The Walk is a daily writing to inspire you in your own personal intimacy with Abba.

Listen, my radiant one—if you ever lose sight of me, just follow in my footsteps where I lead my lovers. (Song of Songs 1:8)

The Wilderness Place The Wilderness Place

Seek First

“So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.” Matthew 6:33

We often hear or read familiar scriptures like this and tend to glaze over what this really means. How do we practically and actively live out His words? Let’s start with “so above all,” this means first. The absolute first thing we do in each day is turn our heart to Him. In the morning when you wake up regardless of what is on the schedule for the day- You can say to Jesus, Good morning. Thank you for this this day. What do you want to show me about today? He has to be the absolute first thing our hearts engage with, not the news, social media or emails.

Define constantly: without variation, deviation or change. Always. Some other words you could use is consistent, nonstop, perpetual, uninterrupted.

Always seek Yahweh’s kingdom in every situation. What is His kingdom? In Romans 14, Paul describes the kingdom of Yahweh as the realm of the Holy Spirit. As a lover of Jesus, we enter into a tangible relationship with the Holy Spirit. This relationship causes us to prioritize the things of Jesus. What does this look like? Actively pursuing Him in prayer. Let’s change how we think of prayer when you hear the word. Prayer is a conversation with Jesus. When you are in a conversation the dialogue is a back and forth. This means there is a time for us to listen. Prayer is not always making request. These conversations can be ongoing throughout the day. When you are constantly seeking His kingdom, you will hear Him talk to you about a concern you brought to Him. Let me share a small testimony.

Early Sunday morning, 3 am, I woke up with some concerns on my heart. I turned to Him the concerns and expressed my heart in those matters. When I got up a couple of hours later, I had a text from someone I rarely talk to with this scripture. Philippians 4:6 have no cares; but in everything with prayer and praise put your request before God. Then during the message from Pastor Tim on Sunday, the Holy Spirit gave me a firm word regarding a couple of my concerns. He gave me tangible actions to deal with the concerns. Yahweh never stops speaking to us if we are listening.

How else can we prioritize seeking His kingdom? We meditate on the scriptures, His written word. Jesus tells us we are to meditate day and night on what the scriptures say. This means not just reading through them to check off the box. Take your time in a few scriptures. Ask Him questions about them. Holy Spirit, what does this mean? How can I actively apply this to my life? The other ways we prioritize Him is by putting His desires and His values at the forefront of every decision we make. We learn His desires and values by mediating on His written word and listening for His spoken word.

What is the fruit of seeking His kingdom and righteousness first? We have peace and joy in our lives. No matter what struggle or storm is happening you can have peace and joy when you are seeking Him first.

This life can be demanding. It vies for our time, our thoughts, our energy and action. We have to work because we have houses, cars and groceries to pay for, but we cannot allow ourselves to be consumed with these demands. We have family and friends we want to see healed and free from hardships. No matter what you are hoping for and wanting to see happen in your life it is on the other side of “seek first the Kingdom of Yahweh and His righteousness.”

Make Him priority and bring glory to Him in everything you do. He promises if you do this everything else will be added. All those things you need and desire He will give them to you in abundance but FIRST - Jesus!

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The Trap that Seems Right

“Write the following to the messenger of the congregation in Ephesus. For these are the words of the one who holds the seven stars firmly in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know all that you’ve done for me—you have worked hard and persevered. I know that you don’t tolerate evil. You have tested those who claimed to be apostles and proved they are not, for they were imposters. I also know how you have bravely endured trials and persecutions because of my name, yet you have not become discouraged. But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning.” Revelation 2:1-4

Jesus tells John the beloved to write a letter to the church of Ephesus. Timothy is the pastor of this church and a disciple of Paul. Jesus’ mother and Mary Magdelene attend this church. Church history tells us this congregation was 50,000 plus people. Why would Jesus need to have a third party write a letter to tell them where they are missing the mark? Did Timothy not know? They were doing church well, really well. Jesus tells them, you are working hard and persevering, you aren’t tolerating evil, you can recognize those who claim to be Jesus followers but are not, and you are bravely enduring trials and persecutions. Their persecutions usually end in death. Jesus even acknowledges they haven’t been discouraged. So, Jesus, what is the problem?

He says, “I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning.”

In other words, you have abandoned your first love. In the footnotes of TPT bible, the Greek word for “first” means foremost, best, paramount, supreme, crowning, number one. Jesus is referring to exclusive love that has first place in our hearts above all else.

How does this happen? How do we lose sight of our first love? Every person who finds himself/herself at the altar of surrender for the first time is there because we have come to realize our need for Him. The initial encounter sparks a love affair between us and Jesus. What happens next will determine the outcome of our lives. Unfortunately, American Christianity is mishandling the babies in Christ. These babies come with trauma, brokenness, wounds, dysfunctions, and insecurities. Instead of having a father, mother and family to care for them they have found themselves in a system that seems right. The first thing the church does is put them to work. They begin to serve (for Jesus) in some way. The more faithful you are to serve the faster you move up the leadership ladder. The faster you move up the ladder the more you must hide the problematic areas you came in with. Why are the church’s teaching people to dress up and mask what is really going on behind the scenes? It’s a trap, especially if you have a gift of singing, playing an instrument, or teaching in any way. It is unfortunate the degree leadership will overlook discrepancies in a person’s life if they have a gift that can be “used.” It is why you see so many leaders fall because the weight of carrying all the things you are hiding becomes too much. Proverbs 14:12 says, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

How come the church cannot help people to deal with the baggage they bring in? Why must they hide it? Because the LAMPSTAND has been removed. Jesus is the LAMPSTAND. If Jesus is not there in the midst of the people there is no presence, no power and the authority to confront matters is not available.

Think about how far you have fallen! Repent and do the works of love you did at first. I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place of influence if you do not repent. Although, to your credit, you despise the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also despise. The one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying now to all the churches. To the one who overcomes I will give access to feast on the fruit of the Tree of Life that is found in the paradise of God” Revelation 2:5-7

We have learned the real meaning of repent. It is metanoia, change the way you think, another word’s you must receive the mind of Christ. Think like Jesus. Repent is not turn from your wrong behaviors while saying I’m sorry.

Change how you think about your relationship with Jesus. He doesn’t care about you checking the boxes of attendance to church, reading your bible, witnessing to someone, or giving your money, if He is not the center of your life. He cares about your heart. Do you LOVE HIM? All of those components are important, but it has to be the fruit of a life centered on Jesus.

Jesus is saying to us today. Listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying to you. The one who overcomes He will give you access to feast on the fruit of the Tree of Life that is found in the paradise of God.

How do we overcome? We do the love we did at first. Maybe you are thinking I don’t know what that is because I was caught in the trap of service early on. It doesn’t happen instantly but over time of you turning your heart to Jesus and saying, “I want to love you.” He sees your heart and He wants your honesty. He swoops in with grace to walk with you as you learn to love Him and learn how to be loved by Him.

It is vitally important to find a kingdom family with a father who cares about you. A family will overlook your talents and gifts to see you become who Jesus died for. The beloved whom He loves. It is so refreshing to know at The Wilderness Place our family has a father who doesn’t care if you can sing, play an instrument or teach - he cares about your life. He desires to see you be the best husband/father and the best wife/mother. He cares about you loving Jesus. Period. We are learning a strong infrastructure starts with individuals having an intimate relationship with Jesus. As we grow in this relationship of loving Jesus, we know we have a Kingdom family who truly cares about us and our families. Let us hear the Spirit today say “Come, sit with Me as we feast.”

You need to know you are not alone in this walk. There is a family who is planted in beloved identity on Pass Rd in Gulfport waiting to walk with you through trials and tribulations as we learn to love Him intimately.

Our family is endeavoring to become free from all traps and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth!

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Promise with a Contingence

“But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done.” John 15:7

“But if you live in life union with me and if my words live powerfully within you then you can ask whatever you desire, and it will be done. That's a promise with a contingence. We love the verses that tell us that we can be the head and not the tail, but we never talk about what it cost. We love the verses that say wherever the soles of your feet touch it will be given to you, but you don't know what Joshua did to get that promise. He spent day and night at the feet of Jesus. He was consumed with one thing. One passion.” Pastor Tim

In Exodus 33:11 it says Yahweh spoke to Moses and Moses returned to the camp. He had a message for the people. “But his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.” Joshua was obsessed with the presence of Yahweh.

Joshua spent forty years in the wilderness with Moses. He was a faithful assistant to him. I imagine he saw some things happen he may not have agreed with, but he never let it move him from what was vital to his life and the life of his people, the Israelites. Don’t you know Jesus watches how we handle situations we see or hear that we don’t necessarily agree with. Our resolve must be like Joshua. Faithful, devoted, and passionate about one thing. The presence of Yahweh.

“And after Moses, Yahweh’s servant, died, Yahweh spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ faithful assistant, and said, “My servant Moses is dead. Now get up! Prepare to cross the Jordan River, you and all the people. Lead them into the land that I am giving to the Israelites. Every part of the land where you march, I will give you, as I promised Moses. Your borders will extend from the southern desert to the northern mountains of Lebanon, and from the great river Euphrates in the east, to the Mediterranean in the west—including all the land of the Hittites. Joshua, no one will be able to defeat you for the rest of your life! I will be with you as I was with Moses, and I will never fail nor abandon you. You must be strong and brave. You will lead the people to acquire and apportion the land that I promised their ancestors I would give them. You must remain very strong and courageous! Be faithful to obey all the teaching that my servant Moses commanded you to follow. Do not deviate from him to the right or to the left, so that you will have overwhelming success in everything you undertake. Recite this scroll of the law constantly. Contemplate it day and night and be careful to follow every word it contains; then you will enjoy incredible prosperity and success. I repeat, be strong and brave! Do not yield to fear nor be discouraged, for I am Yahweh your God, and I will be with you wherever you go!” Joshua 1:1-9

What can we learn from Joshua? To be faithful where Jesus has us and be passionate about the Presence of Jesus. We cannot expect Abba to give us all the promises we read about if we are unwilling to be faithful to what He has given us. We have a family, both personal and kingdom, to be faithful to lead in the things of the Kingdom. We have future generations to see established in the promises of Yahweh. We have cities to see changed. Our Country to be established in the Kingdom of Yahweh. It is all possible because Jesus said it is! We have a part, and it starts with our personal union with Jesus.

The above underline text says, contemplate it (His words both written and spoken) day and night and be careful to follow every word it contains. THEN you will enjoy the incredible prosperity and success. Do not yield to fear or be discouraged! Be BRAVE and STRONG! He is with you!

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The Vinedresser

“I am a true sprouting vine, and the farmer who tends the vine is my Father. He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches and pruning every fruitful branch to yield a greater harvest. The words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you. So, you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.” John 15

Yahweh’s heart is for every one of us to increase, not just maintain. When you think of gardening whether it be a vegetable garden or a flower garden you know the intentionality it takes for it to increase in what it produces. You can’t put plants in place and never do anything with it again. No, you must water, weed, prune and then you enjoy the fruit. The garden is ever increasing as you tend it. Our lives are no different. We see in John 15; Jesus is giving us the blueprint to a fruitful life with Him. Jesus refers to Himself as the sprouting vine. Sprouting is the natural process where plants produce new leaves and/or buds. There is never a winter season with Jesus.

The Father is the farmer who tends the vine. If you have ever read how farmers actually tend their crops you can see the heart of a farmer. The farmer isn’t walking through his crop of fruit trees thinking if these trees aren’t producing get rid of them. No, he is invested in caring for them. He is very meticulous in the detail of the plant. Where does it need the most attention? This is our heavenly Father. He is the one who tends the vine of your heart. He sees your struggling fruitless branches and comes to help by propping you up. This propping isn’t grabbing a stick to get you off the ground. Oh no, it is pulling you closer to His heart to hold you, to care for you.

But we sometimes don’t know His heart, or we care too much of what others think so we hide. We try to hide our fruitless lives, or we pretend we have fruit so others can’t see the truth of our struggles. Yahweh is not here to discard you because you are struggling. He is here to care for the broken branches in your life. He does this by pruning. When a tree has a broken limb, the farmer prunes the branch by removing it which promotes healing.

This is where you come in. You must invite Him into the weak, broken areas of your life so He can prop it up or cut it back to instigate the healing process. Jesus says, “the words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you.” His words always come with questions. This starts the conversation that leads to restoration. We have a part in this garden. Jesus tells us - “YOU must remain in life-union.” He is not the weak link in our increase. Each one of us has a responsibility to maintain a hot heart for the Lord. What are you doing to increase your passion for Him?

What about fasting so your hunger for Him is increased? What about taking a walk to talk to Him? Getting up early before your day starts to put Him first? Talking to Him throughout the day is a great way to stay connected to His heart. We must connect to Him in an intimate way every day. Our passion for Jesus should be ever increasing. Not just for what He has done for us. That can’t even be measured. Our passion should increase because of who HE is!

He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Magnificent in every way, Most Beautiful, Creator of All things and yet so intimately involved in our lives. He deserves for our hearts and lives to be fully alive for Him. Open the door and invite Him in to be the Vine dresser of your life.

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Who Is Jesus to You?

“Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door within, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with me.” Revelation 3

Have you ever had someone come to your door knocking but you hid so they wouldn’t know you were home? I think it is safe to say we have all done this at some point but why? We don’t really want to talk to someone we don’t know.

It is crazy to think we have done this same thing to Jesus. He has knocked on the door of our heart, but we hid. We didn’t open the door because we don’t really know Him. We know about Him through stories in the Bible and what others have taught us. Oftentimes what others say about Him is a deluded version of the truth because they often don’t know Him either. In our kingdom family at The Wilderness Place we are endeavoring to be honest with ourselves about where we are in our walk with Jesus. If we are honest about this, we would raise our hand to say, yes, I have hidden from His knock because I wasn’t sure what He would say or reveal about me. We do this when we don’t know His heart for us.

Yesterday we talked about grace and mercy. We must move in the direction of an intimate relationship with Jesus so we can know His heart for us. Otherwise, we continue to hide who we really are from Him, ourselves and the world around us. Here’s the thing. He already knows us. His heart is to reveal to us who we truly are in Him but in order to this we must first face the mask we have always worn. Remember grace? It is poured out when we open the door and invite Him in.

This is where we realign our hearts to His. His love casts out all fear. You do not have to be afraid of what will be revealed. His banner over you is love.

This is what the banner of love looks like…

When you’ve given up on yourself - He never does.

When you lose your way - He is your guide.

When you can’t walk through the difficult trial - He carries you.

When you fall down in disappointment - He picks you up.

If you feel your heart is hardened because of life - His mercy is the healing oil to soften the calluses.

Just open the door. Maybe you’re thinking I have opened the door, but I can’t hear Him or feel His presence.

This is where faith comes in. Your part is to believe Jesus when He says I will not abandon you. I will be by your side. Your part is to sit with Him at the table of love and feast on His written word until you hear His spoken word.

May the wind of Heaven blow across your life today as you stand under the banner of His love.


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Grace and Mercy

“But Lord, your nurturing love is tender and gentle. You are slow to get angry yet so swift to show your faithful love. You are full of abounding grace and truth.” Psalms 86:15 TPT

“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” Psalms 86 NKJV

At The Wilderness Place you will hear us pray a lot concerning grace and mercy. These words are so powerful, yet we can hear them and not fully grasp the value of their meaning. Let’s discover the truth behind these words and how important they are for us.

Let’s start with mercy. The Hebrew word is Hesed which means “steadfast love.” This steadfast love is unwavering, loyal, and true. Mercy combines love and faithful loyalty. Pastor Tim reminded us yesterday Abba does not do abandonment. His mercy towards us is a firm foundation. He NEVER moves away from us. Even when we walk away and deny His love, Jesus is steadfast in His mercy towards us.

The Greek word for mercy is eleos. This word is derived from the word olive oil. Olive oil was used to treat wounds. Mercy is the comforting love of Jesus that sooths and heals our broken hearts. Picture Him pouring His mercy like oil over your broken heart.

The Hebrew for grace is khen and it can be described as delightful or favorable. An example I read referenced the story of Esther. She is going to approach the king of Persia to ask that she and her people are spared from death. What she did was a request for khen and because the king delighted in her and favored her the request was granted. Jesus gives us the gift of delight and favor. He looks at you throughout each day and night with such delight.

Grace in the Greek is charis which means favor, freely given, always leaning toward. I love this description of Jesus always leaning towards us. Most of us have heard it’s meaning as unmerited favor, but it is so much more than favor. It is compassion for every circumstance. He orchestrates things in our lives to bless us and show His love for us. He walks us through trials with such grace. Some of us have faced very painful and hard things but it was His grace that walked us through it.

“So now we draw near freely and boldly to where grace is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.” Hebrews 4

Draw near to Him today and receive the beautiful gifts of grace and mercy for your family, your children, for your vision to see your life like He sees it, and for your hearing of His voice in each moment of the day.

Abba, we come boldly to the fountain of grace and mercy today. We stand under the flow of your healing oil has it pours over our hearts that have been broken by various circumstances. We let you love us like you want to. Kissing us and holding us just like the amazing Father you are. Teach us to soak in these words and know no matter what lies ahead we are wrapped in grace and mercy. Just like a butterfly who comes out of her cocoon we will emerge from the brokenness into the joy filled, radiant one who will be set on a hill to see our communities changed. We freely give what we have freely received.

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Don’t Miss Out on the Miracles

“On the first day of the week, as the Sabbath was ending, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jacob, and Salome made their way to the tomb. It was very early in the morning as the first streaks of light were beginning to be seen in the sky. They had purchased aromatic embalming spices so that they might anoint his body. And they had been asking one another, “Who can roll away the heavy stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they arrived, they discovered that the very large stone was already rolled away!” Mark 16

Jesus had been arrested, beaten and crucified then buried in a tomb. To those who had followed Him for three years this was a hopeless situation. Devastating to say the least. The eleven disciples were nowhere to be found. They were hiding out of fear for their lives, and they let hopelessness take over. But there were three women who refused to let hopelessness rob them. These are beautiful examples of steps taken in a seemingly hopeless situation. These women are still investing in the Kingdom, even at the lowest point of when Jesus has died. They refused to let disappointment dictate their lives. They did what they knew to do. Serve Him. What steps could they possibly take in this moment? They knew Jesus’ body had not been anointed for burial due to Him being buried right before the Sabbath so they made a plan for what they could do.

They get up early (I can do that). They go to the store and spend money to buy spices (I could do that). All while knowing there was a large stone in front of the tomb, they would not be able to move. They refused to let something that seemed impossible up ahead stop them from doing what they could. Truth is, Mary Magdelene had seen too much to let what she was currently seeing determine her next steps. Jesus had done some miraculous things in her own life for her to sit around hiding. They started their day out focused on one thing. Caring for Jesus. Worshipping Jesus. Serving Jesus. Loving Jesus. Doing every possible thing they could for JESUS! It wasn’t about them or the impossible they would face up ahead. It was about Him. When they arrived at the tomb the impossible had already been done. The stone was rolled away.

If you continue to make the impossible all about you nothing will ever change. Not only will you remain the same, but you will pass down to your legacy the very thing you struggle with. Our appetites not only affect us, but they feed our children. Would you intentionally give your children poison? Absolutely not but it is essentially what we are doing when we refuse to take even the baby steps Jesus is asking us to take. The best part is when we choose to make it about Him and let Him order these baby steps there is so much grace with each step.

What are you hungry for? More of the same or a life fully alive, overflowing over on our children? We and our children are designed to see the world changed into the image of Heaven. If Heaven on Earth was not possible Jesus would not have declared it. We have a part in this Heaven on Earth.

This scripture says when they looked up the stone was rolled away. Now let’s think about something, if you stay home because there's too many obstacles on the way you’re going to miss the miracles. How many have we missed because we never take a step. One little step, Abba is not asking you to do the whole thing he's asking you to do one simple thing. What's one simple thing you can do to open the door for the impossible?

This week we have been talking about allowing the Holy Spirit to order our lives. The first thing that must take place is allowing Him to restore hope by speaking into the areas of your life you have had buried because of disappointment. Yield to His Lordship.

Holy Spirit, with hands lifted I yield to You. There are areas in my life I avoid looking at or talking about because I feel so helpless in seeing it changed. I took my eyes off of You, the one who offers grace and mercy to help me every step of the way. I made it about me and others. I am ready to face it all by making my life about You. As I learn to love you, serve you, care for you, honor you, be intimate with you- the areas of hopelessness disappear, and I can see Your light burning in the distance as we walk together until I become the burning light for others. Thank you for your truth that continues to speak to me.

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Let’s Dig It Up

“I'm not denying impossible things. There are impossible things, but we have the answer for the impossible. We have a God who loves the Impossible. He's drawn to the impossible. He loves you so much that when you step up to the possible, he'll give you the power to take the steps. Jesus knew where they buried him. Just like He knows where you lost hope. This part of the story is for us. For us to realize we lost hope somewhere because the situation seemed hopeless. So, He has to walk you back to where you dropped hope and then he instructs you there. This is why it matters that you hear the voice of God.” Pastor Tim

Walking back to the place where we lost hope can be quite painful. Most of us actually prefer to not dig up those thoughts and feelings that caused hopelessness to set in. We believed a lie. Have you ever heard, “It is what it is?” This phrase is from a place of hopelessness. It says this can’t be changed. When we see situations that look impossible it is an invitation to hear His voice. It starts with asking Jesus this question. “What possible thing can I do in this moment to move this to the door of impossible where you take over?”

Pastor Tim gave a couple of examples of what it looks like to confront the stone of hopelessness in our lives. Like going for a walk by yourself and talking to Jesus can move the stone, giving a word of encouragement to a spouse who you would love to see Yahweh change, or maybe it is relinquishing control over a situation. Order in our lives looks like us yielding control to the Holy Spirit areas you have had control over. A lot of times when we have a root of hopelessness it can cause us to want to control everything so we don’t find ourselves back in situations that could become hopeless.

It is time to be honest with ourselves, with Jesus and with others. Where did you lose hope? He loves us too much to let us walk around with holes in our soul. On the outside, we pretend everything is great, but we have holes of empty spaces. This cannot continue. We, Beloved Sons & Daughters, are called to live on the earth fully alive walking in the power and authority of Jesus. Our souls are made to be whole, complete in His presence.

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13

Desire is defined as a strong feeling of wanting to have something happen. You must allow desire to come to see things change. Do the practical steps Jesus is showing you. It may be so practical you’ll think this isn’t Jesus, but it is because He cares so much about your life and the fact that you are here to be a light set on a hill. As the Bride of Christ this is what our lives should look like…. A TREE OF LIFE!

“Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let him fill you with excitement as you serve him. Let this hope burst forth within you, releasing a continual joy. Don’t give up in a time of trouble, but commune with God at all times. Take a constant interest in the needs of God’s beloved people and respond by helping them. And eagerly welcome people as guests into your home. Speak blessing, not cursing, over those who reject and persecute you. Celebrate with those who celebrate, and weep with those who grieve. Live happily together in a spirit of harmony and be as mindful of another’s worth as you are your own.” Romans 12

Today, October 10, 2024, is the day Jesus is saying to you, take my hand and let’s walk back to the place of hopelessness so I can talk to you. It is time to be who I created you to be, My beloved one, who is made whole in mind, body and spirit. You are designed to radiate with My Light. Trust Me in this union as we do it together.

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Your Part is Possible

Intimacy, honor and order. There is an order to the Kingdom of Yahweh that must be followed for us to see His promises come to pass in our lives. Jesus gives us a clear picture in John 11 to demonstrate how we order our lives so we can live the “life and life more abundant” and for the sake of future generations.

If you have been in church for any length of time you know the story of Lazarus, but this isn’t like anything you have heard before. Jesus received a letter from Mary and Martha saying their brother was sick and asked Jesus to come. Jesus chose to wait. Lazarus died and was in the tomb for four days when Jesus arrived.

Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” John 11: 33

Mary and Martha had lost hope for their brother by this time. Why would Jesus wait so long knowing they would lose hope? Because in this time period they believed when a person died the spirit hovered around the body for three days. Jesus did this to confront any doubt they may have regarding who He is. Are you in a waiting period in your life? You have asked Jesus to come and intervene, but the situation is still the same. We can lose hope for a certain area to change or be resurrected in the waiting if we are not hearing His voice or have doubt about His love for us. What dream or desire did you bury because you thought it will never happen? Jesus is asking you today, “Where did you bury it?”

“Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” John 11:38-39

Jesus asked them first, “where did you lay him?” and now he is asking them to remove the stone. He is RESURRECTION LIFE! Why would He not just speak to the stone to move? And poor Martha thinks she needs to tell Jesus how bad the stink will be. Does she not think He knows the severity of the situation?

Oh, are we not Martha a lot of the times. We bring our stinky situations to Jesus and begin to tell Him how terrible the stench is because obviously He doesn’t know, or we wouldn’t still be in it. How many conversations have you had with Jesus saying, “Lord, this stinks.” This definitely does not look like the life more abundant you promised. Jesus, do something about this?

“He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” John 11

Jesus full of resurrection power calls Lazarus out of the grave. Life returns to his body, and he walks out of the grave with graveclothes on, and his face was covered. What did Jesus say to the people there? Loose him and let him go. In other words, you remove what is still holding on to him.

Three things we saw here. Jesus asked where he had been buried. Do you really think He didn’t know? Jesus asked them to roll away the stone. Umm, we are talking all powerful Jesus. The One who can speak, and creation is formed. He then asked them to unwrap what was still holding Lazarus. Could He not have caused the clothes to just fall off of Lazarus? Absolutely, He could have done all of this. Remember in yesterday’s walk we talked about us having a part in this union with Jesus?

Jesus is the God of Impossibilities. He loves to do the impossible things in our lives but just like in this story we have a part to do as well. We have the responsibility to do the possible things. Take a few minutes and think about what is going on in your life. What have you been asking Him to change? Is it relationships in your life? What is possible for you to do to see these relationships restored? Maybe a call or text to the person. Is it a spouse you have prayed for so long you have lost hope of things ever changing. If you are hopeless about your spouse, they know it. They have given up on themselves just as you have. Ask the Holy Spirit how you can restore hope back into this situation and be a light of love for them.

Is it your health? There are many things we can do for ourselves to improve our health. We do the possible and Jesus does the impossible. You have to start somewhere, even if it’s baby steps. The first step is learning to love yourself again. When we love someone, we’ll do anything for them.

Your children? Our children must see us fully alive and making Jesus the center of our lives if we ever want them to walk in life more abundant. They can be free of fear, doubt, insecurities and anxiety. It starts with us. The atmosphere in your home and how you walk through trials will be a catalyst for your children. Good or Bad.

Your finances? Take a hard look at them. What can you eliminate? How can you give more? The principal of giving applies to every single human being. People who do not follow Jesus but are big givers always has things coming to them in abundance. Why, because the principal of giving established in the Kingdom applies to everyone. He loves a cheerful giver.

Whatever the area you need Jesus to do the impossible you must ask Him what your part in this journey is. He loves partnering with us. Walking hand in hand. Speaking to us. He’ll actually tell you what your part is you just have to have an ear to hear. This is intimacy, honor and now you let Him order your steps to do your part.

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The Ladder

Our relationship with Jesus is not about our eternal destination. It is about transformation. The Resurrected Life. Our kingdom family has been on a journey for a while now to discover the real Jesus shown in the scriptures. We are discovering how to walk in our day-to-day life with the Holy Spirit. Don’t you know when you are hungry for His voice and truth He will give it to you. Abba gave our family a visual picture a while back concerning our relationship and walk with Him. He showed Pastor Tim a ladder with three words. Intimacy, honor and order. Think about a ladder and how you use it. If one part of the ladder is missing, can you use it? Another words, if either side was gone would it work? No, it would not. The ladder looks like this. Intimacy on one side, honor on the other and order on each rung.

We have talked a lot about intimacy with Jesus. Intimacy is making a decision to remain in close union with Him every day. We’ve talked about honoring Jesus. Honor is holding one in high regard. When we honor Jesus’ words and His presence, you are saying this is important to me and my family. We haven’t talked a lot about order until now. This order pertains to Jesus directing our lives. Proverbs 16 says, “Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.” Do you allow Jesus to direct your steps? He is a gentleman. Which means He will tell you and guide you, but it is your choice if you follow.

Understand, this ladder is Jesus. Every step you take up the ladder will require, it demands an increase in intimacy, honor and order. When climbing a ladder, you never run up a ladder. You take your time. This increase Jesus is inviting us to will take time. He loves the process of seeing you become who He designed you to be. This may sometimes look like two steps up then one step back down. Let Him lead you. You have a part, and He has a part in this resurrected life. As we go on a journey this week in understanding our part, allow Him to continue to make your heart tender in areas He wants to speak to. I promise you this, it will be practical things in your life. He shows up where we are in our day to day. Ask Him this question today: What do you want to reorder in my life?

Here is the visual of the ladder. Each step up requires more on our part but our more will never outweigh the more He pours out in our lives as we go deeper in our union with Him.

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The Banner of Love

“He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love.” Song of Songs 2:4

His banner over you right now is LOVE! Agape love. We have all heard of Agape love but maybe you have never allowed yourself to feel this type of love. Agape love is selfless, unconditional, without reservation, accepting and embracing someone in their wholeness. Abba, our Father so loved you He chose to give His Son for you. He didn’t give Jesus so He could love you- No, He loved you first. As a parent you’d give your life for your child without hesitation. We haven’t quite grasped this wild, fascinating love He has for us, but each day as we lean in and open our hearts to Him we are becoming more fascinated with Him.

Fascinating means to attract or delight; to hold the attention of. He is fascinated with you. You hold His attention at all times. Even on the days you make mistakes His love is unconditional. If you find it hard to receive this love in every area of your life, then let today be where you surrender a bit more to Him. He wants to restore tenderness and innocence to your life. It does not matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done. His love restores like it never happened. All the years you thought were lost He is here to restore with His agape love. You have never been abandoned or forsaken. Today is a new day full of love, grace and mercy. Let Jesus love you how He wants to. October 7th is a new beginning. In the verse above, it says He brought you to the banqueting house. This means you can have as much of Him as you want. There are no limits to the drinking and eating in the Kingdom of Yahweh.

Our family here at The Wilderness Place is becoming more and more fascinated with His face, His voice and His resurrection power. Let’s lean into Him today. Engage your heart with His throughout the day. Let Him love you. Listen for His voice. What is He saying to you?

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Burn The Boats

“So he (Elijah) departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yokes of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.”

And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

So Elisha turned back from him and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and became his servant.” I Kings 19:19-21

Elijah walks by and throws his mantle onto Elisha and keeps walking. Elisha all of a sudden experienced the presence of Yahweh in a way he never had before. In a powerful way. Now Elisha has two options. He can say, “wow, that was amazing,” and continue farming the next day or he can burn it all to the ground. What does he choose? Elisha has one encounter with the presence and says to Elijah, “wait, let me kiss my mom and dad and then I will follow you.”

Yahweh will call you away from what past generations have given you. It can be hard to leave what you have always known but He calls us to our true purpose on the earth. It is your decision. Elijah, the father in this story tells him this is your decision but just know down the road it will be hard. Knowing this Elisha turns back and kills the oxen- boils the flesh using the wood of the yoke.

Why would he destroy his livelihood? He knew the significance of what He just experienced and didn’t want anything tempting him to turn back to the familiar when it got hard. Have you ever heard the phrase “burn the boats?” It is a metaphor that means to commit to a course of action without the option of turning back. In the Air Force they have the meaning like this burning a boat involves sacrifice and getting rid of something you love for something you love more. Everyone wants the presence, the blessing, the whisper, the closeness of Him but are you willing to burn the oxen?

The beautiful attribute of Yahweh is He gives us the choice to how we live this life. He wants us to choose Him in a radical way where we burn it all down to just have Him. Ask Him what you value most in this life. We all know walking hand in hand with Him is the best way, but we must make the choice every day, every moment. This is about a lifestyle of Beloved Identity, which involves encounters and perspective. Will you let Him talk to you today about burning the boat? Then will you choose Him?

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Who Is Center?

“So he (Elijah) departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yokes of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth.” 1 Kings 19:19

Every detail the scriptures give us is important. Why would this be so specific as to how many yokes of oxen Elisha had? This detail is telling us Elisha’s family were farmers. The twelve yokes’ points to their wealth. His family was most likely many generations of farmers. Elijah sees Elisha and knows this is the guy. Why? He was working.

Think about all of the people in the Bible who Yahweh called everyone was working to include Jesus. Jesus wasn’t sitting around waiting for His day of ministry to come. He spent years mastering the craft of carpentry. He carried on a family business and name.

Elisha saw himself as a farmer but not just a farmer. He worked hard for his family. Faithful and diligent to show up and work where he was in this moment of his life. He doesn’t even realize he is prophet. Pastor Tim gave us some important points to apply to our own lives.

“The tension between more and where we are is waiting on us to get content in the place we are right now. We have to be the best where we are with what we have. More will destroy us if we sit and wait for it to show up. Develop who you are in whatever you want to do, or where you feel like God is calling you. Start developing the habits for the position you feel like you're called to. Do you want to be a manager? You want to own your own business? Start developing the integrity to handle the weight of owning your own company by working for someone. This means showing up on time. Work hard. You will never own a successful business slacking off under someone else.” Pastor Tim

These are practical attributes we must develop. This strengthens our integrity to carry weight. So many have found themselves in positions of authority without integrity and it has crushed them. Unfortunately, we have seen this so much in the body of Christ because the church tends to pick people based on the gift they have. This has put a stain on the reflection of Jesus and His Bride to the world and it has to change. We, beloved sons and beloved daughters must be the ones to restore His image on the earth. I know, the thought of this seems impossible. You’re probably thinking what can I do with my little life to change how the world sees Jesus? It starts with where you have Him in your day to day. He must be the center of your life. Every area. It matters so much. If He is not the main focus of your life you will lose the ability to be who you are designed to be.

We have been talking about how we face trials, if Jesus isn’t the absolute center of your life, you will lose the ability to see these trials correctly. He wants to take everything and turn it for our good, but we must see it right and through His eyes.

Ask yourself this question. Where am I right now in life? If I were someone looking from the outside, would I see Jesus as a living display of glory in my actions and words? Now ask the Holy Spirit what He sees. What area is He showing you? There is grace to face the areas He points out. Take the step forward with Him.

I encourage you to write down your journey with Him. It is so beautiful to look back on the tapestry of your life written out on paper. He is faithful to finish the work He has started but you have a part to play also.

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Face Like a Flint

“When evil ones come to destroy me, they will be the ones who turn back. My heart will not fear even if an army rises to attack. I will not be shaken, even if war is imminent. Here’s the one thing I crave from Yahweh, the one thing I seek above all else: I want to live with him every moment in his house, beholding the marvelous beauty of Yahweh, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace.” Psalms 27:2-3

There MUST be a clear cut different in how we respond to trials and difficulty as opposed to those who don’t walk with Jesus or those who say they know Him but there is no evidence. Don’t you know David was put under extraordinary pressure in his time. He settled in his heart no matter what happens everything in me is focused on ONE THING- His presence. Let’s look at David’s response as he continues to write to Yahweh.

“In the day of trouble, he will treasure me in his shelter, under the cover of his tent. He will lift me high upon a rock, out of reach from all my enemies who surround me. Triumphant now, I’ll bring him my offerings of praise, singing and shouting with ecstatic joy! Yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh! Hear my cry. Show me mercy and send the help I need! I heard your voice in my heart say, “Come, seek my face;” my inner being responded, “Yahweh, I’m seeking your face with all my heart.” Ps 27

Because David was so convinced Yahweh was for him in every trouble he could sing and shout with joy knowing mercy and grace was coming. He said, I’m seeking your face with my whole heart. As we listened Sunday, we understand every one of us is going through something difficult right now. The question is HOW? How are you going through your trial? Like David, face like a flint towards Jesus with a song in your heart? Or like a watermelon seed where under pressure you flee?

None of us like hard things. Let’s be honest. Our brain wants the path of least resistance but a heart set on the King is immovable. Our family here at the Wilderness Place has been through some hard things the last 3 years, and some have fled but those who remain you’ve set your face like a flint. You are allowing Jesus to cause your roots to go deep and you’re committing in your heart to make Him your One focus.

These trials and difficult situations are strengthening you. The world is in desperate need to see the real Jesus who is glorious, powerful, caring and loves unconditionally. We will be the ones to show them what a beloved son and beloved daughter look like walking through trials. In turn, we get to walk through trials with others to help them see what it looks like to be under pressure but with the glory of Yahweh.

He always comes alongside us to comfort us in every suffering so that we can come alongside those who are in any painful trial. We can bring them this same comfort that God has poured out upon us. And just as we experience the abundance of Christ’s own sufferings, even more of God’s comfort will cascade upon us through our union with Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:4

Stay connected to Jesus. Set your face towards His. Lean in to listen to His whisper in the storm. Share your struggle with your family. You are not alone. On the other side you’ll look more like the Beloved He created radiating with His glory.

I want to share a song with you our young beloved’s love so much. It is a declaration of who we are in the earth. Would you listen and make it your decree through your trials?

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The Proof Is In The Pudding

We have been talking about integrity as a Kingdom family because Abba has us on a journey to build infrastructure here at The Wilderness Place. This integrity deals with the ability to carry something of weight like the Glory of Yahweh. Pastor Tim had someone ask, “what does it look like to carry the glory of Yahweh?”

You have two people- Both say with certainty “I LOVE JESUS!” Both can share scripture and pray but one says “Jesus is the center of my entire life, every aspect is for Him and about Him.” What do you think is different about their lives?

If you could compare the day to day would you be able to see a clear cut difference in their response to difficulty? What about their relationship with their children? How they treat their spouse. The hard truth is there is absolutely a difference in someone who makes Jesus the center of their everyday lives and those who casually attend a meeting about Jesus.

The proof is in the pudding. What does this mean? According to Dictionary.com, it’s an expression that means the value, quality, or truth of something must be judged based on direct experience with it—or on its results. When you have direct experience with Jesus, another words when you have an intimate relationship with Him there will be proof in your life. This is the integrity we are talking about. Can you carry what you’re designed to carry? You are designed to look like Jesus therefore you carry the glory He carried.

How we handle difficulty is a testimony to those around you. Nothing you are going through right now is meaningless. This is why Jesus being front and center is essential. We are all going through something difficult right now. He wants you to know as you walk through the pressure He is strengthening you on the inside. It is hard to see it in the middle of the trial but there is grace and mercy to help you. He is teaching you how to respond under pressure. Don’t bail out! The increased glory you will carry on the other side will blow you away. We can have confidence in the battle because He is our One Thing- Front and Center.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

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Cast Your Bread

“Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.” Ecclesiastes 11:1

Since we live on the Coast here, we can really imagine ourselves standing at the water’s edge having the waves roll up to our feet. Picture yourself there. You take the bread out of your pocket, and you throw it into the water. A few days later you go back and there is your bread coming back to you on a wave rolling right up to your feet. What happens to bread when it’s wet? Yes, it expands. Every time you throw your bread out it multiplies back to you. Jesus expands the bread you keep casting. What happens if you aren’t casting bread on the water?

Life is full of waves. Sometimes you have small waves that just roll over your feet. Other times, the waves are so big they knock you down and wash over you entirely. Have you ever seen someone at a beach with big waves? The waves keep coming and they have a hard time getting on their feet. They keep getting knocked down by the waves. Isn’t this life sometimes? It’s one wave after another. The truth is we get to determine what is in the wave that keeps washing over us.

What is one thing water represents in scripture? The Holy Spirit. If you keep casting your bread upon Him, The Holy Spirit gets to determine what comes back to you. Our bread can represent tithes, offerings, blessing others but it also can be connecting our heart to Him daily.

Let’s say you are faithful to give your resources to Him to see the Kingdom advanced in your community and you give to others you see that is in need, that bread will return to you in a beautiful way. How do we know this? Because He promises if you trust Him with your finances, He will cause your cup to overflow. Those waves will not continue to wash your resources away, they will begin to bring it to your feet. We learned in Malachi it is the one area Yahweh says, “test Me.”

It isn’t just your resources. It is about the posture of your heart. Are you connecting your heart to His throughout the week? Truth is you can always tell if that was the case when you step into the sanctuary on Sunday morning. If you feel like you’re having a hard time feeling His presence in worship or understanding what is being said you can always go back and look at your week. How many times did I turn my heart to Him? Again, how much bread did I cast upon the water. If it was very little you will have a hard time connecting to what the Holy Spirit is doing and saying. The more bread we cast, the more we turn our hearts to Him the more waves of His presence will wash over you. It is a choice we make daily.

The beautiful thing about Abba is there is no condemnation. Maybe you are thinking, “at best, I have tossed out crumbs and expected loaves to return.” This is what he wants you to know- It is a new week so let’s commit to connecting to Him. Pastor Tim gave us some great words of wisdom Sunday.

“His love will teach you to connect to Him every day even though you are busy. The affection you feel in a moment will cause your heart to turn to Jesus. You will experience the warmth of the love affair and realize He is for you, not against you. He is always for you. This causes your heart to say- “I’m hungry for more of this.” So, you wake up on Monday and you’re not thinking about work. All of a sudden you are thinking about your heart connecting to His. He is ready to go with you anywhere. In the fields, on the job, in your home, or on a drive. This beautiful love affair with Jesus, the romance of the ages is built five minutes at a time. Just by connecting your heart to His.”

This week cast your bread upon the water of the Holy Spirit and see the goodness of who He is wash over you.

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The Posture of the Heart

For the last couple of weeks Pastor Tim has been talking to our family regarding the infrastructure of who we are as a kingdom family at The Wilderness Place. Infrastructure is the underlying foundation or basic framework of a place. You could say it is the foundational truths we are building our culture on. What does this look like from a scriptural standpoint? Let’s look at the first century church in Acts 2.

“Every believer was faithfully devoted to following the teachings of the apostles. Their hearts were mutually linked to one another, sharing communion and coming together regularly for prayer. A deep sense of holy awe swept over everyone, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. All the believers were in fellowship as one body, and they shared with one another whatever they had. Out of generosity they even sold their assets to distribute the proceeds to those who were in need among them. Daily they met together in the temple courts and in one another’s homes to celebrate communion. They shared meals together with joyful hearts and tender humility. They were continually filled with praises to God, enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were coming to life.”

When we look at the posture of their hearts as they grew in fellowship with each other and with the Holy Spirit we see an incredible culture built around one thing. JESUS! It is so important for each of you to know the importance of what you are building your lives on. We all want more of what He has for us but in order to have more we must choose to do things differently. This really starts with the posture of your heart. Every morning as you wake up what is the first thing you think about or do? Here is where the change begins. As soon as you open your eyes connect to the heart of Jesus. It can be as simple as “Good morning, Jesus.” This will not be an automatic response. You will have to be intentional about connecting your heart to His throughout the day and in every situation. The next thing concerning the posture of your heart is when you gather together with your Kingdom family. On Sundays and Tuesdays, the posture of our heart is to come into the room as a giver not a consumer. A giver is one ready to pour out their love and affection on Jesus. A person who comes to connect with others on a heart level. One who says, “this is my home, and I will do whatever needs to be done to see it prosper.” As a kingdom family we all have a part to play in building this culture of beloved sons and daughters. This is not the place for consumerism. We come first to give Jesus is due reward. He is worthy of our worship in a radical way. He gave it all so let’s give Him our all.

Pastor Tim gave us a great illustration. You can be in a room with a person and know they are there. You are happy they are there with you but if you never go face to face with them, you’ll never truly know them. We must come face to face with Him first, then face to face with our kingdom family. We are all designed to change the world, but it starts with having the right infrastructure.

There is a song that says, “God, I give you what I can today. Scattered ashes that I’ve hid away.” These ashes are the broken places in our hearts, how we think and the dryness of our spirits. Jesus is ready to make an exchange with you. Bring your ashes for His beauty. Corners of shame we don’t want people see- He’ll take it. Empty places we try to hide behind His name. He is ready to fill your cup to overflowing. You just have to step forward into the river.

Are you ready to see change in your life? Once and for all? You have to do things differently. The first century church was dedicated to Him first but also to each other in a significant way. There is grace, mercy, authority and power in His voice to do what He is telling you right now. As you read this let Him talk to you about the posture of your heart concerning these things. Say yes to the invitation of a Romance of the Ages, an adventure you’ll never regret. Say yes to a family that can change our city, state and the world around us.

Will you come Sunday with a posture to go after Him like never before? He’ll meet you in a mighty way.

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He’s So Valuable

Define value: the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something. (according to the Oxford languages) Some other words you could use in this sense is appreciate, love, treasure, or cherish.

When you begin a new relationship, you value every word that comes out of their mouth. Everything they love- you love. You cherish everything about them, right? You are hungry to learn more and more. Fast forward 5 years, 10 year or even 20 years you don’t appreciate them as much. You rarely even look into their eyes when they are talking. You are just living in the same house going through the motions of life.

We do not want to think we could be this way with the voice of Yahweh or His presence, but it happens all the time. The life and life more abundantly come from hearing His voice and responding. Are you willing to do what it takes to have the transformation Jesus paid for with His blood? Not only did He die and was resurrected, but He also suffered a great deal physically so we could be fully alive, completely healed and made whole. He didn’t stop there He sent the Holy Spirit on earth to walk with us daily. To talk to us and guide us. What are you doing with His voice?

Put yourself on the end of a relationship where you are valued and appreciated. When you feel this way, you want to do more for those who value you. It is the same with the voice of Yahweh. The more you lean in, the more you look into His eyes, the more you value what He is saying the more He will speak and tell you. He wants to build the integrity of our lives to carry the weight of His Kingdom. Maybe you’re thinking Yes, I want to lean in and hear more but I don’t know how to practically do that. Let me help you with an idea that came to us Tuesday night from Abba Himself.

In our sound booth at the Wilderness Place we have a Mac computer that has two monitors plugged into it. We spent hours prior to the service trying to get this computer to come on. It was showing up on a TV monitor but then restart over and over. Pastor Tim did everything he knew to do to get it to work. One of the beloved sons of the house who is genius with a lot of things especially computers came in and he unplugged everything from the Mac. Then only plugged back into the power source. This forced the Mac to be focused on one thing. Why would it not be able to function properly? It had so much plugged in from outside sources it could not focus. Abba used this situation to speak to us about having too many things plugged in to our lives. When this happens, we miss His voice. We can’t connect to the only source that matters. The power which we need to function. His voice. Face to Face with Him. It is time to unplug some things in your life so you can focus on Him.

Ask the Lord now what you need to unplug from so you can hear Him more. There are so many practical things you can do. One of our beloved daughters in the house put an app on her phone that locks it, so she isn’t on her phone as much. Like 16-hour locks. I can’t wait to see all the things Abba will speak to her because of her obedience to do something practical that frees her mind to hear and see. Maybe he wants you to get up a few minutes earlier so you can spend time with Him before your day starts. A great way to connect to Him is take a walk and talk to Him about what you see. It is about connecting our hearts to His. Value your time with Him. Value the words He speaks by writing them down so you can go back to them to continue the conversation.

We would love to hear how He is speaking to you. You can email us your testimony. If you need prayer please let us know how we can pray with you.


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Dive In

What you do with the voice of Yahweh matters. If you have been a part of church for any length of time you have seen a pattern in church across America. This pattern looks something like this, show up, sit down, listen, and leave high fiving your fellow attendees on the way out. Pastor Tim gave us a great illustration on Sunday. Let’s say you go to the gym. You show up, sit down and watch people work out, you listen to their conversations about working out and maybe even a meal plan and you leave. High fiving as you go. Do you think your body will change by doing this? Obviously, the answer is no. Yet, this what people do every Sunday, wondering why their lives are not changing. Doubling down on normal doesn’t change anything.

It is His voice that changes us, our family and the world around us. Why His voice? Because grace comes with His voice and His grace gives us the ability to do what He is saying to us. In James 2:17, he tells us faith without works is dead. We absolutely know we do not have to work for the invitation to this Romance of the ages with Jesus, but we do have a part in stirring the passion between Him and us. It is hard to cultivate a loving relationship one-sided. We as the Beloved Bride of Christ can no longer show up, sit down and listen. We must respond to His voice. We are designed to carry the glory of Yahweh into our families and everywhere the sole of our feet goes. The true glory of God is weighty, and it affects those you are around.

If you aren’t experiencing this measure of glory, then it is time to ask yourself some questions. Like what am I doing with what He is saying to me? The Holy Spirit has been speaking at The Wilderness Place. He is calling us out just like Jesus did with the man with the withered hand. Jesus calls him from the back of the room where he had hidden his dysfunction, He asked him to come forward in front of everyone. This man had a choice just like you do, he could have stayed hidden with his problem or come forward. He was tired of being in this situation, so he did something about it. He had faith in Jesus, but he also took action. Jesus is compassionate but He will not coddle your issue. He will call you out on it.

Are you tired of dealing with the same things in your life? The things you know are hindering you from carrying His glory to the measure you are designed for. There are Kingdom promises for you and your family waiting on you to do what He is showing you. Let’s talk practical ways to handle His voice. Think of one thing He has been talking to you about. Find a quiet place and sit with Him. You can say, “Abba, I brought XYZ you have been talking to me about. What do you want to show me regarding this? And wait for a few minutes. He will show you other aspects concerning the matter. This sometimes will even sound like your own voice, but your heart will know when it is Him revealing your thoughts. Do not walk away without responding. Your response could be crying, singing to Him, thanksgiving, or journaling a love letter to Him. This is cultivating a back-and-forth conversation with Him building intimacy.

Maybe you are thinking right now he’s not speaking anything to me. Go back to the last time He showed something or said something. Start there. He may be waiting for you to pick up the conversation about that matter first. Deep cries out to deep. We cannot sit around waiting for Yahweh to make us deep. This is our part. It’s time to stop wading around in the things of God and just dive into the deep. He won’t let you drown.

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The Wilderness Place The Wilderness Place

Made For More

“Every person is saved for more. That is the tension on the inside. You know you are made for more, but you don’t see it. It’s the Kingdom on the inside saying- you were made for more. Everyone wants more but you can’t keep doing the same thing expecting more. Let’s take it further. Deep cries out to Deep.” Pastor Tim

Remember yesterday we talked about the Love Affair- the Romance of the Ages? Your RSVP of Yes will move you in the direction of more. Pastor Tim talked about the tension on the inside of us when we are not seeing what the Kingdom is declaring in our spirits. We find ourselves in a rut sometimes doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. How many of you know a romance is ever growing doing different things to stir the passion in the relationship. It is the same with Jesus- our Bridegroom. This romance should cause reproduction of fruit in your life. One which is integrity. Not the integrity you are thinking, like a person of your word. This integrity is wholeness. The quality of being complete, undivided or unbroken. Why would we need this integrity in order to have more?

The more is the glory of God. Our hearts cry out for more because He designed us to go from glory to glory. Yet, His glory is weighty. It is His goodness and love for us to only allow us to have the glory we aren’t able to handle. Every time you mature in the areas of your life that He is whispering to you about, you strengthen the integrity of your life, which means you can handle more pressure. If we never experience anything different in how we think we never change.

This integrity gives us the ability to handle the flow of His glory in every area of our lives. Things begin to change, and life looks different. This glory is meant for us to radiate the image of Jesus to those around us.

Jesus says in John 14, “I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father! For I will do whatever you ask me to do when you ask me in my name. And that is how the Son will show what the Father is really like and bring glory to him. Ask me anything in my name, and I will do it for you!”

The more you are made is to be the image of Jesus. You are designed to do miracles. Jesus did some amazingly wild miracles, and He says we are made to do more than He did. Let this truth build the integrity of your faith to do more for the Kingdom of Yahweh. It’s what you are saved for!

It all starts with how you handle His voice in this love affair.

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