A Word to the House

For many of you the following is a something that you have already seen. Linda Butler shared it with us earlier today through an email. I was so encouraged by both her openness in sharing her heart and by the Word itself, that I just had to post it on here. I like to think of this blog as a sort of scrapbook of what God is doing in the midst of our company of women at First Assembly. So I felt it appropriate to post it here. So here we go....


From Linda's email...
"This is reality in my Spirit. Dwell together, come together, corporate, one accord - arise, stand, come. The Words we have received corporately - the sermons- laying down burdens for transformation, deliverance, healing - "BUT GOD". . . . The drawing out of our giftings by the Spirit. Ears and eyes have been opened. Senses heightened. The touch of God is upon us for HIS glory . . . . . ."

The Trumpet by Bill Burns -- April 23, 2007: You are entering a corporate time that will be like the feast days of old. This will be an appointed time of My visitation and presence to open the door of blessing to My people, says the Lord. When you come together with hungry hearts -- where the brethren dwell together in unity -- there the blessing is commanded. There shall be a feasting upon My Word. Not only will the power of My glory be upon you, but in that glory you shall be transformed, you shall receive the blessing. You shall receive deliverance, and you shall receive new revelation of your gifting. I will begin to draw these gifts out of your innermost being like a river of life. As you turn your hearts toward heaven, lifting Me up, there shall come a glorious transformation in this season, says the Lord of Hosts.

Did you hear it? I spoke to you in the beginning of this year, says the Lord, and did I not say to you that in this year you would hear the sound of heaven? What then would you believe would happen when you heard the sound of heaven? I am walking among you to touch you (listen for the sound of my footsteps) and only one touch is all it takes for the dead to arise and for the lame to walk and for the blind to see and for the sick to be made whole. One touch, My people, is all you need from Me. Listen, then for the sound of heaven, whether it be a mighty, rushing wind or the sound of worship among My people or the sound of the crackling of the fire that purifies or the sound of the flow of the living water. If you can hear the sound you can expect My touch to follow, which will bring health to your bones, strength to your body, victory to your circumstances, and then My glory shall rest upon you. Arise, you who have been down-trodden. Arise with hope in your hearts. Stand before Me. Come in faith and boldness, knowing that all that is required is that you believe.

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns - - April 23, 2007: I have caused you to rise up and let your light shine. I have stirred your heart. And, you have responded. You have risen up in your heart. You were sitting down, and now you are standing up in your inner man. You will open your mouth, and I will fill it as you pray My will. I am well pleased, beloved, says the Lord! Psalms 81:10 I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

In Response to the VA Tech Shootings...

By: Ed Young
Pastor, Fellowship Church, Dallas, TX

America is once again sadly united in grief as we learn more about the deaths of 33 students and faculty members on the campus of Virginia Tech. When tragedy strikes in such devastating proportions, it’s natural for us to look heavenward and ask, “Why?” And that’s exactly where we should be turning with our questions and doubts, because this fallen world will never be able to supply the answers we need in times like these.

The shootings yesterday prompted me to revisit my journaling from the morning following September 11, 2001. During that time, God spoke these truths to me:

EVIL IS RAMPANT. Because we are created in the image of God, we have been given a free will. True love is not a forced love, and we have the opportunity to choose. We either choose to love God or we don’t. Those who have not come into a relationship with him have turned their backs on God. Some individuals have gone so far in their rebellion that they are way out there in never-never demonic land and evil is rampant. So, God didn’t cause this. Evil did.

GOD IS IN CONTROL. God was not surprised by what happened yesterday. The Psalmist said this in Psalm 103:19, “The Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all.” In his sovereignty, God is calling the shots and we don’t have to worry. He is in control and wants us to trust Him with each and every aspect of our lives.

LIFE IS FRAGILE. When those students and faculty went about their usual morning routines yesterday, little did they realize that they would be stepping from this life to the next. We are not really prepared to live until we are prepared to die. The Bible says that one day we will stand before God and everything in our lives that is not built on people or the church, those two entities which will last forever, will crumble. This tragedy is a wake-up call for those of us who call ourselves believers to get serious about understanding the implications of walking with the Lord and to share that good news with the many people around us who are asking those deep questions of the soul.

GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY. One section of scripture has been the theme verse for the Young family for generations. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” God is trustworthy, and he is using this to draw people to him. It’s a good thing people are asking these questions, and we have an opportunity to further God’s kingdom. Don’t miss it.

Monday’s events are a reminder of the mission field of the body of Christ. There are lost and hurting souls all around us. Let us seize this sense of urgency to reach out to those in our community who so desperately need our Savior. And as we join together in this fight, we can’t forget to build strength for the battles ahead.

There are those of you who might be in the trenches of painful tragedies in your personal lives. These might not be of national proportions — airing on the evening news or printed in the local papers — yet the circumstances cause you to question God's plan and ask, "Why?" We should remember that with every question, we have the chance to deepen our walk with God and share the good news of His peace and comfort with the world.

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Draw close to Him. Celebrate what’s good. Savor each sweet day.
Philippians 4:4-9
The Message

The LORD is Gracious and Compassionate

Exodus 34:6
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS GOD, SLOW TO ANGER, ABOUNDING IN LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS,

2 Chronicles 30:9
If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is GRACIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him."

Nehemiah 9:17
They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, GRACIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE, SLOW TO ANGER AND ABOUNDING IN LOVE. Therefore you did not desert them,

Psalm 86:15
But you, O Lord, are a COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS God, SLOW TO ANGER, ABOUNDING IN LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS.

Psalm 103:8
THE LORD IS COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS, SLOW TO ANGER, ABOUNDING IN LOVE.

Psalm 111:4
He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is GRACIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE.

Psalm 145:8
THE LORD IS GRACIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE, SLOW TO ANGER AND RICH IN LOVE.

Joel 2:13
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is GRACIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE, SLOW TO ANGER AND ABOUNDING IN LOVE, and he relents from sending calamity.

Jonah 4:2
He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a GRACIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE GOD, SLOW TO ANGER AND ABOUNDING IN LOVE, a God who relents from sending calamity.

And if that wasn't enough, watch this:

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It Is Time to Rise Up Women of God!

March 3, 2007
Kim Clement
Dallas, Texas

God said, "I'm looking to women again to bring forth and to birth what will change a generation"

The Spirit of God says, "You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses--the greats of yesterday that stood out amongst men, amongst royalty, and made a difference--they are surrounding you. For there was a sound in each one of their spirits when they faced the giants of their time--that sound exists in this generation of women," says the Lord of Hosts.

"This sound is a sound of tenderness; this sound is a sound of bold gentleness. This sound is a sound that has petrified the powers of hell, for this same sound existed within Esther. The same sound existed within Deborah. The same sound existed in Mary when the Rock came forth, and satan has watched the women of this generation and said 'no more,'" but the Spirit of God says, "they will arise, and when they arise, they will bring forth the Rock, Christ Jesus again!"

As a prophet, I have heard the sound--In this day, and in this year of acceleration--women suddenly accelerating and touching the untouchable, and reaching the unreachable. That's what I saw and God said, "Tell these women, you are the instigators and the initiators of this movement that is about to touch the entire earth."

"It has been some time now," says the Lord, "that I have focused My attention once again on the women to bring forth the Word--the Rock. It has been a while now, that I have looked for a sound to come from a place where women would arise not with temperament, but with character and with virtue. And a sound that would come from them for one reason, 'God, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. And Lord, what You are dictating in Heaven right now, we want to perform on earth,' this is their prayer."

And God says, "There's been a sound that I've been waiting for, and this year was the year that I designated to bring forth women of great virtue and of great power. Some of you have been locked away; some of you have been bound. Some of you have been freed to the point of now understanding the bondage of others. But this is not the question at hand today."

The Spirit of God says, "Do you know that there is inside of you--about to be born that which has been there for a long time, for a long, long time," says the Lord. "And this time as women who worship come forth," God said, "there has been a quickening--something is moving inside the spiritual womb." Now God says, "This place has been transformed into a delivery room."

God says, "No, you will not walk from this place saying, 'I received much.' But you will walk from this place saying, 'I delivered something; I delivered something.' A delivery room, as you know, is a place of pain and a place of stress where there is blood," but God said, "in the midst of all of this, once the sound of life comes forth from the womb," God said, "something new, something fresh begins to take place in the atmosphere."

God said, "I'm looking to women again to bring forth and to birth what will change a generation. You have not gathered together in vain. What has happened, is you have brought forth and I hear the sound of a child being born. I hear the sound of a child being born. From your spiritual womb a movement shall take place," says the Lord, from this house.

His Agony and Our Fellowship

"Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, tarry ye here, and watch with Me." Matthew 26:36, 38

We can never fathom the agony in Gethsemane, but at least we need not misunderstand it. It is the agony of God and Man in one, face to face with sin. We know nothing about Gethsemane in personal experience. Gethsemane and Calvary stand for something unique; they are the gateway into Life for us.

It was not the death on the cross that Jesus feared in Gethsemane; He stated most emphatically that He came on purpose to die. In Gethsemane He feared lest He might not get through as Son of Man. He would get through as Son of God - Satan could not touch Him there; but Satan's onslaught was that He would get through as an isolated Figure only; and that would mean that He could be no Saviour. Read the record of the agony in the light of the temptation: "Then the devil leaveth Him for a season." In Gethsemane Satan came back and was again overthrown. Satan's final onslaught against our Lord as Son of Man is in Gethsemane.

The agony in Gethsemane is the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Saviour of the world. The veil is drawn aside to reveal all it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony is the basis of the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ is a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that Our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Every human being can get through into the presence of God now because of what the Son of Man went through.

[Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest]

The Ultimate Love Letter

Stand Tall and Shout Your Praise!

"By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus.
And that's not all!
We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us.
We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.
There's more to come!
We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.
In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged.
Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"
[Romans 5:1-5, The Message]

Our God Is GOOD

He is Elohim, Creator, the omnipotent who rules.
He is the sovereign King of Glory and earth is His footstool.
He is Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and the End.
He sends forth lightening that later checks back in with Him.
He speaks worlds into existence and spins them out in space.
He give orders to the morning and shows the dawn its place.
He prophesies the future, then orders it fulfilled.
He bears fruit from a landscape that man has never tilled.
He feeds the beasts of the field from the palm of His hand.
He watches while they bear their young, then teaches them to stand.
He gives the seas their boundaries and hides His creatures deep.
He teaches eagles how to fly and nest upon the steep.
He makes the clouds His chariot and rides on wings of wind.
He champions the victim and brings pound men to end.
He is Immanuel, God with us, come to earth through Christ.
He is the Kinsman Redeemer, who paid the slave man's price.
He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and worthy is the Lamb.
He holds the keys of Life Eternal, where the dead and Christ now stand.
He's enthroned between the cherubim, and great is His reward.
The devil His defeated foe, the weapon His swift sword.
The story has a moral so I'll hasten lest you tire,
Whoever you perceive He is, you might aim a little higher.

[Beth Moore, Believing God]

The Names of God

I recently did a Google search for the names of God. I got hundreds of thousands of results. One article came back with a list of over 600 names for God. I thought I'd share some of them with you each week until we get through them all. I figure that if I list 25 names a week, it will take us about 24-25 weeks to get through all the names of God listed in this article. So let's begin at the beginning with the A's...

1. A Branch (Jesus)
2. A chief cornerstone (Jesus)
3. A consuming fire
4. A covert from the tempest
5. A father to Israel
6. A God that hidest thyself
7. A Governor
8. A great high priest (Jesus)
9. A holy God
10. A jealous God
11. A just God and a Savior
12. A hiding place from the wind
13. A high priest of good things to come (Jesus)
14. A high priest over the house of God (Jesus)
15. A judge of the widows
16. A light to lighten the Gentiles (Jesus)
17. A living stone (Jesus)
18. A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief (Jesus)
19. A man of war
20. A merciful and faithful high priest (Jesus)
21. A merciful God
22. A mighty terrible one (In KJV, "terrible" means "awesome")
23. A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle (Jesus)
24. A nail in a sure place
25. A place of broad rivers and streams

I'm sorry that I don't have the Scriptural reference for each name. That would be nice. If there is one that seems odd to you, I encourage you to study the Word to see what It has to say on the matter. God will show you what He means. It is in the Word that we truly get to know the Father.

God Bless!

Don't Forget...

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A Pilgrim Song

I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from GOD, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
He won't let you stumble; your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
Not on your life!
Israel's Guardian will never doze or sleep.
GOD's your Guardian, right at your side to protect you--
Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moon stroke.
GOD guards you from every evil; he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now,
he guards you always.
Psalm 121 (The Message)

Your MAKER Is Your Husband

For your MAKER is your husband—
the LORD Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.

[Isaiah 54:4]


"It's a foolish woman who expects her husband to be to her that which only Jesus Christ Himself can be: always ready to forgive, totally understanding, unendingly patient, invariably tender and loving, unfailing in every area, anticipating every need, and making more than adequate provision. Such expectations put a man under an impossible strain. The same goes for the man who expects too much from his wife."

[Ruth Bell Graham in her book, It's My Turn]

[PSALM 27:4-6]

ONE THING
HAVE I DESIRED OF THE LORD,
THAT I WILL SEEK;
THAT I MAY DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.
TO BEHOLD THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD,
AND TO INQUIRE IN HIS TEMPLE.
FOR IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE
HE SHALL HIDE ME IN HIS PAVILLION;
IN THE SECRET PLACE OF HIS TABERNACLE
HE SHALL HIDE ME;
HE SHALL SET ME HIGH UPON A ROCK,
AND NOW MY HEAD SHALL BE LIFTED UP
ABOVE MY ENEMIES ALL AROUND ME;
THEREFORE I WILL OFFER SACRIFICES OF JOY
IN HIS TABERNACLE;
I WILL SING. YES, I WILL SING PRAISES TO THE LORD.

Are You Real or Authentic?

By Lisa Bevere

Are you looking for something more than the silk-flower version of your present Christian reality?

As I travel, I hear a lot of talk about the importance of being real and I have learned to question whether "real" is actually enough. I realized that something can be real without being authentic. A copy of a Monet is real, but it's not an authentic Monet. Part of being authentic is realizing the value of the original. Originals are the beginning of something. An example of an original is a genuine work of art, not a copy or a forgery. Do you realize there is something extremely unique and original about you? You need to be true to who God forged you to be.

I have grown a bit tired of controlled beauty. I know living flowers cost more to maintain, but I prefer experiencing a single rose over an entire bouquet of silk and plastic. Better yet, give me something alive and growing, and let me be part of making it blossom and bloom. Whether you embrace your uniqueness or live out your life as only a mixed forgery of the lives of others, is really up to you. But know this: the whole world is watching in the hope that you will be an original.

The great news is that to be original, authentic and genuine, we don't have to be flawless! Our flaws actually declare us authentic. In fact, if we represent ourselves as flawless, then we most certainly declare ourselves as a fake. No one is perfect, save God.

(Ladies, my girlfriend, Stacey (Toldeo, OH) came across this article on Lisa's website and thought of US! Whether you know it or not, you are making a difference in this world. There are other women out there who don't even know you, yet they are praying for you and your needs. NEVER allow yourself to feel alone. Be authentic as Lisa challenges and fulfill your life's greatest calling! I love you all! - Melis)

Colossians 3:17, 18

"And whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord."

Dear Woman of Destiny,

Blessings on you and grace for today!
I believe many of us, as women, miss the true meaning of [this verse]. The phrase "as is fitting in the Lord" can be translated to mean "for that is your duty as Christians," "because this is your service," or "this is what the Lord demands." Over the last twenty (plus) years of ministering with my husband, I have learned the true value of my place in the work of the Lord.
Serveral years ago, I had the opportunity to meet one of the most remarkable women in ministry. Her name was Maria. She is the wife of famed Argentine evangelist Carlos Annacondia. It was 1984; and my husband, Steve, and I were visiting Carlos' crusade in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina, The crusade was electric with excitement over the thousands of miracles, signs, and wonders that had been occurring. There was a large platform that stood six feet tall, set up at the edge of a huge field in the center of the city. On the platform stood the evangelist, with microphone in hand, preaching the uncompromising word of God. Steve and I grew as close as possible.
When we approached the stage area, I heard a rumbling coming from underneath the platform. About that time, someone came up to me and said, "Do you want to know the secret?" Puzzled and curious, I said, "Sure." It was then that he pulled back a curtain that surrounded the base of the platform. To my amazement, There were about two dozen ladies on their faces moaning, groaning, and weeping for lost souls. The kind gentleman then said, "I want you to meet the leader of these intercessors." He called to Sister Annacondia, who was under the platform.
I was embarrassed to have interrupted her intercession, but she gladly greeted me. She was small in stature, but mighty in God. The mother of nine children, Maria Annacondia has found her place in the ministry. I learned a valuable lesson that day. She wasn't interested in sitting on the platform where she could be seen by man. She was interested in sitting hidden, in obscurity, where she could be seen by God. That was her duty; this was fit in the Lord.

Jeri Hill
[Wife of Rev. Steve Hill, Evangelist of the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, Florida.]

And I'll Say of the Lord...

You are my shield...

My stregnth...

My portion...

Deliverer...

My shelter...

Strong tower...

My very present help in time of need!

He Has Made Me Glad

Welcome Beautiful Women of First Assembly

I am so excited to write this today! This is the first post on our brand new website! Hopefully this will become a wonderful resource to each of you in the months and years to come. Here you find everything related to the Womens Ministries of First Assembly of God in Elkton. We will post upcoming events, words of encouragements, funny anecdotes, and wise counsel. I know many of you have websites that you check everyday. Be sure to bookmark this page and check back often. There are no restrictions as to who can read this blog, so feel free to share it with anyone who may need an encouraging word. So take a look around... Enjoy your stay and we'll talk more soon!
Love,
Melissa