Friday, May 23, 2008

Trading Worldly Currency for Kingdom Currency

Well, we are getting down to the nitty-gritty! We’re out of gas again, so we rolled every penny we had—and it came to $14.00! Then, I went through my container of special coins, pulled out $10.00, and decided to set aside the rest for the grandkids before I end up spending them all. :)

Last night was incredible! We had a couple over that Tom and I are working with, and God showed up in a BIG way! Normally, I work with the women and Tom with the men, and we’ve never met together before. But last night, God worked through both of us as a team, and the impact on them was amazing.

As we were driving to R and J’s House Church afterward, I had this realization—what we had just experienced was God’s currency! We are trading in all of our worldly currency and receiving kingdom currency instead. Then, at the House Church, we had another incredible meeting and didn’t end up leaving until 1:30 a.m.!

Tonight, we are meeting with another couple, so I am praying for the Holy Spirit’s leading in a big way again.

Meanwhile, the phone calls and letters from the cable and utility companies are coming in. I don’t know exactly what God is doing, but I am determined to trust Him, no matter how things look!

Today's Spirit of Prophecy

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns — May 23, 2008

"You are in the process of time and on the course of change when your circumstances will be unsettling at times, but you must not fear. Stay calm and remain steady. I am with you, and I will bring you through in victory. Seek the truth in every situation, and ask for wisdom because things are not what they seem to be. Listen for My voice and obey My leading," says the Lord.

"Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left." — Isaiah 30:21

Today's Oswald Chambers Devotional

May 23 – Our Careful Unbelief

"So I say to you, take no thought for your life, about food or drink, or about clothing for your body. Is not life more than food and the body more than its clothing?" — Matthew 6:25

Jesus summed up commonsense carefulness in the life of a disciple as unbelief. If we have received the Spirit of God, He will press into our lives, asking: "Now where do I come into this relationship, this vacation you have planned, or these new books you want to read?" He will continue pressing until we learn to make Him our first priority. Whenever we put other things first, confusion follows.

"Do not worry about your life." Don’t take the pressure of your provision upon yourself. Worrying isn’t just wrong—it’s unbelief. Worrying means we do not believe that God can take care of the practical details of our lives. And it’s always those little details that worry us. What did Jesus say would choke the Word He places in us? Not the devil—but "the cares of this world" (Matthew 13:22).

Unbelief starts when we say, "I will not trust when I cannot see." But the only cure for unbelief is obedience to the Spirit.

The greatest word of Jesus to His disciples is: abandon.

I am having a hard time seeing His provision right now, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there! It just may look different than what I am expecting.

Lord, I believe!! Help me in my unbelief!

PJ's Praise Train Vision

I see a Praise Train. It is full of His children—everyone running around, singing, laughing, and enjoying the presence of the Holy Spirit, who is up front, inviting His children to sit on His lap as He controls the train.

The Lord says: "My train is moving forward—a train of great Joy—on a marvelous journey. I am the source of ALL power for every journey. Enjoy the trip! Look out the windows at all My mighty works—the lands, the mountains, the skies, the rivers, the birds of the air—and most of all, the WIND. The WIND blows at will, coming from a direction you cannot see. But it is there, even if you do not see it. My winds of Glory, Provision, Joy, Revelation, and Direction are coming."

I just needed to remind myself of this truth again. :)

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Roaring Back and Seeing Through Spiritual Eyes

I Have a Lot to Catch Up On, So Here Goes:

Monday, Memorial Day, I didn’t have any meetings, so Tom and I just hung out, walked, and cleaned the house. Tom has been stressing out really badly, so during lunch, we talked about how much we’ve been under attack lately. We both ended up in tears—just still trying to trust and not worry, doubt, or fear. Much easier said than done!

One of the guys Tom meets with wanted to meet Monday night and asked if he could come to our house. We agreed, and then his wife had a very hard day and left work early, so I suggested she come too. I would spend time with her while Tom met with her husband. When they arrived, they brought 8 to 10 bags of groceries! I was totally and completely surprised and blessed! We weren’t “out” of food, but we were getting very low, and I was actually having fun getting creative with what we did have. God is so good! We had a very special time with this couple, making it a truly “memorable” Memorial Day.

On Tuesday morning, I got this word from the Spirit of Prophecy:

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns – May 27, 2008:
"The enemy has come at you like a roaring lion eager to devour his prey, but I AM the Lion of Judah, your King. I have given you the power and authority to stand against this attack, and it is time for you to roar back! Do not draw back without a fight, but rather go up against this enemy who seeks your destruction, and I will bring about a great deliverance as I work through your faith and courage, says the Lord."

Psalms 22:13 They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion.

When I read that, my spirit responded. I realized we’ve been lying down and letting the enemy beat up on us far too much. So after breakfast and our reading in 1 Corinthians, I told Tom about the word and that I felt like we needed to stand up, take authority in prayer, and ROAR BACK!

We prayed and rebuked Satan and all his minions. Then, Tom confessed before God and me that he had “slipped” four times in the last two months—twice in April after M and L left and twice in May after PJ died. Talk about getting the wind knocked out of me!

The prayer time ended quickly after that, and we had a long conversation about his confession and everything surrounding it. Suddenly, everything made sense—Tom’s behavior, my sense of disconnection and lack of intimacy, and the overall feeling that we weren’t on the same page. Thank you, Jesus, that it’s out in the open now! The enemy no longer has power over him, and the wedge between us is gone.

Later, Tom mowed the lawn while I took care of emails, and when we came back together, we talked more. Tom felt deeply defeated. He poured out—more like emotionally “threw up”—all his feelings of inadequacy, rejection, disappointment in himself, God, and others. For almost an hour, he let it all out.

At one point, I started feeling overwhelmed, so I prayed in the Spirit, asking God to help me deal with everything. And He did!

When Tom was done, I told him he was seeing everything through human eyes, focusing on things that don’t matter to God. I told him to put on his spiritual glasses and look at what God is doing through us! I reminded him that he is a General in the Lord’s army, fighting a battle for the Kingdom, and he was letting the enemy beat him down too much. He needed to stand up, take the authority God had given him, and step into his calling.

As I spoke, God gave me a vision of Tom as a warrior—like something from the days of King Arthur and Lancelot—serving the King and fighting for Him. It was a powerful moment for both of us. We prayed again, then got ready for the Tuesday night group at LJ’s.

On Saturday, I felt led to send an email to people I knew would pray, asking for ongoing prayer covering over our ministry and family. I am so glad I did because I feel that prayer covering has had a huge impact!

Wednesday was a better day. I had lunch with SL (the Womanade leader) and then spent the rest of the day with W. When we dropped W off, E told me that when she went grocery shopping, God was very persistent in telling her to buy us produce. She hesitated, knowing we had just received groceries, but the Lord kept prompting her—loudly!

Thank you, Jesus! We had plenty of food, but not much produce, and God used E to fill that gap. It felt a little awkward having our daughter buy groceries for us, but I know the Lord will bless her obedience, and I wouldn’t want to rob her of that.

By Wednesday, we were down to no gas again. We had only $5 in checking and $8 in savings, which we had to use to buy gas ($3.89/gallon) so Tom could get to his meetings. Then, this morning, Tom called to tell me that one of the guys he met with said God told him to give Tom the cash in his pocket—$35! Now we can get to the meeting tonight. Thank you, Jesus, for your provision!

That conversation led Tom and me to talk again about where we are. I reminded him that we need to spend more time praying for the people in our ministry and stop focusing so much on our situation. God has never let us down, yet we keep looking ahead in fear instead of trusting Him. It feels like we spend more time praying for ourselves than for the people God has placed in our lives, and that’s not our mission. We need to take up our spiritual arms and do battle for them!

Also, we need to be praying together for things we hope God will take care of—like the Kingdom guide seminar this weekend and E and M’s wedding in August. We keep waiting for Him to handle it, but we aren’t actually seeking His will about it together. If we do that, I believe He will give us clear direction instead of us just wondering.

This morning, I woke up with a strong sense that we need to take spiritual authority daily and step into what our King has for us. I feel a new vision, a new determination like never before! I am sick and tired of the enemy calling the shots. I won’t take it anymore, in Jesus’ name!

As I was writing this and preparing to include Tuesday’s Spirit of Prophecy word, I read it differently than I did on Monday:

The Trumpet by Bill Burns – May 27, 2008:
"Come up here, My children, for indeed that which you have heard noised abroad is true. There is an open door in the heavenlies that you can enter through by faith. Again, I say, come boldly before My throne of grace. Come boldly to receive that which I have for you. In these days of the manifest presence of My kingdom, a new reality shall be birthed within your heart and mind. New mindsets will come forth, and new attitudes will be birthed as a result of those mindsets. Come, I say, and feed upon the fresh manna of these days. Feed upon that which I give to you. Feed upon My word that I deposit in your heart. Meditate upon My word so that the fullness of what has been spoken to you can bring forth the harvest of My impartation, says the Lord."

I can see that I do have a new reality, a new mindset, and a new attitude! I have more confidence in God and a deeper determination to focus on His Kingdom, not mine.

Jesus, help me hang on to this in Your strength, not mine. Thank you for your revelation. I know this is not a game to the enemy, so we have to stop playing around and get serious.

Wednesday, Spirit of Prophecy was good too:

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns -- May 28, 2008:
Choose this day who you will serve. It is your choice. You can either serve yourself as you see through the filter of your circumstances and grumble and complain throughout the day, OR you can look at life through the filter of My word, have faith, and trust Me to bring you through each moment in complete victory. I am well able to bring you forth triumphant if you will choose to serve Me, says the Lord.

"Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" Romans 6:16

And here is today’s:

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns -- May 29, 2008:
Behold, I am opening new doors and providing substantial help and supernatural strength for you to accomplish what you have set yourself to achieve. Do not tarry, but move through these portals expeditiously. I will give you the necessary wisdom and direction required at this time to fulfill your intentions. However, you must establish and maintain valid priorities beginning with godly desires and faith if you are to attain your objective, says the Lord.

"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." Hebrews 11:3

"‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty." – Zechariah 4:6

I choose You today, Lord! You are my King, and I ask for Your instructions for today. Here am I, Lord—send me!

Friday, May 30, 2008

Choosing Faith Over Fear

The enemy was on me first thing again this morning, reminding me that if we didn’t pay the $50 water bill today, it would be cut off tomorrow. But I remembered the Word: “Choose this day whom you will serve!” So, I made the decision to choose my faithful Lord and Savior!

Yesterday, when Tom got home from his last meeting, he told me that the guy he met with felt like he was supposed to give him $20—and this guy isn’t even a Christian! Because of that, Tom was able to fill the gas tank and still had $15 left over. He planned to buy lunch today, but then the guy he met with ended up buying it for him instead!

Then, we got a card from Marteen, and she sent me $45 for the cookies I made for her (which I had done for free, but she felt led to bless me). And guess what? We were able to pay the water bill today! Thank you, Jesus! You are so very faithful and true!

Last night at our meeting at R and J’s house church, they told us they couldn’t host the meetings anymore, so it was our last night there. We were disappointed, but we know they are following the Lord’s leading, and He will honor and bless their obedience. Now we are asking, “What’s next, Lord?” We’re learning to see that some things are just for a season and that the Lord will continue to move and grow us. One of the things He spoke to us about last night was that He can’t do anything if we’re sitting still, but if we move, He can do more through us. His word to us is: "MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!"

Oswald Chambers' Devotional for Today

May 30 – "Yes—But . . .!"

"And another man said, I will come with you, Lord, but first let me say a last good-day to those who are at my house." —Luke 9:61

Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of hesitating when tested, you will continue doing so until you break the pattern through sheer determination. The same is true spiritually. Again and again, you may come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time, you turn back at the true point of testing—until you choose to abandon yourself completely to God in total surrender.

Yet we tend to say, "Yes, but—what about . . .?" Or, "Yes, I will obey God, but only if it doesn't go against my common sense."

Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who trust Him that natural men exhibit in their pursuits. If anyone wants to accomplish something worthwhile, there will be times when they must risk everything. Spiritually, Jesus calls us to risk all that we cling to through common sense and instead leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that His words are more solidly reliable than anything your common sense could have imagined.

By common sense, Jesus' commands may seem reckless, but when tested by faith, they will fill your spirit with awe at the reality of God’s power. Trust completely in Him. When He presents you with a new opportunity, seize it. Too often, we act like pagans in a crisis—only one in a crowd dares to invest their faith in God's character.

WOW!! That is exactly what we are doing—abandoning ourselves to God in total surrender and letting go of our common sense—and He is proving how faithful and solid He is! We are in AWE!

Spirit of Prophecy for Today

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns — May 30, 2008

"The enemy has sent deception against you, My people, to undermine your hope. Refuse to allow fear or unbelief to weaken your firm foundation of faith. When in doubt, return to the truth of My word and renew yourself in spiritual reality. I am your very present help in times of trouble, and I am with you to uphold you and bring you through this time of trouble in great victory," says the Lord. "Stand strong, be courageous, and do not be afraid."

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, 'Destroy!'" —Deuteronomy 33:27

Monday, June 02, 2008

 When Feelings Clash with Faith

Today was a very tough day. I woke up in a weird mood, and Tom was reacting to it in a defensive way. Things just weren’t going well at all. I could sense the spiritual warfare happening, but I was struggling to get past the “feelings” enough to really deal with it. I did a lot of praying, and the Lord helped us out in a big way!

Yesterday had been amazing at the Acts Bible Study (which is probably why the enemy came swooping in today). We learned so much and were flying high spiritually—so of course, a crash tried to follow. One of the key things Tom identified in his desire to see the power of God in his life was that he was also seeking validation—a confirmation that he was doing what God had called him to do.

During our post-study discussion, someone brought up the verse where Jesus is baptized and the heavens open up. God declares, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). This happened before Jesus even began His three-year ministry! He was validated before He did anything. Then D added something powerful from Psalm 139:16: “Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”

Praise God—we have already been validated, before the creation of the world! We don’t need to chase validation to know that God is pleased with us.

D also shared another powerful insight from the study: we were created for three main purposes:

1. To worship God

2. To serve man

3. To take authority over the devil

And if we do those out of order, we end up serving the enemy. If we worship men or anything else, we’re misaligned. If we try to “serve” God through doing or works without the right heart, that’s also wrong. And if we try to take authority over people instead of the enemy, we’re off track too. It was so eye-opening to see how easily we get things backward!

This reminded me of a Jason Upton song Tom recently downloaded called “Dying Star.” The lyrics are so powerful:

You've got your best man on the front side
You always show your best side
And evil's always on the other side
You say this is your strategy
But son I hope you take it from me
You look just like your enemy—you're full of pride

We better trash our idols if we want to be
In the army of the Lord
And the greatest idol is you and me
We better get on the threshing floor

When will we learn that God's strategy
Is giving glory to the Lord?
We better trash our idols if we want to be
In the army of the Lord

That line—“You look just like your enemy—you're full of pride”—hit hard. When we’re out of alignment with what God calls us to do, we can end up reflecting the very thing we’re supposed to be standing against.

Despite all of that, the Lord showed up again today in such a faithful way! We received another unexpected gift—$200! And of course, it came just in time. Tom had a meeting in Cary and wasn’t even sure if he had enough gas to get home. Plus, we still have several overdue bills, so we’re praying about how to wisely use this blessing.

On another note, I’ve been trying to find my old friend S.H. over the last couple of days. I keep hitting a paywall of $9.95 to get her contact info, and it’s been frustrating. I think I’ll just let it go for now and trust that if I’m supposed to reconnect with her, the Lord will make a way.

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Oswald Chambers’ Devotional – June 2
Are You Obsessed by Something?
“If a man has the fear of the Lord, the Lord will be his teacher in the way of his pleasure.” – Psalm 25:12

Are you obsessed by something? Most of us would say, “No,” but the truth is—we’re often obsessed with ourselves. Even as Christians, we can be consumed by our own experience of the faith instead of being truly obsessed with God Himself.

The psalmist teaches us that the abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God—not just thoughts about Him, but His presence saturating our entire being. Just like a child is unconsciously yet deeply aware of their mother, so we are to "live and move and have our being" in Him (Acts 17:28).

If we are obsessed with God, nothing else—no worry, concern, or tribulation—can invade our lives. That’s why Jesus emphasized the sin of worrying. When we are truly rooted in Him, surrounded by Him, we are protected and at peace.

"He himself shall dwell in prosperity..." (Psalm 25:13).
Even in tribulation, misunderstanding, or slander, if our “life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3), we will be at ease, because nothing can break through God’s shelter.

Lord, I want to be “obsessed” by You—so that nothing else can get into my life… no concerns, no worries, no tribulation. Just You.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

 From Fire to Flight: Transformation in the Trials

Thank You, Jesus, that yesterday ended on a good note! I listened to the Bible on CD and then watched the second video in the Matthew series while working on my “Bible” word search book. I just wanted to be immersed in the Word as much as possible. We were definitely under spiritual attack yesterday, but being saturated in God’s truth helped center and calm my spirit.

Here is today’s Spirit of Prophecy:

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns – June 3, 2008
I have been with you in your times of testing and trials, says the Lord. The fires of purification have burned white hot, and you have come through your ordeal changed—transformed by your faith and dependence upon Me. There were times when you would rather have been translated or transfigured, but you have learned obedience through the things you have suffered. And, you are stronger spiritually than ever. These afflictions were exactly what you needed to stimulate your spiritual growth.
“Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” – Hebrews 5:8

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This word immediately reminded me of the dream I had about the fire and the houses that survived. It also brought to mind how much transformation we've experienced in this house—spiritually moving from a caterpillar to a butterfly. That word, transformed, felt so personal. It’s exactly what God has done in us. Our spiritual growth has absolutely been stimulated during this season. The refining fire has been hot—but it's brought life, not destruction.

Something else I've been meaning to write down—last Thursday, while I was praying and preparing for my group, I was thinking about having a co-leader. Suddenly, I heard the Lord say, “I am your co-leader!”

Oh my gosh. I had done it again—asking God to give me someone else when He was already right by my side. I immediately repented and thanked Him for His incredible patience and understanding with me. That night, my entire perspective shifted from “I’m doing this alone” to “God is with me and co-leading.” I felt such a deep relief and release. It was truly wonderful.

(Insert 2022 – Linda): I have to laugh at myself now after reading that journal entry! I eventually realized that GOD was actually the Leader and I was the co-leader—LOL! I’m so thankful that His patience with me is unlimited!

Today, I went to LJ’s and spent time painting again, and we had a wonderful surprise—she found P’s ring that had been lost since last week!

Praise You, Jesus! You care about every detail, and You show Yourself faithful again and again.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

 Never Will I Leave You

I woke up just before 4 a.m. this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. I started thinking and realized it was the fifth of the month, and we not only don’t have the rent, but all the other bills are so overdue—cutoffs from our cable, cell phones, car insurance, and more feel imminent… from my human and worldly perspective. My thoughts got caught up in all of it, and while I tried to pray, the enemy was hard at work, planting fear and doubt again.

Tom got up early too, so I let him know I was awake. When he asked why, I told him about the worries on my mind. He got back into bed, prayed with me, rebuked Satan, and spoke truth over me—God’s faithfulness and love. That was so powerful. After that, I stopped thinking about myself and started praying for others, beginning with LJ, since tomorrow marks one month since P’s death. The Lord continued bringing people to mind, and I spent another hour praying before I finally fell back to sleep. It was a really good time with Him.

This morning, Tom left Oswald’s devotional on my desk:

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June 5, 2008 – God’s Assurance

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” —Hebrews 13:5-6

My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, “I will never leave you,” so that I may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.” This doesn’t mean I won’t be tempted to fear, but I must remember God’s promise. Fear fades when we listen to His voice. The only way to remove fear from our lives is to anchor ourselves in God’s truth.

Are you listening to God first, or speaking first and trying to fit His words into your situation after? Take hold of the Father’s assurance. Say with courage, “I will not fear,” no matter what evil or trial comes. Even when we feel like grasshoppers facing giants, God reminds us, “I will never forsake you.” Let that be our song—His assurance, our courage.

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Thank you, Jesus, that You are our helper and that You will never leave us or forsake us! You are faithful, even when we are not.

Today’s Scripture reading was Psalm 33, and it brought more encouragement and truth about who God is:

“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.”

AMEN!!

Monday, June 09, 2008

 

A Warrior’s Prayer and a Season of Testing

Last Thursday was such an amazing day of spiritual intimacy with both Tom and the Lord. God laid a renewed passion on my heart to pray for Tom and speak spiritual encouragement over him. I kept praying for strength, courage, wisdom, love, and humility—over and over again. I could clearly see Tom as a warrior in the Lord’s army, needing a covering of prayer and encouragement, and the Lord faithfully gave me the words and prayers to speak. It was so very cool. I felt like I finally “got it”—finally becoming the spiritual support and armor bearer Tom needed me to be.

On Saturday, we watched The Acts movie created by the same people who did The Visual Bible versions of Matthew and John. Wow. What a powerful film—it was incredibly well done. There’s just nothing like seeing and hearing the Word of God played out all at once. The inflections in the voices, the emotions on their faces... it truly brought the Scriptures to life. At one point, when Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and preaching after Pentecost, I actually felt the anointing of the Holy Spirit through the screen. It brought me to tears and filled me with praise—it felt as though I was really there. We were so blessed.

That night, I had a wonderful time of prayer. I couldn’t sleep, so I prayed—and prayed, and prayed. I was up until 3 a.m., interceding for Tom and so many people in our lives. I felt so close to the Lord that I didn’t want to stop! It was like I stepped into a new level of spiritual depth and intimacy with Him. Eventually I fell asleep and then got up early for church.

Sunday morning, I had what I call a “God appointment.” I had placed my things on a couple of seats, then stepped to the back of the church to pray and worship. When I returned, a young woman had sat down next to my stuff. I introduced myself, and during the service, I felt prompted by the Lord to pray for her. I asked Him what her need was, and He revealed it to me. After the service, we ended up talking and praying together for quite a while. It was so apparent that God had placed us next to each other for a divine reason. We were both so blessed.

Later that day, we went to K and S’s Sunday Supper House Church and then visited with JS and GS for dinner. It was amazing catching up with them—it felt like it had only been a month, not five or six years!

We also received an email from SS on Saturday asking for an update. Tom replied, and when he saw him at church, they spoke further. SS said that if we don’t have the rent by the 15th, we need to let him know so we can discuss next steps. We keep asking the Lord for direction, but we haven’t heard anything new… it’s a very uncomfortable and awkward place to be. SS sent another email today offering a few options in case we’re unable to pay. He’s been incredibly kind and patient with us.

Still, his words struck deep—he said we’re making them “involuntary sponsors of our ministry,” essentially “fronting” our rent. Wow. We hadn’t thought of it that way before. In essence, anyone we haven’t been able to pay has become a sponsor against their will. And on top of that, our car insurance is about to lapse, putting us in legal jeopardy—and Tom’s driver’s license expires on his birthday. If it’s not renewed before our trip to California, he might not be able to return!

Tonight we started reading Romans and landed on chapter 13, verses 7–8:

“Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.”

We were deeply convicted. We owe rent, utilities, and debts we can’t currently repay. If we got a job tomorrow, we wouldn’t have gas money to get there. Without electricity, cable, or phone, we wouldn’t even be able to do our ministry.

And now, we’re flying out to California on June 24. If God doesn’t provide, we’ll have to be out of our home by then. That means needing both June and July’s rent, plus utilities—about $5,000. We don’t have time to pack, sell anything, or move. And move where? It feels like the air is being crushed out of us. We have nowhere to go but the Lord… yet it’s hard not to feel like we’ve missed something, because He did say He would be our provider. This is such a tough place to be. Lord, help us. Please rescue us from this impossible situation!

Before leaving for his meeting last night, Tom said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” And Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:32, 40). Only Jesus can raise this situation from the dead—and when He does, He will get all the glory.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns – June 9, 2008

I say unto you, My children, the times will be perplexing and they will be tumultuous. This will be a time of extremes. But, I also say that you do not have to be affected by these things. Do not allow your faith to diminish, but let it grow. Indeed, when you are tested and tried, see your troubles as opportunities to stretch your faith, to believe in Me, and to fight the good fight of faith. I tell you truly that kingdoms are going to collide. My kingdom and the kingdoms of hell will clash, for there is a great battle for the souls of the generations. You will have an opportunity to arise to your kingdom position and to find yourself demonstrating the kingdom and expressing My heart. Speak My Word! My kingdom shall indeed be the ruling force in the whole world. Be prepared to experience the ups and downs and to overcome. These will be the best of times and the worst of times. But, for you, My people, they will be the best, for you will know Me as you have never known Me before. I will come and walk with you, and I will be involved in those things that I involve you in. I shall demonstrate through you the power of the kingdom and the power of the age to come, says the Lord. Have no fear, I am with you always.