One Night with the King!!!

Well- this is not so much an Update, but it IS a really good Tip!!!

There is a new movie that is coming out on Friday, October 13th.

It is "One Night with the King" and it is a MUST SEE movie! (How many times can you say that?!) This movie is based on a book by Tommy Tenney entitled, "Hadassah - One Night with the King" which is the Biblical story of Queen Esther.

I am HIGHLY encouraging you to see this movie... if possible - to see it on opening night! As you can imagine, there will be new horro movies premiering on this same night and we want to support this movie and give 'evil' some good competition! This is a great Date movie, family film, or even a great Chick Flick/Girlfriends matinee... I am sure I will see it several times while it is in the theaters! You can check out the Trailer at their website at:

http://www.8x.com/onenight/trailer/video_trailer_update.htm

The trailer and the promotions that they have been playing on TBN look simply INCREDIBLE... this is not some cheesy Christian film... and it will speak to so many people in so many ways! I encourage you to see it... and then let me know what you thought of it here on this blog!

As far myself... I am SO excited & SO expectant to see what God will do with this film... '...for such a time as this!"

Blessings,

~Karrilee~

"May I Have This Dance?"

A New Dance...

I once again had the pleasure of meeting with the Lord on Tuesday, along with some precious sisters for the soul purpose of Worship and Prayer. On my way there, I was asking Him what He had for us and what He wanted to say... I felt such a strong need for intercession in the Spirit that I moved on in prayer as I drove.

After we talked a bit and Sheri led us in a Bible study with verses from Galatians Chapter 2- 5; & 1 John Chapter 2, we entered into worship and prayer. When the music first began, I heard in my spirit, "May I Have This Dance?"'

As I continued to pray, I fought off frustration as it felt as if there was a closed ceiling, not the 'open heavens' I am used to during this Prayer meeting! When I asked the LORD why, He simply said, "Intercede... it's an Individual thing I am doing today!" I heard the word "Integrity" as well and then was led to Psalm 25 and Psalm 41. The Webster's Dictionary defines "Integrity" as: "firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : INCORRUPTIBILITY; an unimpaired condition: SOUNDNESS; the quality or state of being complete or undivided : COMPLETENESS. Synonym see HONESTY ." We are called to a life of Integrity... and as He is drawing us closer to one another, and calling us to be transparent with each other... integrity must be present as well for true Completeness and Honesty to come forth!

Next, I saw in the spirit, the Lord approaching me, and He asked again, "May I have this dance?" I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to dance with God... I saw others then all around us on a dance floor. He was everyone's Partner and Jesus was dancing with many at the same time - all over the ballroom. Each couple seemed to have their own dance... different steps and turns and styles. I thought, "OK - I'll give it a try!" and I began to dance. It seemed difficult, and frustrating... it wasn't flowing and graceful... so I stopped dancing and just stood there, disappointed and feeling like I failed somehow. He pulled me closer to continue the Dance, and I admitted, "I don't know how.... I can't do it... I don't KNOW the Dance!?" A smile spread across His face and into His eyes and He said, "Aaaah - Yes! But I DO!!!" He pulled me into His embrace. "I know the Dance I have for you! If you will just follow my lead, we can dance together in this Song!"

It's a New Day... requiring a New Dance and a New Song! While we may not know the steps, or the words, we can rest assured that He does! He Does!!!

I was reminded of a friend of mine who shared a story awhile back... She had attended a Women's Conference several years ago and the week before that, God had given her a new dance in worship. While at the conference, she felt the Lord ask her to go to the front and dance for Him. She felt extremely incompetent and intimidated - worrying what others would think and if she would look silly! She was somewhat new to dancing in worship and was not yet bold in public. She quietly sat in disobedience - broken, but unwilling to step into the Dance. In a matter of minutes, she said that she saw several other women walking down the aisles toward the front. They were coming from all directions of the arena and they each began to worship... and dance. It seemed they were unaware of each other and yet, their Dance flowed and became one! My friend saw her empty space, where she fit into the Dance of Worship. They were dancing the same dance that the Lord had given her earlier. She knew then, we all have our part... HE had given her a piece of that Dance and had a purpose and a plan for her in that Dance! She knows now when the Lord calls her to dance, she dances! Amen!?

We all have our part... our anointing or gifting... our calling... our own individual 'Dance', if you will! It's a New Day, time for a New Song, and a New Dance!

I pray you will

Step into your Dance,

Sing a New Song,

& enter a New Day

with Him this week!

Blessings,

~Karrilee~

Permeate Us!!!

I have to start off by saying I LOVE my Prayer Group! For those of you reading this that attend our Intercessory Prayer group - and you know who you are - I treasure each of you and all that you bring to that atmosphere of praise and worship!

I so enjoyed preparing something to share - although in hindsight I must say I realized that it was quite possibly too formal in our relaxed setting... it is a 'format' that I am familiar with and felt safe within those boundaries... although I know that God will most likely not allow me to come at it from that perspective again?! I am sure He wants to stretch and grow me - even in that! As a writer and teacher - it is easier for me to study and research and then present... but I know that God is calling me to be more relational and so I am pretty sure that He will have other creative ways to speak through me that will be - well - less 'lecture'-style!

Anyway - I was so looking forward to having our leader back and hearing what the Lord gave her to share with us. While it IS an intercessory prayer group - and we DO pray... it is also a time of sharing, encouraging, teaching, and worship... not a bad mix!

So - (remember - she was gone last week and didn't know exactly what we touched on...) and she opens with Hebrews 12:2-3... "We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God's throne! So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won't get discouraged and give up." (Contemporary English Version) Fix our eyes on Jesus... Don't grow weary or discouraged! Amen!? She went on to have us open up to 1 John 2:20-27 Basically, this portion of Scripture reminds us that we HAVE the anointing and we know all things.... it tells us that we abide in Him and He abides in us! In the Amplified, verse 20 reads: "But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things."

We moved into worship and I heard in my spirit, "Every Kingdom Warrior has Battle Scars!" Hmmm? OK!? I started to pray and found myself asking the Lord to Permeate us... "Permeate us, Lord... Permeate us!!!" The definition of Permeate is to spread or diffuse through; or to pass through the pores... Wow?! Yes - Lord - that IS what we want... we want you to permeate us - to diffuse through every part of who we are... to pass through the pores of our flesh and spirit... it makes me think of Queen Esther and her year of SOAKING in perfumes... it was not just sitting in a nice hot tub with some scented oils in it... it was scrubbing into the skin and making the fragrance and skin become one!

I wrote down the following prayer during worship... and then had this vision...
"Breath of God, we breathe You in... we breathe You in and You abide in us... just as Oxygen gives us life & energy & clear vision & health Lord, - as we inhale Your very Presence it PERMEATE US Lord!!! Teach us, Oh Lord, to no longer be Shallow Breathers but to Breathe Deep & have You fill us up Lord, to touch every part, Lord... fill this temple, Oh Breath of God!"

Next... I saw in the spirit Jesus walking around with an Oxygen Tank and face mask giving oxygen - giving Life to all who needed a refreshing! "Life Abundantly" was written on the Oxygen tank. I saw Him doing some CPR (mouth to mouth resuscitation) on some, chest compressions on others... He is at work within each of us... within each ministry area in the church... He is breathing new life, new focus, new energy over each one!

I saw Him giving Mouth to Mouth/CPR over the Teachers
He was giving Heart Compressions over the Compassionate and Mercy Givers
He was checking the Vision of the Prophets
He was Checking Reflexes of the Dancers & the throats of the Singers
He was X-raying the hands of the Kingdom Builders
and I heard again: "Every Kingdom Warrior has Battle Scars!"
Then I saw Him giving Oxygen to each 'person' (ministry represented) there...
(End of Vision)

So... I came home and did a little research on Oxygen...

Websters defines it as: "something that sustains or fuels." The necessity of oxygen is obvious. The human body can survive for weeks without food and days without water but only a few minutes without oxygen. "Oxygen nourishes the cells, it provides the energy needed to metabolize carbohydrates; it allows chemical transport, breaks down waste products and toxins, regulates the pH of body chemistry, drives the desire to breathe, strongly builds up your immune system defense and fights hostile organisms. Oxygen is the undisputed king of body chemistry, and as such is your body's most important nutrient! The facts are simple... viruses, parasites, fungus or bacterium cause about all diseases! The solution is also simple - NONE of those hostile organisms can live in an environment with high concentrations of Oxygen! Which makes the following quote very interesting... "Oxygen gets rid of toxicity. Bacteria, viruses and parasites are destroyed in the presence of oxygen." (taken from http://www.2christ.org/health/) There is a LOT there... If God is giving us oxygen - He is nourishing the cells of the Body... He is giving us what we need when we need it to promote the intended Bodily functions... He is cleansing and healing us! ...and I LOVE that Oxygen gets rid of toxins... disease does not stand a chance with the right amount of "Life Abundantly" Oxygen!!!

We have heard of the trendy Oxygen Bars in L.A. and elsewhere that open their doors and give Fresh Oxygen to clients to help them to feel better, happier... the newest exercise/weight loss craze is wrapped up in getting in enough good oxygen into our lungs and circulating through out our whole body. Of course our God is in on that... and He is all about doing that to each of us in the spirit!!! Here is the coolest part... remember - I heard "Every Kingdom Warrior has Battle Scars" Oxygen is now proven to help HEAL SCARS!!! There are a myriad of new products coming out that have added Oxygen levels in them to help heal scars. Every one of us has stepped out in ministry and we have been wounded... either by other Christians, or non-Christians, or circumstances, choices we made, etc. - if we are to be effective in the Kingdom - we WILL face battles... we WILL get scars! I think it is so vital to remember that each ministry was represented in that Vision... and the Lord told us that we would face trials... I think it is interesting that this 'shaking' that is happening - is happening at the top of any given ministry... the leaders have scars and they are in need of some fresh oxygen! Some of them don't even know that they have become shallow breathers... but they have... they are gasping for air - and Jesus is coming!!!

I am reminded of a story I heard a few years ago... a little boy was in the backseat and his mother was driving in the car. Her son was looking at his hands and all of the sudden he began to cry and squirm around in his seat. She tried to calm him down but he was screaming and crying as if he was hurt... & he kept pointing to his wrist, so she pulled over. She turned around in her seat and noticed that he was pointing to an old injury. She asked him why he was crying and he again pointed to his scar, and said, "Owie!!! Owie!!!?!" She calmly reminded him that that was an Old Ouchie and that he needed to not pick it... it was healing and he was going to be just fine! He slowly calmed down and realized that he was not, in fact, hurting anymore - but the very sight of the scar convinced him that he was hurt all over again! Haven't we all done this?! I do not mean to make light of deep wounds that have happened in the Church... there have been many, I know. I know personally. However, we must remember that we have put those things, those circumstances, those issues under the Blood and asked for God to heal us. Many are still in the process of healing... and believe me, He IS at work. The thing about Oxygen is that it is tasteless and odorless... but oh my, how you need it... so often, our God is at work and we are not even aware, until after the fact! Many of us have received that healing and our scars are all that remain... (and, honestly, maybe that little reluctant, gun-shy, hesitation feeling, too!) God has said that we all have battle scars, but even those - He is administering healing and giving us Abundant Life oxygen!

He IS the Air we breathe... this week I intend to bask in His Presence and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth... I plan on singing with my whole heart:
"This is the air I breathe; This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence, living in me
This is my daily bread; This is my daily bread
Your very word, spoken to me
And I - I'm desperate for you
And I -I'm lost without you..." (M. W. Smith)

I pray that He is healing you and taking away your wounds, and your scars... I pray that this week you will Breathe DEEP in the things of God and know that He is offering you Abundant Life Oxygen! May He permeate you as you soak in His Love!

Blessings,
~Karrilee~

The King's Highway

(This is the message that I shared today at my Prayer Meeting...)

Several weeks ago, I was asking the Lord for direction in what to read in the Word that morning... I didn't have 'time' to really dig into a devotion & I didn't want to rush through my morning time with Him all together - but knew I was running behind schedule... Aaah the last days of Summer! I will need to get back to a regular routine and that will mean more consistent Quiet Time in the mornings I know! Another one of the things I LOVE about Fall! I am a Routine Girl - I love a schedule and color coding and that whole organization deal!!! Anyway - the Lord led me to 2 Chron ch. 20! It seems the Lord often speaks to me with this
portion of Scripture! And often, it is when I feel too rushed or too busy... which can also mean the enemy is trying to pour on guilt & condemnation as well! However, I know that when I am rushed & overwhelmed - it is Praise & Worship that my spirit is in need of!I encourage you to read 2 Chronicles 20 if you are not familiar with it... I love King Jehoshaphat! This chapter reminds us of the importance and power of prayer & worship... we are called to cry out to the Lord, and to do battle with praise and worship... so often that alone will bring an end to the battle! I love that when King Jehoshaphat was told of the army coming for him, he
"resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast..." (vs 3) and then verse 4 goes on to say that the people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD... I pray you are familiar with this story... we know that God showed up and fought the battle... setting ambush on the enemy and causing them to turn on one another. The Lords' people were simply told to "not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' " (2 Chron 20:15-17) I love that they were called to take ACTION - and yet - once in motion - to STAND FIRM and see the deliverance (or Salvation) of the Lord...
another translation says it this way: "You won't have to lift a hand in this battle; just stand firm, Judah and Jerusalem, and watch God's saving work for you take shape. Don't be afraid, don't
waver. March out boldly tomorrow—God is with you." (The Message) I love that! ... stay with me, and you’ll see why!

In the midst of worship that day here at Prayer, I had a vision of the LORD walking around that Prayer Room - mingling in the midst of the women there... I saw Him reaching into our hearts, one at a time... I could feel His Presence and when I asked Him, "Lord, what are you doing?!" He said, "Well, aren't you all praying to make your heart like Mine?" He said, "I Am Shaping you... molding you in the shape of things to come!" ..."The Shape of Things to Come..." ..."The Shape of Things to Come..." I kept hearing that repeat in my spirit over and over...

"What is the Shape of Things to Come, Lord?" I asked.
"It's something new... it's not like anything you've ever seen before"
He replied.

Then, with a smile hinted on His lips, and some far away dream becoming His focus, He said, "Aaaaahhh - she's Beautiful, ...Glorious, ...a Wonder to Behold!!! She is almost ready to be revealed. She is fast approaching her time!" (That was the end of the vision!)

I knew then that She is His Bride... she IS the Shape of Things to Come...
He is at work in each of us... He is calling us to walk much like Jehoshaphat did. Towards the end of chapter 20, the Bible says that Jehoshaphat "...walked in the ways of his father Asa and did
not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD." However, that is not the end of his story. Verse 33 goes on to say that "the high places, however, were not removed, and
the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their fathers."

I believe that the Lord is at work in our midst... calling attention to some of our own 'high places' that need to be removed... Some of our Crooked places made straight... and we are now feeling the effects of a mighty shaking. But it does us good to remember that He is aware of what is going on... what is shaking down... and what will remain when the shaking is over! When our foundation is secure in Him... and we allow Him to reach into our hearts and begin to remold and reshape us... we find that the Potters Hand is gently shaping us into the Shape of Things to
Come!!! If you have ever watched a skilled artist using a Pottery wheel - you know that it simply takes a small shifting of their hands to change the entire look and feel of the clay... So - as we
dig into the Word today - I pray that He will ever so gently reach in to our hearts and shift what needs to be shifted to make something beautiful!

Now - I don’t want you all to think that I have visions every day - or every week - but it is in this room here - in this atmosphere of praise and worship and intercession that I often do meet with Him and every once in awhile He opens something up before me to see in the Spirit! A few weeks ago... During prayer, I had a different vision. In the Vision, I was standing before Jesus, face to face, nose to nose, eye to eye, & then He seemed to be moving - or sliding almost - slowly away from me. I could then see a smooth road that He was on & then in my peripheral vision I could see buildings, homes, temples, & mountains. As He moved backwards away from me, I saw written on the pathway “King’s Highway” & as He traveled the road, it seemed as though many of the buildings, homes, mountains, & other things on the sides of the pathway were crumbling and were parting to make room as He seemingly glided by them - all the while we were maintaining eye contact and He was smiling at me. He seemed so calm, so undistracted, so
sure of His safety and mine! At the end of the vision, I heard in my spirit, “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord!” I then realized that the vision was as if I was watching a video rewinding it was
shown to me in reverse! well - I rarely 'hear' Him in the King James version... but I knew that reference... so I was thinking maybe we would be digging into John the Baptist. As the vision
was happening, I realized that I was hearing music in the background - and I found myself sort of humming along with it in my spirit. What did I hear, you may ask? "Moon River"... yes -
that's right People - Moon River!?!? Now - I laughed out loud during our meeting when I realized what song I was hearing in the Spirit. It made me think of my precious friend Arleen... there are so many reasons why I adore her... and one of them is because she just does stuff... I mean - God will tell her to do a dance or sing a song... and she just does it... sure - she battles against all the same stuff everyone else does... but she presses through and she has come to learn that there is purpose beyond what she can see... she will break out in song in the midst of worship and sing the theme song to the Love Boat, or she'll sing about Lays Potato Chips, or whatever... but she does it... and then God moves and the rest of us see Him more clearly.

So - Moon River?! OK... that is what I heard... So I thought that when I went home I would Google the Lyrics and find some deep revelation to share with you. Maybe you are insightful enough to find meaning in it - so just in case - here are the Lyrics:

"Moon River, wider than a mile,
I'm crossing you in style some day.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
wherever you're going I'm going your way.
Two drifters off to see the world.
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end-- waiting 'round the bend,
my huckleberry friend, Moon River and me."

Any thoughts, any deep truths uncovered?! Not so much for me - I thought it was awfully funny!? Sure - there are some things in there, but when I told my husband about it - he also referenced me to Arleen and he began to ponder out loud: “There is a River of God - Jesus said that He is the living water, and well - a Moon - it is simply a Reflection of the Sun!” Not bad - but not exactly what I was looking for! So, I think Moon River was just for my own enjoyment!

A few weeks ago, I took a trip with my daughter. We went on a Mother/Daughter trip just the two of us! "Our" Plan was to get out of town... listen to Dr. Dobson's "Preparing for Adolescence"
CD's... stay in a hotel and go swimming, hot tubbing, (cable TV)... and - of course - School Clothes Shopping in a bigger city!!! ...MY Plan... Was to be able to have some serious conversations about what I went through as a teenager... values I was - and WASN'T - raised with... honestly talk with Kaye about how I was raised and what things I want to do differently with her... pray together, not to mention laugh A LOT, have fun, oh yes - and SHOP!!!) In the end - all of our goals were met! God gave me a portion of Scripture for Kaye and she came away from the weekend not only wiser and more mature, but equipped with a Word from the Lord - not to mention a kickin’ new wardrobe! We had SO MUCH fun!!!

We are aware of how to go about Preparing the way for our kids - we teach them what we know and we hope that they can learn from our mistakes - but how do we prepare the way for our
Lord?! I believe it is - as everything is with Him - a Heart Issue! Some days we clear away a lot of debris and yet it doesn’t look like we have accomplished much, and other days we seem to be
making ground and blazing ahead for miles and miles! It’s not a Works thing - it’s a Heart thing! So often we get our identity from the title we carry and the roles we play - those are a part of us - but they are not Who we ARE!

I do know that as we prepare the way of the Lord, and keep our focus and connection to Him secure, if we keep our eyes on Jesus, all else will grow dim, if we will learn to see the world IN HIM & not in all the distractions, He will surely see us through - in fact, He will PULL us through, He moves closer to us & even as things all around us may shift & shake - our foundation in Him is not moved and our security is not shaken! Let me tell you - in that vision, in the midst of all the chaos and crumbling, He was not one bit worried or concerned - for Himself or for me! He knows what is going on and He is well able to handle it - as long as we keep our eyes on Him.

So - back to John the Baptist! Sheri asked me to lead today, on the day I had that vision, so I figured I would go with that and see what else God would say - so, I show up last week... and I have my mental outline ready to expand on for this week - I have my Scriptures and all... a basic idea of Preparing the Way... And I am wanting to hear more from the Lord about what He would have me share - and then Sheri opens up to Matthew 3 and Isaiah 40! Same Scriptures and everything?! I thought, “Oh no you didn’t!” and God said, “OH yes I did!” I loved it... God is so funny to me! So - as our God is so often doing - as we try to prepare the way for Him - He is at work, busy, preparing the way for US!

Last week, on the Elijah List, Rick Joyner posted a word and I wanted to just read you a piece of it. He said:

“The Kingdom is much bigger, grander, and diverse than we have been able to see because even the most gifted, see only in part and know in part, just as the different tribes of Israel each had their own inheritance, different callings, and different prophecies, but they all fit together to make them one nation. We need to see how the different parts of the body of Christ fit together to form the one holy nation. It is also understandable, that many would believe a Kingdom and a democracy would be in opposition to one another, but this is not necessarily the case. Though the foundational authority of the Kingdom will obviously be the King's ultimate authority over everything, and His delegated authority through those who have overcome in this life to rule and reign with Him, there are ways in which some democratic principles will also have a part in His rule. These are important to see if we are going to build a highway that goes to the right place. A highway goes both ways--it is a way for the King to come to His people, and it is a way for the people to go to Him. In prophetic symbolism, a highway often represents a "higher way."

I believe that the Lord is calling us all to a Higher Way in Him - a Higher Way in how we approach Him, and in how we relate to Him and to others. We have heard the prophecies of the Shaking that is coming - and I believe it is just now beginning to happen. I believe it will get worse - or more intense - before it gets better. But when we keep Him at our center - and remember Who it is that we serve - we will have nothing to fear!

Let’s open up our Bibles to Isaiah Chapter 39. (Read Isa 39:1-8)
I think it is important to look back a little bit and remember the history of what is going on in Isaiah before he proclaims to God’s People to Prepare the Way! God’s people had been thrashed
about by foreign kings. The deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian King, in Isaiah Chapter 37 happened in 701 BC. In Chapters 40-48 we deal with events that occurred some 150 years later! So - in between that time lapse, we find King Hezekiah is faced with a choice - whose ‘way’ is he going to prepare for, which ‘king‘ will he choose!?

In chapter 39, we find that King Hezekiah’s life has been spared, but word had spread that he had not been feeling so hot. The King of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, after hearing that he had been sick and had recovered. Now remember - they just went through some STUFF with some foreign kings who seemed to be against them and their God! This King of Babylon -
there is meaning to his name and Hezekiah should have suspected something in that alone! “Merodach” means “Rebel” and “Baladan” means “Not the Lord” - and yet, Hezekiah was pleased with these gifts and letters of concern, he was flattered and he showed Merodach-Baladan everything in his kingdom. I mean EVERY THING!!!

Pride in his own wealth and military might caused Hezekiah to want to maybe show off a little! When Isaiah heard this - he prophesied to the King regarding the Israelites’ captivity in Babylon that happened 100 years later. But, instead of repenting, the King breathed out a sigh of relief and, as The Amplified Bible puts it, he said, “For there will be peace and faithfulness [to His
promises to us] in my days.” He was simply glad to find out that he had once again been spared and did not seem to be concerned about what would happen to his children or his children‘s children. Can someone say Selfish and Short-Sighted?!

So - let’s move on to Chapter 40...
In Verses 1 & 2, we find the Lord speaking Comfort to His people - and promising forgiveness and a clean slate! This must have been such a welcome message - a message of salvation to a lost & rebellious people - don’t we all know what that feels like!?

(Read Isa 40:3-5) “A voice of one who cries: Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord [clear away the obstacles]; make straight & smooth in the desert a highway for our God! Every valley shall be lifted & filled up, & every mountain & hill shall be made low; & the crooked & uneven shall be made straight & level, & the rough places a plain & the glory (majesty & splendor) of the Lord shall be revealed, & all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it."

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness” - we know this to be John the Baptist. In Matthew 3:3, it says of John: “This is he who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness (shouting in the desert), Prepare the road for the Lord,
make His highways straight (level, direct).”

John was called a Voice, We are all called to be a Voice - I think it is interesting to note that John would call no attention to himself as a person, but he only pointed people to the Savior, whose way he had come to prepare. While the people came out to the Desert place - he did not find comfort or pride in his following - but pointed them all to the Lamb of God who takes away the
sin of the world! So - in Isaiah - he is not referred to as someone anointed and mighty in the plans of the Lord - although obviously he was - but he is referred to as a Voice. It’s not about us - it’s all about Him! Like Chuck shared on Sunday, ‘I AM because He Is!’

“Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” Matthew Henry writes: “When eastern princes marched through desert countries, ways were prepared for them, and hindrances removed. And may the Lord prepare our hearts by the teaching of his word and the convictions of his Spirit, that high and proud thoughts may be brought down, good desires planted, crooked and rugged tempers made straight and softened, and every hindrance removed, that we may be ready for his will on earth, and prepared for his heavenly kingdom.”

The messengers sent before the eastern kings prepared the way for the chariots and armies of their monarchs. A "king's highway" had to be carried through the open land of the wilderness, valleys filled up, and hills leveled - all in advance for when the King would come to visit a city!

“Make his paths straight.” Roads that had not been properly directed in the beginning needed to be straightened out and re-routed, much like the ways of men when no preparation has been
made for the GREAT KING. (BW Johnson from The People’s New Testament 1891)

Let’s not forget that there was a time when Isaiah was all about preparing the way for a king - he was all about setting up man on a pedestal and bowing down - clearing a path in hopes
that others would see and love the king as much as he. When that King (King Uzziah - Isa. Chapter 6) died, Isaiah was beside himself with grief. And then - He came face to face with the
Lord of Lords and King of Kings! In those days, when a king would overtake another region or kingdom, he would have the defeated kings’ robe sewn onto his own - so the longer the train
- the more victorious the king and the more to be feared and respected! So - enter our Lord - High and Lifted up - and His train FILLS the temple. Isaiah knows then and there that this is
the High King - the Only One who is worthy to receive worship and praise and glory! And it is here where Isaiah first gets the Call - when he first is instructed to prepare the way!

So - this People - these Chosen ones of God - when Isaiah cries out this plea to prepare the way - they know! They KNOW - they understand what he is saying and it is unbelievable to them!
This is 150 years later - and they had lost everything - they were torn away from homes, from
their faith, from their very way of life and now - Isaiah is saying prepare the way of the Lord - make Him a King’s Highway! He is saying - the King - the Messiah is coming!!!

And - he is! He is coming!!! We have been preparing the way for Him in all that we do - whether we are aware of it or not - we prepare for Him.

Matthew 24:45-47 in The Message reads: “Who here qualifies for the job of overseeing the kitchen? A person the Master can depend on to feed the workers on time each day. Someone the Master can drop in on unannounced and always find him doing his job. A God-blessed man or woman, I tell you. It won't be long before the Master will put this person in charge of the whole
operation.”

We prepare Him room - He has been at work within each of us to bring us into this Season - He has been shifting and shaking us - molding and shaping us into the Shape of things to come!
He’s been allowing things to come at us to help guide and grow us into the one whom He can depend upon - the one whom He can “drop in on unannounced” and find us doing the job He has given us to do. We pray and we do the work of the Lord; we build relationships; we mother and we mentor and we minister - we build up the valleys and tear down the mountains in intercession, all in preparation so that “every heart will prepare Him room” We take Action and we Stand Firm, we work on His behalf, so that others will get a clear glimpse of the King as He passes by - we work whether we feel Him near or not. We prepare Him room so that He can move and flow and draw us closer and so that He can come near to us! We want to see Him face to face and He promises that if we prepare the way of the Lord - we WILL - we will see His glory, His majesty, and His Splendor!

Now -the enemy of your soul may be whispering to you right now that you don’t do any of that! You aren’t being reshaped and refined - you aren’t preparing the way - you are not building or
tearing down - but you are! You are here - you are intercessors & worshipers & mighty women of God, & you ARE preparing the way!

I believe that we are being released to do the work of preparation - because He IS coming - He is coming to You - and He is coming to me!!! And when we are able to keep our eyes focused on Him - it won’t matter what is going on around us - it will matter what is going on within us! And I believe that the deep internal work will be contagious to those around us. As we prepare the way for Him - He will prepare the way for us! Our hearts cry, Lord is to see Your face! We
want to see it clearly and find comfort in it - we know in Your eyes there is mercy, and grace - there is forgiveness and love, and we know that in Your eyes we have all that we will ever need!

In Isaiah 54:10 it says: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” Isn’t that good?! Don’t you just LOVE that promise?! NO matter WHAT is going on around us - our foundation in Him is secure, our covenant sure, and when we look into His eyes of Love - we find every Yes and every Amen - we find every answer and reassurance we will ever need. When we turn our eyes upon Jesus - and look full into His wonderful face, the things of earth will grow strangely dim - in the Light of His glory and grace!

May He mold you and shape you, and remind you of His unfailing love this week!
Blessings,
~Karrilee~

We will Always Remember!!!

9/11

Just the power of SEEING that date written out stirs something within each of us...

Sometimes fear, sometimes hope...
sometimes vengeance and anger, and sometimes numbness and regret...
but always, it seems, it stirs up sadness and a sense of Loss.

I am in my 30's - I have ever lived to hear of older generations talking about where they were when Pearl Harbor was hit or where they were when Kennedy was shot... well - this is my generations Moment in History where things changed in an instant and we were all affected. All of us. We only felt more helpless, removed and at a safer distance if we did not live in New York or Pennsylvania, or D.C. - but we did not feel strong, protected, or safe that day at all.

In one moment, America was changed.

However - I must say - that in the end - she was not changed the way the Terrorists intended! We were not crippled in fear and cowering helplessly waiting for yet another attack. We were shaken - but not crumbling down to our foundation.

There are moments from 9/11 and the days that followed that will forever be a part of me. Things that I know now will never be the same.

Where was I when the world stopped turning?

I was getting up out of bed and trying to get my little one ready for school. This new schedule of school in the MORNINGS was not a routine yet (it's still not?!) and so I was trying to wake up my little one yet again when our phone rang. It was one of my husbands high school friends... calling to tell me that it was the end of the world. You have to know that at the time - I hadn't had any news on yet and the thing is, Kevin would OFTEN call with questions about the Bible or the end times... and so I was not immediately alarmed. He told me he was serious - that World War 3 may have just started and to turn on the TV.

So - I did... I turned it on to see the replay of the first plane hitting the Twin Tower... it seemed it was unreal - surely it was a horrible mistake... and then - moments after falling into a kitchen chair in disbelief, the second plane came in fast approaching - seemingly on purpose and right on target... we all know what unfolded next!

I prayed of course - immediately - as did many in this great country! Many who never had cried out to God found themselves crying out on that day... many who had long forgotten the God of their childhood once again found their faith and joined in prayer to cover this nation! I also prayed about what to do with my daughter... how could I possibly send her to school when all of this is going on and when the future - literally the coming minutes and hours - were so uncertain?! I prayed and decided that a sense of normalcy would be best for her and we took her to class and came back home, dazed and planning a day in front of the live streaming news. Little did I know it would be the last day of normalcy for her... a bit of innocence for MANY went down with those planes and buildings on that Tuesday morning...

No more will we ever hear a loud jet fly over our home without having our child attached to us at the hip - even now - five years later and her being much taller - she is immediately by my side. We do not live in fear - but that is a sound that the enemy has confiscated to use to torment and terrorize us even further!

The next day - I was sad and surprised to find that I couldn't find our American Flag - so - along with 100s of 1,000s of other Americans - I went out and purchased a Flag and proudly displayed it. 

I can't remember hearing any patriotic song since 9/11 that hasn't brought tears to my eyes!

Then again - it seems like it has been awhile since I have seen so many flags and so much American Pride... we say we won't forget - and we DO need to move forward - to heal and to grow... but our prayer today should be this:

Lord - let us not forget! Let us not forget what that day cost this nation - this people - this freedom! Let us remember to HONOR those who knowingly or unknowingly laid down their lives for us on that day and the days that followed... Let us pray for our leaders and our servicemen and women... let us thank our Firemen and Police Men and Emergency workers for their service - everyday... because one day - we may not get the chance to thank them!

Let us take a moment today - this day - and remember... on purpose...

We pray blessings on those who experience this day so much more personally than the rest of the country - we acknowledge that as public as this tragedy was and is - it is by far more tragic for you...

May God bless us all - and May God bless America!

Prepare the Way...

OK... this will not be a 'normal' post... because I am still processing and studying a bit... I am sharing or teaching next week at my Prayer meeting - and so I am working on what the Lord will have me say... I will post that after I have shared with them!

I had a vision during prayer last week... that is what I was processing... I also heard the Lord say "Prepare Ye the Way"... OK - well - I rarely 'hear' Him in the King James version... but I know that reference... so I was thinking maybe we would be digging into John the Baptist. I also heard the music in my spirit to "Moon River"... yes - that's right People - Moon River!?!? Now - I laughed out loud during our meeting when I realized what song I was hearing in the Spirit. It made me think of my precious friend Arleen... there are so many reasons why I adore her... and one of them is because she just does stuff... I mean - God will tell her to do a dance or sing a song... and she just does it... sure - she battles against all the same stuff everyone else does... but she presses through and she has come to learn that there is purpose beyond what she can see... she will break out in song in the midst of worship and sing the theme song to the Love Boat, or she'll sing about Lays Potato Chips, or whatever... but she does it... and then God moves and the rest of us see Him more clearly.

So - Moon River?! OK... that is what I heard... so - here are the Lyrics:
"Moon River, wider than a mile,
I'm crossing you in style some day.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
wherever you're going I'm going your way.
Two drifters off to see the world.
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end-- waiting 'round the bend,
my huckleberry friend, Moon River and me."

Now - if I was to share my vision with you here today - you may see the humor in it... but I am going to keep that one just to myself for a bit longer... it will tie into what I share next week I am sure! I will say this... keep your eyes on Jesus - and all else will grow dim... see the world in Him... not in all the distractions!

So - I show up yesterday to Prayer... and I have my outline ready to expand on for next week - I have my Scriptures and all... a basic idea of Preparing the Way... and then the leader opens up to all my Scriptures and teaches on John the Baptist!? Not even kidding?! I loved it... God is so funny to me... so - I will dig deeper - I will go with the same message in a different direction... I shared with her how that had happened and she confirmed that we are all pieces... we see in part... I am so excited to see what God is going to say next!!!

Until next week... Prepare the Way and see the world through His eyes!
~Karrilee~

Still Processing...

Hey there... I am not quite ready to write today... We are getting used to those Fall Routines and schedules here... and I am still processing and studying out what the Lord was showing me yesterday... I will write soon though!

Until then...Be Blessed!
~Karrilee~

The Shape of Things to Come!

"I am Molding you into the Shape of Things to Come!"

Today, as I prepared to go to my weekly Intercessory Prayer Meeting, I was asking the Lord for direction in what to read in the Word... I didn't have 'time' to really dig into a devotion and didn't want to rush through my morning time with Him all together - but knew I was running behind schedule...

Aaah the last days of Summer! I know I will need to get back to a regular routine and that will mean more consistent Quiet Time in the mornings I know! Another one of the things I LOVE about Fall! Anyway - the Lord led me to 2 Chronicles chapter 20! It seems the Lord often speaks to me with this portion of Scripture! And often, it is when I feel too rushed or too busy... which can also mean the enemy is trying to pour on guilt and condemnation as well! However, I know that when I am rushed and overwhelmed - it is Praise and Worship that my spirit is in need of!

I encourage you to read 2 Chronicles 20 if you are not familiar with it... I love King Jehoshaphat! This chapter reminds us of the importance and power of prayer & worship... we are called to cry out to the Lord, and to do battle with praise and worship... so often that alone will bring an end to the battle! I love that when King Jehoshaphat was told of the army coming for him, he "resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast..." (vs 3) and then verse 4 goes on to say that the people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD... I pray you are familiar with this story... we know that God showed up and fought the battle... setting ambush on the enemy and causing them to turn on one another. The Lords' people were simply called to "not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' " (2 Chron 20:15-17) I love that they were called to take ACTION - and yet - once in motion - to STAND FIRM and see the deliverance (or Salvation) of the Lord... another translation says it this way: "You won't have to lift a hand in this battle; just stand firm, Judah and Jerusalem, and watch God's saving work for you take shape. Don't be afraid, don't waver. March out boldly tomorrow—God is with you." (The Message) I love that! ... stay with me, and you will too!

In the midst of our worship today during Prayer, I had a vision of the LORD walking around that Prayer Room - mingling in the midst of the women there... I saw Him reaching into our hearts, one at a time... I could feel His Presence and when I asked Him, "Lord, what are you doing?!" He said, "Well, aren't you all praying to make your heart like Mine?" He said, "I Am Shaping you... molding you in the shape of things to come!" ..."The Shape of Things to Come..." ..."The Shape of Things to Come..." I kept hearing that repeat in my spirit over and over...

"What is the Shape of Things to Come, Lord?" I asked.
"It's something new... it's not like anything you've ever seen before" He replied.

Then, with a smile hinted on His lips, and a far away dream becoming His focus, He said, "Aaaaahhh - she's Beautiful, ...Glorious, ...a Wonder to Behold!!! She is almost ready to be revealed. She is fast approaching her time!" (End of vision!)

I knew then that She is His Bride... she IS the Shape of Things to Come...

He is at work in each of us... He is calling us to walk much like Jehoshaphat did. Towards the end of chapter 20, the Bible says that Jehoshaphat "...walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD." However, that is not the end of his story. Verse 33 goes on to say that "the high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their fathers."

I believe that the Lord is at work in our midst... calling attention to some of our own 'high places' that need to be removed... we know that He has said that whatever can be shaken will be shaken... and we are now feeling the effects of a mighty shaking. I hate to say it - but I believe that this is still just the beginning... however... remember - He makes all things new! He is faithful to complete the work He began in you... and in me. He has a future and a hope for us... for good and not for evil... He is aware of what is going on... what is shaking down... and what will remain when the shaking is over!

When our foundation is secure in Him... and we allow Him to reach into our hearts and begin to remold and reshape us... we find that the Potters Hand is gently shaping us into the Shape of Things to Come!!! If you have ever watched a skilled artist using a Pottery wheel - you know that it simply takes a small shifting of their hands to change the entire look and feel of the clay...

May He ever so gently reach in to your heart and shift what needs to be shifted to make something beautiful out of your life!

In His Hands,
~Karrilee~

Step into Him...

Step Into Him...

As I was on my way to the weekly Prayer Meeting yesterday, I felt myself thinking about a message I had spoken on long ago. Basically it was a time when the Lord tied several seemingly unrelated Scriptures together and showed me that He is a Present God... We mere humans tend to go one way or the other... (dwelling in the past, or worrying about the future...) but our God is the I AM and He is a Present God. The Scriptures I was working with at the time were taken from each of the Gospels but were not about the same story or parable... but what God showed me was that they each dealt with "What if's" and "If Only's".

Wow... OK - so how many of us are guilty of one or the other (or both) of those things?! We either have regrets about the past and we fill our thoughts with "If Only's"... or we fret and stress about our unknown future and get caught up in the "What If's." What God had said to me all those years ago was this... "If Only's are about the past... What If's are about the future... I am not the "I Was"... nor am I the "I Will Be"... I am the "I AM"... He is right here... right now... fully aware of what is going on within and around us this very moment... He is 'present' with us at all times... not just 'here'... but truly Present... Webster's defines "Present" as something that is "now existing or in progress; being in view or at hand; existing in something mentioned or under consideration; relating to, ..." To be Present means to be attentive, to be instant and immediate... to pay attention to the details and all that is important... Isn't it good to know that our God is "Present" with us... all the time... every day... through every situation that we encounter!? Aaah - that gives me so much peace!

This memory also stirred up in me the words that I heard a few weeks ago regarding God being the Lion AND the Lamb... being the I AM and saying, "I AM in YOU!"

We had our faithful leader back from a month away... the other gals that stepped up to lead this group all did an excellent job - sharing from their hearts and touching His... yet I must say I was blessed to find my dear friend return... she brings such a heart for the Lord and such a passion for those around her to enter in deeper with Him... and she is simply so Real... What she shared with us built upon what God was speaking to me earlier... Christ in us... the hope of glory!

Sure - we know this... we have read it and studied it... and yet - are we truly learning how to walk it out?! To literally know and believe and walk in the fullness of what that means... I believe that would look like His Bride... pure and spotless - don't you!? Anyway - while we entered in to worship - I saw the feet of Jesus... standing firm on solid ground... strong and muscular legs that are undefeated in battle... and a mighty wind blowing His garment, yet He was unmoved... in His midst was a Brightness of Truth blazing through any storm or any darkness... I scanned up and saw His eyes of love, crying - literally DRIPPING with tears titled "Mercy" and "Grace"... but it was His smile, full of joy that caught my heart! His head was thrown back, laughing and crying in joy... BECAUSE ... (I realized) because He saw Himself in us... in me. I FELT Him step into me... I literally 'saw' Him step into my body and fill me up... I felt all that He is stirring around inside of me... and the vision ended.

Christ in you, the hope of glory... we are no longer HOPING for it, you know!? We have it... Christ lives in us... if we could stay 'present' and remember that He lives in us... all that He is - is available for us... all that He is capable of - can flow through us when we are aware of the union we have with Him. We must look for that Abiding Fruit...

I pray this week you will find yourself thinking of all that it means to have Christ abiding in you... that you will walk taller, feel deeper, and laugh with a joy that is not just your own! After all - the joy of the Lord is our strength! May you walk STRONG this week and Step into Him!

Blessings,
~Karrilee~

Update/Prayer Request

Hey there Everyone...

This is not a normal Post, but it is a Prayer Request for my husband, Dave...

We went back to the Bone Specialist today for a new set of X-rays and a check-up to see how Dave's hand/bone is healing on it's own... and the X-rays unfortunately did not show much new growth... the healing is slower than the Dr. had hoped for and he agreed to let it sit on it's own for three more weeks... and after that he said if there was not much new growth, he would probably suggest surgery... needless to say Dave is not happy about this report. Surgery would start the healing process all over again and set him back that much farther from actually being able to play guitar... not to mention do his job at work and just basically function normally with the use of both hands.

We know that we have had prayers sent up on our behalf through out this ordeal... and we do so appreciate it... I must say that Dave's natural disposition is so encouraging and positive... it is difficult to watch him go through these negative, depression battles and yet I know it is 'normal' I suppose... we are just praying for faith and healing to rise up... we are believing that God is well aware of all that is going on and we want to follow His lead and stand on His Word in this trial. We are trusting in God that His plans and purposes for Dave are for good and that He will see us THROUGH this - physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially!

So many others we know are battling serious illnesses and diseases... trials and tribulations that seem so much bigger than our own - and yet - I can't convey enough how much Music is a part of who Dave is and what drives him onward... other than God and family - it is his biggest passion and greatest desire... it is the area that the enemy is most attacking him right now in his thoughts and worries!!?

We have three weeks... three weeks to see God work a miracle in recreating his bones in his left hand and strengthening him - mind, body, and spirit! We appreciate the prayers of agreement more than you can know! Pray however the Lords leads you...

In Him,
~Karrilee Aggett~

Getting Back to "Center"

Back to Center...

What does that mean to you!? What sorts of images does that stir up within you?

For me... my 'Center' is when all seems right with my world... my husband is happy, my daughter is loved, my house is at peace... I am hearing clearly and communicating with the Lord on a somewhat regular basis...

It seems it is oh so easy for us to get off-center without even realizing it! I know for me, sometimes in the midst of having fun or, as my daughter used to say, Freelaxing... the Holy Spirit will give me a different perspective and I will see that even though the 'fun' or 'freelaxing' I am enjoying is not wrong or bad... it is casually taking me downstream to a place that is not centered in what I am called to do. Don't get me wrong... the Lord desires that we have fun and relax... he loves it when we laugh out loud with friends, or enjoy an afternoon in the sun... He said Himself that He came that we may have life, and have it MORE ABUNDANTLY... I truly believe He gets Joy in watching us enjoy that abundant life!

However, we can get so caught up in our daily lives, ...so caught up in our lists of things to do that we can drift away from what God has called us to do without even realizing it! Thankfully - His grace is sufficient and His Mercy is new every morning! He will gladly help put us back on course!

The trick - or learned skill - is to enjoy life and even enjoy those little moments of drifting - and yet know enough to know when to jump ship and swim back... to know when and where to find your "Center" again!

When we are off-center... we are often Off -balanced too... things just don't seem right! We are easily annoyed and aggravated... if we stop and think about it... we will find that we are lacking peace! When we are Centered... peace is abundant, as well as Grace & Mercy... Joy follows quickly behind and we find we are able to once again enjoy that Life Abundant...

I share all of this to say that I found myself slowly floating... it was nice to feel that airy. light awareness... I don't think I was necessarily off center or drifting away... but that line is so thin going from floating and resting... to drifting and sleeping!

When I went on vacation over the weekend, we went to a great church in Boise, Idaho (Calvary Chapel)... the message was all around Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls... so funny if you have been in touch the past few months to what the Lord has been saying... very timely message!

I wanted to share briefly what the Lord spoke to me a week or so ago that I was not really that into and wasn't so sure I understood or even liked it. Not that I have the fullness of what His intentions are... I do not... but I have come to realize that much of what He was showing me will deal closely with staying Centered... and not allowing ourselves to Drift and Sleep... but rather to enjoy those down times... to enjoy the Floating and Resting... so when He says go... we will be ready!

I don't remember what all I have shared here... so I will just give an outline of what I've been hearing! Around the middle of July, I heard the Lord say: "I am the Lion and the Lamb, I am the Lion AND the Lamb... I am the I AM and I AM in YOU!" OK! Great! I know this - but I also know that if we would all walk in that awareness all the more - we would be busy doing those works and greater works... like we are called to do! So - this is exciting! I went home and began to look up all the verses dealing with Jesus being the Lion and the Lamb... the one that stood out the most was in Revelation 5-7... in the Opening of the Seals. Yikes?! OK!? I feel like this Season we are about to enter into... while it will be covered and dripping in Blessings and powerful Manifestations of His Love and Presence... it will also require of us a greater sense of discernment... there will be times and situations that we will need to allow the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to flow through us ...and there will be times when we'll need to allow the Lamb of God to work through us... we must know and remember at all times - that Christ lives IN US... the fullness of HIM resides within us... we must learn to tap into that power!

A few days later, I felt the Lord speak to me and say, "NOW is the time to understand Ezekiel!" As I thought about that book in the Bible and all the times I have read it and not really felt like I got it... I began to feel over my head... then the Holy Spirit said, "I am raising up Ezekiels, if you want to play the part!" Oh... how I do!!! While Ezekiel was called to do many difficult things in intercession for Israel... he was also able and called to do many miraculous things!!! Such an exciting time! I read through the first half of Ezekiel... I have to say that the two areas right away that would always get me stuck where the visions of the Wheel within a wheel... and of the four creatures!

Well - I believe that the Wheel within the wheel is a picture of our spirits and how we should be able to move in the Spirit as we live in tune with and covered by His Spirit! We are the wheel within... He is the Wheel... we are called to a greater level of discernment to know when and where to go!

The Four creatures - which - by the way - are also in Rev 5-7... I still wasn't sure! I knew they were a picture of Christ somehow... or pointed to Him....but I couldn't get it. Then - last week at Prayer - out of the blue, the leader shared that the Four Creatures in Ezekiel and Revelation are pictures of Christ AND of the four Gospels...

The Lion (The Lion of the Tribe of Judah) = Gospel of Matthew points to Jesus the KING/Lion
The Man (Man) = Gospel of Luke points to Jesus the Man
The Ox (The Servant) = Gospel of Mark points to Jesus as Servant
The Eagle (Only Begotten Son) = Gospel of John points to the Only Begotten Son!

Wow!? So cool!? I feel it is so very key in this time and at this hour to know and find your Center... where do you feel the most Centered and what is it that you are called to do!? The Season change is fast approaching and we will need to know how to stay Centered and how to stay in tune with Him...

I don't know about you - but I am feeling pretty excited at the prospect of God raising up Ezekiels in our day... and the fact that He is inviting us to play along is huge! I believe we are coming to an end of things being the way they have always been... there is a shift coming... a change fast approaching that may take many by surprise - but it is not because the Lord has been silent... but because we were not Centered on Him and in tune with what He is saying!

I will study it out further and share whatever I gain from this... but if any of you have any input I would LOVE to hear it!

Until next time,
May you enjoy God's Blessings and ABUNDANT living!!!
~Karrilee~

"Endtime... the end of Business as Usual for everyone..."
(Ezekiel 7:2 The Message)

Still Unplugged!

Well... it turns out it was not the hard drive... nor was it the Mother board that we thought... or the RAM... it may be the casing... ??!? All I know is my Computer Guy (Praise God - I even HAVE a "Computer Guy"!) keeps rolling his eyes and saying it is all because I have an E-Machine?! But - he is being terrific at re-piecing it together so in the end it will work (which will make me happy!) - and it will no longer actually BE an E-Machine - (which makes him happy!)

Until then - I have access to a computer next door - but really don't want to take too much time there... so I have not written much this week - at least not on the computer!

The Lord is speaking very clearly a few things to me - of which I must be honest and say I am not really liking... True - I move in the prophetic and yes - I am an intercessor... and yet - I do so love to encourage and uplift... no one wants to be like Jeremiah.... or others who bring bad news and God's warnings... I will continue to pray about what I feel God is speaking and once I have access back to my own computer - I will write a few more things...

Until then, may I suggest you read through Ezekiel... that is one of the areas He has me focused on... I have never been a fan of Ezekiel - it's a hard book for me to understand and I would love some feedback from you?!

Anyway - since I am limited in my writings - let me throw it back to you all... what have you been reading lately!? (In the Bible - or otherwise!?) What do you feel the Lord has been saying to you!?

Until next time!
~Karrilee~

Power Surge + Hard Drive = Crash (Repost)

Hey there... this is a repost from my other Blog... since I am borrowing a neighbor's computer... hopefully I will be back up and running soon! Until then... here is a little update!
~K~

Yep - it's true... Somehow - we had a power surge... or a drop in power... or something strange and out of the ordinary... and it caused my computer to die... at least (for the hard drive) it was a quick and painless death... however, for me... it is long and drawn out?! sniff, sniff...

Hello, my name is Karrilee, and I am a computer-holic! (Everyone says, "Hi, Karrilee!") It is true... I can barely go a few hours without doing SOMETHING on my computer... a little eBay... some CafePress work... a Blog or a Post... update my website... check e-mail... IM... type out a devotional or do an online Bible Study... not to mention uploading and editing photo's and playing games?! Oh my!? With the Computer in a central area in our home... it makes it super easy for me to sit down "...for just a sec'!" (much to my family's frustration!)

So... while I had PLANS to do all my normal stuff... well - I am in the process of buying a new hard drive and hoping and praying we can get at least SOME of my info off the dead - er - Old one?! (Fingers crossed, breath held, eyes closed... prayers being sent up...?!) We shall see?! Got that new Digital camera... and lucky for me I am a tad bit obsessive and caught up in scrapping because that means that even though I didn't back up my files... I have already scrapped the hard copies?! Yes... I know... see?! There are up sides to this compulsion of mine?!

On another note... we went to the Bone Specialist today to get new X-rays! My dh's hand is healing - and the surgeon still is saying surgery is not necessary... however it is still healing really slowly... he got a new cast and we'll go back in three weeks... even though it was a good report overall - the doctor also used '6-9 months' to him when talking about guitar playing... someone will die if it takes that long - I can tell you that right now! We are praying for a faster than normal recovery - AND we are praying about our vacation plans that we had for the month of August as well...

Anyway - this is my excuse... er - um - explanation for my absence the past few days!!! I will be back... soon hopefully! I am going through withdrawls... at least I can still have my Starbucks!?! It's not the end of the world YET!?

In faith - I will be back very soon!
Until then... Scrap On!
~Karrilee~

In Whom Do You Trust?

This morning as I was forcing my eyes open, and body to stretch and greet the day, I felt in my spirit a drawing to His heart... I so wanted to linger there in bed, letting my thoughts fill up with Who He is and how good our God is! I did soak in His Presence for a bit, before allowing the daily part of my day to crowd in to my thoughts and beckon me out of the warmth of my morning meeting.

I was getting ready for Tuesday prayer, and I was asking the Lord what it was He wanted to speak to me today... "Romans 10:14".... Hmmm?! OK - I am not sure exactly what that verse says... so - (being me - and the way I am with Him!) I said, "Lord - I would love for you to give me a Cross Reference here... even before I look up that verse... "Psalms 23:2-3" OK - that one I know... So - after brushing my teeth, off I go to look up my Scriptures... this is how they read:

"But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?" (Romans 10:14 The Message)

"He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake." (Psalms 23:2-3 Amplified)

Hmmm... yeah?! So - I read Romans 10:14 and, on my own - I would have Cross Referenced to Isaiah 6:8... but that is me... Since God Cross-Referenced me to Ps 23 I had to slow down and rethink it... When I prayed for more clarity - I was led to turn the page in my Bible and my eyes fell upon Psalms 22:4... In the Amplified Bible, it reads: "Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted (leaned on, relied on You, and were confident) and You delivered them."

Wow... OK - so - it is morning and I haven't yet had my coffee... but I am starting to see something here... Do you see it?! If you haven't read my previous post - you may want to stop here and go and read it... it ties in with what the Lord was telling me this morning...

As I wrote in the last post - I believe with all my heart that there is a new Season approaching... I believe it will be a Season of blessing and of walking into more of our Inheritance. Sometimes, Seasons change so quickly it is almost as if we did not expect it... but we know that the change is coming. I believe many in the Body have been going through Wilderness Seasons... to one extend or the other... some have been waiting so long for a new Season to come - they almost forgot what they were waiting for! ...and Suddenly, the change is fast approaching!

Instead of giving up on God... or your dreams, or goals, on your destiny... instead of sitting down at the foot of whatever mountain you are circling and saying "I just can't do it!"... what if - instead of doing that - you reminded yourself of His goodness... you reminded yourself of how He has shown up for you time and time again!? What if you reminded yourself that has really very little to do with you anyway - but it is all about Him... and He is well able and willing to do it! What if... those who you are trying to reach simply can't trust in Him because they have never known anyone to be Trustworthy... because they haven't heard us - in the Body - testify of His goodness for a long long while!?

We must - even in the midst of trials and mountains to climb - remind ourselves and others of the Goodness of God!!! We must speak it out loud!!! We must share with others how He has led us to green pastures... how He has made us to lie down and rest... and how He restores and refreshes us in our times of need... it builds our own faith when we remember.... and it reaches out to those who are in the dark and it offers them a glimpse of Light... a glimpse of Hope...

"How can people call for help if they don't know who to trust?" That is how The Message translation puts it!? Good question! If we, in the Body - who should KNOW who to trust in - are not relying on, and trusting in Him... if we are not remembering His Faithfulness and Goodness and Mercy...then how will they learn to do it?

So many times, I have felt the Lord speak to me and say, "Just Speak to that Mountain!" There is power in that... and sometimes, ya know what!? I just have to speak to myself... I have to HEAR it in my own voice and allow that faith and steadfastness to rise up within me as I speak His word forth... He tells us that His Word will never return to Him Void... but it will accomplish that which He set it out to accomplish... That encourages me to no end because I know - I mean I KNOW with all that I am - that what He desires to accomplish - in me - is for my best and for His Glory! That realization alone can give me strength to stand strong... to walk taller, and to speak louder...

If you are facing a mountain of trouble... or feel like you have rounded the corner to find the same landscape before you, yet again - let me encourage you to stand...having done all... & remind yourself of His faithfulness... to you, personally... to His people... to those you know... Read some old prayer requests and see how He has answered them... research modern day miracles... better yet - get out the Word of God and feed on it today - fill up on the Bread of Life and feel your faith rise and your witness improve!

You see... someone is watching your walk with the Lord! Someone is waiting and watching and seeing how you handle the situation before you. How will they call for help... Who will they trust in... let me encourage you to tell them how He has led you to lie down in green pastures and how He has refreshed and restored your soul... even in the midst of a battle! How He continues to lead and guide you on the right path... not just because you are good or you do what is right... because - let's be honest here - you don't - not all the time - none of us do! Part of this new Season is gonna require us to take off our masks and stop all our pretending to have it all together... it is a Season of getting Real... with God - and with each other!

So - God is not working on your behalf because He likes you best or because you do everything right... He does it for "His name's sake." He is no respecter of persons... we need to Remember His Goodness... we need to Remind ourselves of His Faithfulness... and we need to tell those around us with Words AND with Deeds that the God we serve is Good, Faithful and Trustworthy... He has Mercy and Forgiveness...Guidance and Blessing ready and waiting!

I pray you will remember to Speak out Loud this week! To yourself... to God... to others... to the enemy... stir up that gift of Faith and allow Him to lead you!

Blessings,
~Karrilee~

"My Deliverer is Coming..."

I can't tell you how much I love that song... I think it is a Rich Mullins song - but when that children's choir joins in and sings, "My Deliverer is coming... My Deliverer is standing by..." I get goose bumps every time!

For a few weeks now - the Lord has been leading me to read Psalm 114. I 'see' it when I am driving... and I hear it in my prayer time... I have even heard the voice of the Lord recite it to me in those morning moments between sleep and awake... I have to be honest... I had to soak in it for a bit to understand. I read through it several times and wasn't quite sure I knew what He was trying to tell me. I have felt for some time that the Season was about to change... and it would be for the better! I must say however that the Season we have been in has been good... through the years I have come to learn to appreciate where I am and where He is taking me... even if I can't see that far ahead of my feet!

Let me first share with you this short and powerful Psalm... here is it:

"When Israel went out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became His sanctuary, And Israel His dominion. The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back? O mountains, that you skipped like rams? O little hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob, Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters." (NKJV)

OK - so - you can see why I was not immediately enlightened and excited about this portion of Scripture that God seemed to so heavily put on my heart! I would read it over and over and think - OK - I get it... it's about remembering His faithfulness... and it is... and yet I knew there was more! Psalm 114 is in fact one of the "Hallel Psalms" - and were used at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacle, and Dedication. This Psalm is a call to Praise...it is a reminder of all that God has done for 'us'. It also reminds us that He is not yet finished!

Our God - the Creator of the Universe - has our back - so to speak! The waters of the Red Sea did not panic and shrink back due to the multitude of slaves before her... but due to the fact that the Creator of all was carrying out His plan for them - and the sea would not get in His way! Their Deliverer was standing by - and He was at work on their behalf to help them to cross over to the other side! Forty years later... after the Wilderness time - the Jordan River also halted it's flow and provided dry ground for Crossing over to the Promised Land!

As I studied this Psalm - I learned that the Red Sea passage typifies our Redemption from the world by God's power through identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection! The crossing of the Jordan speaks of deliverance from wilderness wandering and entering into our spiritual inheritance, again through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. (Believer's Bible Commentary - William MacDonald)

We are about to Cross Over - so to speak - into our Inheritance... into the Season that will bring about our greatest destiny and our greatest triumphs! In the midst of trying to comprehend what the Lord was trying to say to me, our family had an unexpected mountain arise and we were forced to deal with things we are not used to or accustomed to. On the surface, (literally), it looked bad... the enemy was having himself a TIME messing around in our thoughts and sowing fear... however, I remembered this Psalm and I read it again and I saw that God was all powerful and He was faithful to that little ragtag team of slaves that He called His own! That is the same God that I serve today... He is the same yesterday, today, and forever - and nothing is too difficult for Him!

I think that MANY in the Body of Christ have felt like they have been in the Wilderness... going around one mountain or the other - over and over and over and never quite able to get a glimpse of that Promised Land. Whatever it is you have been believing for, or standing on, or desiring of the Lord - your Promised Land is on it's way! We are about to enter a season of blessing and of carrying with us a greater measure of the Presence of God... and in turn - we will see many set free and many will cross over with us!!!

Well, I believe that the Lord was trying to show me - or remind me - that this new Season is about to begin - and it will be greater than the seasons of the past... we will step into more of our Inheritance than ever before!!! ... it is the Season that will find us facing the River Jordan... and seeing dry ground come into focus at our shore-lined feet... Look up - for your redemption draweth nigh! Look up - you can almost SEE that 'Promised Land' approaching!!

Sing with me...
"I will never doubt His promise, though I doubt my heart, I doubt my eyes...
My Deliverer is coming... My Deliverer is standing by!!!"
~Karrilee~