Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


I don't have a long list of goals for 2011. I am working on several projects that will keep me busy well into the year. I'm excited to launch my CD, Book and go on a tour with a well known christian artist. I'm excited to see God bring to pass many dreams that I've had since childhood. I'm excited to see how He's bringing things together for my friends and family. So many ministers, psalmists, authors and business people in my life are seeing God unfold tremendous blessings and that makes my heart so happy.

I'm thankful for my wonderful husband who has sowed so much into my life and into making my dreams a reality. The true epitome of integrity, godliness and self-lessness. No one outside of Christ brings my heart more happiness than my husband. I am truly excited about standing a long side him in ministry 2011. To share our testimony of hope and healing.

But what I'm the absolute MOST most excited about above even all of that for next year is simply this: LOVE.

My heart has been so full of joy and excitement that it's bubbling over in me about My Love Life.
Loving with an intense fervent love that will make even the hardest heart turn soft. A love that will reconcile even the worst of enemies, and heal even the most shattered of hearts. I've been so blessed by God's unfailing, incomprehensible love for me.  I don't deserve to be loved the way He loves me, but He loves me anyway. And that's the type of  love I am determined to make MY life and to give to others.

The Lord spoke a few words to me on this Love that I'd like to share with you today.

"We often close the door on those who hurt us. Flesh rejects what makes us uncomfortable. Agape embraces and applies healing oil. Not putting a 'face' to the hurt but recognizing the 'hurt' comes from a place- Agape reaches beyond itself, into the hidden chambers and forgives"

When He spoke that to me I was like WOW! Help me to not put a "face" on it when people do things that hurt me, but help me to see them through YOUR eyes and apply grace where they may be hurting. People in and of them selves for the most part aren't "mean" people act out of hurts and it's my job to love those who hurt. But it's SO easy to feel betrayed and allow emotions to get in the way of applying the healing oil ESPECIALLY when the hurt was rendered by someone close to us... But that's when it's MOST necessary and MOST effective.

 I have failed miserably at this lesson, but I thank God for His gentle rebuke and for giving me a chance to get this right. Thank you Lord!

Even spirit filled believers have a tiny, and fragmented grasp on true agape, but within that tiny fragmented understanding are enough sparks to set a BLAZE!

God just energized my heart with this one. I felt like He was telling me to not make any excuses for having a lack of love towards anyone.

 I was in my room the other day and I began to think about the CUP Jesus drank. I started thinking of all the most Vile and despicable sins I could think of... Murder, idolatry, incest etc and Jesus drank that cup! So you and I  could be free.

So who am I to hold a lie, gossip, rejection, people's doubts etc all these "small sips" against anyone? He is the most amazing example of love because He IS love. That's not a cliche, it's the truth. If I say I am like Him then I must also live a life of love, thinking nothing of my feelings and embracing even those who reject me. WOW. 


I'm so thankful for this revelation and knowledge, I'm so excited to now apply what I've been given to te Glory of God!


So.. that's it. Love is what it's about for me.  Whatever you're believing to accomplish in 2011 that's according to God's will, I believe and pray it will come to pass for you. And as you continue on this journey of life remember to do all that you do and say through the gift of LOVE.


HAPPY 2011!  
Alisa

My Love Life

It's that time of year where people are reflecting on what has passed and looking toward the future and what the new year will bring.

This is the time of year when we grab that journal or notebook paper and begin to write out our short term and long term goals. As I sit at my table and look out the window I feel a sense of joy and peace. My 2010 was a great year! I truly have no complaints about how things went and I'm even more excited about my next year than any other time I can remember in my life. God is doing amazing things and I'm reminded of the word He spoke to me ever so sweetly.. "A Pure Heart brings forth my blessings"

And so... My only true Goal or "Resolution" is this... To Walk In Love.

For every New Beginning there has to be a closure. and so I close the door to the past, the old way of living, the old way of thinking, my old friendships and even my conclusions. I'm asking God to help me end this year right so my new beginning is exactly that... NEW!  A clean slate.

I want to walk in Love in ALL areas and in all things. We say "God is Love" and that becomes such a cliche, but it's not a cliche... it's the TRUTH. GOD.... IS.... LOVE... and Anything you or I do outside of LOVE goes unrecognizable in heaven. If our motives for doing what we do is not based solely in love, it's a DEAD work!

I really got that revelation deep down in my spirit. How many things do we do to "seem" like something, or to get a "thank you" or to appear brilliant, or to prove our worth, or to 'rub in the noses' of people who we dislike, or to receive a title, or to be seen, and the list goes on and on. If you are doing ANYTHING for any of those purposes.. It's a dead work!

That's why in Matthew 7:21-23 it says
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

That's a harsh thing Some would choose to NOT believe that God is capable of rejecting someone. But If the things we do.. "tho good" are based on anything outside of LOVE then He WILL say this to you. He can only accept Himself! All the things I listed above are based in self and Pride! (that's not God) God is looking for Himself inside of You and I

I believe God is holding a book and He's reading it, basing our inheritance on what He's reading. I believe that book is called "The Book of MOTIVES"  Man can not always read our motives or know the intentions of our heart, but God does. He sees and He knows.   I have been reminded of this truth time and time again because my heart above all else is to please God and to live a life of LOVE and whenever I miss it or am getting off track He gently reminds me of my error and corrects me so I can continue to live right before Him.

"A defining moment is created by the attitude of your heart"

A TRUE christian doesn't just love those who love them back. A TRUE christian Loves everyone (even their enemies) But I think even deeper than that is the attitude and heart that Jesus has and continues to have. LOVE (not because its a chore or obligation or a threat that "IF I DON'T I WON'T GO TO HEAVEN) But LOVE... Because ... Period!

Imagine................ having no one's imperfections bother you (selah)

yep.. even those ugly people. I recently heard Ivan Tate say: The purpose of ugly people is to deliver you from self.  When God wants to change you, He tells you to reach out and love someone you dislike. When God wants to promote you, He sends someone to offend you. (In all 3 cases, how we handle it and our obedience will determine whether or not we are delivered, changed, and promoted)

I've decided to forgive those who have hurt me. (Forgiveness is Divine Amnesia) Not the fake stuff we give off, but a true forgiveness that when I see you again, there's no awkwardness or a record of all your wrong running through my head. and I'm making Love my Life!

I pray that whatever you're being challenged in your heart to change, fix, reconcile, or let go of that you'll have the strength and faith through Christ to be able to do that. I also pray that everything we do in the remainder of this year and throughout the course of our lives will be done with the motive of L.O.V.E.

LOVE is a command. We don't have the choice or option and if we desire to please God we must keep His commands.

John 13:35 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Happy Holidays!

Alisa

God and Sinners Reconciled

This was so beautifully written that I had to share. This is written by my beautiful friend Kristie Kerr. I pray it blesses you as it has me.


The windowsill over my kitchen sink is a sacred place for me.  It is full of mementos and photos of significant things and people in my life.  Its jam packed with reminders of things and people that I am praying for.  I’ve realized that it’s the best place to keep such reminders because of the vast amount of time I spend standing there.

Tonight, as was washing the dishes, I was singing this little song quietly under my breath:

“Hark the Herald Angel’s Sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on Earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled.”

As I got to that last line… I stopped and thought about the words that had just escaped my lips

“God and sinners reconciled.”

I glanced up and saw a little box right in the center of the windowsill.  It was a gift from a dear friend many, many years ago.  On the top, it is engraved with these words, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)”  This little treasure is deeply sentimental to me, because the gift was given to me during a season of my life where I faced a deeply broken personal relationship with someone very close to me.  I kept that box on my windowsill and daily prayed for reconciliation in that relationship.  I prayed in faith that someday I would see that relationship restored, even though there was nothing in my view that would say it was anywhere near salvageable.

I sang it again.  “God and sinners reconciled.”

It’s quite a breathtaking stanza actually.   One line that sums up not only the entire Christmas message – but the entire message of Christ.

God came to earth to make a way for us to be reconciled to Him.

Reconciliation is one of the most beautiful words in the English language.  And it looks even more beautiful next to its ugly cousin:  estrangement.  What a horrible, horrible thing estrangement is.  To have someone who is significant in your life – someone who means something substantial to you to now absent from your world… that is a truly tragic thing.

Parents estranged from children.  Husbands estranged from wives. Friend estranged from each other.  Sisters… brothers…grandchildren… go from closeness to separation.  And I’m not saying that the reasons for these things aren’t valid.  There are very painful circumstances at the core of estrangement – things that are not easily solved or quickly healed.

But tonight, I’m reminded that one of the things closest to the heart of God is reconciliation.  That although you and I did nothing to deserve it – and He had no assurance that his gesture towards us would be welcomed or received – He sent His son to provide a way for us to be back in relationship with Him.

So, in the spirit of the season… in the spirit of striving to be more like Jesus… is there someone you should seek reconciliation with this Christmas?  Making the gesture towards them… in humility, forgiveness, and love?  Perhaps it is simply to start praying for healing in that relationship.  Perhaps it’s dropping a card in the mail.  Perhaps it’s deeper and more significant than that.

Maybe your efforts will go unreceived… and that’s ok.   Maybe your efforts will be faced with hostility.  That’s ok too.  It’s also ok to note that that relationship with probably NEVER be the same as it was before.  And that’s all right as well.  Battle scars can shape a relationship into something completely different – but equally beautiful.

Reconciliation is not just “burying the hatchet.”  It’s not even just “moving on and letting go.”  It’s much more significant than that.  It’s much more spiritual than that.  It is doing the very thing that Jesus did for us.

As I looked at the box on my windowsill, this Christmas my heart is a little fuller.  I’ve seen steps in the last couple years towards restoration in that relationship. God continues to bind and mend things that seem beyond repair to me.  It is absolutely breathtaking to watch Him work.   I am so unbelievably grateful for this precious gift of grace in my life this year.

So, this Christmas, I pray that you will find great comfort in the God who moved heaven and earth to be reconciled to you.  And may His great act of mercy compel you to offer the same gesture to someone else.  In the TRUE spirit of Christmas.

A FORTIFIED CITY

Wise is the man who fortifies his life with good friends.

I read that quote and thought "wow"  How true, but then I did a dictionary study on the word FORTIFIED and I had an even deeper understanding of what it  means to fortify our lives. making sure we fortify it with the right things and how God fortifies us.

Fortified and Fortify:
1. having something added to increase the strength (God is our refuge and our Rock our mighty fortress and our shield) he increases our strength and even BECOMES our strength in weakness) the definition says something ADDED. My personal thought is obviously if you're not saved that you have to get saved in order for Christ to fortify you. If you are saved that being filled with the Holy Spirit is what can be "added" (I use that lightly) to add strength to you. and of course by adding the Word of God and pray to our daily routine will add strength.

2. military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare (I believe its important to fortify ourselves with strong christian friends that can surround us during times of warfare. To make sure that those who stand with us are for us and not against us. To make sure that motives of people within your camp are pure. so often we walk into relationships blindly and in the end we find that those we thought were for us were truly working against us. leeches who suck up all your goods, use you for what you can give them. Tap into your sphere of influence, and then when they have no use for you they cut you off.   Fortify yourself with healthy people full of strength so they can be a defense to you in warfare instead of always an offense. If you're in a leadership position this is especially important so you can have accountability and maintain a level of humility and teach-ability. (There's nothing worse than someone who thinks they know all there is to know a subject and can't receive constructive criticism or correction from others)
To fortify ourselves with the word of God and to wear continually our armor. *Ephesians 6:10*

3. to add nutrients to;  the addition of an ingredient for the purpose of enrichment - I think of this like small groups (if your church has them) or other ministries within your church that you can get involved in. I believe its those extra ministries that I get involved in that enrich my life. I'm able to meet and connect with people on a more personal level that Sunday morning church alone doesn't allow.  

4. on a label (as with a breakfast cereal) tells you that nutrients have been added that weren't in the original ingredients- Hilarious! How many things do we allow in our lives.. to fortify our lives that weren't in the ORIGINAL ingredient? you know... those extra added preservatives and sugars that "taste" good but are bad for us! You know those sins, those thoughts, those friends, that man, that woman, those habits... the list can go on and on, but Hebrews 12:1 tells us to lay aside those weights that easily beset us.
Now I don't know about you, but that right there.. Is GREAT substance LOL!

We can have something added to our lives and that 'something' be it the Word of God, prayer, relationships, church, physical exercise, healthy eating.. can add strength to us!
I was singing the song: A mighty fortress is our God a Bulwark NEVER failing and I thought what exactly is a bulwark?  it's a DEFENSIVE WALL God is our defensive wall. our strength in weakness amen!

Now when I read about fortified cities in the Bible it was a bit overwhelming cause there's so many parts to it, but I was led to a scripture in Jeremiah 1:17-19 and I am so bubbling over even right now with excitement for the Word that God has spoken to my spirit. he says "THIS daughter, is for you"

¹⁷But you [Jeremiah], gird up your loins! Arise and tell them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed and break down at the sight of their faces, lest I confound you before them and permit you to be overcome.
    ¹⁸For I, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar and bronze walls against the whole land--against the [successive] kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land [giving you divine strength which no hostile power can overcome].^{(A)
    19}And they shall fight against you, but they shall not [finally] prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.

HALLELUJAH!

You are a fortified city in which God is using to deliver His message. He has blessed you within divine strength to carry out your individual GOD given task on this Earth!

Blessings!

Alisa

God Dream

Been having some pretty intense dreams since July. I love God dreams, and I've been having a few more latetly. There was season where I had tham all the time, but then shifts happen, and it was less frequent, but when I DO have one... WOW... they are quite elaborate and intense.

 My dream was of a team of people (on a missions trip) I looked up in the sky and there were 2 HUGE glowing doves... They filled the entire sky. Then I noticed a wind... A slight flash of light that blew like the wind, leading the team to wherever they needed to go.  They would pray,  and as soon as the wind blew.. they would go to where it took them.

I remember a since of URGENCY in my dream... they were on a specific assignment to get as many people saved as they could and I remember feeling a very intense sense of urgency in my dream.

The wind led to a building and when I walked in it had those winding stairs that lead WAY far up.  As I went up.. up... up.... I would share the gospel with everyone who was just hanging on the stairs.

Then I got to a certain point and looked over the railing and saw a woman. dark complection.. dark eyes.. (very dark eyes) she looked east indian. I was telling her she needed to get saved and she needed to do it fast.. Jesus was coming back and he wanted her in heaven, but before I could share all I needed to share, she cut me off.. very hard like.. "NO I don't want to hear anything you have to say"

Then my dream changed and I was back outside where all of a sudden we saw literal GOLD chunks falling from the sky. At first we didn't know what it was was until I saw someone bite into eat It was literal GOLD BREAD that we could eat. Manna from heaven,

And then I woke up.

I prayed and pondered this dream. I know that God has called me to the nations, and that is being manifested in such an intense and real way in my life right now. I feel a true BURN in my heart for India.

I'm just believing that the Holy Spirit is going to fill that nation with his presence. And even in the midst of opposition (which there is a ton) that people will receive Christ and be assured that He's real by all the miracles that will begin to happen.

I believe that we will read news paper articles in the next 18 months of miracles upon miracles in the India/Pakistan areas.

Glory to God!

Alisa

The Spirit Filled Believer

The Signature of the Spirit

Fruit is a public testimony to a believer's sensitivity to and dependency on the Holy Spirit.  it is the telling sign.  Fruit sets the 'abiders' apart from the 'producers' It's not simply ONE mark of a Spirit-filled life... it is the preeminent mark.  When we see fruit in a life, we know without a doubt that the Holy Spirit has custody over that particular child of God. The person is more than His possession; the person is under His influence.

The closer you get to believers who are truly walking in the Spirit, the better they look. There is nothing plastic about them. You don't get the impression they are hiding something, They radiate integrity!! You get the impression that you could trust them with your most intimate secret. You may even find yourself opening up to them in a way that is uncharacteristic for you.

Intimidation is NOT their game. They don't rely on personality and trumped-up enthusiasm to win you over.  They seem to be at peace with who they are. and they seem almost anxious to accept YOU as you are as well. For that reason you may feel drawn to them. They are the people you find yourself wanting to be like... NOT because of a particular skill or talent, but because of the depth of their character.

I'm not talking about perfection. In fact, you will hear more apologies from the lips of those who walk by the Spirit than any other group of people. Their sensitivity to the Spirit provides them with the uncanny to know when they have offended or hurt someone.  Their internal security allows them to respond quickly once they realize their sin or error in judgment.  They are NOT afraid to admit their faults. They have reconciled themselves to the fact that they are sinners.  However, they are aware that they have within them the power to rise above their fleshly appetites and desires.

Spirit-Filled believers make their biggest impression during troubled times. Then it becomes most apparent that the source of their abiding character is something that lies deep within them.  When all the crutches and props are kicked away and they are STILL standing. No one can argue that their uniqueness was simply a by product of their environment.
They have their down times. They don't win every battle. Doubt and temptation take them out of the race from time to time, but their recovery time is short. They don't stay down long and once they're back... it's as if they benefited from the experience. Specifically, their lives will be characterized by the following nine virtues:

*LOVE*
*JOY*
*PEACE*
*PATIENCE*
*KINDNESS*
*GOODNESS*
*FAITHFULNESS*
*GENTLENESS*
*SELF CONTROL*

I desire to always walk according to the Spirit of God.
I desire to always live my life as an example of Christ's grace, love and mercy.

Don't confuse spiritual gifts and natural talent with FRUIT!
Spiritual gifts and talent were never intended to be a measure of our spirituality.

It's easier to exercise a gift than to walk in the Spirit. it's even easier to think that just because you're excerising your gifitngs that you in some way have aquired a level of spiritual growth. (Be careful)

Read Matthew 7:15-23

I pray that I live, move and have my being in HIM and that I live according to the Spirit of God at all times.

Blessings,

Alisa