Kenneth Copeland Ministries - Operate in the Supernatural Realm of Faith

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, the fulness thereof, the world;

and the people therein. KJV

                                                         

I've  never heard a better explanation of the difference between faith and common sense and the importance of each. In this powerfully anointed teaching, Kenneth Copeland  speaks of the necessity of knowing when to apply either and how each affects the spiritual laws which govern our lives.  

I believe you'll find this approximately 25 minute video very enlightening. I did and the anointing  for understanding on this message is very great....and very encouraging.  Just click on the link beneath:                            

                                                             

    Kenneth Copeland Ministries - Operate in the Supernatural Realm of Faith

Experiencing The Other Side of the Boat, updated

Psalm 24:1
The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world,
and they that dwell therein. KJV

 

This is probably at least my fifth attempt to write something to post here.  Nothing seemed right.  I couldn't  find the words to describe  what it means to be *on the other side of the boat.  I now know that I had to spend some time experiencing it in real time before I could actually share it, and even now it's difficult to write about because it's so personal.  With this edit today, May 12, it's at least my 6th effort, but here goes....and I don't think I'll spend anymore time on this subject, at least in this way! 

Funny, I'm still doing the same things I did before,  but now am more closely aligned with His ability to do it more successfully. Things I didn't think I could do any longer, now, I find I'm strengthened to continue on. But I also have the freedom at times to do nothing...nothing at all, but to rest, and trust, and agree with what He says and what He's doing. It's also easier to follow where He leads, but with His strength and support.  Before, I had come to the place where I was determined to do things His way, but much of it was in my own strength and therefore didn't produce a catch-and it was exhausting! Now, I get to believe only, do what He says and the results are up to Him, not me, and this is the difference. It's not that I hadn't experienced Him in this greater way up till now, but there comes a time when it is time to move up, to graduate to the next level. This about experiencing more of the greater rest spoken of in Hebrews concerning resting from your own works as God did from His.  This truly is the bottom line of what it means to me to live on the other side of the boat.

I still have  to make the decision to get up and move, even if I don't feel like it. And that's the other big issue, my feelings don't get to rule me as they once did. Do I do this perfectly?  No. He's  the only perfect One.  I even receive grace for who and where I am now more than I ever could before, and  I'm absolutely more empowered to give more grace to others than ever before because of His great Love and grace to me.  I'm being more aligned with who He created me to be without losing the integrity of my own unique personality...and I like that a lot. He doesn't control His children, but He knows how to raise us up to a higher level of who we were created to be and this is very Good News, indeed!

I've found it to be so true, that as we come to Him in faith, we can experience

...[that leaning of the entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].  Colossians 2:5 AMPC

* The first part of the current Featured Post: More Encouraging Words, is where you'll find the original mention of the other side of the boat, and a little more in the April 18, 2017 post, It's time for a change...  

Christian News Link

                                                                     

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world,

and they that dwell therein. KJV

                                                        

If you're interested in  world news from a Christian perspective [in other words, not fake news] I've "discovered" a wonderful website you can trust.   I was reminded today of Pat Robertson's  The 700 Chub television program  where at the beginning of each show, they have a news segment.  I decided to check out their website today and was delighted to find their online edition  of current world news as well as a variety of other interesting topics and interviews.

So here's the link for  CBN News  where you can  even choose to download the daily headlines if it fits your personal style.   

In the Process

                                     Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world,

and they that dwell therein. KJV

I'll still be making changes...and it can be a bit frustrating....well, more than a bit. I'm only certain of 2 things, the background and the header.  I guess we all might be surprised at how it ends up.

Hope to be back soon....with something more than this!  💗

P.S.
Added at 10:00 pm central time.  This will be it.   I'm satisfied with the changes.
Yay!!!!  Simple is  Very Good and Great!

It's time for a change....

I'll soon be changing the look of this site, at least a little at a time, so if you drop by and find a change, don't be surprised....it will still be mine- one of the bear girls, too!

The peonies were a nice transition, and though I love how I was introduced to that lovely flower, I'm looking forward to the change. The next one won't be so froufrou.  If you're not use to my choice of words, here's the definition :
    
     [froo-froo]        

noun 

1.

elaborate decoration, as frills, ribbons, or ruffles, especially on  women's clothing.

2.

a rustling, particularly the rustling of silk, as in a woman's dress.

Truly, I enjoyed the look for a while,  and it was a nice rest stop along the way, but now it's time to move on.  Realignment for me is in full progress!...so I'm going with it and looking forward to experiencing  all that's *on the other side of the boat!

* reference to content in the post just prior to this one.

Here's a picture of the peonies I used for my frou frou background.

More Encouraging Words

I've been wanting to write for some time now, about casting our net on the other side and what it's come to mean to me.  So you'll know, I'll be using the scripture in Luke 5 and John 21 interchangeably, because I've often thought of it that way and I think others have as well. 

In Luke 5 after Jesus told Simon to, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch",  Peter explained to Jesus they'd fished all night and caught nothing.  (Funny, but sometimes we still do that! ) This was just before He called Peter and the others to follow Him.   In  John 21 after Jesus' resurrection, they were told by Him, after having fished all night again, to, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So this is often referred to as casting your net on the other side, since they must have had their nets on the left side.  Now that the reference scriptures have been established, I'll move on knowing when I might use the term the other side,  you'll understand.

We seem to be in a specific time where many of God's people are coming to, or have come to the place of not only figuratively having hit a brick wall, but a place --though we've experienced degrees of it in the past-- this time has been the most complete end of ourselves we've known.   And what's the answer?  How do we recover, recoup our energy and motivation-our very lives?   Simply stated, it would be to cast our net on the other side, the right side, just as Jesus told Peter and his friends to do. The other side is where we finally stop relying on our ability and begin actually, in real time, trusting Him in a way we never could before now....because He IS the same as the other side of the boat where all the provision is.  We can trade the best we can do, for the best He can do.   And He's seeing to it as we make that decision, there are those He's prepared, though experiencing the fire of change themselves are sharing their part to help.  

It seems that at every turn, someone is speaking on a subject which the Spirit of God can use to encourage and strengthen us in our journey from weakness to His Strength.

With the permission of Derek Prince Ministries, I have the privilege of passing on much of an email I received authored by Dick Leggat, President, DPM–USA.  The subject matter which he writes about so eloquently, is a compliment to what I've been sharing recently, and is  a prime example of how God is almost flooding us with inspired words to help strengthen us along the way. 

Most of  Mr. Leggat's  letter follows:

Dear Friend,

     Have you ever hit the wall? Bumped up against the absolute limit of your own resources and strength?

     If your answer is yes to those questions, you are in good company. Coming to the end of ourselves can be a regular, if not daily experience for us. In this letter, I want to speak from personal experience, sharing some thoughts on why the Lord allows us to reach our limits. What is He teaching us at such times? That our weakness opens the way to His strength.

It Was a Bad Day

     Friday had been a bad day. (I don’t know whether you can relate to that, but we all occasionally have those days we would prefer to forget.) The next morning was no better. I awoke in a very dark mood—residue from the bad day before.

     As I was driving into the office early on that Saturday morning, I assessed my emotional condition, arriving at the following conclusion: “Today I am not fit for interaction with man nor beast.” My plan for the day was to isolate myself as best I could, avoiding contact with anyone who might be scorched by my foul mood.

     On the drive to work, however, as is my custom, I carried on a conversation with the Lord—somewhat more reluctant than usual. Hesitantly, I let Him know how I felt (as if He didn’t already know). Then, I simply prayed: “Lord, I put myself in Your hands today.” Immediately, a phrase popped into my mind: “Be strong in the power of His might.” That unbidden impression was so far outside of my thought pattern right then that I felt certain it had to be a word from the Lord.

Power and Might

     When an impression comes to me in this way, even though I may recognize it as a Bible verse, rarely do I know its exact address in the Word. So, my first step on arrival was to consult the concordance, followed by a time of study of the passage and its context.

     I found the unbidden phrase quickly: Ephesians 6:10. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” Two aspects of the ensuing study helped me immensely in my understanding of the passage.

     First was its context. Significantly, the verses following Ephesians 6:10 talk about putting on the armor of God “to stand against the wiles of the devil,” doing battle with the spiritual forces arrayed against us. Could it be that the bad days we experience are somehow rooted in the schemes of the enemy? Isn’t he the one who is constantly working against us to discourage us and wear us down?

     The second point from the concordance was a related reference to Micah 3:8. “But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD….” When we are at our weakest and worst, where can we turn to find the strength we so desperately need? To the Spirit of the Lord.

Strength in Weakness

     I need to make something clear at this point. I am writing this letter fresh from my study of these verses, right in the wake of the bad day that so discouraged me. Why is that important for you to know? Because, truthfully, this is probably the worst possible time for me to share anything about the Lord’s power and victory. I am still slogging through the issues that upset me. Even so, I am trying to write my way out of the heaviness I am facing—deliberately “putting it on paper” while still wrestling with the foul mood described at the beginning of this letter.

     I am trusting that even in these worst moments—the times when my weakness and failure are most glaring—God can display His strength most clearly.

     If you are deriving any encouragement from this letter right now, chalk it up to that truth. It is exactly how the Lord comforted Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect [complete, evident] in weakness.” That is why Paul could respond in verse 10 by saying: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The Greatest Display

     Undoubtedly, the greatest display of power released through weakness and vulnerability took place on a cross at Calvary nearly 2000 years ago. At the very moment when Satan was exulting in apparent victory, having engineered the death of the Messiah on a Roman gibbet, immeasurable might was being generated. Unbeknownst to the adversary, the lifeblood flowing out of Jesus was unleashing power that would consign the enemy and his hordes to eternal defeat and disgrace.

     The power of the cross! In Derek Prince’s 60 years of teaching the Word of God, this was one of his constant themes. In fact, from the abundant archives of Derek’s teaching on this subject, we have just released a new book entitled, What’s So Important about the Cross?

     One of the transcripts at the core of this new book is Derek’s powerful message, “The Cross at the Center,” from which we have taken the following excerpt.

     I want to say something that’s very easy to say but not always easy to live. The purpose of the cross is to bring us to the end of all our wisdom and all our strength—to show us that they are totally of no avail whatever. We can only begin to enter into the grace of God when we have come to the end of ourselves.

     At the present time, you may be going through problems and pressures in your life. You may be asking, “What is God doing?” The answer is: God is gently but firmly bringing you to the end of yourself— where the best  you can do doesn’t even begin to be good enough. You have to come to the end of all that and release something that is totally from God. When do we find Christ as the power of God and the wisdom of God? Only when we have come to the end of our own power and our own wisdom.

     It’s hard for most of us to let go our strength and to let go our wisdom. We want to cling to it. But what God said to Paul is really true: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Why is that so true? Because when we have our own strength, how can people identify God’s strength? They can’t see it.

     But when we have come to the end of our own strength and then we have strength, then we know it is God. God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness. Would you like to say that? “God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness.”

 

Pushing Back

     If you can relate to the matter of sometimes facing the kind of bad days described earlier, let’s push back against it together. Would you be willing to join me in a prayer to that end? Let’s do it now, beginning with the concept Derek asked us to repeat.

     I thank You Lord, that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness.

     Father, I confess that I’m not in a good place right now. I’m discouraged by circumstances around me, and it appears the enemy is having a heyday with my life at the moment.

     The only step I can take is to place myself in Your hands. Even though I am weak, I know that Your power in me can be the strongest when I am at my weakest. I choose now, Lord, to be strong in the power of Your might.

     I bring my present situation to You. I trust You to show Yourself strong in the midst of every negative circumstance facing me. I will rely upon Your power and might, taking a step toward the words Paul spoke in Ephesians 6:10. By faith, I proclaim that I will be strong in You—in the power of Your might. Amen.

Standing in His Strength

     You and I have just started to pull ourselves out of the hole the enemy has dug for us. We have affirmed the godly principle set forth by Paul: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” It will take persistence in faith to move fully into the outworking of that declaration. But you and I have started the process today.

                               Derek Prince Ministries            Article

                            -----------------------------------------------------------------

No matter who shares  inspired encouragement,  all points back to Jesus, His Strength,  His armor,  His Word.   The Father is taking us deeper and higher into who Jesus is and who we have been recreated In Him to be!

I know that turning my focus on Him  this morning,  and preparing this post,  has already turned my head and heart around.  Choosing Him is always a *very Good and Great thing to do!  

(* The italicized expression is credited my  granddaughter when she was a child....and quite appropriately, her name is Hope!)

About Timely Messages

In a recent email one of my daughters mentioned a message of Joel Osteen's saying, it "was excellent".  After looking it up, I discovered it was, indeed, excellent.  He entitled it Shame Off You.  Even if you don't believe you have been affected by shame, this message has the power in it to touch souls and spirits in ways which can bring strength and healing on many levels.  It did for me.  

And no matter how mature we are-or even think we are- God is bigger and knows how our hearts have been affected by life's difficulties on levels we are not aware of.  And we're living in a particular time where God is intently going about raising up and maturing His people according to what HE knows maturity is.  This process involves revealing, healing and cleansing us as He removes those things in our lives which have hindered us from becoming all He created us to be. 

It is actually a part of realignment.  And contrary to what I may have written or suggested before, it is a continuing process.  He never quits, but we do need to co-operate.  This is a time when He is "full on" bringing all things into one in Christ Jesus.  He won't make us go with Him as He will NOT impede our free will, but we can choose to go where ever He wants to take us, because His love and desire for us is very great.

And one fact I find very interesting and so consistent with God's way of doing things is this: Those who are carrying out their assignment in full time ministry are all speaking about subjects which compliment what God is doing in the  now which is exactly the demonstration of Ephesians 4:16.  And please notice that it is based on love....everything God does is based on love because He Is LOVE! 

Ephesians 4:16New King James Version (NKJV)

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

I'll close now with the link where you can see and hear Joel  Osteen presenting Shame Off You, a message in line with him carrying out this scripture.

http://www.itbn.org/index/detail/lib/people/sublib/Joel+Osteen/ec/tsYjBvYTE6Vgz4dVwrn-xsW_7VSRS_mC