The Forgotten Word

Holiness. That is not a word we hear too very often these days. When we do, it seems as though it is smothered, covered or otherwise decorated with other words. So much so that by the time it (the word holiness) actually reaches our ears, our hearts, our souls, our spirits; the magnificent, simple, gut wrenching, life changing, convicting power of the word 'holiness' seems to have completely disappeared. Completely lost all of it's intended purpose.

So what IS it's intended purpose of this word?

Well, the word holiness is a 'God' word. Meaning it was established by almighty God to describe Himself. As well, to describe how his people should seek to live their daily lives.

We were created to have a relationship with our creator.

This is our sole purpose in life. From this, our relationship with our creator, does everything else derive it's commission.

Does this sound so unrealistic?

Our creator desiring to have a relationship with his creation?

Not to me.

Although there have been a great many objections that come in the way of a smooth relationship between us and our creator. All of which have stemmed from sin. 

Our creator, God Almighty, in all His Holiness, made a way for us to continue having a relationship with Him, should we choose to do so. As He had originally planned since the beginning.

 Through sacrificing His beloved Son Yeshua, to pay for the sin of the world and bridge the gap between us and Himself. Allowing for ALL to come back to God, our Creator and have an everlasting relationship with Him!

This is where Holiness comes in.

It is a wonder and an awe. Absolutely MIND BOGGLING to me what God has done for us!

We don't deserve it! What God has done for us. I know I wouldn't have done it. Would YOU?

Would you have given YOUR child to die a horrible death for millions of people that would end up spitting on Him and cursing Him and rejecting Him and you?

But thankfully I am not God.

I do wish to be in His presence, though and I do wish to see Him and see His Glory. 

The word of God is very clear about what we need in our lives to taste of these good fruits. 

Yeshua/Jesus told us in on the sermon on the mount, 

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

In Ezekiel God says of Himself...

"I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel."

and Apostle Peter reminds us in ch 1:16

"But just as he [God] who called you, is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 
"Be holy, because I am holy."

The Word of God, the Holy Scripture is pack loaded full of scripture after scripture of exhortation and encouragement, ways that you and I as believers can come before our Lord and "taste" of His Holiness. "taste" of His glory!

Do we wonder why our time with God is dry -un-moving, seemingly even, un-glorious?
Why we only seem to experience times of God's powerful anointing in corporate praise and prayer sessions? And not in our personal prayer closets?
Perhaps it's time to look deep inside our hearts. 

If this is you - I encourage you to take time out of your busy day, to just sit and listen to your heart.
Ask the LORD to speak.
"Lord, speak, for your servant is listening."

You are all wonderful and I love you tons!
AmyColleen

Alone with God

Alone with God
Quaking, shaking, crying
On my face
Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else
Only holy, only holy
Nothing else
Only holy, only holy

Sudden hush of glory
Peace, quiet, stillness,
On my face
Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else
Only holy, only holy
Nothing else
Only holy, only holy

Voice of God speaks
Small, quiet, mighty
Enters my soul
Heals, delivers, instructs

Heaven comes down
Humbled, thankful, jubilant
Angelic voices singing
Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else
Only holy, only holy
Nothing else
Only holy, only holy

I join in
On my face
Sing
Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else
Only holy, only holy
Nothing else
Only holy, only holy

Alone with God

copyright ©2008 by Amy Colleen. All rights reserved.

***

Fire

Lord

Take me I am all yours

Artist Janice Van Cronkhite - click here to visit site

This painting has got to be one of the most beautiful paintings I have ever seen.

It is a Prophetic Piece of Art Work by Janice Van Cronkhite. (You can click the link above, just below the picture, to see more of her anointed and stunning work as well as purchase it on line.)

I found this picture and it leaped out at me.

It truly depicts exactly how I feel right now - in my spirit life and well I suppose my natural life too.

The artist has title this "Fire".

Rightly so - as I am smack dab in the center of a fury of fiery tornadoes. 

Seemingly set out with one goal in mind.

Purify - this child of God.

I've learned one thing over the years. Never struggle against the hand of God.

So - Lord, hands up, nothing to hide, take me, all of me, I am yours.
It is not as if I could hide anything from you anyway. Or even hide my face from you if I ever desired.
I love the way the Psalmist puts it in the 


139th Psalm

You have searched me, LORD, 

   and you know me. 

 You know when I sit and when I rise; 

   you perceive my thoughts from afar. 

 You discern my going out and my lying down; 

   you are familiar with all my ways. 

 Before a word is on my tongue 

   you, LORD, know it completely. 

 You hem me in behind and before, 

   and you lay your hand upon me. 

 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, 

   too lofty for me to attain.

  Where can I go from your Spirit? 

   Where can I flee from your presence? 

 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; 

   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 

 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, 

   if I settle on the far side of the sea, 

 even there your hand will guide me, 

   your right hand will hold me fast. 

 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me 

   and the light become night around me,” 

 even the darkness will not be dark to you; 

   the night will shine like the day, 

   for darkness is as light to you.

  For you created my inmost being; 

   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

   your works are wonderful, 

   I know that full well. 

 My frame was not hidden from you 

   when I was made in the secret place, 

   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 

 Your eyes saw my unformed body; 

   all the days ordained for me were written in your book 

   before one of them came to be. 

*****   *****    *****   *****   *****

How could I possibly do anything else BUT surrender to you?

Alone with God

Alone with God

Quaking, shaking, crying

On my face

Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Sudden hush of glory

Peace, quiet, stillness,

On my face

Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Voice of God speaks

Small, quiet, mighty

Enters my soul

Heals, delivers, instructs

Heaven comes down

Humbled, thankful, jubilant

Angelic voices singing

Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

I join in

On my face

Sing

Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Alone with God

By:AmyColleen

IS the JOY of the Lord YOUR Strength?

So,

have you ever felt like you were needing

"Strength".... Spiritual strength?....Physical strength?

I know I have....The SONG,

"The Joy of the Lord is My Strength"... comes to mind at the moment.

Perhaps you are familiar with it?



I know I have been in a place more times than I care to admit, where I have felt weak both spiritually and physically.

The word of the Lord tells us that .... the "Joy of the Lord is our strength."

Nehemiah 8:10
( Where the ever famous song is inspired)
Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

What does that mean?

Does that mean that if we are happy in Jesus that we should feel strong in any given situation....both spiritually or physically?

Actually......as nice and "easy" as that would be....Uh.....no.... I do not see that in the word of God to be so.

But rather.......I read in Isaiah 58, the chapter where God himself speaks to Isaiah about what true fasting is all about, God also at the end of this chapter very pointedly says what it takes to obtain the "joy of the Lord" in your life.

13"If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
¹⁴ then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.


If I may, I would like to stress, only because the Lord himself did first, the words highlighted in yellow. As they draw attention to "us" and "our will".
I grew up (the last 30+ years, my life as a child of God) thinking all this time that the "joy of the Lord" was simply something that came to me by way of Holy Spirit as I pondered on the love of God and the Grace of God and all the he has done for me; all that I have in and through God and his son Jesus.
As honorable as that sounds, that just isn't scriptural. To be honest, finding this out by way Holy Spirit revelation has been very liberating!

Why? (you might wonder) Simply because....for so many years I have TRIED and failed on many occasion, to obtain on different occasions, the JOY of the LORD and wondered what the heck was WRONG with me!
I have asked the Lord, "Where is my joy? I love you beyond even my comprehension and with a passion that has cost me so very much! Yet I can not seem to muster an ounce of joy at this time in my life when I need it most! WHY, Lord? I NEED STRENGTH...to carry on.....help me to carry on...to understand...please!"
Well, he did. He showed me this scripture. You may have noticed that I posted it just a few weeks ago and I have been studying it since.
The Sabbath was made for man.Going back to even the VERY beginning, God created the world in six days on the seventh day he rested. I am not going to go into a long dissertation on the Sabbath. However I will say a few things that I think will make my point...God is LOVE...everything he does he does out of love for us.

God made a point from the very beginning, knowing we would need help in this area (the area of of us needing rest), to put in place for us one day out of seven for us to rest. He did so in such a manner so as not to take away our free will; as he will never invade our free will; but instead offered us an insurmountable joy and blessing if we obeyed him. (this is the key here....to the "Joy of the Lord". vrs 14)

Like all of his laws if we obey we will reap blessings we cannot contain.
If we rebel and do things our own way we will also reap according.

So many of us have been brain washed through the centuries, unfortunately, that the laws of God are restrictive and bad and mean. When in reality they are completely the opposite
They are liberating, holy and created out of love by our loving Father.
When we follow them we find life and blessing abundant to follow us through out a thousand generations.

So are YOU tired?........Weary?..........Need some strength?

Take a day off.....set it aside, make it Holy. Rest in the Lord.

Let the Joy of the Lord over come you and Be Your Strength!

****