The Kingdom of God... it's personal, not business!

There is a stirring in the Body of Christ.... a growing hunger for more power to be manifest in our lives! In order for this to happen we must learn to flow with God’s Love. Jesus has given us the keys to unlock the Kingdom of God. He has equipped us for every good work which He prepared beforehand for us to walk in – to accomplish with Him – to bring glory to the Father! God has given us the keys that, if we would use them they would enable us to operate in two realms right here, and right now! We have been offered a gift to receive the kingdom, and all that it represents. We have the ability to tap into heavenly realms while operating in earthly realms. The keys, and the Kingdom as Jesus said, really ARE at hand, if we’re willing!

We’re being drawn ever closer to the heart of the Father and are called to release the Kingdom of God into every area of our lives. We’re being called to do this by letting His Love spill out and over in greater levels. As I was praying with the Lord, asking Him about this move of God, He assured me that the Kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of this world! He said that in the earthly realms, much of life really is like that famous line in the Godfather: “It’s not personal – it’s just business.” However, in the Kingdom of God – it’s not business, it’s just personal! Our God is, first and foremost, a personal God! He is relational and desires to have friendship with us. When we rise up in our intimacy with the Lord, He calls us closer to His heart and shows us the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is not business, it is PERSONAL! Our God desires fellowship and intimacy. When we grow in our friendship with God, He helps us to unlock the realities of Heaven and causes us to see our Authority to pull them from one realm into the other! Look at the story of Mary and Martha. Mary understood that God is Personal, while Martha was all about the Business. Of course the ‘business’ needs to get done, however how much more powerfully and effectively is it done when we do it WITH the Lord, out of intimacy? I have no doubt that if Martha would have also chosen the ‘better part’ of intimacy, the Lord would have accomplished the work that was at hand. In fact, I’m pretty sure that He would’ve rolled his sleeves up and pitched in because He loves to do that! He loves to partner with us in Kingdom work!

In the kingdoms of this earth, ‘business’ is almost expected to be ruthless and cruel. It’s how we get ahead; how we get things done. But when we operate out of the Kingdom of God, Love is our compass and being personal is at the heart of everything we do! As Meg Ryans’ character in You’ve Got Mail said in response to that Godfather quote, “And what's so wrong with being personal, anyway? Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal.”

The keys to the Kingdom are Righteousness, Joy, and Peace in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17), and how can we live these out if they are not first built on Love? When we begin to operate in the Love of the Father and freely give it out, we begin to see the Kingdom of God at hand. We begin to see lives changed, hearts healed, minds transformed; we begin to see heaven on earth. We have the joy and honor of tapping into the Kingdom of God for any situation we face right here in the earth, and grabbing hold of the heart of the Father. The next move of God I believe will be the combining of two realms, walking into the kingdoms of this world, and tearing the veil to reveal the Kingdom of our God. Many have stated that this move will be a releasing of the Love of God, and is that not what we all need: a personal revelation that the Kingdom is at hand, for you and for me? It’s not business – it’s personal, because what we really need; what we simply must have, is an ever increasing measure of His abiding love and His abounding grace to fill us to overflowing, and to spill out onto others to reveal His Kingdom and bring glory to the Father!

I just returned from a week at Bethel church in Redding, California! It was amazing... God sent me to a Writer's Conference and all of my favorite authors were there... and as a bonus, it was held at Bethel church! Bethel has this unique atmosphere... you can actually tangibly FEEL the Father's Heart beating for you there! There is a strong sense of community and love... they really DO live in the Kingdom there... and I really DO pray that just by being there, I received an impartation... the Kingdom of God is not business, it's PERSONAL... because HE is personal - and He is especially fond of you!

~Karrilee~

A New Season... are you ready for Change?

Once again, I have neglected my writing (thus, my blogs) for months due to other activities that have required my attention - but I have been missing this outlet and way that I tend to clarify that which God is speaking to me! So - here I am... without clear direction, but knowing that I am here because He has something to say - to you, and to me! So - buckle up... and here we go!

Over the past few months, I have been loving my Monday morning group! I meet up weekly with a powerful amazing group of ladies in my home as we study through Bill Johnsons' The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind. We wrap it up this week and it has been so encouraging and so challenging... we truly do want to live, as Bill puts it, the 'normal Christian life'! That is my hearts' desire and I long for opportunity mixed with boldness to SEE the sick healed, the lame walking, the blind receiving sight, the lepers cleansed, the demons cast out, and the dead rising! I really do... and this past season was a season of training. It was a season of finding out if this is really something you really honestly want - if we can catch His heart for wholeness and freedom and extend His love in every situation... as He leads! We can SAY we do - because we know we should... but just between you and Him - that is what this past season has been about! What is in you and what does He want to spill out? In the end, really - it's always been and always will be all about His Love!

I have walked through a transitional season with the Lord in the past year and a half. He gently called me to work on my follow through and we picked the most obvious area that it was lacking in... however, I knew overcoming this lack of follow through would bring to light many other changes and many reasons for my lack in the past. What it comes down to for me... I have in the past always been afraid of change. I kicked against the goads and even if it looked like it would be for the best - I hated it. Honestly - in my flesh, I can get real comfortable in my comfort zone and not want to venture out. However, I have known that there is a call on my life that requires my comfort zone to constantly change... let me tell you - you do too! Once you come to Jesus and give Him your life - you are in for a life of change... a life of adventure and opportunities... a life of destiny and blessings. In the flesh - I love my life the way it is right now... I love it! I am not the most wealthy person by a long shot - but I am properous and I love my life. I am blessed with an amazing husband who I adore and who loves me incredibly... I am blessed with an incredible daughter and extended family on both sides... lots of true friends... not to mention the Most Important Person in my life and His great Love for me... I am blessed and happy. But in this past season - the Lord has helped me to work on my follow through and I have realized that while I CAN be comfortable here and I AM blessed - if I am just willing... just WILLING to step out and follow Him, He will open doors that I never would have considered. He will make a way where there seems to be no way and He will cause me to step into the destiny that He has planned for me ahead of time! (Eph 2:10) If I am to fulfill the Call... if I am to step into those prophetic words spoken over me - I will need to be willing to change!

For the first time in my life, I am open and willing to change locations! I love my city and love living here... this is the town I grew up in and most of my family is here... I am not itching to leave - but I can see now for the first time - He can move me and I will be ok. In fact, if He wants me somewhere else - I WANT to be there... because ultimately - if He wants me there - He has something for me there.. to give and to recieve! So - now, not only am I open to change - and I am actually feeling Him stir up in me an excitement FOR it! There is a song on the radio right now called The Motions by Matt West... I love this song - it is so my anthem right now! Here are the lyrics:

"This might hurt
It’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change
I don’t care
If I break
At least I’ll be feeling something
‘Cause just ok
Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

No regrets
Not this time
I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love
Make me whole
I think I’m finally feeling something

Take me all the way

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions..."
(The Motions by Matt West)

So - I am not saying I have this follow-through deal mastered - obviously I have not since I haven't been HERE for so long... but, I am seeing that part of why I dug my heels in it for so long to following through was because I knew it would ring about change - or an opportunity to change... and I was not so sure I would be ready or wanting to step into the next season!

I am excited to share that God is literally paying my way to attend a Writers Conference in a couple of weeks! A friend sent me a link in an e-mail and pointed out a Writers Conference being held at Bethel Church in Redding, CA... which means the speakers will include all my favorite authors right now like Bill and Beni Johnons, Kris Vallotton, Danny Silk - pretty much the staff at Bethel - and the keynote speaker is none other than the author of The Shack! Oh my!? Honestly - my first thought when I read that e-mail was, "Linda is MEAN!" LOL! I never thought that I would be able to go! We are planning a big vacation in June that is taking up our vacation budget for the year pretty much and I just didn't even really consider it! However, my husband said that maybe we could swing it... this opened the door for me to pray about it. So - I actually prayed and heard the Lord not only tell me who to bring with me, but He assured me that we are a good investment! That is what He keeps saying over me... "You are a Good Investment!" Amen! He says that over me... and He says that over you! and the good news is that He means it! He has already invested His Life in you... and you are worth it! So - over the past few weeks, the Lord has paid for our Registration fees and is bringing in money to cover our travel expenses. We have not asked anyone for money - but whenever we are tempted to get into worry about the cost of it all... God says, You are a Good Investment - and money shows up! He so desires us to be there... I am excited for the opportunities that He has in mind for us and for the work that He has for us to and the blessings He has for us there... that will equip us for this next season! I am believing that not only will the Writers conference help stir me up and give me direction in my writing - but that I will get a tranferrable anointing there - to live that 'normal Christian life'! Yes, Lord - that is what I want!!!

Recently, I read a word that came across The Elijah List and I just wanted to quote a small portion of what was shared! The author was talking about learning how to host the Presence and he said "...we have access to the unlimited measure of God's presence, but He doesn't entrust Himself to untrustworthy people. All of the measurements are set up on our end of the equation. He typically entrusts us with the measure of the presence we are willing to jealously guard.

We are to become His resting place—the place from which the exploits of Heaven are accomplished. For when the Lord rests upon a person, there is actually an atmospheric shift that takes place wherever that person goes. How do you think Peter's shadow healed people? Our shadow will always release whatever overshadows us. When we learn to host the presence of the Lord, we get more breakthroughs by accident than ever used to happen on purpose. That is a possibility for every Believer every day." (Bill Johnson, "Learning to Host the Presence")

The portion in bold type was actually that way in the original post - but the sentence that really stood out to me was the one right before it... "Our shadow will always release whatever overshadows us." Wow?! So - the question then is this - what is it that is overshadowing you? What is it that is occupying your thoughts and consuming your attention? In this world - in this economy - in this (insert whatever concerns you right now) - it's tough to not let these things overshadow us, but I do not want worry and fear and anxiety to spill out of me... so I must stay focused and in tune and filled up with Him.

During a meeting on Friday night, I heard the Lord say, "If it concerns you, it concerns Me!" Another friend was lead to Psalm 138 and she read it in the New American Standard Version. Verses 7 & 8 read like this:
"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The LORD will accomplish what concerns me;
Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands."

Whatever it is that concerns you, you can rest assured that it concerns Him as well! And if it concerns Him... you can rest assured that He has your back! He will work it out and cause blessing to overshadow you despite what you may see in the natural! Remember, He is no respecter of persons, and He says that you are a Good Investment!

Love in Abundance, Grace Abounding,
Be Blessed,
~Karrilee~

Where is YOUR Common Denominator?

The Lord has really been speaking about the power of agreement. This is no small revelation: knowing the importance of recognizing and seeking out the power of agreement. For years, it seems, the Lord has been calling us to Declare and Decree... He is revealing the Truth of His Kingdom and calling us to live a Kingdom-minded life right here on earth. We are entering into a season of seriously needing to know and seek out the power of agreement!

I will never forget years and years ago calling a national ministry with an urgent prayer request. The Prayer Partner on the other end of the phone asked me what the request was. (It was for a friends' son who was born premature and his lungs were not yet developed.) I told him and he asked where my faith was... what I could believe for in prayer... he explained that what we needed was the power of agreement. He had faith to believe that God would instantly heal this baby and give him fully developed lungs, but if I was believing that the Doctors would have wisdom and they would be able to stabilize his breathing and over time his lungs would strengthen, then he needed to know. We needed to pray at the point of agreement. I was completely believing that God would create new lungs instantly in this little one - so we prayed. Literally an hour later, this new Mom called to say that the doctors were astonished - it was as if the X Rays taken before were of a completely different baby because her son had two fully developed and functioning lungs. He was fine and out of the woods immediately! What an awesome answer to prayer! And for me... what a powerful lesson!

I think in this season, God is really drawing us together in small groupings of people - whether it be within your church, in a home meeting, a Bible study or prayer group, or within your family... however He is doing it - He IS doing it! He is drawing the like-minded together in accordance with the power of agreement.

I had the honor and pleasure of ministering once again with two great friends on Saturday whom God honestly hand picked and placed us together. We ministered to a small group of ladies who seemed to be each feeling somewhat isolated, not a part of the Body or not important, and alone. We left them more connected and flowing in His Love toward one another... a powerful picture of how much He loves us! All because we pray and intercede and flow in unity and at a high level of agreement. While we were preparing to minister, I heard the Lord say, "Pay attention to the lowest common denominators vs. the Highest common denominator!"

I can't tell you how many times I have had this discussion with my daughter. From a very young age - we have explained to her the fleshly tendency to convert to the lowest common denominator. We must pick our friends and those we spend a great deal of time together with carefully because sooner or later, we will find that point of commonality and all gather there. For better or for worse! When the enemy is attacking us, it is so vital for us to seek out a point of agreement that will stretch our faith and cause us to rise up - not to lower down! Finding those who will join in with you in the flesh is easy... you won't have to look far! These are Jobs friends... these are those whose intentions are good - but often times, you come away from spending time with them feeling worse than when you started out.

Seek out relationships and connections that cause you to rise up... seek out the Highest Common Denominator! Jesus IS our Highest Common Denominator! He desires to stir you up and reveal to you the best He has in mind for you... and you must be linked up with those whose point of agreement will fall on Him and His Word above anything else! This is His desire - all because He knows full well the power of agreement! He is not gathering us together simply for our enjoyment - although that is more a part of it I think than we often realize! He is so for us - and He WANTS us to enjoy His Blessings... but these Gatherings are for a higher purpose!

Gone are the days and weeks of travailing... I mean - sure - there will still be things that we fight for and battle for in prayer - however I believe we are entering a season where we know who we are and Whose we are and we rise up in Kingdom Power and Authority and loose the answer! We will pray and see and experience instantaneous answers. Miracles and healings, resurrections, and deliverance at our hands - not because we are all that, but because HE is 'all that' and because we know the authority we wield! As my little team of three prayed together the week before the meeting on Saturday, the Lord showed me that where there are areas in our boundaries or armor that are weak - in the past the enemy would rush in and attack there and gain access. However, now is the season where we see the Lord rise up in us and as the enemy attempts to enter in - we simply say, "Access Denied!" and he has to flee! The battle belongs to the Lord, and He has said, "Access Denied!" to the enemy over your life!

It has long been prophesied that the next big move of God will be nameless and faceless - and I believe it is because it is not ONE person, or ONE church... but it is multitudes of small gatherings moving in power and might, moving in agreement, rising up in Kingdom authority and taking back ground the enemy had assumed would be his forever - all over the world, at the same appointed time!

So, I encourage you to rise up! Look around you... you just may find a group of unexpected friends who God has placed before you for a greater purpose... and if, for whatever reason, you do not find this - know that this is His will for you! Pray and ask Him to connect you to others who are also connected in faith and power to the Highest Common Denominator!

He unites us, empowers us, He's IN us, He is wanting to spring out and bless those around us... In Him we have agreement!
In Him we have life, and power, and joy, and love...
In Him we have all we could ever need...
let's allow Him to link us together with like-minded believers
and watch Him move in power on earth, 'as it is in Heaven'!

Rise Up! Rise Up!
~Karrilee~

What's YOUR Song of Love?

It has been quite some time since I have sat down to share anything with you but that is not because I have not had anything to share. I have just been very busy and have been really trying to digest all that is stirring in me.

I feel as if we are nearing the end of the season of soaking in His Presence and really allowing revelation truth to settle deep in us (not that this season will ever really be OVER but...) - and we are fast approaching a season of putting action to the things our hearts yearn to see come to pass! I praise God for this time of really getting to know and firmly believe in what is in us... and I am so looking forward to the releasing of the next season to bring it to pass! I truly believe that we are about to enter a time of living in the Kingdom and being Kingdom people. It's not that this is a new thing - but it is more of a Body-wide movement that is coming and I don't know about you - but I want to be among those Kingdom people!

So - stumbling upon this Bill Johnson book on the Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind has been - well - perfect timing! Today we met up and went over Chapter Two... yes - that's right - Chapter Two!? Chapter Two deals with the gateways of our minds and the power of agreement - either with Heaven, or with Hell. In going over the chapter, the Lord reminded me of a vision He gave me back in 2007...
(Click here for a link...
http://abidingloveaboundinggrace.blogspot.com/2007/11/lord-may-our-bowls-overflow.html )

So - we are finally through Chapter Two and will attempt to get through Chapter Three next week... today was awesome and we had a powerful soaking time with the Lord! During the time, I heard the Lord say, "I am singing over you a love song written just for you, just for today... it is meant and destined to touch your heart and draw you closer! This is the full measure of My love for you - " Then I saw three screens playing out in front of me...
1. A Father dancing with his little girl, laughing and giggling, spinning and playing - lavishing His love on her.
2. A Man dancing with His Bride, with passion and hunger in His eyes.
3. A Brother lovingly joking around and playing with His sister.

This reminded me of The Shack...

Again, I heard the Lord say, "This is the full measure of my divine love and desire and acceptance of you. I am SO FOR you! You bless my heart with the things that are stirring in you. I adore your worship and willingness to pray. as you are filling the bowls of intercession, I am well-pleased and you can rest assured that you are loved and that you will be rewarded! Quiet your spirit, wait on Me, and hear My Song of Love that I sing over you!"

So... have you heard the Lord singing your Song of Love lately!? I love that He has a new love song for us each day... I pray you are able to quiet yourself at some point this week... love on Him a bit and listen... I assure you He is singing over you and His Song of Love for you is just what you are needing!!!

~Karrilee~