Does anyone else get to a place in life where they think, “I’m good. I’ve forgiven everyone. I have a lot of peace in my life, a lot of joy?” The I’ve-learned-to-be-content-in-any-situation kind of feeling? Thoughts like, “I really have surrendered all of me,” go through your head.
Then you wake up … “Deeper still; Further in,” He says. This message came to me from Him on a one night mini-retreat. I knew three out of the eight ladies attending. As I prepared for the retreat, I kept hearing about forgiveness. I checked my own forgiveness meter and thought, “Nope, I’m good.” I thought, “Some of these poor ladies must need to forgive! Well, there is that thing with my family, but I am using healthy boundaries by keeping a distance.”
The week prior to my retreat, we were going on vacation, and we had invited some of the family. One of my loved one’s had, through his anger, caused a lot of fear to enter my life in childhood, and I wondered if I should invite him. I wanted to honor him and show him love. “Not a good idea, this time,” I thought. The last time I saw him, it didn’t go so well, and as a result, I had to set some boundaries for my family and myself. I invited him to lunch a few times, but he cancelled at the last minute. My heart was growing hard towards him without me even realizing it.
My childhood included a lot of difficult and fearful situations both physically and mentally. My girlfriend, Jill, had given me a prophetic word that included part of the 23rd Psalm, “You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies.” She believed it meant that in heaven all of this would not matter. I would have peace with this family member. I had forgiven him, but the continuing pain was building a wall in my heart. Little things would happen that would cause me to put another brick in the wall of my heart. His phone calls would usually revolve around his needs, “Will you pray for me to find a job?” and, “Let me tell you about my day.” I really wanted a relationship that would be mutually giving and receiving. However, our conversations seemed only one-sided. I had forgiven him many times, but lately I allowed myself to be offended by him. Did Jesus really mean seventy times seven? YEP, He sure did!
Starting the retreat off with worship, I had a vision of an old key being handed to me, and I was standing in front of a door. I inserted the key and opened the door. I heard Jesus say, “This room must be cleaned.” He then blew His breath into me. I love that about Jesus! He asks us to do something, not in our own strength, then empowers us to do His will by breathing the life into our spirit needed to complete the action. I thought, “Whatever does he mean? Oh, He must mean the other ladies here. I’m supposed to help them clean out a room in their heart that has some cobwebs! Yes, that must be it.” YEAH RIGHT!
Then I had a vision of two Roman guards bringing a man who was bloodied and bruised. They held him on either side and his face hung low, so I couldn’t see it clearly. Jesus was standing beside me. It was as if I knew that I was Pontius Pilate sitting on the human judgment seat against this family member. Jesus said, “It is your choice. What will we do with this man?” I knew that it was my choice, and I knew what my spirit wanted to say. I heard myself saying to the guards in my vision, “Set him free, wash him and put the finest robe on him then seat him at mmmmmmy taaaable,” I stuttered through the last two words. I had no problem releasing him or getting him cleaned up, but to sit with him and be afraid of what MIGHT happen? That was out of my comfort zone. Even scarier, this was out of my control??? This was going to be tough!
After worship, I looked at my journal, and there was a verse printed on the bottom of the page. Guess what it said, “You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.” Okay, God, I have heard that before. There is something about being a sacrifice, an innocent lamb. Forgiving the “unforgivable” seems to bring you so close to God that He anoints you with His presence. He fills your cup as you give freely to others as we have freely received. Love is unconditional, so it can be messy. I’m not responsible for other’s actions. However, I am called to love in all circumstances and that, my friend, I was not doing.
I realized I had done this “distancing” thing quite a bit in my life. You hurt me, and I’m not your friend. I see sin in you that I can’t control and I can’t be around you. It makes me uncomfortable to see through your dirt to the gold. I was not seeing through the lenses of love. The only problem with this attitude is that it isn’t honoring to Jesus. How can I be in unity with Jesus and my heavenly Father if I’m not doing what they are doing and saying what they are saying? Jesus made a habit of hanging out with the sick ones, the broken ones, the ones no one wanted to hang out with or call friends. In fact, that had been ME — very broken until His love covered me. I had a heart problem, and apparently the great heart surgeon had scheduled me for open heart surgery this weekend. Deeper still, further in He went.
When I shared this with the group, I was met with love and a whole lot of truth. I didn’t really want to hear it. One of my besties, Lisa, recommended I listen to a CD we had just purchased, and she also said, “This reminds me of the story of the servant who owed God millions and wanted a small debt to be paid to him. I think God called the guy wicked.” Well, frankly, that story ticks me off! Only she could say that to me without me going unhinged in this situation. Unless someone has walked through what you have, then it is difficult to hear that you are wicked when you have been abused, but there it is in the Book that I believe is absolute and true … in black and white. Not only is it in the Word, but I felt it in my spirit! Yes, I was wounded as a child. It was painful. I struggled with repentance on this issue because I was the child. I was an innocent victim, but sin is sin. I had a soul wound that was created by sin. Out of that wound, I was sinning. I have wounded others and broken most of the commandments. I was a professional sinner working for the other team, if you know what I’m saying. I have two children in heaven waiting on me because I made the choice to serve me. So how could I expect this debt to be paid to me? Okay, so this had to go, and I had to repent. My repentance was not a co-dependent, I’m a doormat, I need to “give up” to make others happy kind of repentance. This was God, the Magnificent, asking me to do something that would give me and my family the V for victory. Through forgiveness, I was taking my sword and chopping the head of the enemy off. Love that! Shining His bright light into a dark corner of my heart and to walk without carrying offenses. Sin has no hold on me! How could I say no? I would put my nets out once again on His word even though I was tired (Luke 5:1-7). I would believe that I was going to the other side no matter what the storm looks like (Mark 4:35-41). I would do it His way, the only way that leads to peace. Trust. He really does know best. God, I surrender all …again.
Our retreat leader said that God was breaking up the fallow ground of my heart, so I could be closer to Him. It’s always about my relationship with Him. It’s my whole heart that He’s after. He is jealous for our hearts!!! God was so gentle. “If I don’t wash you, you won’t belong to me,” He said (1 Peter 5:8). I thought I was already done with this, God! “Deeper still; Further in,” He said. I cried, prayed and, remarkably, I was so full of joy. I asked God to give me the mercy to open my heart again. I made the choice, and it was a choice, to say, “Jesus, set this man free and wash him, put the finest robe on him, and sit him right next to me at my table.” I felt so freeeeee and full of joy! I’m learning this truth: if our relationships aren’t right with others, then it’s because it’s not right with Him. Our relationship with Him manifests in all our relationships.
On the way home from the retreat, the CD cued right up to the story Lisa had mentioned about forgiveness. On my to church the next day, I kept singing the song, “Oh How He Loves Us,” written by John Mark McMillan. I told my husband that I would love it if they would start playing that at church. They played that very song that morning at church! The message at church that morning was about God’s kindness and breaking up the fallow ground of our hearts. The following weekend, one of our pastors spoke about David calling Mephibosheth, his enemy’s (Saul) grandson, to have his inheritance restored and to be invited to dine regularly at the King David’s table (2 Samuel 9). Again, this all sounded very familiar. God’s confirmations let me know I was on the right track. (God you are so gentle and kind but also jealous for our heart … the whole heart and nothing less so I needed your truth and you were faithful not to leave me where I was. Thank you, Jesus!)
God looks on the heart so He sees the things we don’t. We push the unpleasant things we don’t or aren’t able to deal with in a room of our heart with a big sign on the door that threatens “Enter at your own risk. Explosives will detonate. Rabid dogs live here, etc.” God pushes right on through all our defenses at the right time and very sweetly and gently says “I love you too much to leave you here. I want all of you to be mine.” Well, God, here it is. You can have all of me once again. Deeper still; Further in to my heart He goes and I find more freedom. OH, HOW HE LOVES US!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Finding God's Lost Tresures
I first heard the term “treasure hunting” while watching a video clip about some students at Bethel Church in Redding, CA, spending their Friday nights out searching for God’s lost treasures. They would pray and then receive words from God that gave them a treasure map to follow. Using the treasure map, they would follow the clues that would lead them to pray prophetically, heal and set people free. In essence, they were finding God’s lost treasures like God looking for His lost sheep Luke 15:4 (New King James Version)4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And the woman looking for her lost coin. Luke 15:8-10 (The Message)8-10"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God." God’s heart is to bring back the lost and going OUT is the key to bringing them home.
My daughter, Monica, was leaving to go back to school and said “Mom, I would really like to go treasure hunting before I go back to school.” I said “Okay, let’s do it!” I immediately thought of my friend, Rachel, who had sent out an email over the summer asking if anyone would be willing to go to Big Lots with her and carry a sign that said “FREE HUGS.” Well, that was a little out there for me at the time. In fact, I thought she was a little out there. Through our recent sermon series at Gateway called “Let’s Go”, God had been building a heart in me for the lost, the weary, the broken and I was ready to be “out there” for Him. It was now a burning desire in me from Him that defeated all my resistance and excuses. I called Rachel and told her what little I knew about treasure hunting from a ten minute video clip. The only day she had available before Monica went back to school was the next morning. I think God knew if we thought about it too long, we would find excuses not to go! We both said we would pray about it overnight and talk the next morning.
In my time with Him that night, He directed me to a passage I had heard in a sermon and seen several times over the previous few days. I knew He was talking to me but I did not tie it in to the treasure hunt immediately.
Matthew 25:14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
When I talked to her the next morning, initially, we both did not feel we had a clear word from God. “I don’t know about the timing, Jennifer,” Rachel said. We were both fearful. Rachel shared that while praying that morning she had seen a cute little basset hound dog that was a puppy. It was sniffing and following a trail. In my quiet time, I had seen a baby being thrown into the air and God said “I love watching you. In my eyes, as a mother looks at a baby, you can’t do anything wrong. In fact, I think you are so cute.” When we shared our limited and random visions, we felt the Holy Spirit was telling us He was sending us out in child- like faith and we would follow a trail. Looking back now, that is a stretch from the minimal visions so that revelation must have been from Him. At that moment, it hit me that the scripture from Matthew about the talents was like our faith. It tied into our sermon series by Robert called Let’s Go. Like a stock broker receives money and is expected to go invest it, we were expected to take a leap of faith and go on a hunt for lost treasures. It was as if He had given me $1,000,000 and I had to do something with it or I would lose it! I finally got it! He was in it and we could not fail. Let’s go!
We met at LaMadeline’s and prayed for words from God. I heard downtown and decker. Monica heard pink and Rachel saw blue….not much to go on but it was as if He was guiding us. I googled Decker and Dallas. Decker Jail along with a map was one of the first options so we headed to Dallas. We got into the car, locked in our coordinates, and cranked up “Taste and See” by Jenn Johnson. We needed to praise Him and have a fresh filling of His love to give out! It was a lot of fun. It was cold outside but we opened the sunroof and let our loud praises to our King be heard to the heavens. I had a moment of nostalgia from the old days when I would go out on the town and party. My friends called me “DJ Jazzy Jenn” since I picked the music as we headed out in our car to a bar. It was different now. There wasn’t a momentary high, cigarette smoke, and emptiness later but a true spirit of joy and no hang over! God is better than anything this world has to offer. Now, I was “Sister, DJ Jazzy Jenn” and it felt good!
Rachel felt led to pray that God would protect us and cast out all fear. Thank you, Jesus, and thank you for my husband, because when I saw Decker JAIL I didn’t know what to expect. My husband, Jonathan, had strategically placed mace in the compartment of the door and throughout my car for protection. As Rachel prayed for our protection and for God to cast out all fear, I saw a vision of an angel that looked like superman ahead of us and felt like God was telling me that there was a whole army of angels travelling down I35 with us so we had no reason to be afraid! We were doing His work and He was not sending His daughters out alone. In fact, we had an army.
We stopped first at a light and a homeless man had a bucket for money. We had put together a back pack of a scarf, gloves, socks, a CVS gift card, toiletries and a little boys book called “Does God Love Me?” We were able to minister to him about God’s love for him and that God had led us to him that day to let him know. He said, “You ladies made my day.” I wonder if we entertained an angel that day because his eyes were a bright shining blue and his smile lit up my life. I felt a supernatural rush of His love for this man.
Matthew 25: 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Matthew 25:40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Next, the GPS system, also affectionately known as Lexy, notified us in her urgent voice “You have arrived at your destination.” Where were we anyway? I saw the jail but no live treasure. Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith, we circled the block and saw PINK (Monica’s word) flags surrounding a sign that said TRINITY Condominiums and in bold DOWNTOWN (my word). “Here’s your sign,” God said. Literally, Here….is…..your…..sign. We were elated but there still was no SIGN of life. Rachel excitedly said, “there is a street sign that says Inspiration Drive right beside us. We turned onto Inspiration Drive and lo, and behold, there were two basset hounds-the same breed that Rachel had seen in her vision! I mean, we thought God was talking to us but this was surreal! We stopped and asked the lady walking the dogs if we could take a picture of her dogs. We explained the vision and we were there from God’s leading. When we mentioned God, she changed from leery to cheery. A touch from God can change someone’s countenance in an instant. It’s truly a beautiful thing to watch darkness turn to light. God had put on Monica’s heart to give her Ugg “miracle boots” away (a miracle in that we had found the only pair left at Christmas). We also gave her a copy of Gateway’s very own Kerrie Oles book “Invisible Chains.” We were fired up now. Where to next, God?
We saw a man in sharp clothes and a bright gold watch but he was on foot and limping down the street. As we drove up, we started to get into fear but noticed that the jail was right beside us with numerous police cars sitting out front. . 2 Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Rachel gave him $20, “The Power of Speaking God’s Word” by Joyce Meyer and asked if she could pray for him. Again, when we mentioned God, his attitude changed immediately and he replied, “sure.” People are hungry for Him. We prayed prophetic prayers of healing, a return to a God he had once given his heart to and victory in this young man’s life! He had tears in his eyes. God confirmed we were protected as a police officer stopped and we waved him on.
Next on our mission was a BLUE truck around the corner near a BLUE fire hydrant. Two men had been sitting in it for quite some time and it seemed to be broken down. Since Rachel had seen the color BLUE, we approached in the car. He had to physically push the window down with his hand and we asked if we could pray for them. I happened to have a book written about a mechanic who had learned to hear from the Lord in my car and it seemed so appropriate for one of the young men.
We prayed and knew God had one more visit for us. I had asked God what He wanted me to take and immediately my very favorite scarf that matches everything I own flashed into my head. “Oh, but God, you don’t mean that one. I wear that at least once a week.” I can’t find another one of these anywhere. He must want me to give this other scarf away that I don’t wear very often. It’s really pretty too. I had a flashback to a conversation I had with God regarding the new year. I asked Him to completely fill me with His joy this year and I immediately saw a strand of pearls and He said, “Will you give me all your precious treasures?” I replied quickly, “Absolutely, Lord. Anything I have is yours; the car, the house; it’s yours, God, anyway.” And here I was arguing about a scarf ! Oh, Lord, thank you for your patience with me! We can talk about loving and being obedient to God but the faith is in the doing.
We circled around feeling God leading us somewhere and turned on a street with high- end art and furniture galleries. Rachel had felt we were going to minister to the over-privileged that day. Honestly, I was not into it. I had a hard heart towards the pride and arrogance I had felt as a child from other wealthy kids. I wanted to help the ones who knew they needed a doctor but I had misunderstood the scripture: Mark 2:17 (New International Version) 17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." God has His own plan and social stature does not diminish someone’s ability to know they are in need of a savior. Monica had put the scarf in a lime green Vera Bradley box and then chose a bag to slip the box into. We stopped in front of an exclusive furniture store called Studio 1425 wondering which direction we were supposed to go when Monica noticed that the same black and white design on the gift back was exactly the storefront design with a lime green border!
With fear and trembling, I went in and we pretended to browse. Since it was my scarf, I had to make my move and I was dreading it. God is so good. With the gift bag in hand, I approached one of the owners, Piper Hunn. We explained we were on a treasure hunt and God led us to her store. She accepted the gift and noticed right away the confirmation of the bag design and the lime green color of the box. I asked her if there was anything specific we could pray for her about. She was kind and gracious. She explained that with the economy, there business needed a boost. She called her partner, Chad Street, over and they remarked that they had been having a conversation minutes before we came through their door. Both were spirit filled believers and were asking “God, we know we heard from you when we began this business but we need a sign we are doing the right thing.” God knew their worries and He moved. Luke 12:6-8 (New King James Version 6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.”
We prayed in a circle for God to bless their business and God had some prophetic prayers for Chad about the favor he has with God. Psalm 5:12 (New King James Version)12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. He told us that he was the president of the association for the local businesses and felt God had placed him there for a reason to minister (confess God before men as in the scripture above). We broke out the pomegranate anointing oil for Chad to anoint the doors of their business. It was wonderful and beautiful and IT WAS GOD!
I found out that day, black or white, rich or poor, from all walks of life, we all are in desperate need of His touch and His love. We need to know He sees us and He cares. WE are clothed in Christ and must show Him to everyone we meet regardless of any pre-conceived notions we may have from our own personal wounds. He has a plan and He is waiting on US to step out in faith and invest what He has given us. The entire trip took 2 hours of my time and I am forever changed. We can read the word, know the stories but unless we are living a life of faith, we aren’t fulfilling His call on our life. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. You can’t find His lost treasures sitting in a church pew. You have to go out and DIG for it! Press into Him and get rid of excuses that hinder you from living an exciting faith filled life of power and go touch others. Ask God how you can, in faith, pour out the love He has placed with in you. Mark 16:14-16 (New King James Version)15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Let nothing stop you! Go!
Posted by Jennifer Loves God! at 5:46 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Finding Lost Treasures
LET’S GO!
I first heard the term “treasure hunting” while watching a video clip about some students at Bethel Church in Redding, CA, spending their Friday nights out searching for God’s lost treasures. They would pray and then receive words from God that gave them a treasure map to follow. Using the treasure map, they would follow the clues that would lead them to pray prophetically, heal and set people free. In essence, they were finding God’s lost treasures like God looking for His lost sheep Luke 15:4 (New King James Version)4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And the woman looking for her lost coin. Luke 15:8-10 (The Message)8-10"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God." God’s heart is to bring back the lost and going OUT is the key to bringing them home.
My daughter, Monica, was leaving to go back to school and said “Mom, I would really like to go treasure hunting before I go back to school.” I said “Okay, let’s do it!” I immediately thought of my friend, Rachel, who had sent out an email over the summer asking if anyone would be willing to go to Big Lots with her and carry a sign that said “FREE HUGS.” Well, that was a little out there for me at the time. In fact, I thought she was a little out there. Through our recent sermon series at Gateway called “Let’s Go”, God had been building a heart in me for the lost, the weary, the broken and I was ready to be “out there” for Him. It was now a burning desire in me from Him that defeated all my resistance and excuses. I called Rachel and told her what little I knew about treasure hunting from a ten minute video clip. The only day she had available before Monica went back to school was the next morning. I think God knew if we thought about it too long, we would find excuses not to go! We both said we would pray about it overnight and talk the next morning.
In my time with Him that night, He directed me to a passage I had heard in a sermon and seen several times over the previous few days. I knew He was talking to me but I did not tie it in to the treasure hunt immediately.
Matthew 25:14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
When I talked to her the next morning, initially, we both did not feel we had a clear word from God. “I don’t know about the timing, Jennifer,” Rachel said. We were both fearful. Rachel shared that while praying that morning she had seen a cute little basset hound dog that was a puppy. It was sniffing and following a trail. In my quiet time, I had seen a baby being thrown into the air and God said “I love watching you. In my eyes, as a mother looks at a baby, you can’t do anything wrong. In fact, I think you are so cute.” When we shared our limited and random visions, we felt the Holy Spirit was telling us He was sending us out in child- like faith and we would follow a trail. Looking back now, that is a stretch from the minimal visions so that revelation must have been from Him. At that moment, it hit me that the scripture from Matthew about the talents was like our faith. It tied into our sermon series by Robert called Let’s Go. Like a stock broker receives money and is expected to go invest it, we were expected to take a leap of faith and go on a hunt for lost treasures. It was as if He had given me $1,000,000 and I had to do something with it or I would lose it! I finally got it! He was in it and we could not fail. Let’s go!
We met at LaMadeline’s and prayed for words from God. I heard downtown and decker. Monica heard pink and Rachel saw blue….not much to go on but it was as if He was guiding us. I googled Decker and Dallas. Decker Jail along with a map was one of the first options so we headed to Dallas. We got into the car, locked in our coordinates, and cranked up “Taste and See” by Jenn Johnson. We needed to praise Him and have a fresh filling of His love to give out! It was a lot of fun. It was cold outside but we opened the sunroof and let our loud praises to our King be heard to the heavens. I had a moment of nostalgia from the old days when I would go out on the town and party. My friends called me “DJ Jazzy Jenn” since I picked the music as we headed out in our car to a bar. It was different now. There wasn’t a momentary high, cigarette smoke, and emptiness later but a true spirit of joy and no hang over! God is better than anything this world has to offer. Now, I was “Sister, DJ Jazzy Jenn” and it felt good!
Rachel felt led to pray that God would protect us and cast out all fear. Thank you, Jesus, and thank you for my husband, because when I saw Decker JAIL I didn’t know what to expect. My husband, Jonathan, had strategically placed mace in the compartment of the door and throughout my car for protection. As Rachel prayed for our protection and for God to cast out all fear, I saw a vision of an angel that looked like superman ahead of us and felt like God was telling me that there was a whole army of angels travelling down I35 with us so we had no reason to be afraid! We were doing His work and He was not sending His daughters out alone. In fact, we had an army.
We stopped first at a light and a homeless man had a bucket for money. We had put together a back pack of a scarf, gloves, socks, a CVS gift card, toiletries and a little boys book called “Does God Love Me?” We were able to minister to him about God’s love for him and that God had led us to him that day to let him know. He said, “You ladies made my day.” I wonder if we entertained an angel that day because his eyes were a bright shining blue and his smile lit up my life. I felt a supernatural rush of His love for this man.
Matthew 25: 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Matthew 25:40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Next, the GPS system, also affectionately known as Lexy, notified us in her urgent voice “You have arrived at your destination.” Where were we anyway? I saw the jail but no live treasure. Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith, we circled the block and saw PINK (Monica’s word) flags surrounding a sign that said TRINITY Condominiums and in bold DOWNTOWN (my word). “Here’s your sign,” God said. Literally, Here….is…..your…..sign. We were elated but there still was no SIGN of life. Rachel excitedly said, “there is a street sign that says Inspiration Drive right beside us. We turned onto Inspiration Drive and lo, and behold, there were two basset hounds-the same breed that Rachel had seen in her vision! I mean, we thought God was talking to us but this was surreal! We stopped and asked the lady walking the dogs if we could take a picture of her dogs. We explained the vision and we were there from God’s leading. When we mentioned God, she changed from leery to cheery. A touch from God can change someone’s countenance in an instant. It’s truly a beautiful thing to watch darkness turn to light. God had put on Monica’s heart to give her Ugg “miracle boots” away (a miracle in that we had found the only pair left at Christmas). We also gave her a copy of Gateway’s very own Kerrie Oles book “Invisible Chains.” We were fired up now. Where to next, God?
We saw a man in sharp clothes and a bright gold watch but he was on foot and limping down the street. As we drove up, we started to get into fear but noticed that the jail was right beside us with numerous police cars sitting out front. . 2 Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Rachel gave him $20, “The Power of Speaking God’s Word” by Joyce Meyer and asked if she could pray for him. Again, when we mentioned God, his attitude changed immediately and he replied, “sure.” People are hungry for Him. We prayed prophetic prayers of healing, a return to a God he had once given his heart to and victory in this young man’s life! He had tears in his eyes. God confirmed we were protected as a police officer stopped and we waved him on.
Next on our mission was a BLUE truck around the corner near a BLUE fire hydrant. Two men had been sitting in it for quite some time and it seemed to be broken down. Since Rachel had seen the color BLUE, we approached in the car. He had to physically push the window down with his hand and we asked if we could pray for them. I happened to have a book written about a mechanic who had learned to hear from the Lord in my car and it seemed so appropriate for one of the young men.
We prayed and knew God had one more visit for us. I had asked God what He wanted me to take and immediately my very favorite scarf that matches everything I own flashed into my head. “Oh, but God, you don’t mean that one. I wear that at least once a week.” I can’t find another one of these anywhere. He must want me to give this other scarf away that I don’t wear very often. It’s really pretty too. I had a flashback to a conversation I had with God regarding the new year. I asked Him to completely fill me with His joy this year and I immediately saw a strand of pearls and He said, “Will you give me all your precious treasures?” I replied quickly, “Absolutely, Lord. Anything I have is yours; the car, the house; it’s yours, God, anyway.” And here I was arguing about a scarf ! Oh, Lord, thank you for your patience with me! We can talk about loving and being obedient to God but the faith is in the doing.
We circled around feeling God leading us somewhere and turned on a street with high- end art and furniture galleries. Rachel had felt we were going to minister to the over-privileged that day. Honestly, I was not into it. I had a hard heart towards the pride and arrogance I had felt as a child from other wealthy kids. I wanted to help the ones who knew they needed a doctor but I had misunderstood the scripture: Mark 2:17 (New International Version) 17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." God has His own plan and social stature does not diminish someone’s ability to know they are in need of a savior. Monica had put the scarf in a lime green Vera Bradley box and then chose a bag to slip the box into. We stopped in front of an exclusive furniture store called Studio 1425 wondering which direction we were supposed to go when Monica noticed that the same black and white design on the gift back was exactly the storefront design with a lime green border!
With fear and trembling, I went in and we pretended to browse. Since it was my scarf, I had to make my move and I was dreading it. God is so good. With the gift bag in hand, I approached one of the owners, Piper Hunn. We explained we were on a treasure hunt and God led us to her store. She accepted the gift and noticed right away the confirmation of the bag design and the lime green color of the box. I asked her if there was anything specific we could pray for her about. She was kind and gracious. She explained that with the economy, there business needed a boost. She called her partner, Chad Street, over and they remarked that they had been having a conversation minutes before we came through their door. Both were spirit filled believers and were asking “God, we know we heard from you when we began this business but we need a sign we are doing the right thing.” God knew their worries and He moved. Luke 12:6-8 (New King James Version 6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.”
We prayed in a circle for God to bless their business and God had some prophetic prayers for Chad about the favor he has with God. Psalm 5:12 (New King James Version)12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. He told us that he was the president of the association for the local businesses and felt God had placed him there for a reason to minister (confess God before men as in the scripture above). We broke out the pomegranate anointing oil for Chad to anoint the doors of their business. It was wonderful and beautiful and IT WAS GOD!
I found out that day, black or white, rich or poor, from all walks of life, we all are in desperate need of His touch and His love. We need to know He sees us and He cares. WE are clothed in Christ and must show Him to everyone we meet regardless of any pre-conceived notions we may have from our own personal wounds. He has a plan and He is waiting on US to step out in faith and invest what He has given us. The entire trip took 2 hours of my time and I am forever changed. We can read the word, know the stories but unless we are living a life of faith, we aren’t fulfilling His call on our life. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. You can’t find His lost treasures sitting in a church pew. You have to go out and DIG for it! Press into Him and get rid of excuses that hinder you from living an exciting faith filled life of power and go touch others. Ask God how you can, in faith, pour out the love He has placed with in you. Mark 16:14-16 (New King James Version)15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Let nothing stop you! Go!
My daughter, Monica, was leaving to go back to school and said “Mom, I would really like to go treasure hunting before I go back to school.” I said “Okay, let’s do it!” I immediately thought of my friend, Rachel, who had sent out an email over the summer asking if anyone would be willing to go to Big Lots with her and carry a sign that said “FREE HUGS.” Well, that was a little out there for me at the time. In fact, I thought she was a little out there. Through our recent sermon series at Gateway called “Let’s Go”, God had been building a heart in me for the lost, the weary, the broken and I was ready to be “out there” for Him. It was now a burning desire in me from Him that defeated all my resistance and excuses. I called Rachel and told her what little I knew about treasure hunting from a ten minute video clip. The only day she had available before Monica went back to school was the next morning. I think God knew if we thought about it too long, we would find excuses not to go! We both said we would pray about it overnight and talk the next morning.
In my time with Him that night, He directed me to a passage I had heard in a sermon and seen several times over the previous few days. I knew He was talking to me but I did not tie it in to the treasure hunt immediately.
Matthew 25:14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
When I talked to her the next morning, initially, we both did not feel we had a clear word from God. “I don’t know about the timing, Jennifer,” Rachel said. We were both fearful. Rachel shared that while praying that morning she had seen a cute little basset hound dog that was a puppy. It was sniffing and following a trail. In my quiet time, I had seen a baby being thrown into the air and God said “I love watching you. In my eyes, as a mother looks at a baby, you can’t do anything wrong. In fact, I think you are so cute.” When we shared our limited and random visions, we felt the Holy Spirit was telling us He was sending us out in child- like faith and we would follow a trail. Looking back now, that is a stretch from the minimal visions so that revelation must have been from Him. At that moment, it hit me that the scripture from Matthew about the talents was like our faith. It tied into our sermon series by Robert called Let’s Go. Like a stock broker receives money and is expected to go invest it, we were expected to take a leap of faith and go on a hunt for lost treasures. It was as if He had given me $1,000,000 and I had to do something with it or I would lose it! I finally got it! He was in it and we could not fail. Let’s go!
We met at LaMadeline’s and prayed for words from God. I heard downtown and decker. Monica heard pink and Rachel saw blue….not much to go on but it was as if He was guiding us. I googled Decker and Dallas. Decker Jail along with a map was one of the first options so we headed to Dallas. We got into the car, locked in our coordinates, and cranked up “Taste and See” by Jenn Johnson. We needed to praise Him and have a fresh filling of His love to give out! It was a lot of fun. It was cold outside but we opened the sunroof and let our loud praises to our King be heard to the heavens. I had a moment of nostalgia from the old days when I would go out on the town and party. My friends called me “DJ Jazzy Jenn” since I picked the music as we headed out in our car to a bar. It was different now. There wasn’t a momentary high, cigarette smoke, and emptiness later but a true spirit of joy and no hang over! God is better than anything this world has to offer. Now, I was “Sister, DJ Jazzy Jenn” and it felt good!
Rachel felt led to pray that God would protect us and cast out all fear. Thank you, Jesus, and thank you for my husband, because when I saw Decker JAIL I didn’t know what to expect. My husband, Jonathan, had strategically placed mace in the compartment of the door and throughout my car for protection. As Rachel prayed for our protection and for God to cast out all fear, I saw a vision of an angel that looked like superman ahead of us and felt like God was telling me that there was a whole army of angels travelling down I35 with us so we had no reason to be afraid! We were doing His work and He was not sending His daughters out alone. In fact, we had an army.
We stopped first at a light and a homeless man had a bucket for money. We had put together a back pack of a scarf, gloves, socks, a CVS gift card, toiletries and a little boys book called “Does God Love Me?” We were able to minister to him about God’s love for him and that God had led us to him that day to let him know. He said, “You ladies made my day.” I wonder if we entertained an angel that day because his eyes were a bright shining blue and his smile lit up my life. I felt a supernatural rush of His love for this man.
Matthew 25: 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Matthew 25:40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Next, the GPS system, also affectionately known as Lexy, notified us in her urgent voice “You have arrived at your destination.” Where were we anyway? I saw the jail but no live treasure. Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith, we circled the block and saw PINK (Monica’s word) flags surrounding a sign that said TRINITY Condominiums and in bold DOWNTOWN (my word). “Here’s your sign,” God said. Literally, Here….is…..your…..sign. We were elated but there still was no SIGN of life. Rachel excitedly said, “there is a street sign that says Inspiration Drive right beside us. We turned onto Inspiration Drive and lo, and behold, there were two basset hounds-the same breed that Rachel had seen in her vision! I mean, we thought God was talking to us but this was surreal! We stopped and asked the lady walking the dogs if we could take a picture of her dogs. We explained the vision and we were there from God’s leading. When we mentioned God, she changed from leery to cheery. A touch from God can change someone’s countenance in an instant. It’s truly a beautiful thing to watch darkness turn to light. God had put on Monica’s heart to give her Ugg “miracle boots” away (a miracle in that we had found the only pair left at Christmas). We also gave her a copy of Gateway’s very own Kerrie Oles book “Invisible Chains.” We were fired up now. Where to next, God?
We saw a man in sharp clothes and a bright gold watch but he was on foot and limping down the street. As we drove up, we started to get into fear but noticed that the jail was right beside us with numerous police cars sitting out front. . 2 Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Rachel gave him $20, “The Power of Speaking God’s Word” by Joyce Meyer and asked if she could pray for him. Again, when we mentioned God, his attitude changed immediately and he replied, “sure.” People are hungry for Him. We prayed prophetic prayers of healing, a return to a God he had once given his heart to and victory in this young man’s life! He had tears in his eyes. God confirmed we were protected as a police officer stopped and we waved him on.
Next on our mission was a BLUE truck around the corner near a BLUE fire hydrant. Two men had been sitting in it for quite some time and it seemed to be broken down. Since Rachel had seen the color BLUE, we approached in the car. He had to physically push the window down with his hand and we asked if we could pray for them. I happened to have a book written about a mechanic who had learned to hear from the Lord in my car and it seemed so appropriate for one of the young men.
We prayed and knew God had one more visit for us. I had asked God what He wanted me to take and immediately my very favorite scarf that matches everything I own flashed into my head. “Oh, but God, you don’t mean that one. I wear that at least once a week.” I can’t find another one of these anywhere. He must want me to give this other scarf away that I don’t wear very often. It’s really pretty too. I had a flashback to a conversation I had with God regarding the new year. I asked Him to completely fill me with His joy this year and I immediately saw a strand of pearls and He said, “Will you give me all your precious treasures?” I replied quickly, “Absolutely, Lord. Anything I have is yours; the car, the house; it’s yours, God, anyway.” And here I was arguing about a scarf ! Oh, Lord, thank you for your patience with me! We can talk about loving and being obedient to God but the faith is in the doing.
We circled around feeling God leading us somewhere and turned on a street with high- end art and furniture galleries. Rachel had felt we were going to minister to the over-privileged that day. Honestly, I was not into it. I had a hard heart towards the pride and arrogance I had felt as a child from other wealthy kids. I wanted to help the ones who knew they needed a doctor but I had misunderstood the scripture: Mark 2:17 (New International Version) 17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." God has His own plan and social stature does not diminish someone’s ability to know they are in need of a savior. Monica had put the scarf in a lime green Vera Bradley box and then chose a bag to slip the box into. We stopped in front of an exclusive furniture store called Studio 1425 wondering which direction we were supposed to go when Monica noticed that the same black and white design on the gift back was exactly the storefront design with a lime green border!
With fear and trembling, I went in and we pretended to browse. Since it was my scarf, I had to make my move and I was dreading it. God is so good. With the gift bag in hand, I approached one of the owners, Piper Hunn. We explained we were on a treasure hunt and God led us to her store. She accepted the gift and noticed right away the confirmation of the bag design and the lime green color of the box. I asked her if there was anything specific we could pray for her about. She was kind and gracious. She explained that with the economy, there business needed a boost. She called her partner, Chad Street, over and they remarked that they had been having a conversation minutes before we came through their door. Both were spirit filled believers and were asking “God, we know we heard from you when we began this business but we need a sign we are doing the right thing.” God knew their worries and He moved. Luke 12:6-8 (New King James Version 6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.”
We prayed in a circle for God to bless their business and God had some prophetic prayers for Chad about the favor he has with God. Psalm 5:12 (New King James Version)12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. He told us that he was the president of the association for the local businesses and felt God had placed him there for a reason to minister (confess God before men as in the scripture above). We broke out the pomegranate anointing oil for Chad to anoint the doors of their business. It was wonderful and beautiful and IT WAS GOD!
I found out that day, black or white, rich or poor, from all walks of life, we all are in desperate need of His touch and His love. We need to know He sees us and He cares. WE are clothed in Christ and must show Him to everyone we meet regardless of any pre-conceived notions we may have from our own personal wounds. He has a plan and He is waiting on US to step out in faith and invest what He has given us. The entire trip took 2 hours of my time and I am forever changed. We can read the word, know the stories but unless we are living a life of faith, we aren’t fulfilling His call on our life. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. You can’t find His lost treasures sitting in a church pew. You have to go out and DIG for it! Press into Him and get rid of excuses that hinder you from living an exciting faith filled life of power and go touch others. Ask God how you can, in faith, pour out the love He has placed with in you. Mark 16:14-16 (New King James Version)15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Let nothing stop you! Go!
Posted by Jennifer Loves God! at 5:46 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Finding Lost Treasures
LET’S GO!
I first heard the term “treasure hunting” while watching a video clip about some students at Bethel Church in Redding, CA, spending their Friday nights out searching for God’s lost treasures. They would pray and then receive words from God that gave them a treasure map to follow. Using the treasure map, they would follow the clues that would lead them to pray prophetically, heal and set people free. In essence, they were finding God’s lost treasures like God looking for His lost sheep Luke 15:4 (New King James Version)4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And the woman looking for her lost coin. Luke 15:8-10 (The Message)8-10"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God." God’s heart is to bring back the lost and going OUT is the key to bringing them home.
My daughter, Monica, was leaving to go back to school and said “Mom, I would really like to go treasure hunting before I go back to school.” I said “Okay, let’s do it!” I immediately thought of my friend, Rachel, who had sent out an email over the summer asking if anyone would be willing to go to Big Lots with her and carry a sign that said “FREE HUGS.” Well, that was a little out there for me at the time. In fact, I thought she was a little out there. Through our recent sermon series at Gateway called “Let’s Go”, God had been building a heart in me for the lost, the weary, the broken and I was ready to be “out there” for Him. It was now a burning desire in me from Him that defeated all my resistance and excuses. I called Rachel and told her what little I knew about treasure hunting from a ten minute video clip. The only day she had available before Monica went back to school was the next morning. I think God knew if we thought about it too long, we would find excuses not to go! We both said we would pray about it overnight and talk the next morning.
In my time with Him that night, He directed me to a passage I had heard in a sermon and seen several times over the previous few days. I knew He was talking to me but I did not tie it in to the treasure hunt immediately.
Matthew 25:14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
When I talked to her the next morning, initially, we both did not feel we had a clear word from God. “I don’t know about the timing, Jennifer,” Rachel said. We were both fearful. Rachel shared that while praying that morning she had seen a cute little basset hound dog that was a puppy. It was sniffing and following a trail. In my quiet time, I had seen a baby being thrown into the air and God said “I love watching you. In my eyes, as a mother looks at a baby, you can’t do anything wrong. In fact, I think you are so cute.” When we shared our limited and random visions, we felt the Holy Spirit was telling us He was sending us out in child- like faith and we would follow a trail. Looking back now, that is a stretch from the minimal visions so that revelation must have been from Him. At that moment, it hit me that the scripture from Matthew about the talents was like our faith. It tied into our sermon series by Robert called Let’s Go. Like a stock broker receives money and is expected to go invest it, we were expected to take a leap of faith and go on a hunt for lost treasures. It was as if He had given me $1,000,000 and I had to do something with it or I would lose it! I finally got it! He was in it and we could not fail. Let’s go!
We met at LaMadeline’s and prayed for words from God. I heard downtown and decker. Monica heard pink and Rachel saw blue….not much to go on but it was as if He was guiding us. I googled Decker and Dallas. Decker Jail along with a map was one of the first options so we headed to Dallas. We got into the car, locked in our coordinates, and cranked up “Taste and See” by Jenn Johnson. We needed to praise Him and have a fresh filling of His love to give out! It was a lot of fun. It was cold outside but we opened the sunroof and let our loud praises to our King be heard to the heavens. I had a moment of nostalgia from the old days when I would go out on the town and party. My friends called me “DJ Jazzy Jenn” since I picked the music as we headed out in our car to a bar. It was different now. There wasn’t a momentary high, cigarette smoke, and emptiness later but a true spirit of joy and no hang over! God is better than anything this world has to offer. Now, I was “Sister, DJ Jazzy Jenn” and it felt good!
Rachel felt led to pray that God would protect us and cast out all fear. Thank you, Jesus, and thank you for my husband, because when I saw Decker JAIL I didn’t know what to expect. My husband, Jonathan, had strategically placed mace in the compartment of the door and throughout my car for protection. As Rachel prayed for our protection and for God to cast out all fear, I saw a vision of an angel that looked like superman ahead of us and felt like God was telling me that there was a whole army of angels travelling down I35 with us so we had no reason to be afraid! We were doing His work and He was not sending His daughters out alone. In fact, we had an army.
We stopped first at a light and a homeless man had a bucket for money. We had put together a back pack of a scarf, gloves, socks, a CVS gift card, toiletries and a little boys book called “Does God Love Me?” We were able to minister to him about God’s love for him and that God had led us to him that day to let him know. He said, “You ladies made my day.” I wonder if we entertained an angel that day because his eyes were a bright shining blue and his smile lit up my life. I felt a supernatural rush of His love for this man.
Matthew 25: 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Matthew 25:40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Next, the GPS system, also affectionately known as Lexy, notified us in her urgent voice “You have arrived at your destination.” Where were we anyway? I saw the jail but no live treasure. Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith, we circled the block and saw PINK (Monica’s word) flags surrounding a sign that said TRINITY Condominiums and in bold DOWNTOWN (my word). “Here’s your sign,” God said. Literally, Here….is…..your…..sign. We were elated but there still was no SIGN of life. Rachel excitedly said, “there is a street sign that says Inspiration Drive right beside us. We turned onto Inspiration Drive and lo, and behold, there were two basset hounds-the same breed that Rachel had seen in her vision! I mean, we thought God was talking to us but this was surreal! We stopped and asked the lady walking the dogs if we could take a picture of her dogs. We explained the vision and we were there from God’s leading. When we mentioned God, she changed from leery to cheery. A touch from God can change someone’s countenance in an instant. It’s truly a beautiful thing to watch darkness turn to light. God had put on Monica’s heart to give her Ugg “miracle boots” away (a miracle in that we had found the only pair left at Christmas). We also gave her a copy of Gateway’s very own Kerrie Oles book “Invisible Chains.” We were fired up now. Where to next, God?
We saw a man in sharp clothes and a bright gold watch but he was on foot and limping down the street. As we drove up, we started to get into fear but noticed that the jail was right beside us with numerous police cars sitting out front. . 2 Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Rachel gave him $20, “The Power of Speaking God’s Word” by Joyce Meyer and asked if she could pray for him. Again, when we mentioned God, his attitude changed immediately and he replied, “sure.” People are hungry for Him. We prayed prophetic prayers of healing, a return to a God he had once given his heart to and victory in this young man’s life! He had tears in his eyes. God confirmed we were protected as a police officer stopped and we waved him on.
Next on our mission was a BLUE truck around the corner near a BLUE fire hydrant. Two men had been sitting in it for quite some time and it seemed to be broken down. Since Rachel had seen the color BLUE, we approached in the car. He had to physically push the window down with his hand and we asked if we could pray for them. I happened to have a book written about a mechanic who had learned to hear from the Lord in my car and it seemed so appropriate for one of the young men.
We prayed and knew God had one more visit for us. I had asked God what He wanted me to take and immediately my very favorite scarf that matches everything I own flashed into my head. “Oh, but God, you don’t mean that one. I wear that at least once a week.” I can’t find another one of these anywhere. He must want me to give this other scarf away that I don’t wear very often. It’s really pretty too. I had a flashback to a conversation I had with God regarding the new year. I asked Him to completely fill me with His joy this year and I immediately saw a strand of pearls and He said, “Will you give me all your precious treasures?” I replied quickly, “Absolutely, Lord. Anything I have is yours; the car, the house; it’s yours, God, anyway.” And here I was arguing about a scarf ! Oh, Lord, thank you for your patience with me! We can talk about loving and being obedient to God but the faith is in the doing.
We circled around feeling God leading us somewhere and turned on a street with high- end art and furniture galleries. Rachel had felt we were going to minister to the over-privileged that day. Honestly, I was not into it. I had a hard heart towards the pride and arrogance I had felt as a child from other wealthy kids. I wanted to help the ones who knew they needed a doctor but I had misunderstood the scripture: Mark 2:17 (New International Version) 17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." God has His own plan and social stature does not diminish someone’s ability to know they are in need of a savior. Monica had put the scarf in a lime green Vera Bradley box and then chose a bag to slip the box into. We stopped in front of an exclusive furniture store called Studio 1425 wondering which direction we were supposed to go when Monica noticed that the same black and white design on the gift back was exactly the storefront design with a lime green border!
With fear and trembling, I went in and we pretended to browse. Since it was my scarf, I had to make my move and I was dreading it. God is so good. With the gift bag in hand, I approached one of the owners, Piper Hunn. We explained we were on a treasure hunt and God led us to her store. She accepted the gift and noticed right away the confirmation of the bag design and the lime green color of the box. I asked her if there was anything specific we could pray for her about. She was kind and gracious. She explained that with the economy, there business needed a boost. She called her partner, Chad Street, over and they remarked that they had been having a conversation minutes before we came through their door. Both were spirit filled believers and were asking “God, we know we heard from you when we began this business but we need a sign we are doing the right thing.” God knew their worries and He moved. Luke 12:6-8 (New King James Version 6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.”
We prayed in a circle for God to bless their business and God had some prophetic prayers for Chad about the favor he has with God. Psalm 5:12 (New King James Version)12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. He told us that he was the president of the association for the local businesses and felt God had placed him there for a reason to minister (confess God before men as in the scripture above). We broke out the pomegranate anointing oil for Chad to anoint the doors of their business. It was wonderful and beautiful and IT WAS GOD!
I found out that day, black or white, rich or poor, from all walks of life, we all are in desperate need of His touch and His love. We need to know He sees us and He cares. WE are clothed in Christ and must show Him to everyone we meet regardless of any pre-conceived notions we may have from our own personal wounds. He has a plan and He is waiting on US to step out in faith and invest what He has given us. The entire trip took 2 hours of my time and I am forever changed. We can read the word, know the stories but unless we are living a life of faith, we aren’t fulfilling His call on our life. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. You can’t find His lost treasures sitting in a church pew. You have to go out and DIG for it! Press into Him and get rid of excuses that hinder you from living an exciting faith filled life of power and go touch others. Ask God how you can, in faith, pour out the love He has placed with in you. Mark 16:14-16 (New King James Version)15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Let nothing stop you! Go!
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