Lovers Always Get More Done Than Doers

(6 minutes)

"Lovers always get more done than doers. I want to add something to that statement: Fascination will always take you places determination never will. The question today is: are we fascinated with Him?" (Pastor Tim)

Pastor Tim compared the lives of two men on Sunday: John the Beloved and Peter. John the Beloved being a picture of fascination. And Peter being a picture of determination. When Jesus reveals that there is a betrayer in the group, the response of these two is so different.

Then Jesus was moved deeply in his spirit. Looking at his disciples, the announced, "I tell you the truth--one of you is about to betray me." Eyeing each other, his disciples puzzled over which one of them could do such a thing. The disciple that Jesus dearly loved [John the Beloved] was at the right of him at the table and was leaning his head on Jesus. Peter gestured to this disciple to ask Jesus who it was he was referring to. Then the dearly loved disciple leaned into Jesus' chest and whispered, "Master, who is it?" (John 13:21-25)

Do you see the difference? Peter, secretly wondering who the betrayer was and probably questioning whether it was him or not, looks over to John the Beloved to get the answer. Why didn't Peter ask Jesus himself? Because fascination will always take you places determination never will. Peter was determined to follow Jesus, but John was deeply fascinated with Him and stayed incredibly close to His heart. John's posture at this supper says everything. Even before this talk about a betrayer was mentioned, John was already leaning his head on Jesus.

"Even in this moment, after three and half years, you've got a determined Peter who knows that the fascinated John can get an answer that determination can not get. Determination, in my opinion, will fail when fascination never does. This is why it's important that you cultivate fascination with the King, not determination. Determination can be a good thing, but if that's all that you're working on, everyone gets tired, everyone gets sleepy, everyone gets worn out. But someone who's in love can also be at rest. Determination will slap wear you out. Determination will tell you what you're doing is never good enough. Fascination comes along and says, 'You are good enough.'" (Pastor Tim)

Are we cultivating fascination with the King or are we just trying harder and harder to please Him? Have we cultivated enough fascination with Jesus to get answers for ourselves, or are we still sitting in determination relying on others to get answers for us? Do we feel rested or do we feel worn out? These are things we can look at to see if we're cultivating fascination or determination in our relationship with Yahweh. But we must realize that these are two totally different ways of relating to Jesus, and they carry two totally different standards.

"The standards set in Christianity are not the standards in a love affair...there must be an indicator between fascination and determination, lover and doer. There must be something different between Christianity and a lover of Yahweh. You put the two together at the start of the race, they may look similar. But check on them down the road. You know it and I know it, because we get wore out, we get tired, we start to wane in our affection for Him, we start to wane in the love affair when it's about determination, when it's about rule and regulations, what I have and have not done." (Pastor Tim)

Where do you find yourself today?

Do you relate more with John the Beloved or Peter the Determined?

Yahweh is inviting you into a life of fascination. He's inviting you to stop rowing and put down your ores, so you can learn to enjoy this love affair between you and Him. He wants everything you do to flow from a place of love and fascination. Stop running around doing things that Abba never asked you to do and come lay your head on the chest of Jesus. You have to get this close to hear His heart.

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Worship: "Open Space" by Housefires

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

The Authority of Beloved Sons and Daughters

(9 minutes)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.” And that is what happened....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.

Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.

Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened....

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day. (Genesis 1)

"Sometimes what you have to say, what you continuously say, no matter where you are, tells everyone around you what you really believe. Because when things are good, we speak good. But when things aren't going our way, what does our voice sound like to the people around us?" (Pastor Tim)

Pastor Tim mentioned the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (which were their slave names - their Hebrew names were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah). They literally were thrown into fire, but what did they continue to speak through that entire situation?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18)

Storms have a way of bringing our true thoughts and feelings to the surface. What we really believe always flows out when we go through something hard or difficult. Our words shift when we encounter opposition. Are our words lining up with Abba's even when we go through something difficult? Are we fully convinced and able to say, "Yahweh will rescue me, but even if He doesn't I will not bow to any thoughts or opinions that are not His!"

"What are you speaking in circumstances and situations? And you don't get a hall pass on not speaking anything. What if the thing your heart desires is waiting on you to speak it into those situations and circumstances?" (Pastor Tim)

What is this really about? This is about beloved sons and daughters regaining the authority that Yahweh gave them in the beginning. And that authority is exercised the same way Yahweh used His authority to create everything in the earth - through speaking.

"Abba does not set anything in motion where there are not people to stand in authority. How big of a deal is it when we just let our authority go and sit around talking and waiting for some big thing to happen to snatch us out of here, and God is waiting for people to step into authority in the places in which they are planted. You have been given that authority." (Pastor Tim)

This is a process and Abba is not in a hurry, but He's waiting on our "Yes and I Do," to get started. We have to wake up to who we are - we are just like Him! Abba planted a garden and then He planted Adam and Eve inside of it to have authority over it. Why? So they would make the entire planet, in time, look just like that Garden of Delight that Yahweh gave them. Are we going to step into the authority that Yahweh is trying to give us to bring about the restoration of all things, or will we continue to abdicate that authority to a defeated enemy and a curse that no longer exists?

Beloved One, the choice is yours. It always has been. What tree will you eat from?

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Worship: "Let It Happen" by United Pursuit

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

What Are You Speaking?

(8 minutes)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.” And that is what happened....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.

Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”....

And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.

Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened....

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day. (Genesis 1)

"Are you seeing a pattern of God's character here? Did God break His toolbelt out and start building? How did God do things? He spoke it. What are you speaking? What are you saying?" (Pastor Tim)

How does Yahweh create things out of formless things? He simply starts speaking. He doesn't roll up His sleeves and start wrestling and striving. No! He just speaks what He wants to see happen, and that's what happens. And guess what? You were made in His image and likeness. How are we using our words? What are we speaking over ourselves, our bodies, our families, our neighborhoods? What are we speaking over our spouses and our children? What are speaking over our city? What are speaking over the Gulf of Mexico when we hear about a storm brewing? Our words matter more than we know. Abba created with His words and then He created us to be just like Him. So what does that say about your words?

"Can you see the gold in something before you say something about it?" (Pastor Tim)

This speaks to something very important. Like Pastor Tim said on Sunday, you can speak something until you're blue in the face but if you don't believe it then it will not have the Kingdom effect that it's intended to have. Why? Because speaking has to flow from believing. Remember, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). The Passion Translation says, "For what has been stored up in your hearts will be heard in the overflow of your words!" Abba doesn't speak things that He is internally doubting. He speaks things that He has been storing up in His heart. When we speak, how convinced are we that it will come to pass? Do we actually believe and see what we are speaking? How much time have we spent seeing the gold in someone or something, and letting that overflow into our words?

"I have committed to speaking only positive things over my family. Well Tim, are you ignoring the negative? No! Hey guys, I've got news for you, it's easy to walk out these doors and find dirt. Dirt is everywhere. We all have it. It's easy to find. But I gave you two reasons every single person on this planet should be honored: image and likeness." (Pastor Tim)

What are you going to search for today? The dirt that's easy to find, or the gold? What will you commit to speaking over yourself and others today? Will you allow Abba to show you what He's seeing and what He's saying?

Beloved One, you were made in His image and likeness, and everyone else was made that way, too. Start there!

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Worship: "I'm A Lover of Your Presence" by Bryan & Katie Torwalt

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

The Father Loves Formlessness

(6 minutes)

"I'm just asking you to take what is said in this room into intimacy with the Lord, and ask Him about it. Don't shut off your brain with your opinion. Part of turning to Him and having the veil removed is being open to receive and hear something that maybe you haven't heard before. Maybe part of having an open heart is being able to say, 'I will let myself hear and ponder this word.' Because it's the pondering that allows it to go deeper into your heart and change a moment, change a life, and change a generation." (Pastor Tim)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2)

"Understand Abba is attracted to the formless things. Maybe we have not had Him attracted to some of our things because we demanded that it look a certain way. What is God repelled by because we won't let Him decide what it looks like, what it sounds like. The word of God says that the attribute of God Himself is that He's attracted to formless things, but we build things and then say, 'Lord, will you please do something with this thing that I built? Do something with this job that I want? Do something with who I am?' And Abba is saying, 'Well, wait a minute. Let's start from scratch.' And we say, 'Oh no, I'm not willing to start from scratch.' But see, there's something about Abba that's attracted to formless things." (Pastor Tim)

Are we allowing Abba to bring us to the place of formlessness? Or are we demanding that He do something with what we've already built? Wow, what a question to bring into intimacy with Abba today. Abba loves when we're willing to level something to the ground so He can build what He wants to build in our lives. Formlessness frightens us sometimes because we secretly want to be in control of every aspect of our life. But there is so much peace and joy in letting go and letting Abba establish us. Abba is attracted to formlessness - our willingness to let go of what we want, so we can have something better - what He wants!

"What are you demanding to hold onto that you built, but Abba is refraining from filling with His presence and power? Could this be an issue in the Bride? We've built things to look the way we like, instead of asking Him what do you like? See, we're here to minister and serve Abba. We're here to behold Him. This entire thing is supposed to be for Him. But we got over into making it for you. And that's the problem. If I make it for you, I've got to entertain you. And it's not you I'm trying to get here. I want Him here!" (Pastor Tim)

Is our life, is our day about ministering and serving Abba, or is it about entertaining and serving ourselves? Do we want more of His presence, or do we just want more of ourselves and our own opinions and thoughts? What are we demanding to hold onto that we built for ourselves that Abba is refraining from filling with His presence and power because He prefers the formless things over things built without Him in mind?

Embracing formlessness requires us to also embrace His Lordship. Formlessness requires us to trust that Abba is pure light and that there's no trace of darkness in Him. Formlessness requires us to believe that He knows what is best for us. Formlessness asks us to trust His goodness.

Beloved One, it's okay to become clay in the Potter's hands. His hands are the safest place you can be. Just trust Him and know that what He's wanting to build is so much better!

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Worship: "Palm of Your Hand" by TRIBL

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Cultivating An Ear To Hear

(5 minutes)

But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the "Lord" I'm referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)

"How do we value a moment? You just simply turn your heart to Him in that moment. That's it. This is the key. I'm turning my heart to Him in a moment. That's how I value the moment. I turn my heart to Him in the moment and ask Him, 'Abba, what do you want to do today? What are we going to do in this moment?' It's called cultivating an ear to hear." (Pastor Tim)

This is exactly what we are being invited into today as we take the walk with Abba. We're learning how to hear. We're cultivating an ear to hear Abba in every moment. We're inheriting a sensitivity to His voice. Just like newborn babies learning to speak, it takes time and practice. It starts with singular words until it evolves into full-blown conversations. But we can't despise the small beginnings. Can we be intentional and focus on hearing just one word from Abba today? And can we value that word and cherish that word until it has its intended effect on our lives? Abba doesn't waste anything, and He's not wasting words that you can't hear yet. Right now, we're just cultivating an ear to hear as we turn our hearts to Him in these moments.

"The key here is having an open heart. I can't tell you how many times in my walk with the Lord that I find myself turning to Him, but it's not with an open heart. I turn to Him with my opinion that I've already cultivated. That's why things don't change. Someone responds in a way I don't want them to respond in, I turn to Him with an already built and cultivated opinion so that my heart never changes to the situation. I respond the same way every time." (Pastor Tim)

And this will happen again and again until we turn to Abba with open hearts. Until we turn to Him with our opinion set aside, willing to hear something completely different than what we've thought and believed up until this moment. Having an open heart is key. An open heart in Abba's presence can lead to true transformation. But a closed heart only ensures that we get more of the same and nothing changes.

"Wouldn't you like to understand someone's motive in what they're saying to you in a situation? Wouldn't you like to have wisdom going into a business situation that other people don't have? Wouldn't you like to know what to pray for for your family in circumstances of difficulty? The Holy Spirit has those answers." (Pastor Tim)

Abba has Kingdom-solutions waiting for you, but they're tucked away in these moments. They're waiting on your open heart to turn to Him so the veil can be lifted and so heaven can be established on earth through your intimacy with Abba. This is what Abba has in store for His beloved sons and daughters. He wants to come alongside you today and teach you how to cultivate an ear to hear. And this all happens when we show up and take the walk with Him.

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Worship: "Open Space" by Housefires

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Abba Values Every Moment

(5 minutes)

But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the "Lord" I'm referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)

"Do not miss the value of one moment. You might be going to the grocery store for a moment, and Abba is intending to encounter you there. But we miss it because we're distracted. We might miss something that the Lord wants to teach us because we're distracted. Value your moments. No one knows the last moment, so value every moment." (Pastor Tim)

Every moment is important to Abba. In the day ahead of you, there will be moments that you deem unimportant or throw-away moments, but Abba looks at every moment as extremely valuable. There are no throw-away moments. Abba is in them all, luring us to Himself. How are we viewing these moments? Are we trying to get through them as fast as possible to get to the ones we value? Or are we taking our time with Abba in each moment, turning our open hearts to Him, and seeing what He has to say? If you feel yourself getting distracted today, just turn your heart right back to Abba.

"How do we determine a valuable moment? By the joy we're having in that moment. Do you consider your vacation moments better than your work moments? Why? Because you're enjoying yourself in the moment. Abba hasn't set this life up from one vacation to the next, it's set up from one breath to one breath. A father wants his children to enjoy every single moment of their lives. What if He's just waiting for your full, undivided attention in a moment? Think about that." (Pastor Tim)

This is the new paradigm for beloved sons and daughters. Your true north will now be overwhelming joy. That's the direction that Abba wants your life to move towards. Joy in every moment. This is Abba's heart for every one of His children, just like it's our heart for our children. This can be quite an adjustment because religion never allowed us to experience the fullness of joy. But you have to be convinced of this today - Abba desires that enjoyment be the theme of your life. How do we determine a valuable moment? By the joy we're having in that moment.

How will you approach the moments in your day?

Do you believe that Abba wants you to experience overwhelming joy?

Take the walk with Abba today and let Him convince you of the truth. Let Him share His heart with you and show you how He views every moment of your life. Wade a little deeper into the river of Abba's love today because He has so much in store for His lovers.

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Worship: "Goodness of God" by Bethel Music

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Jesus Really Did Change Everything

(7 minutes)

Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the Lord will display his glory, the splendor of our God.

With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.”

And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.

And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there. Lions will not lurk along its course, nor any other ferocious beasts. There will be no other dangers. Only the redeemed will walk on it. Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness. (Isaiah 35:1-10 NLT)

"You believe so emphatically that Adam taking a bite of that little apple was so powerful that it changed you, me and the entire planet. But you don't give Jesus the same power. You don't believe that He was crucified on the cross, resurrected, and when He said, 'It's finished and I've got the keys of authority here and I give them to you,' we don't give Him the same power that Adam has eating apples. Because if we did, we would be saying, 'Wait a minute! This thing is supposed to be changing because of what He did!' Think about it. Just stop for a moment and think about it. Adam is not stronger and more powerful that Jesus, the Son of God. It's not about your eternal destination, it's about the restoration of this planet. It's about the restoration of all things." (Pastor Tim)

Maybe this comes down to how powerful we believe Jesus' death and resurrection is, because if we believe that Jesus' life was as effective as Adam's we would certainly believe that the world is changing now, for better not for worse. If Adam's life was powerful enough to send the cosmos into ruin, Jesus' life, the life of the Son of God, must be just as powerful to reverse the curse and send the cosmos in the direction of restoration.

Like Pastor Tim said on Sunday, let's just stop and think about it. Let's stop and think about what we've believed and what we've put our confidence in. Has it been the power of the curse and the end of the world? Or has it been the power of the cross to reverse the curse of sin and death and bring about the total restoration of all things? We wholeheartedly believe that Adam's sinful life changed everything. Do we wholeheartedly believe that Jesus' sinless life changed everything, too.

We inherited a theology from religion that painted the Father in darkness and made Jesus' life of little to no effect. The consequence of these empty theologies has been the complete loss of hope. And all we've been left with is dreaming of heaven while we wander around unfulfilled on the earth. This is not what Abba wants for His beloved sons and daughters.

"We have to go back and fix some of these broken theologies that we were hand-fed by delusional men. Let God speak to your heart today. Ask yourself this question: do I really believe He loves me? Am I His favorite?" (Pastor Tim)

Abba is giving us an elevated point of view! It's going to start with having these questions answered in intimacy with Him. Once Abba repairs these broken theologies in His presence, we will see hope restored and overwhelming joy become the theme of our life. That is where we are heading and some of us are beginning to see these blossoming buds springs up in our internal garden. Abba is removing the weeds and making room for the fruit of the Kingdom to grow, expand, and take over.

Beloved One, take Abba's hand and let Him show you the weeds that need to go so the real you can begin to bloom.

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Worship: "Goodness of God" by Bethel Music

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Springs Gushing Forth In The Wilderness

(7 minutes)

Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the Lord will display his glory, the splendor of our God.

With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.”

And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.

And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there. Lions will not lurk along its course, nor any other ferocious beasts. There will be no other dangers. Only the redeemed will walk on it. Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness. (Isaiah 35:1-10 NLT)

"We're waiting on Him to come back to change things, and He's waiting on us to find out who we are and what we have. And we're still wondering if He loves us. 'I so loved the world that I gave my only begotten son,' and we've never really stopped to think that He loved us on that side of giving His son, we only thought we were loved because He gave His son. And we never stopped to read the words. 'I so loved the world,' that word 'world' is cosmos. Let me blow your mind here: maybe Elon Musk is not crazy for wanting to colonize Mars. If it's cosmos, does God waste His time making planets that you and I can't see with the naked eye. Be careful what you say is impossible or dumb." (Pastor Tim)

We're waiting on Jesus to come back, and Jesus is waiting on the restoration of all things. Let's read Acts 3:21 again:

For he [Jesus] must remain in heaven until the restoration of all things has taken place, fulfilling everything that God said long ago through his holy prophets. (Acts 3:21)

Fulfilling everything that God said long ago through his holy prophets, like Isaiah and what Isaiah saw in the scripture above. Until the wilderness and desert are rejoicing and singing with joy. Until Yahweh's people are living longer than trees and overwhelmed with escstatic joy. Until weariness and grief disappear. Until infants are no longer dying. Until springs are gushing forth in the dry places, until the barren places are bursting forth with abundant blossoms. The Passion Translation says these wilderness places will be dancing and singing with delight! And we've already established how this will happen. The wilderness will be able to sing and rejoice, because it will witness a song of rejoicing and joy in the beloved sons and daughters.

Jesus must remain in heaven until the restoration of all things, but we've been hoping for the destruction of all things and His triumphant return. The scripture is clear, when Jesus returns there will only be one enemy left to defeat, and that will be death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26). All of the other enemies will have been dealt with by Kingdom men, women, and children who know who they are and what they have.

Do you know who you are and what you have?

"Every promised land didn't start off as a promised land. We just got into the habit of looking for beautiful places when we were designed to make places beautiful." (Pastor Tim)

You carry the radiance of the Kingdom, and you're designed to light up every place you go. You have the same Holy Spirit living in you that raised Jesus from the dead. You carry Kingdom solutions that only you can usher into the world. The entire cosmos is just waiting on your authentic, divine identity to be revealed. The cosmos is waiting for you to wake up. Do you know who you are and what you have?

Beloved One, you an exact image of Yahweh. The wilderness is waiting for you and what you carry.

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Worship: "So Will I (100 Billion X)" by Amanda Cook

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

The Wilderness Will Rejoice!

(7 minutes)

"We stopped short of telling people what they were saved for. When someone doesn't know what they're designed to be and do, and what their life's purpose is, you know what they do? They wander around trying to find something to fulfill their life. You know, you don't have an anything problem, you have a fulfillment problem. When you are unfulfilled, you know what you, me, all of us in this room do? Find ourselves something to fulfill an area that is only designed to be fulfilled by what God says about you." (Pastor Tim)

Religion only ever told us what we were saved from, but Abba is coming to us now and unveiling what beloved sons and daughters were actually saved for. We are designed to be actively engaged in the restoration of all things. And we're going to dive into another scripture that tells us what we're uniquely designed to bring to the cosmos, if we dare to believe that what Abba says is true.

Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the Lord will display his glory, the splendor of our God.

With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.”

And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.

And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there. Lions will not lurk along its course, nor any other ferocious beasts. There will be no other dangers. Only the redeemed will walk on it. Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness. (Isaiah 35:1-10 NLT)

How does a wilderness rejoice? How can a desert be glad? How does a wasteland rejoice and blossom with flowers that are singing with joy?

"I'm going to tell you how that happens. It watches you singing and having joy. Do not lose this Kingdom principle: nothing happens around you that's not first happening in you...Nothing changes in your family until it happens in you first. Jesus said, 'Metanoia, the Kingdom of God is at hand, and it is within.' That means that every problem that you step into is designed to be changed by the Kingdom of God in you. Jesus gets up during the storm and rebukes the storm because He has more peace in Him than that storm has chaos." (Pastor Tim)

This is how the total restoration of all things takes place. The Kingdom within us begins to transform every place that the sole of our foot touches. Just like Peter, our effervescence, the spilling over of our life with Yahweh, will begin to transform our surroundings. The presence of Kingdom men and women will cause the land to rejoice with singing. The cosmos is standing on tip-toe, waiting for these beloved sons and daughters to be unveiled. Why? Because it's waiting for someone to usher it back to Yahweh's original, intended purpose, and it's Yahweh's children that will bring this to fruition. The cosmos is waiting for you to step into your original design, so it can follow suit.

Abba is giving us the grace, the permission, to step into being our true self, the one He created to look just like Him. This has to start with our believing what Abba says about us, and believing what Abba says about this world that He has planted us in. Turn your heart to Abba and allow Him to show you what you were made for. He wants to bring fulfillment and enjoyment into your life, and that comes as you discover who He really is and who you really are.

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Worship: "Jireh" by Naomi Raine & Cory Asbury

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Every Moment Matters

(5 minutes)

But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the "Lord" I'm referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)

"But the moment...Don't miss how special those three words are - but the moment. What is God saying about the moment? We are blowing by the moment that He has predestined to speak to your heart because we are unwilling to turn ours to His. And a moment wasted, that can't be gotten back, a breath breathed that cannot be returned to us. We say we're waiting on Him, I dare say He's waiting on us to value the moment. But the moment one turns..." (Pastor Tim)

This day is going to be filled with moments. Moments that Abba is wanting to speak to us. Moments that He wants to be invited into so He can share His heart with us. Are we valuing every moment like Abba is? Or are we blowing past these opportunities, just trying to get by until the next big encounter? These moments matter. They are important to Abba, and they need to become important to us. The Kingdom doesn't just want to invade our Sunday mornings. All of heaven is waiting to invade every moment of our day.

And these daily encounters with Abba are not off-limits to anyone. Everyone is invited into this life-union with Yahweh. There are no measurements or requirements to keep people out. Abba is simply asking all of us to turn our open hearts to Him in a moment so the veil, the blind-spots in our lives, can be lifted. Abba is after our freedom. Abba is after our becoming fully alive, beloved sons and daughters.

"I love that there's no situations that would disqualify you from being turned to Him in this moment. It doesn't say, 'unless you did this.' Or 'unless you didn't read your Bible this morning.' Or 'unless you didn't pray.' Or 'unless you didn't go to church.' It doesn't say any of that. There's nothing that disqualifies you from being able to turn your heart to Him. Nothing." (Pastor Tim)

Abba's arms are open wide in every single moment. We're not waiting on Him. He's waiting on us to show up for the walk. He has great expectations and hopes for every moment. Kingdom solutions are waiting on us to turn our open hearts to Him.

Let's practice the presence of God today. Let's practice turning our hearts to Him in every moment. And if your attention drifts away, that's okay. The moment you realize that, simply turn your heart back to Abba and say, "Where were we, Abba?" I think you'll find that the conversation simply picks up right where you left off with no shame or condemnation.

Beloved One, allow the Holy Spirit to change how you see the moments in your day. Every moment matters to Abba.

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Worship: "Make Room" by Community Music

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Weeds In The Garden

(5 minutes)

But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the "Lord" I'm referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)

"If you have blindspots driving, you got blindspots doing life. And things creep in. Understand your life, your heart, is like a garden. Abba compares your life to a garden. What happens if you don't pay attention to the garden? One day it looks good, the next day it's full of weeds. Just that fast. Not because you're out there throwing seeds of weeds out. It's because that's what happens. And you'll justify the weeds. You'll call them flowers. You'll call them 'God's creation.' God forbid. You know what we do: we look at weeds and we say, 'God is okay with those weeds.' Not because you want to be wrong, but because you're blinded, because I'm blinded. And some of us are out here calling some decisions that we're making, some actions, some habits, God's will, and it's a weed. And we don't even know it." (Pastor Tim)

And like Pastor Tim said, the goodness of God is not running away from these areas in our lives. The goodness of God is coming to take a walk with us to talk about the very things we're trying to avoid. And this is why our turning to the Lord with an open heart is so important. Because we all have blindspots, and the only thing that transforms these areas is our turning to Abba and allowing Him to lift the veil so we can see clearly. Is Abba trying to address something that we're trying to avoid?

"You see, that's a change from church. Church will tell you He'll run from you and the weed. That's not what God does. He puts His gardening gloves on, invites you into the garden, and says, 'Hey, can we talk about this?' He's not scared to look at it. He's not scared to invite you into a conversation about it. Typically, it's us that doesn't want to talk about it. Typically it's us that makes an excuse for it. We build these excuses around these weeds and Abba is saying, 'That weed is choking out the life I intended for you to have.' And it's not to bring shame and condemnation, it's to say, 'I've got something better for you!' Could you at least believe that sometimes when something is brought up, and it starts off offensive, that it's the goodness of God saying, 'I've got something better for you. You deserve better!'" (Pastor Tim)

It all comes down to a moment. You see, these transformations are waiting for us in every single moment that we're willing to turn to Abba. Every moment is significant. Every breath is significant. Abba is eagerly waiting for us in every single moment. How are we treating the moments in our day? Do we see every moment as an opportunity to turn to Abba? What are your expectations for the moments in this day ahead of you?

Beloved One, Abba is waiting for you in this moment, right now. Will you open your heart and turn to Him and allow His goodness to remove every veil?

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Worship: "I Am Loved" by Maverick City Music

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

I’m Enough Because I’m Just Like You

(8 minutes)

Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more.

No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken! (Isaiah 65:17-25)

"What happens when a group of people start to believe that they are so important that when they step out of a building they can see a city changed? That doesn't happen until you believe that about yourself. Nothing in culture changes as long as you believe you do not have anything to offer culture. You are made in His image and His likeness, and He gives us our purpose: have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Pastor Tim)

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28)

"Every time you come into agreement that you are not enough to see the things around you changed, because you're still looking at the inside of you and you haven't seen it changed yet, you come into agreement with a lie and you hand your authority over. Maybe we're not seeing Isaiah 65 fulfilled yet because we still don't believe it's possible. 'Tim, I can't lose these last ten pounds, how am I going to see my neighborhood changed?' Maybe those last ten pounds are waiting on you to believe that you are more than enough without losing ten pounds, before they go. Maybe the things that you believe will finally speak that you're good enough is not what the Lord wants speaking to you that you're anything. He wants you to believe what He says about you. And every time we come in and we don't believe what God says about us, we give our authority right back to the enemy." (Pastor Tim)

All the enemy has is lies. And the primary lie is that you are not good enough. He came to Eve and convinced her that something was missing, that she was broken, that she was nothing like God. But the truth was that Eve was made in the image AND likeness of God. She was just like God, but believing the lie that she wasn't empowered the enemy.

Abba is asking us to believe Him, to trust Him and what He says about us, and to not believe any lie that speaks something different than Him. And He wants us to believe up front, not because we've seen and been convinced by our seeing, but we've believed simply because it's what He has said - because it's what He has spoken.

"You have to start saying these things before you even see anything. The problem is we don't believe anything we don't see. This is not how the Kingdom works. I'll believe I'm a beloved son when I get my life in order. Nope! You're a beloved son and daughter right now, with nothing changed, with nothing different. You are made in His image and His likeness, and you are more than enough. You've been given all authority because Jesus purchased it with His crucifixion. He came to save that which was lost." (Pastor Tim)

What if this is right? What if you've been made to see everything changed around you? What if God has put enough of His Kingdom in you to see all of this city changed? What if all it took was to believe what He says about you?

Take a walk with Abba today and let Him convince you of the truth about who you are. Come into agreement with what He says! This is how we see the restoration of all things.

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Worship: "You Say" by Lauren Daigle

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Yahweh’s Plan From The Beginning

(7 minutes)

Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more.

No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken! (Isaiah 65:17-25)

"We can't hope to see anything done that we don't believe is possible. We must begin to challenge the things that we believe...This matters so much, because without hope, without theology being transformed and changed, you won't even see your own life properly. You won't see the value in your own life." (Pastor Tim)

We're trying to answer the question: is Isaiah 65 really what God wants to see happen on the earth, or is it destined to be plunged into ruin and destruction? Is it all supposed to get worse, or is the Kingdom supposed to expand until the glory of the Lord covers the earth like the waters cover the sea?

If we want to know God's heart for the cosmos, we need to go back to the very beginning. If we want to know what Yahweh's intentions were, we just need to go back to the start and see what direction He wanted this to go.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28)

Yahweh started with a garden, but He intended for that garden to take over the whole world. His heart was for Adam and Eve to grow, so their dominion would grow. Abba wants the entire cosmos returned to Garden-status. You can see His heart in these first words He shared with Adam and Eve: "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." God started with a small garden that Adam and Eve could handle, but He wanted that Garden of Delight to subdue the entire world.

Like Pastor Tim said, Yahweh pressed pause on this plan when Adam and Eve fell, but the moment Jesus died on that cross and was resurrected, God set the world back on course to be overtaken by the government of His Kingdom. It has been slowly, but surely, getting better and better ever since Jesus reclaimed authority. And He has given that authority to us. He has given that authority to you. Do you believe it?

We will not see anything done, that we don't believe is possible. Our faith and hope are required to see heaven invade earth. What are you believing for? What are you expecting? Do you believe things will get worse? Or do you see what Isaiah saw - the leaven of the Kingdom expanding in every area until everything is restored?

What if "things have to get worse" is an awful lie of the enemy designed to get beloved sons and daughters to stop cultivating Yahweh's garden and hand over their authority to transform the world?

What if Isaiah was right?

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Worship: "You Restore Everything" by Rick Pino

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Is It Even Possible?

(7 minutes)

Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more.

No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken! (Isaiah 65:17-25)

I think it's clear to us now that this scripture is not talking about heaven. Isaiah is seeing this happen on the earth where death is still a reality. Isaiah is seeing the Kingdom expanding and progressing so much, he's seeing the curse reversed to such a degree, that lifespans are now lasting as long as they were with the generations that came after Adam's fall in the Garden of Eden. Isaiah is seeing a day when the Kingdom is not just changing the nature of humans, it's changing the nature of all creation, empowering the wolves and lambs to eat together, and the lions to eat hay like cows.

So we've dealt with the fact that Isaiah isn't speaking of heaven. Now let's deal with the next issue...do you even believe that this is possible? Does your faith allow you to see this scripture becoming a reality? Do you believe that it's possible?

"I believe scripture tells us that all things are possible. And we serve a God who's attracted to the impossible because, with Him, everything is possible." (Pastor Tim)

We must allow this scripture to challenge what we think is possible. This is about letting Abba lift our hopes and expectations to match the hope of the Kingdom and what's possible with Yahweh. We can't receive this revelation of beloved identity and union with Yahweh, and not allow our hopes to rise to what's possible now that we're in life-union with Him.

"You're not waiting to die to get to heaven. Heaven is waiting on you to decide to bring it here, now... Be careful what you've already committed to not being possible. Maybe it's not possible because you don't believe it's possible. But a person with faith the size of a mustard seed can say to this mountain, 'Be thrown into the sea,' and it shall be done. Do you know some of the world's biggest mountains are in the sea? Just because you haven't done it, and just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean the word's not right. You can't not believe half of it because it doesn't make sense to you. We have to challenge some of the garbage we've been eating our entire lives." (Pastor Tim)

As you take the walk with Abba today, let Him lift your hopes and your expectations. Let Him show you what's possible, just like He showed Isaiah. Let Him show you how the Kingdom has been growing and expanding ever since Jesus was on that cross. Let Him show you how that moment marked the beginning of the end of the curse, and how it's progressively being reversed, day by day. Let the Holy Spirit show you how the beloved sons and daughters of Yahweh are going to play such a significant part in the restoration of all things. You're going to see the whole cosmos restored back to the Garden!

Then Jesus will return.

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Worship: "I Am Loved" by Maverick City Music

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Isaiah 65 - The New World Order

(7 minutes)

Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more.

No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken! (Isaiah 65:17-25)

The Holy Spirit wants us to answer a very important question concerning these scriptures: when and where will these things take place? Is this scripture talking about heaven, or heaven coming to earth?

Isaiah is speaking of a time when babies won't die when they're young, and adults won't die until they've lived a full life. Well, death doesn't exist in heaven.

Isaiah is speaking of a time when one hundred year old men and women will be considered young. A time when the life expectancy of humans will be the same as trees. Well, age isn't an issue in heaven.

So this scripture must be talking about what Yahweh intends to bring about on the earth. And like Pastor Tim said on Sunday, just because we haven't seen it doesn't mean it isn't possible. And just because we haven't seen it, doesn't mean we shouldn't believe for it.

The problem with this idea is that it goes against the American Christian theology we inherited that tells us how things are going to end. We've been taught for the longest time that things are supposed to get worse. We were told that things getting worse would actually be a sign that Jesus is coming back. Well, Isaiah is trying to tell us that things will not get progressively worse, but progressively better! What do we do with that? How can we continue to hold on to "things must get worse" when Isaiah is prophesying that things will get better and better as the Kingdom expands like leaven in the earth?

"We believe so infallibly in the absoluteness of Adam's fall, but we do not give Jesus the same benefit with His crucifixion and resurrection. We do not give Him the same power that we've given Adam in his fallenness. What was purchased at the resurrection? What was made available there? And what if I'm right?" (Pastor Tim)

We believe that Adam's fall affected the entire world and plunged it into ruin. Can we believe that Jesus' death and resurrection reversed that curse and has unleashed the ever-expanding Kingdom of God into the cosmos to bring total restoration and healing? Can we believe in the power of Jesus as much as we've believed in the power of Adam?

These are important questions that the Holy Spirit is putting before us as a Kingdom family. We can't carry hope, healing and total restoration into the world while we're secretly believing that things need to get worse in order for Jesus to return.

This scripture is challenging what we've put our hope in. Are we hoping for the destruction of all things or the restoration of all things? Destruction requires us to do nothing and believe for nothing. But the restoration of all things requires Kingdom men and women to be so convinced that they are beloved and made in the image and likeness of Yahweh that they would step into the ruined cities so they could be restored.

Sit with Isaiah 65:17-25, and ask Abba if He's talking about heaven, or if He's talking about heaven on earth. And if He's talking about something He intends to do on the earth, ask Him what opinions and ideas you might need to unlearn in order to be a part of this cosmic restoration of all things.

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Worship: "Wind of Love" by Joe L Barnes

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

I’m Just Like You

(5 minutes)

"I understand it's hard to encounter something when your whole life you've believed one way and then you see something a different way, but isn't that what turning your heart to the Holy Spirit's supposed to be about? If we turn our heart to the Holy Spirit and He lifts the veil, it promises that we will see. That means there are some areas we don't quite see right." (Pastor Tim)

The message that Pastor Tim brought to our Kingdom family this past weekend was stretching. You could sense that in the room. And this week we're going to dive back in and allow Abba to convince us of these truths. But before we do, I believe it's important to start with something that was stirred up in our worship - we need to believe differently about who we are.

If it's true that we're made in the image and likeness of Yahweh, and if it's true that we're joined in life-union to Jesus, then we must start believing that we are just like Him. We sang these words in our gathering yesterday, "I am enough, because I am just like You." I don't believe this was accidental at all. We need this foundational truth established in our hearts if we're going to see the things that we read in Isaiah 65.

You are made in the image and likeness of Yahweh.

You are joined to Jesus in perfect union.

You are a beloved son and beloved daughter of Abba.

You are just like Him.

You are enough, because He is enough. You are righteous, because He is righteous. What if the areas where we are still struggling are simply waiting for us to believe that we are just like Him?

"He didn't bring you here to stare at your resume. He brought you here to tell you that He loves you." (Pastor Tim)

The areas where you still believe you don't measure up are waiting on you to stare at His love long enough to be convinced that your being a beloved son and daughter means that you are just like your Father. There is nothing missing. There is nothing broken. There is nothing lacking. You have always been enough for Abba.

Our hope and confidence cannot flow from any other place than this: we are beloved sons and daughters of Abba, and we were made in His image and likeness. We have everything we need, right now, to be who Abba has created us to be. We are perfectly loved, and we can't mess this up. We just have to start believing this about ourselves, instead of the lies that we've picked up throughout the years.

Last week, Abba presented the question to us, "Who are you?"

And this week, He gave us the answer to that question: "Abba, I'm just like You!"

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Worship: "I'm Just Like You" - The Wilderness Place

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Who Are You?

(8 minutes)

One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for Esau, his older son, and said, “My son.”

“Yes, Father?” Esau replied.

“I am an old man now,” Isaac said, “and I don’t know when I may die. Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare my favorite dish, and bring it here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you, my firstborn son, before I die.”

But Rebekah overheard what Isaac had said to his son Esau. So when Esau left to hunt for the wild game, she said to her son Jacob, “Listen. I overheard your father say to Esau, ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare me a delicious meal. Then I will bless you in the Lord’s presence before I die.’ Now, my son, listen to me. Do exactly as I tell you. Go out to the flocks, and bring me two fine young goats. I’ll use them to prepare your father’s favorite dish. Then take the food to your father so he can eat it and bless you before he dies.”

“But look,” Jacob replied to Rebekah, “my brother, Esau, is a hairy man, and my skin is smooth. What if my father touches me? He’ll see that I’m trying to trick him, and then he’ll curse me instead of blessing me.”

But his mother replied, “Then let the curse fall on me, my son! Just do what I tell you. Go out and get the goats for me!” (Genesis 27:1-13)

Jacob learned something this day that would affect him long after this moment: you have to dress up and pretend to be someone else in order to get the blessing of your father.

So Jacob went out and got the young goats for his mother. Rebekah took them and prepared a delicious meal, just the way Isaac liked it. Then she took Esau’s favorite clothes, which were there in the house, and gave them to her younger son, Jacob. She covered his arms and the smooth part of his neck with the skin of the young goats. Then she gave Jacob the delicious meal, including freshly baked bread.

So Jacob took the food to his father. “My father?” he said.

“Yes, my son,” Isaac answered. “Who are you—Esau or Jacob?” (Genesis 27:14-18)

"This moment in Jacob's life is going to affect every decision he makes for the rest of his life. We don't realize how significant a moment is. We don't realize how significant someone saying an off-handed comment to us is. We don't realize how significant it is when a mom or a dad makes decisions, not for their kids, but for themselves. We don't know how significant other people's appetites are to us. Rebekah's going to teach her tender-hearted son how to play dress up when he gets into certain situations. Rebekah's going to teach Jacob that who he really is is not good enough in big moments. This moment in Jacob's life is going to shape the rest of his life. He will be on the run from this mistake for a good portion of his life. And I hear his father asking him, 'Who are you?'" (Pastor Tim)

What seems like a trivial question from Jacob's father is really the most important question that could be asked and it's coming straight from the Spirit of God - "Who are you - Esau or Jacob?"

Who are you?

Is this the real you or is this the pretender, the impostor? Is this the wild, authentic you that you were designed to be, or are you dressing up like someone else? Who are you?

All of us have probably lived through a moment like this, where we were told in one way or another that the real us wasn't good enough and didn't measure up. It was a moment when we started carrying what someone else put on us instead of what we were designed to carry. It was the moment that took our tender heart and taught it how to be hard and calloused. Up until this moment we were free to be who Abba created us to be, but after this moment we were caged and shut off from enjoying our original identity.

How long have you been making decisions based off of the impostor? How long have you been choosing this over that, all because that is what the "dressed up" version of you would do? How long have you pushed aside things that you were originally passionate about just so you could try to find the acceptance that you already had in Abba? "And the whole time, the world has lost the most important thing that God has made...you." (Pastor Tim)

Would you allow the Holy Spirit to reveal this moment to you? This isn't so you can meditate on the problem. The Holy Spirit will reveal where the lie came into your heart, and then you have to let Abba take you even further into the truth about who you really are. Abba wants to restore you to the wild, authentic, tender-hearted, passionate you that you were before you started dressing up like someone else.

Hear Abba's voice today asking, "Beloved son, beloved daughter, who are you?"

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Worship: "Real Thing" by Maverick City Music

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Dressing Up To Be Loved

(7 minutes)

One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for Esau, his older son, and said, “My son.”

“Yes, Father?” Esau replied.

“I am an old man now,” Isaac said, “and I don’t know when I may die. Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare my favorite dish, and bring it here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you, my firstborn son, before I die.” (Genesis 27:1-13)

"That's important. The Father desires wild things. That means authentic things. That means things that have not been trapped, that are not in slavery. The Father wants wild things. He wants the real you, the real me. Not the tamed you, or the sophisticated me. The wild me. The one He made me to be, the one He made you to be. That's important." (Pastor Tim)

But Rebekah overheard what Isaac had said to his son Esau. So when Esau left to hunt for the wild game, she said to her son Jacob, “Listen. I overheard your father say to Esau, ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare me a delicious meal. Then I will bless you in the Lord’s presence before I die.’ Now, my son, listen to me. Do exactly as I tell you. Go out to the flocks, and bring me two fine young goats. I’ll use them to prepare your father’s favorite dish. Then take the food to your father so he can eat it and bless you before he dies.” (Genesis 27:1-13)

It's not hard to see that there's some dysfunction in this family. The language of "his Son, Esau," and "her son, Jacob," is evidence. This whole time, we thought it was just OUR family that had issues! Like Pastor Tim said on Sunday, this story is a witness that Yahweh will step into any family, any issue, and any circumstance, to change everything.

Rebekah, in this moment, passes the dysfunction that she learned when she was young on to her son by hatching a plan to manipulate Issac and get the blessing that belonged to Esau. Rebekah grew up in a family where this pattern of manipulation was very common. She's simply the product of the way she was raised, like we are. And she's using the only tool she has, manipulation. This is an example of the veils, the blind-spots in our lives, that have just become patterns and our way of being, but are not the real, authentic us that the Father desires.

“But look,” Jacob replied to Rebekah, “my brother, Esau, is a hairy man, and my skin is smooth. What if my father touches me? He’ll see that I’m trying to trick him, and then he’ll curse me instead of blessing me.”

But his mother replied, “Then let the curse fall on me, my son! Just do what I tell you. Go out and get the goats for me!” (Genesis 27:1-13)

Jacob learned something this day that would affect him long after this moment: you have to dress up and pretend to be someone else in order to get the blessing of your father.

How many of us have been told the same thing? How many of us have been convinced that we're not acceptable the way we are and the only way to get the attention of the Father is to dress up and pretend to be someone that we're not? How many of us are doing this because we're secretly fueled by a fear of being rejected?

These are the veils that Abba wants to remove. These are the areas where we are continuing to trust our own opinions and delusional thinking, rather than turning to Him so we can see who we really are and who He really is.

Abba wants a relationship with the real us, not the person we've been dressing up to be. The impostor and pretender are fueled by insecurity and questioning the Father's love, and hide for fear of rejection. Our authentic, original self is fueled by the total assurance of our beloved identity and trusts that we could never be more loved by the Father than we are right now.

Beloved One, you don't have to dress up to be loved.

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Worship: "Jireh" by Elevation Worship & Maverick City

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

The Veil Removed: Seeing Abba and Yourself Correctly

(5 minutes)

But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the "Lord" I'm referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)

"Let me say it like this: anywhere we're continuing to struggle and we see a pattern of struggle, we see a pattern of dysfunction, that means we have not invited Him in to be Lord of that area. We still have the ores in our hands. We think we can strength our way through it. We think our opinion about the situation is what's going to change the situation. And I don't know about you, I have allowed myself to sit in places that God did not design for me to sit for a long time, until I was ready to say 'Lord, I'm finally sick and tired of this spot.' And you know what's good about God...He will let you sit there. He's a gentleman." (Pastor Tim)

As we continue to invite the Spirit of Yahweh to be Lord of every area, we will see areas of struggle and dysfunction be transformed into areas of freedom. It truly does come down to our willingness to let our opinions go and surrender to Abba's point of view.

And the promise of God is that when we surrender to the Lordship of the Spirit in an area, the veil that keeps us from seeing correctly is removed. Why is it important that the veil be removed?

"It's important that the veil get removed so you can see God correctly. A lot of us are still wearing the veil of insecurity and we can't see God correctly. A lot of us are still wearing the veil of the mistake we committed and we see God through the mistake we did, instead of who He really is. We're wearing the veil that someone else put on us because they said we weren't good enough, and now we see God through that lens." (Pastor Tim)

These veils become blind-spots over time, and we need the Holy Spirit to reveal these things to us. Sometimes these veils are hard for us to see, which is why we must continually be turning to the Spirit. And this only happens as we turn to Him with OPEN hearts, allowing Him to be Lord, instead of us. It's not our opinion, or our hard work, or even our inspection of the dysfunctional areas of our life that will bring freedom. It's simply our yielding to the Spirit as Lord and allowing Him to reveal the truth to us about ourselves and about God. That is what will bring true freedom and transformation into the places we struggle.

Abba wants to reveal something to you today: who He really is and who you really are. Will you intentionally turn your open heart to Him? Will you surrender to the Spirit's Lordship? Will you let go of your opinion so you can inherit the truth? Are you ready to see the veil of insecurity removed? Are you ready to see the veil of your past mistake removed? Are you ready to see Abba and yourself rightly?

It's the desire of His heart to share these things with you today.

It's the desire of His heart that His beloved sons and daughters be free.

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Worship: "You Say" by Lauren Daigle

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!

Surrendering To The Spirit’s Lordship

(7 minutes)

But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the "Lord" I'm referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)

"I see people turn to the Lord in their speech, but not with an open heart. I see people turn to the Lord and say, 'Well, the Lord knows...He's sovereign,' but they still hold their opinion about a circumstance or a situation. They still hold their opinion about their life. An open heart, turning to the Lord looks like this: Lord, speak to me in any area, even if it offends me at first. When one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they will see." (Pastor Tim)

This is so important. Are we turning to the Lord only in speech, or are we turning to the Lord with an open heart? Are we tossing around language that's dressed up like Jesus, or are we ready to lay our opinions down and yield to Abba's perspective concerning a matter? Open hearts are hearts that invite all that Abba has to say about all that we are. Open hearts put everything on the table and hold nothing back. No area is off-limits to Abba.

It is possible to have surrendered language without a surrendered heart.

The promise of the veil being lifted and our being able to see hinges on our being willing to turn to the Lord, the Holy Spirit, with a heart that is wide open, ready to hear what Abba has to say about anything and everything.

What area is still off-limits to Abba?

Where is your opinion still speaking louder than Abba's voice?

These are the areas where we're crying out for freedom but have not yielded to the Lordship of the Spirit of Yahweh. Wherever the Spirit is Lord there is freedom, and wherever He is not Lord we will continue to struggle. True freedom is on the other side of surrendering to the Holy Spirit as Lord-owner, decider, and controller.

One of the main reasons we are still holding out on surrendering to His Lordship is that we are not fully trusting of His goodness. We started this year out in 1 John 1:5:

This is the life-giving message we heard him [Jesus] share and it's still ringing in our ears. We now repeat his words to you: God is pure light. You will never find even a trace of darkness in him.

The only thing that can convince us to change our minds and surrender to Abba's point of view is His goodness. I want to remind you of two words that Pastor Tim brought to our Kingdom family at the beginning of the year.

The first one is this: "Sunday, we are making another shift. We attempted to go into where we are going once before, but we were still too out of order to make the journey. This is going to be an incredible year of healing. The shift is this: a Father is sending us into Healing Waters."

The second word is this: "Some of you are going through things right now, and will go through things this year, that will be hard. And this is the word of the Lord to you in that situation: 'You settled for something that you were never intended to settle for.' You got comfortable with it. You built your life around it. And you tolerated things God never intended for you to tolerate. You went through things, you went through rejection and abuse, that you were never called to go through. And the reason it's coming up now is because God says, 'You deserve better! Your family deserves better! Your kids deserve better!' So when you're in the midst of that you need to look back to this word and stop saying, 'Why is this happening?', and, 'Why is it so hard?', and understand that this is God's goodness, too."

God's goodness is orchestrating every event in our lives, down to the last detail. God's goodness is what's leading us into healing waters. And God's goodness is what will transform us into beloved children who can fully trust the Father.

Encountering the goodness of Yahweh will make surrendering so much easier. It's easy to yield when you trust that the One you're surrendering to is incomprehensibly and beyond a shadow of a doubt...GOOD.

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Worship: "King of My Heart" by Bethel Music

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!