What I am up to for spiritual stuff: I am currently going through a study about grace which is really good. I think I will be bringing this to the ladies of my church and adding it to the discipleship program we are creating. I find that most people, and even I myself have an idea of grace but we are only scratching the surface of our understanding. As I am finding out and pondering. I want a deeper understanding.

I am also reading through the New Testament of the Geneva Bible from the year 1560. I will be doing 1 chapter a day.

Verse that stuck out to me this week:

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to
say, Amend your lives: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 4:17

Amend means from Latin emendare “to correct, to free from fault.”

In our modern Bibles it says, “Repent!” But I think perhaps this word amend is better used because the word repent has a reputation of judgment of one telling another to repent. Even though it is good to do so. Also, repentance seems to be a scapegoat word, meaning that we say “I repented” when we’ve had an emotional display of sorrow or grief for our actions. But repent in the meaning of to amend; denotes to have the ability to respond by making something right by action of both heart and mind. It is to actually change. It is the seed of transformation.

What I am drawing: Here’s one of my favorites from this week.

Something I read, a dream, and thoughts:

I see a Great War stirring in the spirit… the spirit of pride (aka Leviathan) is rising over nations to devour the birth of Revival and Reformation. The bride of Christ will be bitten by this dragon and succumb to its witchcraft if we are not hidden in the low place of humility before the Lord and allow him to birth a greater measure of Christ like character from within us.

Christa Elisha

I had a dream this past week that people in the “church”, a worship team, and the leadership went to a public place to have a worship service among the people. There were many different kinds of people, it was peaceful. Those who would have been thought to be opposed were quiet, respectful, and stood aside but not away. There was a sense that they were welcomed to be there. Then a disturbance amongst the worship team happened and they lost their place. In the midst of the commotion, pride took a heart of leadership, and in an effort to divert the attention of the people from the mistake or what they saw as the “appearance of incompetence” of the team – they created a diversion -but it was actually a move of opposition to the people who stood aside. In what may have been seen as “not a big deal”, this leader picked up the materials that were in front of the stage that had been there from the previous group to “seemingly” put our “church” items for the gathered to take if they wanted. This was done, “Almost, like this was supposed to happen.” But it was just a diversion. They picked these materials up and said in their prideful and fearful heart, “These don’t belong here, they don’t represent us.” And they moved them without asking. Then suddenly there was a wave of confusion and frustration amongst the members of the team. They no longer could get themselves organized or gather their thoughts to re-enter worship and the party of people who stood aside peacefully began to loudly oppose the worship team openly and to heckle them and parade themselves across the room in front of them to an alongside space. Here they placed themselves in “safe spaces” organized and with protest papers they openly disagreed. Then a man came up and said its time to leave. There is no more space of worship here for anyone.

Wow, I believe that God wants us to watch over – BE CAREFUL – how we move. It must be with the Spirit and in grace and truth. Otherwise, we walk in pride.

New Thing: Today we start the 21-day fasting and prayer. You can join at that link! I had no idea what I would be fasting, but the Lord gave it to me this morning. I will most likely talk about that later for now, if you would, please pray that the Lord do a work in me in this matter. Thank you!

Thanks for Listening,

Starla