Category: faith

Deliverance, faith, God, Kingdom Authority, Quotes, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

10 Quotes on Spiritural Warfare

This world is not all there is. There is a whole new realm of reality. The Heavenlies. Here is where the angels and demons fight.  Our prayers and worship can invade this place, and move mountains!

As children of the King of Kings, we have been made new and adopted into a new Kingdom. Our prayers have power. Our worship changes the atmosphere. – not because of what we do or how we do it, but because of  WHO we belong to – Jesus.  It’s His Power, His Authority, and His Word that brings the victory.  He had the victory at the Cross of Calvary. We have the privilidge and honor to bring His kingdom from Heaven to Earth and stand by His Word, enforce His Word, and watch His Word set captives free!

When we align ourselves with God, we enter the fight. Yes, there really is a war going on – and we are the Soldiers of God’s Army bringing His light into the darkeness to rescue the captives and set free those who have been bruised and broken. Spiritual Warfare is God’s way of setting prisoners free!

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;” Isaiah 61:1

Prayer Warrior

10 Quotes on Spiritual Warfare

  1. “The nature of the enemy’s warfare in your life is to cause you to become discouraged and to cast away your confidence. Not that you would necessarily discard your salvation, but you could give up your hope of God’s deliverance. The enemy wants to numb you into a coping kind of Christianity that has given up hope of seeing God’s resurrection power.” ― Bob Sorge, Glory: When Heaven Invades Earth
  2. “If you are a Christ follower, the evil one is after you. When you signed on for Christ, you enlisted in a great war. You became a combatant in a titanic battle for spiritual dominion that has been going on since before Adam and Eve. The enemy has marked you for annihilation, and his demonic armies are aiming their big guns right at your heart. Satan wants you to stumble and fall. He wants your failure to cause others to think that Christianity is empty of meaning and powerless to change lives. If he can tempt you to forget whose side you’re on just for a moment… if Satan can get you to forget your commitment to holiness for just that moment, he may bring down not only you, but others who are watching you. It’s a serious thing to be a follower of Jesus. We must find ourselves in a state of constant dependency on him. We must ask God for his strength to overcome the evil one and resist such temptations.” ― Michael W. Smith
  3. “I believe that the attacks on your life have much more to do with who you might be in the future than who you have been in the past.” ― Lisa Bevere, Girls with Swords: Why Women Need to Fight Spiritual Battles
  4. “Whatever your station or position in life, there is always room for improvement, enhancement, and perfection. I say this with a great sense of humility. Regardless of what you are enjoying at the moment, the Lord says that he has something better for you! No matter what you have achieved, attained, or accomplished in this world, there are more challenges and blessings ahead. God says that you have stayed long enough on this mountain. It is time to press forward to take more territories and receive more trophies.” ― Pedro Okoro, Crushing the Devil: Your Guide to Spiritual Warfare and Victory in Christ
  5. “The devil takes his victories,” the man replied, “wherever men of God lose heart, and leave the field to him.” ― Orson Scott Card, Seventh Son
  6. “Prayer is picking a fight with the Enemy. It’s spiritual warfare. Intercession transports us from the sidelines to the front lines without going anywhere. And that is where the battle is won or lost. Prayer is the difference between us fighting for God and God fighting for us. But we can’t just hit our knees. We also have to take a step, take a stand. And when we do, we never know what God will do next.” ― Mark Batterson, All In: You Are One Decision Away From a Totally Different Life
  7. “We do well to be reminded that the devil hates a praying leader and a praying church. When we begin to pray, we pick a fight with the devil at a whole new level. Yet, our calling is to be praying menaces to the enemy.” ― Daniel Henderson, Old Paths, New Power: Awakening Your Church through Prayer and the Ministry of the Word
  8. “If you are paralyzed by your past, if Satan is destroying your gifts and your calling by his incessant replaying of old tapes, you’re actually being hit by a double whammy. The original damage in the past is one thing – but now you’re letting yourself be hurt and sidetracked again by the memory of what happened… We should not be ignorant of Satan’s devices, and these ugly memories are one of the main weapons in his arsenal.” ― Jim Cymbala, Fresh Faith: What Happens When Real Faith Ignites God’s People
  9. “Don’t attempt to fight the enemy in your own strength. You will experience burnout, and you will fail. Don’t even think about it! The key is to engage in spiritual warfare God’s way. And that is by resting in him and fighting from victory, not for victory!” ― Pedro Okoro, The Ultimate Guide to Spiritual Warfare: Learn to Fight from Victory, Not for Victory!
  10. “God isn’t asking you to fight the devil. He is asking you to simply uphold or sustain the victory won by Jesus at Calvary and enforce his authority over the devil. You’re like the traffic warden who raises his hand and the vehicles stop. They don’t stop because he can physically bring the vehicles to a halt, but because he is representing and upholding the authority of the state.” ― Pedro Okoro, The Ultimate Guide to Spiritual Warfare: Learn to Fight from Victory, Not for Victory!
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faith, God, Quotes, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

Father’s Day Quotes and Bible Verses about our Heavenly Father

Happy Father’s Day! Some of us have our fathers still here on Earth. Some have them in Heaven. Today I thought I would share some quotes about our Heavenly Father, Abba Father. God is so good. He is not mad at you – he is madly in LOVE with you!

god the father

Father’s Day Quotes and Bible Verses about our Heavenly Father

  • “God attaches no strings to His love. None. His love for us does not depend on our loveliness. It goes one way. As far as our sin may extend, the grace of our Father extends further.” ― Tullian Tchividjian, One Way Love: Inexhaustible Grace for an Exhausted World
  • “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” ― John 14:1-2
  • “Not even death can take us from the eternal blessings promised by a loving Heavenly Father. ” ― Joseph B. Wirthlin
  • “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” ― 1 John 3:1
  • “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. ― Matthew 18:12-14
  • “Learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you – as His precious daughter or son with divine potential.” ― Dieter F. Uchtdorf
  • “A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.  God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing.”  ― Psalm 68:5-6
  • “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” ― Matthew 6:26
  • “We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever.” ― Joseph B. Wirthlin
  • “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.  For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 1For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba,Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” – Romans 8:12-17 NKJV
  • “The love of God is one of the great realities of the universe, a pillar upon which the hope of the world rests. But it is a personal, intimate thing too. God does not love populations, He loves people. He loves not masses, but men.” – A.W. Tozer
  • ” I am writing to you, my children, for your sins have been forgiven because of Christ’s name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him Who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have power over the devil. I have written to you, young boys and girls, because you have learned to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him Who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong. You have kept God’s Word in your hearts. You have power over the devil.
    Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love is not in him. For everything that is in the world does not come from the Father. The desires of our flesh and the things our eyes see and want and the pride of this life come from the world. The world and all its desires will pass away. But the man who obeys God and does what He wants done will live forever.” ― 1 John 2:12-17 NLV
  • “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” ― Matthew 6:8
  • “Jesus answered, `I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me…. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” ― John 14:6,9
  • “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor [or Comforter] to be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth.” ― John 14:16

honor

 

Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin

 

Good Good Father
Chris Tomlin
I’ve heard a thousand stories of what they think you’re like
But I’ve heard the tender whispers of love in the dead of night
And you tell me that you’re pleased
And that I’m never alone
You’re a good good father
It’s who you are, it’s who you are, it’s who you are
And I’m loved by you
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching
For answers only you provide
‘Cause you know just what we need
Before we say a word
You’re a good good father
It’s who you are, it’s who you are, it’s who you are
And I’m loved by you
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
Because you are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways to us
You are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways to us
Oh, it’s love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As you call me deeper still
As you call me deeper still
As you call me deeper still
Into love, love, love
You’re a good good father
It’s who you are, it’s who you are, it’s who you are
And I’m loved by you
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
You’re a good good father
It’s who you are, it’s who you are, it’s who you are
And I’m loved by you
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
You’re a good good father
It’s who you are, it’s who you are, it’s who you are
And I’m loved by you
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
You’re a good good father
You are perfect in all of your ways
It’s who you are, it’s who you are, it’s who you are
And I’m loved by you
You are perfect in all of your ways
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
Songwriters: Anthony Brown / Joseph Patrick Martin Barrett
Good Good Father lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group
Bible Study, faith, God, Healing, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Women

12 Things Women Give Birth To – Mother’s Day 2018

Here are 12 things woment give bith to. It is the Word God have me to share at our Women’s Luncheon this year. God bless you!

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Copyright 2018 Diana Rasmussen

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” Gal. 5:22-26 NKJV  

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A tree doesn’t have to work to make fruit. You don’t walk outside and hear an orange tree saying, “Uggggg, Ohhhhhh, give me an orange.” You don’t walk through an apple orchard and hear, “Noooooo, Ouchhhhhhh, Oh myyyyyyyyy, give me an apple.

Why?

Because that is what is was made to produce.

The fruit is already in the tree.

God made it that way.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV

Yes, the trees need water, they need sunlight, and soil. But the important thing is – they were already made to birth fruit!

I want you to think of a birthing suite. There is a special room, special Doctors and Nurses. A special place to bring a baby into the world. God is our father. We are his inheritance, We are His children. He will birth new things from Heaven to Earth – through us. We are God’s Birthing Suite.

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As women we were made to birth new things. Yes, we birth children, but God also created us to birth new ministries, new life, and new hope into those we touch. Do you remember your mothers touch? You would be sad or upset, and she would scoop you into her arms and hug you.  That love would drive out the sadness or the anger. It washed over you like waves until all you felt was good.

There is healing in our hands. God has given us the right and the authority to heal. A woman’s touch can change world!  As mothers of children and ministries and hope we carry within us the Healer, the Redeemer, the King of Kings. Sometimes it’s just a friend that needs someone to listen. Other times it’s a family in need of desperate prayer. Either way, God hears and answers our prayers.

DEFINITION OF BIRTH

• an act or instance of being born

• the emergence of a new individual from the body of its parent

• high or noble birth

• any coming into existence; origin; beginning

 

12 Things Women Give Birth To

1. Forgiveness

God calls us his Beloved. We are already loved and accepted by what Jesus did at the cross. We are forgiven god calls us to share that forgiveness with others. I remember when my mom was passing away. I was there in the hospital with her. She started bringing up things that she regretted. I stopped her. All I said was, “Mom, I forgive you. You did the best you could with what you had. I love you. And God forgives you too.” She started crying. Forgiveness is a powerful thing we birth into others. It has the power to break down walls and years of regret. Offer it generously.

2. Love

Women know how to love. God made us that way. We will go out of our way to help someone in need. We will sacrifice every day for our children and our families. We will love the lost. We love the broken. In fact, we are the first to get out the Band-Aids and antibiotic lotion. We will bandage up the broken. Do you remember when Jesus died and was buried in the tomb? It was the women that went to the tomb to anoint Him.

3. Hope

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

God is the author of hope. His hope is our anchor. Our hope is not in ourselves, but in God! How can we go wrong when we place our hope in the hands of the Maker of Creation? He knows all things, can do all things, and will bring life to the dead! God will use that hope to spill on over to those we meet. Your hope in the middle of this crazy world is what will draw people to you like a magnet. The entire creation, even the Earth is groaning for HOPE!

4. Children

Do you remember when God decided to enter his creation as a man? He chose a woman to give Him birth. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and she became pregnant. God chose a woman to carry Him, to hold Him, to love him when he was a baby. He knew that a woman’s touch would help him grow and thrive. As women we have the ability to bear children. We also find ourselves caring for other people’s children. Heck, we usually adopt the whole neighborhood!

5. Peace

Have you noticed how women are peacemakers? Give a woman a few kids fighting and she will instinctively jump right in the middle of it and break it up. God made us that way. We crave peace. So do those around us. God gave us peace that surpasses all understanding, and we carry to those who we touch

6. Joy

God had given us joy unspeakable. Joy that bubbles up like rivers of living water from the depths of our being. There are times we laugh out loud at the smallest thing. That is the Joy of the Lord spilling over. Joy is contagious. Have you ever laughed uncontrollably and all of a sudden so is everyone else? That is what our God does. He delights in you my Princess. You are the apple of His eye and he adores you!

7. Ministries

God has a place for women in his Body the Church. Without women, it would be pretty dry out there! We are the water for a dry and weary land. We are the light bearers who go rescue those who are lost in the darkness. We are the hands of God to a lost and dying world.

8. New life

“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
And He who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who makes all things,
Who stretches out the heavens all alone,
Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;” – Isaiah 44:24 NKJV

God will use us to bring life to dead things. Have you noticed how a woman can take a run down old house and make it a home? We are resourceful. We use what we have. We are creative. God made us that way. We bring life to the dead, just like Jesus.

9. Faith

 “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”” – Matthew 21:21-22 NKJV

The faith we carry to those around us will open up the doors of Heaven over them. Our faith is contagious in a good way. When we bring God into the situation, we bring health, healing, hope, love, forgiveness, and new life!

10. Healing

“In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.” – Act 28:7-10 NKJV.

As women of God there is healing in our hands. We carry in us this hope of Glory, Christ in us. Christ can touch people and heal them when we simply reach out and touch someone. God will do the healing. We can just lay hands on them and they shall recover, God promised!

11. Prayer

“ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6 NKJV

“Confess your trespasses[ to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” -James 5:16 NKJV

Our prayers move mountains. When we stumble and fall, there is a sister to pick us up. We carry each other’s burdens. We pray for one another. God answers our prayers.

12. Power

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.  Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NKJV

God fills us with His power with the Holy Spirit. We have received a deposit. A precious deposit that guarantees our inheritance. It marks us as His.

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” – Ephesians 1;11-13 NKJV

To summarize, the fruit is already in you. God put it there.

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.” John 15:16-17 NKJV

You were give the power with Jesus to birth 12 new things into this world:

Forgiveness, Love, Hope, Children, Peace, Joy, Ministries, New Life, Faith, Healing, Prayer, and Power.

Now go on out there and share the love, and share the fruit, in Jesus Name!

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faith, God, Healing, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

Getting Up After You Fall

We have all fallen. Some of us have fallen physically, some mentally, some emotionally, some spiritualy. I was down and out today. Messed up my leg tyring to lead an exercise class. Yeah, sometimes I think I am Superwoman and forget to use wisdom. Long story short, spent the morning at the Dr. making sure I didn’t refracture the 2 previously broken bones in my left leg.

I threw out my crutches after I thought I was done with this. Got rid of the cane too I believe. Yesterday my leg was swollen to over twice it’s normal size. What do I do? Ignore it. Yeah, real smart there right? I go to bed thinking it will all be better in the morning.

Wake up and try to walk. Nope. Not a good day to put weight on it. So I limp myself around, admit the truth, call in to work, and head to the Dr. to see if I fractured it again. Back in 2012 I was on a ladder and the ladder broke – broke both the bones in my lower left leg and got a metal rod put in then. I have been through the whole ordeal – the wheelchair, the crutches, the cane, and 3 times in physical therapy. It was a long year, but I recovered. God was with me then and He is with me now.

There is that moment of panic, when all the bad thoughts you have run through your mind as you sit and wait to get in. I hate that part. My mind was going back to those hard days sitting in a wheelchair, trying to make it to the bathroom, and shower, and just get around. Uggh – no, please no – not again.

Finally after 1 1/2 hours I get in, then the nurse, the Dr., the xray – and wait again. Why do we always think the worst in times like that? For me it was probably fear. I didn’t feel like I had control of anything going on, and I certainly didn’t want any bad news. Finally, the Dr. comes back in…

Good news – it’s not fractured! I spent the day with my leg elvated and ice. I don’t like ice, but I did it anyway. I bought a new cane to get around on the way back from the Dr.  Yes, I thought I was done with this stuff but – thank you Jesus, it’s not broken.

I don’t like it when I fall down. I don’t like it when I am hindered in this body. It’s humbling. Maybe that’s why. Maybe I’m just little ‘ole me, and I fall and have to get up. Hey, my crown is crooked and my cape fell off, lol! We like to think we can do all things all the time, and then here comes life and knocks you on your butt.

Has that happened to you?

How did you get up?

Thought I’d look up some verses to hold on to while I get up. I’m way to stubborn to sit here for long, that’s for sure.

Jesus whispers

God’s Word for You:

 “You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.” – Leviticus 19:32 NKJV

“So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? ” – Joshua 7:10 NKJV

“Shake yourself from the dust, arise;
Sit down, O Jerusalem!
Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!” – Isaiah 52:2 NKJV

“But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. ” – Acts 26:16 NKJV

“But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.”” – Luke 8:54 NKJV

jesus-heals

 

faith, God, Prayer, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

Prayer for a New Season

I don’t know about you, but I am weary of this Winter/Spring season. I live in Wisconsin and we have had ice and snow for the last few days. Yeah. Happy Spring right? We have had more snow in April this year than we did for the whole month of  December in our state. Crazy right?

So let’s open the door for a new season with the Word and a prayer for a new season!

spring

God’s Word for You:

“So keep on trying to know the Lord. His coming to us is as sure as the rising of the sun. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain giving water to the earth.”  – Hosea 6:3 NLV

 

““Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV

 

“My beloved spoke, and said to me:
“Rise up, my love, my fair one,
And come away.
For lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove
Is heard in our land.
 The fig tree puts forth her green figs,
And the vines with the tender grapes
Give a good smell.
Rise up, my love, my fair one,
And come away!” – Song of Solomon 2:10-13 NKJV

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My Prayer for You:

Dear Lord,

I thank you for the strength to get thorough this long winter. You know I have struggled to keep my peace and joy. You know I am not a snowbird and the lack of sunlight just brings me down. Thank you for being with me and giving the strength to endure. new

I pray Lord that you let this new season of Spring begin – both in my state and in my life. I am ready for new things to blossom and grow. You promised to bring me new life and life more abundantly.  I am ready! Let it be done to me according to your Word Lord, in Jesus Name.

 

faith, God, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Women

God Did Not Save You to Tame You

You have passion. You have purpose. You were created for such a time as this.

‘God did not save you to take you.” – Lisa Bevere

God is the Author of passion. He is the Author is purpose. He put it in. You. Now what do you do with it?

I started reading Lisa Bevere’s book LIONESS ARISING. She has a wonderful way of opening up my eyes to the bigger picture. It’s not always about us and our little life. We were made to carry the light of God into the darkness. We are carriers of hope, and joy, and peace. We are created to bring change to our world.

What will you do with what God gave you?

I find myself asking myself the same question. Guess that’s why I’m reading the book, lol! I wish I could say I know why I am here and what I am supposed to be doing. Most days I feel like I am on autopilot doing my day to day stuff. It’s ok, but I know there has to be more than this. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for my life and my family. I am blessed. I love my life.

But there are Wind Whispers from God showing me there is more. There is a way more. I’m hungry, I’m thirsty. I want to see it!

Lord, give us a fresh revelation of your God story and how we can carry Your light and love into this fallen world.

Revelation 2:7

“Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I’m about to call each conqueror to dinner. I’m spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God’s orchard.”

faith, God, Hope, Music, Poetry, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

You Called My Name

It has been three years since I wrote or recorded a new song. Not sure why. Guess I just got stuck there for a while. Just working, living life, whatever. You know, life is what happens when you have other plans, lol! Anyway, the dam has burst open, and those living waters are flowing again! Here is. My latest song. Chords and melody yet to be determined. Might change it, you know, it’s a work in progress – just like me.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.” – Isaiah 49:15-16 NKJV

You Called My Name

-Copyright 2018 Diana Rasmussen-

You call me out of darkness, Into your marvelous light

Created to reflect your glory, holy, blessed and bright

You call me free and forgiven, I hear the falling chains

I thought I was dead, but now walk out of my grave

The moment you called my name

I see it on your palms engraved

My heart will never be the same since

The moment you called my name

Your anointing breaks the yoke, I’m no longer a slave to sin

With the weight of your Glory, spirit and freedom reigns

I’m not bound to this world or it’s troubles

You call me Chosen, Beloved, my King of all Kings

The moment you called my name

I see it on your palms engraved

My heart will never be the same since

The moment you called my name

You stand by my side, call me your child

Heal my heart hurts, wash off my dirt

Blessed by your Name, My life’s in Your hands

The moment you called my name

I see it on your palms engraved

My heart will never be the same since

The moment you called my name

faith, God, Religion and Spirituality, Uncategorized

So Why Did Jesus Have to Die Anyway?

Its Easter weekend, Passover week, Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday. Quite the celebration in the Christian world, that’s for sure. Easter – it’s way more than peeps and chocolate bunnies!

Those three days – when Jesus was hung on that cross and buried in that tomb, and the Resurrection. Quite the turn of events thats for sure!

I mean no disresect. I wasn’t born in the church. But the question comes to mind, why did Jesus have to die anyway?

Why would God come down here to planet Earth, robe Himself in flesh, and hang on a cross to die for us?

There is this thing called SIN. You don’t hear about it at school, or work, or out and about. These days people don’t like to talk about it. It’s the culture of “do whatever you want with whoever you want and make a public show of it”. Anyway, that’s another topic.

SIN separates us from God. Not good.

KJV Dictionary Definition:sin

sin

SIN, n.

1. The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not action only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God’s commands or law. 1 John 3. Matt. 15. James 4. Sinner neither enjoy the pleasures of nor the peace of piety. Among divines, sin is original or actual. Actual sin, above defined, is the act of a moral agent in violating a known rule of duty. Original sin, as generally understood, is native depravity of heart to the divine will, that corruption of nature of deterioration of the moral character of man, which is supposed to be the effect of Adam’s apostasy; and which manifests itself in moral agents by positive act of disobedience to the divine will, or by the voluntary neglect to comply with the express commands of God, which require that we should love God with all the heart and soul and strength and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves. This native depravity or alienation of affections from God and his law, is supposed to be what the apostle calls the carnal mind or mindedness, which is enmity against God, and is therefore denominated sin or sinfulness. Unpardonable sin, or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, is supposed to be a malicious and obstinate rejection of Christ and the gospel plan of salvation, or a contemptuous resistance made to the influences and convictions of the Holy Spirit. Matt.12.

2. A sin-offering; an offering made to atone for sin. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. 2 Cor 5.

3. A man enormously wicked.Not in use.

4. Sin differs from crime, not in nature, but in application. That which is a crime against society, is sin against God

So, SIN is when little old me ignores God and His ways. SIN is me thinking I can do whatever I want just because it “feels good” and ignoring the consequences, or pretending there aren’t any. SIN is not loving God or my neighbor.

So why did Jesus have to die?

I don’t think He had to, I think He chose to.

Jesus chose to take all that ugly SIN and carry it to the cross so we could be part of the family again. He chose to BE the SIN sacrifice and fulfilled the law, so we could live under GRACE. He was the Passover Lamb that took away the sins of the world.

Now that’s love…

“who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. ” – 1 Peter 2:24-25 NKJV

“The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And GOD has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him.” – Isaiah 53:5-6 MSG

faith, God, Religion and Spirituality, Uncategorized

Why Would You Want to Buy Something that has Already Been Paid For?

My friend Pastor Bonnie said something this past week that struck a chord in my heart. She asked, “Why would you want to buy something that is already paid for?” Good question girl. You made me think.

How many times have I tried to earn God’s love and approval by doing church stuff? Guilty. Yeah I thought if I did this or that God would love me more. Not true. He already loves us despite what we do or don’t do. It’s radical love, agape love. Love that makes absolutely no logical sense. That’s what is so beautiful about it!

I work in Customer Service and when a shipping company loses a package we send out a free of charge. Isn’t that like salvation? I mean we didn’t earn it. There is nothing we can do to earn it. We just RECEIVE it by faith in what Jesus already did for us. It’s kind of like a free of charge if you dare to believe it. There is nothing we can do to earn it or buy it. It has already been paid for – paid in full, by what Jesus did at the Cross. We are saved by His grace, not by our works.

My prayer is that this Easter you meet Jesus, at the Cross and at the Empty Tomb. He died and rose again to make a way for you to be close to God. He paid the price, you are free and forgiven! Rejoice!

God’s Word for Us:

“Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.” – Ephesians 2:7-10 MSG

“But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus,” – Romans 6:22-23 MSG

My Prayer for You:

Dear Lord,

Thank You for what you did at Calvary. Thank You for the cross. Thank You for the resurrection. Thank You for paying for my sins because you already knew I never could. Thank You Lord for your promises, your goodness, and your mercy. Thank You for the GIFT of salvation. I believe it and receive it now in Jesus Name!

faith, God, Hope, Music, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Worship

The Power of Harmony

There is power in harmony.  When everyone works together and does their part to contribute to the whole. I am blessed to be part of an amazing worship team. We have sang together for 8 years now.  It is so fun!

According to the Dictionary,

HARMONY is:

noun, plural harmonies.
1.agreement; accord; harmonious relations.
2.a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts; congruity.
3.Music.

  1. any simultaneous combination of tones.
  2. the simultaneous combination of tones, especially when blended into chords pleasing to the ear; chordal structure, as distinguished from melody and rhythm.
  3. the science of the structure, relations, and practical combination of chords.
  4. 4.an arrangement of the contents of the Gospels, either of all four or of the first three, designed to show their parallelism, mutual relations, and differences
worship 2
Our drummer Doug Anderson compiled this MP3 of some of our worship songs. Thanks Doug! We are blessed to sing four part harmony many times.
Being in a worship band is one of the best things ever. Using music to lead people in the presence of God and worship the King of Kings together. People get healed, tears fall, hearts are renewed, hope is reborn. I am so blessed to be able to sing with my husband and my friends. We are not professional musicians, we are just seekers who love to encounter a great God! It is an honor and a priviledge to lead people into the presence of God.  God inhabits the praise of all who seek Him.  Come and worship with us, no matter what country you are in!
I thought I would share with you today.  You can visit us at Janesville Apostolic Ministries in Janesville, WI. Or catch us on the web.
worship art
Source: valeriesjodin.com
JAM WORSHIP BAND
Here is an audio of us with Days of Elijah, Let God Arise, Reveation Song, You Great Name, and You Won’t Relent. Enjoy!
Bob Rasmussen – guitar and vocals
Carmen Hanson – vocals
Mike Lyle – vocals
Doug Anderson – drums and vocals
Diana Rasmussen – keyboard and vocals

JAM 4

Why We Worship

“One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
and inquire at His temple.”  (Psalm 27:4 NKJV)

We pray with one another aloud because the Bible tells us, “They lifted up their voice to God with one accord” (Acts 4:24)

We lift up our hands in worship because in the Bible it says, “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.” (Psalm 134:2)

We sing because in the Bible it tells us to, “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” (Psalm 98:4)

We clap and shout unto our God because in the Bible we read, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.” (Psalm 47:1)JAM

“Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.” (Psalm 150:4)

We play musical instruments because the Bible declares, “And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments”  (II Samuel 6:5)

We testify publicly of God’s goodness because in the Bible we read, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.” (Psalm 22:22)

JAM 3We anoint with oil for divine healing because the in the Bible we read, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:” (James 5:14)

We allow the operation of spiritual gifts because in the Bible we read, “When ye come together, everyone of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” (I Corinthians 14:26)

(source: JAM worship page)

JAM 2

 

faith, God, Life, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

The Power of Light and Reflection in our Everyday Lives

I had the window open the other day.  The sun was shining and it hit my funky salt lamp light. All of a sudden the ceiling of my living room was full of reflected light. There were dancing little circles everywhere. All the while the salt lamp just sparkled in the sun. It was beautiful. Such a small thing, but it opened my eyes to the power light and reflection.

985

986-e1521410357968.jpg

So what does that mean in normal everyday life for us? Is there really power in light and reflection?

First I did my homework and went to the dictionary. After all, there is always more to the story.

LIGHT 

  • the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible – “the light of the sun”
  • understanding of a problem or mystery; enlightenment – “she saw light dawn on the woman’s face”
  • provide with light or lighting; illuminate – “the room was lighted by a number of small lamps”
  • make (something) start burning; ignite – “Allen gathered sticks and lit a fire”

So, without light – things would not be visible.  Dark is lifeliess, boring, blah. It’s hard to see anything without light.

Darkness used to cover the Earth. Until God spoke:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was[a] on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.  And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” – Genesis 1:1-5 NKJV

Now we know there are lights and there are LIGHTS. I’m not talking about a candle light. How about the sunlight that fills the sky and the Earth with brightness. Not everything that gives light is the TRUE LIGHT.  Just because it lights up doesn’t mean it is real.

true light.jpg

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” – John 8:12 NKJV

light of the world 2

What about reflection? I love how the light shines off all kinds of stuff and then it shows us somewhere else.

REFLECTION

  • an instance of reflecting; especially : the return of light or sound waves from a surface
  • the production of an image by or as if by a mirror

So with a refelction – it comes from the source. It produces an image of what the source is. Have you seen those beautiful mountain and lake pictures where the mountain is reflected in the lake? There really isn’t another mountain in the lake. The light hits the mountain and the water reflects it.

mountain and lake

Thoughts to Ponder:

What would happen if instead of trying to create our own light in the world, we just reflected God’s light?

What if we were just His vessels to carry the His light into the world?

Kind of like a pitcher carries water. We carry light – God’s light!

What if we looked at the SON like we look at the SUN?

Wouldn’t we just REFLECT His light?

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” – 1 Peter 2:9 NKJV

shine

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – matthew 5:14-16 NKJV

Bible Study, faith, God, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

Seeding Your Harvest

This study comes from my husband, Bob Rasmussen. He wrote it to share with our small group gathering.

harvest 2

“Seeding Your Harvest”

Recently, we received a Word from the Lord on a Sunday, and one of those was that there is a new season upon us.

I thought about that a lot, a new season. Living in Wisconsin I naturally thought about growing season. We see fields that require tilling, planting, fertilizing, growth and harvest – – I thought how does that apply to us?

I know the Bible speaks of the harvest and the main scripture that comes to mind for me is:

Matthew 9:36-38

36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

That scripture is familiar to me, but I started thinking what about the harvest in our own lives? I have always heard the “you reap what you sow” it seems like forever. To me that phrase is full of wisdom but can be negative or even scary.

If we look at the scripture in Galations 6:7-9

Galatians 6:7-9 King James Version (KJV)

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Sometimes, I like to look at translations and commentaries for others for clarity of the Word, and in doing so I found this from J.B. Phillips

The inevitability of life’s harvest

7-10 Don’t be under any illusion: you cannot make a fool of God! A man’s harvest in life will depend entirely on what he sows. If he sows for his own lower nature his harvest will be the decay and death of his own nature. But if he sows for the Spirit he will reap the harvest of everlasting life by that Spirit. Let us not grow tired of doing good, for, unless we throw in our hand, the ultimate harvest is assured. Let us then do good to all men as opportunity offers, especially to those who belong to the Christian household.

As we think upon these things, I believe that every season we are in has a harvest, because we are alive, there is no winter – – He makes us alive! Even in our last season, the harvest of our life is salvation and eternal life, so every season from when we are born until we go home has a harvest!

The bible is clear there are seasons:

Ecc 3_1
from e-bay.com

Ecclesiastes 3 King James Version (KJV)

3 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? 10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. 11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

“And enjoy the good of his labour” is what I want to focus on, specifically how it relates to Phillips “But if he sows for the Spirit he will reap the harvest of everlasting life by that Spirit.”

Circling back to the whole idea of a season being about growing, it comes down to the basics of growing. There is one requirement for any harvest of a crop – only one – seed. If there is no seed, there is no harvest. You can have sun, soil, rain, fertilizer but without seed – you have nothing.

In this new season that God has before us, I think we are tasked with planting the seed for the harvest of the season. But what does that even mean? How do we plant seeds in our lives to get a harvest? And where and how do you plant these seeds?

 

Before we go any further, what does it even mean to sow a seed?

sow.jpg

According to dictionary.com

SOW

  • verb (used with object), sowed, sown or sowed, sowing.
  • to scatter (seed) over land, earth, etc., for growth; plant.
  • to plant seed for: to sow a crop.
  • to scatter seed over (land, earth, etc.) for the purpose of growth.
  •  to implant, introduce, or promulgate; seek to propagate or extend; disseminate:
  • to sow distrust or dissension.
  • to strew or sprinkle with anything.

I think for us the best definition is “for the purpose of growth” – that is His plan. Jesus wants us to grow with Him, in Him, and through Him.

Jeremiah 29:11 New King James Version (NKJV)

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

However, I also think to “strew or sprinkle with anything” is something that should keep us vigilant. Like it or not, we are not the only ones that will plant seeds in our lives. We live in a fallen world, and whether it be the enemy, life in general, or more painfully, those in our own lives, they all can throw seed our way (or in our way).

Betrayal of a friendship, the death of a loved one, an untruth spoken against you, a marriage lost, health issues, or even a child lost – we did not plant these seeds. These are not good seeds – we did not put them there, but we cannot deny that they exist in ours field — which I mean is our heart. Perhaps there has been a time where we were just disappointed and that feeling we continue to carry throughout our season, and that hinders our harvest. Maybe, someone said something so hurtful or did something so painful to us that it continues to bubble up in our soul clouding our relationship with Jesus. What are we supposed to do with these seeds?

The answer that keeps coming back to me is plant more seed. Seeds of love, seeds of joy, seeds of forgiveness, seeds of God’s promises, seeds of hope. Being complacent we will not achieve victory – dwelling on that negative seed will bring harvest, but not a fruitful harvest. We need to seed our hearts with His Word, His Promises, and His Will. Ask, and He will guide us. Any seed planted by us will be greater than the seed thrown at us!

Going back to Galatians

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

 

Application Lesson:

You will need a glass or pitcher of water, yellow and blue food coloring.

Sometimes for me, I need to see a practical example of scripture to help solidify a thought. So for a practical application I have water here representing our collective field (our heart) in our season. I would like you to add one drop of yellow food color for a seed that you have not planted – the painful or unwanted seed. You can speak it out or not. yellow.jpg

Now, speaking to the negative seed that you brought up, I would like you to add one drop of  blue food color for the seed of seed of LIFE you want to plant into your season.

blue and yellow

As you can see, that water is now green – representing a full harvest, and that seems to be what God is talking us about. That for every bad seed, the righteous and good seed that we plant is what will be what we reap – His Word declares it, so it must be true. Stand strong knowing that He has great plans for us! Be consistent and persistent in sowing the seed throughout all your seasons and He will bless all that we do – He wants us all to have great harvest.

green

Final thought

“Seeds dominate the earth. Earth does not dominate seed. You can plant seed into the earth, you can bury it in a dirt grave, but it, the seed will resurrect. The seed has dominion over the earth. It, the seed, will overcome what tries to bury it. The seed will break out, what is sown, will come forth. No matter how much dirt or fertilizer is thrown on you, it’ll just help grow your seed.” – Bev Tucker, Life Church

-Special Acknowledgement to Kevin Kringel for inspiration

harvest 3