Tag: love

Love Yourself As God Does (Saturday Devotion)

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Image created with Wordswag; used with permission. 

Morning devotion: Receive God’s love for yourself. Love yourself. Then love God and your neighbor as you love yourself. 

If you want to see me cringe, pull up one of those memes (word:picture) art that reads God first, others second, me last. Why do I cringe? I cringe because this method of love and living is not a full/accurate picture of what God told us in the Bible and it is not effective. Why? I have no agape love in me, without first receiving from God, to give to anyone. 

I grew up hearing people preach, “You must love God with all your might and love your neighbor. Put yourself last. Give until it hurts. Lay your life down. Be like Jesus.” What those well meaning preachers failed to mention was how much God loves me. They skipped a very important step. People who don’t know God’s love for themselves cannot and will not love others with agape love. It is impossible to give away what is not first received. 

The Father deeply loves Jesus. Jesus has always been loved, before the foundation of the earth-loved and one with the Father. Jesus knew the Father’s love for Him. His suffering for us was temporary so we could be included in the family of God (He paid 1 time for our sins). Jesus is not the slave, inferior part of the Godhead doomed to perpetual suffering. The Father gave Him the name above all names. He sits at the right hand of the Father. All authority given in His name. He is deeply loved. So are we. The Father loves us the same as He loves Jesus. 

The Bible says: 

  • We love because God FIRST loves us,~1 John 4:19. 
  • Love your neighbor AS you love yourself,~Matthew 12:31. 

I had to receive His love for me before I would ever be able to love Him back or anyone else. 

God invites us into relationship. He tells us to abide in Him, then there is good fruit (John 15:4-5). We are to abide in His love. 

I have plants. The few that have survived, they are champions. Some I call resurrection plants-dead today, rising tomorrow. 😉 If I cut off a branch or limb of the plant, it shrivels up and dies. I can scream at it to produce leaves or flowers or fruit, and it cannot. It is no longer connected to the source of life. 

I tried striving for years to love God and love people. It left me wounded, hurt, defeated, broken hearted, ashamed (I am not loving like God), self condemned. As much as I tried to live up to the standard (Love God, love people, you last) I failed. Thank the good Lord God is smart to lead us to His truth. God began leading me to passages on abiding, receiving, knowing His love. He beckoned me over and over to know Him and receive from Him. It became my passion and platform; intimacy with God and abiding in Him. For freely we RECEIVE, freely we GIVE. 

Loving people is still challenging and quite costly. It hurts sometimes. 

Sometimes what we call love is enabling, or codependency, and/or tolerating abuse God would not ask us to tolerate. 

If we abide, and love ourselves, we learn to set boundaries. Boundaries are not punishment, they are safeguards set up to do what is best for both parties, not just one person. God loves everyone. Jesus suffered temporarily so we could be saved. He is not the eternal doormat. He rebuked Peter (Mark 8:33) and the Pharisees to their faces. He stayed in the temple instead of being with His earthly parents (Luke 2:43). He had boundaries and love for Himself and the Father. When people sought to kill Him before His time, He fled those places (John 6:15). He allowed Himself to be abused for our sin. We can tolerate abuse for no reason; that is not agape love. Love protects (1 Corinthians 13:7). 

We live in a world full of people who do not know, believe, or receive God’s love for themselves. Some are outside the church, some inside. You may ask how I can say this. I do not know every person in the world. I can look around at the state of the world. And I am not looking to judge. I am seeking deeper revelations of His love too. This is not heaven, therefore there are discrepancies between a place with no sin and a place overflowing with things outside God’s will. 

Every single sin is rooted in a lack of agape love. For love fulfills the law (Romans 13:10). Abuse, murder, adultery, fornication, lying, stealing, incest/rape, racism, sexism, prejudice, bigotry, hatred, lust, self hatred, insecurity, inferiority, rebellion, gossip/slander, rudeness/mean spiritedness, bitterness, unforgiveness, grudge holding, selfishness, jealousy/envy, self pity, control/domination, pride….every single one is an outward manifestation of an internal deficit of agape (God) love. 

The Bible encourages us not to think more highly of ourselves than we are. It does not tell us to believe thoughts about ourselves that are not aligned with God. This means we agree with God and that is not arrogance or conceit, it is God esteem. 

God esteem says, “I am deeply loved by God, chosen, seated in heavenly places with Jesus, a coheir with Him. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am an outward expression of the heart of God. Unique, beautiful (handsome), gifted, created with divine purpose, and set apart for His glory.” 

When we receive God’s love and abide in His love, we can and will without striving love God and others. 

Our self effort is futile, for we cannot manufacture agape. It comes from God, to us and through us. May you and I know (believe) the height, depth, width, and vast expanse of God’s love for us. May we freely receive and then freely give.

We are SO deeply loved. Praying for you friends. 

Love in Christ, 

Erin Lamb 

Enter My Heart (Love Poem from Abba’s Heart)

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The love the Father has for us far exceeds our wildest imagining. His love beats passionately in His chest for all of humanity. Day after day, moment by moment, His heart beats with intense, unquenchable love. 

I hope this poem blesses you. 

Enter My Heart 

Written September 10th, 2016

Can you hear Me, calling out Your name? 

From the deep cavities of My heart I am beckoning you. 

Come closer. 

Come deeper. 

Come on in; enter into My heart. 

Come into My garden, lavish in life and flourishing by love. 

It is our garden; the garden I have custom designed for you. 

I have sown My seeds of beauty, tossed them freely into fertile soil. 

I have watered each seed intently, radiated My brilliance on them all.

What I have sown and grown, it was done for you. 

So you may see the love and care I have put forth for you. 

Come frolic in My fields of glory, free of worry and concern. 

Come bask in the wonder of My Presence, I desire to be with you most of all. 

Come through the gate of My Son, and keep returning here to this  place of love. 

There is no need to pretend or perform here. 

I am your safe place, your home. 

You are cherished, adored, and celebrated here. 

You are loved for who you are, not what you do nor what you have done. 

My love I freely give to you, pouring out all that I am so you may know the profound depths of My love. 

Come stand under the rushing waterfalls here, Living Waters to wash away pain, wounds, insecurity, and sorrow. 

You will be made new, restored, and rejuvinated here; here in My love. 

Enter into My garden, leave your footprints on the soft floor. 

Paint your murals with dew saturated petals on the garden walls. 

I wish for you to live here, in the garden of My heart. 

Can you hear My song here? The one written just for you. 

Will you dance to the melody? I will sing My love song over and over for you. 

You are My beloved. The one I sent My Son for. 

You are the focus of My affection, for you I possess such abounding love. 

So come My dear one, come. 

How I long to be with you. One moment will not suffice. 

I wish to be with you for all of your life, and on into eternity. 

You were created for love, created by love, and My love for you is beyond all human logic and reasoning. 

My love, come. 

My beloved, come. 

My child, come. 

Here I am standing firm in love, eager to surpass your wildest dreams. 


May God bless you, keep you, and His face shine brilliantly on you. In this season and in every season, may you and I abide in the heart of God. How He loves us so. Oh how He loves us. 

You are prayed for and deeply loved. 

Love in Christ, 

Erin Lamb 

Photo Credit: WordSwag, used with permission. 

God is Pursuing You (Saturday Devotion)

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A deep, intimate, flourishing relationship/friendship with God is available to any person who wants one. He so loves the entire world. We have as much friendship with God as we desire. He is consistently pursuing the world, to love the world. 
God is never too busy, or too annoyed to be an incredible friend, loving Father. I have not met anyone who holds a candle to Him. God love (agape) far, far, far surpasses human love and only His (agape) love does not fail. 
Looking for love, be with God. I love people, yet they are not my source of love or security or identity or joy or confidence. God is. 
Being with God and receiving His love leads to…💛
💫Loving God (we love because He first loves us). 
💫Loving ourselves (we receive perfect love for ourselves from God, and grow to love ourselves unconditionally).
💫Loving others (we can only give what we possess and release what we carry. We love our neighbor as we love ourselves).
💫Godly confidence (it’s not about our thoughts or what we think of who we are. Who does God say we are). 
💫Peace and Joy (God’s love brings with it peace, contentment, and overflowing joy).
💫Wisdom and Understanding (His thoughts are far higher than mans. His wisdom incomparable).
💫Awe (intimacy with God evokes awe-how marvelous, majestic, wonderful, and glorious He is!!!).
💫Healing and Restoration (no one does it better than God. He gives beauty for ashes and joy for mourning).
💫Purpose and Identity (The purpose of something is known best by the One who created it).
💫Transformation (we are deeply changed not by our striving, but by abiding. Apart from Him we can do nothing). 
💫Courage and Compassion (the more intimate we are with God, the more His heart becomes our heart. His courage becomes our courage. Fear, selfishness, and pride dissipate in His presence, when we receive). 
So sweet ones, the invitation is open to all. Whosoever will let them come. God will not force Himself on anyone or into any busy schedule. He knocks on the door of the heart and says, “I love you. May I come in? I long to be with you and be known by you.” How He loves us so.

Papa God help us to respondto your  relentless pursuit! May we know You for who You are and know who we are in you. Help us to cease being busy and make time for the greatest love we could ever have. Thank You for everything. In Jesus mighty name, Amen. 

I leave you with one of my favorite worship songs: Wrap Me in Your Arms. 

Invest & Nurture (Weekly Devotion) 

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Morning devotion: Healthy relationships require mutual investment. What we feed and nurture grows, what we starve or neglect dies. Intimacy is an ongoing mutual pursuit. 

I have plants. I had one I took to the basement once and well I forgot about the poor thing. There is minimal sunlight in the basement. It obviously was not watered. Guess what? It died. Dead. Dead. Super dead. There was no feeding, nurturing, or investment in the plant. So it died. 

I also have bank accounts, as do most people. If I pull up and try to withdraw 10 million dollars, the cashiers will send me a note, “Insufficient funds.” I have not deposited 10 million dollars, therefore I can not withdraw the amount. 

Relationships are like the plant and bank account. What we neglect, or ignore often withers and dies. It is not enough to invest in the beginning and then do nothing coasting on commitment. Intimacy will wither and fade. 

God invests richly in us and has no lack. So we are not adding to His bounty per say. God does want our love and pure devotion. When you truly love someone, how they treat you matters. We are encouraged in Scripture to love God; love Him with all of our heart, soul, strength-to love Him above a spouse, child, family, or friends. In order to deepen our friendship, I must purposefully seek Him. Our friendship grows when I seek Him to know Him. “God what is on Your heart today? I am here to love You God. Thank You God. My heart and life is Yours God. I am listening, what do You have to say?”

God so loves the world despite reciprocation of love. It does warm His heart to be loved in return. Unrequited love is no fun. Trust me I know this well. 

The same goes for relationships with people. If we never talk to them except when we need or want something, we have reduced them to being an ATM. They are a resource for us and not a person. 

I read a quote that stuck with me, “The problem with the world is people were meant to be loved and things were meant to be used. We have people being used and things being loved.” 

I had someone tell me once, “I love you Erin. You are always there for me. No matter what you are there.” This person I only saw when they needed something or did not have a boyfriend. I was completely ignored otherwise. They never asked how I was doing, never contacted me to just say hello. Guess what? The relationship died. I was a friend. They were not. I found people who treated me like a human being who is loved. 

Healthy relationships require some investment, otherwise they wither and die. 

How can we be a good friend to God and others? How can we nurture the relationships that we have? 

What we feed, nurture, pay attention to grows. What we ignore and neglect withers. May we not abuse the unconditional love of God-“He will never leave me so I will treat God however I want.” May we also not abuse the love of people. One day we may look up and they have moved on to where they are supported, honored, and love is reciprocated. 

Stories from the Street

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Hello beautiful friends! I have not forgotten about you. May was a busy month. We will reconvene the series on Abiding and Intimacy with God soon. 

I wanted to chat with you today about Operation God is Love. This is the third year of taking God’s love to the streets. My primary area is the arts district, and the surrounding areas. There are not churches in this area, with the exception of one Orthodox church. There are numerous bars, gay bars, shops, new age shops, and art galleries. 

There is also a large homeless population that gathers there to beg or look for food, supplies. 

I felt a pull in my spirit to this area. What better place to go than the area where there is minimal light. 

People have told me the most effective evangelism is relational, that it is a waste of time to go out monthly to love on people. I have been told as a women it is just not safe for me. God has not told me not to go. I also believe anywhere we take the Light of Jesus is making some impact for the Kingdom of God. So, I have included some stories from the street. I hope they inspire you to follow Jesus wherever He may go. 

Sebastian (name changed for privacy): 

We were looking for someone with a blue sweatshirt that day. We had prayed God would highlight someone who needed His love. I got the impression “Blue Sweatshirt”. As we walked the streets of the city it did not take long to find him. He was right there eager to know us. We were tied up with another man named John (name changed). I thought, “God let us find this man again,” and we did. 

Hours later while walking and praying we saw Sebastian sitting on a ledge with his head downcast. We asked about his life. He told us a very sad story that involved being kicked out of his house. He made the decision that day to kill himself. We asked him if we could pray for him. He responded yes. As we prayed, I bound the spirit of suicide and of death and commanded them to lift off him. You could see his countenance change. He stated he wanted to live. 

You can change a life by listening to God. 

Becky (name changed for privacy): 

As we were walking the streets and praying we came across Becky. Becky was selling newspapers to support the homeless. We asked about her life and once again tears began to flow. The Lord provided words of comfort, hope, healing that spoke right into her situation. She was blessed to be seen, loved, encouraged. 

Not every person you meet with a smile is smiling on the inside. Deposit hope wherever you go! 

John (name changed for privacy): 

John had a story that woukd break your heart. This was a 30 something man without any hope. We stopped for him and took him for pizza. He could not believe someone wanted to eat with him and be seen with him. He carried a heavy cloak of shame. Life had done a number on him. One of his statements stuck with me. He said, “You have no idea how many people look down on me. How many keep on walking by me. How many do not see me at all.” John cried. I still have his face burned into my memory. 

We can make a difference by acknowledging a life. It takes only a moment to smile and say, “God loves you,” or “Hello.” 

You and I have this awesome privilege of being Ambassadors for Jesus! We do not know if that person is suicidal or oppressed or what they truly need from God. We do know that God called us to love! 

Love looks like something,~Heidi Baker. 

Trisha (name changed for privacy): 

Sometimes I drive through this area and just worship/pray. One day I was driving and saw a lady begging on the corner. I normally give food, gift cards, not cash. I finally found a way to park and get to her. A meeting with one person led to a group gathering to talk about God’s love, His provision, and healing. 

One of the ladies who came could barely walk. I asked if I could pray over her. She said yes. I prayed a simple prayer commanding her body to come into alignment with heaven. She was able to walk away. God is the Healer. 

We can save a life! We can partner with Jesus to heal the brokenhearted. We can stand with God for the freedom of the oppressed. We can see God heal the sick. 

Today I go out again! I go with His love. I go expecting God to bless people. I am only one person, yet God only needs one. My team is small. What matters is following Jesus and allowing Him to love through us. You and I can partner with God to see lives transformed. 

Love, 

Erin Lamb

Intimacy (God’s Love Letter)

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Intimacy (God’s Love Letter)

Written by Erin Lamb

January 11, 2016

All rights reserved. May only be reproduced with author permission. 

How He loves us so! Hope this encourages your hearts. 

In the collection of My imagination, there you were, there you are.

You are My chosen one. 

You were and are of divine design. 

As I gathered My thoughts, as I smiled with delight, I was thinking of you.  

You are the one I love, the one I gave My most treasured possession for.

I gave My Son, My image bearer.

He is the physical manifestation of My steadfast love and overflowing compassion.

How I love Him!

How I love you! I exchanged My love for your love. 

I gave My highest, My best, for your freedom, for relationship. 

My Son gave His life to set the record to rest. 

Not guilty, not guilty in My Son. 

For His sacrifice pays the penalty that once separated you from Me.

He paid for compete liberty; liberty from the bondage and strongholds of sin. He paid for intimacy. 

I’m daily pursuing intimacy.

The deep longing of My heart is for you and I to be one, together in complete and unbreakable unity.  

I so desire to unveil to you My glorious mysteries.  

I’ve laid a pure and rich path before you that leads directly to Me. 

Come dwell here. 

Come rest here.

Come find your true identity here; for I know who you truly are.  

Do you know Me?

Do you know who I am?

I see more than the world’s sin and tragedies.

I see people I love, those I adore, those I paid the highest price for.

I see those adopted into My family and those who’ve chosen to live independent of Me, those I cannot yet call My own.

Some will choose to live without Me for all of eternity, separated from My love, peace, presence, and joy. 

I so long to embrace the entire world through My Beloved Son. 

Yet many will reject My love, and choose to leave Me forsaken. 

However, won’t  you come? 

Come through faith in My Son. 

Come through the torn veil straight into My arms. 

Won’t you come? 

Come dance to the marvelous melodies that the angels sing. 

Come sing along. 

Won’t you come? 

Deeper and deeper down the winding staircase of My love. 

As you continue your journey you will find your heart softening again and again. 

Come with Me! 

Allow Me to reveal love’s true meaning. 

My love will overtake you, saturate you, bathe you, cleanse you, and most of all My love will free you.

Free you of every shackle and every chain. 

Free you of every insecurity and pain. 

Won’t you come? 

Come frolic in the ocean of My love and compassion. 

Allow the tidal waves of My relentless love to crash against the worn shores of your heart and soul. 

Come feast from My banquet table. 

Here you will never grow hungry and you will thirst no more. 

For I fill to overflowing…

I give and then I give abundantly more. 

There’s no end to My provision. 

You cannot exhaust My resources or My love. 

It has no end. 

I have no end. 

I am eternal and so is My love for you. 

I am the One who loves you with an everlasting love, a love that will never cease to love. 

Won’t you come? 

Rest your head on My shoulder, find peace in My arms. 

I long to love you, and to be known by you.  

I desire for your heart to beat in tandem with Mine. 

I long to never be apart.

Intimacy is My heart’s cry.  

Oh for you to sincerely know Me, as your best friend who will endure with faithful, unending love. 

I want to be with you more than you could ever want to be with Me. 

This is My heart’s cry for continual intimacy. 

A habitation where My Spirit occupies every part of you and reveals My truth, My wisdom, My nature, My love. 

So won’t you come? 

Come away with Me into the deep recesses of My heart. 

You were made for Me. 

Let Me love you and fill to overflowing every empty place. 


There Will Be Miracles (Manifesting Sonship Series Part VII)

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When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt [profound] compassion for them and healed their sick,~Matthew 14:14 (Amp) 

Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you,~Ephesians 4:32 (Amp). 

Miracle: a wonderful or unusual event that is believed to be caused by the power of God. An extraordinary event involving divine intervention. 

Adaptation from online Webster Dictionary. 

One of the greatest miracles is salvation. 

The birth of Jesus is an extraordinary event that involved divine intervention. God provided a way for all of humanity to come to know Him. 

The life of Jesus is filled with miracles. Scripture tells us He was moved with compassion (sympathetic consciousness of others pain coupled with a desire to alleviate it). Fueled by love and compassion Jesus brought divine intervention into the lives of many. 

As followers of Jesus He encourages us to do as we see Him doing. He tells to freely give as we have freely received. We are to be the heart, hands, feet, and mouthpiece of Jesus in the world. 

Here are some Scriptures to confirm those words.  

Heart of God: 

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another,~Jesus (John 13:34-35). 

I find it interesting that Jesus did not say, “The world will know My disciples by their Bible knowledge or activities or church attendance.” He said the world would know His disciples by their love (agape) and unselfish love for one another. 

I’ve caught quite a bit a slack over the years for talking so much about the love of God. I’ve been told to talk about the severity, wrath, God’s anger over sin. 

Will God judge the world for their sins? Yes. Does God hate sin and evil? Yes. Is God weak? No. Does God conform to our culture and sinful desires? No. Is Godly sorrow and repentance required for salvation? Yes. 

My stance is what the Bible says. “God is love (agape). Those who do not love (agape) do not know God,”~1 John 4:8. I’ve found my role is to present the truth to people in love. It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict hearts. It’s God’s job to issue out any eternal consequences for the unrepentant. He told me to love people. Even my enemies. 

What does love look like? Love looks like Jesus. 

It requires the supernatural work of God through us to love the unlovely.  It’s a miracle (extraordinary, amazing, divine work of God) to consistently love like Jesus. 

Hands of God: 

…if your enemy is hungry; feed him. If he’s thirsty give him a drink,~Romans 12:20 (Amp). 

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give,~Matthew 20:8 (Amp). 

We are also encouraged to care for the poor (Proverbs 29:7). 

Being the hands of God means we are allowing God to work through us to bring miracles into the lives of people. Those miracles may be financial, physical, food, spiritual…

Some simply associate miracles with only healing; there are many acts of miracles that are provisional. 

Theses are two stories from this  past holiday weekend. I went to visit my dad and it often involves some ministry time. 

I was shopping with my dad and had to go to the ladies room. There was a lady in line complaining about her back pain. I felt led to ask her if I could pray, but she was talking. Finally I asked her if I could pray for her back. She exclaimed, “Yes!”

God brought healing to her back (decreased her pain) the Walmart bathroom. She exclaimed, “I guess prayer does work!” Always amazed how the unchurched believe more in healing than some Christians. 

Also thankful for the visit with the sick, mentally ill, and spiritually oppressed yesterday. One man the nurse told me was quite hostile and aggravated. He’s known to be combative and have fits of rage. He wouldn’t let the first person pray with him. Yet he let me. I stood in awe while the Holy Spirit moved the heart of this moments earlier angry man to tears. He raised his hands at one point and cried out, “God with You nothing is impossible!” He let me hug him and he laughed with me. He stated, “Today is going to be a good day and next year a good year!!” He smiled his first smile of the day.

Others who overheard the prayer time cried out, “Pray for me too! I want God to heal me too!!!” 

It was a great afternoon of loving on people and watching God do what He does; love, heal, and deliver.

God’s Feet and Mouthpiece: 

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted [that it was really He]. Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”~Matthew 20:16-20. 

We are told to go. We are told to make disciples of Jesus. We are told to teach others what Jesus is teaching us. How will the world know if no one goes? How will the sick be healed if no one prays? How will the spiritually oppressed find liberty if no one is willing to go to the nursing homes and mental hospitals to pray?  

If all the saved people are blessing and loving saved people, who is attending to the lost? Some people can’t come to our worship gatherings. Someone has to go for them. 

One of my greatest loves is street ministry.  I’ve seen the love of God in high capacity on the streets with the hurting, broken, dying, addicted, and diseased.

I purposefully chose a bench for my photo choice. We are not called to sit and receive until we die. Our attitude is not to be, “God bless me and no one else!”

We are called to demonstrate to the world what God is like. We are representatives of the heart, hands, feet, and mouth of Jesus. Everyone gets to participate. It’s not simply for pastors. Every follower of Jesus is called to freely receive and freely give. 

I’ve gone through many situations where God brought the miracle without another human being. I know this is possible. He also loves to colabor with us. He gave His Spirit who empowers us to love, to serve, to go, to teach. 

Father I thank You for all You have done for us. Help us to abide in Your  love and power. May our hearts overflow with tremendous compassion for humanity. May the world see Christ in us, the hope of glory! 

Happy upcoming New Year! You are so deeply loved and prayed for. 

Erin Lamb 

The Gift of Jesus 

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Love came down and entered humanity as a babe. He left paradise to enter sinful humanity. There’s no sorrow in heaven. There’s no sin or poverty. Jesus left the most peaceful of circumstances to save humanity. He came not as a warrior on horseback, but as a babe. 

It’s a timeless love story that never grows stale or cold. A king leaves His place of prominence to serve a lost and broken world. 

Jesus is the gift that changes lives. He transforms wicked men into righteous men. He comes with love in His eyes and healing in His wings. He is the physical manifestation of the heart of the Father. He is a loving Heavenly Father who was willing to give His only begotten Son so many sons and daughters could be restored to right standing with Him. 

It is also a story of redemption and sacrifice. What is love if it does not involve sacrifice? If love costs me nothing, it means nothing…For true love will always look for a way to give. 

Jesus marked the world with a kiss of heaven. 

His very life proclaimed, “I love you. I am willing to humble Myself. I am willing to pay the price for you. While guilty, I am still willing to give My all for you.” 

I know no greater love. I know no greater sacrifice. I know no greater love story! I know no better reason to celebrate than the life of Jesus. 

Jesus is the gift that exceeds all expectations. He is the gift that continues to be a blessing throughout the ages. He is the gift that transforms lives. He is the gift divine! 

Whatever you are facing this Christmas season; grief, loss, financial difficulty, physical pain, worry, anxiety, hurt, lack of family/friends…I want you to know God loves you with an everlasting love! He cares dearly and deeply about you. He gave His all for you. 

Our world has made the birth of Jesus about getting presents, giving presents, decorating, eating, trees, family and friend time. None of those activities are evil. I simply hope there’s time to reflect on the real gift, Jesus. 

It’s not about the presents. It’s about His Presence. 

 

God promises to never leave or forsake us. He promises to love when no one else will love. Every day His love is on full blast and directed towards humanity. He never stops loving and pursuing the best for His children. 

Papa God, thank You for Your plan of redemption. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, love, and choosing us to be the objects of Your affection. Thank You for the gift of Jesus. I ask for every person reading this to have a deep revelation of the height, depth, width, breath, and vast expanse of Your love. I ask that Your Presence and nearness would be felt this season. May each person encounter You and the wonder of Your love! For those sick, hurting, or struggling, I ask for healing, comfort, love, provision, comfort, and peace to come. I bless each one in the mighty name of Jesus. 

Merry Christmas to you! You are so deeply loved. 

Erin 

 

Come Up Higher (Manifesting Sonship Series Intro)

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Photo Credit: Pinterest 

Beautiful friends, I am starting a new series on manifesting sonship. What does this mean? Glad you inquired. 🙂  It will be a series devoted to dissecting God’s words on identity, praying, and activations in identity. 

What does it mean to be a son or daughter of God? Who are you in Christ? What were you created to do? How does God see you? What do you have access to in the Son? How do you appropriate and activate (walk in) what’s already given? What is Kingdom authority? How do you win spiritual battles?

Once we know who God is, we find out who we are. Once we find out who we are, we begin to manifest the likeness of God in the earth. All of creation is groaning for the sons and daughters of God to arise, come up higher, and take their rightful place in the earth. 

We were created for dominion. We were created to bring heaven down. We were created to bring God glory and manifest what He’s like. 

The disciples did more than learn the teachings of Jesus. They did what they saw Him doing; preach the Gospel, heal the sick, cleanse lepers, deliver the oppressed, feed the poor…we can and are called to do those things as well. 

I wanted to start this series with some tools. 

One of the enemy’s greatest tools/objectives is to pull you and I down to his level. He’s on the ground under the feet of Jesus. He’s defeated. Don’t let him fool you. He has authority surrendered to him by humans. He’s not God’s equal. He’s not even on the same playing field as God. It simply looks that way if you don’t know God or have been pulled down to the evil one’s level. 

Intimidation is powerful. If you can convince someone they are powerless or weaker than you, you can beat them every time. 

Important note: the evil one is not bigger or more powerful than God. He’s not more powerful than the Holy Spirit in you! 

Come Up Higher:

Life from God’s perspective is SO much sweeter. 

I learned in Krav Maga (Israeli Street Fighting/Self Defense) you never want to fight on the ground. Ground fighting gives your enemy an advantage over you. Don’t fight on his level. Come up higher, keep him on the ground. 

God tells us we are seated in heavenly places in Christ, that’s far above principalities and powers. He says we have authority in His name and power in the Holy Spirit. He says we are above and not beneath. Need scriptural references, check out  Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 2.

We don’t ground fight with a defeated enemy. We rise above him and stomp on his head. How? 

  • Intimacy with God (stay connected to the Vine in every season). Apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). 
  • Through worship & praise (true worship opens the heavens and attracts the glory of God)
  • Through declaring God’s words (Heaven responds to declarations aligned with God’s will). The power of life and death is in your tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Say what He’s saying. Words are seeds that once you plant them they are growing something for heaven (good) or hell (death, discouragement, evil). Toss the gossip, back biting, complaining.
  • With joy (joy is a weapon).The Bible says, “Rejoice, again I say rejoice!” (Phil 4:4).
  • By maintaining peace (peace and patience are mighty). Be still and know He is God. He will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10)
  • Through forgiving others & releasing offense (harboring unforgiveness and offense gives the evil one prime access to your life.)
  • Through rest (abiding in God is powerful). 
  • By walking in agape love (God’s love is the most powerful force in the Universe!)
  • By obeying God and doing what we see Jesus doing. Jesus listened and watched for what the Father was saying and doing. He maintained alignment with heaven. 
  • Release what you carry. Pity parties don’t bring breakthrough-focusing on the problem or solely inward. Found when my life is blowing up one of the best things to do is go be a blessing. Nothing angers hell more than you being like Jesus: share the gospel, pray for the sick, share God’s love. I send a message, “If you attack me, I’m simply going to keep releasing what God has deposited. I give more!” 

Sweet friends, I hope you’re excited about this new series. I am. I am cheering for you. I am praying for you! Leave a comment if you have specific prayer needs. You are deeply loved! You are God’s workmanship, created for glory. 

Papa God I ask You’d bless each of us with a deeper revelation of who You are, how much You love us, who we are in You, Your plans for the earth, and show us life from heaven’s perspective. Everything is infinitely small compared to You. Take us higher and deeper in Your love. In Jesus powerful name, amen. 

Love in Christ, 

Erin Lamb 

  

 

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