It’s ALL about HIM working through ME and I’m RELENTLESSLY UNAPOLOGETIC
14 “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 (AMP)
A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.2 Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt
And cleanse me from my sin.3 For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them;
My sin is always before me.4 Against You, You only, have I sinned
And done that which is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak [Your sentence]
And faultless in Your judgment.5 I was brought forth in [a state of] wickedness;
In sin my mother conceived me [and from my beginning I, too, was sinful].6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part [of my heart] You will make me know wisdom.7 Purify me with [a]hyssop, and I will be clean;
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.8 Make me hear joy and gladness and be satisfied;
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.9 Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.11 Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted and return to You.14 Rescue me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will sing joyfully of Your righteousness and Your justice.15 O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.17 My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.18 By Your favor do good to Zion;
May You rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.19 Then will You delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.Psalm 51:1-19 (AMP)
So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
Luke 15:20 (AMP)
There is a fresh move of My Spirit to restore identity and heal the orphan heart. Pray and declare with faith and expectation for the prodigals as I call them into the fullness of My plans and purposes.
Many beloved prodigals have been wounded by the religious spirit and have partnered with bitterness and offence. I am releasing dreams and encounters with My goodness and mercy to heal and deliver. Don’t limit My power to cleanse and restore, for no ‘pig swill’ years are beyond My redemption.
In time, I will raise up many to return to those dark places in search of the lost to bring them, in turn, into the light. They will do so with compassion, insight and understanding which comes only from shared experience. Nothing is ever wasted! I know and love those who knew and loved Me, and they will carry great levels of My glory, power and authority.
I am restoring your loved ones to Me, to you, and to the church. There is fresh grace upon their lives to reach many for the sake of My Son and the kingdom. Now is the time to call them home!
Activation:
Spend time in the Lord’s presence and release any disappointment and hope deferred. Allow Holy Spirit to heal your heart and fill you with fresh faith to believe for the return of your prodigals. Look at a photograph of your loved one(s) and ask God to show you how He sees them and the specifics of His plans for their lives. Ask Holy Spirit to confirm scriptures to decree and declare daily and rise up in authority as you do!
Thus says the Lord,
“Restrain your voice from weeping
And your eyes from tears,
For your work will be rewarded,” says the Lord;
“And your children will return from the enemy’s land.Jeremiah 31:16 (AMP)
A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.2 Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt
And cleanse me from my sin.13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted and return to You.Psalm 51:1-2, 13 (AMP)
#lionbites
Disciples and the World
13 “You are the [a]salt of the earth; but if the salt has [b]lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery].
14 “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.
17 “Do not think that I came to do away with or undo the [c]Law [of Moses] or the [writings of the] Prophets; I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18 For I assure you and most solemnly say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke [of the pen] will pass from the Law until all things [which it foreshadows] are accomplished.
19 So whoever breaks one of the least [important] of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least[important] in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:14-20 (AMP)
Footnotes
[a] Matthew 5:13 In ancient times salt was often used as a preservative. Similarly, followers of Christ are to preserve both the gospel message and Christian values in the secular world.
[b] Matthew 5:13 The salt from the Dead Sea contains impurities that affect its qualities as a seasoning and as a preservative.
[c] Matthew 5:17 i.e. the Pentateuch.
My Beloved,
Today I am extending an invitation to you: “Come and see.”
I see that you are anxious and worried, exhausted and stressed. You have been doing and managing, running and planning for a long time. It is time to stop and pause and accept My invitation, My Beloved.
Come to Me and get to know Me on a deeper level.
I am waiting for you.
I am welcoming you into My embrace.
Come and see!
I am waiting for you to unburden your heart and to let Me take care of all the heavy weights you are carrying.
Let Me transform your hopelessness into hope. Let Me exchange your worries and anxieties for peace. Let Me wipe your tears and give you laughter and joy instead.
Hope has a name.
Freedom has a name.
Joy and laughter has a name.
Transformation has a name.
And this name is My name, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
My Beloved, Come and see. Let me demonstrate to you the transformative power of a deep relationship with Me. Come to Me and experience the power of My name. Make spending time with Me your utmost priority in this time.
Activation:
Jesus wants to breathe new life into you and into your circumstances. Write down a list of all your to-do’s, your worries, your anxious thoughts, your questions, your hurts. Then take some time and accept Jesus’ invitation to come to Him and see. Give Him your list and leave it with Him. Spend time in prayer, meditate on the verses below and let Jesus’ words transform your life.
5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.
8 My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.
John 15:5-8 (AMP)
Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid.[Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]
John 14:27 (AMP)
The Cure for Anxiety
25 “Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27 And who of you by worrying can add one [a]hour to [the length of] his life?
Matthew 6:25-27 (AMP)
Footnotes
[a] Matthew 6:27 Lit cubit, here probably applied metaphorically to a lifespan.
#lionbites
Come up higher and let go of what holds you back from being close to Me.
Step into My realm of limitless resources; meet with Me and be made complete.
I long for intimate fellowship with you as a bridegroom longs for his bride! I desire the closeness that comes from meaningful time and deep connection spent together face to face.
My love for you overflows and never ends; experience My compassion for you that is like a warm blanket wrapped around you on a cold night!
I freely give wisdom and counsel, so don’t be afraid to release your burdens to Me.
I am eager to come alongside and strengthen you with peace, joy, solutions, wisdom, and understanding. I want to stand with you in your joys, fears, and trials.
I desire to give abundantly and for your good, just like a beautiful stream brings life and beauty to the forest.
Let Me be the one who completes you. Invite Me into the dry places, the places which feel empty, and allow Me to bring life and wholeness to those areas.
Activation:
Take a moment to quiet yourself and then ask Holy Spirit these questions:
“Where am I feeling incomplete? What do You say about this?”
“What strategy do You have for a problem that has me stuck and feeling like there is no solution?”
Take time to consider Holy Spirit’s answers and continue conversing.
For as a young man marries a virgin [O Jerusalem],
[a]So your sons will marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So your God will rejoice over you.Isaiah 62:5 (AMP)
Footnotes
[a] Isaiah 62:5 The ancient rabbis interpreted marryin the sense of making a home with the bride, which would correspond to the resettling of Jerusalem by Israelites.
It is the LORD who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 (31:8)
#lionbites
My child,
It’s time to come out of your hiding place and into visibility. It’s time to stop procrastinating and start building what I have asked you to build. Be courageous and start working for My Kingdom with a fresh zeal, as I provide you with new blueprints and strategies.
Do you not see that I have been preparing you for this time? I have equipped and trained you with everything you need for this hour and task. You are ready!
You do not need to see the full picture in advance because I want you to lean into Me and listen to My voice as you take one step after the next.
Do not be shaken by what is going on around you but instead fix your eyes on Me.
Start building and do not let mocking voices intimidate and ridicule you for building the new.
My child, put on your whole armour and start building now.
Do not procrastinate any longer.
I am releasing a new level of courage and boldness to you and make your forehead like flint.
Activation:
Read Nehemiah chapters 1-6. Be encouraged by his attitude of perseverance, focus and trust in the Lord to protect him to see the building of Jerusalem’s wall finished. Then, take some time to sit with the Lord and ask Him for the next step you need to take in order to start working on your assignment. Write it down and be very specific. Then declare Joshua 1:9 over yourself and start doing the work God has called you to do.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9 (AMP)
“You will keep in [a]perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both [b]inclination and character],
Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].Isaiah 26:3 (AMP)
Footnotes
[a] Isaiah 26:3 Lit peace, peace, a Hebrew idiom of emphasis.
[b] Isaiah 26:3 The Hebrew word for inclination became a technical term in Jewish tradition, and the rabbis frequently referred to the “evil inclination” much in the same sense as the sin nature. They also recognized a “good inclination,” which the righteous choose to follow, and urged people to make their good inclination king over the evil inclination.
#lionbites
Now is the season to go further.
Strip yourself away from what belongs to the past and the weighty things that you unknowingly carry. It is like an old, heavy, moth-eaten cloak that slows you down as you run for the Kingdom.
Take it off your shoulders and step into My presence to receive the new mantle I have for you. It is a mantle of hope and fine golden embroidery, purposely made for you to regally walk into the perfect plan I have prepared.
Activation:
Ask Holy Spirit if there are any “old coats” you are wearing. Ask Holy Spirit to show you what these “coats” look like. Then, visualise taking off your old coat. Prophetically move forward and look in the spirit. See Jesus as He envelops you with His glorious mantle.
You may also want to express the desire for Him to infuse you with new hope and strength. Finally ask Him what is your next step forward. Take your time to listen to the direction He has for you.
But no one puts a piece of unshrunk (new) cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.
Matthew 9:16 (AMP)
Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].
2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)
New Heavens and a New Earth
“Behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things [of life] will not be remembered or come to mind.Isaiah 65:17 (AMP)
#lionbites
I see you, My beloved. I see that you’ve been faithful to Me and that you have humbly allowed Me to prune and hone you. It is My utter joy to know that you are in that place of spiritual freedom where you are ready to jump with child-like faith into your Daddy’s arms, ready for the new. Well done!
The next step for you is to seek My wisdom in every detail of what you are undertaking. Allow My Holy Spirit to teach you what is good for the new season and in accordance with My perfect timing. Because you have grown tremendously, the enemy is already trying to confuse and overwhelm you with an onslaught that is intended to push you into doing things and moving prematurely.
However, it’s in that heart-to-heart stillness with Me that you really only need to BE. So ask for My wisdom, stay in contemplation of Me. The rest, the blueprint, and the answers will come smoothly by My Spirit.
Activation:
Allow yourself to be still. Contemplate God’s goodness and steadfast love that He has demonstrated as He has led you this far. Remember what He has helped you go through and be thankful for all the blessings that come to mind. Then, acknowledge that you cannot do anything without Him and His wisdom as you pray this prayer:
“Lord, I need you. I need your wisdom and counsel in every small and large aspect of my life. Please guide my steps. I ask that you shine your light upon my path and show me the way I should go. Fill my heart with your peace as I make decisions and lead me in the right direction as I follow your perfect plan and purpose for my life. Thank you, Jesus, amen.”
“The beginning of wisdom is: Get [skillful and godly] wisdom [it is preeminent]!
And with all your acquiring, get understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation].Proverbs 4:7 (AMP)
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 (NKJV)
“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”Psalm 46:10 (AMP)
#lionbites
Now is a time of sanctification and drawing closer to Me. In My Kingdom, there is holiness and purity. And while sin separates you from Me, it’s sanctification that will draw you deeper into My heart, My ways, and values.
In this season, I want My people who are called by My name to seek Me on a deeper level, refusing to settle for anything less, not letting go of Me until I bless you. I want you to be those who will not compromise your walk with Me for the lures of the world, those who will press on and count everything else as loss only to find Me when you seek Me with all of your heart. I need penitent hearts and clean hands.
Where are the people who will go when I say “Go!”, those who will cry out “Here I am Lord, send me”? I require willing servants who will become My leaders among many, those who will say “No” to the norm and stand up and stand out for My Kingdom! For too long My people have been covered in a shroud. Now, I say, rip off the grave clothes and stand purified before Me in royal robes, washed in the Blood of the Lamb.
Activation:
Prayer: Father God, please make me holy, washed by your son Jesus’ blood. Help me keep my eyes on you when the world comes knocking at my door, let me not be tempted more than I can stand, and offer me a way out of it so that I may not sin against you. Let me not cause anyone else to sin or be a stumbling block to my brother or sister. In Jesus’ name Amen.
Isaiah’s Commission
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on listening, but do not understand;
Keep on looking, but do not comprehend.’Isaiah 6:8-9 (AMP)
3 For this is the will of God, that you be sanctified [separated and set apart from sin]: that you abstain and back away from sexual immorality;
4 that each of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor [being available for God’s purpose and separated from things profane],
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 (AMP)
14 Continually pursue peace with everyone, and the sanctification without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.
15 See to it that no one falls short of God’s grace; that no root of resentment springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
Hebrews 12:14-15 (AMP)
#lionbites
Unapologetically Marcia