Tag Archives: freedom

Faith trumps worry!

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Good day!  I hope you are finding the time today to celebrate and remember all the dedicated men and women who have sacrificed their lives, their time, their bodies, and their hearts for the purpose of maintaining our freedom.  I appreciate them!

One particular soldier I would like to mention is our first grandson, Josh, who is currently training for the Navy SEALS.  He’s only 19, but his passion to serve God and his country is strong.

Thus far, it has been a grueling experience, unimaginable to most, but it seems the worst of his training is behind him!

It’s interesting what is behind our decisions and choices in life.

Living in Brooklyn and walking back and forth to school, Josh was once robbed at knife-point.  The perpetrator wanted the laptop Josh was carrying home.  He was about 8 or 9.  Thankfully he was not hurt… at least not physically.

Around that same time, the twin towers were struck.  Josh’s church, pastored by his other grandfather, was in Manhattan and so, he witnessed the devastation weekly.

The effects and fear of terrorism was very real for this little guy.

A few years later his family moved to England where is father secured a pastorate position. By then, however, the sentiment toward Americans had turned negative and Josh experienced hardship far too often in school BECAUSE of it.

All these things affected Josh’s faith in God, too.  For a few years, he seemed unreachable.  We worried at times about where all this would lead for him.

We worried because we couldn’t see the future.  We worried because our faith that our God is faithful and loving was not as strong as our fear.  We worried because we were afraid Josh’s wounds would dictate his choices negatively, as it did for us in our younger years.

Somewhere along the line, though, God quieted our hearts as we sought Him.  We didn’t know how all this was going to turn out … only that Josh had God’s favor, as did we, and thus we could count on the outcome to be a favorable one.

No one would have guessed that Josh would desire to try out for the SEALS.  When Josh announced his decision, the opportunity to shriek, “NO!!” rose large.  But we saw how determined he was, and even before enlisting, he trained hard.

When he was accepted into the program, straight from civilian life, we knew he would not need our worrying.  He would need our faith.

That’s what all our men and women need.

Thankfully we are persuaded that faith is a much greater force than worry.

And in what do we have faith? 

In our God who loves us, redeems us, and restores us from all brokenness, and even more, grants us the freedom for which we all long.

Remember the soldiers, today, and remember your God.

Holding God and you in brilliant remembrance!
Maryann

Accept Your Greatness!

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I have a verse to encourage you.  Remember when I wrote to you
about God making you great?

http://www.haveievertoldyou.com/you-are-destined-for-greatness

Read from Psalm 18:35  “…. Your gentleness and condescension have
made me great.” (Amp)

I hope you all know me well enough by now to know that I never
think our greatness is elevated above God’s!!  But we are the work
of His hands, and He has made us great.

Through His gentle, lovingkindness, mercy and favor…. He makes us great.  He has condescended Himself, meaning come from Heaven to earth on our behalf… to put His greatness in us.  Meditate on that today!

You have a significant part to play in His Master Plan! All you
have gone through, all you are blessed with, all your gifts,
strengths, and talents, are all jewels to fulfill your purpose.
God has made you great, and He desires you to accept that, embrace it, and walk in it!

Thank Him for it today and when life makes you
feel small and low, yell at the devil, “I am fearfully and
wonderfully made… I am marvelous… I am great…. by the power
and work of God Himself!”

God Has Breakthrough For You!

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Recently I had an experience I’d like to encourage you with.

Several of us went to a prophetic meeting at another church and had
a wonderful time of worship, teaching, and receiving some exciting
prophetic words.

After the service, on the way out, one of the participants came up
to me and complimented me on a shawl I was wearing. I loved the
shawl too, not just because it was hand woven cashmere, hand
embroidered, and gorgeous, but I bought it from a missionary pastor
after one of his trips to Nepal. I had never worn it before that
night because the weather had been too warm. I was very excited
that this night I could. To me, it felt like an anointed and
special shawl.

Well, it must have been, because without hesitation, I took the
shawl off and placed it on the shoulders of the woman saying,
“Here. It’s yours.”

It happened so quickly and naturally that giving it to her didn’t
even phase me. Except for feeling a blast of cold air once I went
outside, I almost didn’t even notice what had happened and gave it
no thought… until the next morning.

Now, I can’t say I know exactly why giving this shawl would be so
significant, but I think it is. I will share what’s been revealed
so far.

1. God’s nature is to give. Throughout scripture and in our own
experience, we know that God is a Giver. 2 Peter 1: 2-3 say that
God has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness, and
through His precious promises, we share in His divine nature.

And what is that nature? To be a giver.

Now, this is not startling news to any of you, I’m sure, as it
wasn’t to me. Which leads me to point 2.

2. For me, as much as I have known that it is God’s nature to
give, and thus it is my nature, too, I have not always been a very
giving person, at least of some things. I have had an easy time
giving my time, energy, heart, and money…. but, don’t ask me why,
giving away personal possession that I love, well that is not
something I do.

Ok, so maybe even that is not such a big deal. And so, what is?

3. For me, here it is:  Without my working at it, I had a
breakthrough! The natural giving away of my shawl was just a
manifestation of a breakthrough that had occurred a while ago. The
breakthrough allowed the free flow of God’s giving nature to flow
through me to bless this woman. And because I share in His divine
nature, I experienced no lack when I gave the shawl away.

Breakthrough takes down any barrier erected that inhibits the flow
of God’s powerful provisions and our true nature. I love and need
breakthroughs of all kinds.

4. How did the breakthrough occur? Well, it was part and parcel
of the revelation of favor. A revelation of favor produces
breakthroughs...not grind-it-out breakthroughs, but effortless
breakthroughs, breakthroughs that occur when you aren’t even
looking.

And, I guess this is the essence of my encouragement to you. Take
the favor of God seriously. It causes profound and life altering
changes.

Please, I couldn’t be more urgent about this…. seek God and ask
for a huge revelation of His favor. It is only in revelation that
you will feel its impact.

If you are not excited about favor, then you need a deeper
revelation about it. 2 Cor 5: 18-20 (AMP) tells
us God sent His Son to restore the world to favor! That is a big
deal! Paul urges us to lay hold of this favor! We are to be
releasers of His favor!

To help you lay hold as we are encouraged to do, I have written a
book. Many of you already have it. That’s wonderful, and if you
do, I would also ask you to do the exercises in it. God will take
you to the next step.

If you don’t have it, please don’t let a wimpy bit of money keep you
from experiencing more of all God has for you. I don’t say this to
make a buck, believe me! I just want you to experience how real
favor is. It is profound. It produces major transformational
breakthroughs. It also produces jobs, new housing arrangements,
connections, and lots, lots, more.

Who knows what your life would look like with an increased
revelation of favor?!

You are destined for GREATNESS!!

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I have a good word for you today!  If you actually read it and implement it… it may make a profound difference in your life!


Have you ever considered that you have seeds of greatness in you? Now, hear me out.  I’m not talking some “power of positive thinking” message, but a solid biblical truth, one you can actually bank on!

So, what entitles us to believe we have this greatness within us?  Of course, we are Christ’s, co-heirs with Him, new creatures, and made in the image of God.  What He has, we have.

But let’s look at another cool connection.

Galatians 3: 29 says,“And (since) you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

An heir receives what the successor had, in this case, the promise.

What is the promise?

The Lord said to Abram,


“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing… And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).

While Genesis does not say that God would make Abram great, but rather his name, let’s remember, a man’ s a name was his essence, his reputation, who he was.

Abram was blessed with the promise of greatness.

In the Hebrew text, GREAT means to be LARGE in body, mind, estate or honor;  to advance, exceed, increase, lift up, magnify, nourish, promote, and tower.

Those are some good words!  Of course, I don’t have to tell you, that all of this is to be in the context of love, not lording it over others.

God would have us be free to fully embrace our greatness, through Him, rather than reject it. He has given you permission!

Don’t agree with any other voice that says you are helpless, impotent, powerless, or insignificant.  Don’t let any circumstance rise up bigger than this truth.

Agree with God this week. The first step in manifesting a truth, is to believe it is true and receive it for yourself.


Ask God to grow you in it, His way.   Ask Him to help you see it more clearly; to even remove any blind spots you may have to your greatness.

It is a gift to you, from Him, and you need this mindset to walk in your true identity and fulfill His destiny marked out for you. You are important in His eyes, and those are the most important eyes to view us.

If you have a comment to this, or a story to share, I would LOVE to hear it!
Always in YOUR corner,
Maryann

God’s Word for 2010!

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I asked the Lord for a word to start off my year.  Maybe you would like it for you, too!  We can share!  Enjoy and if you have a comment, feel free!!

Maryann,
It’s time to take the land.  I am with you.  Bring who will come.  Many giants have already been fought and overcome.  The rest are meaningless and insignificant.  Their strength and might are mere illusions.  Do not cave in.  Hold your ground and move forward.  I am bringing you to a place you’ve never been before.  Do not think about the past any more.  Your future lies before you and it is good.  Do not fear, for I am with you.  I am always with you.  No more doubt about that.

There is much to be done, but you will see a super acceleration of it, an increased clarity, and a super efficiency.  Remove the clutter and that which holds you back.  I will show you.  I have been freeing your mind.  Do not let any lie settle back in.  You know the strategies of the enemy.  You know the assignments put against you.  I have taught and trained you to identify them

Elevate the hearts and minds of My people…. all My people.  I love them all. They are all special to me.  They all have My heart in them.  Don’t do them damage by exclusion.  There is enough of that, “for My sake.”  But it is not for My sake… it is a distortion.  I love all.  I came for all.  Do not put road blocks up for them, to hinder them.  I have given you insight to help tear road blocks down.  You have a special anointing to bless, to enrich, and to elevate.

Enjoy each phase of this process.  Do not fret anymore and be robbed of this joy.  Each moment has a building quality that will serve the next stage of life.

I see you done, and it is a beautiful thing.  You are My beauty.  I love the twinkle in your eye.  I love your silliness and your ability to laugh at yourself and your circumstances.

I love that you love Me and seek Me each day.  Do you know how that makes me feel?  Special.

Yes, that is what is important here in this time for us.  I feel special when you attend to Me.  (He lifts my face and kisses my forehead… there is a radiant glow on my face.)

Maryann, if only you knew just how much I love you.  You would have no fears.  My love for you is so complete, so satisfying, so hopeful, so good.  Things will come your way and try to buffet you, buy you have My insulation around you.  I will keep you protected and warm.

He only is my rock and my salvation.  He is my defense and my fortress.  I shall not be moved. Ps 62

Don’t worry about what you don’t know.  Look at it as an unfolding.  When you get to that part of the path, you will learn more.  I’ve got you covered.  Stay attuned to Me.  I will teach you all you need to know. Speak My love to the world.  Be released to hear Me.

I am released.  You are my joy, my Lord.  I am free.  I am free.  I am free.

Blessings to you all!

Maryann