2020: Year of Wonders

Will you look back on 2020 as a “Year of Wonders” for you personally? Perhaps on January 1 you looked forward to 2020 with great anticipation, not just for the new year, but also for a new decade bringing revival and heaven to earth. Today, there is a battle day by day to maintain this great hope.

This year, 2020, is not the first year a pandemic has disrupted the world. Between 1665-66 the Bubonic Plague ravaged the nations. Sir Isaac Newton was 23 at the time, attending Cambridge University in London. The threat of death from the Plague was so intense the University closed. Newton went to his home, Woolsthorpe, experiencing what we call “self isolation” or “social distancing.”

Later in life, as he reviewed his world changing theories on calculus, optics, and the laws of motion and gravity, all of which occurred during the time of self quarantine, he said it was the most intellectually fruitful period of his whole life. He referred to the year 1666 as “The Year of Wonders.”

Many humorous social media posts refer to 2020 as the year of a baby boom. Hopefully the most popular baby name will not be “Corona” or some derivative of it! On a more serious note—let’s all get pregnant! This is the perfect time to become pregnant with the purposes of God for our life. How many inventions, creative solutions to problems, screen plays, masterpieces of art or music, could be birthed at the end of this time of sequestration with Holy Spirit? Yes, even in the midst of what seems to be chaos: kids out of school, working remotely, or not working at all, His banner over you is love—love is always fruitful. You may not end up in the history books like Newton, but your life’s work will be recorded in Heaven’s museum of history.

Steps to conceive Heaven’s vision and carry it to full-term:

1. Take more time to be with Jesus.

2. Turn off all unnecessary distractions – it is hard to be intimate with CNN or FOX news blaring in the room.

3. Go over all the dreams and prophecies and scriptures of the past that have been part of your love relationship with Him. Let your heart be stirred by them again. Allow Him to give you creative solutions to see these come to fruition in the midst of a topsy-turvy world.

4. Take time every day to adore your Beloved.

5. Talk to Him about this vision that you are carrying. Work together with Him to ensure healthy growth and delivery.

6. Giggle a lot with Him about the future. It is going to be wonder- filled!

Celebrating with you 2020 — The Year of Wonders!

Now is the time to write!

Many years ago as a college student, Derek and Lydia Prince prophesied Ephesians 2:10 over me: “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.” At the time I had no understanding of the prophetic ministry, but I had great value for Derek and Lydia so that scripture was imprinted on my spirit. It has been a life word, expanding in meaning through the years like a kaleidoscope. For me one of the many aspects of "good works" involved written works—books.

For many of you, writing a book is one of your "good works". I remember speaking about shifting the atmosphere through creativity at a conference. As I spoke I sensed there were many who had a book inside that needed to be released. At the end of the talk I asked anyone to stand who had received a prophetic word about writing or had a secret desire to write. I was shocked when almost everyone in the room stood up! I imagine I would have the same response today because God needs writers to publish the good news. Lana Vawser, a prophetic voice from Australia, recently released a word entitled: "It is Right to Write".

If you or someone you know feels it is right for you to write but you need help getting started, I am offering my experience and training as a published author and writing coach. Sometimes all we need is a little encouragement and a few tools to get the ink flowing. Here is a link for more information on a 4 week online Writing Workshop I will be teaching this summer. In order to have more one on-one interaction space is limited so don't wait to sign up :-)

May you experience His favor and provision in greater measure as you step into the good works the Father has ordained for you!

5 Keys to Effective Prayer

For those of us in the U.S., May 2 was the National Day of Prayer, an event first called in 1775 by the Continental Congress, and established by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. In 1952 Congress voted unanimously to establish a National Day of Prayer. The purpose of this day is specifically to pray for the nation and those in authority. According to Paul in 1 Timothy 2:8, we do this so that we will have a peaceable and quiet land.

I believe there are at least 5 Keys to effective prayer for any nation, not just the United States. They are:

1. Forgive those whose political stance we oppose.

2. Forgive those of our own political leanings who have not governed wisely.

3. Forgive the political, media and social groups that have sown evil and discord.

4. Forgive our family, friends, co-workers, and pastors for inaction, silence, or judgments made relative to the government.

5. Forgive ourselves for our own inaction, silence or judgments made relative to the government.

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray the focus of the prayer Jesus taught them was about the nations and government — on earth as it is in Heaven.  The prayer in Matthew 6:9 begins and ends with reference to the kingdom. Four keys of prayer are referenced: Father God, freedom, food and forgiveness.  I believe that the first three depend on the last one — forgiveness.

Forgiveness was God’s idea and it is only because of His forgiveness that we are in a position to pray to Him as Father.  We are commanded to forgive just as we have been forgiven. Sometimes it is challenging to obey this command when the issue is tied to political and governmental people and issues. Then we find ourselves involved in intellectual debate, questions of right and wrong or righteous indignation.  It may even be difficult to identify our unforgiveness.  However, if we are uncertain, Holy Spirit is able to reveal it in our heart. And it is vitally important to deal with what is in our heart. David said in Psalm 66:18 : “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (NIV) For me that one verse is enough motivation to allow unforgiveness to be uncovered and dealt with.

Holy Spirit, search our hearts. May we forgive as we have been forgiven, so that our prayers will be heard and our nation will be saved.

Bill Johnson: God's Invitation to Dream

Hello everyone! I am super excited to share the first in a series of videos showcasing endorsers of Winning the Battle for the Night.

In this video, Bill Johnson shares about the importance of inviting God to speak to us through dreams. God has many things He wants to say to us at night.

Check out my book for more insight on tuning in to God's voice while you sleep.

What's Next?

April 9th has been a significant day in history on more than one occasion. Googling the date pulls up many events. Here are just a few:

• Henry V crowned King of England - 1413
• Sir Walter Raleigh departed England for Roanoke Island (now North Carolina) - 1585
• The Civil War ended – 1865

All of these events took place with much fanfare. Another event, a prayer meeting, took place on April 9th, 1906 in a run-down house in Los Angeles. No one knew about it except those who were inside, but in a short amount of time people all over the world were talking about that meeting on Azusa Street. The reason this small gathering of no-names made the front pages was because the headliner was the Holy Spirit. The recent Call convocation on April 9th, 2016 got lots of press with over 100,000 people registered.  For a period of time on the 9th, Azusa Now was the top trending topic on Twitter and Facebook.

From the social media results it would appear that the world was watching. I believe the world is now waiting and wondering—what’s next?  They have a right to ask. We have a responsibility to give them an answer. Will this be merely a memory, a post on Facebook or a Twitter hashtag? I pray it will it be the igniting of a switch in the body of Christ that propels us forward with God’s plan for Heaven to invade earth.

For the latter to happen I believe we must believe something significant took place on the 9th.  Perhaps some were expecting fire to break out from Heaven, God to appear on the stage and non-stop revival meetings to take place in the LA Coliseum for the next 3 months till all of Los Angeles was saved. The fact that this didn’t happen doesn’t mean nothing happened. From God’s perspective, when we pray, something always happens, whether we see it or not. It is crucial to see Azusa Now through eyes of faith.

I believe Azusa Now was a holy re-set for the body of Christ, not simply for the fulfillment of a prophecy given 110 years ago. It was a re-set of:

• Purpose—to boldly preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God with signs and wonders with expectation and hope.
• Affection—for Jesus and the expression of love for Him in worship, prayer and fasting.
• Relationship—for a new love of the body of Christ and commitment to unity and reconciliation in humility.

Here are 7 action steps I am taking to be positioned to participate as the Holy Spirit reveals the "What's Next?" in the days ahead.

1. Believe that April 9th was the beginning of something not merely a one-time event.
2. Stay plugged in to the Presence experienced during Azusa Now.
3. Plan for the inevitable revival. I have taken disaster-training courses to prepare for natural disasters. I am asking God how to prepare for mass revival.
4. Give thanks for what happened on April 9th, both the seen and the unseen.
5. Live daily from Heaven—keeping in touch with the revival command center for blueprints, deployment, and execution strategies.
6. Keep these weeds out: Jealousy, Offense, Impatience, Looking at circumstances, Immorality, Fear, Laziness
7. Stay focused on Jesus

It is time to get this done! God has been planning this revival since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden. He had redemption in His heart and set the plan in motion that very day.  He strategized, planned, executed, and persisted for centuries. He knew the end from the beginning. That is why He could sit in Heaven and laugh. God has done His part. He is waiting for us to do our part. He has given us the world, the present and the future as well as everything we need for life and godliness through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. (See 1 Corinth. 3:22 and 2 Peter 1:3)

Here are some Daily Declarations I plan to make to stay focused. I invite you to join me.

The petitions from this house of prayer will be without ceasing.

The fire on my altar will never go out.

I will seek first your kingdom not my own.

Your praise, not criticism, will ever be on my lips.

The world will know I am a Christian by my love and not by my judgements.

Signs and wonders will follow me all the days of my life.

I will keep my faith anchored in hope not in fear.

Preparing for what's next!

The Waiting Game

Waiting can be the most painful experience any of us face. For children, it is worse than hell itself! The frustrated cry from kids, sitting in the back seat, of "when are we going to get there?" is heard around the world in every language. As adults we may have that same cry, but have learned to use our "inside" voices to impatiently, but quietly, ask God a similar question.

Another word for waiting is that awful "p" word patience. Whether we like it or not, patience is a character trait that God wants to produce in His kids. It is not an optional extra for a select few. He wants all of His sons and daughters to perfectly imitate His Son, Jesus Christ, who is His exact likeness. It is heartening to know God isn't asking us to do something He doesn't do Himself. He is not an unkind parent who says "Do as I say, not as I do."

God never requires something from us without also supplying His power and strength for success. The Holy Spirit in us is the dynamic energy we need for the development of obedient, faith-filled patience. He lends me His strength for the long ride in the back seat.

Consider for just a minute the extent of God's patience towards the human race. He waited for generations until the fullness of time arrived for Jesus to appear. He is still waiting for us as we disciple the nations and bring Heaven to earth. In the midst of His waiting He doesn't lose hope, condemn, criticize, complain, get depressed, throw tantrums, disconnect, or send another flood and start over. He is always loving, always hopeful, and always patient with us.

Paul gave a character checklist in 2 Peter 1:5-8. Here's the list in the order in which he gave them: "And besides this, giving all diligence add to your faith…”

Virtue
Knowledge
Temperance
Patience
Godliness
Brotherly Kindness
Charity

Patience is the key, the turning point that brings us into godliness from which the greatest commandment to love one another is possible. It is impossible to obey Jesus’ words to His disciples to love God, and to love their neighbor as they loved themselves, without embracing patience. We know that from experience. It is difficult to act in love towards someone who is driving us crazy keeping us waiting!

Recently I was talking with God about some “waiting issues” in my own life. He showed me an image of myself in a waiting room. There was one door and periodically someone from the other side would open the door, call someone's name and usher him or her through the door. There were various responses from those in the room whose names were not called. Their faces spoke, even if their mouths were silent: expressions of discouragement, impatience, and anger.

I asked Him to show me what I could do in the waiting room in order to stay patient and not lose hope. With those who currently receive my emails, or for those who subscribe now, I am sharing my list of 25 Things to Do in the Waiting Room.  I hope this will help if you feel stuck and forgotten in the waiting room!

A Season of Preparation

Dear friends, in the aftermath of Thanksgiving I am aware of something very important: Christmas is nearly here! In the next two weeks many of our homes will undergo a festive transformation as we prepare to celebrate what is personally my favorite holiday of the year. It is a fun and exciting process where every aspect of life begins to take on a mood of celebration. We are anticipating the joy of Christmas: pleasures such as time spent with family and friends, eating great food and giving gifts. 

In my house, Christmas happens from the inside out. My practical preparations are a sign of preparation within: I am also preparing my heart to receive a fresh revelation of Jesus. I am furnishing a place where He can reside, and inviting Him to reveal Himself in new and wonderful ways.

I love to reflect on the excitement leading up to Jesus' birth: the journey of Mary and Joseph, the wise men gathering gifts, the stars themselves moving into alignment. This year I am anticipating the joy of our Heavenly Father revealing Himself on earth like never before. I believe each of us will experience renewal in our lives as we prepare our hearts with gratitude and allow this season to move us deeper into His presence.