way, and everyone's feet come upon His path at different times and He has led us to Him in different ways, ways that meet us where WE are. Oh How He knows us!

I so appreciate how God reminds me though. Sometimes my "Up Close View" and my "Far Ahead View" make it hard to see clearly at first. Once it all aligns up, for a moment I bask in the excitement and achievement. I found it. I'm not looking for affirmation for all that I do for God's Kingdom, but affirmation feels nice when you have been working so hard, not always seeing surface results, but hoping God was able to successfully use you in someone's life. When I lead that song, did it touch someone? Did they see my heart and passion for Christ? Did it lead them into His presence? When I speak the word over someone, did they receive it? Did it help change their lives? Did it help guide them back to Jesus? I know it is not by my own power, or strength, or anything that God's Will would be done. It is by my obedience to his leading of me that makes the real impact. And when He takes a moment to share with me what is occurring I can't help but beam with happiness. Yes! It more so affirms my purpose and it is truly such a great reward, honor, and privilege to uphold.

What's in Your Scope?

Turning Around Monday's FOR GOOD!!!

Oh how easily beset we are...

Today, Monday, the beginning of the week, the day most people dread, the day I am fighting for! I am fighting for this day because I know that after such an intense and powerful worship and prayer night the enemy is sniffing and drooling at my heels...he is awaiting the perfect moment to strike. He has tried to bite and naw at me....HELLO...I SEE YOU YA KNOW! I'm determined to stamp victorious on this day no matter what! I wonder if everyone had this same kind of attitude...one where we we wake up ready to fight for our day. I wonder what would happen to us, what would happen to the world around us. If God says that 1. We can do ALL things through Him who gives us strength, 2. That we are victorious with Him, 3. That through Him strongholds are broken, darkness flees, and His glory is seen....THEN WHY DON'T WE SEE MORE VICTORY AND LESS RUIN? Why do Mondays HAVE to be marked as the awful day...why do we look forward to Friday instead of look forward to the day we are in, knowing that if God is for us who can be against us? Why don't we stare Monday in the face and say NO, You Don't Win, I WIN!! In Jesus Name I have Victory! I have Joy! I have Peace! I have Strength! I have Courage! I have Power of Darkness! I am a Conqueror through Christ! I am the Head and not the Tail! I am Above and not Beneath! I am Royalty! I am Holy unto the Lord! I am Called according to His purposes! I am a Joint-Heir with Christ who sits on the Heavenly Throne, seated at the right hand of the Father! I Am because He IS the I AM!!!

In Jesus Mighty Name...Have a Happy Halleluia Monday!!!

Loves and Hugs,
Christina

Move Forward...

Calling all people...calling all people!!! God is calling forth a people who will Rise Up! He is calling the Church to Rise Up!

My heart has been filled today with many things. I feel stirred in my Spirit! I am vibrant with anticipation!(weird word choice? I know) Have you ever felt excited for something...like a kid waiting for their birthday or something? Well deep down, somewhere in the pit of me, I have this feeling welling up inside like I am waiting for God to do this super awesome, amazing thing! I know He always does super awesome, amazing things, but this is different, this feels different. I try and always have "Great Expectation" for God to show up and meet me, meet His people, and fill us with His presence, surround us with His Goodness. I never want to put a box around God, what He is doing or going to do, and how He is going to do it. This actually takes effort!!! Our carnal minds so easily want to put everything into a neat little compartment that we can store away and label as this or that. Lord, please help me to get rid of, get out of THE BOX! No more limits, no more boundaries, no more labels, no more BOXES that define who God is. How can we, with our insignificant selves, (compared to God that is) presume to really "know" God? Our life is a journey of "Knowing Him"!!! Well, it should be. To KNOW God more, to KNOW His heart, to KNOW His character, to KNOW Him intimately in our lives, to KNOW Him in every sense of the word KNOW.

In the Bible, when talking about two people coming together in a union of marriage that they would then "know" each other. Now that isn't a cover word for sex, although when getting married, well, you hopefully will be having sex...but it means on all levels to "Know" that person. You know all about them in every way - spirit, soul, body, and mind...the ultimate being ONE with someone...and are we not to be ONE with God as we are ONE-Flesh with our spouse?

(((It's funny...this is not my original direction but things just flow out sometimes...)))

God is calling us to KNOW Him and to Rise Up In Him!!! Where are the True Worshippers as spoken about in John 4:23? Where is the last day "Church-the body and Bride of Christ"? Where are the "Chosen Generation", the "Peculiar People", the "Royal Priesthood"? Where are YOU!?!?!

God is calling us to come forth and rise up in Him, so that we may move forward in fulfillment of our calling according to His purpose. Don't we get it? God is "CALLING" us because we all have been "CALLED"! We all have a purpose, a destiny, a plan that God has laid out for us as our Father and through Jesus and His Blood we have become joint-heirs with Him and can boldly, with authority, walk in ALL that God has!!!

Don't you want that? I sure do! God is stirring up a WORD in me that will come forth soon...we must prepare ourselves...we must prepare the way for the soon coming King of Kings - JESUS...but we must prepare ourselves - the Church - God's people - as the Bride of Christ. He is coming back for us...that word will come soon..

I wanted to share a poem I wrote a month ago and then finished yesterday. I wasn't purposing to write any poem but like my words, I just get things and have to write them down. For me it is a constant in pouring from God and outpouring for myself and God's people...and ever-overflowing-cup...a well...a spring...like the bible says we are filled with the living waters....living water...water with Life...God's Life pouring into us and overflowing out! Continual! Aaaahhhhhhhh! I love God so!

So here is my poem. Hope you enjoy it! It's nothing super fancy just a small outpouring from my heart. Funny thing also is that I don't consider myself a "poem writer" but God has a way of helping me to see who I am and then I begin accepting more things...I am a Writer, I am a Worship Leader, I am a Youth Pastor, I am a Teacher, I am an Exhorter, I am a Mommy, I am a Wife, I am a Creative in arts, I am a Prophetic Worshipper, I am a Coffee shop Cafe Owner, I am a Candle Make, I am many things...and although none of these things DEFINE me as a person, because I refuse to be put in a box...They are very much a huge part of me and a part of the inpouring outpouring process...My list keeps growing and rightly so because God promises INCREASE and in Him I am MORE THAN....which means there is always more and from a God who is always faithful to fulfill His promise even if we don't see it...Abraham did not see the manifestation or fulfillment of God's promise but we see it today as we are a part of that Promise. Ok, so I better stop I could probably pour all day! :) Hopefully in my pouring you were blessed!

Loves, Hugs, and Enjoy Life!
Christina



Our Yesterday's do not have to affect our today's because we move forward with purpose being raised up in Christ as new creatures, forgiven, restored, and walking in alignment with God's will so as to fulfill our mandated vision that God has called us to according to His purpose! Awaken, Arise, and Move Forward with HIM!!! :)


MY POEM:

"NOT GOING BACK, MOVING AHEAD!



I'm not going back, I'm moving ahead


I was once bound by sin but now sin is dead


My life is now free, no more chains holding me


I live in the One who brings peace


I have my release


Jesus has come, to set the captives free


I have found Him won't you come follow me


Follow me as I follow Christ


In Him you can find new life


Free from the pain, free from the hurt, free to rejoice, free in His court


Jesus has come to set the captives free, Jesus has come He lives in you and me


Now moving forward, Moving ahead, never looking back, among the living not the dead


I once was blind but now I can see


I live in Jesus and He lives in me!


I am free to worship, I am free to praise


I have new life and new purpose


In Him I was made


I can speak through my singing, my writing, and more


But I give Him all the Glory, He's what I do this for


He's the reason for my worship, the reason for my praise, the reason I'm even in this whole race


A race to the end, victory is sure


Victory in Him means life evermore


So on I go, moving ahead


Not looking back but looking to Him instead


Fulfillment in my calling, my destiny is set


I rejoice cause He's returning, He's not finished with us yet


Keep pressing on, don't give up or give in


Move forward with purpose, move forward with Him.


I'm not going back, I'm moving ahead!"


BY: CHRISTINA CARROLL!!! ME!!! :)