We Were Created To PRAY.

-Meditation-

1 Samuel 1:17-18

--TheSecretPlace--

Hello fellow Americans, and non-Americans, whatever race you are I welcome you to this blog page. This may just seem like a normal blog, and for the most part it is, but this is what the LORD has given me to be faithful with, and I am so blessed to be able to have something like this to be faithful in. I am unaware of how the LORD is using this blog in the lives of others, but I know that within me He is producing faithfulness, and that is something you cannot buy.

As I have been going through this scripture the LORD has been just showing me some really cool things about it, and how it is not just this thing you read, and think of a few really cool things that you can tell other people about, but the Word of God is to be written on our hearts, and if we are just trying to get a couple good points out of a scripture we are missing the whole point. So as you read, and as I read let's let the Word penetrate our hearts in even the deepest places, and let it transform our lives completely.

Psalm 19:7 says

'The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.'

1 Samuel 1:17,18

V.17--> So here Eli answers Hannah saying, "Go in PEACE, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him." So Pretty much Eli tells her to not be stressed out or burdened or weary ANY LONGER!! And God is going to give you what you have asked for of Him.

V.18-->Hannah replied to Eli, and said "May your servant find favor in your eyes" and she went on her way, and ate, and she was no longer sad, her countenance lifted, and wasn't distressed any longer.

This is the work of the LORD. Hannah was in the worst condition, and had been for years in her heart, covering up her pain, and holding in all of the inner turmoil, and she comes before the LORD, and cries out to Him, in all of her brokenness, not caring what anyone thought but the LORD.

Hannah cried out until the LORD gave her the promise for what she was asking for.

One thing that really sticks out to me about Hannah is that she did not stop crying out, and she was not satisfied, or happy until she heard a word of encouragement, and promise from the LORD, delivered by Eli, yes, but it was from the LORD. Hannah was lifting up a cry to the LORD, and then He sends her on her way in PEACE, and a PROMISE for what she had asked of Him. Hannah's cry did not go unheard by the LORD, He saw her every second of every day, and every moment she was hurting the LORD was watching over her, and in this moment, and she unrelentingly cried out to the LORD for a son, He gave her peace, and a promise to hold onto, and to believe in until His word was fulfilled.

This is the kind of intercessor the LORD is raising up right now in the earth. As we lift our cry to Him for what is on His heart like revival, and the ending of abortion, and even for other things our hearts long for, He hears us, and will pour Himself out on us in ways we have never experienced, that is if we cry out. I am not ashamed to say that even the little things in life like bed sheets, and bags that we want, the LORD is pleased to bless His children with good gifts if it is all to His glory!

He is looking for those who seek Him.

We need to be people to unrelentingly cry out until He hears our prayers, releases a promise, and releases the work He has promised to do. It is not over until He carries out His word.

Hannah's crying out was not for nothing. Hannah was not just praying to a brick wall, she was praying to the God of the heavens, and the earth. She prayed to Creator God, to the One who was and is and is to come. YHWH. His rule is forever, and He is the giver of ALL good gifts, and He heard Hannah's prayer, and granted to her what she was asking for. Have you ever asked your parents, or God for anything, and then you get it, or what you were praying for happens?? It makes you feel so special. It makes you feel like they aren't just looking you over, but are actually listening to you, and they actually care about what you are asking for, what you care about. The truth is that GOD DOES CARE ABOUT YOU AND ALL THAT YOU COME TO HIM ON BEHALF OF. Your crying out isn't for nothing, sometimes His answer is delayed, but stay faithful, and unrelenting in your prayers, and cries, and He will send you a word of promise. He will give you peace to hold on to. He will answer your prayer. So CONTINUE IN PRAYER!!!

It is what we have been called to, and created for. He created us to cry out, to fellowship with Him in the place of prayer, and the more we get into that place, the more we realize that this is really what we were created for. God is smart. He knew, and set up the perfect way for us to fellowship with Him. ->PRAYER<-

The Word of God through others.

The LORD Himself spoke to His people back then, and I believe He still speaks to His people here and now. In Hannah's situation He spoke to her through Eli, and that is significant, and extremely so. We, as human beings, love to get blessed, and complimented, and recognized by the LORD, and also by others, and that is so normal, and healthy, we as the body of Christ are suppose to encourage one another, and build each other up, but one thing that encourages me almost more than anything, except for the voice of the LORD, is when the LORD speaks to others on my behalf. He never speaks poorly of us to others, or even to Himself, He only has good thoughts towards His children, He understands us perfectly. So for the LORD to speak to Hannah through Eli, I believe, is one way the LORD was showing Hannah He cared for her that He would even speak on her behalf to others.

He loves us all so much!! He only has good thoughts about us, and brings others into our lives, on our behalf to encourage us, and to build us up.

The WORD, and PROMISE of the LORD gave Hannah peace, and caused her sadness to leave her-she was happy. Hannah no longer held onto her broken heart, or her weariness after the LORD spoke to her, and gave to her a promise for a son.

His promise caused her countenance to lift. The LORD through speaking straight to her heart, caused her attitude to completely change. His Word revived her soul.

And we can let the LORD do the same for us.

He doesn't pick favorites, we are all His favorite when it comes to that, and the LORD wants to give you His perfect peace, and He wants to speak to your heart, and help you, HE LOVES YOU!!!!!

The LORD is raising up intercessors to cry out to Him day, and night, to unrelentingly lift up a cry to know Him, and love Him. He does not overlook any prayer, or any heart, but sees you, and whatever you are lifting up to Him. Wait upon the LORD, and He will renew your STRENGTH!---> Isaiah 40:28-31

Wait upon the LORD in the place of prayer, you will not be disappointed in the end.

---Intercession---

Father I just want to pray for strength for those who are lifting up their hearts to you in prayer to continue on in going to you God, to not grow weary, and even when it gets hard, and they feel like you have no answer give them assurance, and confidence that you are with them, and are calling them to a deeper place of prayer. I pray that you would strengthen them with the might of Your Spirit to pursue you, and to get into Your word boldly. Father please pour out Your Spirit on them, and make them fruitful as they wait for You.

Lord we wait for Your return, and love you. I pray that You would be our help in the valley of the shadow of death, in confusion, and in the secret place to just stay before you. I love you LORD, and ask for grace to continue on in the place of prayer, and fasting, I pray that you would draw us to Yourself. I love you Jesus. In Your Name. Amen.

I just want to encourage you to, as you seek the LORD, consider Hannah's heart. She was barren to the point of brokenness, and the LORD used her cry to birth a prophet that brought forth the King of the world, Jesus Christ. You never know what your cries will result in!! Just by you crying out for something, and giving it to the LORD, He can use it to violently shake the nations. Don't be afraid or timid to pour out your heart before the LORD, because just by asking for a son, the Son of God came forth, who know what will happen when we cry out for the desires of our hearts concerning the return of Jesus, and revival. Abortion will end. Slavery will cease. The LORD will have His way in America, and in the nations of the earth. All of these things will come, and will only come from the place of broken people in prayer.

This is the biggest subject to me right now. Prayer really does minister, and touch God's heart, God responds to our prayers!!! Get into the Word, and get into the place of prayer!!!

Please respond to this call to prayer that the LORD is putting forth. I will be praying for you, and remember that the ultimate resource to find out about what the LORD is doing is the Word of God. So I encourage you to search it out.

Be blessed in the place of prayer!!

Kasey

Still Crying Out.

-Meditation-

1 Samuel 1:12-16

--TheSecretPlace--

Hello all! I just want to say to you all that the LORD has great plans for your life, and loves you with all that He is.
I am loving this scripture, and am learning from it, and pray that you would also be learning from it.
So let's continue on in it.


V.12---> "As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth."

Man. #1 I love how Hannah continues to pray, she doesn't just make a vow, and then leave, because remember she is broken-hearted, and to get over what you are absolutely broken-hearted takes way longer than 15 minutes, usually it takes days, Hannah had been hurt like this in her heart for years, and it built up in her to the point where she is at right now, crying out to the LORD.
#2 It is also notable that Hannah continued to pray with all of her heart to the LORD even as Eli was right there, 'observing' her. Sometimes people don't exactly want to just pour out their souls in a kinda quiet room, except for the bawling, where their pastor is just watching and observing them, that could be a little awkward, but the LORD saw Hannah, and even though Eli was in the room Hannah did not care, because Eli couldn't fix her problem, Eli could not heal her broken heart, but Hannah knew the LORD could so she continued to cry out.

It is so normal sometimes to just 'make a deal' with God, and then go on back to life as it was before, but the LORD is looking for those who will make deeper commitments with Him, not just 'deals' that is He gives you what you want, then you will give Him all you are. He wants all you are even before He gives you anything. He wants your complete, and total surrender to His will. He is does not respond to those who just want Him for what He can give, but He wants children who come to Him just to be with Him, no matter who is looking, and no matter who is not looking, those who love Him with all of their heart soul mind and strength. Will we be the ones He is looking for? I believe that we are completely, and totally capable of all He wants us to be, and do. So don't let anything stop you if you desire to be what He is looking for. He wants you, and He wants your love.

Let's give Him ourselves!
Let's throw ourselves into His will, into His heart, and His LOVE.

V.13-14--> (13) Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk (14) and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."

#3 To pour out your heart to the LORD can be humbling, and to be so broken you appear to be drunk, and in that be as misunderstood as Hannah was can be a hard thing. Hannah was just pouring out her soul to the LORD, she was praying, and speaking to the LORD in her heart, and as she was doing that in all of her brokenness, Eli got the idea that she was drunk, and came to her, and completely misunderstanding her, thinking she was crazy, told her to get rid of her wine, but Hannah had no wine to get rid of, and she was not drunk at all, except for maybe in her tears.

Hannah was at a point where she needed to be understood, and held close to the LORD, and the LORD was the only One who really, truly understood her totally. He is ALL we need, right when we need it most.


How are we going to be people to pour out our souls to the LORD, understanding that He is most likely the only one who understands us, and how are we to be okay with that?? Well, that is just what we are going to do, and there are no magic formulas, there are no absolute ways to do that, we just have to choose to get to the secret place, and rest on the LORD, and just fellowship with Him in the ways we know to.


I encourage you to get to the secret place that is where you will truly be found by the LORD, and that is where you will find rest, and peace, and direction in the ways you should go.
So GET TO THAT PLACE!


V.15--->(Hannah's reply) (15) "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.


Hannah told Eli that she was not drunk, had not been drinking, but was deeply troubled. She told Eli that she was pouring out her soul to the LORD. Hannah wasn't playing games, but was completely serious in her brokenness, and in her fellowshipping with God, and was bold in her statements to Eli. You can tell that she is in a serious state of mind right now, and that she is seeking the LORD in her hearts desires.

We need to be people to cry out to the LORD, and to stand on behalf of our cry to others, and that is exactly what Hannah was doing. In boldness she told Eli exactly that she was troubled, and what she was troubled about. In every circumstance, we really need to be found on our faces, seeking the LORD's favor, and will for our lives, WE CANNOT DO THIS ON OUR OWN!!!!
We need the LORD's improvision, and help to go on with our lives.

V.16---> (16) Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."

Lastly, here, Hannah tells Eli to not get the wrong idea, but to understand where her heart was, and that she was just merely broken, and needed the Lord's touch. She told him that out of her great anguish, and grief she was there. She didn't have any need to hide anything from him, so she told him the truth, and sat there in the LORD's temple, completely given to the LORD, before the LORD, and also under Eli.

We do need to get to the place where we just pour everything out before the LORD, and give ourselves to Him completely. More importantly though, we all need to get to the place of just loving on Jesus for who He is. He loves that so MUCH!! Love gives all. Love is all we need, and GOD IS LOVE. God is all we need. =] Love Love Love.

---Intercession---

Father please help us to understand that through all of our brokenness, and pain you are with us, and You help us through it all. Remind us that You are worth all of the trouble, and struggle in this life Lord, and I pray that we would just rely on You, and Your love. Thank You for loving us Lord, and for the revelation, and knowledge of you. I pray that You would fill us more, and more with a spirit of wisdom revelation in the knowledge of you, and fill us with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. I love You LORD!! In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Peace, and Love in Jesus!

Kasey

Only Way to Go

-Meditation-

1 Samuel 1:9-11

--TheSecretPlace--

V.9---> "Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple."


It says that when they had finished eating, and drinking Hannah stood up, but we know from previous verses that Hannah did not eat at all, but instead sat through the meal with meat on her plate, miserable, watching everyone else eat. Eli was sitting in a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple.
Have you ever been so sad that you wouldn't eat? Have you ever been so miserable that even when those closest to you tried to comfort you and make you feel better, all you do is push them away? Because you have one thing on your mind pretty much eating you alive, whether you are depressed, sad, or just not in a good mood. Have you ever had something like that occur to you for years in a row? Hannah did, and she came to the only place left to go before going low, and that was before the LORD.

V.10--->"In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD."
Hannah was brought to this place before the LORD. She got to the point where she couldn't take it anymore, all of the hurt, all of the people looking down on her, the insignificance she felt, she wasn't strong enough at all to go on with life with all the hurt in her heart from her barrenness, and her brokenness. She decided to bring it before the LORD, what else did she have to lose?
In all of your pain, and in all that you have gone through, or are going through right now the LORD is the only one whom we can turn to and get any result from. No matter what He hears your prayers, and He cares for you. He carries our pain, and hurt, and worry so we don't have to. I encourage you to in EVERY circumstance turn to the LORD, because He is the only one who can help you the way you need help, and that is true for every person. Even if you are still in the place of crying out, continue on in that!! Continue to give to LORD no rest until you hear from Him, He wants more than anything for His people to come before Him loving Him for who He is, and to those who delight themselves in Him, He gives to them the desires of their hearts.(Psalm 37:4)

V.11--->"And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."

Hannah decided after all of that, after all of those years, and after all of that hurt she didn't want the burden she was carrying, and she made a vow to the LORD declaring that if He would give her the desire of her heart, she would give it all back to Him. If the LORD would give her a son, then she would give him back to the LORD as a Nazirite. That is a very rare thing. Back then to have children was one big deal, but to have a son as your firstborn is a HUGE deal, and Hannah was saying "LORD please give me a son, and I will give him back to You FOREVER."

She laid this before the LORD and continued to cry out.


The main thing I want to lay before you right now is that no matter what you want, no matter how badly you are hurting, and no matter what you are broken over you can, and I advise you to always go to the LORD in prayer, HE HEARS YOU. HE WANTS TO BLESS YOU. And He loves to hear your voice crying out to Him.

Will you turn to the LORD in your brokenness? To take the stand to get on your face before the LORD is humbling, and surrender is hard, but to do that and in return the LORD work on your behalf is the best deal anyone could make no matter what. The price is complete surrender, but the prize is the LORD, you gain LOVE and there is no one, and there is nothing better!!!

---Intercession---

Abba I just pray Father that we would be strengthened to acknowledge you in all of our ways so that You may make our paths straight. I pray that we would have complete, and total reliance on you LORD. I also pray Jesus, that we as the people of God would have such dependence on Your Word that our hearts, and minds are continually filled with truth. I pray that our love for You would increase, and that we would not just go through the motions of every day 'Christian life' but instead would live in such a way as to model a Spirit-filled life in Christ unlike anything anyone has ever seen, and my prayer is that this would touch Your heart, and that You would be blessed by that. Lord, let faithfulness to Jesus rise up within Your people, and begin to deeply take root in Your Bride.

Thank You for how you are already doing this, and I just ask that You would continue to do this in the burning jealous passion of Your heart for Your Bride.

Come Lord Jesus.

In the Name of Jesus.

Praise the Lord.

Kasey.

1 Samuel 1:3-8

-Meditation-

1 Samuel 1:3-8

--TheSecretPlace--

V.3---> Year after year Elkanah went up to Shiloh, where the house of God was, to worship, and sacrifice to the LORD. Year after year he went to worship, he was being faithful to the vow he had made to the LORD, Elkanah had a set aside time each year for the LORD.

I believe that is awesome, but I also believe that right now in this point and time that the LORD is calling us, and extending the invitation, and the call to worship Him NOT ONLY year after year, or month after month, not only week after week, or day after day, but the LORD is calling His people to be in worship to Him 24/7. I believe also He is calling us to set aside special time each day to spend with Him alone. This is truly the greatest calling, and it is upon the lives of every person who is a Christian.

Just as Elkanah was in the routine, and the (good) habit of going to the house of the LORD every year, we need to get into the habit, or rather LIFESTYLE of setting aside time, and energy for the LORD every day so that we do not run dry.

V.4-5---> Elkanah gave Peninnah, and all of her children meat from the offering to eat, and then to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and because her womb was barren, the LORD closed her womb.

What a hard place to be. Hannah was treated well by Elkanah, but she had no children, and his other spouse, Peninnah, had a lot of children. It was probably dreadful for her to sit at that table.

V.6--->Because Hannah was barren, and could not have children her rival against Peninnah provoked her, and irritated her to the point of absolute brokenness. Hannah was hurt by the fact that she couldn't give to Elkanah what Peninnah could, and did, when Peninnah gave Elkanah many children Hannah couldn't give him any, and that broke her. Hannah couldn't find comfort anywhere, or in anyone, not in Elkanah, and not in children, the Only One in whom she could find comfort was the LORD. Even if everyone else looked down upon her she could find refuge in the LORD.


V.7--->Year after year they would go up to Shiloh, and Hannah's heart would not change in its brokenness.

V.8---> Elkanah her husband would say to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?"


It is so easy to look at what others have, and become jealous, and maybe even irritated because you don't have that which you want, that which others have, and it is so easy to be provoked in anger, and all of those things Hannah held in her heart, but the LORD calls us, instructs us, and HELPS us to find all we need in Him. We cannot be fulfilled or satisfied with any other person, or any other thing but GOD ALONE.

Hannah's brokenness was an open door for God to come in and speak to her heart, as our brokenness opens the same door. In that place we can put ourselves before God, and listen to His voice, because when we reach the point of desperation, and brokenness the voice of the LORD, if our focus is on Him, should be the only voice we let in to heal us, guide us, and lead us.

---Intercession---

Jesus, thank You for how You are making us ready for Your return, and a great move of Your Spirit. I pray that everyone who reads this would be able to cultivate lives of humility, and love. I also pray that we would find ourselves in You LORD. Thank You for being our God, and being so good to us. I love You LORD. Be blessed LORD. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Blessings!!

Kasey

Intercession

-Meditation-

Isaiah 62:1

--TheSecretPlace--

Right now I just want to talk about intercession, because we are about to take a little while doing into depth, and really seeing intercession come forth in the scripture we are going to be digging into which is 1 Samuel, and we will go with that until the LORD directs me, and leads me elsewhere in His Word.

Isaiah 62:1

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch.

The LORD right now is calling intercessors-HIS PEOPLE- to cry out to Him non-stop. 24/7. ALL THE TIME. Have you ever done something and never stopped? Really? The only thing I can think of is breathing, but sometimes people stop breathing, so what was the LORD talking about when He said to pray without ceasing, to never be silent?? How can we do that? How can we never be silent?

Well one thing I know is that He doesn't call us, and He doesn't expect us to be yelling at Him, all the time, or even talking out loud, I think it means a number of things, and I will definitely be getting my hebrew, and greek dictionary/concordance to look up the meanings of the words in these passages, but right now I just want to define it as to Stand in your faithfulness to Jesus with a prayerful spirit in prayer always--meaning to consider everything you do in prayer- and to follow His lead. To be aware spiritually, and to have a constant cry for more of Him in our hearts.

I would say that the thing we underestimate most in the Christian faith is not even prayer, but the God we pray to. I don't think we consider as much as we should the promises in His word that says over and over to ask and you will receive, whatever you ask for in prayer will be given to you. Those are important verses, but even I find myself reading, and viewing them as a normal everyday thing, I dont feel like I take those verses seriously a lot.

I believe though, that the LORD right now in the earth is raising up day and night intercessors, and slowly but surely bringing people into the realization that He said what He meant, and meant what He said when He said those things. He is inviting us to be apart of what He is doing, and He is looking for people to respond. Right now I just want to encourage you in prayer, to do what it takes to get to the place of prayer in partnership with Jesus. Do what it takes to get closer to His heart. Get involved in prayer. The LORD hears the cries of your heart, and He wants to pour out His Spirit on your life, and tends to do that to those who ask. Prayer is not a pointless thing that takes us nowhere, and really praying itself can't do anything for us, but the GOD WE PRAY TO CAN. What is on my heart is will He hear our cries, and see just people going through the motions, or will He see those who really really truly want to know what is on His heart? I believe He will find both, but what catagory will you be in? What a somewhat dramatic question, but I don't think this has to be hard, and I don't think it is a hard question, you either want to partner with the LORD in prayer or you don't, and you are not disqualified if you think you cant, ALL HE WANTS IS OUR 100% EFFORTS, He just wants you, and I to try, and He loves that. So I encourage you strongly to run into His heart in the place of prayer, and He will pour out His Spirit on you whenever He pleases whenever that may be.

the point is not to be cool intercessory people, there is nothing cool about us except for the God we serve, but the point is, and will always be LOVE. So let's pour ourselves out to LOVE(God) for LOVE(God).

---Intercession---

Jesus I love You, and I just pray that You would make Yourself known to Your Bride, and call us deeper into Yourself, and into Your heart. God, You are awesome, and I just pray that as You call Your people to prayer, and to the house of prayer, I pray that the faithfulness in their hearts would minister to others, as it ministers to You, and I pray that people would just be attracted to You because of the fragrance of those they know who are continually, non-stop in prayer. Thank You for what You are doing in the earth. I love you LORD. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Be blessed with many blessings!!

Kasey

Where Our Value Is Found

-Meditation-

1 Samuel 1:1-2

--TheSecretPlace--

So this man named Elkanah had two wives, Peninnah, and Hannah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. The reason I want to take an entire post on this is to merely take what we see in these verses turn it around, and even apply it to our own lives. I have found that meditation, and seeking the LORD in verses like these that we don't expect to much to come from, He tends to blow me away, and I hope that He blows you away in this time as well. Also little facts like this set the foundation for the entire time we spend digging into this passage. In the WORD every word, and every sentence is important, and deserves to be meditated upon. Sometimes I don't see the point in all of the genealogies, but I know that the Lord has even used that to speak to my heart.

So let's set the foundation.

SO Peninnah had a fruitful womb.

Hannah had a barren womb.

Back then a woman found her importance, or rather, her sense of importance, and usefulness in having children. The more babies she had, the more important, and useful she felt, and the more like a woman she felt. So we can easily see that Hannah felt some rival between Peninnah, and what tore her down even more in her heart was that she didn't even have anything to compete back with, she had no qualification to compete, and that is her qualification would be children which she had none of. Now that sounds horrible, and it is, Hannah found her importance in that which she did not have.-How often do we do that? Find our identity in that which cannot tell us who we are.

We so so often find our identity in things that cannot tell us who we are, like in other people, and in hobbies, and sports. Even though people may say nice things about us, and we may be good basketball players, and football players, but we cannot find our identity in what others say, and in how good we are in a sport. God created us to find deeper meaning in DEPTH HIMSELF. He created us to find who we are in only what HE says about us, and that is why nothing else satisfies. Even for Hannah, and Peninnah, and all of the women who 'found' who they were in how many children they had, even after they had children they had to have 'more', to somewhat be 'more' important, but we know that it doesn't work this way in God's kingdom. We have the privilege of knowing that the LORD takes delight in each of us the same, and we can not be more important than each other in any way, because the LORD says that we are ALL His favorite, and He loves us all the same!

That is truly amazing.

When we feel disqualified to live life, and to live it to the full, we can know that the LORD has bought us with a high price so that we can run this race, and go all the way.

One thing I want to look at in Hannah, and Peninnah, and Elkanah's lives is that Hannah, and Peninnah were both Elkanah's wives, and that has to be a little weird, and just not cool. Hannah was barren, and she was the wife of a man who was also married to Peninnah, who had a lot of children, Hannah probably felt a little insignificant, and compared herself to Peninnah, when really Elkanah didn't care if Hannah had children or not, he loved her anyways. Truly, w compared to someone else. We feel compared, as Hannah did, and not as important. This is how I believe Hannah felt, and this is how we sometimes feel, but I want to encourage you that even when you feel like this, know that the LORD calls you HIS ALONE, you are not shared with anyone else-you are His alone. Know that the LORD doesn't compare you to others, but sees you as you are, and loves you that way, and our part in that is to believe in His words over your life, and to not compare yourself. The LORD speaks good words over you, and I just want to encourage you to take hold of what He says about you in His word, and in His gentle whisper, and run with it. You are not disqualified to run, and EVEN IN BARRENNESS!

Even when you feel like nothing is coming from your labor, and you are just in this place of nothing going on, the LORD sees you, and you are completely qualified to run after Him with all that you are, and even if you don't see the results the LORD is moving on your behalf. =]

Be encouraged! We have not been disqualified by what we see as 'big deals'.

---Intercession---

Jesus I just thank You for all You do, and for loving, and caring for us, Your children. Lord, I pray that You would make Yourself known to me, and to Your Bride, and I pray that you would help us to set our gazes on You continually. Thank You LORD, Thank You Jesus!!

In Your Name Jesus. Amen.

Kasey

The Greater Reward

-Meditation-

Daniel 3:28-30

--TheSecretPlace--

Hello all. I want to just look at these verses right now, and from my meditation on it, share with you some things that I got out of it. But first I want to give you an overview.

Daniel 3:28-30

V.28- Nebuchadnezzar was amazed at how God saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego through the fire, and he even said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel, and rescued His servants", and he continued saying, "They trusted in Him, and defied the king's command, and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God." Nebuchadnezzar realized that the one thing that stood out about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego was that they were not shaken in their faithfulness to Jesus. They loved Him with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and that is what keeps us all alive-faithfulness in LOVE to Jesus.

v.29- Then Nebuchadnezzar decreed that anyone who said anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, our God, that they would be cut into pieces, and that their houses would be turned into rubble, for NO other god can save in the way our God saves!

v.30- And Nebuchadnezzar, the king, ended up promoting Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

God blessed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego with MANY blessings, along with being saved from burning to death the LORD completely changed Nebuchadnezzar's heart towards these three men of faithfulness, and instead of wanting to kill them he was so amazed at what God did that he promoted them in the province of Babylon. This is such an amazing picture of how the LORD blesses faithfulness, and how He blesses those who honor Him. He pours out blessings to those who are true, and faithful to His Name, to them are guaranteed treasures in heaven. Sometimes we do not feel too blessed because of what is going on in our lives, and what is going on all around us, but the truth is that even, and especially in those times where you don't feel blessed, and you feel like all of your efforts are worthless, and you feel like being made fun of, and being persecuted does nothing for you spiritually, in the heavenly realms I am glad to tell you that even though you may sometimes feel this way, that it is not true, because nothing you do for the LORD is pointless, and nothing goes unnoticed. The LORD sees every action you take in faithfulness to Him, and in those times of faithfulness, and persecution you are storing up treasures in heaven. You are being blessed! I say all of that to say that even when you feel like being blessed is the farthest thing from what you are, you are just blessed to even know God, and He is pouring out blessings on you that you may not even see.

Though Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tremendously blessed in their lifetimes on earth after they were thrown into the fire, and even before, they knew that the treasures that they were storing up in heaven were way more important, and of far greater value than anything they possessed on this earth. Their eyes were not on their stuff on the earth, but their eyes were focused on HEAVEN. They didn't care about stuff, and they didn't care about their position in the province of Babylon, all that they cared about was the LORD, HE was, and is the focus of all of their attention.

We need to be a people with our eyes focused in on the things of HEAVEN. WE need to set our attention on what is yet to come.

King Nebuchadnezzar declared that the fate of anyone who said or did anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, OUR GOD would be cut into pieces, and their houses would be turned to rubble. That is very intense, and what makes my heart sad is that so many Christians TODAY say, and do things ALL THE TIME that are against God. We are so often, and too often found lying, and gossipping, and looking down on others, and using the LORD's Name in vain. We do to the least of these what we say we would never do to Christ, but what we don't realize is that Jesus said what He meant, and when we criticize others, and steal from others, and do bad things, just as we do those things to others we are doing them to Jesus. I don't want to be found saying or doing anything against God. This is one thing that I believe as the church, and as the Bride we desperately need to overcome, and I believe we can by going low in humility, and love for Jesus.

And when we go low down in humility, and we honor God, and even go through persecution, even unto death, the LORD sees us, and He will bless us in ways that we don't even consider possible!

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6)

---Intercession---

Jesus I just want to thank You for how You are moving across the earth, and how you are pouring out Your Spirit generously on those who are asking for it, and I just pray for every person who is reading this, whenever that may be, and I just pray that You would give them by Your Spirit strength, and understanding, and wisdom to go low, and to walk in faithfulness to You. Lord I pray that you would help them, and strengthen them to be faithful even unto death(Rev. 2:10)

Lord, I pray that you would pour Yourself out on us, and show us Your love, Lord Jesus I love You, and I pray that You would empower us to love You with all that we are. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Be Blessed.

Kasey