Tag: Knowing God

It’s a Journey (Notes from the Wilderness)

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Photo credit: Pinterest, Tony Evans

Beautiful friends, I might have one more post in me for the Spiritual House series. However, stay tuned for a new series upcoming-Abiding & Walking out Sonship. We need to know who we are as children of God. 

Today, I hope to impart hope from my journey. You’re reading words from a person who understands brokenness and the wilderness. I walked through abuse (verbal mostly), sickness, loss, betrayal, persecution, persecution from Christians, abandonment from my biological father, rejection from peers, rejection from family members, and so many things I won’t drudge them all up. My heart has been broken so many times; by family, in ministry, by friends…by people who claimed to love God. 

When people say to me, “I wish I had your relationship with God or your life is so good,” I want to say to them, “You don’t want to go where I’ve been and walk through what I have walked through with God.” 

My life has been walking through whatever I have been called to minister to. Like Jesus, I’ve had to walk it out. I went through many years of devastation…Needing miracle after miracle…Cheating death over and over…Living under persecution for almost a decade, praying, fasting…crying out for a miracles. 

God didn’t always deliver me from. He delivered me through. There’s so much of my story you’ll have to hear in the Suffering with Christ book I’m working on. There’s not enough space here.

I don’t glorify suffering. I do think people need to know all of life with Jesus isn’t skipping through parks of roses. If you suffer, it doesn’t mean you don’t love God or have enough faith. 

I feel I walked out of the wilderness in late 2012. Battered, bruised, tired, over trauma and near death experiences, over phony church love (yes I said it-I was tired of being beat up by Christians and imitation love), exhausted, wounded, discouraged, grief striken, and fed up. I had walked through both parents having cancer, my own sickness, too much church drama, losing a parent, losing “friends”, perpetual harassment at work, and so much more. I was done…

How do/did those wounds heal? God. 

Crucial Keys/Notes 

1. Forgiveness: forgive the people who’ve hurt you. Many of them don’t know God’s love. There are people in your church community/life who do not know the love of God. They can’t give what they haven’t received. You forgive (release them to God-don’t gossip, don’t seek revenge) and keep connection with God. If you’re upset with God, talk to Him. He’s not afraid of pain or you. 

Pray for those who hurt you. Their greatest sin is against God. They need Him and to know Him.

2. Seek God. 

My major healing didn’t happen with a SOZO, a pastor, a conference, counseling, or reading a book. 
The healing began with God. Over and over He would meet with me and heal one part of me then another. Some progress was quick. Others slow and painful. I was like a person who had been backed over repeadily by a semi truck and every bone broken. 

I was saved and sad. My soul was sick. Abundant life is in His word, yet I wasn’t seeing it in the people around me. 

The mentality was, “As long as my spirit is okay. I’m saved. I am okay.” This is false. We can be saved, on our way to heaven and miserable because we are filled with unbelief, fear, anxiety, depression, despair, insecurity, without lasting joy, or hope. 

Jesus paid for the whole person to be healed and restored!-Saved, healed, and delivered. 

God is the Source of abundant life. Get to know God personally. Intimacy with God is crucial. 

Quite a bit of my wounding came from other Christians who were either insensitive, ignorant (unlearned about dealing with people who had lived through trauma or abuse), unloving (let’s throw a scripture on it), wanted to be grief buddies (let’s be broken together), critical (if you were truly saved, this would not be happening  to you), or they avoided or ignored me (this isn’t my problem-go see a counselor-I’m only called to love those in my circle-get your needs met elsewhere). 

So I’m a huge proponent of going straight to God.  

There are some great Christian counselors, pastors, people. I’ve peer counseled, led people through deliverance/inner healing. Yet I tell people to continually seek God. I’m only human. I am limited. God is not limited. He can do more in a moment than I can in a lifetime. 

Recommend: 

Pray and ask God who you should confide in. Some people aren’t concerned, they are nosey or miserable too and want company. Some are not equipped to handle other’s brokenness. 

3. Learn the voice of God. 

This key kept my mind. You have no idea the warfare that raged on for years because I didn’t know how to fight. Fight from victory! God already won. 

In life I need His voice.  God saved my life so many times through communicating with me. 

I learned through His still small voice, dreams, visions, impressions, etc…He encouraged my heart, mind, emotions, spirit. His word is incredible. That’s where we started. He would speak the word to me. 

The most comforting thing He showed me during a horrible time was an open vision of me sitting on His knee. In the vision He pulled up movie scenes from my life. He pointed and He acknowledged He was there. He showed me that no matter what I faced, my Papa God was always going to be there. Some things in the last few scenes nearly tore my world apart. He stood with me. He let me know ahead of time, “This will hurt. This will shake your world, yet I am there.” In that vision I was a little girl. And that’s how I view myself now, a little girl on her Father’s lap. 

I live under the waterfall of His voice! Intimacy; listening…abiding. 

What is He teaching me about Himself during this trial or season?

4. Forgive the Process

I’d love to say through it all I’ve been this fierce warrior of faith. I’d love to say I’ve applauded God every second of the process. Nope. After my discipleship group (some of them) turned on me, lied, gossiped, betrayed my trust…and my pastor at the time eluded to the fact I had an idolatry problem because I was wounded from being betrayed by people I’d given my entire heart to for 3.5 years….Not to mention both my parents got cancer during that time, and I was being persecuted at work. I completely shut down. I closed my life off to anyone other than God and my immediate family. 

During that time with God, I had to forgive the process. Did God cause all these things? No. Did He allow them? Yes. Is He using it for His glory? Yes. 

5. Soak in His love; Find hope in His word. 

Soaking is my favorite thing. It’s focused time with God. It’s resting in His love. I soak with worship music or none at all. I invite God to speak, minster to my heart. Wow! He deposits so much. 

His word is filled with life. I do declarations and pray the word of God. I speak to my soul. I speak to my spirit. I highly recommend investing in saying what God is saying over your situation. 

“God Your word says, where Your Spirit is there is liberty!”

6. Understand it will hurt and you will grieve. 

I mostly grieve with God because He understands how to deal with me. I sometimes grieve with others but not very much. Sometimes people, though well meaning, leave you feeling worse. 

7. Pray for healthy, loving community. 

The worst thing I found in seasons of pain and suffering was the wrong community. It’s worse than no community. We tell people to be in community, yet if it’s not rooted in true agape love and centered on Jesus it can be a disaster. 

I hate it when people say, “hurting people hurt people” so don’t stay away from those who do bad things. If every time I see you I punch you in the face and say, “Hurting people hurt people,” you’d stop coming around me. At least I hope you’d confront me and say, “I love you but this behavior is not okay. Stop or I am distancing myself until you learn self control.” There’s a huge difference between being easily offended and staying in an unhealthy place. 

God longs to connect you with believers who will love you! 

I’m super thankful for my current church. There have been times I’ve gone in hurting and without me asking someone would come pray for me, share a word of hope, or prophetic word. 

There are great churches everywhere. Find your tribe! Pray for God to bring in people who love like Him. There are some. 

God longs to be the primary person to meet our needs. He also wants to love us through people. He sets the lonely in families. You are not alone. 

Well, I’ve given you lots of words. I hope you know you are loved! I’m praying for you (not just saying that). If I can make it, and it was so challenging, you can too. I have more JOY today than I’ve ever had. I laugh more than any of my friends. 😄 God heals! Yes indeed. 

Love,

Erin 

The King’s Table (Love Poem for The Bride of Christ)

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The King’s Table (written by Erin Lamb inspired by Jesus)👑

My Bride, My love. 
I’ve invited you to a continual feast at My Table. 

To dine with Me.

To meet with Me. 

To be with Me. 

My Beloved,

The one I gave My life for,

And the one My heart beats passionately for.

I made you for Me. 

You are of an elegant design.

Handcrafted.

An original masterpiece. 

I see great beauty when I look into your heart. 

I see a treasure

Made for Me. 

I love you with an everlasting love. 

It is a love that existed before you 

And it will continue on into eternity!

I am rejoicing over you. 

Singing you love songs.

Songs the Angels also sing. 

My Bride, My love.

I have prepared a place for us. 

Here in Paradise. 

Where the radiance of My Father 

Fills every crevice with His Brilliance and beauty. 

I have prepared a table for us.

It is decadent.

I ask that you come away…

be with Me. 

Come away with Me.

Lay aside the troubles of today, 

Come feast at the Banquet Table.

My heart erupts with joy,

When you look My way, 

When you seek My face.

I am overflowing with love for you. 

I am relentlessly pursuing you to love you. 

I am moving mountains for you that you cannot see. 

I am praying for you continuously. 

I gave My life so you and I could be, 

Closer, 

One,

Together for all of eternity, 

Here I am My Beloved,

Desiring you, 

Loving you, 

Craving more profound intimacy. 

I long for you to know Me,

Truly experience all that I am. 

I long for you to be with Me. 

I don’t take My eyes off you. 

You are covered in My Robe of Righteousness. 

I gave you My name. 

I sealed our covenant with My blood. 

Eternal love,

It’s what I pursued you for. 

No human being can love you more. 

No human being can fill your voids. 

It is I who completes,

Who fills to overflowing.

Come drink of My cup and you will not thirst. 

Come feast of My bread and you will hunger no more. 

Come rest your head on My chest, 

Feel My heart beat.

Can you hear it pounding? 

It’s a sweet melody. 

My love for you is custom to you. 

I know everything there is to know about you. 

And I am offering you all of Me. 

Come My love…

Come…

My Beloved, My Bride, My love…

Come and feast with Me. 
You are all so deeply loved. 

Papa God I thank You for each person reading this. I ask Your love would saturate each heart. Give us all (myself included) an even deeper revelation of Your incredible love…the height, depth, width, and breath of it. I ask for miracles in our souls. Healing to every single wound. A saturation of Your peace, love, joy, hope, goodness, and mercy. I bind fear, insecurity, worry, doubt, and unbelief. I bind the orphan and pauper spirits. I loose freedom to know our identity in Christ. We are Your beloved children, You said You’d meet ALL our needs according to Your riches in glory. We are not orphans, we are children. We are deeply loved, chosen, set apart by You. Holy Spirit fall afresh on each of us today and everyday, draw us deeper into the secret place…the deep reservoirs of Your heart. In Jesus powerful name, amen. 
Love, 
Erin Lamb

I AM Here (Love Poem from Papa God)

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Sweet (dulce) friends…I’ve been doing this series on healing the soul. For once the soul is healed, the body receives healing as well. Beloved, I would love for you to prosper even as your soul prospers. 

The One who’s produced the greatest healing in my life is God. When people failed to demonstrate the love of God to me, God stepped right in and loved me to health. I know the profound rejection from people truly did me a favor, it pushed me deeper into the arms of the One who truly loved me. I tell you this because maybe you’re still hurting. Maybe your soul aches and you’re tired of advice from people who have no clue the depths of what you’re going through. Maybe you’re wondering, “Why God? Or when God? Or will this pain, suffering, or trial end? Or will I ever be healed?” 

Oh dear ones…I’ve been there. Agony that lingered for days, to months, to years…enduring things that at moments made me feel I might just die. Then I’d wake up the next day, with the residual of tears dried to my face. No one but God saw the depths of grief, sorrow, or pain. People love to applaud the overcomer, yet I’m here to say, “God will get you through this. Hang on! I’m praying for you.” 

I can’t be with you all and wipe your tears. Yet know I’m thinking of you, praying for you, loving you through intercession, and I hope this poem encourages you. God will get you through this. He did it for me and there were days I had no hope and He’d give me His. Such a Best Friend!

Here I Am 

Standing

Overflowing with passionate love

Reaching out for you 

The one I love 

While you slumber

I’m wide awake 

Eagerly anticipating 

Meeting with you face to face 

I’m singing you love songs 

The sweetest melodies 

My Son has been praying for you 

He loves to intercede 

Here I Am 

In your storms 

In your trials 

In your fears 

In the midst of your uncertainties

And I’m reaching out 

For you to cast your cares on Me 

You see I’m stronger 

I can handle it all 

I’m strong enough 

And here when you call 

I’m never too busy 

My heart is soft towards you 

Trust if you move a millimeter in My direction

I’m running miles in yours 

I AM here 

Today

Every day 

Loving you 

Wanting you 

Seeking you 

Pursuing you 

Desiring the closest space in your heart 

It’s Me 

Your loving Father

There’s no one and no love that can take My place 

Other loves make promises they cannot fulfill 

They promise you love and pleasure 

Leaving you emptier still 

I AM here 

My love will not disappoint you 

Or leave you with regrets 

Oh for you to know Me…

To know My loves’ great width and depth

You cannot exhaust the magnitude of My love

It existed before you 

It’s who I AM 

I AM love 

I’ve seen the end from the beginning

And you cannot change who I AM 

I AM here standing 

Standing in love for you 

Wanting what’s best for you 

Cheering My heart out for you 

Singing my song over you 

Collecting those tears for you

Moving mountains in love for you 

Setting up divine appointments to bless you 

Setting up opportunities to grow you 

I AM here 

And if the entire world turns on you 

If they walk away 

If they refuse to see the gift

The treasure I’ve created in you 

Know you are not alone or abandoned

I AM here 

Papa God, I ask for Your unfailing love to flood each heart and soul. Bathe sorrows in Your comfort. Deposit hope for a better tomorrow. I bind every lie of the enemy, for this too shall pass. You are the God of new beginnings. The One who gives life, abundant life and joy. I ask for miracles for each one reading this. I ask for surprises from above! Bless them richly and abundantly. Let them know tangibly that they are deeply loved, seen, heard, and You’re working for their good. I’m Jesus powerful name, amen. 

Love, 

Erin Lamb♥️💯

Closing Doors Cont’d (The Spiritual House Series Part IV)

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Aloha friends, 

I wanted to finish up on the closing doors part of this series. We’ve talked about 4 of the open doors in series part 3 (Spiritual House Series III Closing Open Doors). 

Additional Open Doors: 

  • Unbelief
  • Choices of Entertainment
  • Occult Involvement 
  • Generational Sin (Your Ancestors Opened the Door) 

Unbelief: 

…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him,~Hebrews 11:6. 

Unbelief opens the door to torment and fear in our lives. It ties into the open door of believing lies. Only God is truth. So, if we are not believing God, we are believing a lie. The devil is the father of lies (John 8:44-Biblehub of verse). 

Unbelief opens us up to…

  • Fear (God won’t protect me). 
  • Insecurity (I’m not enough, not good enough, not valuable…). 
  • Pride (I know better than God).
  • Deception (What I think or believe is superior to what God thinks or says).
  • Discouragement/despair  (God won’t bless me, God isn’t working out good plans for me, this will always be bad…)

And a host of other things…

Disclaimer: these prayers are written for those who have accepted Christ. If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, please check out  How to Know Jesus. It’s important that a house be inhabited by Jesus before cleaning it. Also to be in a position to want to give up the behaviors that opened the doors. 

Prayer: 

Father thank You that You are faithful and everything You say is true. You are truth. Father forgive us for our unbelief. Help us to not only believe in You, to believe that everything You say is true. We confess and repent of our unbelief. Please cleanse our souls of any wounds caused by deception, unbelief, and pride. 

Choices of Entertainment: 

Guard your hearts for everything you do flows from it,~Proverbs 4:23. 

Our media is filled with immorality. I was bowling with my sister and a hamburger commercial came on. Two girls in bikinis were sliding across cars pretending to eat burgers. Every male in the bowling ally was drooling or gawking and I don’t think it was the burger that had them so into the commercial.

They say sex sells. One of the number 1 industries in our country is porn. The eye and ear gate is powerful. 

Images are tools. God gives visions to convey His messages. The evil one uses images to plant his messages. Messages that lead to lust, murder, materialism, and a host of things. 

Studies have shown images stick with us longer than what we read or even hear (unless it’s a song). 

Does this mean you never watch tv, go to the movies, or listen to non Christian music? I’m not saying that. Are the things you’re feasting on hurting your relationship with God, impacting your purity? Understand what is taken in is sowing a seed. Feed what you want to see grow. 

If you’re addicted to pornography or looking at it, I will advise counseling/inner healing/deliverance. It’s not holy, pure, good, and reaps no good fruit. It opens the door to unclean spirits. Check out Moral Revolution for more info (moralrevolution.com). 

Prayer: 

Father please forgive us for feasting on things You consider detestable. Please cleanse our hearts and minds of images and anything that promotes immorality. Anything attached to us that’s not holy we ask that it be evicted and replaced with whatever is pure, holy, noble, and good. Any wounds created in our souls from feasting on these things, I ask for healing and cleansing. In Jesus powerful name. 

For those who struggle with porn: 

Dear Lord please cleanse my soul from any attatchments to images. Please restore my hormone balance and purge me of lust, fantasy lust, addiction, sexual immorality, and porn. Wash me clean in Your Son’s blood. Break any physical/emotional dependency on porn for comfort or pleasure. In Jesus powerful name. Amen. 

Occult Involvement: 

Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God,~Leviticus 19:31 ESV.

God is firmly opposed to the occult. This includes mediums, tarot card reading, horoscopes, witchcraft, sorcery, attempting to gain information from the dead, fortune tellers, pacts with demonic spirits, magic, and any means to obtain information or power outside of Him. Occult sources are not from the Holy Spirit. It’s rooted in idolatry, worshipping something or someone other than God. It opens the door to a host of problems in a person’s life. For more information check out The Bondage Breaker by Neil T. Anderson. 

Prayer: 

Father we confess the sin of placing other gods in front of You, for seeking information outside of You, for desiring to control others or situations, for manipulation, for any and all occult practices. Please forgive us. We affirm it as sin and cut off all ties with demonic involvement. Come cleanse our souls. Heal our hearts and minds. We give up all sources of information or power sources that are not You. In Jesus powerful name. Evict any spirits that are not Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus powerful name. Amen. 

Generational Curses: 

Our DNA carries memories,~Dr. Caroline Leaf. 

Our ancestors Adam and Eve brought the original curses on humanity. We are still feeling the impact today. We also have generational sins that get passed down from our parents, grandparents, etc… The Bible is filled with examples. 

Jesus became the curse for us. So we are blessed in Him. Yet you still see families plagued with generational issues; poverty, debt, divorce, sickness, disease, mental illnesses, broken relationships. Some is just the result of individual sin. Some is familiar patterns of brokenness we are born into (generational sin). 

Prayer: 

Father we ask for the forgiveness of all our ancestors sins all the way back to Adam. We are sorry for the sins of our forefathers. We are sorry for our sins. Please forgive them and us. Any memories stored in our DNA that are not good or holy, I ask they be purged by the power of the Holy Spirit. We affirm our new identity in Christ and lineage with Christ. We renounce all ties that are unholy or ungodly and say they are covered by the blood of Jesus. Cleanse and purify our DNA, our minds, our souls, our emotions, and our bodies. In Jesus powerful name, amen. 

Father thank You for Your power to save, heal, deliver, cleanse, make new, redeem, and transform. Transform us from the inside out. I ask for total healing and restoration, what Jesus paid for to be completely appropriated to us. Lead us on a path of righteousness and purity. In Jesus name, amen. 

God bless you friends, praying for you. 

Erin 

The Spiritual House (Intro)

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Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain,~Psalm 127:1. 

I love Psalm 127:1. God is central in all things; when He’s not placed at the center it leads to all kinds of terrible things.

If you look around the world, you’ll notice that the majority of problems with humanity are rooted in mankind (humans) being central (exalting their desires above God) and God is often an afterthought. 

Adam and Eve were the first humans to choose doing their will above God’s and it brought sin, shame, death, sickness, disease, separation from God, broken identities, and fractured hearts into humanity. You can read about it here. Genesis 3 (The Fall). One act of choosing to live independent of God’s will led to the corruption of humanity. Thank goodness for Jesus who came to redeem humanity! He came to restore. 

Our world is seeking independence from God and His ways…

There are current campaigns that say, “Everything is permissible. I’m okay, you’re okay.”  There’s also a lack of reverence for God and His ways. 

How do followers of Jesus respond? 

How do we respond rightly to the condition of the world today? How do we deal with the pressing questions of “Is this okay? Did God make me this way? Do I have to stay this way?” What is santification? Why does God provide guidelines for living? Why does He say yes to some things and no to others? Why does choosing our own way lead to eventual destruction? How do we love people without compromising the truth and holiness of God? 

It starts with our own understanding of God and who we are in Him. 

Knowing God and our identity is where it starts. God loves us! Adam and Eve were already like God (created in His image). They didn’t need to eat the fruit. If they had believed 1. God is good and withholds nothing good from us. 2. God’s given us everything we need. 3. We can trust God. 4. God loves us and wants the best for us…then maybe they would’ve made a different choice. 

We are the house God built.  

God handcrafted Adam and Eve. We were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). We are a spiritual house. Yes, you and I are spirits inhabiting bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 tells us that those in Christ are blood bought children of God. God breathed life into man. Our lives are no longer our own. We are called temples of the Holy Spirit. 

Before we accept Jesus the Bible tells us we are dead in trespasses and sins (Colossians 2:13, Ephesians 2:1-2). Without relationship with God, there’s no Holy Spirit and the human spirit has not been forgiven, cleansed, renewed, awakened, or made new. After Christ, we are transformed and being transformed into the image of the Son. God intended for us to reflect Him. 

So what happens when our house is filled with what’s not of God or society says, “You were born this way you must stay this way?” My response, “There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain.” 

Our spiritual house is meant to be filled with love, light, joy, hope, faith, truth, purity, goodness, kindness, and the character of Jesus. I wish this process was instant. Some of it is and some of it takes time. We are transformed and being transformed. 

I know many people, myself included, who have had their spiritual house cleansed and rebuilt by God. 

Names changed to protect people… 

There’s John who was addicted to pornography. This brought great pain to his wife and family. Though he did these things in secret, it affected his ability to truly represent Jesus. His heart was divided. God broke the addiction and lust off his life. God restored his marriage. Though He was a born again believer, he had opened a door in his life for demonic oppression, lust, addiction, and self gratification. 

There’s Mary who spent a good portion of her life living as a man. She dated women, lived with women, and had no desire to be who God created her to be. Mary had a radical encounter with Jesus. Mary now lives as a woman and is a radical worshipper. She said coming to know Jesus she regretted her time living as a man. It brought confusion, loneliness, and pain in her life. 

There’s Mark who had told his parents he sold his soul to satan and was threatening to kill others. He was a rageaholic, and his family feared him. Mark had a radical encounter with Holy Spirit and he’s now an evangelist. He’s kind, and last I know representing Jesus well. 

There’s Todd who was a drug addict and dated men. He too had a radical encounter with God and was delivered of drug addiction and no longer dates men. 

There are more stories that I will share throughout this series, including some of my own.

I will say God comes into a house to inhabit it, not leave it the same. At conversion the old man is crucified with Christ. The new man has come. The Holy Spirit then works within to reveal the love, righteousness, holiness, and goodness of God. We come to God as we are. He loves us purely as we are. He loves us so much He works within so we are transformed into original design, pre-fall. 

I hope you stay tuned for this series! I hope it gives you hope that God loves you and there are no hopeless cases! 

When God is invited into every area of our lives and we yield to His leading there are so many good things that take place…May we receive His great love, believe Him, believe who we are in Him, pray to Him (He responds to “God help”-I pray this prayer), and yield to His leading. 

You are deeply loved and prayed for. 

Love in Christ, 
Erin 

Love the Story, Not Always the Process

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Photo Credit: Pinterest 

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us,~Phillipians 3:14. 

There are so many stories of miracles in the Bible. They all started with a problem. Abraham and Sarah had no children. Hannah desired a son. The Isrealites needed a way out of Egypt. The woman with the issue of blood, who suffered for over a decade, needed healing. Jesus died for our sins and was then resurrected because the world needed a Savior….

Everyone loves a great story of miracles and overcoming. Yet many forget the process. Not every miracle or promise is instant. The Messiah was prophesied of many, many years before He set foot in the synagogue to proclaim Isaiah 61. Abraham waited 15 years for Issac. Though people mock Sarah for laughing, I might have laughed too. After her youth is gone, her body is tired, she’s watched other women nurse and love their babies…Let’s be honest, that’s a long time to wait and watch others get what you’re begging God for. 

We love the story of those who overcome or have a radical encounter with God. We don’t always love the process of walking in their shoes or walking out our own journey of facing problems or challenges with God. 

Maybe you’re waiting on a miracle or promise; praying for a miracle, desiring a miracle and every day the hope in you seems to die a little. You watch others celebrate their healing, their financial breakthrough, their promotion, their engagement or wedding, the birth of their children…and you face the harsh resounding discouragement in your heart that tells you that your dream may not come true. 

Maybe during the process you have given up. Buried that dream. Let it die in your heart. Maybe you’ve grieved silently because you can’t take another person throwing scripture at your grief and pain. So, you cry in silence. You scream silent screams that only you and God can hear. You shed tears only God can see and you dust yourself off and keep running your race. 

If that’s you, I can so relate. When the Lord spoke to me many years ago that my life would be filled with miracles, I wish He’d have also said, “This means lots of problems and challenges, persecution, some betrayals, your heart will be broken many times, estimating over a half dozen near death experiences, you’ll lose friends, your health will be attacked, during sickness you’re going to lose your hair, you’ll be mocked and cussed out in public places, and in many cases there won’t be a single soul willing to help you.” If He had, well I might have had a different reaction. However, clueless, I said, “Yes sign me up for a life of miracles.” God delivered me through every single situation and provided so many miracles. There was still heartache and suffering in the process. 

Please don’t think God delights in suffering or sickness. I am not stating He caused all kinds of problems. He didn’t prevent every problem. Some things He delivered me from and others He delivered me through. He doesn’t prevent all suffering or sickness. I still know Him as Healer. God heals, restores, and works miracles. I also have seen people who lived upright Iives before God and have suffered greatly; loss, sickness, heartache, pain. We can’t ignore there’s trouble this side of heaven. 

Easy or deep…

I wouldn’t trade God for an easy life. Yet there are days I wish for less situations that required a miracle. There are days my flesh is tired even when my spirit is not. Some would say in those moments, “Trust God. God is good. He will work this for good.” He is good. He truly is. Yet even Jesus had His Gethsemane moment where He asked the Father, “Please take this cup from Me, nevertheless, not My will…Your will be done.” 

Jesus suffered greatly for humanity. While we love the story, I can’t name one person willing to go through the same process for sinful humanity. So we love the story…not always the process. 

Without the process, going through the trials, challenges, and hard things with God, there’s no great story. There’s also no great character and intimacy with God built either. I’m not stating sickness builds character or intimacy, trials and challenges do if we let them. 

“Smooth seas don’t make skilled sailors.” 

I’d love to tell you to hang on, to keep declaring the word, to never lose hope. Yet I won’t if you’re grieving today. I will tell you to climb up into the arms of God, and let Him love you. As someone who’s laid many dreams to rest, had my heart broken many times, and been to the Garden of Gethsemane more times than I’d like…I think my name is etched in a rock there (Erin was here! Erin was here again!!!)…more than anything in those moments I wanted to know my Father’s love. What I needed was love, not a pep talk or inspirational speech. I just needed love. It would’ve also been nice to have someone willing to pray and stand in the gap. You don’t have to be strong, let God be strong for you! 

There’s a time to contend and a time to rest in God’s sweet embrace. 

So, if that’s you, I’m praying for you! I can’t promise you immediate relief. I can say God is the Comforter. If you’re not delivered from, there’s deliverance through. May His love overwhelm you. May your love story with God inspire others and generations to come! May you be flooded with love and comfort in the process. You are deeply loved. You will always be loved! ♥️💯

Love in Christ, 

Erin 

Know the Author (God)

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Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near,~Jeremiah 55:6.

The platform and foundation of my life is intimacy with God. Intimacy with God is so crucial to understanding the Word of God and living an abundant life. 

One of my life verses is John 15:5. Jesus said, “I am the Vine and you are the branches. Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one, in perfect communion, unity. If we are to know God, we must abide in Him. 

Over the years I’ve met so many people who can quote me verses of the Bible and miss the heart of God. Even some who can defend their prejudice or sexism based on passages of the Bible. People defended slavery with the Bible. People still defend sexism with the Bible or the oppression of women. I began to investigate why so many people had an image of God that did not match up with the whole of scripture or the heart of God. 

We are trained to memorize the Bible instead of allow the Bible to lead us into an encounter with the One who inspired it. 

I grew up in church. We went several times a week. My dad is a pastor and evangelist. My mum was my Sunday school teacher. I heard the Bible over and over and over. I watched my parents live it. Yet it wasn’t until later in life that I truly began to get to know God on an intimate level. What changed? This burning desire grew inside of me to know His voice and know Him on a deeper level. I read in the Bible that God showed up and revealed Himself to His people. He wanted relationship. 

The foundation for growing relationship is communication and it is also built on experience. 

God longs to connect with us. Talking to God is great. Hearing His voice and listening to Jesus pray, that’s life giving. Living life with God instead of Him being a Sunday morning activity is the best. 

I wrote a book. I write Standard Operating Procedures. If you simply read what I write, talk to me about your problems, visit me once a week, and never inquire of me or listen to me, you will not know me. If you only spend time with me in the same setting, you won’t truly know me. The people who have camped in the jungle with me on missions know more about me than those who meet with me for coffee every so often. We forged intimacy through proximity and life experiences, some of them quite challenging. Those who have done missions with me don’t know me like those who have been roommates. I’m not extroverted. I spend lots of time reading and being alone with God. Those who live with me know I’m not a social butterfly. I’ve learned and by the help of the Holy Spirit how to engage with large groups, be outgoing. He’s teaching and helping me continually. Also intimacy (knowing, oneness) with God leads me to want to love and connect with people. 

The Bible is to lead us into an encounter with God, not replace relationship with God. 

His word reveals Him, it does not contain Him,~Kris Vallotton. 

There’s also a level of intimacy that is forged in challenging seasons. Those who attempt to bypass all challenges in life forgo the opportunity to know the power, sustaining power, comfort, healing, and miraculous works of God. During the hardest seasons of my life, a best friendship was forged with God. I learned He’d sing me to sleep when I was crying tears no one saw but me and Him. I learned He’d feed me when I was working three jobs trying to complete two degrees. I learned God would defend me when I suffered under 7 years of persecution (some at work and some through Christians). I learned God was stronger than death as I faced near death experience after another! 7 of those too…if I count right. I learned the sustaining comfort of God when I had to bury my mum. I learned the provision of God as He sent people to send checks in the mail during times of crisis. I learned the love of God (still learning) through all the peaks and valleys we’ve been through together! Don’t bypass the process of getting to know God in every season.

So, for you and I…I pray we seek God and have continual dialogue with Him. One associate joked that all I do is pray (like I’m locked in a closet somewhere all day). Nope. I have continual dialogue with God (that’s prayer). At the grocery, at the park, at work, in the car, working out, playing guitar…all day my heart and spirit is open to His. 

I leave you with these keys that have been deposited along this journey.

1. God wants an intimate (knowing, oneness) relationship, to be the closest person to us. 

2. God speaks. 

3. God will not violate His Word, He will challenge and expand our understanding of His Word. To truly understand His Word, we need to know the Author and be led by the Holy Spirit. 

4. God is love and He is holy. There’s a love movement that forsakes holiness and it’s not of God, nor is it grace. God will never condone sin because He is holy and Jesus died to free us from slavery to sin. 

5. God is good. If what I’m experiencing now isn’t good, I can trust God will work it for eventual good. My definition of good may not match God’s. He never ceases to be good. 

6. Asking God for wisdom is wisdom. 

7. Humility leads to greater understanding. He is God. I am not.

8. God is infinite. He continues to reveal another aspect of who He is. He doesn’t fit or belong in a box. The beauty is getting to know Him over time. He’s an abounding treasure! 

9. God wants to be known by us. More than we want Him, He wants us. 

10. When we seek Him, we find Him. Intimacy with God is worth pursuing. 

Love you dear ones. Lifting you up! Have a blessed week. May it overflow with God encounters and intimacy with God. You are SO deeply loved (John 3:16). 

Love in Christ, 

Erin 

We Teach People What God is Like 

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…be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma,~Ephesians 5:1-2.

The only way we can imitate Christ is to abide in Him. It starts with relationship. We accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are saved by faith, not works. So none can boast. Once we are saved, we begin this process of sanctification. God is working in us through the Holy Spirit to transform us into the image of His Son. 

God loves us as we are. He loves us too much to want to see us stay the same. 

I have met so many people who don’t know God’s love or they are opposed to knowing God. I asked God why? There’s head knowledge, yet for some not heart knowledge. 

BTW…I don’t have this love thing all figured out, it’s a journey. I am learning as I go; learning from Holy Spirit and intimacy with God. 

Tonight I will tackle just one potential answer. 

We (followers of Jesus) are called to demonstrate to the world the character and love of God. We are called to love everyone, not just those who love us, like us, agree with us, go to our church, come from our family, or are in our social circle.

As stated in the word, God’s love (agape) and imitating Jesus comes through abiding (John 15:5). Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. We are called to do what we see the Father doing; we are called to follow and abide in Jesus. 

If we don’t love the world, some may never know the Father’s heart. God works through people. Ordinary people like me and you are called to demonstrate to the world the great love and power of God. 

My earthly father made Jesus, following Jesus, very attractive. It’s one of the things that’s has helped me in my walk with Jesus. God gave me someone who demonstrated what He’s like. He’s not the only example, he’s one. He’s not perfect, yet I’ve learned so much from him. And his birthday is this week so honoring him. 

All I have belongs to God,~W. Lamb (my dad).

If you ever meet my dad, he’ll probably offer you something. I’ve never met a more generous person outside of God. Here are some things he taught me about God by the way he lived and lives his life. 

1. God is good and always worthy of worship (love, adoration, thanks, and praise). 

2. Love strangers, they are people Jesus gave His life for. 

3. Love and care for the poor and widows. 

4. Keep your word. 

5. Love your enemies. 

6. Do good to all because God is good to you. 

7. Share the Gospel. 

8. Live the Gospel. 

9. Put God first. 

10. Live a life of radical generosity.

11. It’s not about titles, money, fame, or clout…it’s about loving well. 

12. Let God refine your character. 

13. Trust God. He does not fail. 

14. Leave situations you can’t solve in the hands of God. 

15. It’s okay to laugh at yourself. 😜

16. Forgive! Forgive!! Forgive!!! No one is worth putting a wedge between you and God. 

17. Pray…be a person of prayer. My dad rises early every day to pray and be with God.

18. Read and study the Bible. Be a person of the Word. 

19. God still performs miracles! He’s a Healer, Deliverer, Restorer. 

20. You can overcome the worst obstacles with God! Nothing is too hard for God. 

I don’t know about you, but I want people to see Jesus in me…Not so I’m glorified or people think well of me, so He’s glorified. Hopefully, I live a life so people have a growing hunger for God and knowing Him intimately. 

You and I have this awesome privilege of showing the world how AWESOME our heavenly Papa is. We are Ambassadors of hope, love, peace, and power. Some won’t know His love or power unless believers engage and choose to demonstrate it for them. May we know God intimately and show others how good He is. 

You are loved and continually prayed for! 

❤️

Erin 

The Best Love; God’s Love 

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No greater love has a person than to lay down their life for their friend…

I can only only name One who gave His life for not only His friends, but His enemies; Jesus. 

The world will tell you the best love is in a spouse or family or doing what you love. Yet there’s no greater love than God’s love. There’s not. 

Agape is the highest, purest, and eternal of all loves. You see, if we completely blow up our lives…spouses may leave, family may forsake, friends may abandon, but God never will. 
It’s God’s love that transforms us from the inside out. It is the most secure of all loves. It’s this love, His love, that enables and empowers us to love even people we don’t like. They may present themselves as annoying or our enemies, yet the Holy Spirit within wants to express and demonstrate love. Holy Spirit is 100% agape love.

God is the Source of real love, not people…

Someone said once, “You must be lonely,” because I’m unmarried. I don’t feel alone with God. I’ve felt the most alone in my life in relationships void of real love; surrounded by people, yet deficient in demonstrations of love. Those were the loneliest seasons…and those seasons deepened my friendship with God. 

God designed relationships to be centered on and fueled by His love; agape love. 

You can be married, in a relationships, have an abundance of people around, yet if they don’t love you…it can be very lonely…especially without God.

God is love. He’s the Source of agape love. His love is lavish, generous, kind, compassionate, thoughtful, over the top, exceedingly good, satisfying, comforting, amazing, always there, outstanding, truthful, life giving, forgiving, merciful, outrageous, empowering, encouraging, incredible…I could go on for days. Best part, it’s available for ALL! Yes!!! 

God is also never sleeping, tired, too busy, or put off by us or our flaws. His love never fails. 

Love starts with God! True love is found in Him. When that love abides in us, we love ourselves and others really well. May we abide (remain in, cultivate intimacy with, stay connected to) the greatest love of all! God is love! He wants His love to flow through us to others so they too can know the richness of who He is. 

Papa may we know deeply the height, depth, width, and vast expanse of Your GREAT love for us! Your love never fails. May we overflow and pour out. In Jesus powerful name, amen. 
You are prayed for, appreciated, and loved!

Love in Christ, 

Erin 

God Cares How We Treat Him (Heart of God Series Part II)

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God is overflowing with love for you! He thinks of you every moment. He has the ability to give each child His undivided attention. Only God can love each person with full intensity and never miss a beat. 

Have you ever been in love? Head over heels in love with someone? I have. The experience of loving people has taught me so much about God. 

When we’re in love we seek to protect the relationship, and the connection. This journey with God is not about rule keeping, it’s about relationship. You see, when I fell in love with God, my greatest concern became protecting our connection, His heart. I believe that’s why Jesus said, “If you love Me, you’ll keep My commandments.” 

Love is the best motivator. It becomes, “How do I love God well, not how to keep the rules.” When I’m loving God, I’m keeping His commandments because my focus is loving Him.

The Bible is filled with stories of God’s emotional responses to the way people treated Him. Just read about His interactions with the Israelites. 

I did not fully understand that my behavior impacted God deeply until I began to receive the same treatment from others or experienced deep love for others. 

I realized it wasn’t so great being blamed for things that weren’t my doing. 

It wasn’t so great to only be sought out when people had a crisis or needed something. 

It wasn’t so great for people to profess their great love for me, yet their actions demonstrated nothing loving or they would never intiate love.

It wasn’t so great to be pursued for what I do instead of who I am. 

It wasn’t so great to have to beg people to do things that I would do willingly.

It didn’t feel great to be ignored. 

It didn’t feel great to receive from people who were giving out of obligation and not the motivation of love. 

It wasn’t so great to listen to complaining, murmuring, and grumbling when I knew the plan I had for the team or group would eventually bring success. 

I truly believe God not only created humans to procreate to fill the planet with more humans, He gives parents the opportunity to know Him through experiences with their own children. How does it feel when your children don’t listen, blame you for their problems, rebel, etc…

God is perfect in patience. He knows we are not perfect and He’s not beating us up for our shortcomings. This isn’t a message to bring guilt or shame. I apologize to God when I realize I’m treating Him as less than He deserves. It’s about honoring and loving Him above all. 

I do believe God cares how we treat Him. He wants to be first in our lives. He wants to be loved for who He is, not just what He does. God doesn’t want the scraps off the table.   

I heard someone say once, “God doesn’t care if I yell at Him and curse Him.” I thought, “How do you feel when people yell at you and curse you?” 

God loves us more than we can love anyone or anything. It’s a love He was willing to die for. A love that great is moved by how we treat Him. He doesn’t stop loving us. No way. He’s patient with us and overflowing with compassion. Yet He wants our love in return. So He pours out love on us so we can give it back to Him. 

Sweet friends, may we receive God’s great love, love God, exalt God, adore God, abide in God, respect God, trust God (it’s s process), give thanks to God, and place Him above all things. 

You are deeply loved (John 3:16). Praying for you! 

Erin