Remnant’s Roar

Close Enough Only Counts in Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

/ Michelle Halloran / Leave a comment

(Photo via Getty Images)

Anyone who has ever worked retail knows that, periodically, inventory must be taken. What seems like ages ago, I worked at a retail pharmacy and there were certain medications of high commodity (if you know what I mean) for which we maintained a constant inventory.

Not only did we lock these drugs up in a safe, but we also knew exactly how many pills we had on hand at all times. Every time we dispensed a drug in this category, we logged the quantity dispensed in a book and placed our initials by the on-hand quantity remaining. If something came up missing, we were responsible and had to answer for the discrepancy.

Spiritual Inventory

A similar concept should be applied to our spiritual lives. Our relationship with God should be of very high commodity to us. We should treasure it and keep it safe. There is coming a day in which we will all stand before God and give an account of the lives we’ve lived out on this earth. [Matthew 12:36] Every one of us will be judged according to our deeds. [Revelation 20:13]

Everything will be brought into the light. Nothing will be hidden. [Luke 8:17]

We shouldn’t be surprised by the verdict. We should know exactly what will be said on that fateful day. Either “Well done, my good and faithful servant” or “I do not know you.” [Matthew 25:21; Matthew 25:12]

The truth is, I believe many will be surprised at what they will hear. Broad is the way that “leads to destruction and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.” [Matthew 7:13-14] We can fool many people here on earth, but there’s no fooling God. He sees straight to the heart.

Over and over the word of God emphasizes a daily walk with Jesus. Once a week just isn’t going to cut it for us.

  • “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” –Luke 9:23
  • “Give us this day our daily bread.” –Matthew 6:11
  • “They seek Me day by day, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that has done righteousness… They delight in the nearness of God.” –Isaiah 58:2

The Holy Spirit is our Security System

Do you know the enemy comes like a thief seeking to steal, kill, and destroy? [John 10:10] 2 Timothy 1:14 tells us to “guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” If we could guard our soul so closely that we would catch Satan red-handed every time he comes sneaking at our door to steal from us, he would never get a foothold in our lives! If we would repent every time sin starts to creep in, we would bear much more fruit! Resist the devil and he will flee! [James 4:7]

And then, when God finds us faithful in these things, He will bless us with more. We will begin seeing our spiritual inventory – our giftings, the fruit of the Spirit, and the anointing of God – grow exponentially. [Matthew 25:29]

Sadly, I realize there are many who have not assessed their spiritual inventory in a while. Satan has been robbing you blind leaving you spiritually drained.

Comfortable at Lukewarm?

Close enough only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. We cannot go through life thinking, “Ah, I’m good enough to get to heaven,” or “I’ve lived close enough to the Lord.”

To that, God says, “Enough! Enough of your lukewarm living!” He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.” [Revelation 3:20]

Blessed Assurance, Salvation is Mine

God gives us assurance of our salvation. When all our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus, we can know we are saved!

“By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.” –1 John 4:13-17

Let us now take an intricate look at ourselves…

  • How is our relationship with God?
  • Are we abiding in Him and He in us?
  • Are we taking up our cross and dying to our sins daily?
  • Are we partaking of the bread, the Holy Word of God, daily?
  • Are we asking God daily to show us His ways so we can know Him more?

Inventory Ransomed, Redeemed, and Restored!

These answers can be very revealing, but should never be discouraging. We ALL sin and fall short of the glory of God. We ALL are in need of a Savior. The good news is Jesus Christ came and paid the ransom for ALL our stolen inventory and He will redeem that which was lost! The God of our salvation will restore us again! [Jeremiah 15:19] Today is the day of salvation! Let us return to Him today with ALL our heart!

“And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” –1 John 2:28

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In Hope Against Hope

/ Michelle Halloran / Leave a comment

(Photo via Google Images)

“In hope against hope he believed…” Romans 4:18

This verse is talking about Abraham, who despite being about a hundred years old and the barrenness of Sarah’s womb, did not waver in unbelief with respect to the promise of God that he would be a father of many nations. Romans 4:21 further states he was “fully assured that what He [God] had promised, He was able also to perform.” Undoubtly, Abraham was a man of incredible faith.

While we marvel at the faith of Abraham, we must recognize that God has planted within us all a measure of faith. [Romans 12:3] It’s up to us to cultivate our faith in order for it to grow and produce great fruit. Abraham’s faith produced a great nation and it all started with a word from God. A promise. Abraham probably rehearsed this promise over and over and over in his head countless times. All he had to stand on was this word, but there he stood, firmly, without wavering. The word took root and, by faith, came into fruition. In hope against hope.

Faith and Hope

What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 from the NASB translation tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” I grew up memorizing this verse from the KJV which says it a little differently: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Either way we look at it, we can see that before we have faith, we must have hope. Faith is rooted in hope!

What does it mean to ‘hope for’ something? This phrase actually comes from the Greek word, elpizo, and means ‘to expect‘ or ‘confide, trust.’

  • We can hope for something. Expecting with desire to receive that which we hope for.
  • We can also place our hope in someone. Trusting them to be faithful.

Holding on to Hope

Hebrews 6:18-20 tells us to “Lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner.”

There is so much to be said in this one verse.

  1. We aren’t hoping for something unknown. God Himself sets our hope before us. It is tangible. A promise we can hold on to.
  2. Our hope anchors us so we can find peace and rest in the midst of turmoil.
  3. We are sure of our hope because this hope has entered within the veil, into the Holy of Holies. We lay hold of this hope within the veil, when we are in the presence of God.

Obtaining this hope requires intimacy with God. Only those with clean hands and a pure heart can enter into the Holy of Holies. It’s in this place, in His presence, that God actually gives us our hope. He sets it before us. He tells us in what and in whom to place our hope and then, just like Abraham, we can be fully assured that what God has promised, He will be faithful to perform.

So, what if we haven’t had an encounter with God like Abraham did where God audibly spoke a promise over him? It’s okay. The Bible is full of promises from God that speak life into us. In times like these, we need to really study His word. We need to ask God to give us a scripture for us to lay hold of and, when we get it, we need to stand on it. We need to declare it just like Abraham did. Let us not waver in unbelief, but wait diligently for God to fulfill the promise. “I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.” [Psalm 130:5]

Misplaced Hope

Sadly, one of the biggest hinderances of faith is misplaced hope. When we hope for something that is contrary to God’s heart. Proverbs 13:12 sums it up perfectly. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” The word ‘deferred’ in this scripture can mean either ‘to postpone’ or to ‘yield to another judgement or opinion.’ When we have delayed our hope or when we hope for something other than what God sets our hope upon, our faith is ineffective. We are out of sync with God’s heart.

For example, we may have faith to move mountains, but what if God doesn’t want that particular mountain moved? Maybe, God wants us to climb that mountain in order to meet Him face to face just like Moses did. Maybe, just like Moses, we will find God’s glory on that mountain. God doesn’t ask us to understand Him, but to trust Him.

Again, it’s so important to know God’s heart. Only then with assured hope, we can know God’s plan and purpose for our lives.

When All Hope is Lost

When we feel like we are in a hopeless situation and we don’t have a word to stand on, let us remember GOD IS HOPE!

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” –Romans 15:13

God will never leave us or forsake us and Jesus Christ is our advocate, fighting for us from the right hand of the Father! When we need something to hold on to, let’s stop looking everywhere else and simply hold on to Him! God is for us, so who can be against us!

And remember, when all else fails, these three will still remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. [1 Corinthians 13:13]

So, let us fix our eyes on Jesus and know with hope against hope that our God is faithful and just. God is our hope. His love never fails and He will accomplish exactly what He promises when our hope is in Him.

In Him… Oneness with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit… Hearts beating as one… All in one accord…

There we have assurance, hope, faith, trust, rest, peace, and expectancy!

“Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” –Hebrews 10:23

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Defining Moments

/ Michelle Halloran / Leave a comment

(Photo via Pinterest)

We all have defining moments.
Don’t let your past define you.
Don’t let the world define you.
Let God define you.

Covered by the blood of Jesus,
You are a new creature.

Old things have passed.
Leave them in the past.

Know who you are in Christ Jesus
He will call you by name.

He will call you daughter… son…
Faithful Servant.

He will call out the gifts he placed
Within you in your mother’s womb.

He will call you blessed and highly favored…
More than a conqueror.

He will call you “Mine”
And write His name upon your heart.
The name above all names.

He is the potter.
You are the clay.

Let His hands form you and make you
Molding you into His perfect creation.

Let Him speak to you which path to take
Guiding you into His perfect plan.

Let Him touch the coal to your lips
Burning away the chaff of your heart.

Let Him purify you like gold
Through the refiner’s fire.

Let the God of heaven and earth lead you into your
Defining moments.

After You

/ Michelle Halloran / Leave a comment

After You I was created
In Your very own image.

After You I seek
And find treasures unimaginable.

After You I thirst
And You give me a well of living water.

I yearn after You.
I long after You.
I take after You.

And in Your goodness, You open the door for me,
Saying this is the way. Walk in it.

But before I enter I will say,
“After You.”

I will always follow…

…After You.

Lessons Learned on Clean House Day

/ Michelle Halloran / 2 Comments

(Photo via Google Images)

TGIF! Yes, today is Friday and, in the Halloran household, Friday’s are clean house day. While most people start shifting into a lower gear heading into the weekend, I rev mine up a bit. I get caught up on any neglected laundry, dust all the furniture, clean the bathrooms, and vacuum and mop the floors. Having a clean house for the weekend helps me to rest and really enjoy quality time with my family, especially when we’ve had a busy week.

But cleaning house is such a chore, right!?! I don’t know too many people who really love cleaning; I ponder this while sipping my coffee trying to motivate myself to get started. 

And then came the inspiration!

I shifted my thoughts from the work and began thinking about the opportunity I would have to spend time with God. “How does this make sense?” you ask. After all, the task at hand is cleaning house.

That may be the case, but even while doing physical labor, I can fix my thoughts on Him. [Hebrews 3:1] I seriously can’t tell you how many times God has spoken to me while I’ve been busy cooking, cleaning, or (my favorite) running. Now, don’t get me wrong. There are times when we need to ‘Be still and know He is God.’ [Psalm 46:10] But 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.” That doesn’t mean you have to spend 24/7 on your knees. Sometimes God will speak through the stillness and sometimes He will speak through the hustle and bustle.

We should never think we are too busy to spend time with God or to hear from God. That’s really not the case. The reality is, we are too DISTRACTED to spend time with God and to hear from God. 

Now, I don’t know about you, but my mind is not something I can turn off. I’m constantly thinking about something. My husband and I can be talking about what we want to eat for dinner and my mind goes from Red Lobster to that great little seafood place we ate at in Hilton Head to where we are going on vacation next summer. One thought leads to the next to the next.

How many times have you replayed movies over and over in our mind? For example, you had a conversation with a friend that didn’t go well. You think of what you said and how she reacted and then you come up with what you should have said instead and the imaginary ‘Take Two’ goes much better in your head. Or, you meet an attractive person and you think about what it would be like to hold their hand, kiss them, and then wherever else your mind may take you.

This is dangerous territory, my friend!

These are imaginations. Not reality. Only fantasies that will lead you to worry, anxiety, lustful desires, covetousness, anger, resentment, pride, and – ultimately – to your downfall.

The Word of God tells us to ‘cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ [2 Corinthians 10:5] And ‘whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.’ [Philippians 4:8]

“Resist the devil and he will flee from you!“[James 4:7] If you can bring your thoughts into alignment with the things of God, your actions will naturally follow. “For as a man thinks within himself, so is he.” [Proverbs 23:7] Do you know why David was called a man after God’s own heart? It’s because He meditated on the Lord constantly. David wrote over and over throughout the entire book of Psalm about turning his thoughts to God.

When we fix our thoughts on Him, He will give us clarity and direction. [Psalm 119:27] The wisdom of God is a hidden wisdom revealed to us by the Holy Spirit which resides in us.

Read 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 and study this out with me…

The Word says only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. So,

When our thoughts are turned toward Him searching out the things of God, the Holy Spirit in us – knowing the thoughts of God – will bring our thoughts into alignment with God’s thoughts so we may know God’s heart.

The Spirit of God then transforms these spiritual thoughts into spiritual words and we begin speaking the wisdom of God.

This is how we have the mind of Christ!!!

Even during the busyness of today and the weekend (and always for that matter), I encourage you to turn your thoughts to Him. He will teach you great and mighty things! He will reveal His heart to you when His thoughts become your thoughts and His ways become your ways. When you begin walking in oneness with Him, you can’t help but have the mind of Christ.

Wow! Amazing! That is so cool! Oh, the things God will teach you on Clean House Day…!!!

Righteous Remnant vs. Counterfeit Christians

/ Michelle Halloran / Leave a comment

(Photo via Google Images) (Photo via Google Images)

It’s not hard to tell we are living in the last days. The world itself testifies of this right now  through earthquakes, christian persecution, blood moons, and religious wars. People idolize money and fame, all while transforming themselves into narcissistic Nebuchadnezzar’s and manipulative Jezebel’s. 2 Timothy 1-5 says,

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.

Wow! You can’t turn on the television without seeing this. You can’t go into the marketplace without seeing this.

And the sad thing is, you can’t even go to church without seeing this.

What God intends to be a house of prayer, a safe place for the body of believers to worship Him, we are turning into a den of thieves. Many churches have become more about financial profits than about the prosperity of the soul. We see charismatic pastors turning their God-given platform into an entertainment stage and their congregates are idolizing every word they say. Professed believers are worshipping their pastors and their church rather than the One they profess to have saved their very soul. Church has become more about networking than serving.

Lord have mercy on us!

This realization reminds me of Elijah and his bold question to the people of Israel during King Ahab’s rule. He asked them,

“How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow Him.” [1 Kings 18:21]

Oh, how we could ask ourselves the very same question! Are we going to serve the world or the Maker of the universe? Ourselves or our Savior? Are we serving the one true God or a god we’ve conjured up in our own imaginations?

But the people did not answer Elijah a word. So he devised a plan – an ‘I’ll show you who the real God is‘ plan. He told the prophets of Baal to offer up their sacrifice to Baal and then He would offer up his own sacrifice to God. “The God who answers by fire, He is God.” [1 Kings 18:24] It is noteworthy that both prepared an altar and offered a sacrifice. The Lord only responded to one of them.

So Baal’s prophets, all 450 of them, prepared an altar and called upon the name of Baal. They prayed from morning until evening crying out, “O Baal, answer us!” [1 Kings 18:26] They even leaped about the altar and called out louder. Still there was no answer.

My, my, my… I think I’ve seen many a church services filled with acts such as these. People may hoot and holler and shake and roll, but this is not what gets God’s attention. Let’s study Elijah’s sacrifice to see what God is after.

Elijah began his sacrifice by telling all the people, “Come near to me.” [1 Kings 18:30] THAT is exactly what God is after. He tells us to draw near to Him then He will draw near to us. [James 4:8] God responds when our hearts are bent towards Him!

Next Elijah took twelve stones and with these stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. Did you know the number twelve symbolizes power and authority and completeness? And Jesus Christ Himself, the stone that the builders rejected, is the chief cornerstone! [Matthew 21:42] He is the giver of power and authority and we can be complete only in Him. [Luke 9:1] When the foundation of our faith is built upon Jesus we grow into a holy temple becoming a dwelling of God in the Spirit. [Ephesians 2:20-22]

After the altar was built then Elijah consecrated his altar by pouring a total of twelve pitchers of water on the sacrifice and on the wood. I’m sure the prophets of Baal were standing by mocking and persecuting Elijah at this one. Everyone knows wet wood does not burn! How ridiculous!

No, not ridiculous. Miraculous! And again, we see the number twelve signifying completeness. Jesus gives us living water and whoever drinks of it shall never thirst again! [John 4:14] In addition, the water symbolizes the consecration, sanctification, of the altar. Jesus sanctifies us by the ‘washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.’ [Ephesians 5:26-27]

Then Elijah prayed a simple prayer. He says, “I have done all these things at Thy word.” [1 Kings 18:36] 1 Samuel 15:22 tells us that to obey is better than sacrifice.

So after Elijah drew near to God, established the Lord as the foundation of his altar, and sanctified himself and his offering by obedience to the word of God, guess what happened? The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench! [1 Kings 18:38]

When we are on fire for the Lord – real fire, not false fire – not only will we be consumed by the things of God, but everything and everyone in our path will be touched by God’s fire too! And when all the people see it, they will fall on their faces and say, “The Lord, He is God!” [1 Kings 18:39]

The church today must no longer hesitate between two opinions. We must remove all mixture. So many churches have a form of godliness, but they still hold on to the things of this world thus denying the power of God to move in their midst.

This is a Pharisaical spirit and it has penetrated our churches. The Pharisees hesitated between God and tradition. Likewise, many professed believers hesitate between God and the world. Jesus didn’t stutter when He called the Pharisees a ‘brood of vipers’ [Matthew 12:34] and He further spoke of them saying, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men” [Mark 7:6-7]. Their heart is divided and God will break down their altars and destroy the pillars they’ve constructed [Hosea 10:2].

But there is a remnant!

There is a band of survivors whose zeal for the Lord is undefiled! The spirit of Elijah is being poured out and a great and mighty army of the Lord is arising! Strong is he who carries out His word!

Which camp are you in? The righteous remnant camp or the counterfeit christian camp? Ask the Holy Spirit to answer this question for you. Ask Him to open your eyes to the things in your life that are not pleasing to him. He paid a ransom so that the altar of your hearts would be consecrated completely to Him. In light of His glory, the things of the world are no longer appealing.

The Lord is returning for a pure, spotless bride and all imposters will be exposed. It’s not too late to join the righteous remnant! And for those of you who are already remnant warriors, let’s fan the flame! May the fire of our altars never burn out! [Leviticus 6:13]

Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments. Now return to the Lord your God.” –Joel 2:12-13

In summary, if we follow the directions of Elijah,

  1. Draw near to God.
  2. Consecrate our altars – Prepare our hearts before the Lord.
    1. Repent
    2. Make Jesus our foundation for He is the chief cornerstone.
    3. Be holy as He is holy. 
  3. Emerse ourselves in the Word of God.
  4. Pray.
  5. Obey.

Then the fire of God will fall on us and consume our lives. We will be a living demonstration of God’s power and authority and all who see will know the Lord, He is God!!! Amen and amen!

Like a Child

/ Michelle Halloran / Leave a comment


(Photo via karlsprague.com)

Lord, let me see through the eyes of a child.
Restore unto me the wonder of the universe, the excitement of the simple things, and the intense passion for life.
Let me love with fervor, stand in innocence, and laugh often with joy unspeakable.

Lord, let me trust You as a good Father.
Restore unto me the faith of a child, the abandonment of worry, and the reliance of Your strength.
Let me partake of Your perfect love, rest in Your arms, and obey Your every command.

Matthew 18:3-4 – “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven…”

I Will Endure

/ Michelle Halloran / Leave a comment

After such interest in a previous post, “Walk Like a Blind Man,” I felt pressed to share this prophetic song God gave me to encourage that friend overcoming cancer. I pray it ministers to you.

I will endure,
I will endure,
I will endure for a little while.

The first gleam of dawn is breaking,
Soon the sun will be soaring.
Weeping may last through the night,
But joy comes in the morning.

I will not fear.
My robe is bullet proof.
Though the storm winds blow,
I will not be moved.

I will trust God.
My anchor is hope.
I will find rest
With Jesus in the boat.

I will endure,
I will endure,
I will endure for a little while.

I will lay hold of that for which
Jesus did lay hold of me.
I will obtain the prize that in
His perfection I am free.

The promise is mine.
This I will confess.
The word has gone forth,
And it will manifest.

I will endure,
I will endure,
I will endure for a little while.

Peace… Be… Still…

Like Jacob,
I will not let go until you bless me.

Like Abraham,
I will have faith in the promise you’ve spoken over me.

Like Daniel,
Even in the lion’s den, I will not bow to any other.

Like Paul,
Even in the prison cell I will sing your praises forever and ever.

I will endure,
I will endure,
I will endure for it’s just a little while.

Peace… Be… Still…

“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” –Hebrews 10:36

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” –Hebrews 10:23

Lost… but not Forgotten

/ Michelle Halloran / Leave a comment

(Photo via CMCSVirtues)

A love story based on Ezekiel 16 & 36

I have loved you from the beginning of time. In the beginning, I created the heavens and the earth thinking about you and My Son. I created you for Him. Blood, water, and spirit I created you from the dust and separated the veil of time to place you in your point of history. For such a time as this you were created.

I look upon you and admire the beauty of My creation. Your hair as dark as the midnight sky; your eyes sparkling like the ocean at dawn. A delicate flower on the outside you are, but on the inside I made you a mighty warrior. I made you to be mighty for My Kingdom. To wrestle violently against the darkness.

I loved the days of your childlike faith when you let me hold you in the palm of My hand. But one tragic day, your warrior spirit – the tenacity that I love so much about you – turned against Me. You thought you knew better than Me and you jumped out of My hand. I could have closed My fist and held you tight, but I didn’t. In My great love for you, I always give you a choice.

You didn’t choose Me.

No longer safe and secure and clothed in My splendor, you lay naked and exposed and you hide in darkness. I cry out for you to return to Me and you turn the other way in shame. The darkness I created you to wrestle against, you begin making it your home.

You quickly become prey for all that is in the world. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Quickly you ran and quickly you fall. Every good and precious gift I give you, you squander with your loose living. You worship everything that catches your eye. All the while, I never take My eye off you.

My heart yearns for you. The separation you’ve built between us doesn’t hinder My love for you. Though you drown out My voice with endless distractions, My love for you is never quenched. Neither height, nor depth, nor any other created thing can separate you from My love.

So, I sent you a Savior, my Son, to rescue you from your harlotries. He was pierced through for your transgressions. He was crushed for your iniquities. The chastening for your well-being fell upon His shoulders. He poured Himself out to death only so you can live.

I know your heart aches as does Mine, for you were created to abide in Me and I in you. We were not meant to be apart so I’ve provided you a blood-stained cross to bridge our great divide. Come to Me, I beckon you. Let Me sprinkle clean water on you and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness. Let Me replace your heart of stone with a heart of flesh. Let Me put My Spirit within you. I will save you from all your shame and disgrace. I will clothe you in My splendor once again. You will be Mine and I will be yours.

And same as always, I leave you a choice. Will you choose to cross that bridge and return to Me? Will you choose life through the death of your Savior? Will you choose Me? Choose this day whom you will serve.

Remember, you may be lost… but you are never forgotten.

Signed and Sealed with No Greater Love,

God, your Father

Walk Like a Blind Man

/ Michelle Halloran / 2 Comments

Photo via http://www.openheaven.com

My husband and I received a voicemail the other day from a friend whom we are believing healing for from cancer. He had called to give us a praise report. Needless to say, I was extremely excited about calling him back to hear the great news. But, before I could pick up the phone I heard God speak, “I am teaching you to walk like a blind man.” My first thought was, “What kind of lesson is that? Blind men can’t see.” I pictured myself walking aimlessly in the dark with my hands held out in front of me grasping nothing but empty air.

But then God immediately replaced that image with a picture of a blind man walking securely with purpose and direction. He had a keen sense of hearing allowing him to navigate safely and rather than having his hands extended to keep himself from stumbling, he held tightly to a leash fastened to his guide dog.

Then revelation quickly came. Blind men rely on their sense of hearing much more than people with eyesight. God wants us to close our eyes and rely completely on His voice. He wants us to become ‘blind’ to the natural realm. The earth around us is Satan’s dominion and is full of deception. When we close our eyes to the natural, God will give us vision in the supernatural, spiritual realm around us. This is God’s kingdom and here we are joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

In this place, God opens our ears to hear His voice which says, “This is the way, walk in it.” [Isaiah 30:21] In this place, our eyes are fixed upon Jesus not circumstances. In this place, our sight is on Him who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. In hope against hope, God calls us to believe and trust Him. [Romans 4:17-18].

In this manner, blind men aren’t weak and definitely do not stumble. God endues His followers with power and the Holy Spirit becomes our ‘guide dog’ leading the way. The Holy Spirit is our Counselor and provides discernment and wisdom to walk in His ways, keeping His statutes and commandments. The word of God illuminates the path before us. [Psalm 119:105]  God even gives His angels charge over us to bear us up, lest we strike our foot against a stone. [Matthew 4:6]

So, back to the phone call. To give you a little background of our faith journey with this friend, when we first heard the news of his diagnosis, we had wanted immediate miraculous healing. Who wouldn’t, right? God is Healer. But the very first words God spoke when we prayed healing for him was, “Endure. Endure for a little while.” Not exactly what we wanted to hear, but we knew God had spoken and was in control.

Enduring is a hard place to be. There’s a struggle in enduring. We had to take our eyes off the diagnosis, not in pretending it wasn’t there, but rather not allowing it to be our focus. When we focus our attention upon the natural realm, fear will creep in until it consumes us. But rather our eyes must focus completely on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith for through Him all things are possible. [Hebrews 12:2; Matthew 20:26]

The things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal. [2 Corinthians 4:18] This was helpful for us to remember while our friend was persevering through medical treatments, including radiation and surgery. God may have us endure treatment for a little while, but He will always be working behind the scenes. Yet all the while our faith is not in the treatment or medications, for these things only offer a ‘temporary fix’ to a problem. Most medications are taken daily because they work only temporarily. However, healing comes from God and God alone. His ways are eternal. He is the cure.

James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

This process of enduring is a faith walk requiring us to patiently trust and believe God with a tranquil mind. We trust Him as a good Father who gives good things to his children. We trust Him as Healer. And when our faith falls into cadence with Him, the world around us will fade in light of His radiant glory.

So, I called our friend and was ecstatic to hear that the physicians found no cancer in any lymph nodes and there were no signs of metastatic disease. They believed they had removed all the cancer with surgery. Praise God, that was great news and I rejoiced with my brother in the Lord! God is Healer and the endurance gained in walking this out made his faith much stronger!

This reminds me of Thomas who had to physically see the pierced hands of Jesus and put his hands into the side of Jesus before he believed. But Jesus said, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” [John 20:29]. This is faith producing endurance, my friend.  Faith that can move mountains. The faith of a blind man.

God has called us all on a faith journey, to walk like blind men. In the same manner we have faith in an unseen God, we have faith for our healing. Just as creation screams from every mountaintop, valley, river, and desert of God’s existence, so does the Word of God scream from every page that God is Healer. Sometimes our healing is immediate. Sometimes we have to endure. Either way, we trust God and believe. We move when He says move, speak what He says speak, and go where He says go. And if we don’t hear anything, we stay the course until He tells us otherwise. Sometimes the road is short and sometimes the road is long.

If you are believing for healing in your life, know that your promises are in the Word.  Stand on the Word of God and walk like a blind man. Focusing only on Jesus. Remember, the promises of God are for him who overcomes. For the one who prevails, enduring through until the very end. We overcome by the blood of Jesus and the very Word of God! [Hebrews 10:36; Revelation 12:11]

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. –Galatians 5:25

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” –2 Corinthians 5:2