This picture of Atlanta at night is posted here because of all the testimonies that I heard after the Sunday service of how many of you miraculously escaped harm during Friday night's devastating tornado. I've been downtown 2 or 3 times since then, and I think that with all of the glass that is missing from skyscraper windows, it's absolutely amazing that no one was seriously injured or killed! And it’s quite possible that Mykal Riley saved lives by making a shot in a basketball game. With one basket, he could have changed the fate of thousands of people because that night, Alabama was trailing Mississippi State by three points at the end of the game, and Riley hit a three-pointer to tie the ballgame and send it into overtime. Three minutes later, the tornado ripped through that part of the city. If the game hadn't gone into overtime, all those people would have been on the street, headed to their cars at just the wrong time. Amazing how one little thing can affect so much. Something to think about.
Every day on this blog we all give each other a lot to think about. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness and intelligence of all who are a part of this site. Your communication here is a continual breath of fresh air for me. Yesterday my day seemed to be full of encounters with small-minded people (never expect a 16X20 idea to fit into a 3X5 mind!)...so much religious silliness that I had to deal with. I just had to let it go and refuse to be frustrated with the non-visionaries. That's why I enjoy being here with people like you who can "see"...my "deep" needs your "deep".
Anyway, enough about yesterday. I've decided to just fully ENJOY this day, and I want you to enjoy it, too! You know, it’s not what we HAVE but what we ENJOY that constitutes our ABUNDANCE...and I intend to walk in ABUNDANT LIFE today!
ABUNDANCE is not something that we acquire…it is something we tune into...that's why I want to put away pettiness and smallness and anything else that would prevent me from "tuning in" to the treasure hidden in the field of my today...my "now".
For those of you who are a part of CITN or cyber-CITN, I've got a really cool word for you tonight about the I AM, and how the whole concept relates to past-present-future all flowing together.
If you are planning on coming to church tonight, keep your mind open to revelation. And remember that one little thing (like a well-timed 3-pointer) could change history...so stay in the flow!
God is speaking.
26 comments:
God is soooo cool. I was just shutting down after posting, and found your new post. There was a second of silence and then--"Don't Worry, Be Happy".
Dear Lord, you are such an awesome, on time, into the details, I count every hair on your head and I love you enough to shuffle the songs just to make you smile GOD! You are just too much sometimes! But we LOVE it! Don't stop, don't stop!
PS--and thank you God for CITN and Al Gore and Bishop and Pastor Debye and John boy and all the gang here and for loving everyone in the whole world! Amen.
Abundance ! Beautiful threads sewn by The Master Weaver, 3 pointers, a word given in a moment, a soul expressing in a lifetime – ALL part of the tapestry. Our lives are threads in the wonderful expression of God, each one tying into the others around it. AL full of abundance, enjoying the creation that we did not initiate and the one we ALL keep going. Hallel to Jah!!! He says – Enjoy!!!!!
I totally missed it! It never dawned on me that Mykal Riley's three-pointer could, and probably did save thousands of lives. I was so caught up in us winning the game that all I could think about was slapping the defender for not getting the foul in time.
But how many times do we curse blessings? How many times do we curse a merciful act of God and blame it on the devil?
"Ah crap! I've got a flat tire, now I'm gonna be late for work!!" We could all probably add zillions of instances where we have gotten upset because something happened that we considered inconvenient at the time. If/when we ever see the big picture, we will probably be totally astounded.
I wish I could say that I will never complain again because an event caused me some discomfort. And true enough, if I walk out and have a flat tire this morning I will probably give a thumbs up and tell myself that the time it will take me to change it will probably help me avoid being in a fatal accident, but six months from now who's to say that I won't walk out and have a flat tire and instead of being thankful I will complain to God for bringing me out here in this desert to die.
I guess us humanoids are some strange creatures.
Speaking of the "I AM" is such an extreme blessing! It seems it is a tabu subject in most charismatic churchs, I have a friend who is a ordained methodist minister and she seems to have no problem embraceing her royal divinity...Jesus said we are in Him, he is in the Father...we are one, it is so refreshing to hear you teach on this...before you began this teaching, My son Gabe ( he attends Pastor Leesa and Don Hughes church) loaned me 20/20 and I had made a bookmark from a phrase that I had seen that looked really cool it simply states "I AM" I felt really impressed by the Holy Spirit to use that as my bookmark for that book, that Father wanted me to see, perceive, myself as that powerful creative force..syncrhonicity...God winks, there cool! Oh! I like my fatted calf, medium...with heinz 57, and ring size is 6....
Throughout the course of history it seems the "one shot" scenerio has played a significant role in changing the fate of a people; some negatively, and in this case, for the positive. Hopefully, the name of Mykal Riley will live in admiration.
I agree with you about this blog. I've been pretty outspoken as to my feelings about it from day one. Each day I look forward to logging on, even if for just a second, and grabbing a bite from the table of wisdom that's set everyday by you and the ones who bring something from their own soul kitchen.
What's being created here is nothing short of a phenomenon.
The dictionary defines abundance as "overflowing fullness". What that says to me is as we walk in our indelible right to abundant life, we are supposed to affect everything and everyone else around us. The "overflowing" to others of our "fullness" of life could and should change the world.
It would be a tremendous waste of life not to share the overflow.
Peace and Life to All
PM
16x20 versus 3x5... that was great! :O :)
Hi Everyone…
This year has been a paradigm shift for me in so many ways… I’ve been awakened… and now have begun to notice the big and the small miracles that God plants before me every moment of my existence…
There are so many miraculous testimonies around us every day… I sometimes wonder how we escape seeing God… But somehow we do… I know I do… There is an art gallery of celestial creativity and yet we are satisfied to stare only at the carpet around our feet…
I want to notice the white-crested waves as they slap the beach with rhythmic regularity… rising swells of salt water gaining momentum, humping, then standing to salute the beach before crashing onto the sand… how many times has that mystery repeated itself since the beginning of time?…
Or to notice when to bookends of life stroll into sight… a mother and her child… both recent partakers of God in the miracle of birth… Then a snowy-haired, stooped old gentleman seated on a park bench… with paths sketched on his face only age could portray… wondering how long his performance will be before the curtain closes on his life…
Miracles… Divine Miracles… These are miracles because they are mysteries…. Scientifically explainable? Yes… Reproducible? To a degree… Events that find their source in another realm… They are every bit as divine as walking cripples… divided seas… and empty tombs… They are as much as a reminder of God’s presence as were the lame walking, fleeing demons, and storms silenced… They are miracles… signs… testimonies… instantaneous manifestations that God is here. The unseen now visible… God wants to be seen... And He is in the most ordinary of earth’s corners… Like Mykal Riley making the basket that sent the game into over time…
It is the normality not the uniqueness of God’s miracles that causes them to be so astounding … Rather than shocking the globe with a sporadic display of divinity… God choose to exhibit His power daily… Pounding waves… birth… death… life… now… We are surrounded by miracles… each one announcing… “God is!!!”… “God is!!!”…
Like the psalmist I proclaim… Where can I go from Your Spirit, Oh God…? Where can I flee from Your presence?... If I go up to the heavens… You are there… If I make my bed in the depths… You are there… (Psalm 139:7, 8)
How dare we pathetically demand more signs… more proof… more hat tricks…
Sometimes I get so annoyed with myself that I could become immuned to His awesomeness… reluctant to be amazed or astonished … allowing the frequency of miracles to blind me to their beauty…like the season of earth… Don’t they come every year?... Or... aren’t there countless seashells like this one?... Uninterested… bored… ho-hum… regular…the unbelievable with the predictable …Science and statistics wave their UNmagic wand… silencing the oohs and aahs and replacing them with formulas and figures…
All I can say is... I want to see Jesus… I am finding amazement again… I am starting to really listen when a baby laughs… Marveling at the ocean waves… Noticing when a bird sings… Wondering at the hand painted strokes of a sun set…
With each miracle I want to see the glory of His presence… as He whispers ever so gently… “I am here.”
As we notice we can't help but enjoy today Bishop…
Iris
p.s... Sorry guys... I try to make these blogs short... But once I start writing... It flows...
Don't stop, Iris, don't anybody stop!
Find the beauty... find the beauty... (literally and figuratively). I have the 'procedure' time. 1:45 tomorrow afternoon. Please pray that God would grant me restful sleep tonight and PEACE! My heart-rate was kinda high at my consultation on Friday... showed itself on my EKG (nerves). But man, I've got GREAT blood. Cholesterol is 162, and get this... my 'good' cholesterol is actually 4 points higher than the range :O Gotta love olive oil, I guess! Anyway, I printed out info that I found online about reading blood test results, and I'm thrilled! So, just need to get through the procedure and pray that they are quick about results!
As for finding the beauty... my vanity comfort zone is being challenged for sure. No make-up, hairspray, etc. Gotta say, that's scary on an extraterrestrial plane :) Yikes!
Anyway, thanks so much, guys (merci beaucoup, Avatar - since you mentioned the French) for being here for me! I'm SO grateful!
And Iris, AMEN! Absolutely beautiful!
Bish,
The eyes of my heart are opened.
Has this ever happened to you? you
pick up a book and a sentence leaps
off the page as if it had been written just for you.Or you hear a revelation in the of a song.Some-
times an angel seems to wisper in your ear.(Just like this Blog).
One ordinary morning I realized I was emotionally and physically ex-
hauted from concentrating on things
I wanted to buy,places I wanted to
go, but couldn't because I couldn't
afford to do any of them.
I felt trapped in a vicious circle.
The more I focused on lack and on
what I couldn't have,the more depressed I became.The more depressed I became, the more I focus on lack. one day my soul whispered that, what I really yearning for was not financial security,but financial serenity.(calmness,peace)
I was still quiet enough to listen
at that moment I ackknowledge the deep longind in my heart.What I hun
ger for was an inner peace, that the world could not take away from me.
I pray and I asked the LORD to help
me and committed myself to whereso-
ever the Spisit would lead me.For
the first time in my life I don't
make plans for myself,but let GOD
guide me instead.
When I surrender my desire for security and sought peace instead,
I looked at my life with an open eyes.I saw that I had much for which I need to be grateful for. I
felt humbled by my riches(which are the love of God,my Huband,my Family and Friends).And regretted thatI took for granted the Abundance that already existed my
life.How could I expect more from
the Universe when I didn't appre-ciate what I already had?
Immediately I made an inventory of
my life's assets: My relationship
with God,my wonderful Husband,our
home,my beautiful and gorgeous Sistrs, my handsome Brothers,their healt,our health I blessed with many wonderful Friends who care deeply for me(us).There's always plenty of good food on the table and in the pantry.
When I looked at my life I realized I am a very rich woman.(I am not talking rich with money)what
I was experiencing was merely a tem
porary cash-flow problem.I cama to
an inner awareness that my life couldn,t be determined by the size
of my checking account balance.I pause for a moment to give thanks to God for all He has blessing me with.A great church,a great Spiritual Father and Mother.
I have a beautiful notebook,which I
call a daily gratitude journal each night before I go to bed,I write down five things that I can be gratrful about that day.Once you
start writing your five things you are grateful, and give thanks each day for the abumdance in your life,
you'll see yourself simlpy change.
All I ask you to do is to open "the eyes of your heart"and give your life another glance.Are your basic needs met?Do you have a
home? Food on the table?Clothes to
wear?Do you have health?Can you walk,talk ect.These were the questions I had to asked myself some two years ago.
Today,after all the series of the I
AM Message.I realize: I AM IN TRANSITION(ISAIAH 58:8.I AM BETTER FOR THE EXPERIENCE(ROM.5:3-5).I AM
FREE(JOHN8:36).I AM DESIRABLE(SONG-
SONG 7:10;ISAIAH 54:5)I AM SECURED
(2TIMOTHY 1:12).I AM LOVED(ROM.8:35
38,39).I AM WHOLE(JAMES 1:2-4)AND I
BELONG TO SOMEONE.CHRIST THE LORD THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD(HOSEA 2:19,20,23) Bishop I know it'a lot to write,like sister Iris I just feel like giving this testimony today,because GOD IS GREAT!and becuse of what Jesus said on: John 1010.
Your Spiritual Daughter,
Kettly
BISH,
Thank You for how you're challeging
my comfort zone right now. I write more now, than I ever did when I was in school.
Once again THANKS.
Kettly
Hey Avatar! Don't hear much about Al Gore now that global warming has been re-monikered as climate change, do you?
I think that most of us would agree that being ourselves is the toughest thing we do. We all know people who don't fit into any societal mode and they seem to prosper. Could it be that they are so true to the God-nature instilled in them that they are more frequently visited by the universal forces that are at work for them?
I see it in their faces; a carefree exuberance in light of daunting challenges that make us shake our heads and worry for them. They go Alfred E. Neuman on us and refuse to care. Reminds of David and Jesus.
I'll go there again, but that may be what the childlike kingdom is all about. Remember having your arm pinched or the back of your head slapped when, as a rug rat, you noticed someone’s weight, ethnicity, birthmark, or girth? The simplicity of that moment transcends explanation. What was on your mind leaked out onto your Mom's pride. She apologized and you wondered why.
We had to learn to not be ourselves while crazy uncle Mike makes out like a bandit being crazy old uncle Mike. I want to be able to be me. Trying to facilitate a facade is like putting side pockets on a cow, udderly useless.
I love all of you and feel kinda down today, don't know why, just a little blue, think I will van Gogh to a place where everybody knows my name and be the best me I can be.
Ain't God Good?
Hey,...dba..................snap out of it!
Hey, DBA, it's Wednesday night! Everybody's gathering at 7EST.
lp in sc... since we are all connected that makes you part of my body. So I say to that part that it be filled with PEACE, not only for tonights rest but your waking moments as well.
WALK IN HEALTH! That's your birthright.
Peacemaker...that was the most awesome post I've...wait a minute, that's me...oh, sorry.
Iris..."I've been awakened" That's awesome. A state which all spiritual seekers should aspire.
Avatar..."don't stop..." we couldn't now if we wanted too.
DBA...Your right. Some of those who seem to us as not giving a rats a#* are really just showing childlike exuberance and innocently expecting someone bigger than them to take care of everything...kinda stinks, huh.(But that seemed to really crank Jesus' tractor!)
I'm assuming you really have one of those uncle Mikes because I have one too. Do we really gotta love um Pa?
Here's looking at the world through the bottom of a glass, Bro.
Cheers to you!
Peace Always
PM
LOL
I'll say it--
Peacemaker: that was THE MOST AWESOME POST -- nothing short of overflowing phenomenonal!
Erik: have you seen the master weavers in the middle east? They NEVER remove a thread! They watch from the back of a rug and point to where a color goes. If a "mistake" is made, they change the pattern to accomodate.
Bishop: "The prodigal came back to the image that he was a prodigy and Amazingly, the Father met the prodigal at his own image." Deep healing stuff of life!
Bishop, I like the explanation you gave us a couple days ago about the difference between happiness which has to do directly with the "hap" or the external things that happen, outside to inside. But joy, is yes a fruit of the spirit but it is from the inside out. Like the eternal things that are unseen brings us joy. In my humble opinion, it is the simple things that bring joy such as going to Turner Lake or the Monastery after a long day and watching the sun set on the lake or watching a toddler make his/her parents chase him all over the store, or saying something kind to someone who needs someone to be human to them like a server or a store clerk, or like ministering the word to someone and watching tht word water their spirit. None of the above entries cost nothing and everything. There is no money involved and yet one has to slow down to demonstrate God's love and caring and sensitivity and attentiveness in the earth.
Many of us say, this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. or Enjoy your day...the word joy is inside of both those words/rejoice and enjoy...that is where our joy is...inside. The tornado could have caused a serious automobile accident or damage from hail or death but God was so amazing to us to spare us many of these hardships.
I remember when Reba McQuire was here and she gave the testimony of how her grandmother made each one of grandchildren/or children feel like they were the favorite by giving them a special coin. I so identified with that with daddy's love making me feel special and favored. That feeling brings me great joy...maybe it is because I didn't know my biological father and you are my spiritual father...so God's love, Father God brings me joy when other's would be sad with happenings.
I have been ministering over the last couple of days/weeks to a brother who was going through a difficult situation but what he didn't know was I was going through one as bad or worst. Someone else told him and he was shocked because I just kept talking about the faithfulness of God, the goodness of God and His sovereignty. A big disappointment happened to me over the last couple of days and I was talking to him about God's faithfulness and His will and he said, no matter how unbelievably horrific and disappointing your story is, all I hear from you is joy, joy is what I pick up in your spirit.
The word that keeps coming to me is..."Blessed be the name of the Lord.....Oftentimes we don't know what to say in a crazy situation but somethig happens when we "Bless the Lord". Paul said "I will bless the Lord at all times, for he's good...and you know he is good and as you bless him your joy will be full.
I am joyous because I will be celebrating my 50 birthday with you on March 30. I think that is very cool! In Joy your night...Yvonne
Hey, guys!
I tried to stream tonight, and got little snippets... something must've been up with my cable connection... kept coming in and out.
Peacemaker, thanks! I refuse to let anyone steal my birthright! (Something tells me I'm going to have weird dreams about Jesus and tractors, though ;p Especially since I've been cramming my face with food off and on for the last 3hours (can't have anything after midnight). Glad to see you back on the block. Oops, the blog! You were sorta absent for awhile.
OK, gotta go. I'm sure I'll be back here regularly, but may not have an update for awhile. Although, I AM... well! C'mon class, can you tell me why? :)
I Am… blessed to be in such company.
Donald – I love how we do not get the foul ‘in time’ with our advocate getting all of the evidence excluded – He is the best lawyer, knows all the pieces, this and that gets thrown out. I know often with crime shows like Law & Order, we may tend to favor the prosecutor, however often I remind myself how much I appreciate MY defense atty, so when some evidence is excluded, I send a cheer out, saying, ‘Thank You Lord’ . I often feel much more attached to the defendant than the prosecutor, I know justice is sweet and all.. but Hey, we either want every defense for ourselves (likewise for every other) or we do not want either. For me, I totally want mine, so I Totally want everyone else to have theirs. ‘Cause I know, if I don’t want theirs, I cannot receive mine. So, I want theirs completely. I get to feel the relief for the defendant when evidence is excluded. I just know they have repented, besides its TV, I always want the defendant to have mercy, get the pardon, or light yoke probation at worst. To me, ‘justice’ from the human standpoint is sooooooo overrated.
Ronnie Lee – Royal Divinity – What a joy to see it expressed.
PM – Everyone’s soul Kitchen pouring out goodies here from all for ALL. Yummy! All the treats available for anyone who has a taste.
Iris – Thank You. I am outside the park looking for the ball.
Lpinsc – You are covered, and always beautiful, on every plane.
Kettly – peace over security, peace is security. There can not be enough money, weapons, muscle, beauty, etc to have security.. someone will ALWAYS have more. Peace, is beyond security, peace is…. Security has conditions and limitations.
DBA – Thank you for reminding us that we are ourselves with carefree exuberance in The light, knowing that The Universal Forces are working for us.
Avatar – That makes complete sense, there are no ‘mistakes’ just recalculations of the route, new patterns – all exciting and exquisitely beautiful. & The Father met the prodigal as The Prodigy he saw himself as – recalculated, changed pattern.
Yvonne – You are right – The only thing ALL souls really know how to do is - Bless, edify, build up – Love. Everything else is surface, burns away.
Cool pic, Avatar.
Erik,
Thank You, for your choice of words. Yes! I do have to say Peace is really my Security,and I thank God for my PEACE.
PEACE Be you and your family.
love,
kettly
Hey all!
Been home for a little while, but still feel very out of it. Will never understand the attraction to drugs! I don't like this weird feeling at all!
Have a follow-up next Thurs. at the doc's office. Joe probably remembers more than I do about what he said, but it sounded good!
Bish, get your best James Brown, funky-town, soulful preecha voice ready... I want to hear a "God is GUUD in 'da monin'... etc, etc :)
Later, gang!
LP, I'm going to have them throw a cape around me at the end of the service and take me out, so that I can throw it off and run back out for an encore! Be well.
Bish, YOU'RE TOO FUNNY :)
I'm sure you were being sarcastic, but I hope not! Would love to see that!!! But if you do it, you have to make sure it ends up on the DVD, cuz I still can't see you guys. My streaming video for CITN just all of a sudden whacked out sometime around last OCT. Don't know why?!?!
Love you all!
Lis
Thanks, Bishop.
White chocolate robe would work! I can't wait to see this!
The two of you have been exhorted under "A New Commandment!"
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