When you have nowhere else to run........

The Lord gave me a vision of a man walking thru a city.  He walked and he walked, then he spotted his shadow behind him as the day turned into evening.  He continued to watch the shadow and slowly began to run.  He ran as if he were being chased by a demon, yet nothing was chasing him but his own shadow.  Now and again he walked looking behind him again and cringed at the sight of the shadow. Oh how he wanted to be out of the darkness of that shadow.

The man ran until there was no more city to run in.  All of a sudden he comes to a desert and walks  with a glaring sun overhead and the man's shadow disappears.  The man is relieved from the lack of the shadow.  He is excited that he can walk in freedom without the shadow chasing him and begins to walking at a slower pace.  Soon he is walking even slower as the sun depletes him of his last bit of energy, the last bit of hydration in his body is dripping off his face as he slowly falls to the ground.  No energy left in his body from the glaring heat and dry air, he feels as if he can walk no further.  He now regrets leaving the shadow behind, for where their was a shadow their was relief from the intense heat.
As the man does, we think that the light of the sun is the ulitmate revelation of our purpose....the success of our lives, the world in which we live that we believe can fulfill us, sustain us, and satisfy us. Yet it overpowered his senses as he can only manage what his bodies can absorb.
In the distance the man sees a large shadow on the horizon and begins to crawl towards it.  After what seemed hours, he finally reaches what in reality is a cave.  Funny, he was running from his shadow and the darkness that was within it, yet he moves towards the darkness of the cave to find relief from the light.  Filled with ultimate relief he crawls inside and sobs as his body slowly begins to adjust to the coolness and darkness within the cave.

After he has rested a bit he attempts to light a fire.  Ironic, he ran from his shadow into the light, now back into the darkness he finds relief yet is trying to bring light back into the darkness.  He strikes a match and lights a fire and the flames begin to burn.  As they burn he relaxes and watches the light dance on the walls of the cave as drafts of wind hit the flame it burns brighter and dances higher.  He watches and reflects that he is now in the presence of both light and darkness.  The light causes his body to warm and be comforted at the same time allowing him to see and become familiar with his surroundings.  He lies and wonders why he feared the shadow so much, yet why did he also could not tolerate the light of the sun.  Such is our life.  We run from the shadows of our past, trying to find a way out from our hidden sins and our burdening behaviors.  We try to find purpose for our life and the intense light of this world is what we are drawn to.

We think that the light of the sun is the ulitmate revelation of our purpose....the success of our lives, the world in which we live that we believe can fulfill us, sustain us, and satisfy us. Yet it overpowers our senses as we can only manage what our bodies can absorb.

At Peace the man continues to seek his heart for revelation of why he has sought to run from the shadow, why he ran to the sun, and now why he seeks the peace and quietly lit cave.  As Elijah found the Lord in the cave after running and seeking Him everywhere else.

You too can find the Lord in the peaceful place of rest, whereever you have finally stopped, exhausted, refusing to or unable to go on.  When you are finally tired of running from your past, running from your sins, tired of the platform of the world bearing down on you and sucking all that you have to offer from you, then you can find the Lord while He may be found as Elijah did.  Elijah had looked for him in the wind, he had looked for him in the rain, he had looked for him in the earthquake, but had not found him until he entered the cave and the Lord spoke softly to him.....leading his way.  The Lord ultimately sent him back the way he had come...but this time he went with the voice of the Lord speaking peace to him when the shadows came, speaking peace to him when the wind was scourching him....now he had the Still Small Voice of Jesus Christ to follow after.

1Ki 19:9

There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?

Make Jesus your new Years Resolution in 2012

I know...I'm just as guilty as everyone else but it begins to get tiresome, every year it seems I make a NEW New Year's resolution, or I remake an old New Year's resolution only to fail.  How many New Year's resolutions have I made that actully worked, that Isaw thru until the end, that ended just like Ihad planned?  Not very many I would guess.

Why do we make New Year's resolutions, why do we make promises to change at the end of every year? I think it's because we feel dead inside, or in bondage and we want something new and invigorating for the New Year.  I think this is especially true after Christmas.  We put so much stock in Christmas and all of the anticipation for all of the marvelous gifts that we will receive, only to be disappointed because they bought us the wrong blender, or the purse was the wrong color, or the coat didn't fit. We need something to hope in, something that we think will fill a void that is left in us after the let down of the material, worldly let downs.

These lead us to being sad and disappointed, thus a resolution to make the new year different, better, and in the end to make ourselves or our life better or different in the end.

So what are the resolutions that we make?  The first one that I think comes to everyones head is to lose weight?  Admirable, and a healthy goal.  But the crux of the matter is you need to determine why you need to lose weight.  Is it to feel better, breath better, look better, be healthier, or to fit into those jeans from 10 years ago that you just need to give to someone younger and thiner.  But, ultimately, why are we unhappy with our bodies.  I believe it is because too much of our identity is wrapped up in our looks and what others think of us.  Jesus says:

Luke 12:22-24 - then Jesus said to his disciples: "therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23:Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24:Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 

So if we listen to Jesus...he says that our focus shouldn't be our body or what we eat, but who we are and living with him.  He is in charge of making sure we have what we need including food, so if we focus on him, and not the food that is always in front of us, he will make sure we keep our appetites in check.
The next new years resolution that I think I've often made is to find success.  What is success?  Who determines what success is? Are we talking about earthly success or heavenly success?  I think again we are looking to fill a void and find our identity in the success that our culture tells us we need Corporate America teaches us that to be successful you must sell your soul for their company and live for the company.  The word of God says that our success comes from the Lord, not from this world.

2 Ch 26:5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.
It's when we seek people or seek approval that we become addicted to success and need that success as some need food.  If we make Jesus our the center of our life, He will give us success.  That may not be the success that our culture tells us we need, but it will be a success that is everlasting

The next resolution that I know I have made, is to treat people better and to show the love of Jesus to them.  The key to this one is to do it thru His power and Word and not our own strength or understanding.  When we feel like we cannot possibly love those that He has put in our path, He can give us the grace to supernaturally love like never before.

Jesus says: Phil 4:12 and 13 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. <b>I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

He will give us His strength and His Grace to love those that are unlovable. 

So what are these resolutions doing for us?  Possibly making us more depressed because we don't seem to be able to keep them.  I am excited to say, that if we make Jesus Christ our New Years Resolution, we can keep them.  He is our strength, our motivation, our power, our discipline, our inspiration our encourager.  Thru Him, not thru myself, I can accomplish anything.  To do this, our eyes must be on HIM, for He is the author and finisher of our Faith, our purpose, our life, our eternity.  We are nothing without Him..He gave up His son so that we could live forever with Him.  But yet we continue to search for fulfillment in the things of this world, the material gifts from others, the successes that man says we must have and the physique that this culture says we should have.

But...all we need is Jesus - He is my 2012 New Years Resolution.  I want Jesus, I want to share Jesus, I want more revelation of Jesus and I want to meet him in the sky....soon!!!
Make your 2012 New Years Resolution Jesus.  I promise you, the other things will fade and not be as important. Christ will give you new desires that are fulfilled thru Him and they will be secondary once you truly see the love He has for you and the purpose He has placed on your life.

Jesus- the New Year Resolution

Anticipation - 2012

I've spent a lot of time this Christmas reminiscing over Christmas celebrations in the past and thinking about this Christmas. What has changed, what is the same and what is going to change yet in the future.  A little like The Christmas Story I guess, however the focus is a bit different than trying to put my life in order like the character from the movie.

At service last week I began to think about Christmas past at my father’s church.  Advent services were so very special to me.  A week by week encounter with the meaning of Christmas and a building of anticipation as we approached Christmas and the true celebration of His birth.  So much pomp and circumstance with lights, banners, choral performances, musicals, plays, children’s performances and so much more.

My father and mother painted a grand picture of the birth of Christ for us as children and truly instilled in us the importance of His birth and how it changed the course of mankind for all of eternity.  Each evening we would sit around the advent wreath, light that weeks candle and read a portion of the scripture which approached His birth.  The suspense was building, the anticipation was building, and the wonder and awe were building.

It wasn't about the Christmas gifts, truly it wasn't.  It was so much about anticipating his first coming and ultimately His second coming.  What a great time of awe and wonder and innocence.  I heard a sermon today that in order to keep that awe and wonder, we must share with others the story and history behind our own understanding of  Christ's birth and His return and by sharing and watching others discover the awe, we relive it and keep it alive.

My only concern here is do people really even want the awe and wonder.  Have we become so enamored with our material things, our busy lifestyle and our earthly successes, that we have forgotten that we would have none of it without Him.  We spend all Christmas season searching for gold, silver, lights, beauty, fun, fellowship, fulfillment, new gidgets and gadgets and the latest crazy geeks toy, that we miss that we already have the gift that we are meant to have that fulfills all of our needs, and we don't even realize it.

Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, who is more precious than all silver and gold, who will one day rule all heaven and earth.  Why are we looking for gifts from others, when the greatest gift is already ours, free and non-returnable.  Jesus Christ - the Greatest Gift of all time. Let us continue to search for him, to seek revelation about him and to await His return with anticipation and joy.  Be Blessed this Christmas season as you await His return.

Prophecy Given December 7th, 2011 - City on Fire

My Children,

Know that I am about to send a great fire upon the city of Kansas City.  A fire unlike any other fire in history will come upon my children, those that are walking with me, and those that have not yet turned to me.  The things of this world that have hindered my children from walking fully in my ways will be burned off of as dross is burned off of precious metal.  As my fire, which is My Spirit, falls upon your hearts the things of this world will bubble up and be burned off.  These are things that have hindered you from your full purpose; greed, depression, distractions of this world, money, success, houses, cars, jobs, children, addictions, immorality, religion, lack of understanding, forgiveness.  All of these, as shackles around your feet, will be burned in the fire.  As the shackles were burned off in the fiery furnace, so shall these be burned from you and free you to follow me with your whole being.

My fire will consume this city as a wild fire consumes a forest. My Spirit will consume the hearts of these people, burning within them so intensely it will cause them to seek release, thus causing them to run to the refreshing waters that await them.  Seeking relief from the intensity of my love, they will run to the refreshing waters and find even more love.

The fire will multiply…it will multiply in this city, in this nation and in this world.  Refreshing Waters will multiply, in this city, in this nation and in this world. All of this for one purpose, to multiply my Kingdom, to multiply my people.

December 7, 2011

As given to Karina Ruthenberg

Dream 7-25-11

Dream from 7-24-11

I had a dream that I was driving to work on I435 south.  Almost immediately after getting on I 435 from Gregory I hit dead stopped traffic.  I could almost see it from overhead.  It reminded me of an armegeddon type movie where you see miles and miles of cars lined up, bumper to bumper on a busy freeway with no relief in site.  People were getting out of their vehicle and talking to each other.  The consensus was to not bother to try to head South or West because you would never make it to your destination.  It was the opinion of most that you might as well turn around at the nearest exit.

As I got closer to the triangle, I noticed two buses that looked like tourest buses or the buses of a celebrity.  Surrounding the buses were literally hundreds of police cars and ambulances. It looked as if the police had simply pulled the buses over and were "waiting" to proceed with anything futher at that time. I continued down the road and passed by the buses.

Once I crossed over the Grandview Triangle, I pulled off on 103rd to a bank and pulled into a parking lot.  This distance of  3 or 4 miles took 4 or 5 hours.  Once I got into the parking lot, I joined hundreds of others by getting out of my vehicle and chatting about what was occuring.  Some stated that they had heard that there were several manholes or openings on the interstate that had been pried open and a man from one of the buses had been seen throwing a large package into the hole and then running from it.

At this point, the police and media were encouraging everyone to return to their homes and stay until further information could be given.  I woke up....I had no fear, but feel that it is somewhat prophetic.  I don't have the interpretation, but will be watching.

Put your hands to the plow and don't look back!!!

What has the Lord called you to?  What has the Lord put on your heart?  How many times have you had someone come into your life and you knew that you were to speak into their lives. How many times have you heard a still small voice, only to ignore it because you believed it to be your own mind and not the Lord.

Have you ever heard the Lord speak life into you and you so desperately wanted to share that life with others, but maybe you shrunk back. Has the Lord spoken to you about your job, to speak boldly to someone, to take a step of Faith, but you shrink back? What does it take to move from the fleshly dimension of fear and failure, to the spiritual dimension of Faith and boldness?

When we are preparing for a marathon race, we condition our bodies, we give it the right fuel, we get our mind in the right place to take us forward.  You have to do the same thing with moving out in Faith.

You have to feed your Spirit with Spiritual food, which might actually mean you have to fast earthly food in order to be able to fill up on the Spiritual food that the Lord has for you. Oftentimes, we are so full of the earthly food, earthly materialistic garbage and earthly successes that we have no room or time for us to fill up with the Lord's bread of life.

When preparing for a marathon you have to exercise and stretch your body...when preparing for a spiritual marathon, you have to exercise your Faith.  If your Faith is weak and hasn't been exercised, like an atrophied muscle, it may not be able to hold you up, or carry you.

And last, but not least, in order to run a marathon, you must have your mind prepared. You must be prepared to tell yourself to push on when you are at the point of quitting.  When you are preparing are walking in spiritual marathons, you must prepare your mind.  You must feed it with the living word and fill it with the living water.  The Lord says that He has all that we need to run the race.  We must decide to step out in faith believing that what the Lord has in store for us is better than anything that is behind us.

We know what happened with Lot's wife when she looked back.  If the Lord has called you to fulfill a purpose, put your hand to the plow, and don't look back.

Expand My Territory

Lord,  it's been awhile since I've written anything or taken the time to really put pen to paper on what you are speaking to me.  How many times I've heard your still small voice, yet I have not written it down for future remembrance or to use to encourage others in their Faith. 

But this week, ahhh, I know I heard your voice, not audibly, but in so many different ways.  A book from my past given to me to re-read with highlighted portions that you spoke to them concerning me.  What an awesome kiss from you!!  A sermon that validated and confirmed everything that had been spoken to me from that book and more.  And finally, as I walked in my yard last evening to seek you in prayer and seek your face, 4 deer walked across my front lawn and into the neighbors.  I heard in my mind,

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee.
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee.


You Lord, are my hearts desire, and I do long to worship you. Father, I long to see you in every situation and to care more about your thoughts than mine.  I long to see you in those around me and to encourage them in their Faith. Yet, I fail so often.

So, I wonder, even though when I have sweet, sweet worship and sweet relationship with you, why do I wait so long to come back and run into your arms?  Why do I choose to watch T.V. instead of spend time with you.  Lord, I pray that you would create a desire and a passion so strong in me for intimacy with you, that nothing else will satisfy and only you can fill.

In light of all that, Lord I cry out to you the Prayer of Jabez.

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand

be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.  1 Chronicles 4:10

 Oh Lord, if we could only comprehend what you see when you see us cry out to you for your blessing.  We are so taught that to ask for Blessing is selfish and self centered.  But, you desire that we ask for Blessing so that we can be poured out on those around us.  Instead...we become selfish anyway and instead of following your Word to ask for those Blessings, we worry about missing our favorite television show, missing out on the sale at Macy's or just missing out on time.  If we would only seek you first, cry out for the Kingdom Blessings that you long to pour out on us, and ask for you to redeem our time so that we can offer it up to you for your use.

Lord, free me from the clutches of this World.  The gravitational pull of this culture that screams at us day and night to perform better, spend more, shove more into each day and to fill our minds with the mindless, senseless entertainment that barrages our every waking minute.  

Lord, I don't ask for you to expand my territory so that I can be more busy, more stressed out, or more overwhelmed with the constand barrage of stuff to do....I ask that you expand my territory so that I can have an impact on the physical realm that you have given me dominion over and influence in.

I say Yes Lord Jesus!!