Prayer

 Today's note on my perpetual calendar goes like this:"In my view... the greatest need is for husbands to begin guiding their families, rather than pouring every physical and emotional resource into the mere acquisition of money." James Dobson: From Straight Talk to Men and Their Wives, Page 64.

I have come to see this as one of the major factors in the struggle with rebellion in the youth at this time.  I read a poll back in c2002 that said that 40% of children grow up in homes without a father.   Separation, divorce, pride are all factors in this.  And then their mothers work full time to pay even the basic bills. The opportunities for sharing quality family time together seems less and less. 

Who is raising our children?  I work as the administrator in a Christian daycare and I can see where today's children are being "institutionalized."  Babies and toddlers in childcare, pre-school, earlier kindergarten ages, "Latch Key" kids... Don't get me wrong; our teachers at Little Lambs Christian Daycare are of the highest quality; nurturing and caring women who go above and beyond the call of duty to love these little lambs into the Kingdom of God.  However, I also recognize that this is still not God's highest for these children.

Luke 1:17 says that "He shall... turn the hearts of the fathers to the children."  God knows the answer to the problem... and He SHALL work in the heart of FATHERS!!!!

I had been reading the October Newsletter from Covenant Keepers where women are there to pray and call forth MEN who would become intercessors to stand in the gap. Husbands and fathers who are called to pray and become watchmen on the walls. (Isa 63:6) In Jeremiah 9:17-21 the LORD calls the mourning women: skillful wailing women, to pray so that repentance might come to the men… “that our eyes may run with tears and our eyelids gush with water.” Women must fulfill that call and pray for more men (their husbands and the fathers to their children) to take their rightful positions as heads of households,and to become the Watchmen on the Walls. Not just to pour all their resources into making money, but to protect their families from the attacks of the enemy!!! 

I had my heart transformed by this Covenant Keepers article… it was such an eye opener on how to pray into rebellion in our youth. The writer calls it simply the “outer manifestation of a broken heart.”  Divorce between parents produces a brokenness in the Spiritual “One Flesh” unity…. It produces broken hearts in our children and teens that many times results in open rebellion.
Rebellion is also a sign of lost respect for authority, and children often lose respect for their parents who are unfaithful in marriage and not true to their promises and their words.  This is characterized by rebellion to authority in schools and in the work place.. and ultimately in the cities, provinces and in the nation...

How wonderful it would be for men to see the need of their children for quality "Family Time."  How valuable it would be for men to work on their relationships with their wives, so that marriage and divorce would not be an option... "NO BACK DOOR!! from day one of the marriage." 

The best avenue to acquiring this... PRAYER.  

Women, cry out that our men will get back up on "The Wall" and intercede for our families as only they can!! 

LORD, men would die in wars past for our freedom and liberty... make men aware of this same need to lay down their lives for their  families now... and battle and intercede in prayer.

Women pray that men would answer their calling to be "Watchmen on the walls" protecting their families from the attacks of the enemy!

AMEN!

Deliberations from Deb's Den

Call forth the MEN!

I am up now… 3:52 am just praying and interceding for the next generation. I have such sadness in my heart for what the girls and their friends are going through right now. A lot of these teens have been on their own, being raised as latch key kids while their moms are out working…. Some of them have dads in the home, but a lot are raised by single parents…

They have such peer pressure and one country song in particular is breaking my heart for the battle that we are in. One song keeps going through my mind regarding one girl in particular . The name of the song is “Whiskey Lullaby.”  Her mom works and is away on the night shift fairly regularly. She is home alone a lot… so she parties and has people stay over a lot).  Anyway, they have a nice house, but I don’t think they have a “home”… home is where the heart is… and she certainly doesn’t have a faith to help her through. 

God keeps asking me to “just be a mom to these kids.” They just need to be loved and shown the heart of Jesus through His people. God bring each one of them to You. Bring teens to “Consumed” this weekend and touch their hearts with the “Father’s Love.”

Thank You LORD, that you are bringing close to 100 teens out to Thrive on Wednesdays and we hear of salvations on a regular basis… but LORD, please deliver these young people from the lies of the enemy. Give them the Father that so many of them need and give them back their mothers who have been taken away through working and slaving away to live a solitary life outside of family… You promise “to place the solitary in families,” LORD, so bring these young people (and their parents) into family and help us to be You to them. Show us how to truly LOVE as You have LOVED!! Equip us LORD, revive us LORD, prepare us LORD for YOUR HARVEST!!

I have been reading in one of the Covenant Keepers newsletters where women are there to pray and call forth MEN who would become intercessors to stand in the gap. Men who would pray and become watchmen on the walls. (Isa 63:6) In Jeremiah 9:17-21 the LORD calls the mourning women: skillful wailing women, to pray so that repentance might come to the men… “that our eyes may run with tears and our eyelids gush with water.” Women must fulfill that call and pray for more men to take their rightful positions as heads of households, to become the Watchmen on the Walls, protecting their families from the attacks of the enemy!!!

I had my heart transformed by a Covenant Keepers article… it is such an eye opener on how to pray into rebellion in our youth. She calls it simply the “outer manifestation of a broken heart.”  Divorce between parents produces a brokenness in the Spiritual “One Flesh” unity…. It produces broken hearts in our children and teens that many times results in open rebellion.

Rebellion is also a sign of lost respect for authority, and children often lose respect for their parents who are unfaithful in marriage and not true to their promises and their words.

Anyway, my heart is more at peace after I have been “gushing with water” and interceding for them. 

LORD, men would die in wars past for our freedom and liberty... make men aware of this same need to lay down their lives for their  families now... and battle and intercede in prayer.

Women pray that men would answer their calling to be "Watchmen on the walls" protecting their families from the attacks of the enemy!

AMEN!

“Run for the Roses” He Rose!!

I was praying for a Young Woman of God last weekend and the LORD gave me a special word for her… to “Run for the Roses.”  At first I was hesitant, thinking that this phrase was just about running a race for a crown that will pass…. for a corruptible prize. (1 Cor 9:23-26)   Since then, however, the LORD has brought clarity to His words for this young woman to  “Run for the Roses.” 

First the LORD reminded me of  the old Dan Fogelberg song “Run for the Roses” honouring  unique thoroughbreds like Secretariat  who have won the  Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.  (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes) So I decided to look up the lyrics to “Run for the Roses” and the actual song on Youtube.

"Run for the Roses" by Dan Fogelberg

I then received a vision of the Resurrected Jesus wearing a Winners Wreath of Roses around His neck.   Jesus is our prize and Jesus has won The Race that we were required to run.  For us  “IT IS FINISHED!”  Through Him, we have received the Incorruptible Crown… the Triple Crown of Eternal Glory (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)!  Ultimately, those in Christ have already “Run for the Roses” and won.… because “He Rose.”

Lyrics to “Run for the Roses” by Dan Fogelberg

Born in the valley
And raised in the trees
Of Western Kentucky
On wobbly knees
With mama beside you
To help you along
You'll soon be a growing up strong.

All the long, lazy mornings
In pastures of green
The sun on your withers
The wind in your mane
Could never prepare you
For what lies ahead
The run for the roses so red --

And it's run for the roses
As fast as you can
Your fate is delivered
Your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime
In a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined
In the dance
It's high time you joined
In the dance --

From sire to sire
It's born in the blood
The fire of a mare
And the strength of a stud
It's breeding and it's training
And it's something unknown
That drives you and carries
You home.

And it's run for the roses
As fast as you can
Your fate is delivered
Your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime
In a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined
In the dance
It's high time you joined
In the dance --

(And for your added enjoyment, I have added another old favourite  Dan Fogelberg singing this song for his father “Leader of the Band.” It is yet another flash from the past!)

Preparing to CRY OUT for our Nation at TheCRY Vancouver… August 15th

I received a promotions package for TheCRY Vancouver last week.  Since then, the desire has been steadily increasing and growing in my Spirit to see the people of British Columbia and especially those of us  here on the West Coast and Vancouver Island take a STAND for Righteousness in the Name of Jesus! 

Standing - TheCRY Vancouver * August 15, 2009

So yesterday I opened up GOD.TV on my computer and selected the On Demand Section.  The LORD lead me to choose TheCRY St. John’s.  I have had it on all day… listening and watching, joining in their CRY, praying and battling worshipfully for this nation.   

I joined with them as they prayed as ONE Nation… joining with Jesus in His prayer that we would be ONE with the Father, just and the Father and He are ONE.  All the diverse cultures in Canada coming together as ONE under God!

I joined with them as they prayed for marriage in our Nation as God intended.  One man and one woman… MARRIED FOR LIFE!!

I joined with them as they prayed for the deliverance of those caught in Human Trafficking here in our nation and beyond.

I joined with them as they prayed SILENTLY for those who do not have a voice…. For the babies who have had their CRY and their lives cut short through abortion.  To give a voice to the voiceless.

On August 15th, we have an opportunity to STAND for OUR NATION in prayer and worship, to STAND for a GENERATION  yet unborn through prayer and worship, to STAND for THE WORLD as Canada fully walks in Her GOD-GIVEN DESTINY to bring HEALING TO THE NATIONS!

Join with me as we go to Vancouver and join in TheCRY Vancouver 2009.  For more information go to www.thecry.ca

Join in TheCRY

for Canada!

The Glory Cloud of His Presence… (Aglow Part 1) Our Island Prayer Journey

Why was I there?   Was I ready?  Was I there for His Presence; or was it for our Island Prayer Journey, or the anointed speaker, Diane Fink… or the awesome worship lead by Leah Robertson… or even just the fellowship?

Olivia challenged me this weekend.  She sooooo wanted to be in His Presence and experience the Glory of God!!  The time is NOW and she knew it!! 

We (Olivia, myself, Penny and Laurie) had our Island Prayer Journey planned for the drive down to the conference at Qualicum Beach and we were going to stop at several places along the coastline.  We prayed at Royston, Craigdarroch Beach, Buckley Bay, Union Bay, Fanny Bay, Oyster River and Qualicum Bay among other small little hamlets...  to claim the FAVOUR of the LORD for that area.  Our trip was to bless others and to bless the land, but inadvertently, God poured out His blessings upon us!  The weather was glorious, the fellowship was awesome, the presence of God surrounded us and we saw eagles all over the place.

Olivia wanted to be READY and she wanted OTHERS to be ready along with her.  She had her oil lamp full!  She wanted God’s presence and she wanted to honour Him and Him alone!!  Fortunately for us, the love of God permeates all those around us and we all found our heart for the journey too.  He gave us his “Eagle Eye” from which to pray His prophetic prayers for the  various areas.  It was a powerful time of worshipping our creator in His glorious creation! 

If only we could live like this 24/7.  I know that I fall short way too often.  I desire that the scripture Psalm 84:2 would represent my live on a DAILY basis…  Not just every now and then.  I want my heart and my flesh to CRY for the LIVING GOD!!   I want to Live in His Glorious Presence EVERY DAY.

My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.  (Psa 84:2 ASV)

How often do I let myself get to this point with my Beloved?   I wonder….

A Person's a Person No Matter How Small... UPDATE

For the full article http://bound4life.com/blog/2009/02/06/y-o-p-p

I was totally amazed at the wisdom and courage that this 12 year old girl displayed as she stood up for God's Truth.

While doing a school project on persuasive speech, Lia chose to speak out on the issue of abortion. Her teachers encouraged her to change her topic; they even tried to convince her mother to get her to change her topic; but Lia stood firm on her convictions and God has shown Himself faithful.

She had been told that she would NOT be able to enter the competition because her topic on abortion was "too controversial." However she won... first in her class competition; and she won in her school competition, and now after a disqualification and a God-ordained re-qualification, she is headed for the regional competition. I will prophetically state that I believe God will enable her to win in the regional's also. Her speech is powerful, filled with the truth of God and totally anointed of the LORD. Check it out above.

UPDATE 2/17/09 12:00 PM EST: Lia has advanced to the next round of competition with her speech. She will delivering it TONIGHT at 7 PM EST. Please pray.

UPDATE 2/18/09 11:00 AM EST: I heard from Lia’s mother that she did an outstanding job last night. "Her presentation was flawless and she was poised and passionate throughout." She did not win the competition however. Two teachers and others present felt that she was the strongest speaker and should have won, but they suspected that her topic of abortion is what kept her from winning.

Read this excerpt from her mother’s email:
Lia wasn’t really that upset though, especially when she considered that the only difference between winning the competition and not winning was having a couple extra pictures taken and being given a small trophy. Lia has a much bigger trophy – somebody commented to us on our YouTube account that her aunt watched Lia’s video and decided to NOT have an abortion because of it. Yay God! Others have commented that they either never thought of the issue before or were pro-choice – but now they have changed their opinions. So, having a life saved is the best trophy ever!

We’re thrilled with Lia’s courage and conviction. And YES, the best trophy is a life saved. Please join us in continuing to pray for her YouTube video to spread virally and impact countless lives.

For a full article at: http://bound4life.com/blog/2009/02/06/y-o-p-p

Memorial to a Sister in Christ - Colleen Jack

Somewhere over the rainbow....

I am dedicating this video clip to a dear friend who recently went to
be with the LORD.

Colleen Pendleton (Ne: Jack) was a First Nations princess here on earth as the daughter of Chief Gerry Jack, but she was more importantly a Princess in the Kingdom of God.... a Daughter of the KING of kings. She was a prayer warrior and a woman of faith who wore her love on her shoulders & who stood for righteousness.

She had a powerful testimony of God's restorative power in her marriage and in her entire life. She honoured and exemplified faith and God's promises to her two boys; Gerald and Alexander, (now grown) and to her people, the Mowachaht / Muchalaht Nation.

There are so many stories that I would like to share about this wonderful woman.

When we lived in Gold River, Colleen would always invite her "Christian Sisters and Brothers" to help on the reserve during Potlatches or Kids Clubs. She could have kept us all in the back and remained hidden in her faith in a place of culture and tradition. However, Colleen would always call us forward and introduce us, her Christian family to her traditional family. She always made a place for God during these gatherings.

One powerful story came when God, literally, delivered her from the fire. It was early one morning when I heard a bounding knock on the door. I opened to find Colleen standing there in tears saying that her home was on fire. As we ran back down the road, we were crying out to God and praying "LORD, let nothing PRECIOUS be destroyed." By the time we got there the Fire Department had everything under control. They had arrived within 7 minutes from the time of the 911 call!

Once they had given the all clear and we were able to re-enter the place, we went over what had happened. Her son, Gerald, had had a friend over for the evening and they had fallen asleep with candles burning in the room.

Fortunately, God stepped in powerfully. Where Gerald usually slept like a log, the friend came to easily and woke everyone up. Colleen was able to get the boys and her second son, Alex, out of the house safely. Then, with the leading of the LORD, she had rolled a towel and placed it at the base of Gerald's door. This had blocked the flow of oxygen into the room and had suffocated the fire.

When we re-entered the bedroom itself, we could see where the flow of the fire and smoke on the ceiling had charred the tiles and there were items all over the room that were burned to molten blobs. CD's had exploded and were stuck to the ceiling.

Then we looked on the bedside table. The lamp was wilted and the clock radio was a blob of plastic. But God, right beside these charred items, had saved a "precious" photograph of Gerald's father.... It was untouched by the heat and was totally intact. God had answered our prayers that nothing "precious" be destroyed. They were all safe and this precious photograph was still intact. God had kept His promise to her to protect her and carrying her through the fire....

LORD, we lift up Colleen's family to you; Steve, Gerald and Kathy and their three kids; Alexander and Flora; Leander (Jerry Jr) and Bev, and their kids, etc. You know each one by name. Be their comforter and help them to understand the power of your love... even in this.

Fireproof... ADEBnego (sic) Style....

"Fireproof".... I wonder what God was thinking when He invented fire?

A while back I had a dream.... sort of being caught in a fire. In the dream, I was a young child and I was being chased by someone much bigger than myself. In my childlike state, I ran into a fireplace and climbed up the chimney to get away from my pursuer. Fortunately, he was too big to actually reach me. "I will just wait until you come out" he bellowed.

It was then that God started to turn up the temperature on my faith... He was testing me via a dream... How long would I stay protected from the enemy in that chimney? I could feel faith being challenged by fear.

First of all, timing was a factor. How long could I stay in a chimney and live? I recognized that there were various options to consider. I knew that, at that point, I couldn't go out the bottom of the chimney, because the danger was down there. I also recognized that looking upwards, was the only way out.... A good rule for all of life, don't you think?

Next, came the fear about how long I would last in a chimney without food and water. The enemy could just wait me out until I either came down or died of starvation and thirst. But then I was reminded that if God could provide water from the rock and quail from the sky for the Israelites, He could probably make a way for my hunger and thirst to be filled even in this tight spot. I also recalled times of fasting and prayer where God alone sustains you. I felt my faith starting to rise.

Finally, I sensed the enemy starting a FIRE in fireplace. As the heat and the smoke began to raise, I felt that fear try to take hold again. Then God brought to mind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were cast into the "burning fiery furnace." King Nebuchadnezzar actually commanded that his men should "heat the furnace SEVEN TIMES MORE than it was usually heated!" But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were men of prayer! God not only protected them in the fire, He walked with them in the fire... and then He delivered them from the fire. And He didn't just deliver them ... the fire "had NO power" over them. The smell of smoke didn't even cling to them!

Then I woke up.... Did I get out of the chimney? How did my dream end... ??

Well, I felt my hope rise and my faith stand strong in God's Faithfulness. This summer, only God knows how close we came to going through that forest fire in the Kootenay's, and only God knows what other fires may await us in the future. I know that I can get on MY KNEES and call out to God. I also believe that God CAN make me "FIREPROOF."

From here on in, just call me "A-Deb-Knee-Go!"

• Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and the form of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. And he commanded mighty men in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to throw them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were tied up in their slippers, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other clothes, and were thrown into the middle of the burning fiery furnace. Then because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was amazed. And he rose up in haste and spoke and said to his advisers, Did we not throw three men bound into the middle of the fire? They answered and said to the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Behold! I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and there is no harm among them. And the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near the door of the burning fiery furnace. He answered and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come forth and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth from the middle of the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's advisers gathered and saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power (and the hair of their head was not scorched, nor were their slippers changed, nor had the smell of fire clung on them). Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His Angel and has delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and have changed the king's words and have given their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God.
  (Dan 3:19-28 MKJV)

Pharaoh or Pharaoh? Which season are we in?

We were praying for the U.S. Elections last night and I recognized how different our perspective must be from God's.  He holds the "kings in His hands" and yet we try to tell Him who we think would be the best choice for a nation.  Yes, we are wise to examine the issues and individual campaigns, and God's Word in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 tells us to pray for those in authority so that things will go well in the land, but God is, ultimately, God.  He IS Sovereign....

Let's take a look at two Pharaohs shall we. 

PHARAOH #1 - Our sovereign God destined that a bunch of jealous brothers and an Egyptian leader; Pharaoh, would bring Joseph to rule over Egypt.  God chose to use ungodly circumstances and ungodly men...  to save the children of God.  What man had intended for evil, God chose for good.

• And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find any man like this, in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has shown you all this, no one is as discreet and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall kiss the hand at your word. Only in the throne will I be greater than you. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand. And he dressed him with fine linen robes, and put a gold chain around his neck. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had, and they cried before him, Bow the knee! And he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
  (Gen 41:38-43 MKJV)
• And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. And now you did not send me here, but God. ...
  (Gen 45:7-8 MKJV)

PHARAOH #2 - This Pharaoh's destiny was to bring evil upon the Israelites.  All the male children born were to be cast into the river.  Was Pharaoh's "calling" really to destroy the children of God?   Quite the concept isn't it?

• And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.
  (Exo 1:22 MKJV)

In our sovereign God's perspective it was right to "harden" Pharaoh's heart so that they/we would see the "wonders of God."

• And God said to Moses, When you go to return into Egypt, see that you do all those wonders which I have put in your hand before Pharaoh; but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
  (Exo 4:21 MKJV)

Both Pharaohs were in the hand of God, and both Pharaohs were "called" of God to fulfill a certain purpose.  Ultimately, both men followed God's will for their lives, whether they knew it or not. 

One Pharaoh was sent to destroy the children of God, the other to save the children of God.  One man was sent to kill babies, the other was sent to save their lives.

Now let's take a look at today's U.S. Election.  Some of the candidates are godly men, others are not.  In looking at just the two front runners, McCain and Obama, we see two very different lifestyles and two very different campaigns.  One candidate is pro-life, the other is pro-abortion.  One man is sent to kill babies, the other is sent to save their lives.

Are the Christian VOTERS in the U.S. the "Moses" who will deliver the babies from being cast into the river?  I wonder which Pharaoh will be in God's hand's tonight once the U.S. Election tally has been counted...

Get out the VOTE! And then Let Go and Let God....

Darling of Heaven Crucified... More like Jesus...

Darling of Heaven Crucified... This was a line from one of the songs (Worthy is the Lamb... see below) that we were worshipping to tonight. Can you imagine the pain that The Father must have felt as He watched Jesus go through everything that led Him to the Cross... then to have Him take the burden of ALL of our sins upon Himself. The final assault being to deliberately turn away from His Son while He hung on that Cross. CAN YOU JUST IMAGINE THE FATHER'S PAIN TO WATCH HIM GO THROUGH THAT ALONE? The DARLING of Heaven crucified. Jesus was the Father's Darling....

That line from the song hit me particularly hard as I started to think about my own two "darlings." There are days when I feel that THEY are being ripped from MY presence. There are days when I see the enemy trying to rob, kill and destroy. There are days when I see the enemy trying to draw the girls into the world and into the world's disfunctional idea of the family...

But then I remember... Each moment that Jesus was separated from the Father... God's heart must have ached too. He shares in my sorrows... and now, I see that I can have a small sense of His.

The LORD gave me a revealation of this tonight. God doesn't want His children being distracted by the things of the world... but He watches us, His children, make wrong turns all the time. It breaks His heart. I know how I feel when my girls go astray sometimes, and I only have two children. How must it be for our Heavenly Father to watch ALL of His children get drawn away?

Fortunately, Jesus had a relationship with the Father.... Even though Jesus couldn't feel His Father's presence when He was hanging on the cross... Jesus trusted in Who His Father was. He trusted that God is ALWAYS Good and He knew that He was in the Father's Will. I have to believe that my girls know my LOVE for them, and that nothing they ever do can ever change that. With God's help, and His LOVE in my heart for them, we can pull through this fire.

That is what He revealed. What the girls and I have been going through this past year is actually an answer to a prayer that I started the year with. My New Year's Resolution was to be "More Like Jesus."

Tonight He revealed that for ME to be "more like Him", I had to have His heart for His children. As I struggle with watching my children make bad choices, I can now understand some of how He feels when we make bad choices. As I watch my children get led astray by the world, I can understand how He feels when His children are led astray by the enemy. As I watch someone or something else draw my children away from me and from God, I can understand how He watches each one of us as we face similar distractions. He sees the temptations and sin that turns our focus from Him to something else.

Now, I know some of what He feels....

Am I thankful for answered prayer... I think I am. I do have a different perspective now, but I pray that this lesson is almost over! All I have to remember was two things... 1) Because I have a relationship with the Father, I know Who God is, and 2) I know that He is ALWAYS good. He wouldn't be allowing this to happen, if it wasn't GOOD.

Praise God for answered prayer and for any revelation that make's me "more like Jesus..." Caution: I am finding that this is a dangerous prayer!

Worthy is the Lamb - Hillsong

Thank you for the cross, Lord

Thank you for the price You paid

Bearing all my sin and shame

In love You came

And gave amazing grace

Thank you for this love, Lord

Thank you for the nail pierced hands

Washed me in Your cleansing flow

Now all I know

Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb

Seated on the throne

Crown You now with many crowns

You reign victorious

High and lifted up

Jesus Son of God

The Darling of Heaven crucified

Worthy is the Lamb

Worthy is the Lamb