I'm Ready To Go

Should I go Lord?
I had just returned from Nashville, Tennessee where I had showcased as a Country Gospel artist performing one song for Christian music industry reps. I was hoping to create enough interest for a record contract. Instead, I met a Christian producer who convinced me that my existing CD was poorly produced and would never be accepted as a professional product among the industry. His solution for me was to consider coming to Nashville to record a whole new project that would require a financial risk. This decision could only be made in prayer.

Back home in familiar territory, I could feel the peace and serenity as I walked down my country road; talking to God. "Lord, my heart yearns to accept the proposal from the Christian producer, it is something I have always dreamed of doing since I was a little child but…is this what you really want me to do? I would have to borrow the money and I am afraid to take the risk. Lord, I don’t want to be another artist that uses your name for monetary gain, I want to be obedient. I want to be a person of integrity and will not sell my soul for a dream."

Will you help re-build my city?
That evening I was on my knees in prayer, pleading with the Lord to give me some kind of answer through his word. I closed my eyes and asked the Holy Spirit to guide my hands. I slowly opened up the bible to the end of Matthew’s gospel where Jesus is commissioning his disciples to go out and spread the good news. I could not believe this so I tried it three more times. (Oh ye, of little faith!) Each time my hand was directed to the same place; God was truly commissioning me to go out and spread the gospel.

I remained on my knees in stillness and then God gave me this vision. I saw myself sitting on top of a mountain. I was looking down at the many lights of a very large city. I turned and looked over my left shoulder and saw an angel. The angel pointed to this city and said, "I want you to go into this city and help re-build this city." I looked at the angel as if to tell him, "You’re just an angel; you have no authority to tell me what to do." You see, if I was really supposed to do this, then I wanted to hear it from God Himself! I ignored the angel and continued to admire the beautiful lights of this city. Within a few minutes, I looked over my left shoulder again, and this time it was not the angel but Jesus. He extended His hand out to me, and called me by my name to come towards Him. I got up from my sitting position and walked towards Jesus. He put one arm around me and with the other arm, pointed out toward the city with the beautiful lights, and said, "I want you to go into this city and help re-build my city." But I said, "Lord I can’t go. I’m afraid." He said again, "I want you to go into this city and help re-build my city. Do not be afraid for I will be with you." He then saw that I had one tear running down my cheek, and He cupped my face in His hands and wiped my single tear away. I felt the love radiating from His presence as He gently backed up, and slowly disappeared in the clouds. I then returned to the place on the mountain, and once again began to stare at the beautiful city. This time it was even more beautiful than before.

I have called and chosen you to bring the good news of deliverance, and help rebuild cities that have long been in ruins. (Isaiah 61:1-4)

The next day I wrote the song entitled "I’m Ready To Go" which became the title track of the CD I’m Ready To Go. With the help of the Holy Spirit nine more songs were written within a week’s time to complete the new CD. A date was established for the Nashville recording, the flight was booked and a little girl’s dream was fulfilled. I’m Ready To Go brought recognition as "Christian Entertainer of the Year", "Female Vocalist of the Year" and "Songwriter of the Year". was nominated for "Best Country Gospel Album" which created opportunities to spread the gospel in Canada, United States and Europe. As an artist...

Nothing is impossible with God! I have come to heal the broken hearted, help the blind to see, set the captives free. (Luke 4:14-19)

Jesus is commissioning us to share in His Mission proclaimed in Luke 4: 14-19. Will we use the gifts and talents he has given us to advance the kingdom of God? Will we help to re-build HIS city that lies in ruins? Today, we see so much suffering all around us, so many people that need hope, a hope that can only be found through Jesus Christ. Will you be HIS hands, HIS feet, HIS voice? Then respond to your call and shout LORD, I’M READY TO GO!

Love,
Lorraine

I’M READY TO GO

Lord I’m ready to go, into your city

I heard your voice, call out my name

So what will I do, in your holy city

No need to explain it all over again

I’m ready to go.

Will you let my spirit lead you into a city far and wide

Will you release the captives, from their pain they have inside

Will you heal the broken hearted, and set the prisoners free

Help re-build my city, will you do this for me?

Lord I’m ready to go, into your city

I heard your voice, call out my name

So what will I do, in your holy city

No need to explain it all over again

I’m ready to go.

Will you give to those in mourning, joy instead of grief

Will you sing a song of praise, and bring the gift of peace

Will you comfort all my people, and help the blind to see

Help re-build my city, will you do this for me?

Lord I’m ready to go, into your city

I heard your voice, call out my name

So what will I do, in your holy city

No need to explain it all over again, I’m ready to go

No need to explain it all over again, I’m ready to go

No need to explain it all over again, I’m ready to go….

Listen to a clip of the song:

http://ninevehscrossing.com/Hartsook/LH5Track1.mp3

AN OCEAN OF LOVE

Have you ever sat and stared at an ocean?
My most favorite thing to do in the whole wide world is to sit by the ocean! Wow! There is nothing like it! Once again God fulfills the greatest desire of my heart. A couple of days ago I had the privilege of sitting on the beach near the Atlantic Ocean. I brought my favorite chair and settled down in a comfortable position knowing this would be a time for me "to be still and know that He is God".

The many shades of blue water that seemed to be part of the sky as you looked way beyond the horizon. I began to hear the rolling waves call out my name and feel the intimacy of the Lord in the majesty of all his creation. As the tears rolled down my cheek my heart filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the many blessings in my life. I began to talk to the Lord and I could hear the Holy Spirit whispering these words into my ears. I grabbed a pen and wrote:

THE OCEAN REPRESENTS GOD'S LOVE AND GOD'S MANY PROMISES TO ME.

CLEANSING - water that was used to baptize and to cleanse me of my sin.

WASHING - water to keep me clean physically.

SURVIVAL - water that keeps my body nourished.

WIDE & DEEP - water that is wide and deep representing God’s infinite love.

POWERFUL - water that reminds me that nothing is impossible with God.

RAGING - water that is forceful, like God, in control of all situations.

MAJESTIC - water that reminds us of the Majesty of God and his Kingdom on earth and in heaven.

FRESH FRAGRANCE - water that allows the fragrance of God to radiate to others.

SYMPHONY - waves of water that create a symphony of music like the many people who use their talents in the body of Christ to be a symphony for the glory of God.

ROLLING & RIPPLING - water, as one big wave pushes the small wave into formation reminding me that God pushes me forward guiding my transformation.

GRAINS OF SAND - scour, smooth, and polish hard rocks, reminding me that no matter how small I am, nor how hurt I have been, I have a purpose in God’s plan.

MERCY - an ocean of mercy that is there for each one of us when we come and sit with him. An ocean of forgiveness for those who repent.

I have always been so drawn to water but have never understood why. This particular day I had a heavy heart that was filled with doubt. Did God really call me into this ministry of music and speaking? I began to think of Jesus baptism at the Jordan when a voice came down from heaven and said "this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased". God reminded me that BEFORE Jesus began his ministry God loved him. Maybe my ministry has not yet been birthed to its fullness BUT God loves me and he is well pleased with me at this time.

Come to the water and let the Lord refresh your soul.

Love,
Lorraine

VICTIM OR VICTOR?

Monday February 19, 2008

What Does the Word "Victim" Mean?
The word "victim" has several meanings. In this post, a victim is a sufferer from mental or physical disease; as well as a person who is cheated. For example, a woman who experiences verbal, physical or sexual abuse will truly experience mental suffering and feel as though she has been cheated out of a normal healthy life. This is the beginning of what I call "the victim trap".

What is a Victim Trap?
A woman falls into a "victim trap" when she has been victimized and then constantly refers to herself as being a "victim." She becomes deeply ingrained with a low self image, and allows feelings of misery and helplessness to overcome her. She feels that she has been taken advantage of without her permission, and that her rights have been violated. She suffers silently for long periods of time not understanding why she has so much pain in her soul. She is afraid to express her feelings and fears taking the risk towards any behavior change because she has convinced herself that she has only known "pain." She obsesses about her pain, and tells her sad story over and over to anyone who will listen. For her, it is important that others know how victimized she has been, how hurt she is and how unfair life has been to her. Her soul is imprisoned, unfortunately, with a false belief—a lie that tells her life will be hard and difficult because GOD HAS ABANDONED HER. When she believes this lie she gives Satan reign over her soul.

The Truth Will Set You Free!
God’s Word, however, is TRUTH – not a lie -- and she needs to replace the lie about her worthlessness with God’s promise of purpose and good. The truth is found in Deuteronomy 4:31 where it says:

He is a merciful God. He will not abandon you or destroy you, and he will not forget the covenant that he himself has made with your ancestors.

Suffering is not REAL abandonment even though it feels that way. We are reminded of Jesus dying on the cross, his blood dripping to the ground, the soldier’s gambling for his garments, when he prayed: "Father why have you abandoned me?" But, God the Father did not abandon Jesus even though to Jesus’ human nature it felt like it. God was fulfilling his great promise of salvation for the entire world, to which Christ’s divine nature was a willing partner. Christ embraced that suffering, and thus fulfilled God the Father’s promise not to abandon those of us who have fallen victim to the pains of this life.

Can the Victim Trap Become Habitual?
A habit is an action so often repeated that it becomes a fixed characteristic in our lives. As long as she continues to believe the lie of "God’s abandonment" she will be trapped in habitual feelings of misery and negative feelings -- even when good things happen to her! For example, if someone says to her: "You’ve got a nice family!" She replies with a sigh, "Yes, but there are so many problems… we’ve had such hard times." Or: "Your career is certainly going well!" To which she lets out an even longer sigh and says, "Ah, but there is such a price to pay for success -- all that extra work…" She has an incredible, almost amazing ability to find misery in any and every situation, even the most wonderful of circumstances. So with shoulders bent, head down, she shuffles through life taking her "blows"!

You are Not a Victim, You are a Victor!
But then there’s the VICTOR! A victor is someone who conquerors, someone who wins; and yet here’s the amazing thing about a victor: A victor often goes through all the pains and sufferings a victim experiences. The difference? The victor works and perseveres through the pain and suffering until she finds its purpose, and then finds healing and freedom. A victor has self-determination to fight the good fight (and here’s the secret) with whatever it takes – for however long -- until the battle is won.

God wants you to know that you are not a victim but a VICTOR. You are a conqueror and a winner! Why? You are HIS child and he created every part of you and knows everything about you from conception to your death. He has NOT ABANDONED YOU. His love for you is so great; you can never be separated from his love.

Romans 8:37-39 tells us:

In all things we have complete victory through him who loved us. That nothing can separate us from the love of God; neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, either the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below, there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours THROUGH Christ Jesus our Lord.

As long as we believe the lie we will remain a victim obsessing in our pain living in the past, missing the present moment and fearful of the future—Satan wins and has reign over our soul. Jesus tells us in John 10:10, however, "the thief comes in order to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you might have life; life in all its fullness."

LET’S CELEBRATE…

Today is the day! Take off that gray cloak of despair, negative thinking and victimization. Throw it away! We may have been victimized, we may have allowed ourselves to be victimized but WE ARE NOT VICTIMS. WE ARE VICTORS! We are children of God who can be victorious through HIS son Jesus Christ. There is no suffering that Jesus does not understand, HE feels your pain but he cannot take it away from you unless you GIVE IT TO HIM. Come and kneel before the cross in surrender and say; "Jesus I am making a decision to be a VICTOR and not a VICTIM. I give you all my pain and I offer it up for all those who have been victimized in some way. Give me the strength I need to be victorious in this battle. I love you Jesus and I trust in you with all my heart.

God bless,
Lorraine

HELP LOVE STAND

I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith to move mountains, but…if I have no love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Do I see Christ in the unlovable?

Here I was in my hotel room. It was 3:00 AM and I had been reading this particular scripture for several hours now! Lord what are you trying to tell me? In six hours, I was expected to be at the front gates of the prison, where I would be frisked by security, escorted into a prison chapel that would minister to approximately 60 male inmates. I would then be driven over to the women’s prison, to minister to them as well. At this point in time, I had nothing prepared on paper but I knew God was doing a work in my heart. I had never done prison ministry before but everything I knew about prisons did not paint a positive picture. I sat in God’s presence believing His word that "perfect love drives out all fear". (1John 4:18) I stepped out in faith trusting, that it isn’t about what Lorraine can do, but what the Lord wants to do through Lorraine.

I continued reading this passage of scripture and as I stopped to ponder, I received a vision of Jesus, walking through the corridors of the prison. He entered into each cell, sat on the edge of the bed and laid His hand on their hearts. He looked at them with such love, almost like a mother that looks upon her child sleeping. I began to cry, knowing how much He loved them, and I began to feel their pain within my heart for the absence of love they so desperately needed. Jesus taught me that night that no other gift can be manifested without love, and the greatest gift I could bring was His love. I tossed and turned as I tried to sleep for the few remaining hours but morning had already broken. I had nothing prepared on paper but I knew that Jesus had prepared my heart, and I would trust the Holy Spirit to guide me.

I went through the security check along with my band. Every instrument was thoroughly checked for drugs and weapons. We were led to the chapel to set up our equipment, and then we gathered together for prayer. The prison chaplain approached me and said, "You know, Lorraine, you probably won’t have too many coming; usual attendance is about five or six inmates because of late movie watching, etc." I remember saying, "Let’s trust God and set up 60 chairs." He looked at me with disbelief and said, "I hope you won’t be disappointed."

We turned up the music louder than usual and began singing songs with a lot of joy! Out of curiosity, each inmate would peak his head out of his room, and slowly but surely made their way down the hall, and into the chapel. I felt the Holy Spirit directing our every move. Within 20 minutes, we had approximately 60 inmates seated in the chapel, and I did not have a clue as to how I would open up this service. We stopped the music and opened with a small prayer. I looked into the eyes of each of the prisoners, and my heart was once again pierced with an overwhelming love for them.

What was I going to say?

I felt the Holy Spirit rising within and out came these words. "You know there isn’t much difference between you and me; you are imprisoned behind physical walls and I am imprisoned within internal walls. "I talked about my anger, resentments and grudges towards all those who did not love me, and how Jesus set me free from my prison within. My testimony allowed me to gain their trust and from there, the Holy Spirit took over. As we prayed with every inmate, I watched the tears roll down their cheeks and I witnessed God’s love healing their broken heart, removing their blindness and setting their captive hearts free. This powerful manifestation carried on into the women’s prison as well.

This beautiful experience transformed my life. The word "Christian" was not just a word I would use loosely anymore. If I truly was Christian, then I needed to choose each day to love as Christ loved. I know this will not be easy in my humanity but with Jesus, I can receive the strength to endure. Philippians 4:13 says, "I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me." Jesus is not asking me for perfection but obedience.

How can I help love stand?

This experience inspired me to write a song entitled "Help Love Stand". A reminder to myself and others that we must look beyond color or race, creed, political views, moral values, the clothes we wear, the style of our hair, the rich and the famed, the poor and the lame. None of this makes a difference, when we are looking through the eyes of true love. Then we can see Christ in all people.

Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, for God will judge you in the same way as you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others.(Matthew 7: 1- 2)

It is all laid out so beautifully for us in God’s Word:

Love is patient and kind, it is not jealous or conceited or proud
Love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable
Love does not keep a record of wrongs
Love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth
Love never gives up and its faith, hope and patience never fail. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Today I will start by doing little things each day. I might open a door for an elderly person at the mall. I might be kind to the worker at the supermarket. I will make that special call to that person that needs to hear "I love you" today. I will help bring peace into the world. I will begin by saying "I’m sorry" to all those I have wounded and forgive all those who have wounded me. I will pray for my enemies and love all those who persecute me.

Can you imagine the peace around the world if every Christian lived out their call to love as Christ loved? The question is, am I willing to pay the price?

Let every day be a Valentine’s Day! God loves you and so do I!

Love,
Lorraine

Editor's Note: This blog is adapted from a chapter in Lorraine's book "BE REAL" available through Nineveh's Crossing. Click the image in the column to the right to be taken to Lorraine's Nineveh's Crossing page.

LOVING YOURSELF

Saturday February 9, 2008

DO I LOVE MYSELF?

How do I love myself?
Every day I try to walk at least two miles as a form of exercise but also to give me some special time to spend with God. This particular day I was frustrated because I was sick and tired of so many people telling me “Lorraine you need to learn how to love yourself, you’re always running yourself down”! With tears in my eyes I cried out to the Lord and said “please help me to know how to love myself, I don’t want to be self centered or arrogant, help me understand what this means”.
Within a few minutes I was given a vision as I was walking. It was kind of like a television screen that was placed right in front of me and what I saw shocked me. I was holding a bat and I was hitting Jesus on the head. I began to scream and say “Lord I am SO SORRY when did I ever do this to you”? I heard a small voice speak to me saying “whenever you beat yourself up you are doing it to me”.

Jesus had revealed to me that I was the temple in which he resided and when I do not love myself I am not loving him. When I allow others to “name call” and “reject” me, I am allowing them to do it to Jesus. For the first time in my life I know myself worth comes from no one but Jesus. I was made in the image of God and God does not make “junk”. I should love everything about myself because that’s the way God made me. If I have bad behavior that is something I can change but… I can still love myself.

Why is it so important that we learn to love ourselves?
The two greatest commandments are to “love the lord your God with all your heart, your soul and your mind, and to love your neighbor as you love yourself”.

If I do not love myself I cannot fulfill what God is commanding me to do. Therefore I have made a commitment to sit before God in prayer each morning, loving him with all my heart, soul and mind. God’s love fills me up so I can love myself and begin each day giving this love to my neighbor. When I have given so much love away I come back to prayer and he fills me up again.

One last thought. You are the one person that you are never going to get away from. God invites you to come as you are….HE will help you learn to love yourself.

Face it…you’re stuck with you!

Love,
Lorraine

EMBRACE THE CROSS

Why all this suffering?

In the last couple of days I have run into so many people who are asking? Why does God allow so much suffering? This was a question I too had asked over and over again. So using the analogy of the passion of Jesus Christ, I invite you to walk to Calvary with me and I pray that along the way you will find an answer to this question.

AGONY IN THE GARDEN

My agony began when I was born with a deformity in my womb. I was given three choices by the doctors; no children, deformed children or twins. Over a period of ten years I had a loss of twelve miscarriages, three to five months gestation. Why so much loss? Doctors finally discover that my womb was half the size of a normal womb, therefore not enough room for the babies to grow.

-the agony of the painful labor, knowing the baby would not live

-the agony of the maternity ward on bed rest weeks on end in order to save the baby, while watching other mothers holding their new born babies in their arms

-the agony of having all my close friends pregnant all around me

-the agony of the loneliness of being away from all those I loved while hospitalized

-the agony of the many painful surgical procedures

Like Jesus I threw myself down in surrender and cried out, "Father if it is possible, take this cup of suffering away from me! Yet, not what I want, but what you want".

CONDEMNATION
Like Jesus standing before Pilate, I felt that I had just been condemned to death, with God my Father as my judge. But my condemnation did not come from God but from myself. I was angry, bitter and resentful of every other woman. I turned my back on God, I lost my identity as to who I was in Christ and tried to kill the pain with anything that would come my way. I began to agree with Satan’s lies that were clouding my mind that said "I deserved this punishment"; "God didn’t love me"; "God had abandoned me". As my soul was being consumed in darkness. I could not see any purpose in my life, so why did I want to live? Each day I could feel the spiritual battle within my soul, crying out to God to help me survive.

STRIPPED AND SCOURGED

Like Jesus I shared in the stripping of my womanhood, the tormenting grief that scourged my soul trying to accept this cross of not being able to have a child, a gift that I could not give to my husband. With my tiny "mustard seed of faith", I began to surrender and let go of my CONTROL. I longed for healing and freedom from this pain. I had nothing left to believe in BUT God. I remember hearing over and over again that God’s word would give "LIFE" to anyone who reads it. I opened my Bible and this is the passage I read:

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. (Matthew
21:22)

Did I really believe in God’s word to me?

CROWNED WITH THORNS

It was God’s promises that gave me strength to prepare me for what was to come. Six months following all my loss I was diagnosed with a disease called endometriosis. For ten long years I had numerous surgeries, many experimental drugs and painkillers. Physically my body was shutting down and I developed another disease called fibromyalgia, severe sinus problems, blinding eyesight and numerous other physical ailments. Like Jesus who was mocked and beaten by Roman soldiers, pressing the thorns of the crown deep into his head, Jesus endured more pain and more wounds. The crown of thorns that became the crown of glory for God. As I endured more deep surgical cuts and burns within that felt like thorns piercing within my whole being, I would cry out to Jesus for strength in this time of suffering, not knowing that God my Father was placing a crown of glory upon my head for a ministry that would touch many other souls.

CARRYING THE CROSS

Physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted, my soul was in darkness. Depression set in for ten long years entertaining thoughts of suicide. Like Jesus, I fell many times, many times God would pull Simon of Cyrene’s out of the crowd to help carry my cross. Prayer warriors who would be on their knees, praying unceasingly for my deliverance, crying out to the Holy Spirit in groans on my behalf. I now realize that my prayers can save a soul as I lift them up into God's hands.

DEATH- DYING TO SELF

Prayers that were answered as I made my way to the foot of the cross. I surrendered ALL of myself as I died to "self". I wanted to live, not die, I wanted a real relationship with God, no more masks. At the cross I gave God permission to do whatever it was going to take to set me free. As I pondered on Jesus hanging on the cross I remember the words he spoke to all those who had persecuted and condemned him, "Father forgive them they know not what they do". I then repented of every sin I knew of, forgave myself and all others who had hurt me. I have learned that there is no sin that is so detestable that God will not forgive it. No distance from him is so remote that his love cannot span it. We are never so corrupt that he will not embrace us and show us mercy when we turn to him. Like Jesus I was faced with the question? Was I going to embrace this cross and let it be an instrument of my salvation, or was I going to let this cross be an instrument of torture? I choose to embrace this cross knowing that Jesus will be there to embrace me in his arms.From Philippians 3:10, I realized that all I wanted was to know Christ, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his suffering and become like him in his death, in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life. I have come to know that when I am suffering I am the closest to Jesus that I will ever be.

Why Suffering?

I have come into a personal intimate relationship with Jesus where I have shared in a death and now share in a new resurrected life, healed and set free. I welcome trials as a privileged time to once again become intimate with Jesus, clinging to the healing power of the cross. I invite YOU to come before the cross, embrace the cross you are carrying right now and let Jesus embrace you.

Love,

Lorraine

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

DO YOU RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE IN A SPIRITUAL BATTLE?

As I travel sharing this ministry I have met many people in bondage because of one great big lie… SATAN DOES NOT EXIST! I can truly relate to these people for I too believed the same lie. I always heard about God’s love at the pulpit but never heard about Satan, the father of lies. I kept “beating myself up” because I was not aware I was in a spiritual battle for my soul. Satan wants us to go to hell and God wants us to be in heaven. I have committed myself in this ministry to educate and bring awareness to as many people as I can; to help save souls.

HOW CAN I HELP MYSELF IN SPIRITUAL BATTLE?

God reminds me that I must always focus on his son Jesus Christ who will set me free. John 8:36 tells me “when the Son sets you free you will be free indeed”. But God also understands my humanity that falls into temptation and sin. I praise God for the weapons he has provided for my spiritual battles; weapons that have given me victory to claim back my freedom.

GOD’S WORD IS “TRUTH”

We are encouraged to put on the mind of Christ. Don’t be legalistic in your thinking like I was saying “I have to do it for God”. I learned “I have to do it for me”. (Colossians 3:1-4)

God’s word is like a two edged sword that cuts through all darkness where the spirit and the soul meet. (Hebrews 4:12)

Jesus used scripture to fight the temptations of the devil. (Matthew 4:1-11)

If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)

AUTHORITY is given to us…(2 Corinthians 10:4-5) We are encouraged to take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.

THE BLOOD OF JESUS

Protection is found in the blood of Jesus. Pray that the blood of Jesus be poured upon the ones you love. In Exodus 12:13, God asked Moses to put blood on the doorposts of their houses to protect them from death and darkness. This blood was a sign of “passover” from death to life, from slavery to freedom. This is celebrated every Easter

THE NAME OF JESUS HOLDS POWER.

The devil hates the name of Jesus, when he hears it he runs!

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)

PRAYER

I have found that when I am in my darkest moments, I try to pray for someone who is suffering. God brings me out of the darkness and back into light. Prayer can be in many forms. Spontaneous, contemplative, community, scripture, silence, in song, and sometimes just weeping for soul

Rejoice always, never cease praying, and always give thanks such is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Finally, build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power. Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the devil’s evil tricks. For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers of this dark age. So stand ready with TRUTH as belt tight around your waist, RIGHTEOUSNESS as your breastplate, READINESS and the zeal to announce the good news, FAITH as your shield, SALVATION as a helmet and the WORD OF GOD as the sword which the spirit gives you. Do all of this in PRAYER, asking for God’s help. (Ephesians 6:10-17)

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, WIN THE RACE, CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!

Love,
Lorraine