Beware of a fence between you and Heaven...

Ok, so the title is a pun=) Oh puns! =) Anyhoo...
The Lord has been impressing upon me these last couple months the importance of repenting for taking an offense, in addition to forgiving people.
I don't know if it has ever happened to you, but I have forgiven someone for something, released them to Jesus for judgment and then still feel pain if the incident comes back to my mind. I started feeling the weight of offense a couple months ago, and so I repented for taking an offense.

Then I went to a prophetic teams meeting at my church and this lovely lady C. M. was talking about something someone had did while she was on teams that really hurt her. She walked through forgiveness, but she was still very hurt whenever she would think of it. And many times when she was trying to enter into God's presence during worship she kept thinking about this person and what they did. Finally, she mentioned it to some leaders and someone asked if she had forgiven the person, and she said yes. And later she had the revelation that she had taken up an offense with this person. So she quickly repented (Father, I repent for taking an offense and I ask for forgiveness). Then she thought there were probably a bunch of people that she had taken an offense with, so she asked the Lord to bring people to her mind and they did! And she repented! And she said she has experienced the greatest open heaven and joy in her life ever since!!! Glory to God, who wants so much for us to know Him intimately!!!

So needless to say, hearing this was very encouraging, because it was exactly what the Lord was taking me through as well!!! Yee haw!
So what is offense?
skandalizō - Greek - Strongs 4624

1) to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, metaph. to offend

a) to entice to sin

b) to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey

  1) to cause to fall away

  2) to be offended in one, i.e. to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority

  3) to cause one to judge unfavourably or unjustly of another

c) since one who stumbles or whose foot gets entangled feels annoyed

  1) to cause one displeasure at a thing

  2) to make indignant

  3) to be displeased, indignant

Used:

Matthew 11:6: "And blessed is he who does not take offense⁴⁶²⁴ at Me" - Jesus is speaking

Matthew 17:27: "However, so that we do⁴⁶²⁴ not offend⁴⁶²⁴ them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me ." - again Jesus is speaking 

pasha - Hebrew - Strongs 6586

Proverbs 18:19: A brother offended⁶⁵⁸⁶ is harder to be won than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.

One thing I conclude from the definition, is that we don't want to be offended with anyone, especially Jesus, God, Holy Spirit=) I have found that some of the veils spoken of in 2 Corinthians 3:18 are offenses with God, veils that we have where we do not see God as He truly is...

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

When we behold the face of the Lord, we are transformed and veils between us are removed!!! 

Father, I ask for myself and everyone who reads this, that we may encounter You and see Your face. I ask for more interactions with Heaven. I pray off veils and scales in Jesus' name from our eyes, that we can see clearly. I praise You and I thank You so much for all You are working and doing. I bless You Abba, I bless You! 

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

And so, Beloved ones in whom God loves, loves, loves. Let us continue to forgive and release people to Jesus for judgment and to change them, and no longer hold them  in bitterness and offense. Repent if needed and listen to the Robinson's - KEEP MOVING FORWARD into love!!!!

Rejoicing over Repentance

Now, this is not a new concept for sure, however it hit me this morning more than ever. Today's scripture reading came from Luke 15.

In pride I have had tendencies upon reading/hearing certain passages of scripture thinking they didn't apply to me.
For example the prodigal son found in Luke 15... I still remember watching the Donut Man as a youngster and seeing their rendition of this story and thinking... "That isn't fair!" Relating to the older son much more than having compassion on the younger brother that spent money on relations with women. I honestly never understood the implications here until I was in college and I heard Jason in IVCF speak about the son and God's love. I really suggest reading it, possibly again... blueletterbible.org is your friend!=)
I did not recognize the sin that was in my heart: judgmental-ism, pride, control, manipulation, fear of man, to name a few. Because I never drank or smoke, etc... I thought I was the righteous one. But this is very wrong and dangerous thinking my friends. I can fully tell you that "Pride comes before the fall". It is by God's grace over my life that I haven't ever been drunk with wine, and I pray by God's grace I never will. I think one of the most freeing sermons I ever heard was Rick Joyner stating that by God's grace he has never cheated on his wife, and by God' s grace he prayed he never would! Praise God for this man! We have the capability inside each of us for EVERY sin! If we have not done a particular sin,  God's grace is in us helping us make good decisions. We partner with God in doing good. You can be the most powerful team on Earth, if Jesus is who you stand with.
Jesus was branded for our transgressions - the outward, manifested sin
and bruised for our iniquities... the inward heart bent toward sin
Ana Mendez says iniquity is part of our spiritual DNA, and I think she is right. If there are things I have not repented for, the heart bent towards those sins will be passed on to my children for them to deal with. There are consequences for our sin. And Jesus became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ! So God's grace is with everyone in differing degrees. God gives us free-will to choose the right thing or not, and there are consequences. Once we repent and uproot the iniquity in our hearts His grace and joy can fill those spots! Hurray!

So anyways, back to Luke 15, he he, there are the 3 parables Jesus gives after the religious leaders grumble because Jesus is chilling with sinners.

• First is the sheep, leaving 99 sheep to retrieve the lost one. 

At the end Jesus says, "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."

• Second is the Lost Silver Coin.

At the end Jesus says, "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

• Third is the Prodigal Son.

At the end Jesus says, "But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'" 


Every time I repent, turning my heart towards God and away from my bad attitudes, pride, selfishness... there is rejoicing in heaven. The angels are moved to joy. The reality is every time we turn away from God we become like the lost sheep, lost coin, the lost son. Every time I feel the selfishness to drink all the chocolate milk and not save any for my darling husband, I am turning away from the Lord! But if I take this moment and repent for selfishness, there is rejoicing! Rejoicing, and joy joy joy!!!!
Submit to God, resist the devil - and he will flee from you.
Thank You Abba for Your kindness that leads us to repentance, and for showing us this piece of what heaven is like.

Oaks of Righteousness

Well, today I was reading these verses that I just love I got a new picture.

Please excuse the drawing, inkscape is hard for me to maneuver, ha ha=) (and the middle plant I found, I didn't draw)

^{Who among you is wise and understanding?}

^{Let him show by his good behavior, his deeds, in the gentleness of wisdom.}

^{But if you have bitter jealously and selfish ambition in your hearts. Do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.} 

^{This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.}

^{For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.}

^{But the wisdom from heaven is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable (or willing to yield), full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.}

^{And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.}

^{James 3: 13-18}

^{Take a moment to visualize (well if you are a visual learner- ha ha).[ I have found that I have an EXTREMELY difficult time remembering someone's message if they don't tell a story that I can watch as they speak. It could be one of the most amazing sermons ever, but I remember the ones with a visual context.]}

^{Visualize what it looks like to speak with purity and gentleness and willing to yield. Picture what it is like to speak from bitterness, jealously and selfish ambition. If you have spoken from these things... repent(turn) and move forward into Love. Repentance is one of the greatest gifts we have been given with Jesus! True conviction from Holy Spirit leads to hope and life, if you are feeling condemned for something, that my friends is NOT Jesus, Father God, or Holy Spirit!!!!!!! (Who are One God - Elohim - the plurality of Majesty- who created the world - but different facets). Ok, sorry, tangent=)} 

^{Ha ha, so we are visualizing...}

^{Seriously, take a moment to read the verses again, Holy Spirit will you give us further understanding and revelation about what this means...}

^{Thank You Lord!} 

^{There is a group that begun over a year ago, The Oak Initiative, to awaken the Church and raise up the oaks of righteousness.}

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:3 

^{Could it be, that to be these oaks of righteousness that are being raised up to display the LORD's splendor, we must walk in the principles outlined in James above? My hearts desire, God help me, I need Your grace, is to walk in wisdom from heaven with purity, peace, gentleness... Father, give us revelation, and help us walk in this place in Jesus' name.}

^{Let it be so!}(Amen)