God's Ways Are Higher - Pat Stark

Pat Stark

God’s Ways Are Higher

What I want to share with you comes from a long journey of struggle with God and His ways that have not always been my ways.

“He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel.” Psalms 103:7

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8,9.

My struggle with God’s ways being different than mine all began many years ago when I had cancer.  My pastor who was well known internationally and been used mightily also had cancer at the same time.  God spoke to me the words that one of us would be sacrificed for greater purpose. Because he was so valuable to the Body, I believed it was me and wrestled to surrender to God. As you can see, I’m still here and he is not, but it caused me to wrestle with something deep inside me regarding God’s ways and purposes that we often can’t see or understand. God also used scriptures like Isaiah 45 in the process.

The painful events of life can cause us to wrestle with things we have never struggled with before regarding God and his ways.

• Things like when life doesn’t make sense

• Like when believing for healing, but it doesn’t come

• Like when there is a death and we were believing for healing

• Like when we feel the scripture says one thing and God seems to do another

• Like when we have “pictures” we have created that we felt lined up with scripture but they don’t come to pass the way we had thought

• When God seems uncaring, silent, absent, or different and we feel confused, forsaken, and alone

• Times when we are forced to ask with great sadness, “Who are you God? I don’t understand you.”

Oswald Chambers in his time tested devotional, My Utmost For His Highest,”points out:

“There are times when God cannot lift the darkness from you, but trust Him. God will appear like an unkind friend, but He is not; He will appear like an unnatural Father, but He is not; He will appear like an unjust judge, but He is not. Keep the notion of the mind of God behind all things strong and growing…therefore you can rest in perfect confidence in Him.”

I’ve met with many people who have been unwilling to wrestle with all those uncomfortable feelings and they’ve just buried those emotions deep inside. Without realizing it, they have buried their anger and resentment toward God, but it displays through their feeling distant from Him, shut down inside, or with anger that comes out sideways, wounding others around them.

I used to shut down inside and then wonder where God was, and why He seemed so distant.  Then I realized that God hadn’t moved, I had just shut Him out by closing my heart. I’ve had to wrestle through some of my misunderstandings of God and scripture. Some of my interpretations were even correct, but my timing was wrong. How many times I had been driven by fear instead of trust in making decisions.

One was the timing of selling our house in New Jersey. God clearly said to put the house on the market in January of that year. But houses were selling slowly, and out of my fear, I talked my husband into listing it in November.  The house sold in 2 weeks. Between November and January housing prices increased by $30,000 and we lost out by having to accept November instead of January prices. Fear driven decisions are bad decisions.

God’s purposes are often higher than ours and His ways are often mystery, but we want to know, and that knowledge can be our trying to control things the way we want or need them to be. Without even realizing it we are eating from the wrong tree in the Garden.  The Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil instead of the Tree of Life (who is Jesus).  We often try to bring God down to our way of thinking, but He says, no, you come up here and see from My perspective. (Revelation 4:1) Even my prayers at an earlier time in life were to get God to do things in the way that seemed right to me. That way, Proverbs 16:25 tells us, is not life producing.

Surrendering to God’s ways first allows us to eat from the Tree of Life.  “God, what are you doing here, what are you saying?” When we have owned our fear and shared it truthfully with God and when we have truly surrendered it to God, not just with words or intellect, but through our fear, and from the will and heart, the result is always the same — His peace that passes our own understanding.

However coming to terms with loss of any kind, or the fear of loss, is so difficult. I believe it’s because we were originally created for the Garden and for delight, not for loss, and not for “deaths” of any kind.  Loss is not “natural” to us in the way God created us prior to the Fall of Man. That’s why we must learn to grieve our losses. 

Mourning our grief is God’s way for us to handle loss of any kind. We have to face the reality of our pain, allow ourselves to feel the hurt, and enter the struggle of our loss. We have to allow God to be our Comforter. We then walk through the loss and pain by holding His hand.  (Isaiah 43:2)

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their FEAR of death.”   Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV

There are many different kinds of “deaths” we can fear.

• Fear of aloneness

• Fear of emptiness

• Fear of change or of the unknown

• Fear of Loss of security which can include jobs, finances, relationships, our health and our loved ones health or even the fear of their wrong choices

 As I’m getting older and I’ve had to face the reality of approaching death myself, and I’ve come to view death very differently. I see death as an event on the journey of life much like a graduation or marriage.  I see it as a transition into a greater season, more than we could ever imagine or hope. However I often have to wrestle more to get to the place of surrender and peace with the present lesser losses.

We are already living in eternity according to Jesus.

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3 NIV

We can tend to think of life as life on this side of eternity and life on the other side instead of realizing we are already in eternity and are in the process of training for reining on the other side of the veil. Because of Jesus’ death,  our lives don’t end in death ~~ the next phase just begins and we get to cross over. But in the process there is a mourning of the old, a releasing and letting go. It requires us to walk through into unknown places, trusting God that he is enough to walk us all the way through.

Life on the other side of the veil is bigger than this small world. It is the fulfillment of purpose, not the end. It is the beginning of a season of living fully alive!

Pat

Pat Stark is the author of Born to Fly: Pursuing the Life You Were Meant to Live…Free; Lost Heart: A Guide to Living From Your Heart in a Broken World, and The Story of Life: The Life We All Try to Find,” available on Amazon, as well as The Covenant Center bookstore. Her message brings freedom and hope in the midst of a world of uncertainty. Her desire is to see people restored to who they were originally created to be before they were wounded by the hurts of life. She is gifted in dealing with root issues lying beneath the surface that have kept people trapped and unable to experience true freedom. Pat has worked with people for over 40 years in the area of deep spiritual and emotional healing. She is an ordained minister through The Covenant Center, Lakeland, Florida.

Contact: info@thecovenantcenter.com

*Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, Discovery House Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan, c.1963, Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd.

The Tree of Knowledge - Richard Maisenbacher

Richard Maisenbacher

The Tree of Knowledge

There are many foundational truths derived from Genesis 2 and 3. We are given the freedom of choice which comes with consequences, accepting responsibility for sin, and understanding the two kingdoms and their nature. 

Genesis 2:9 states, “and out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”  When God created the heavens and earth it included all the trees, but these two were particularly pointed out.

Genesis 2:16-17 says, “and the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.”

Now there was a result for eating from the wrong tree. Even though an actual physical death was not one of them, many consequences occurred in Genesis 3 when man decided to eat of the Tree of Knowledge. The serpent had a part to play in this test, but man ultimately was able to make the final choice.

The two trees in the garden represented a freedom of choice. The choice was to believe the Creator- God, or the creature- the serpent. Animals could obviously communicate with man in the garden, thus the set up for the lie occurred. Adam had already been involved in an intimate covenant relationship with God before eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in Genesis 3. Afterward, because of disobedience the relationship was broken, resulting in many consequences.

In Genesis 3:6 it says, “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” The serpent convinced Eve and Adam that there were some positive things that would happen if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge. It seemed that Eve believed that she could help God out and not have to bother Him with every little decision she had to make. Their eyes would be open so that they could have the ability to perceive when something was wrong.

It is not just the Tree of Good and Evil; it’s the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the Hebraic it is the desire to know the difference between good and evil. So, the real issue regarding the Tree of Knowledge becomes my choice to decide for myself what is good and what is not good for me. If I can determine what is right and wrong for me, then I can control my ethics and morality. However, morality is a function of what God says is right. Making all my choices on what I think is right or wrong can easily lead me away from a relationship with God and having little if any desire for the Tree of Life and His Spirit. It cuts off the presence of God and His creation.

God has put in place many methods to be able to communicate with us: his Torah, his voice, visions, dreams, through counsel and teaching, gifts of the Spirit, through circumstances, a sensing, experiences, and other unique ways He may speak. He might tell us that we may make a particular choice on a matter, but it all comes from an intimate relationship of love and hearing Him. 

It seems we all have had an increase in battles and challenges lately, but choosing to seek Him first as opposed to making our own choices of what is good or bad for us from the Tree of Knowledge, is very important!

The Eye of the Needle Gate - Becky Maisenbacher

Becky Maisenbacher

I recently have been seeing what I call “spirit highlights” about God bringing a return in understanding of the fear of the Lord. Scripture instructs us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10.

During prayer I have sensed His sadness and even grieving at times of how His created people view Him today. I believe some have separated Jesus’ words or full gospel to parts of the gospel that are palatable or “seem good to them.” I was directed to read the Book of Matthew once again. The documented words of Jesus, especially in Matthew, are lovely and encouraging as well as sobering. I encourage you to read through Matthew, especially through chapters 5-7.

We as His body have been through many wonderful seasons of grace and revelation. We have grown in understanding of His amazing Love, His great Grace, His desire to Heal, the expansion of Prophetic understanding and Intimacy to hear His voice. With each season, to some He has become a sweet and merciful Papa, or Abba, which He is;  but the fullness of God reveals He is also a God of War, a God of Power, Judgement, and Correction, which sometimes may look like vengeance, or retribution. How do we digest and comprehend more of the “Fullness of God?”

I personally believe He is coming to show and reveal even more of His character and ways in this season. It may in the future cause discomfort to some in how we see God. We know the earth is shaking, and It appears God is allowing, maybe even orchestrating the times we are in, as He is choosing to expose evil and corruption that is an affront to Him as Creator. He is here. He is Jehovah Shammah. He is ready to reveal Himself as Righteous Judge, which will continue unfolding in the coming days.

For the Lord is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation ( irritation) every day. If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword. Prov. 7:11.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31.

(2) The second word or phrase highlighted to me recently is, “The Eye of the Needle Gate.

There are many gates one can pass through in Jerusalem: Zion Gate, Damascus Gate, Jaffa Gate, Dung Gate, New Gate, Herod Gate, Golden Gate or Eastern Gate to the Temple Mount, and Lion’s Gate. There are also various opinions among biblical scholars as to whether the eye of the needle gate existed or was used by Jesus as an analogy or hyperbole. As I searched for evidence of the Eye of the Needle gate, it was heralded by some scholars as true while others suggested Jesus used a hyperbolic illustration.

Eye of the Needle Gate
Jerusalem

Some scholars suggest, the "Eye of the Needle" was very real and that it was an extremely narrow gateway into Jerusalem. Since camels were heavily loaded with goods and riders, they needed to be un-loaded in order to pass through this opening, I wonder if as a young boy Jesus may have witnessed the small narrow opening where camels were daily unloaded and carefully accompanied through some of the very narrow passageways that still exist today in the old city. History tells us that Jerusalem experienced many battles and occupations, with walls and buildings being destroyed and rebuilt. I personally am inclined to believe Jesus retrieved from His memory the analogy of what He visually experienced as a young boy to teach and illustrate his point. I encourage you to research and let me know what you find.

In Matthew 19:24, Jesus talks to the rich young ruler. This young man is asking what else he needs to do to enter the kingdom of God, when Jesus answers: “If you want to be perfect (fully complete or an adult), go sell your possessions and give to the poor,, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come follow Me.” Matt. 19:21.

As we know, the young man goes away sad because he is extremely wealthy. Scripture is unclear if he ever came back, but we can hope that after pondering Jesus’ words, he chose to follow Him. The broader context of Jesus' statement seems to suggest that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter heaven.

Is this true? The rich are often more self-assured, and well off. They usually don't have to worry about having their basic needs met like food, shelter, or money. Therefore, they may not often think of eternity because they have been fairly comfortable on earth.

Jesus isn’t saying here that money is the root of all evil, but the love of money can cause destruction to man’s soul and destiny. After all, Job was a very rich man who God favored, and after his trials, God restored Job’s wealth plus much more. Being rich isn't a sin, and they are not spared from the pains of life; however, I have observed it can be more difficult for them to see their need for Christ.

Those with less, know experientially what it's like to struggle. It is often through our suffering we come to know God. It is in difficult times and challenges we begin to recognize our lack of self sufficiency and our need for a Savior.

Jesus makes an important point regarding this to His audience and followers: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be. Matt. 6: 19-21.

Tim Hegg, of www.torahresource.com, summarizes in His commentary: “So did Yeshua utilize the hyperbolic illustration of a camel going through the eye of a needle to teach that it was impossible for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven? Yes, if we understand that he means a rich person who is trusting in his or her riches to enter the kingdom. And this is the point: There is only one way to enter the kingdom, to trust God fully, and to demonstrate trust by the acceptance of his Messiah and following Him.

I know this is a bit long, but as an intercessor, God often gives puzzle pieces one at a time, causing me to search out and find what He wants to share. I hope you’re enjoying the “hunt” with me as we put the puzzle pieces together. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2. One more highlight to go!

3) Thirdly, He brought to mind a word released at The Covenant Center during our June 2, 2024 worship and celebration meeting where the Lord called His people “gates:” Here is the word transcribed for you:

“The Spirit of the Lord is here speaking, this morning. As the drum roll began we could sense His presence marching into this assembly. Almost simultaneously, Angela, began streaming the silver banner declaring redemption. I then heard the Spirit of the Lord speaking. I’m sure you did also.

He is saying this is not a time of discouragement. I have been training you and preparing you for your entire life for these moments. I want to remind you to be sensitive to My Spirit. I have made you sensitive to My Spirit. For in these times more than ever, it’s going to be important for you to know when I am in your midst and when I am working. For I have not left you. And as I reveal my plans to you, watch as the wind blows. Watch as the Mulberry trees blow. Watch as I come in My majesty. For I am not just coming, I am here! I am here in your midst, and I am doing a great thing in the earth. Will you not know it? Will you not see it? For I have given you eyes to see. I have given you ears to hear. I am increasing your sensitivity and even the anointing level upon you, to those who would seek Me and stand with Me.

And then I heard Him say, “Declare Psalm 24,” the Spirit of the Lord wants to remind us all:

“The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof. The world and all who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas and has established it upon the waters. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in this holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart who does not lift up his soul to falsehood (lying or vainness) or swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from the God of his salvation.”

That’s why He’s been working in our hearts to purify us, for this time, to be standing before Him pure, to be able to serve and be sensitive to His will and His plans and desires.

And then He continued: “This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek your face oh God of Jacob.” And the declaration for the day, this morning , released by the  psalmist and musicians was:

“Lift up your head oh gates.” Each of you are one of the kingdom gates Covenant Center family! “Be lifted up oh ancient doors so the King of glory may enter.” Do you sense His weighted presence? He’s here.  

“Who is the King of glory? The Lord, our Lord, strong and mighty. The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads oh gates. And be lifted up oh ancient doors. That the King of glory, our King of glory may enter! Who is the King of glory? He is the Lord of Hosts. He is the King of glory. Selah.”

 We praise you Lord. We thank you Almighty God, Elohim, Yeshua, Almighty God, Creator of earth and everything therein. We praise your name today and thank You for who You are. And that You are always working on our behalf and in our midst. Your plans go beyond any man’s plans. May Your will be done in our hearts and in the earth. We give you praise today and thank You for You are mighty. Thank You Lord!

Conclusion: So what am I saying this morning?

As the world continues to shake with His judgments and exposure, people around you may become more unsettled, searching, some for answers, maybe fearful, and you will have a word for them as Holy Spirit leads. The Lord whispered today to share with you - He has been preparing you, your entire life, to serve and be used in the earth at this time, in this season by Him. You are His people, trained to minister and be His hand extended to a confused and hurting world. The Spirit says: I have need of you ~ This is your time. Whosoever will….

“And He summoned the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:34-36.

In His Love,

Becky Maisenbacher
Contact: Info@thecovenantcenter.com

Reconciliation Father's Day - Bob Stark

Bob Stark

I think our tendency, as Western Christians, is that when reading scripture we tend to over spiritualize the stories and to jump to the conclusions we are looking for without really engaging in the story with our heart, and without asking the hard questions that make us uncomfortable.

Life is messy. Our lives are messy. And the lives of the bible characters were messy. And that's the point. With the exception of Jesus, they were just like us in many ways. They were stumbling through life, trying their best to follow God, yet they all lived in a very imperfect way. However, despite their weaknesses and struggles, God always had a plan of redemption.

God is big enough for us to ask hard questions….whether it be about the scriptures, or whether it be about our lives. In order to fully live, we need to fully engage with the scriptures, and to fully engage with life. We need to allow ourselves to look at things honestly, and engage with hard questions, and to wrestle with things that make us uncomfortable.

That’s actually a very Hebraic way to look at things, and is, I believe, the way that God would have us look at things. We are going to look at a familiar story, the story of the sacrifice of Isaac , with fresh eyes, and we are going to connect with the story with our hearts, not just our heads. To do this, we will refer to Genesis chapters 22, 23 and 24. Here’s what we know: God told Abraham to offer his son as a burnt offering on a mountain in the land of Moriah What we don't know is how Abraham handled this with Isaac….we don't know what conversations Abraham had or didn't have with Isaac leading up to this.

Let’s look at Genesis 22:1-19:

22 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” 3 So Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will [a]provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham reached out with his hand and took the knife to [b]slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you [c]fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Here is a question to ask ourselves at this point in the story: “What was that experience like for Isaac?”

15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your [f]seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand, which is on the seashore; and your [g]seed shall possess the gate of [h]their enemies. 18 And in your [i]seed all the nations of the earth shall [j]be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived in Beersheba.

Can we put ourselves in Isaac’s place for a minute? How must Isaac have felt? Could this have been traumatic for him?

One of the most prevalent Midrash viewpoints on this story is that Isaac was so traumatized by this experience that he didn't come back down the mountain with Abraham and instead, he ran away. Where does this come from? Let’s look further.

What is Midrash? Midrash is an ancient Jewish/hebraic form of commentary which leads to raising questions in an attempt to cause us to look deeper into the text for clues that are intentionally left there by the writers.

The purpose of Midrash is discovery. It teaches us how to think, how to wrestle and discover, but not what to think. As compared to our Western biblical commentary which typically tries to answer questions through explanation or interpretation

Findings: Abraham, Isaac, and two young men journey from Beersheba to the land of Moriah to make a sacrifice. Abraham and Isaac go up the mountain for the sacrifice. Abraham binds Isaac and is about to kill him when the angel of God stops him. God gives Abraham a prophecy about his legacy. There is no mention of Isaac coming down off of the mountain with Abraham and returning with him. Abraham returns with the young men to Beersheba.

Let’s continue in Genesis chapter 23:1-2. Now Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2 Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

Abraham then returns with the young men to Beersheba. Chapter 23 opens with the death of Sarah (Abraham’s wife) in Hebron. The original Hebrew text in vs 2 implies that Abraham “came to” where Sarah had died to mourn for her. In other words, Abraham was not with Sarah when she died  Sarah dies in Kirath-arba which is about 25 miles north of BeershebaSarah dies 25 miles away from where Abraham was (Beersheba)  Why were they separated? What must this experience have been like for Sarah? What conversations did Abraham have/or not have with Sarah about this? There is no mention of Isaac at all in this chapter.

In Chapter 24 we see the story of Abraham sending his chief servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. We find Isaac in Chapter 24, verse 62: “Now Isaac had come back from a journey to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the Negev. 63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming.”

• Beer-lahai-roi - This is the well that Hagar named when God met her after Abraham sent her away with Ishmael.

• Well - “You are a God who sees me.” Beer-lahai-roi is about 50 miles south of Beersheba 

• Meditate - the original Hebrew can be interpreted as “muse pensively.”

Why would Isaac go to Beer-lahai-roi? And why is he pensively musing?

• Let’s now put this all together: God speaks to Abrahan and tells him to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering.

• Abraham, Isaac, and two young men go from Beersheba to the land of Moriah to make a sacrifice.

• Agraham and Isaac go up the mountain for the sacrifice.

• Abraham binds Isaac and is about to kill him when the angel of God stops him.

• God gives Abraham a prophecy about his legace.

• No mention of Isaac coming down off of the mountain with Abraham and returning with him.

• Abraham returns with the young men to Beersheba (presumably without Isaac).

• Isaac is in a field, having returned from Beer-Lahai-roi (a well named by Hagar after being sent away by Abraham and Sarah, 50 miles from Beersheba).

• Isaac is “pensively musing.”

Remember, this is about discovery, about wrestling with questions, not about trying to put a definitive answer to all of the questions.

So we have to admit what we don’t know, and not go too far to draw concrete conclusions, but I think there is enough here to say that not everything was perfect in this family, and likely there were some significant issues within the whole family unit. And it is very likely that this family has experienced some level of religious trauma as a result of these events.

So what do we do with this? We apply what we’ve learned here and we ask questions of ourselves: Have we experienced some type of religious trauma in our lives? Fathers: How many of us as fathers have done our best to follow God’s call on our lives, and have said yes to God as best we knew how, but in the process of us proceeding in an imperfect way, might have inflicted some level of trauma on our wives and children?

Maybe we went into ministry, and God used us mightily. But have we wrestled with the questions of “what impact has this had on my kids?” “What impact has this had on my wife, and our family as a whole?”

Have we allowed ourselves to ask these questions?

Have we asked this question to our wife, and children in order to get their perspective? Have we acknowledged our own “human-ness” in this equation and owned our mistakes in how we might have carried out our journey to follow God’s voice in our lives. This isn't to say that following God’s direction has caused trauma to our families, but that the way that we have walked it out may have. It begs us to have those honest conversations with our wives and children. Not to justify our actions, but to truly see them, and acknowledge our part if there has been hurt, and take whatever steps to ask for forgiveness and move toward mending the relationships.

The point here is that despite our best efforts as Fathers and Husbands to follow God's will and direction in our lives, the ways that we have walked this out have been imperfect at best, and our mistakes, no matter how well intentioned, may have led to consequences for the ones we love.

Children: How many of us as children have suffered trauma to our lives because of the imperfect way that our fathers have devoted their lives to “the ministry” in service to God?

• How has that impacted our relationship with our father? How has that impacted our view of our heavenly Father? How has that impacted our relationship with our heavenly Father?

• Has that caused resentment in relation to God?

• Have we acknowledged that trauma as real, and how have we dealt with that?

• Have we tried to speak to our parents about this?

The goal here is reconciliation. The goal is to “see” the impact of our decisions, and our actions on those we love….and own that in the fullest way possible… with the ultimate goal of bringing healing to our relationships.

Malachi 4:5;“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and strike the land with complete destruction.”

It’s easy to look at this in regard to our society, but what about in our own household? It has to start with us as fathers, especially fathers in the church…

Bob Stark

You can watch this message at: https://www.youtube.com/live/kneeaHrN5Ls

Bob Stark and his wife Anita are Ordained ministers and Elders in The Covenant Center. Bob dives into God’s word bringing wisdom, insight and truth to his messages and teachings. He has a heart for the hurting and wounded and a desire to see people prosper. Bob encourages others to develop a relationship with God which brings intimacy and guidance from the Father. He and Anita enjoy spending time with their family and grandchildren. An avid fisherman, Bob enjoys the open water and the discussion of lively fishing tales.

Contact - www.info@thecovenantcenter.com

Revelation Tidbits - David Weber

David Weber

Revelation Tidbits - David Weber

Recently I was directed to look back at the themes that were revelatory in my spiritual walk. These are themes the Lord brought to my remembrance. As we start out on our walk with the Lord we hear certain concepts and our understanding of them is limited. As we mature, we receive clarity and their deeper meaning begin to be revealed. Concepts like grace, faith, the Kingodm of God, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are exceedingly deep, but the Lord is faithful to open our eyes and has helped me in my journey to uncover some of the deeper meanings that have brought greater intimacy with Him, as God’s loving heart and provision for us was revealed.

What is the Kingdom of Heaven - Kingdom of God as expressed in the Gospels particularly the Gospel of Mathew. We need a revelation of the supernatural power and authority of dwelling (living-operating) in the fullness of the Kingdom of God. Jesus spoke much about His kingdom and how we can apply it to our spiritual lives in this life.

There are two realms of authority on the earth. God’s Kingdom authority and Civil authority which are the governmental laws and cultural restraints of society.

Psalm 115:16 states: “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord. But the earth He has given to the sons of men.” God gave earthly authority to Adam, but Adam sold his authority by obeying Satan in the garden of Eden. Christ bought it back by His total obedience to His Father. He has granted that authority to us. It is our responsibility to actively through prayer, petition and declaration invoke God’s will and Kingdom expression to the earth in our personal realm of authority. Since God’s Kingdom supersedes earthly authority it is our privilege  and responsibility to supplant what we know is counter to the purposes of God through prayer, petition and declaration. When we pray: “Thy will be done, Thy Kingdom come” it is a command and is a powerful declaration that we enact over circumstance! The authority of the Kingdom of our Lord supersedes that of the kingdoms of this earth.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit: Jesus did not begin His earthly ministry until John the Baptist baptized Him and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. The Lord told His disciples to wait to “be baptized in the Holy Spirit” and “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” Acts 5. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the activation of the Kingdom power through us! Without Him we operate in our intellect alone. It is available to every believer in Jesus, however many would seek it but often lack clarity on how to receive it. Jesus said in Matt:7:7-11 “Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives…what man is there among you when his son will ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish he will not give him a snake will he? If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him.”

If you want God to baptize you in the Holy Spirit and you have asked for it, believe that you have already received it because God has given you what you asked for when you asked for it. You may have no cognitive indication, however it is an absolute truth that when you ask He will give it. The issue is what receiving looks like. Like the 120 in the upper room, you may have it manifest powerfully or so gently that you’d not realize it. The key is accepting on faith that God will do what He says He would do.  You must initiate doing the speaking in faith that He will give you the language. When you open your mouth to ‘try’ to speak in tongues you are acting in faith. The sounds might feel foolish like baby talk but the articulation will eventually come. Who among us began speaking anything but baby talk as a child. Why would we expect it to be different learning a new language of the Spirit?

Tongues pray the will of God for our lives and secure the destiny that pleases His purposes for us. God Himself makes intercession for us through the Holy Spirit as we speak in tongues. This is our personal prayer language and rarely do we have any idea what we are praying. This is distinct from the “tongues and interpretation” that is part of a prophetic gift. Every believer can receive it. I recall Lance Walnau who found himself engaged in a political meeting asking the lord “What am I doing here in this political thing when I am a preacher not a politician” The Lord answered immediately “But this is what you’ve been asking for when you’re praying to me in tongues!”. God speaks His mysteries through us to get us to His assignment for us!

Righteousness and Grace: How would you define Righteousness? As a teen I thought that when you become a believer God helps you to become perfect. I tried to be righteous by being perfect. Didn’t Paul say “be perfect even as I am perfect.” Reading that I became very discouraged because I knew that I constantly failed in many ways. Being a perfect Christian was an impossibility for me I discovered. Paul I later learned was saying “perfect” but a more accurate translation would be “mature” which releases us from the impossibility of perfection. Our sanctification comes from our obedience to God and is a lifelong process. In my immaturity in trying and failing I became so discouraged that I left the faith believing it to be impossible to please God. So I went from the ditch of legalism to the other ditch of lawlessness. I spent the next decade living without the guilt of constant failure but without the God of grace.

At the end of that decade I, like the prodigal son came to the end of myself and my emptiness and cried out to return to the Father. In my repentance I discovered grace. What I discovered is that God’s grace is an ocean! It is an inexhaustible sea. It is cleansing and restoring making us new again. His invitation is for us to just dive in!

Now when I am discouraged by failure I travel down to the sea in my mind and dive in. Christ has given us beach access! I discovered that only believing in the sacrifice of Christ was I righteous and it has been freeing because I am no longer condemned by my failings. I now define righteousness as simply being in right relationship with God which is by trusting in Christ alone.

I have found myself mistakenly thinking that greater significance is found in the Lord through ‘doing ministry’ which infers preaching or teaching or some other ‘pure’ spiritual calling. God has called us to our specific place and sees every destiny as significant if we are where He has set us. I am a farmer and have learned that the place that He has set me and blessed me is where I belong. Whatever we do, doing it unto Him is what pleases Him. God’s first and foremost command is to love the Lord with all of your heart mind and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself. Out of that love and obedience to what He reveals to you will come the true fruit in your life whatever your vocation. Then He will say “Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into your rest”.

Covenant: How understanding covenant changed my relationship with God. (He loves me unconditionally even when I don’t love myself) The covenant is between the Father and Jesus the Son – All of my striving to “to be a better Christian” can never earn my entrance. It is freely given. It is the Kingdom of God enacted!

For much of my teen years I was uncertain of my salvation because I never had that “felt experience”. It felt that salvation was something that you could lose if you weren’t diligent always and I didn’t feel very diligent nor very secure in my salvation. If I had only known about covenant! The Father and His Son entered into covenant for us through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We did nothing and can do nothing to earn it. I didn’t realize that. I thought salvation was conditional on our behavior. Many sadly believe that but it isn’t true.

When you ask Jesus to be Lord of your life you are entering the Father’s covenant with His Son. You are born again of the Spirit or made alive to God spiritually, born into the Kingdom of God. When we are born again we have birthright citizenship to the new covenant. As birthright citizens we are beneficiaries of all of the rights and privileges of citizenship though we did nothing to earn them. Just as breaking civil law has consequences, our sin can have consequences but does not revoke our spiritual citizenship. Thankfully we have an advocate in Jesus Christ who “makes intercession for us”. Our sin is covered if we are repentant. It cannot cancel our covenant with Christ.

Faith: If you ask how to define faith you will get a lot of different answers. What is ‘enough’ faith? I always wondered about Abraham's faith mentioned in Hebrews until I realized that at 100 years old he had to put his faith in action for Issac to be conceived. It was not an immaculate conception if you get what I am saying. He had to be intimate with his 90 year old wife so they both had to both believe and act. Abram’s belief in God’s promise was ‘reckoned” to him as righteousness! Faith needs to be acted upon. Believing is a choice after all isn’t it? Choosing is an act of our will. Yes there is a gift of faith but oftentimes faith is referred to as some nebulous thing in the ether that perhaps we can somehow get a hold of, but how? Certainly knowing the truths of the word of God help our faith. His word holds His promises. We can determine to choose to believe trusting that it is in the hands of our loving Father. Our trust in His love is what He desires. The outcome is in His hands if we trust Him. The outcome may not be what we had hoped for, however we should consider Job 13:15 after all he endured (from Satan’s hand with God’s permission) Job declared, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him; I will surely defend my ways to His face.” This speaks of intimate trust and intimate relationship that he could contend with God to argue his case.

Where do we dwell (mentally)? We live where ever our thought life is attending. It is our dwelling place. If you think about it your mind is your dwelling place, your inner reality. Isaiah 26:3 “He will keep him in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord.” TLB. In today’s world everything is after our attention.

Compare our daily social environment to that of 100 years ago and the difference is astonishing. We are bombarded with information all day in one form or another. Emails, solicitations, bill boards, TV ads, not to mention our texts, news outlets , social media, etc. It is an avalanche of distraction all of it designed to lure your attention towards some idea or product.

Our attention is where we dwell. God wants our attention because our attention focused on Him produces true life. We live our lives – our realities in our thought life. What we dwell on influences everything that we feel and do. But do we have to agree with our thoughts? Philippians 4:8 states: “ Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, Whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there’s any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things...and the peace of God shall be with you.”

In the verses above Paul declares that “by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God wants our attention. Satan wants to distract us from our reality, our dwelling in God.

I was sitting in church on a Sunday morning a while back and the Lord gave me a daydream. You could call it a vision if you like. I was under water looking about and I saw hundreds of fish lures of every kind each one designed to be attractive to a specific individual being dragged along in different directions. As I came to the surface I saw multiple boats each with a fisherman tending to his line. I knew immediately what the Lord was telling me. Our world is teeming with things competing for our attention. Every one will ‘hook’ the one who takes the bait into believing whatever the fisherman is selling, be it a product, an idea, a conspiracy or false belief.

Each lure is specifically designed to attract a specific individual and tether them and take away their spiritual freedom through distraction. I see many in the body of Christ as victims of this. We want to believe something is true because we are following something that looks good to us but it wants to hook us – to distract us from our true calling. We need discernment and to be vigilant.

If an idea can get your emotions involved in any way in agreeing about anything, once your emotions are involved, it is very difficult for the average person to change their mind even when confronted with facts to the contrary. It is a common attribute to all humans. We are all susceptible to this but knowing this fact should help us be more aware when someone is trying to persuade us by using emotionally charged language such as outrage, sympathy, even excitement or any other emotion in order to provoke our emotions in sympathy. The red flags should come out! Let’s not be distracted from determining to root out what is truth and be willing to consider an opposite opinion. Sometimes skepticism in this world is really wisdom. Christians can be so gullible and end up being taken or sidelined from their true calling by things that sound good but are distractions or worse.

MEA: To help me be more honest and disciplined in my thinking, where I had been ‘dwelling’ in my thought life, the Lord brought me to a revelation in how to evaluate my thoughts by examining my Motives, Expectations and Attitudes. Sometimes I have to give myself an exam and a grade.

The process has helped me be more honest with myself and with God in my requests. He said that if I examine my thinking in relation to these three things that I would have a more correct perception of how I was relating to Him and what I was asking for and why. This is in effect a reality check. God knows our hearts however sometimes we don’t know them and how they affect how we relate to Him.  Often I believe that He can’t answer our prayers because of our hidden motives. He sees them but we are often blind to them.

I have found that thankfulness refocuses my attitude. An attitude of thankfulness doesn’t change God but it changes us. Thankfulness is the gateway to God’s presence and in God’s presence is fullness of joy!

Here are a few of my experiences with the Lord:

In 2001 I took a sabbatical and spent two years at Morningstar because I was hungry and curious to see and experience the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Early on I was tasked to speak at a Friday night SOS meeting as a 10 minute speaker. I was going to speak on faith. I was nervous. I sat at the leaders table with Robin McMillan and suddenly I had the sensation of having a very full bladder. Not so good if your about to speak! I had been taught that the Holy Spirit would often give a sensation or pain in an area of your body that someone there needs to receive healing and the Lord wants to heal them. So I mentioned to Robin what I was experiencing and he gave permission to move on it. Very awkwardly I got up before a full house. Leonard Jones was behind me working on some equipment. I started by saying “I believe that the Lord is speaking to me that someone is having issues with their bladder. If you will stand up I believe that the Lord will heal you.” No one stood up. Leonard wisely piped up “ Say urinary problems and I wouldn’t embarrass anyone by making them stand up” Thank you Leonard!

So I had every one stand and prayed and then gave my message feeling quite embarrassed over the whole thing. After the meeting the guest speaker came to me and told me that he was having urinary problems but didn’t wish to harm his message by responding. He asked me to pray for him so I did. I never heard the outcome of that.

However months later, I was head usher to a large Morningstar conference at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Charlotte and I was standing in the center isle when a woman rushed up to me grabbing my jacket and saying “I am so sorry please forgive me.” I had to ask what she was apologizing for. She said “Remember when you were the SOS speaker a few months ago and you asked if anyone had UTI issues, I have had urinary issues for years and have been prayed for over and over with no results so when you asked I said to myself I am not going to respond! But the next day when I woke up it was completely gone and has been ever since.” I believe that the Lord delayed the news for my sake but still wanted me to eventually know that to encourage me.

At another time our class was asked to get a prophetic word for a unidentified group. As I waited on the Lord I saw in my mind’s eye a huge ball point pen suspended before me. I described what I saw but had no interpretation. Turns out that it was for a writer’s/publishers conference. Just an encouragement from the Lord to me that I hear Him.

In Haiti one time we were traveling to Cap Haitian in the north through the mountains on these horrible roads. I was driving a little diesel pickup loaded to the gills with equipment. But before we even got to the foothills of the journey I felt the truck start to wobble on the road. We stopped and discovered that one of the Haitians had failed to tighten the lug nuts and the wheel was about to come off. Only two lugs were still good and the others were broken off. We tightened what we could and continued but just as we came down the last mountain at the edge of town many miles later the tire blew. I pulled over and saw that there was only one good lug left but the other was loose (the weld holding it internally was broken and so stripped that we couldn’t get the tire off. My friend Jay the missionary immediately prayed for the Lord’s help. Just a moment later a Haitian man jumped onto the road with a hammer and chisel and knocked off the nut so we could change the tire. I think he was an angel masquerading as a Haitian!

We were in class another time and Matt Peterson said that that day we were going to ask the Lord for a directive word for our neighbor. We paired up and I was paired with a 17 year old named Chase. We were to think of a specific thing that we needed direction for but to not relate it to our partner. This was at the end of our second year and I was planning to return to Florida determined that I should expand my farm and look for about 100 acres to develop. While I’m thinking that, Chase turns to me and asks “Is the number 100 significant to you?” When I returned to Florida my somewhat crotchety neighbor stopped by to inform me that there was a 100 acre parcel nearby and I should buy it because if I didn’t buy it then he would. I paid less than $200,000 for 100 acres because it had been sold to a realtor for unpaid taxes. That parcel is where my current farm resides and has been a great blessing to many. It is all God’s incredible grace!

In my second year at Morningstar Johnny Enlow and his co-pastors planned a trip to the Dominican Republic. They invited students from Morningstar to come along and help with prophetic ministry so I signed up. His co-pastor Dave’s wife whose name escapes me had been a missionary there for years and was fluent in Spanish. We held nightly meetings in Santiago where several large churches participated. During the day we spent the day giving prophetic ministry to the congregation. On the last night after the conference was over she called her husband and I over to where she was ministering to a woman and her teenage daughter. She explained that the mother was a pastor whose husband had abandoned her, the daughter had gone astray and she wanted us to give a prophetic word to the woman’s daughter. Dave says, “Oh come on we’re all tired after all this” but she persisted, “Oh please just one more time. This girl really needs a word”. “OK!” Dave pauses a moment and says, “I see you in a beautiful wedding gown” His wife interprets then looks to me. I recall feeling somewhat anxious but a thought came to me that this girls father didn’t know the Lord and that was the reason they wanted a word. The phrase “He will come in” came to my mind and I am thinking that means that the father will come into the kingdom that he’ll get saved. I got nothing more except that. I only heard that phrase so I told them “I just keep hearing the Lord say ‘he will come in, he will come in’, over and over.” Once I said that I saw in my mind’s eye the girl sitting at a vanity staring at a beautiful ornate jewelry box. She was just staring at it. I said, “ I see you sitting staring at a beautiful ornate jewelry box that is filled with beautiful things that the Lord wants to give you. He wants you to open the box so that He can adorn you with what is inside.

At that point I walked away as she interpreted. Later as we gathered on the bus Dave’s wife came to me gushing about how the girl was delivered from demons and gave her heart to the Lord. She said the girl had just told her before we were asked to give her a word that she could never believe that if she asked Christ to come into her life that he would come in. She kept on saying that He would not come in. The Lord wanted to emphatically tell her that He would come in by having me repeat the phrase over and over. Of course the Lord had put in my mind an entirely different scenario to get me to say those words. It goes to show you that we see in part but the the Lord will get the job done if we just follow through in faith even when we are clueless as to the meaning of what we’re saying. If I had tried to interpret that I would have messed it up. Sometimes you should give what you got and nothing more. Don’t try to expand or interpret. Let the hearer do that. They will usually have a different context than you.

Hearing God is not for a special few. Every believer has a direct line of communication with our Loving Father in heaven if they chose to believe it. He acts and speaks to us in many ways if we are alert to hear Him and be obedient to what He says.

David

David Weber - is a mainstay in the Central Florida blueberry industry, with a Bachelor’s degree in botany from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton and his Master’s from the University of Florida in Nematology. He worked exclusively in the Ag industry –managing the UF Extension Nematology Lab and later with Ciba Geigy Ag Chemicals– before starting his own company, The Doc Applications, Inc., in the 1980s. The acre he planted in the late ‘80s has grown to 31 acres, and he’s continued to strive for innovation. David is a long term member of Morningstar KBA - Kingdom Business Association. He believes strongly in Marketplace Ministry and is a two year participant of Morningstar’s prophetic ministry. He is an ordained minister with The Covenant Center.

Contact: info@thecovenantcenter.com

If you would like to hear more about what else the Lord is speaking in this hour click here to watch the full video - https://www.facebook.com/thecovenantcenter

Face Down and Floating in the River of Life - Nicole Welch

Nicole Welch

Face Down and Floating in the River of Life

I went to the beach a few weeks ago and I realized how much I love the ocean. Even though the waters were rough the weekend I was there, I love the ocean because it always reminds me that God and His power are so much bigger than me. The feeling of being scared and exhilarated were both present as I plunged face into the large waves that were coming at me. When I was preparing to speak Sunday, the Lord started speaking to me about His river flowing from His throne. He told me the river that is coming is not like anything we will ever have experienced before (and I have been through two major outpourings and revivals). He also showed me that this river is NOT just a metaphor or a thing we sing, or talk about but it is an actual REAL living river! We can step into it with our God given imagination anytime we choose.

Ezekiel 47: 1-12 says, “The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. (2) He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

(3) As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. (4) He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. (5) He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. (6) He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. (7) When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. (8) He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. (9) Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. (0) Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. (11) But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. (12) Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

If you have never snorkeled before I encourage you to try it sometime. The minute you put your face down in the water, everything changes. It is an entirely different world under the ocean. You can just float and see a new dimension of life under the surface of the water. I hear the Lord saying in this hour to put your face down and float in His river.

There’s a place of floating in His presence where we are lifted up by the Most High God and when we are face down in the Lord, we see in a different dimension. Instead of seeing the shaking that is happening all around us we are floating in His Shalom in the river.

In Ezekiel 47 the man measured the depth of the river by using a measuring line. God is asking us in this hour, “How deep will you go into my river?” Will we just go ankle deep? There you can still walk and still have control. Will you go waist deep and feel the current under your legs pulling you out where you may not want to go? Or will you decide to face down and just go all in so you can see differently? It is time for us to get our heads wet and face down. Little children are taught to get their head and face wet when they are learning to swim and most of them hate it and put up a fuss about it at first. After a little time, when they learn how to swim it is not such a big deal to get in over their head. They usually jump right in!

When you get your face down in the waters and get your head wet you will see different like Jesus does and everything changes! Where are you in the River of Life? I encourage you to go in all the way and put your face down to see a whole new world. The River of Life is real and is going to flood our nation and we need to be ready for it. I want to encourage you to meditate on Revelations 22:1-5 (and verse 17) and Ezekiel 47.

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (2 )down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (3) No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. (4) They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

(17) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

If you would like to hear more about what else the Lord is speaking in this hour click here to watch the full video - https://www.facebook.com/thecovenantcenter

Nic Welch

Nicole is a consultant, podcaster, author, public speaker, world traveler, therapist, wife, mom, and loyal friend (also very intense and fun). Her authority lies in living from your true God given identity, communication skills, and leadership. She has major superpowers in creating powerful people by connecting quickly, influencing deeply, and achieving more in every encounter.

Grab a copy of my latest book on Amazon! https://amzn.to/2VF3euD

www.getheartradio.com

@getheartmedia

Pentecost and Shavuot

Richard Maisenbacher

Pentecost and Shavuot - Richard Maisenbacher

Many believers recognize that Passover and Resurrection Sunday (Easter), usually are celebrated on the same Sunday in the Gregorian calendar. However, this year Resurrection Sunday was on March 31st and Passover was celebrated on April 22-30th.

Pentecost was celebrated this year 2024 on May 19th and Shavuot, which is described below, will be June 11-13th. Let’s review what the feasts of the Lord are about.

Pentecost is a Feast of the Lord recognized by believers which is mentioned in Acts 2:1. In the Book of Acts, chapter 2, the presence of God fell upon the believers with tongues of fire (the pictograph is evidence of a blessing) as they began to speak in the native language of those who were listening. In the book of Jeremiah chapter 31, he prophesied that the Spirit of God would come upon the believers and the Torah (God’s Word) would be written on their hearts, rather than on tablets of stone.

When Paul was at Ephesus, he found some disciples and he asked them in Acts 19:2-6, “And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized? And they said, “into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.”

Fifty days after Passover, the Apostle Paul planned his travels so he could be in Jerusalem during Shavuot. It was to celebrate God’s faithfulness with the early wheat harvest (early First Fruits offering), which increased the hopefulness for a fall harvest (Sukkot). Later, the Rabbis while searching for historical facts discovered that around the same time during Shavuot, Moses came to Mount Sinai and was given the Law.

The Jews celebrated Shavuot when they received the Torah from God in Exodus 20. The presence and the revelation of God appeared on top of the mountain in the form of fire. Torah or the Word of God was then given to them on tablets of stone. This year in 2024 Shavuot is celebrated on June 11-13.

We look forward to celebrating these Feast with joy and thanksgiving! He has given us His written Word and continues to write His Word upon our hearts. We are in covenant with Him and blessed to have the opportunity to be intimate with Holy Spirit and communicate in many various ways! This is a time to saturate ourselves with His Word (Law) and Spirit (prayer) as we expect a fresh outpouring of His Spirit to do great and mighty things in His Kingdom during the next several months. This is a new season and era! Let us rejoice!

In His Covenant Love,

God's Heart for His Beloved - Entering the Sabbath-Rest of God - Chalis Butler

Chalis Butler

God’s Heart For His Beloved Entering the Sabbath-Rest of God - Chalis Butler

A few months ago, after visiting several different doctors, I was given a diagnosis of eczema in my body, something I had never previously dealt with. I soon learned that eczema can be related to stress. Since I had learned that it was most likely stress-related, I looked at this first… What is my stress about? This answer to this question, I soon learned, had many layers to it. It would not be answered with a weekend get-away or a life-style ‘makeover.’  Of course these can be helpful, and are sometimes a part of the solution, but as in most things, there are deeper things going on inside.

A few weeks later, He said to me, It’s not that you have too much on your plate, it’s that you don’t know how to rest.  Ahhh. Ok. Teach me, Lord. 

Sabbath Rest of God

And on the seventh day God ended HIs work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made (Genesis 2:2-3 NKJV). 

The Sabbath was about God’s completed work. He finished His work, and then He rested, He blessed, and He sanctified the 7th day, calling it holy.

The Fourth Commandment

He commanded the children of Israel, then, to do as He had done: 

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it (Exodus 20: 8-11 NKJV).

The command to remember the Sabbath day was in the top four commandments, after three commands that were about putting God first, worshipping Him only, and considering His name sacred. 

1. Put God first —have no other gods

2. Worship and serve God alone

3. Consider God’s Name Sacred

4. Consider the Sabbath Sacred

God commanded His people to cease from their work on the 7th day each week in order that they would remember and keep holy God’s Sabbath. The Sabbath was a special day to God. and rest must also be important to God. He blessed and sanctified the seventh day and rested on that day because on it He had completed His work. 

Besides their weekly observance of the Sabbath, there was one extra day each year when the children of Israel were commanded to observe a Sabbath day of rest. 

The Day of Atonement

This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all…For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls [fast]. It is a statute forever’ (Leviticus 16:29-31).

On the Day of Atonement, once every year, a ceremony was performed by the priests and observed by all of Israel. The high priest would put on special linen clothes, holy garments to make atonement for the people and the priests and well as for the Holy Sanctuary (Most Holy Place), the tabernacle of meeting, and the alter. They would bring a bull, two young goats, and two rams. The high priest would first sacrifice a bull as a sin offering, and sprinkle the blood to make atonement for himself and his family. He would sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat, and in front of the mercy seat, in the tabernacle of meeting and on the alter. They would cast lots to determine which goat would be sacrificed as the sin offering for the people, and which would become the scapegoat. The high priest would kill the goat chosen for God, and sprinkle its blood in the same way as with the bull, to atone for the sins of the people, and to purify them as well as the temple, because it remained in the midst of the ‘uncleanness’ of the children of Israel. Upon the second goat, the scapegoat, the high priest would lay both hands on its head, and ‘confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat’. The scapegoat would then be lead out to an uninhabited place to be released in the wilderness. Afterwards, the priest would change out of the special garments and return to sacrifice the rams as a burnt offering. 

On this most holy day, the people of Israel were to fast and observe a Sabbath rest. In this way, they took time to recognize their need for atonement. In their fasting, they identified themselves with the sacrificial goat, which was killed so that its blood could make atonement for their sins.

Two Sacred Things

And so there is a connection between God’s Sabbath-rest and the Day of Atonement (which we know as Yom Kippur), the most holy day of the year for Israel. 

Through this ceremony on the Day of Atonement, God reveals: 

• God’s Holiness

• The people’s need of atonement for their sin

• A picture of God’s divine plan to purify humanity through Jesus’ blood

• God’s Heart —His desire to dwell in their midst

There is much significance to the Day of Atonement, and the symbolism is laid out for us in Hebrews 10. 

From The Passion Translation of Hebrews 10:  The old system of living under the law presented us with only a faint shadow, a crude outline of the reality of the wonderful blessings to come. Even with its steady stream of sacrifices offered year after year, there still was nothing that could make our hearts perfect before God…For what power does the blood of bulls and goats have to remove sin’s guilt? So when Jesus the Messiah came into the world he said, ‘Since Your ultimate desire was not another animal sacrifice, You have clothed me with a body that I might offer Myself instead!… So by being the sacrifice that removes sin, He abolishes animal sacrifices and replaces that entire system with the new covenant. By God’s will we have been purified and made holy once and for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, the Messiah (Hebrews 10:1ff).

And since we now have a magnificent High Priest to welcome us into God’s house we come closer to God and approach Him with an open heart, fully convinced that nothing will keep us at a distance from Him. For our hearts have been sprinkled with blood to remove impurity, and we have been freed from an accusing conscience. Now we are clean, unstained, and presentable to God inside and out (Hebrews 10:21,22).

Why was the Sabbath Day so important to God?

God’s Heart is to abide within us and with us, and that we would abide in Him. His ultimate promise of Sabbath Rest is made possible through the blood  of His beloved Son, Jesus, making a way for His beloved creation — all of us — to abide together with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for eternity. Entering His Sabbath-Rest is based on the covenant exchange of His death for my life— my need for atonement is satisfied by the blood of Jesus. I can enter into and live in God’s promised rest because of His finished work. I can abide with Him, and He can abide with me.

God’s Heart

God’s heart for me as His Beloved is that I enter His Sabbath-Rest today. In other words, He wants me to fully believe and receive the atonement offered to me through Jesus’ blood. His Heart for me is that I know and live like I am ‘clean, unstained, and presentable to God,’ I already have His approval. I am the Beloved. Now, because of Jesus, I have full access to the Father. His Spirit abides within me and He is always with me, and He invites me to abide continually in Him… I have full access to Him at all times.

In Hebrews 4, Paul writes:  There is still a full and complete Sabbath-rest waiting for believers to experience. As we enter into God’s faith-rest life we cease from our own works just as God celebrates His finished works and rests in them…For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy like a two mouthed sword. It will even penetrate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and morrow meet! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts. Hebrews 4:9-12

Entering into the Sabbath Rest of God then, must require that the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts be laid bare, as Holy Spirit addresses the heart-issues that may be preventing us from fully entering into God’s Sabbath-Rest, where we can truly ‘cease from our own works’ and instead, live knowing in the deep places of our heart that we are loved; living in full assurance of our acceptance because of Jesus’ sacrifice that makes us pure and clean before the Father. 

What Are My Burdens?

Matthew 11:28-30: Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn [of] Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

When I first began to pray and meditate on the scripture, the Lord gave me a question to ask Him: What are my burdens?  I began to write… Worry. Fear. Anxious thoughts. Disappointments. Offenses. Guilt. Shame. Racing thoughts. Trying to figure things out. Struggling with Health issues.

Next, he gave me pictures for each word. For example, for the word ‘worry,’ I saw an open umbrella, but without any rain. For fear, I saw an hour glass. For Anxious thoughts, I saw a lamp that was not bright enough, and so forth.

After this, I began to process each picture with the Lord and in this process, he was helping me understand my burdens, how they were preventing me from being present with my family, how it was effecting me as well as others, what I needed to let go of, and where I was not trusting or believing Him.

He also showed me what He wanted to give me in exchange for my burdens, because in covenant, we make an exchange: My anxious thoughts for His peace, my guilt for His perfection, my sorrow for his Joy.

A Listening Exercise

This a way to answer and process with Holy Spirit the question: What are my burdens?

Word: What word or words do I hear? Write them down.

Symbol or picture: Begin in stillness and wait. What do I see? This could be an impression, a  picture of an object or a scene, a word, etc. 

Interpretation/ Notes on Symbol or Picture: Holy Spirit, what does this picture mean? Wait and listen. Begin to write down thoughts about what the picture might represent. Are there any connections between the picture and a current situation in my life, or how I have been feeling about something, someone, or even about God?

False Belief: In my heart, have I harbored any unbelief in the completed work of Jesus, knowingly or unknowingly?

Exchange: Holy Spirit, what do You want me to release to You, and what do You want to give me in exchange?

Prayer: Write out a prayer, renouncing any false beliefs or sin of unbelief; release the burden of control, fear, worry, or anxiety etc., that needs to go; receive His gifts and grace for outworking of this exchange; revisit and renew this prayer as often as needed.

Chalis

Chalis Butler writes from her favorite overstuffed chair in sunny, Central Florida. In the throws of parenting two children, she and her husband vacillate between intentional living and survival mode. This is why her house can look immaculate or appalling on any given day. She has a rocky relationship with coffee. She wears graphic T’s and yoga shorts whenever possible. She loves finding awesome books for a dollar, watching her kids sleep, and pie crust. 

Chalis has spent time working with mission teams and teaching English in Haiti; she lived and worked in Australia for three years before returning home to the United States; she spent 16 years teaching music before switching gears to become a stay-at home mom. She recently published “Return to Real: An intimate Look at One Woman’s Journey of Redemption now available through Amazon and The Covenant Center Bookstore. She and her husband Shane are licensed ministers with counseling endorsements through The Covenant Center; while also facilitating one of the worship teams. You can find her online at LoveDweller.com. or contact: info@thecovenantcenter.com.

If you would like to hear more about what else the Lord is speaking in this hour click here to watch the full video - https://www.facebook.com/thecovenantcenter

Hebraic Joy

Richard Maisenbacher

There have been many messages regarding hope lately! I wonder why?! It also seems that our prayers give us divine delay practice while our patience seems to get strengthened. I thought I would do a little research on Hebraic joy as compared to just having joy or happiness in the Greek or Western thought process. Skip Moen and Tim Hegg  were beneficial in this research.

Hebrew 1:2-3, “Consider it all joy brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”  These trials can be out of our control or be internal trials from our own flesh or weaknesses. Jesus said to “count it all joy.” We can persevere through the trial, not only with faith, but with faith strengthened by His power. Perseverance is the ultimate proof of our faith. It is also nice to have the Armor of God on, especially the sword of the Spirit.

Hebrews 12:2, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame.” Jesus went to the cross for joy. I thought joy was supposed to be happiness not suffering! Joy is a relational word. It is first God’s relationship with us, and He says He will be gracious. That’s the word for joy in the Old Testament. Joy is the result of a relationship of favor brought about by God. It is not necessarily a peaceful life without any troubles. It is God acting benevolently toward me. It is not about my mental state. It is divine favor on my behalf. The joy set before Jesus was love because he knew it brought favor to men (us).

In the Old Testament one of the roots of joy is simha meaning rejoice and gladness.  Isaiah 9:3, “You shall multiply the nations, you shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.”

In English or Greek, it defines joy as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. However, in the Hebrew it involves the whole person and includes the heart. And this context includes everyday life…a cheerful word, feasts, weddings, prosperity, being with friends, in God’s Torah. However, the Lord and his salvation are most frequently the reason for joy.

“The joy of the Lord is our strength” in Hebrews depicts inanimate objects with human emotion. The heavens rejoice and the hills clap their hands are expressions of joy. Joy is the manifestation of divine purpose being fulfilled. And since everything in creation has purpose, when any part acts according to its design, that part experiences joy; even though our emotions do not seem joyful, and we may experience sorrow, guilt, shame and evil.

When we feel disconnected from God’s divine order, the bloom of a flower, the drops of rain, a bird’s song, the movement of clouds remind us that joy is built into creation! Joy is God’s divine grace and favor. Joy is God’s purpose being fulfilled!

In His Covenant Love,

The Emotional Consequences of Delayed Answers to Prayer - Dan & Julie Koerner

Julie and Dan Koerner

“Dealing with the Emotional Consequences of Delayed Answers to Prayer.”

Sunday Morning Message at The Covenant Center - April 7, 2024

 Dan: We want to dive right in and look at the incident of the Canaanite woman who approached Jesus for healing of her demon-possessed daughter in Matthew 15:21-28. He ignored her, but she kept shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus finally answered her with another rejection: “I was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Throwing herself at His feet, she cries out, “Lord, help me!” As it were, Jesus says, “Talk to the hand.” Then He says, “It’s not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” (another rejection!).  Her famous reply, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their master’s table,” was the breakthrough, and Jesus granted her request marveling at her faith. She persisted through at least 3 delays caused by initial rejection. The story drips with raw emotion, but ended with Jesus granting the answer and praising her faith. Not bad! How’d you like Jesus to say the same to you?

There are enough stories in the New Testament (think of Blind Bartimaeus, or Lazarus) to honestly conclude this: Delay is not the end of a prayer matter but is part of the process, and there are direct teachings as well. Look at Luke 18, the parable of the unrighteous judge. The widow persists in coming before him demanding justice against her adversary so often, that he feels that she will bother him and wear him out, so he gives her the justice requested.

Julie: One thing I want to say about God’s justice. We need justice because there is injustice in the world, and sickness is a part of that injustice. It is from the oppression of the enemy. We need to look at it that way, so we can cry out to God for justice. Sickness is from the curse of the law, it is oppression, and we need to look at it that way. So when we cry out to God for justice, we are saying, “Yes, Lord, You have delivered me from the curse of the law, therefore I no longer have to live under the oppression of the enemy.  We can ask Him, “How do I proceed with this, because You are the God of all Justice?”

Dan: Julie just brought out a particular application of this scripture, which I also had wanted to point out, and it’s really fresh in her life. But it also applies in other areas:  marketplace wrongs, relationship issues, politics. We are speaking really of the justice contained in God’s covenant with us: The enemy no longer has a right to oppress us!

Julie: Delays are hard, hard, hard, but they are also wonderful, wonderful, wonderful - because along the way, God gives us these gems - Gems of revelation. There isn’t anything like receiving a revelation from the Lord. Never be satisfied with just information. In the delays He will lead YOU STEP BY STEP, if you ask Him. He will show you the next step, He will give you a revelation. and that will always be based on His Word. We begin with a promise from His word and then we continue on with His revelation and His direction.

Dan: Another occasion where Jesus directly teaches on this matter of delayed answers comes in Luke, Chapter 11. The scripture starts when the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, and He gives them what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” But He does not leave that laying in place as some ritual, but immediately engages the necessity of PERSISTING in prayer. He tells the parable of the man who has a traveling friend who arrives at midnight. The man has nothing in the house to feed him, so he goes next door to his neighbor friend to ask for bread. The answer is “Go away, my family and I are in bed.” He won’t get up and respond out of friendship, but because of the man’s persistent demand, the neighbor finally responds. Jesus doubles down on the teaching by saying “Ask, seek, knock, continuously.”

The continuous action orientation comes out particularly when you study the Hebrew background. I recently ordered a book to give to Richard, because of his great interest in this subject. The book, by Thorlief Boman, “Hebrew Thought Compared with Greek,” does an excellent job with this issue. He states that for the Hebrew, nothing has any reality to it if it is not in motion. The Greek mind is concerned first with abstractions like form and shape, distinct from the variables of action. Consider then the words of Jesus:  Hear my words and do them. Build your house on the solid rock not on the sand of your own thinking. We need to repent for presuming that we are qualified to contemplate whether or not God’s words to us are true. We should do the words, trusting Him to teach and refine us in them while we are on the way doing them!

Julie: In Bowman’s book, he shares that the Hebrew word “dabar” is also a very active thing. He shares that for the Hebrew the “active Word” touches the very essence of God. We know that Jesus is the Word of God. Whether in flesh or in script, He is the Word of God. Your Bible is the Word of God. God’s Word will perform what it says. You don’t have to make it happen and I don’t have to make it happen. God’s word planted in our hearts will perform what He says. By those promises we become partakers of His nature.  He’s the one who performs it, not us. He fulfills every promise.

Dan: We’re not done with Luke 11 yet. Jesus carries forward what He is teaching by asking, “If your son asks for a piece of bread, you won’t give him a snake, will you?  Or if he asks for an egg, you won’t give him a scorpion, will you? This pushes things to the heart of the matter: The Character of the Father. Insight into the character of the Father is what allows us to endure delayed answers to prayer. Is He trustworthy? If He is, you can sign on and wait as long as it takes!

For example, in Abraham’s life, after the events of Genesis 14 where Abraham and his allies recovered the entire captured wealth of Sodom & Gomorrah, but refused to be enriched by that recovery so only God would get credit for Abraham’s riches; God came to Abraham and told him that his reward would be very great.

Abraham the Hebrew immediately used the occasion to address God about his childless state. God’s response was to tell Abraham to look at the sand by the sea and at the stars in the sky and told him that would be the count of his kids. Abraham believed God. He believed that God spoke truth. It was not religious, but right relationship (righteous). Then God made covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15 and took the unprecedented step of taking upon Himself the oath of both parties. That locked the deal.  But it was still 20+ years before he got his promised son. Delay always seems to be part of the process!

We must choose: Either we are faith people, or we are going to be performance people. Will we make the answer happen by our own thought and willpower, or will we stand until God does it? The biggest danger may be a third fall-back position, whereby we teach ourselves how to feel good about it not happening - retreat inside - become Stoics. But God is a Hebrew -  all about things IN MOTION..

Julie: Delay is not denial, but if you want to have faith, plant the word of God in your heart, and it will bring forth your faith. Faith is not just saying “I believe.” It is complete confidence. Even though he faulted later on, Abraham had complete confidence when God spoke to him. Don’t give it up, do not give up...

Dan: We are not dealing here with mere human thought. I want to mention Hebrews 6.  Paul talks there about the difficulty of renewing to faith one who falls away, one who has “been enlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, been made a partaker of Holy Spirit, tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come.” People right away go to the negative about this scripture, arguing about the unforgivable sin, etc., but what about those who don’t turn away? Such persons have “tasted of the powers of the age to come.”

That is heaven and all its potential! How long would you wait to get a taste of that to manifest? God’s word is not of this age. It is from the age to come. It is an invasion force from heaven encroaching on the earth realm. The conduit of its arrival is mostly US!  Participate in the end of the age in God! Be part of the miracle of God’s final reign leaking into the earth!

Julie: We all want to make a difference, and if we continue on, He will give us the grace.  He will give you the grace and will make the difference through you. So let’s continue on because we love Jesus, because He loved us first. Let’s share the good news. I can make a difference! Don’t give up! Stay in there! Be a blessing! It is not that there is always a delay. We should always pray in expectation, knowing that we have the answer.

Dan: And don’t be offended at Jesus, about the time He takes to answer, because the answer is on the way.

Dan and Julie

Dan and Julie Koerner met one week before final exams in their last week at Westminster Theological Seminary.  It had to be a God thing, because it lasted!  Dan’s Midwest culture and Julie’s New York culture were conflictive from jump, but the culture of Heaven has deeper roots, and has prevailed!

Both partners have teaching gifts that have been honed on the mission field (Costa Rica and Guatemala).  Then there’s that “provoking one another to love and good works” thing from Hebrews 10:24. Dan has been particularly stirred by the focus on the prophetic flow here at the Covenant Center.  The truths of God’s covenantal dealings have been of great impact as well in both lives.

Bottom line: God’s Word is the first question and the last answer.  This is what Dan and Julie are about.

Contact: info@thecovenantcenter.com

If you would like to hear more about what else the Lord is speaking in this hour click here to watch the full video - https://www.facebook.com/thecovenantcenter

Overcoming - Tony Taylor

Tony Taylor

Overcoming -

Revelation 12:11 KJV -

”And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony .“

I remember years ago in the morning on my way to Bright House, with passion I decreed the Word of God over my life, my wife’s, and children’s lives. As I walked into the building on my way to the break room, I noticed one of my coworkers looking at me strangely.

As I returned and sat down at my desk, just minutes from signing in, she came to my desk and said: “God just told me He heard you this morning.” She then walked away. Did I just hear her right? As that word sank in, tears started to flow. I was wrecked. What that word did for me not only built my confidence up to know God hears me, but I came to understand to Trust and know that He is in me and not far away. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV -

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”

How often are we tuned into The Frequency of God to receive clarity to hear God’s instructions as we are led by Holy Spirit through life’s highs and lows?

For example, we use a knob or button to tune in and receive clear sound on the radio station. We have an option and choice to tune into anything the radio provides. 

With God we have a choice daily to apply the tools given to us through Prayer, Fasting, Speaking in Tongues and Declarations; to tune in and receive clarity on what God is speaking to us in every area of our lives. 

Testimony:

Seven years ago, on my way to Tampa, I was in a car accident where a lady rear ended me. I hit my head on my head rest and received a serious concussion.

As time progressed the symptoms became worse, slurring of speech, headaches, trauma etc. I began to go through a season of life lows, which involved setbacks and financial difficulties.  Going through a process of healing, thoughts of not having enough to provide for my family would come against me. I chose to tune those thoughts out and cast them down.

I chose to give God back His word and Trust and believe what Jesus said that “By His Stripes I am Healed.” 

2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

It was a long process believing for healing as I was consistent with seeking The Lord daily. 

One day I woke up at 4am, all I could do was call out to Jesus. That morning all I had in me to say was His name. As I said Jesus over and over, I felt a hand touch the right side of my head. I could feel heat coming from the hand as I was on my knee’s weeping. (It felt like the temp of a heating pad set on high). I came to look at the clock, it was 6:30am. I was not aware I had passed out. As I got myself together, I noticed a small area of my rug drenched in my tears. I heard “Rest.” I went back to bed. When I woke up, I shared with my wife what happened. I had no more pain, headaches, or symptoms of brain fog. I was completely healed! Hallelujah!

Believe that God is doing a miracle for you today! Lord, increase our Faith and Expectations!

Tony

Tony Taylor and his wife Olivia are fire starters. They enjoy serving others and delight in adventures with their three children. Whether in his job, ministry or leisure you can find Tony and Olivia sharing God’s love, bringing souls into the kingdom and releasing healing to those in need. He has a heart for the nations. He and Olivia are licensed ministers and youth leaders through The Covenant Center.

Contact: info@thecovenantcenter.com

If you would like to hear more about what else the Lord is speaking in this hour click here to watch the full video - https://www.facebook.com/thecovenantcenter

Passover Preparation 2024 - Richard Maisenbacher

Richard Maisenbacher

Leviticus 23 includes Passover (Pesach) and Unleavened Bread, as well as First Fruits as part of the Lord’s Feasts which we are encouraged to celebrate. The Hebrew word for Passover is “Pesach” meaning “to spring, jump or pass over something.” This refers to God’s deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt, which brought freedom. Passover not only typifies redemption, but prophetically it was God’s plan for world redemption by Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb. What a great reason to celebrate!

“And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy,” Ezra 6:22. I have not personally found many Believers who celebrate the Lord’s Feasts or become excited getting rid of the leaven or yeast in their lives. They believe it may be painful or too hard to give up enjoyable/addicting habits. It may be even worse for some to lay down their mental strongholds so they can receive inner healing.

But Passover cannot start until all leaven is removed. Cleansing the home was part of the preparation. However, cleansing of the home is just the beginning. Believers know that cleansing of the home includes the cleansing of our heart in cooperation with the Spirit of God.

In 1st Corinthians 5:7 Paul states: Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, just as you really are unleavened. For Christ the Passover Lamb has been sacrificed.” Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we are already new. His death and resurrection has removed the leaven in our life. However, in a practical way, there is still leaven that we must cleanse inside and out from the influence of the world. It is a time of purifying our heart and a time to make a choice to separate our self from anything unclean.

In preparation for this Passover, beginning April 22nd through April 30th, we can cleanse our “house,” get rid of the leaven, and celebrate as we experience His presence, joy and blessings!  Let’s take advantage of this time with Him in prayer, enjoying His Word, and rejoicing because of the freedom our Passover Lamb has brought us!

If you are near Lakeland, Florida on Monday, April 22nd please feel free to join us. We will be celebrating this Feast with a Passover Seder at 7:00p.m. at the Covenant Center. Please call the office at 863-802-5171 to sign up.

In His Covenant Love,

You Are My People and I Am Your God - Becky Maisenbacher

Rebecca Maisenbacher

The following word was released during praise and worship Sunday April 4, 2024 to The Covenant Center family. The Lord’s presence was manifest with His sweet, tangible, weighted glory.

Can you sense the Spirit today? Wow. Please just continue, such a sweetness. The weighted presence of the Lord. His glory cloud is here. When He comes like this, we want to take a moment to ask Lord, what would like to say. Oh Lord we’re so in love with You. We just thank You. Thank You for your presence. We are like the deer that pant for Your presence here. Could we just pray? If you have your spirit language, your regular prayer language. Let’s pray? He’s here to meet with us today. Beautiful, so glorious. Your majesty, unfathomable. You are beyond compare. We adore You.

This is wonderful practice with Him too. Because today you were singing Your Kingdom come Your will be done. He is so precious because He says: “My Kingdom is here. My Kingdom is here. Will you not sense it? Will you not see it?”  Ah, and He comes with this weighted presence to help us know He is near. He loves relationship. He loves intimacy with His people. So, this is presence practice. We are practicing with Him to become more sensitized to Him. Lord, help us to be more desirous of Your ways. We desire Your ways, just what was sung today. We desire Your Kingdom to come to know Your ways. We know Your ways are not like our ways. We just thank You.

Such weighted beauty. Some of you may be feeling a weightiness on the top of your head as He’s imparting to you. And He’s saying, “Think it not strange, think it not strange what I’m doing in your midst. For this is a way I pour out My love to My people, that they may know Me.” Some of you may feel burning, heat, or vibrations in your hand. Some of you may be feeling a stirring of your spirit man. He’s imparting and speaking to you right now. Lord, we take time for You to have Your way. Some of you may be seeing pictures right now. You may feel a wind on your face or on your hands. The angels are very active right now as they have been instructed by the King to move. They are touching people. Thank you for bringing your healing angels, Lord. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for Your revelation and truth that You come in Your power and might. We wait on you Lord….

For the Spirit of the Lord would say today to you. I am He. I am the King of this Universe. And I love how you love Me. I love how you celebrate Me. For Covenant Center, yes, I have made you small, but I have made you mighty. For you have stood the testings and trials. You have stood the pruning’s. You have allowed me to send the husbandman in. You have allowed Me to build this house with My hands and not yours. And to some it may seem peculiar, I have desired as I said to you at the beginning, don’t touch it. I will bring them. For I have desired to make you a picture of My Kingdom here on earth. Young and old, multicultural, revelation, angelic visitations. And I know to some you may look strange, but you are a beautiful picture of the heavenlies. You’re a beautiful picture of My Kingdom. And I thank you for standing and desiring Me to build who you are.

For yes there are the fivefold. There are apostles, there are prophets, there are teachers, evangelists, pastors, and there are intercessors. I have made you great in the earth. And you say, I don’t know that I’m great. And I say exactly, for I have taken you through the fire to bring a humility to you, so you would never touch My glory. And when men look to you as you leave this place and as you go touch a world in My name, they will see My glory on you. They will see My presence on you. And you will direct them like a conduit to Me.

And in the coming days as I have told you the world will continue to darken, but we know as I have spoken to you in My word and to you specifically, you will become greater in My Light. But don’t look to what is greater. Don’t look to what is more. Don’t look to what expansion might mean. For I ask you, keep your eyes on Me and look to Me. For that is your place of safety in the coming days. Keep your eyes on Me and look to Me and I will bring increase to you.

Everyone here this morning I see increase, increase, increase. I don’t know what that means. I don’t know what that’s going to look like. I heard Him say it and I trust You in that. There will be increase for My people. There will be increase in this house. For as darkness tries to take over, My Light will shine brightly. And, it has been seen for many years, because even today, as I’ve come to you with my weighted glory, I am preparing you for what is to come. My Kingdom with My glory. For if I would bring it today in the weightedness I would like to share with you, you could not stand in it. You would fall to your face. You would be unable to move. But I am building within you the ability to maintain yourself in My glory. For I have made you to carry My presence into the earth. For the nations are calling. The nations are calling. And some will go, and some will stay. And some will go out and some will come back. And some of you will always be here to maintain. To maintain what I have placed here.

For you see in the coming days there will be those that will come for a revelation and a truth. There will be those who come for counsel. There will be those that come for healing. And yes, you have seen that in the past. And you see that even now. But I tell you Covenant Center I am preparing you. You have allowed Me to mature you. You have allowed Me to teach you My ways, and at times it has been very difficult. But in the coming days I have been looking for, and I am building in various parts of the earth, places for My people to come. Places for the weary travelers, for the sojourners, those that are confused, those who are hurt, who are broken, wounded, destitute that cry out to Me, “Lord, is there a place? Is there a place in the land, Lord? Someone, is there someone to help me? Is there someone who can teach me? I need to hear from you Lord.”  And I will smile upon you. And you will sense My glory and presence manifest. And you will speak My word to those in need, knowing that it is not you but Me.

 So, it will be easy My beloved. It will be much easier. But I ask you to prepare and understand what I’ve called you to. I have called you to Me. And you have answered to Me and said “Yes Lord, yes Lord.”  And you have allowed Me to become your God. And so, I say, “I am your God.” And in that covenant we have made, I declare to you today, “You are my people!” I speak over you today: “You are My people! You are my people! Receive from Me, all that I desire to give to you, to pour out to you, to manifest within you and through you.

There are songs to be sung. There are words to be spoken. There are books and songs, poems to be written. There are messages to be declared. There is streaming to be streamed. And I say, “Stir it up. Stir up the gift that is within you My people. It is time.” You have allowed Me to cloister and contain you. You have allowed Me that privilege to build you. Not only individually, but as a corporate body, as a Family, a Covenant Family. I have made you Mine. And I am so proud of you. I am so proud of you, who have stood and allowed My hand to chisel you and shape you and mold you to who I have needed you to be in these days that are coming soon. So, receive from Me today. The glory cloud is here. You don’t have to, but if you feel led to lift your hands and receive from Me today. My glory cloud is here. If you feel led to lift your hands and let Me impart and strengthen you today. This is a precious holy moment. Thank you, Lord. He is visiting you because you have said, “Come in and inhabit me Lord.” So again, He has strengthened you as a habitation for Him alone.

Why today? I don’t know. But He chose today. We receive from you Father. We thank You. We thank You and praise You. You are glorious. Lord, we have said “Use us.” We’ve said “Help prepare us, teach us.” Here’s what I see. He has the biggest smile. He is smiling on each one of you. You know how Richard at the close of our meetings says, “…the Lord make His face to shine upon you.” You know we have a habit that when we have prayer, we put our head down. And some of you may remember Randi taught, to lift your head and receive from Him (as He smiles upon you) and you smile back to your Father (your head lifted and face toward heaven) because He has visited each of you individually today with something that He is personally imparting to you. He loves each of you.

I am just up here to try to share and submit to you what I sense. But this is about you, His people. It’s about you and you and you. And He is doing something great. I hear great grace be unto you. Great grace to you. Preparation, revelation, wisdom, understanding. Increase, increase, increase. Safety, safety, safety, safety. And He says: I’ve been teaching you when to speak and when to hold your tongue. It will be important in the coming days. Know when to speak, and when to be silent, My silence is golden.  

In His Love,

God's Gifts in the Resurrection - Becky Maisenbacher

There has been a very sweet presence this month, even with the chaos surrounding us right now. Happy Resurrection Day!

 I’ve been reflecting on this approaching Resurrection day, of the millions and millions of book, journals, classes, meetings, Easter Sunday messages throughout time that have been released throughout the world. It’s a bit overwhelming considering the magnitude of this event. “Father, what can I say that hasn’t already been spoken?" What do You want me to share?” This holy event is too stunning to ever be adequately taught. I believe the revelation of what Christ achieved for mankind must ultimately come from the witness and understanding of our Father through His Spirit. I can only give my expression to my impression of the events that have changed me. As I share I hope you will take a moment to reflect on what Christ’s resurrection means to you.

For me, it is a day of remembrance, thanksgiving and celebration of Jesus’ act of love in His crucifixion and resurrection. The magnitude of this event is so astounding and so truly supernatural. In His death and resurrection He released a bounty of gifts to humanity - to all who choose to believe. Let’s look at some of these gifts as we give thanks for all we have received through Christ’s act of love.

First He removed our sin and guilt. John the Baptist declared in John 29 that Jesus was “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” We could stop right there and celebrate but there is so much more. Jesus removed the wrath of God that we so justly deserve. He volunteered to be the sacrifice and not only removed God’s wrath but this action also shifted God’s wrath and turned it into favor. We receive His favor!

Jesus reconciled us back to the Father by removing any separation or alienation between God and man. Romans 5:10-11 reminds us:”…if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, having been reconciled , shall we be saved by his life.” He paid the price for us - Jesus became the ransom . Our sin sent us into captivity from which we need to be delivered. The ransom or price paid was His life.

As the Lamb of God, He chose to die in our place. He became the sacrifice, substituting Himself for us. That is what Paul meant in Romans 5:8 that Jesus died for you and me. Isaiah 53:5-6 foretold of this: ..He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,” The Lord allowed our iniquity to fall on Him.

When you combine all that Christ accomplished, to me, one of the greatest gifts is His defeat is over the powers of darkness - satan. Colossians 2:13-15 speaks to this. “And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the cross.. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” He delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the incomparable Christ.

In addition, in substituting Himself for us in death, He became the atonement for our sins and accomplished all the previous actions so we could have life more abundantly. He revealed to us His servant heart. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Galatians 3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, becoming a curse for us.” And in the all the pain and scourging He received, Isaiah spoke of Christ’s destiny: “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.” Look at the plethora of gifts our beloved Jesus released to us. Thank you for Your unfathomable love and mercy Lord.

I was reminded there is one more precious gift that was released that day. I envisioned God the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit, before time began, in a meeting, planning the strategy to redeem mankind; as they would soon see the results of giving man free choice. After conferencing for a time, I saw Jesus raise His hand and say,” I’ll go Father.” Some of His earthly events quickly passed before me ending as He received the soured wine, then bowing His head as He declared: “It is finished!

I immediately heard a sound coming from the Temple where I could now to the veil or thick, heavy, temple curtain being rent (torn) supernaturally by God’s hands. I realized as Jesus prepared to ascend to the right hand of the Father, Holy Spirit was preparing to be released , becoming available to mankind - to those who chose to invite him into their lives with Jesus. What a stunning and glorious redemption plan by the triune Godhead. All planned before time to redeem us from our sin (missing the mark) and restoring us to Him.

Matthew 27:51: “Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook; and the rocks were split.” The veil between the Holy Place (first room) and the (second room) the Holy of Holies (where the Ark of the Covenant and God’s presence resided) was now removed. God’s presence radiated a bright, fiery Glory - His “Shekinah” which shot up through the roof of the Tabernacle. This was the same pillar of light that led Israel through their wilderness. God’s children were now given free access to His presence and we no longer need to hope and beg for forgiveness. Anyone is now able to enter God’s presence by way of Christ’s blood, shed to pay the wages of our sins. Romans 6:2: “ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!”

We have been given these supernatural gifts by the Godhead, which we celebrate today. Not only Jesus and our Father God, which is spectacular, but we now also have Holy Spirit - the one who points the way to Jesus and the Father. He is the Spirit of God - Holy Spirit - the one who raised Jesus from the dead. Romans 8:11: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who indwells you..” Holy Spirit gives you life!

We now can enter into relationship, individually, and intimately with the triune Godhead - God the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit. And as we are led by the Spirit of God, we are now called His sons and daughters. Romans 8:14-15: “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “‘Abba! ‘“ Oh Lord, how wondrous and marvelous are You!

I know this is long, but just one more thing. I was given a vision of a prophetic act - to take a simple tissue and hold it in front of your face. We are unable to see anything. Next, take your two hands at the top and gently tear the tissue in half, just as God’s hands rent the temple curtain. What do you see now? Yes, everything! It must have been so dark for those before Christ, who only knew God from what they were told by the High Priests, and prophets. The Old testament as well as the New Testament hadn’t been written. But in their plan Jesus became our Savior, God our Father is known as Master of the Universe and Holy Spirit is the conduit from heaven to earth, giving us relationship and intimacy with Him which includes: intimacy, heavenly revelation, understanding, guidance, forgiveness, His love, peace, hope, mercy, goodness, loving kindness patience, faithfulness, and self control.

Today, we remember - “It is finished!” New life in Christ’s resurrection is here for you! Simply receive Him into your heart.

In His Love,

Through - Andrei McLachlan

Andrei McLachlan

Through the words of James in the biblical passage of James 1:2-4, we embark on a journey of understanding the nature of suffering and trials in the human experience. James addresses not just individuals, but an entire community of believers facing diverse challenges, reminding them to find joy amidst their trials because it leads to perseverance and eventual maturity. 

Suffering and trials are inherent in our existence, stemming from the brokenness of the world. Some are consequences of our actions, while others are simply part of the fallen state of the world, prompting us to yearn for redemption. These experiences vary from physical ailments to emotional turmoil, financial struggles, and the natural process of aging.

However, suffering is not a badge of honor nor a trivial matter; it's a profound aspect of humanity that none are exempt from. It's akin to traversing a wilderness, a crucible where our true selves are revealed. Yet, it's also an opportunity for growth and introspection, leading us to wrestle with existential questions and ultimately to lean on our faith.

In the midst of suffering, we're called to go through rather than avoid, recognizing that it's not about our strength but about trusting in a higher power. This journey may entail pain and uncertainty, challenging our preconceptions and false identities. Yet, through perseverance and endurance, we emerge transformed, leaning on the divine for support and guidance.

Suffering, though inherently painful, offers a pathway to maturity and deeper understanding. It prompts us to confront our innermost selves, to wrestle with truths we may have otherwise overlooked. Ultimately, it's an invitation to trust, to find hope amidst despair, and to extend compassion to others who tread similar paths.

As we navigate through the furnace of suffering, we're reminded of the words of Romans and Peter, acknowledging that while suffering remains evil, it can be redeemed. Just as metal is formed and stabilized through intense heat, our suffering molds us into stronger, more steadfast individuals, capable of offering comfort and empathy to fellow travelers on this arduous journey called life.

The wrestling is necessary for us all to grow. 

Andrei

Andrei McLachlan is a native of Lakeland Florida, married and a father of two children. He has a passion for inspiring people to realize the possibility of their potential. Andrei's life has been greatly marked by the love of God, and desires to share it wherever he goes. He is an Education Professional for the State of Florida currently at Winston Academy of Engineering.
Contact: info@thecovenantcenter.com

My Plans Will Always Prevail - Palm Sunday Word - Becky Maisenbacher

The following word was released during our Palm Sunday Celebration, March, 24, 2024, at The Covenant Center. As the worship team, psalmists and dancers expressed their impressions by His Spirit, there was an intensity and somberness, even a battle ready cadence that permeated the atmosphere as we praised Him. Holy Spirit began to release visions of our Father’s displeasure with certain events upon the earth. I could sense His patience wearing thin as He has been long-suffering with certain individuals, hoping for their repentance in choosing righteousness as He has given humanity free choice. His presence and the angelic activity was palpable:

The Spirit of the Lord says: Do you sense what I’m sensing? Do you sense what is happening in heaven? Look with your spirit eyes. For I am brooding. {music expressed a somberness with strength} over the earth. For I am {focused} and very serious and attentive in this time. Yes, My joy comes in the morning. It can be joyful with My salvation within the earth. But at this time, I have allowed darkness to encroach. It {darkness} has become arrogant. It has become vile. But it is necessary for My people and the people of the lands to see the exposed darkness and what it really looks like. In My realm, as you look with your spirit eyes do you see My angel armies and My heavenly host assembling? Do you see My great cloud of witnesses praying, watching, waiting. And so, it is in heaven with Me and so it is with My people here on earth.

Because some would say, Lord where are you? Lord, where are you? And I am reminded of the festival of Purim today. And we are in Purim. Esther was sent at a very dark time into the king’s chambers. And I have been preparing My people to enter into My chambers. Will you remember your vows? For I am coming to ask you to pay them. For as darkness, I have allowed to encroach, it thinks it will have a victory. Hah! Victory only comes through Me. For I have allowed it for a time, that will soon be coming to an end.

For have I not parted the waters for My people? Have I not delivered them before? Have I not delivered My people, My creation, time and time again - and so it shall be, as always. I am the King of this Universe. I am the King of Great Plans. You will watch the wind blow in the coming days, and you will celebrate. As they celebrated when Haman was marched up to the gallows and it was finished. So it shall be in the coming days.

So, rejoice in Me! Whether you celebrate Purim, whether you celebrate Hebraically, or whether you celebrate Lent as a time of preparation as my precious Esther, say yes Lord I will. When I come to you will you say, yes Lord I will. What will you say? I am waiting for many of your answers.

For in the coming days unity in My Body is forming. Do you not see it? You are a cell in My Body. And My Body must have every cell to function. You have, as a cell, been given my DNA. Every cell is to function in My Body with My DNA. So, what are the schisms that I hear within my people? What are these things that I hear, says the Spirit of the Lord? These things must come to an end. You are not to look at man. You are not to look at what is going on in the world. For you are to look at who? Yes! You are to look at Me! Yes, they {some} say I am vain. Ha, ha, ha. But I Am the Great Creator. I am the Master of this Universe. And My plans will always prevail!

Let’s pray: Father, we thank You that You never fail. That your arm is not too short to save and Your plans are sometimes beyond our understanding. We surrender and repent of anything not of Your design that may hinder Your work, and we say “Come Lord, Be King now in the earth., and may Your perfect will be done.” Please help us to be ready for the work of Your hands at this time in the earth and in our hearts.

In His Love,

Becky Maisenbacher
info@thecovenantcenter.com

Harp and Bowl Angel Painting - Keith Goodson

Harp and Bowl Angel Painting by Keith Goodson

The Harp and Bowl Angel Painting by Keith Goodson

In the rich tapestry of biblical imagery found in the Book of Revelation, one of the most captivating and enigmatic passages can be found in Revelation 5:8, which unveils the concept of the Harp and Bowl. This symbolic representation of heavenly beings engaged in continuous worship has inspired theologians, scholars, and believers throughout history. Let's delve into the depths of this profound scripture and explore the significance of the Harp and Bowl Angel.

Revelation 5:8 - A Glimpse into Heavenly Worship

The verse in question comes from the visionary account of John the Apostle, who is granted a glimpse into the heavenly realm during a time of profound revelation. In Revelation 5, John witnesses a scene of heavenly worship centered around the throne of God. The imagery is vivid and awe-inspiring, depicting elders holding golden bowls full of incense, which are said to represent the prayers of the saints.

"And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." - Revelation 5:8 (ESV)

This verse encapsulates the essence of worship in heaven, where celestial beings are engaged in both musical expression (harp-playing) and the offering of prayers symbolized by the golden bowls of incense. In my painting it depicts a single angel standing with a Harp and Bowl. Even though the scripture in Rev. 5:8 says that the elders held those elements, the Angel to me represents bringing the Harp and Bowl and imparting to us for use on Earth as it is in Heaven.

The Harp and Bowl Angel: Symbolism and Interpretation

Interpreting the symbolism of the Harp and Bowl Angel requires a nuanced understanding of biblical imagery and theological context. The harp has long been associated with worship and praise in biblical traditions, symbolizing the joyous expression of adoration and reverence towards God. In Revelation 5:8, the harp represents the musical aspect of heavenly worship, where angelic beings join in harmonious melodies to honor the Lamb of God.

On the other hand, the golden bowls of incense symbolize the prayers of the saints. In biblical symbolism, incense signifies the ascent of prayers to God, carrying with it the heartfelt petitions, praises, and intercessions of believers. The imagery of the elders holding these bowls highlights the integral role of prayer in heavenly worship, emphasizing the connection between earthly supplication and heavenly response.

Implications for Believers

The depiction of the Harp and Bowl Angels in Revelation 5:8 carries profound implications for believers today. It underscores the importance of worship that is both holistic and participatory, incorporating music, prayer, and spiritual devotion. Just as the heavenly beings engage in continuous worship before the throne of God, believers are encouraged to cultivate a lifestyle of worship that encompasses every aspect of their lives.

Furthermore, the imagery of the golden bowls of incense reminds believers of the power and efficacy of prayer. Our prayers, offered in faith and sincerity, ascend as a fragrant offering before God, shaping and influencing the spiritual dynamics of the heavenly realm. The Harp and Bowl Angels serve as a reminder of the interconnectedness between earthly worship and heavenly realities, encouraging believers to persevere in prayer and praise.

Conclusion: Embracing the Mystery and Majesty

Revelation 5:8 and the symbolism of the Harp and Bowl Angel invite us into a deeper understanding of heavenly worship and spiritual realities. As we contemplate this profound imagery, let us embrace the mystery and majesty of God's presence, joining with angelic hosts in offering heartfelt worship and fervent prayers. May the harmony of the harp and the fragrance of incense inspire us to live lives that glorify God and align with His divine purposes.

Keith Goodson
www.keithgoodsonstudios.com

Keith Goodson is a passionate artist with a heart for ministry through the arts. Keith has been a dedicated Christian artist for over 20 years, bringing his talent to life by painting live during worship services and events around the World.  His love for creating murals and fine art is evident in the vibrant and inspiring pieces he produces. Keith sees art as a powerful medium for expressing faith and connecting with others on a spiritual level. Through his artistic journey, he has beautifully blended creativity with ministry, leaving a lasting impact on those who experience his work.

The combination of color, texture, and photo-realism continues to amaze those who have been following Keith’s talent for years; leaving many anxiously awaiting for what Keith’s next inspired art piece will be. The beauty of his paintings are that they are painted in a traditional hand painted style; whether in oil or acrylic paints these paintings are sure to catch your attention. Having an eye for detail is the process of each painting.

Contact: www.keithgoodsonstudios.com

Prints are available @ wwwkeithgoodnstudios.com,
info@thecovenanatcenter.com

Hebraic Wisdom - Richard Maisenbacher

Richard Maisenbacher

James 1:5, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  James is not Greek, so his understanding of the word wisdom is quite different. Skip Moen’s word studies between the Greek and the Hebrew is very helpful.

The word wisdom in the Greek is sophia but, in the Hebrew, it is hokmah. In the Greek sophia is the accumulation of theoretical knowledge, based on intellect. Getting the right information or facts in the right order so we have true insight into the nature of things. In education we train the mind. Success is based on wisdom. We plan our way to prosperity. We believe we can reason our way to peace and proper action.

However, the Hebrew is different. Wisdom (hokmah) is a gift from God, not from educational training or mental development. Wisdom is not centered in the mind, but it is centered in the will. Wisdom is also practical, but it is not based on a bunch of information. The wise man or woman acts as God would. James even reminds us that someone who knows what to do and does not do it misses the mark or sins. The wise person has respect for God. My behavior is determined not by my reason but by God’s revelation.

God gives us wisdom to anyone who asks. It is not mental ability. God gives instruction in righteousness. God tells us how to live, how to think, how to act and how to love each other. If we don’t know what to do…ask Him. He will tell us what will delight Him and to keep the covenant with a relationship of love.

I really appreciated the time God spoke to me in prayer several years ago. It was to try to deter any performance orientation that may be hanging around. He said “Don’t do things to please Me, after a long pause he spoke: “Find out what pleases Me and do those things!” This began to make a big difference in my relationship with Him. I began to check the root of my motivations more often.

God supplies instruction in holiness. Wisdom is not rising to new levels of success and freedom in six easy steps. It also doesn’t mean all our troubles will fade away. We will experience life from God’s perspective, like Jesus did, but the end brings Him glory! I hope you enjoy applying your will when receiving God’s wisdom in your decisions.

I notice in the prophetic sometimes there are disagreements with revelation and what God has spoken. It is important to discern and judge the prophetic words. However, prophecy is basically supposed to bring encouragement, exhortation, and comfort. It is very important for believers to be encouraged by the Lord because of the many challenges we all face. Sometimes the words are for prayer and other times it involves wisdom so that we can take correct action. Believers hear or see differently, have spiritual giftings that are varied, and have different personalities that are all encouraged by God.

If the word you hear is different from someone else, there are a few options, you can take.

1) You can allow them to think differently from you.

2) You can have a positive discussion with them even though there may be different opinions.

3) You can allow pride to have its way, judge them, and get mad.

4) Pray for them that they will walk in God’s wisdom and release peace.

God does not always emphasize the same wisdom, revelation, truth, or the application.

Since the enemy is desiring to create strife in the body, this is a wonderful opportunity to communicate with one another in a loving way and still receive the encouragement or correction the Lord is bringing in the prophetic realm!

In His Covenant Love,

Love, Trust & Fear - Lidy Cummings

Lidy Cummings

In this journey of life with God I have been learning and growing in knowing him and who he created me to be. The following scriptures were highlighted for me to study.

1 John 4:18 NKJ. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

To understand more clearly the words in this scripture I looked to my concordance for the definitions:

Perfect G 5046 Telios: mature, complete, completeness of full age, full grown adult of full age.

Love G 26 Agape: affection or benevolence, a love-feast, charity.

Fear G 5401 Phobos: alarm or fright, terror.

Torment G 2851 Kolasis: penal infliction-punishment, correction, penalty.

1 John 4:18 TPT “Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far form our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection.”

Punishment: the immediate context shows that it is the fear of correction, “punishment” or rejection. The Aramaic can be translated “Fear is Suspicious.” Brian Simmons TPT

To me “Fear is Suspicious” which causes me to self-protect and have trust issues.

Self-Protection
One of the areas that God continues to bring healing in my heart is in the area of self-protection. Many years ago God gave me a vision of me standing, and around my heart was a hedge and that hedge was keeping others and Jesus on the outside and things that broke my heart.

And through the years I have seen myself opening more to Jesus, but at times I would continue to try to self-protect, since I didn’t want to get hurt by others. So I have opened my heart to Jesus but it has been difficult to let people in. He once again has guided me to better understanding of His love, learning to love the way He loves. The following are the various stages he has taught me in learning to love:

Love God
I have always loved God but it used to be from my mind. Now, I have a closer relationship with him and I have learned to love him from my heart.

Love Myself
I have learned to love myself the way he loves me.

Love Others
And finally I have learned to love others the way God does. He always leaves the 99 for the 1 left behind, Matthew 18:12-14.

God has being teaching me to be present in the moment and to be attentive to what he says. When I’m present I’m at peace, I’m not worrying or thinking of something in the future because I don’t need to figure it out. God has it and he leads me.

Trust God
God has shown me that there were areas of my heart where I didn’t trust him. Again in my mind I trusted him, but not in my heart.

When God gave me the revelation that I didn't trust him in the deepest part of my heart I decided to move by faith. He helped me renew my mind and he used the Pause App and John Eldridge book “Get your life back” to give me the breakthrough that I needed.

Trust Myself
God also used the app and book to help me be able to trust my decisions. The decisions I make are good/okay and I should not doubt myself or look back on the decision once I have made them.

It is okay to trust myself even if I make a mistake, he loves me and will show me the way.

Fear
God in his mercy has shown me how many of my thoughts were coming out of fear, and I had no idea fear was within me. Once again in my mind I thought I didn’t have any fear.

Fear is the opposite of love. My thoughts and fears caused me not to be at peace. The torment and self-punishment gave fear a piece of real estate in my heart.

David
God in his mercy has always lead me to the Psalms and I have found refuge in them; especially David’s Psalms they always ministered to my heart. David was a man in touch with his humanity. David felt deeply and he went to God to share what he was feeling and what he was struggling with. David was always raw and honest with God. He didn’t edit himself, because he knew God. 

Emotions
God uses emotions to show us where we are and what pain or trauma we need healing for freedom.

When we are not in touch with our heart or emotions we are ignoring a part of ourselves. God has emotions which we see through out the Bible, and we are made in his imagine, so why would it be okay for us to ignore our emotions?

Our emotions are a way of connecting with God, it is also what God uses to bring healing to our hearts. We are to precious to God, he doesn’t ignore us or dismiss us, so why do we do that to ourselves?

We are the apple of his eye. We are his beloved. We are unique and special.

We need to learn to heal our heart, so fear with not overtake us. This process will create in us a deep strength in God, a trust in him that can’t be shaken. It will bring you closer to God and create an intimacy with him. Your heart will grow, and as result we will see the Fruit of the Spirit manifest in your everyday life. We will be known by our love.

We are entering a LOVE Revolution. I believe the next move of God will come out of love and that love will be what will touch the heart of the hurting and broken people that are around us.

God is after your heart and your soul - that is all he wants.

Lidy

Lidy Cummings - Serves as Office Administrator and has been part of the Covenant family for several years. She is licensed and ordained through The Covenant Center, and has also received a pastoral counseling endorsement. In addition, Lidy has received intensive inner healing training under Pat Stark. Lidy is known for her outgoing personality and ability to edify and encourage others. Her greatest desire is to help people walk into the fullness of their destiny in the Kingdom. Lidy is bilingual, speaking fluent English and Spanish

Contact - info@thecovenantcenter.com

Winds of Change - Pat Stark

Pat Stark

Do you know how sometimes there is an elephant under the rug and nobody talks about it? Well It appears like there’s an elephant under the rug of the church at large.  I’m not specifically talking about TCC, but we’re part of it because we are part of the church at large.

This might seem strange to some of you, but as I talk with serious Christians from different parts of the country, the central Florida area, as well as Lakeland, I hear them  struggling. These people aren't just ordinary Christians going through the motions. They are desperately hungry Christians, truly trying to hear God, and walk with Him into this next year.

What they are struggling with disturbs them because feeling this way is not what they are used to and most think there is something wrong with them. They even struggle to put words to it and often feel guilty for even feeling as they do. When I tell them I’m hearing the same thing from all over the place they are shocked. What they are feeling that they struggle to put words to, is that, “THEY DON’T WANT TO GO TO CHURCH”

This is not about a specific church. Their churches are fine.  It’s not about that. It’s   about their hunger, and the old church model that they can’t do anymore. We have tried to tweak it and make it more relevant but that has done nothing because the hunger is for something far deeper.

MAP AT THE MALL

I believe strongly that unless we know where we are, we can’t get where we’re going. So as much as I hate to share this message of people not wanting to go to church, I feel like we need to be real with where so much of the church is, instead of just trying to bury the feelings.

I don't know if you remember a prophecy that was given a few years back — I wish I had the date and a copy, but it generally said, “ The church as we’ve known it will never be the same”.  I believe we are in that season of change. We have no idea what that change actually looks like, so how do we do it?  As a result, we often just keep doing things as we’ve always done while just trying to get over the dissatisfied feelings. However I believe we are not meant to just get over it but he use the time to cry out to God for more with surrender to His ways. Owning the reality that we really don’t know how to have church in this new season is a good starting place.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Being poor in spirit is a teachable spirit, a humble spirit, a spirit willing to be taught a new way.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. “

We are mourning many disappointed desires right now. Things are not as we had thought or had hoped and we have to let them go through mourning the losses in order to experience the new things God has for us.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:3-6 NIV

We need to allow our hunger and thirst to come to the surface even though it can be confusing, difficult and painful.

HUNGER & THIRST

Think of a starving person — they are DESPERATELY HUNGRY!

Isn’t that the way we are meant to be? I know for me, the more I had realized that I didn’t really know how to do life, love, family, church, relationships; the more desperate I became for God to teach me His ways. I believe we are in a time like that now. We need to cry out to God to reveal what church is meant to look like in this new season. We need God to teach us what He is doing right now and be willing to surrender to His ways both individually and corporately.

It has been said that we are at the END OF THE CHURCH AGE & THE BEGINNING OF THE KINGDOM AGE.  Is that why so many people are struggling with church the way we have always done it?

We have a choice, either remain the same and do things the old way or desperately cry out for God to teach us his way for the season we are in now. When we have an internal struggle, and if we don’t face it, we will usually grumble with dissatisfaction.

I think most people are aware that we have been in a season of transition. God has been shaking everything. But much of the shaking has been in our personal lives through circumstances like health, finances, relationships, as well as in other areas of false security. Now He is shaking the church. Lots of dysfunction has to go; dysfunction in our own lives, our families, our government, but also in our churches. Circumstances we go through force us to face ourselves and begin to heal from past hurts instead of just burying and then acting out of them in unhealthy ways.

In an interesting scripture from Isaiah 28, God says, ”… we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”  But God continues, “…hail (or CIRCUMSTANCES) will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.“

We have hidden ourselves in many things, things like performance, perfectionism, our careers, ministry, relationships, etc. Dysfunctional people produce dysfunctional families, produce dysfunctional churches, produce dysfunctional government. Until we face our own dysfunctions, nothing really grows or changes.

God is preparing a people, a church that the gates of hell will not prevail against. I wish He would make it clearer as to what He is doing, but the not knowing is meant to break our control and cause us to desperately cry out for Him to teach us His ways and create a willingness to cooperate within us. One thing I do know is that “Unless the Lord builds the house we labor in vain who try to build it”.  (Psalm 127:1)  And that “house” that He builds, the gates of hell will not prevail against.  (Matthew 16:18)

There are several things that I do hear people crying out for, and one is for real community. They want more than just sitting side-by-side in church or even just coffee gatherings before or after church. People are hungry for real connection with other people, for heart-to-heart openness, transparency, and honesty. They want to know others and be known. COVID Isolated and separated people and now they are hungry for small gatherings where genuine connection is possible.

They are hungry for worship where they can pour their hearts out to God. 

Another thing I hear them cry out for is to experience the manifest presence of God and his glory in their midst. There is a longing for the life, light, and change that comes out of the glory of God’s manifest presence.

How do we get there? I have no clue, but I do know that I too am hungry and thirsty for more than just the same old way, and prayerfully we need to join together to cry out for the release of God’s Spirit in our midst.

Pat Stark is the author of Born to Fly: Pursuing the Life You Were Meant to Live…Free; Lost Heart: A Guide to Living From Your Heart in a Broken World, and The Story of Life: The Life We All Try to Find,” available on Amazon, as well as The Covenant Center bookstore. Her message brings freedom and hope in the midst of a world of uncertainty. Her desire is to see people restored to who they were originally created to be before they were wounded by the hurts of life. She is gifted in dealing with root issues lying beneath the surface that have kept people trapped and unable to experience true freedom. Pat has worked with people for over 40 years in the area of deep spiritual and emotional healing. She is an ordained minister through The Covenant Center, Lakeland, Florida.

Contact: info@thecovenantcenter.com