Tag: Bible

Which Jesus Are You Following?

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I love Jesus. I hope to follow Him all the days of my life, even if it cost me my life.

Following Jesus has cost me “friendships” and invited persecution. Most of the persecution coming from people who claim to know Him. They have called me names (heretic, demonized, weird, another colorful b-word), slandered my name, a few threatened violence, I was struck once by a woman who called me a liar and I was not lying (she claimed to be a Spirit-filled Christian. I refused to hit her back out of love and she was far older than me/over twice my age), cursed my ministry, cursed me, cussed me out, boycotted things I was doing for Jesus, cursed me from pulpits, mocked me, tried to shame me, publically set me up to be humiliated, talked badly about me, stopped talking to me if I disagreed with their understanding of scripture, tried to turn entire groups against me, posted hateful or disrespectful comments on my blogs or social media, tried to debate me for hours and talked down to me like I was stupid, written me nasty notes, called me a bad Christian and untrustworthy, called my ministry for God illegitimate, etc…all in the name of Jesus.

I don’t know the Jesus who acts like that. Jesus said you will know my true disciples by their agape (sacrificial, unselfish) love. Jesus also stated you would know a tree by its fruit. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlenesses, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law (Gal 5:22-23). Love fulfills the law because it does no harm to its neighbor (Romans 13:10).

Why share these things, and I promise I am not complaining? Because if our picture of Jesus is violent, hateful, nasty, rude, unkind, mean spirited, argumentative, proud, hostile, etc…it’s not Jesus of Nazareth. The spirits behind the behaviors in paragraph one are demons. Mockery is a demon. An accusatory spirit is a demon. Pride is a demon. These are the chief characteristics of Satan. It’s easy to build an image of God that is not God at all. Cursing people is the language of demons. Slander and gossip, are demons.

God invites us to know Him, who He really is. Even in my highest levels of ignorance or rebellion God never responded to me in a hateful way. Never. The conviction of God never pushed my face in the dirt and stepped on my neck. The Pharisees partnered with the devil and wanted to stone people for not following their understanding of the law. Jesus did not.

If you feel compelled to violence or mean-spiritedness against people, that is not the Holy Spirit. If you feel compelled to send nasty notes, leave rude and hateful comments, that is not the Holy Spirit. If you feel led to mock people and curse their ministry, that is not the Holy Spirit. A genuine Spirit of God will go gently and speak privately with someone in great love. The Bible tells us to go first privately and to make sure we don’t have a plank in our eye. See Galatians 6:1, Matthew 7:4-5, 1 Timothy 5:1-2, Matthew 18:15-17. If you behave in these ways, I encourage repentance.

I truly believe once we (collectively who claim Jesus) get the love thing right, everything else will fall into place. I am not bitter over the behavior of other people. I forgive them, pray, and move forward. I am deeply saddened by the misrepresentation of Jesus. Why? The world is watching those who claim Jesus to find out who God is. If our actions do not align with the heart of God, why on earth would anyone want to know Jesus? The devil never tells people how their actions will impact others. He pushes humanity to pride.

My prayer is we choose the way of Jesus. I am still being refined and having my heart tended by God. I am still learning from Jesus. I am still yielding myself to God. My hopes are no one will be able to say I brutalized them in the name of Jesus or made a mockery of who He is. Why? I love Jesus. How I behave is a reflection of our intimacy.

My greatest prayer this morning is for those who claim Jesus to truly know Him. Jesus said if we abide in Him, we will bear good fruit (John 15:4-5).

I do not desire to worship a Jesus made in mankind’s image. I want Jesus of Nazareth, the humble king who washed feet and chose nails even for His enemies. My urgent plea is seek to know the real Jesus. The Holy Spirit promises to be our teacher and guide. If we ask God, He will reveal Himself to us.

Before I went to sleep last night I deleted a nasty comment off my author page. I wrote about women in ministry which created a firestorm. The defenders of their version of the law came out with Bibles raised to beat me with their level of understanding. What they do not realize is I spent years studying the Bible. I read through it almost every year, and I am not ignorant. I have been pursuing knowing Jesus for most of my life. I do not speak about things I do not study with God. I bless them, forgive them, delete their hatefulness, pray for them, and move along.

If you have been beaten up by professing Christians, I am sorry. Jesus is sorry. God is not mean nor cruel. God loves you! God is patient and kind. God is good and merciful. God is not hateful. God is love. I wrote my third book Overcoming Church Hurt & Abuse this year because we have way too many Christians in bad shape because of the treatment and abuse of other Christians. If you are hurting, grab it. It has 5 star reviews and has helped numerous people step out of pain and into healing. You can grab off Amazon.com or Empowered-Free.com/shop.

I hope something written here blesses you! Praying for you, me, the global church. Let’s choose love!

Love in Christ,

Erin Lamb

Photo Source: Pinterest

Behold A New Thing (Refocus on Jesus-the Centrality of the Gospel)-Prophetic Encouragement.

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I don’t share prophetic impressions on this page often, yet felt promoted to today. It’s long, yet hope it encourages/inspires someone to seek Jesus, not “That’s how we have always done things or my pastor told me this.”

Behold I am doing a new thing (prophetic encouragement)

Certainly weigh this and test it. These were impressions on my heart and in my spirit from Jesus, Holy Spirit, and the Father.

From the Father:

“I am shifting from the old into the new. I look upon the earth and see billions of people disconnected from My heart and disconnected from the church. While My church may be pointing her finger at the world, ‘Look how sinful you are,’ My heart has been grieved by the lack of My love and compassion for the lost. Yes, they are blind and deaf to truth because they are dead in tresspasses and sin. The dead cannot see. The dead cannot hear. There is a powerful language that even the dead can see and hear, that is My love. I invite My church to not only speak truth, but to love and to serve. Love is your superpower.

My Spirit is hovering over the earth looking for laborers, partners-someone willing to take up the mantle of love and go for My mission of love. My Spirit is looking for those willing to go into the dark places. Gone are the days of just waiting for the world to come inside.

You must go. You must go where the people are, where the broken and hurting are, and you must love. You are not going to the happy, shiny, together people. You are going to the sick, hurting, dying, addicted, broken, immoral, demonized, and abused. They need My love and My power. It is not by your strength, your wisdom, your intellect, nor your religious rituals. It is by My Spirit.

I am looking for those willing to abide in My Spirit and go where I lead. No more business as usual-this is the way we have always done church, the way we have always done conferences, the way we have always done worship, the way we have always taught people…get into the secret place and seek Me for the new.

I am doing something NEW! I am doing something new to bring millions into My family. I want to teach you an upgraded way to relate to the world. It involves no compromise; it is pure/holy as I am pure/holy. It will stretch you outside your comfort zone. It will break people out of sitting and waiting, sitting and praying for Me to do what I have empowered My church to do.

I am cleaning My house. Yes, your spirits are made completely new in My Son. The soul of man is continually sanctified by My Spirit. I am clearing out those abusing My sheep, allowing exposure of those who do not love My sheep, closing doors to those only interested in their agenda and titles, I am removing favor from those using the gifts for selfish gain. I am doing these things out of great love because I need a safe place for the harvest. Not only do I need laborers, I need safe havens and families for My children. My babies need spiritual families, not to be led to pray a prayer and then left alone without any guidance, without genuine love, without true shepherding. I am building family systems that are safe.

Seek Me for the new. Seek Me for My agenda for your services and conferences. It’s about establishing My Kingdom on earth, not mankind building their own shrines on earth nor entertaining people without helping them to truly know Me. I watch as millions are entertained and they go home with the very same demons they came with and they remain in great bondage. My Son set the captives free.

Seek Me for your ministry. Seek Me for your family. Seek Me for your business. I do not encourage to control. I encourage because I am strategically connecting people in this season to be a great net for the masses. I am pursuing a mature Bride. No more their church vs. your church, their ministry vs. your ministry…competition is not a fruit of My heart. The evil one loves division, jealousy, and single/selfish focus.

If My people who are called by My name would humble themselves and help each other fulfill the great commission, revival would have already come.

The world is looking at how My professing children love and support each other. If they do not see what My Son proclaimed, their desire to come inside is even more diminished.

I will be glorified in the earth. If those I have chosen refuse to follow the leading of My Spirit, I will and can go and appoint one from outside to lead My movements. My Son will get His full reward.”

From Jesus:

“Oh how I love My Bride and long to partner with her to see the fullness of My Kingdom on earth. The encouragement is to continually abide in Me, to crawl into My arms, and listen to My voice. I lead by great love. The love I have for you is the same intense, passionate love I have for your neighbor, the lost, and even those who present themselves as your enemies. So many do not know Me in your weekend services and in the world. Sharing and demonstrating who I am is needed everywhere.

My heart weeps over those who believe they know Me yet, they harm, abuse, or deceive My sheep. Like the Pharisees, they have their rules, rituals, and religion, yet they miss My heart. They have a form of righteousness, yet, it is void of My love, void of My compassion, and void of godly mercy. Yes, I am truth. Yes, I am power. I am also love. I know the proper words to speak to turn a heart, prick a heart for the Father. Ministering outside of My heart and Spirit can lead to harm instead of blessing.

I have watched millions of My children wounded by those claiming Me, yet their hearts are far from Me. I reserve My final judgement until the appointed time. I did not come to condemn, pass final judgement, but to lead people to repentance. I am standing in a position of invitation for repentance for those who do not love yet continue to attempt to minister in My name. Come away with Me and soak in My love. Let Me love you! Let My love invigorate you so you may love like Me.

I am looking for lovers, those willing to abide in My love and willing to go love the world! I am so eager to partner with you!”

From Holy Spirit:

“I am so excited. Can you sense My excitement as I think on the waves of love, glory, and passion that will sweep over the earth?!

I am hovering. I am moving. Sons and daughters will prophesy. I will speak through the babes/youth all the way up to the 100 year olds. I am blowing a breath of refreshing. I am blowing the dust off those who have been sidelined.

I love unity and partnership. I love community and family. I love to see people working together to fulfill the Father’s will. Oh, how He loves the world. We are in unison in our heart for the world.

I am beyond eager to fill the empty and broken, to revitalize the weary, and comfort the mourning. I am speaking, singing, teaching, and on the edge of My seat for those who hunger and thirst for Me.

Invite Me into what you are doing. I am not asking to seek to control. I am asking you to invite Me because I desire to give you My power to complete the task.

I do not force Myself on you, nor push My agenda on you. When you ask, when you invite, I manifest My power and love!! I love to assist you. I love to abide in you. I love to connect with you!

Let’s partner together. I long to empower, encourage, and give you My strength. You are not alone in your journey. I am here. I am strong where you are weak. I long to connect spirit to spirit with you. Invite Me into your day. I am overjoyed to be with you.

I want to teach you more of who I am and show you the depths of our heart. I am refreshing you and longing to break you out of the old and into the new.

Old mindsets must be removed and I long to wash your mind with My word. Invite Me into your bible study. I long to deepen your understanding of My word and who I am. Do not lean onto your own understanding, seek My understanding. Study with Me.

I am excited to adventure with you and for the entire world to know who Jesus is and what the Father paid for regarding humanity. Let’s partner together!! I LOVE you.”

My Thoughts:

I truly believe God is calling us into something great, Himself. I highly encourage people to get to know God for themselves instead of simply relying on second hand information. I also encourage inviting God into every day, into Bible study, and to ask God to reveal Himself.

I have met so many people in my lifetime who claim to know God and represent God; they absolutely violate His heart. They repeat what they have been taught without revelation of who God is. We need Jesus, the real Jesus of Nazareth. We need to pursue God for ourselves and learn His voice. The early apostles had relationship. The New Testament was not even written yet and they knew Jesus. God is after relationship, not rituals and memorization of text. It is great to know the Bible. One can know the Bible and not know God. The Pharisees knew the Torah, they did not know God.

My hope is this post encourages someone to go deeper into intimacy with God. Don’t just take my word for it, invite God into your heart and life. Invite the Holy Spirit to teach and guide, even to weed out thoughts or ideas that have been taught that are not properly aligned with the heart of God.

Love,

Erin Lamb

The Ministry of Jesus

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Morning Thoughts: The Ministry of Jesus & Heart of God (Isaiah 61 Reflection). Comforting those who mourn is just as important to God as physical healing.

Certainly still on Cambodia time. That’s okay, I will get back to my time zone eventually.

Awakened an hour ago thinking about the example of Jesus. Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing and only said what He heard Him speaking. Jesus did not feel the need to prove His diety. “Come watch how many miracles I can perform to show you how great I am!” Yes His ministry demonstrated the great love and power of God, yet His motivation was not to gain the applause of people nor boost His ego. His motivation was to honor the Father, bring glory to the Father, and demonstrate compassion. Jesus was moved with compassion and healed the sick.

Jesus did more than heal the sick in body. Jesus healed the souls of people, comforted those who mourned, gave hope to the hopeless, ministered to the outcasts and displaced of society, spoke life, delivered the oppressed, spoke truth in love, and everything else aligned with Isaiah 61.

Our culture can be hyper focused on one aspect of God’s nature, and ignore equally as important parts of His attributes.

I love the ministry of Jesus was and is focused on loving people in whatever capacity is needed at the moment. He comes in with love to heal the body, love to heal the soul, love to comfort those who mourn, love to wipe tears, love to give the perfect gift, love to provide family and blessings, love to demonstrate radical generosity, love to hold a hurting person, love to befriend a lonely person, love to impart courage, love to sacrifice even when we have a need, love to get low instead of position ourselves high, love to work behind the scenes, love to elevate instead of diminish, love to pursue what is best for another.

I love that Jesus lived out of this place of extreme security in His identity. He knew when to be bold and when to be quiet. He knew when to lead and when to submit and follow. He knew when to be with the crowds and when to steal away with the Father. He knew when to step forward and when to pull back. Jesus, beautiful Jesus, operated out of radical confidence. He knew His true identity was approval already given by the Father. He walked in boldness and great humility. He could speak with great authority and profound gentleness.

Jesus is my role model and best friend. If I am to emulate anyone, may it be Jesus. I see through Isaiah 61 the multifaceted heart of God. Comforting those who mourn was and is just as important as sharing the Gospel.

Isaiah 61:1-9

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound,

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion—to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit—that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

And they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

Aliens shall stand [ready] and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

But you shall be called the priests of the Lord; people will speak of you as the ministers of our God. You shall eat the wealth of the nations, and the glory [once that of your captors] shall be yours.

Instead of your [former] shame you shall have a twofold recompense; instead of dishonor and reproach [your people] shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double [what they had forfeited]; everlasting joy shall be theirs.

For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong with violence or a burnt offering. And I will faithfully give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with them.

And their offspring shall be known among the nations and their descendants among the peoples. All who see them [in their prosperity] will recognize and acknowledge that they are the people whom the Lord has blessed.

God cares about every detail of a person’s life, it all matters. I love that Jesus knew and understands love is the highest aim of the Kingdom!

Once I gain my bearings, I will share with you some of the amazing things God did in Cambodia. God is so good!

Love,

Erin Lamb

Founder of Operation God is Love

Owner and CEO of Lamb Enterprises LLC

Love God; Love People!

The mission is love. The mission is Jesus.

Handling Unfulfilled Promises

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Sarah & Unfulfilled Promises (Devotion)

I am discouraged by people who make fun of Sarah. She laughed at God. So did Abraham, yet his issues are often overlooked. People who have not suffered in God’s waiting room, just from my experiences, are clueless the pain it brings. Imagine wanting a child and he shows up when you are 10 years away from death. It makes a great story, that’s because we are not the ones who must live the process. The same with the woman with the issue of blood. It’s great to celebrate the miracle, people can forget her 12 years of extreme suffering.

There are the parades of Christians who quote Scripture to those suffering, tell them to just trust God, while they walk past them with the promises they did not have to wait long for nor contend for long. They have no experience in the waiting rooms of disappointment, no after no from physicians, the disdain and judgement of their peers for not possessing something society says makes you valuable. “If you just had enough faith and believed God, then everything in your life would be perfect.” Well, no. Jesus stated in this world there would be troubles, yet take heart, He overcame the world. The early disciples of Jesus suffered greatly. Many were martyred for their faith, some tortured. Jesus suffered greatly. I do not know of anyone with more faith than Jesus.

My prayer is we cease telling people if they just believe enough, fast enough, pray enough, tithe enough that they will live in heaven on earth. Heaven is not simply a place. It is a person. God offers Himself to stand with us through the trials and disappointments of life.

Some people have no grid for suffering over hope deferred, therefore their counsel lacks genuine God compassion.

Some will tell you to settle and give up the dream! Some will grow tired of your waiting and avoid the topic or avoid you. Some will bombard you with every “Christian” phrase of God keeps His promises. You may even get a Jeremiah 29:11 sticker to put on your window. People quote to you, yet is rare to find one that will wrap their arms around you in compassion and weep with you.

Everyone is okay talking negatively about Sarah and desperation, yet unless you have walked through painful waiting and seasons of profound disappointment, it is impossible to speak into the life of another waiting and being seemingly denied over and over.

There is a compassion that is built during suffering that can not be simply imparted. It must be learned through experience. It is not a mantle for everyone. It is for some.

A woman’s worth…

It’s 2018 and I feel the pressure to be a wife and mom. It’s one of the first things Christian women ask other women. Then it’s, “Well don’t you want to be married? Don’t you want kids?” People feel at liberty to stick their nose in your business where it does not belong. I wonder if they ever think, “Maybe this person was married and their spouse died. Maybe they were told they can’t have children. Maybe me prying into their personal life is intrusive, rude, and unkind.” So I cannot even imagine what it must have been like for Sarah. She lived in a time and culture where barren women were seen as cursed, less than, shamed, and the inability to produce an heir was looked down upon by society. Oh Sarah!

Desperation and despair can be bedfellows of prolonged waiting for a promise. You can fast, pray, decree, dance around the mountain and still hurt. You can worship, appreciate God, believe God can, and still hurt. You can hope and still hurt. Why? Prolonged waiting followed by repeated disappointment, can still bring heartache.

I wish so very much in Christianity we could be like Jesus and Paul and be honest. Jesus was in anguish facing the cross. He knew the Father was good. He was still human and understood His flesh was about to be ripped from His body. He knew and believed the promise. He still felt the depths of agony of what He would walk through, and not be delivered from facing. Paul faced incredible challenges to which He responded with honest expression. He stated there were times they were almost pressed to the point of giving up.

If you are like Sarah, it’s okay to process your pain, disappointment, and true heart condition with God. You don’t have to pretend to be a super hero for God. God knows it hurts and stings more than anyone. You may be watching others enjoy their promise and you have been waiting, waiting, waiting. Maybe you have endured the insensitive Christian or just slap a verse on it. Maybe you are beyond tired. Maybe your heart is breaking. Maybe you have been pushed to the point of utter desperation.

I am not going to quote scripture to you. I am not going to tell you to trust God. I am not going to tell you to do the Christian things that are sometimes tools to try to manipulate God. I am going to tell you that God loves you and Jesus understands the depths of your sorrow. I am going to tell you it’s okay to gently tell people to mind their own business or you are not accepting their poor counsel. It is okay to rest. It’s okay to cry. Jesus wept. It’s okay to process the pain instead of stuffing it inside. It’s okay to be human. It’s okay to escape the mobs of people to just process with God. It’s okay!

I hope this helps someone today process pain and step into greater freedom. Giving people permission to be human is powerful.

Disclaimer:

Also this post is NOT about me wanting a child or spouse. Please DO NOT try to set me up, email me about someone, etc…I wrote this post because I am examining the process of desperation and suffering. I have promises that are NOT related to marriage and family that are long standing. I add this disclosure because some people think unmarried means marriage is all you want or think about or view you as a project to marry off. No! No! No!! Just putting it out there to save myself some drama and people sticking their nose in my personal life. One of the biggest promises I am contending for is the salvation of my entire family.

For more encouraging devotions, check out Confident & Free Devotional.

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Warmly,

Erin Lamb

We Become Like The Gods We Worship

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Morning Devotion: Knowing God is the Key to Thriving. We Can Be Stuck Worshipping The God Made in Our Own Image. We Become Like the gods We Worship. Let’s Know The God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob for Who He truly Is.

I strongly desire for every person to know God intimately for themselves, and not the “God” they think they know. There are things over the years I thought I knew about God yet the more time I spent with Him the greater the revelation. I am still learning.

My first book is entitled I Thought I Knew What Love Was. It is so easy to gather thoughts about God from other people, from skimming the Bible, and not dive into personal intimacy. It is also possible to allow the things we have been taught about God to keep us from learning more. I want to know God for myself, not second hand knowledge.

This journey to intimacy with God moves us being being poly parrots to living out of the very heartbeat of God. Our understanding of God will determine who we become. We become like the gods we worship, they write their names on our faces.

If I do not believe God is good, I will be less inclined to be good to people. If I believe God is harsh, hyper critical, unmerciful or cruel, then I would be more prone to be that way. The grid or lenses by which we view God determine what we become.

Some worship a god of religion, some traditions of men, some a god of their denomination, some a racist god, some a sexist god, some a greedy god, some an unloving god, some an indifferent god, some a god that only lives to serve them.

Over the years I have met hundreds of people who claim to speak for God or know God with some quite backwards ideas, unloving speech, and questionable behavior.

God is not rude. Rudeness is a weak person’s attempt at strength and power. God is all powerful and all knowing. Knowing all our faults, God chooses to move in love and compassion. He could blast all of us to dust with one word, yet instead chooses to send His Son to wash feet and serve humanity.

God is not racist or sexist. I get the most feedback when I talk about equality. Humans desire a hierarchy system due to insecurity, pride, misunderstanding how God works, religious spirits, and misunderstanding the bible. Jesus is supposed to be the standard and we do not see racism or sexism in Jesus. Some misunderstand Paul’s letters and refuse to change their mind about his true meaning.

God is after relationship, not religion. The goal was never to just fill buildings with people who do not engage with God outside of those meetings. The goal was and is to cultivate family with humanity. He said, “I have grafted you into my family through my Son. You have been adopted.” He did not say, “I have signed you up for a program or network.” Family functions differently than an organization. A body functions differently than an organization. The place God longs to gather is in our hearts. God longs for daily communing and a habitation-not visitation. God cultivates family, interdependent community.

God does not live in the land of speaking death and limitations of our abilities. When Moses told God he did not speak well, God replied to Moses, “Who made the mouth?” God did not say to Moses, “Well you suck, I can’t do anything with you…what on earth am I to do. Let me replace you with someone better.” God sees our weakness or perceived limitations as an opportunity to showcase His strength. God has no weakness. I have had loads of people try to word curse me with their death words. God does not speak death over me nor limitations. God speaks life and endless possibilities to His children. Those who ultimately suffer are those not in union with Jesus.

God is not into celebrity status and political agendas. God thinks highly of every human being and demonstrated this on the cross. In heaven there are no elections, no Christian celebrity sections, roped off areas for the VIP, etc…God looks at the heart. God examines fruit. A person can gain all the applause on earth and miss the applause of heaven. God pursues all of humanity for good, not just popular people or those on a certain side of a political fence. I have seen people grossly mistreat those who are not platform ministers or popular and think it’s okay. It’s not okay. It’s sin and ungodly. Jesus stated, “What you have done to the least of them, you have done to me.”

God actually cares how we treat people and talk about them or to them. “I’m just telling it like it is,” that damages people is not the heart of God. Jesus spoke truth in love. If we don’t want it said to us, or about us, it may be a good thing to refrain from doing or saying. When God reveals someone in my sphere is struggling, I pray. I do not use the information to beat them to death with it. Discernment is a key to intercession not a springboard for embarrassing people or humiliating them.

God does not seek to humiliate people or publicly embarrass them. I have seen ministers do this and say God led them to, well no! God tells us to go privately to a brother or sister if we have an issue with them. Only if necessary do we need to involve other people.

God is not double minded, confused, nor crazy. “God told me to go left,” then “God changed His mind and told me turn around He did not mean what He said the first time.” Well, often when people are wishy washy and claim “God said,” they have yet to distinguish the voice of God from a demon, or their flesh or soul. God is accurate and not double minded. Sometimes when people want something they will say, “God told me.” And if they no longer want something, “God told me.” The voice that guides is not Holy Spirit. Yet God’s name gets attached to their desires or feelings.

God is not mean, cruel, or hateful. If we are, we either don’t know God or have stepped out of abiding in God.

God is not selfish nor lustful. Lust is seeking pleasure outside God’s design or boundaries for our selfish means. God loves. Love seeks to give and operate inside of the boundaries of God. Heaven does not have a “you are not accountable” pass for “boys will be boys,” or “raging hormones.” Heaven has the same standard, holiness and purity. Grace empowers righteousness not lawlessness. The bible also states where you have jealousy and selfish ambition you find every evil work. Selfishness is sin. It is using people just to meet our needs. Only caring about ourselves. We are told to not just look out for our own best interests, but the interests of others.

God is good. Every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of lights. God continually pursues our good. There is no evil in God. God dod not create evil. God created angelic and human beings with an ability to choose. Some choose to operate outside of God’s will. Evil is the abuse of free will.

God is not insecure. God is bold, confident, courageous, and full of hope. God is aware that He is God.

God is a Spirit and those who worship God must worship Him in Spirit and truth. God is not like a human male. God made both male and female in His image. Females are not some sub creature that has nothing in common with God. Some of the attributes we call feminine exist in God; compassion, deep love, nurturing, mothering, cultivating, wiping tears, teaching, move mountains to help their kids, etc…when God is only viewed through a human male lens, so much is missed about God’s heart and nature.

My encouragement is we daily pursue God. God is worth knowing. It is a journey worth pursuing.

You may pick up your copy of I Thought I Knew What Love Was; The Journey to Intimacy with God and Confident & Free (30 Day Devotional; Grow in Godly Confidence Through Intimacy with God) at Empowered & Free Store (USA & Canada). Or stop by Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble to grab copies.

God invites is to know Him. Join the journey with me into His heart.

Warmly,

Erin Lamb

Sunday Devotion (Know God’s Heart)

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Shorter Sunday Note: We Need to Know God’s Heart to Understand His Word Properly and Intimately Know His Person. Remove the Heart and It is Not a True Picture of God.

Truly, I think (could be wrong), one of the biggest missing pieces sometimes in Christianity is understanding the heart of God. One can know the bible well, be anointed, and quote God and miss His heart.

The Pharisees knew the Torah, they lacked intimacy with God. Their interpretation of God was WAY OFF because they lacked true knowledge of God. They were religious and harmful. They cared more about being right by their eyes and looking pious than doing what was right by God. They neglected the most important things and focused on religious things.

Throughout history you can trace the misinterpretation of the bible back to a lack of understanding the heart of God and who He is and how He operates. There is no part of God that is not love. His love simply does not always match our understanding of love.

Knowing the very heartbeat of God and living out of abiding in His heart is what Jesus did. He stated His life source was living out of the Father’s love. This is one of the reasons Jesus was and is the most effective representation of heaven on earth.

Those who do not love do not know God (1 John 4:8).

A person can preach and teach and not know God.

A person can pastor and prophesy and not know God. I have met some pretty mean spirited pastors and prophets. And while they claim to just tell it like it is, many miss the true voice of God because the purpose of being a messenger for God is to connect people with His heart, not just relay information.

Those who do not know God will not accurately represent God nor release heaven on earth. Jesus was not rude, mean spirited, reckless, selfish, religious, hateful, political, sexist, racist, unfeeling, lacking compassion, disinterested with the poor, orphan or widow, interested in just filling meeting and not stopping for the one.

May we know God, and not the God of our traditions. May we know the real God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. The God whose heart beats passionately for ALL of humanity. The God who loves better than anyone on this planet.

Our world needs Ambassadors of heaven, not replicates of the Pharisee.

Lord help us (including myself) to know you, and know the height, depth, width, and vast expanse of your love. Help us to be like Jesus and live out of that love. Knowing your heart and living out of your heart is how the world will see Jesus through us. He said His disciples would be known for great love.

Warmly,

Erin Lamb

Empowered & Free Website

When Prayer is An Excuse Not to Love

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Morning Short Devotion: When Prayer is An Excuse Not to Love.

I am pro action. I believe our actions tell a greater story than our words. If I speak with the tongues of men and angels, yet have not God love, I am only making noise. I love that Jesus did not just talk about loving people, the love of Jesus was demonstrated through His actions, even to death on a cross.

Love came down and pierced through the darkness, not by ego or eloquent sermons. Love extended a hand, washed feet, mentored, discipled, and met with people outside the Temple walls. Love engaged on a personal level with the least, last, and the lost.

He stated:

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed,~Isaiah 61:1.

Love is verb and moves us beyond talking about the goodness of God to manifesting the goodness of God. The love of God, as Mama Heidi says, looks like something. I say, the love of God looks like someone, Jesus. All of His life centered around this one pivotal thing, “The Father’s love.”

I can see a person eating from a garbage can and offer them prayer. Or I can run to the store, if possible, and get them a sandwich.

There have been people around me who suffered great loss and I could have just offered prayer, or offered groceries, a listening ear, a connection with someone else who could help them, help them with their resume or send them job alerts, check in, go sit in hospitals/hospice with them, send gift cards, offer to hang out to take their mind off their troubles. Why? Love is demonstrative.

We cannot do everything, we can do something. There are some people I have said no to before. They sought to take advantage of kindness or I simply could not offer any assistance. I try to point people to someone who may be able to assist them. I did not have the capability to offer anything and it was not helpful. Codependency is not what I am advocating, where we think it’s our job to save people. I am advocating thinking of what is the most loving thing to do? What would we want done for us? Most importantly what would God want done for the person?

I love the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) because he refused to leave someone in a painful and vulnerable state. When others walked on by, the good Samaritan saw an opportunity to love.

Recent studies have shown people are more prone to take photos or video of someone suffering or a bad accident than help. Please call 911. Don’t just watch someone drown hoping your video goes viral. Seriously.

We do not have unlimited resources. God does. I do not have the time nor energy to help everyone. I do have the ability many times to do more than pray. There are blessing bags in my car. I have helped people look for jobs. I have helped distract kids at the checkout so their mom has a break. I have baby sat for free so parents could get a break. I have offered odd jobs to people out of work. I have helped people clean houses when they were sick. I have given people free business start up advice. I have mentored for free. I have been a friend to the lonely. I have gone to hospitals and nursing homes and just sat with the hurting or taken my guitar. I have listened to people download their issues for hours when I needed someone to be there for me. Love is so very costly. It costs us something to love well. Yet love moves us beyond just sticking bandaids on broken bones.

God love will transform the world, not sermons, politics, religious programs, nor meetings. The world needs genuine love and concern. God so loved the world He gave His Son. The Son so loved the world He gave His life. If we so love the world, what evidence of love is present? If prayer is removed, what evidence is there of love?

For more devotions, check out Confident & Free:

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This weekend journals and books are on sale. I Thought I Knew What Love Was is already marked down. Use the Code Labor Day for Confident & Free and Journals.

Love,

Erin Lamb

The Power of Love

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Photo: Me & Mama Heidi Baker (Iris Ministries)

Morning Notes & Stories: The Power of Love and Honor.

Some people will only honor or recognize your value when someone they admire honors you. Yet honor is a pillar of God’s character, nature, and Kingdom.

Heaven flows on honor and there is no VIP section or segregation (the haves and have nots; the elite and the paupers). In heaven every person is considered royalty and a joint heir with Jesus. Every tribe, tongue, and Nation will be represented.

The orphan spirit desires that someone be inferior and a hierarchy system. Kings and queens understand their tremendous value and therefore bestow honor on everyone. They seek to honor, elevate, celebrate, and assist others to see their greatest potential.

Sons and daughters of God who truly see themselves as God does, can also see others as God does. They are not jealous, envious, competitive, nor do they operate in dishonor.

It is imperative to know who we are from the perspective of God. God has such deep and profound for ALL of humanity. This love moves Him to get low and serve, bless, encourage, help, empower, and propel others forward. Jesus said we (those who follow Him) would do even greater things because we would have His Spirit (John 14:12). Jesus is a champion for all of humanity. Jesus has no ego, no spirit of “be beneath me peasants.”

Loving people, honoring them, and asking God to show us their standing in His heart is so powerful!! When I started researching on the topic of insecurity, one of the top reasons people felt insecure was a lack of support/encouragement which could translate to lack of honor.

I truly believe there is a misconception that we are just to be loved by God, honored by Him, and that is enough. Yes, God+Nothing=Everything. God also designed us to connect with other human beings. We can survive and thrive with God’s love. We will suffer if other people do not love us. Why? We are surrounded by people all day and for the duration of our lives. God gave Adam and Eve each other so they could have a family. The bible says He places the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6). We are supposed to have some people in our lives who value us and want the best for us.

Actor Robin Williams stated, “Sometimes the lonliest feeling is being surrounded by people who do not care about you.” He took his own life. Some people have no one personally invested in their lives. No one checks in on them or asks how they are doing. No one supports them. No one hugs them. No one speaks life. No one loves them. We can tell those people to go find God. Yet what is better is if we walk in love and ask God to love others through us. We do not become God for the person, nor become codependent. We do listen to God and follow His prompting.

I will share a few short stories from my own life.

There was this happy lady at my church who always sat behind me. One day I turned and looked her in the eyes, I said, “Good morning. God loves you.” As I looked at her, I saw the word HOPE in white letters on her chest. I said, “Sometimes God speaks to me and I see words on people or over people. I see hope on you. God longs to infuse you with His hope.” I just spoke out encouragement and this woman began to break down. I mean she cried and cried. I thought, “Oh boy.” Yet our conversation ended with God healing some brokenheartedness.

I kept praying for this sweet lady. I wanted to give her a gift, something beautiful. I had these real pearls I felt led to give her. I packaged them for a queen and presented them to her the next Sunday. She read the card and opened the gift with great tears. She kept saying, “You don’t understand what you have done.” I was clueless. Oh so clueless. Later she told me that a non Christian clairvoyant person (she was not saved yet when this happened) told her she would marry the one who gave her pearls. I had told her in the card the pearls were from Jesus, not me. God was saying to her that the love she was looking for was found in Jesus.

This woman told so many people how Jesus gave her a set of real pearls. She held her head so much higher after that.

Love and honor are so powerful. We can pray all day for people to feel the love of God. Or we can participate and see God transform their life.

My primary love language is not physical touch. Yet on more than one occasion God has asked me to hug someone, place a gentle hand on their shoulder, and on one occasion to hold someone and just pray over them and love them. Why? God is love and ministers in the love language of the other person. We see with Mary and Martha when Lazarus died, Jesus responded to each of them differently. Why? Jesus met them where they were and ministered to them in ways they could understand His love.

With each person God told me to hug or hold, their primary language was touch. It meant something amazing to them. It ministered God’s love to them in a profound way. Ministry and love is supposed to be about what is best for the other person. Honor looks for what will best bless the other person.

Hugging also releases oxytocin which sends a message to the brain that says, “You are loved.” It is the bonding hormone. Babies and mommies release it during cuddling times. A deficit of this hormone creates incredible issues in the lives of infants and adults. It is also released in physical embrace/intimacy of adults. There is a such thing as holy affection. If there is a deficit of holy affection, people will seek it in unholy ways because God created us to be loved and holy affection and affirmation is part of the equation.

The people I hugged said they knew it was Jesus who told me to hug them. One lady, I felt grief leave her body during the embrace. One lady was propelled into her destiny as a full time missionary.

I truly believe people are suffering because they are not loved well by people. There is this push to have God do everything; “God you honor them. God you meet this need. God you love them. I am not going to do anything.” This is NOT a Kingdom mindset. A Kingdom mindest is love, honor, serve, partnership with God. If someone is starving, praying for them is great and give them a sandwich. It’s okay to hug someone if that makes them feel loved. It’s okay to send that note, ecard, gift-to ask God how they perceive love.

Instead of asking God to love people, we can ask God to flow through us to love others. He will set up divine appointments for us.

We cannot do everything, we can do something.

When we withhold love and honor, we may be withholding the key to propel another person into their destiny.

Lastly, I will tell you how momma Heidi Baker touched my life. I have shared this story, yet share it again because stopping for one person is more meaningful than we can imagine. I see this on the streets. Hugging the drug addict and watching God move them to repentance and restoration; God honors everyone. Everyone I meet means so much to God. I see kings and queens who just don’t know they are royalty yet.

When I went to see Heidi years ago, I had no clue who she was. I just did not know. I was asked to go hear this missionary lady speak and went along. It was a season of my life where I was being harassed and persecuted by people in the Christian circle and where I worked. At the time I was simply invisible to the people who should have stood up for me. I was also processing the death of someone I greatly loved. She was a mother, a friend, one of God’s best. I only had one friend at the time who knew the depths of pain I was carrying.

When Heidi walked in, I still did not know who she was. I was sitting cross legged down front, on the floor, in the crowd. I was, in my mind, hidden and pretty invisible. Yet I was not to her. We locked eyes for maybe 10 seconds, she said, “Hi” and then I looked away. The next thing I knew, this small petite blond woman was on the ground with her arms around me, hugging me, kissing me and saying “I said hi.” She hugged me tight like she had known me forever.

It wasn’t about Heidi in that moment. It was about Jesus. I felt the love of Jesus through a person. I knew what His love was like from our secret times together. Yet this was Jesus through a person, a stranger.

I love Heidi because she is not arrogant and Jesus flows through her. In the photo attached from two years ago I had the chance to tell her how one small moment impacted my life. Though I like hidden seasons, Jesus spoke through her actions that day, “In a large crowd I see you. Others may overlook you, but I never overlook you. Right where you are, I see you and I love you. I will get down on the floor where you are and bring love to you. Instead of giving love away, I am coming with great love, respect, and honor for you.”

I recall when I am on the streets what it is like to be that hurting person in the crowd. No one is looking for you, but Jesus. So I stop for one and keep stopping. If I am the only one who shows up for outreach, I load up as much as I can carry and go. I keep going-even when tired or disappointed. I stop for the dirty ones, the smelly ones, the drunk ones, the ones selling their bodies, the addicts, the ones who smell like vomit, the hurting ones, the ones carrying deep wounds and pain, and the invisible people. God give me your eyes so I do not gloss over someone you wish to see. They all matter greatly.

In one small act of genuine love, Jesus marked me through momma Heidi. In so many other instances as well. I highlight her because she stands on platforms all over the world yet gets low to kiss the face of a stranger. I had never had any pastor or leader show that level of concern or love for me other than my parents. It was such a small thing, yet so big to me. When we choose to love and honor, we can see God transform a life. I left that night marked by this message, “God sees me.”

So at conferences and church services you may see me looking for the one who came alone, moving away from the VIP section to touch the person no one else is looking for or loving. Why? I find Jesus there. God sees you! There are no invisible, dishonored, outcasts in His heart. He pursues us all to love us.

Who will you love today? Who will you honor? I highly encourage treating everyone as though they are so valued by God. We can ask God for His eyes, His heart. We can’t yield to every demand nor be everyone’s best friend. We can choose to treat others with respect, honor, and dignity. Love looks like someone, Jesus. 🙂

P.S Hope you join us Wednesday morning at 9am EST on the FB page for the live broadcast. I will be talking about getting your soul healed. Facebook.com/erinlambauthor.

Love,

Erin Lamb

Latest book Confident & Free. Available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Empowered & Free.

Upcoming Webcast August 7th 2018

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Let’s connect!

Join me next week for a live webcast. It is lesson 2 in the 30 Day Speak Life Challenge.

This past Wednesday I spoke about Genesis 1 and our new identity in Christ. Let’s live on the right side of the cross!! We are not who we used to be if we are united to Jesus.

You may find that teaching here: Author Page Videos.

Tuesday for the Speak Life Lesson 2 (you can join us at facebook.com/erinlambauthor), I will be talking about navigating through hard seasons with God.

It’s easy to think positive and be confident when life is roses. What about when all hell is breaking loose, you are being persecuted, the bottom fell out of your plans, you are facing death or given a bad diagnosis, or life has sucker punched you? I will share some biblical insights from overcomings and part of my story of overcoming these things.

Tune in August 7th, at 9am EST, 6am Pacific, on the FB author page, and let’s chat.

See ya next week. God loves you. Enjoy Him today. He loves you with an everlasting love. ❤️

Love,

Erin Lamb

Miracles Are For Today!

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Morning Devotion: The Great Physician and Deliverer. God is Bigger Than Any Diagnosis or Any Enemy. Miracles Still Occur Today! (Testimonies & Prayer at The End)

I believe in miracles because God says that He is the Healer, Deliverer. It is His name. I also believe in miracles because I am one. I am the product of a miracle. I am a recipient of many miracles. My mother was told she would not and could not have children. But God had another plan. We can always insert, “But God!”

I have seen God do things that were absolutely impossible in the natural. I have been in situations where I would have died if it had not been for the great power of God. There is no, “Maybe this is a fluke.” There is a “You lived because the hand of God and power of God did what seemed impossible.”

Jesus said, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). … It is the power of God that makes what seems impossible possible. Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37).

The same God who spoke the world into existence, pulled man from the earth and breathed into him, opened barren wombs, raised the dead, cleansed the lepers, provided food in the wilderness, led His people into victory against countless enemies, opened blind eyes, sent forth His word to heal the sick, delivered the oppressed, turned wicked men into righteous men, delivered Nations, multiplied fish and loaves, multiplied the widows oil, gave children to those way past child bearing years, shut the mouths of the lion, protected the hebrew boys in the fiery furnace, placed His words in the mouth of the prophets, opened the earth to swallow treacherous men….is the same God we worship today!

God has not ceased being loving. God also has not ceased being powerful. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work today. Will we choose to believe and partner with God? Will we look with an eager expectation for God to do what mankind says cannot be done? Can we move past the disappointment and “This did not work before,” to live out of a place of, “God, your word says nothing is impossible with you! I want to live as a person who sees the impossible made possible by your strength and power.”

It is not by our might nor our strength, but by the power of God! He is the all powerful and all sufficient one. He is the alpha and omega, the everlasting God; the great I AM. He is not the I was nor the I will be. He is the very sustainer of life. With one word from God, all of creation would feel the impact of His glory.

God chooses not to force His will on humanity, hence evil in the world. Yet we must understand that God can do anything! His abilities are limitless.

I recall a season of sickness in my life that I was not prepared for mentally or emotionally. I went in for a routine tonsilectomy and left on numerous meds and with a resting pulse of 150 beats per minute. I went from healthy to sick in one day. One surgery changed my life. I was on heart meds, scheduled to see so many doctors I wanted to scream. I love medicine, I do not love being poked and prodded. Some said, “We don’t know what is wrong with you.” Some offered a diagnosis and prognosis that if I did not take heart medication I would develop heart disease and not get very far in life.

I recall being tired, weak, my hair falling out, not sleeping, being winded, hurting, losing pills (there were too many to keep track), trying to study and having little energy to do work. As a chemical engineering student, being able to retain information was important. I was sick and tired of being sick. Some Christians were absolutely unhelpful in their counsel. If I just prayed a certain way or believed enough I would be well. Zero compassion and absolutely not helpful.

I recall crying out to God for breakthrough. I understood God still healed the sick. My parents prayed for the sick often and saw miracle after miracles. My dad kept letters of those who wrote in their praise reports. I knew in my heart that God was not only a healer, but the Healer!

One day I just became fed up with pills and doctor visits. I was quite passionate about freedom! I was driving in my car leaving the doctor’s office and I cried out loudly to God, “I do not want to take these pills any longer and I won’t. You are either going to heal me or I will die!!” The loud passionate cry to God was met with no audible response. I simply said no to sickness. I never took those heart pills again. My heart is beyond healthy today. I have no issues with my heart. There was another issue that was treated easily and I was back on the road to healthy.

I am not stating anyone should do what I did. I am stating that there is something about pressing in to touch the hem of His garment. There is something about God that moves in the direction of faith. There is something so powerful about God that can take a diagnosis and rip it to shreds. He is the most powerful being in the Universe. I was adamant that sickness was not my identity nor my destiny. No matter what the doctor said, I was empowered to get better and live healthy. There was a fight in my spirit not to live in a place of pain, lack, sickness, and exhaustion.

This same power to heal is available today. I recall my business classmate who had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, they had done the initial tests and biopsies. I asked my teacher if I could pray for people after class. She agreed. Weeks later my classmate messaged me to say in the repeat biopsy they could find no cancer. They had to cancel her treatment plan.

I recall the lady who was bleeding out like the woman with the issue of blood and we prayed by texting. She messaged back the next day her bleeding had stopped.

I recall the lady born partially deaf who could not hear without an implant, who God opened her ears. She had to take her implants out.

I recall the man in his back brace prepping for surgery who Jesus took all his pain away.

I recall the lady told her baby would be severely retarded and she should abort who has a healthy baby today.

I recall the woman bound to crutches, limping, and God removed all swelling from her body and restored her knees.

I recall the young man crippled since infancy and bound to a wheelchair who got up unassisted and stood for the first time in his life.

I recall the woman with facial swelling and pain who’s face returned to it’s normal size with prayer.

I recall the knees, backs, joints, hearts, and souls mended by God.

I recall the man pronounced dead on the operating table, who laid there for minutes lifeless that Jesus rose to life.

I recall the demonized, oppressed, tormented, and harrassed finding substantial freedom. God is beyond able to take dead things and make them living things. Can these dry bones live? Not only can they live, they can become an army!

There are too many stories to place in one post. My encouragement is to believe God is bigger. It is not easy when the test results come back and it’s you who needs a miracle. It’s not easy when the person under attack is you or someone you love. It is not easy when you pray and see no immediate results. It’s not easy when you see others getting breakthrough and you still need breakthrough. It’s not easy knowing God is the Healer and still burying someone you love. I have walked those roads. I understand the tears, disappointment, the places of not understanding why God does not prevent everything bad from happening.

I have had my life threatened, people try to kill me physically or emotionally, walked through years of persecution, walked through sickness, walked through workplace bullying/harrassment, walked through all my parents battling cancer, walked through being hated without cause, walked through facing death over and over and over. I have lived through more than some 80-90 year olds and I am not even mid life yet. I have decades of life to live still. Whew! I will tell you still that God is the most powerful being in the world. He kept my mind. He walked with me through the valley of the shadow of death. He sustained me when no one was with me. God is my very best friend. God stood with me when people stood against me. God is more powerful than anyone and anything.

If you are in the fire, look for Jesus. Invite Jesus.

If you are in the valley, look for Jesus. Invite Jesus.

If you are facing death, look for Jesus. Invite Jesus.

If you are tired, sad, grief stricken, and worn out, look for Jesus. Invite Jesus.

He is the resurrection and the life. Jesus! He is the one who calms the raging seas with one word from His lips. He is the one who sends forth His word and heals the sick. He is the same God who called for Lazarus to come forth and his body, soul, and spirit had to obey the command of the Lord! Jesus! Beautiful Jesus. If He does not deliver you immediately from, He will walk with you through the trial, through the pain, through persecution, through grief, through it all! God is MIGHTY to save.

Papa for anyone reading this who needs a miracle, I ask for your powerful Kingdom to come. Let heaven come. Invade their circumstances with your goodness, love, life, healing, joy, peace, power! Reverse the diagnosis. I declare life. I bind the spirits of death, disease, trauma, infirmity, mental illness, pain, hurt, grief, dissociation, PTSD, and anything not of you God. Let there be light in every place where darkness had been. Holy Spirit wash over each one, head to toe. Be healed and whole in Jesus name.

Love in Christ,

Erin Lamb

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