by Enid Mojica-McGinnis

Matthew 21:15-16

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that Jesus did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” They asked Jesus.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants

you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” 

He calls forth this type of spontaneous praise, children praise, the spirit of true praise and worship. In Spirit and in Truth. (I think of the AT&T commercials with children spontaneously speaking. The pleasure we take in that.)

Matthew 9:33

And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

Mark 2:12

The paralyzed man got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

We are the mouths of babes, when we spontaneously worship The Lord, the song of the redeemed.  This is the Perfected praise; man would see it as pathetic, but to The Lord says this is perfected praise. Man would lay out a plan with intellectual means to Build a Tower of Babel. The Lord would desire the tongue of babel from His children. 

"The worship of the redeemed."

Isaiah 51:11

Those the Lord has rescued will return.

They will enter Zion with singing;

everlasting joy will crown their heads.

Gladness and joy will overtake them,

and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

I believe we are seeing things, amazing things that we've never seen before! See! The things of The Spirit! An open heaven visible, tangible! So much so that it would overtake us and cause us to spontaneously speak and sing out in notes and songs we never knew were in us. Lord give us eyes to see that will cause us to say things in the natural that are not in the dictionary or within our human language capacity but a catapulting forth, the language of heaven. Set forth Tongues of Fire that will reside above our heads! A new song, a Song of the Spirit which is seen. Involuntary movement and sounds will come forth from a people of praise, a people of worship, true worship. Spontaneous worship. That child within us is coming forth, springing up, overtaken by gladness and joy, with the true babel.  Not the Tower of Babel made by man, but the true child will bring forth praise. "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel" The Redeemed! The children! The song of the redeemed! Let the children come unto me and forbid them not! Let them sing forth the song of the redeemed! The sound of heaven! 

The Lord would say sing oh daughters of Zion! He will joy over our singing! 

Zephaniah 3:14-17

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel;

be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy:

the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee:

thou shalt not see evil any more.

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not:

and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. (Raised hands as a child to the father) 

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty;

he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy;

he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

He takes pleasure and opens heaven to see His children spring forth with surrendered hands, spontaneous praise...to see His daughters pour forth true unhindered worship, to hear the sound of Heaven coming forth from Earthen vessels!! Heaven on Earth!!! 

Revelation 3:22, 4:1. 

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ...after this I looked and there before me was a door standing open in heaven.

And the voice I first heard speaking to me say come up here! ...at once I was in the Spirit! Spontaneous worship! 

 

By Erin Paolercio

So, I've got this word "connection" on my mind.  Webster defines the word "connect" to join, link, or fasten together; unite or bind.  That's a simple, straightforward definition. Yet, this definition alone doesn't quite cut it for me.  There's more to this word, so I decided to go deeper with it.

As women, we by our very nature long for connection.  We desire this to the core.  Our beautiful Creator must have had a great purpose in mind when He placed this longing within us.  We weren't made to be alone, to walk alone.  We were made for more....we were made for connection.

The most beautiful sense of connection I can picture is the kind that brings oneness, especially the true oneness with the heart of Jesus...wow!  Connection with His heart is what I long for more than anything.  I never feel more complete than when I am resting, walking....living from that place of connection with Him.

What about the hearts all around me?  My husband, my children, my family and friends?  What about my church and community?  What about this prayer Jesus prayed that His body would be one, like He was with His Father? (John 17).  Think about it, Jesus, the Son of God, prayed for this! He prayed for connection among His people, for the church yet to come....us!

Sometimes it's so much easier to stay in that place of quiet oneness with The Lord (the ultimate place to be), and yet miss the cry of His heart for true connection with others around us, especially within His body, His family of believers.  Let me reiterate from before, we all long for connection, it's how He made us!  How beautiful it is to tap deeper into connection with those we are closest to?  I think of the book The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman.  I love this book!  I love the one for kids too! I love learning what makes my man and my little men tick, but more so, what makes them feel loved and connected! It's awesome.  Now, family comes first, absolutely.  What about God's family?

What if I were to seek out God's "love language," if you will?  What makes His heart sing?  My worship?  Yes.  My devotion?  Absolutely.  My connection with the family of God?  Deeply so.  There is a Greek word that speaks of true fellowship throughout the New Testament.  The word is "koinonia," which signifies fellowship with God and bonding with other believers.  In John’s first epistle, he tells us how this bond comes about. He writes, “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship (koinonia) with us; and truly our fellowship (koinonia) is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3).  Koinonia also carries the meaning of being bonded for a united purpose.  How cool is that?  Not only are we created for connection, but it carries a purpose.  Jesus prayed for this oneness among us, "so that the world may believe You sent me." (John 17:21).  A little further He said in verse 23, "that the world will know You sent me, and loved them, even as You have loved me."  The Author of love Himself then becomes the greatest Gift of love to us, to the world.  How does that speak for your own love language? Just a thought.

Koinonia.  Connection.  Oneness.  We were made for this!  Why, because we were made for love...the Father's love, straight from His heart.  We were given the ability to express this to one another.  In a culture that is dying, the prayer of Jesus remains for His church.  If I were to give my own Message Bible version it might read like this, "I want you all to get together, connect, have real fellowship with Me and with each other.  Don't hold back because the world needs to see this.  It is their window into my heart, how I can draw them closer to Me. For your own sakes and for the world, be one."

Back to the start, connection.  A simple word, carrying incredible depth of meaning.  For me, my prayer is that as women, we reach even further for connection with our God, within our homes and within our church.  I believe that the church united is what will ultimately transform communities, town and cities.  Let's connect, in the koinonia sense...bonded for the purposes held within the very heart of Jesus to know Him, and make Him known!!

What I saw this morning....

By Erin Paolercio

As I woke up, the first thought I had was, "More sleep please!!" The morning began, and I thought about what tasks were beckoning me: start the coffee, get the boys clothes ready, make their lunches, gets backpacks organized, etc, etc. Followed by other plans throughout the day, and upcoming week. Suddenly this phrase filled my heart, "You are forge a Spirit led path through the cycles of life." My heart quickened as I remembered the incredible moments of His presence I have been experiencing, especially over the past weeks and this weekend. I remembered the psalm Aimee declared over our church, and how what we have been praying for, crying out for....is in view. And I was able to then pause, and take in His truth and some thoughts I pray will bless your heart today.

Life & creation moves in cycles. The world turns, change, life grows & matures, we age, etc. Sometimes we especially feel this cycle within our own schedules as the hours flow into the next, the routines of daily life swing back around come morning. How about laundry?!? We know how that cycles...clothes get cleaned & folded and the next day they are smothered in chocolate pudding (if you have young kids lol). Women in general also have our lovely monthly cycle which,putting it nicely, is a challenge at times. ;). I could go on & on about cycles.... And yet, our amazing and beautiful God, who set life into motion, is not subject to the cycles of life. He does not bow down to the framework of time and routines. He rules over them, and sometimes invades them. I can't help but think of the scripture in Romans (8:20-21) that says,"The creation was subjected to frustration, not by it's own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.". By His truth I understand that though I am dealing with some of the frustrations that are a part of life, my God wants me to experience His "glorious freedom" within my heart. A glorious freedom declares, "I will forge a Spirit led path through the cycles of life."

In this path I see worship, praise, knowledge of Him, prioritized time in His presence, prayer, fellowship, edifying & encouraging those in my sphere and beyond....it goes on. Yes, the cycles of life may circle around us, but yet we are forging a path. I see this in the Wife of Noble Character, portrayed so beautifully in Proverbs 31. This whole description closes by acknowledging how. "A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.". How does a woman walk victoriously through the cycles, tasks, responsibilities...cycles of life? By fearing the Lord, honoring Him first, prioritizing His presence.....being able to joyfully "laugh at the days to come," as her children feel the overflow of that kind of joy (can I get an amen)?!?

In Psalm 34 David declares how he will "extol the Lord at ALL times," and how "His praise will ALWAYS be on my lips." Further he says in verse 5, "those who look to Him are radiant...". This past Friday night during our special night of worship, I kept hearing these words...."radiating glory.". I believe with all my heart that our church, the of Christ will experience His beautiful radiating glory in the days ahead.

Lord God, may I, we all, forge a Spirit-led path in the midst of all of life's cycles...lead us on by Your truth and presence. May our hearts be prepared and ready for all You desire to unfold to us personally and corporately. Thank You Lord for the awesome reminders You bring to our hearts everyday, and may our lives radiate Your beauty and glory!

By Erin Paolercio

 

Hebrews 12:28-29

 "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."

Words cannot describe how awesome this past weekend was.  The sound of the Kingdom was truly released!!  I was so blessed to be a part of that time together, lifting up the name of the Lord in such an incredible way. I felt renewed, and was ready to soar higher than I ever have.

So Monday morning came, with incredible focus and passion within me.  I was able to be a part of a special prayer meeting where God continued speaking to my heart regarding our city and region.  Then Monday afternoon came, with a phone call.  My husband, shared some news with me about someone very close to our hearts.  The situation was desperate and nearly tragic, and quite honestly, shook me to the core.  My heart was broken, and the only thing I could do was cry out to God and let the tears flow.  My mind tried piecing together the cause, the reasons.  Then again, my heart said...."Seek His face."

Monday night came, with a very restless sleep.  The next day, more phone calls were made with conversations trying to give explanations and answers.  As the day went on, I felt this phrase rise up from within me, "unshakable Kingdom." Friday night Bishop Garlington shared his thoughts on sound, how it is "invasive, intrusive and irresistable."  He connected that same thought with the Kingdom of God.  As I was reminded of this, I added something to his three points...unshakable.

The Kingdom of God is unshakable.  The sound of the Kingdom is unshakable.  I was reminded that in this life, I will hear many "sounds."  I will hear the sound of this present world, which fights against everything God's truth stands for.  I will hear the sound of circumstance, which always carries unanswered questions.  And sometimes I will hear the sound of heartbreaking news, that touches someone I know and love.  These "sounds," are unstable, uncertain...shakable. 

And so, the unshakable truth remains and cries out through the darkness.  Within my being there is a Kingdom.  This Kingdom is ruled by the Spirit and presence of the Living God.  Within this Kingdom there is a sound, unshakable. It waivers not, it fails not.  It is the sound of truth, life, deliverance, healing and victory.  It is the sound of praise...it is the sound of worship unto the King of all Kings.  It is with this unshakable sound I can pray into shakable and uncertain situations.  It is by this Kingdom I can stand when everything is crumbling all around my feet.  It is with this unshakable faith I can walk through trials and know my God is with me...all the way.

By Amy Pasinski

We as women, are rarely without words.  I think it's pretty safe to say, we "always" have something to say!  If we don't say it out loud, we certainly don't hold back in our heads.  Words are the way in which we communicate to one another.  What happens then, when we have no words?  

I received a phone call from a friend, who's family was facing their darkest battle.  She poured her heart out to me, as I inwardly felt like I was going to vomit.  As she finished sharing her pain with me there was silence.  It was my turn to talk, but I couldn't produce any sound.  My mouth felt dry and empty.  I was at a complete loss for words.  My chest was pounding and my palms were sweaty.  All I could manage to utter was, "I'm so sorry.  I don't know what to say.  I'm praying."  She thanked me and hung up the phone.  I was in my bathroom, because it is the only place I can escape for a few minutes of silence.  As I stared at myself in the mirror, I felt angry.  "Why didn't you say something?  What is wrong with you?  You didn't offer her any encouragement or hope!"

"God!?" I cried out.  All I could say was, God?!  I was silent again.  My insides felt like they were forming knots.  My heart was still pounding and I began to cry.  I was at a complete loss for words.  I sat on the cold porcelain tile for a long time, silent.  God gently spoke a reminder to me. 

Romans 8:26-27 AMP    
    26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.  
    27And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is],    because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will. 

While I was without words, the Holy Spirit came to my rescue.  The infirmities of ourselves and those around us are many and great.  So great, that if left to ourselvees we would be overpowered by them.  Enter the Holy Spirit, as the enlightening Spirit, who teaches us how to pray, and what to pray for.  He is the wellspring of all desires toward God, which are often more than any words can utter.  The Spirit who searches our hearts, can perceive the mind and will of the Spirit and advocates our cause.  The Holy Spirit makes intercession on our behalf.  Our unspeakable yearnings and groanings are made known to God by His Spirit. 

If you feel you are without words, rest assured, He hears them.  The painful groaning that we can not articulate, God can.

by Amy Pasinski

Tuesday night, Pastor Aimee talked about the ways that God speaks to us. He speaks to us in the silence, while listening to music, through words from others, and in our dreams. He speaks to us in so many beautiful ways. She further explained that most of us have one dominant way in which we hear him most. Chances are, it is very different than our closest friend.

I was out to dinner with Aimee on Monday night, sharing my heart with her. I have been battling some things inside, which were causing me great turmoil. The most frustrating thing about this, was I could not figure out what I needed to fix it. As I went on in my sharing, I told her that I needed God to just speak to my heart, in some way, and take away that feeling. I needed God to heal the inner turmoil, the questions, and that feeling that I could not articulate. Aimee listened, as she always does, but could not help me through this one. She couldn't help me, because I couldn't even explain the feeling. Have you ever had a yucky feeling that you just couldn't shake? That was me.

The next day I downloaded a new album from iTunes. I put my girls down for a nap, and turned on the following song.

"Asking where You are, Lord. Wondering where You’ve been. Is like standing in a hurricane, trying to find the wind. And hoping for Your mercy to meet me where I am. Is forgetting that Your thoughts for me, outnumber the sand. You filled the sun with morning light. You bid the moon to lead the night. You clothe the lilies bright and beautiful. You’re already all I need. Already everything that I could hope for. You’re already all I need. You’ve already set me free. Already making me. More like You. You’re already all I need. Jesus, You’re already all I need. Walking through this life without Your freedom in my heart. Is like holding onto shackles that You have torn apart. So remind me of Your promises. And all that You have done. In this world I will have trouble. But You have overcome. And every gift that I receive. You determine just for me. But nothing I desire compares with You. In Your fullness. You’re my all in all. In Your healing. I’m forever made whole. In Your freedom. Your love overflows. And carries me. You carry me." Already All I Need, Christy Nockels

BAM! He's already all I need! God sang this song to me. He spoke straight to my heart, the exact thing I cried out for the night before. The feeling lifted immediately. I thanked Him for speaking to my exact need, and for knowing precisely what it was. God speaks to me through worship. Christy Nockels did not sing to me, God did.

How does God speak to you? Do you know? Have you taken the time to learn His voice and the many ways He speaks? There was a time not too long ago, when I felt as if He wasn't speaking to me. I finally listened, and heard Him say, "I'm always speaking. You're not listening." Ouch! The more you tune in and seek Him, the more clearly and easily you will recognize His sweet, still, voice. Soon enough, that's all you will hear!

John 10:27 AMP
27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.

Begin to write down the things He speaks to you, or shows you, even if you aren't sure if it is really Him! Use those journals! You will be amazed at the things He will bring to your memory and remind you of. As this happens you will be made confident that you are learning to discern His voice!

Jesus, teach us to listen for you. Teach us to be determined to know your voice so intimately, that it's all we hear! Help us make time in our busy schedules, to focus our full attention on You. Thank you for speaking to us in a multitude of ways. You never cease to amaze us. Speak to us today, Lord. We are listening!

Feel free to post any questions or prayer requests related in the comments below.

Psalm 89:15-18 Message
15 Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of GOD. 16 Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do--they can't keep it quiet! 17 Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us-- you've been so good to us! We're walking on air! 18 All we are and have we owe to GOD, Holy God of Israel, our King!

Funny how God speaks to us sometimes!  This morning I got up early to spend some soaking time with the Lord and I found myself distracted by my cat Ginger.  We have two cats: one that we adopted two years ago named Bianca, and another we just adopted  few weeks ago named Ginger.  What a trip it has been watching two cats battle it out for the territory and for our affection.  I remember the first night with the second cat, my other cat who is a typical foreboding personality cat (affection on her terms alone) suddenly decides she is going to sleep with me, on my bed, right next to my head! I thought, "You little stinker, you never wanted to cuddle before ... jealous little thing!" As this relationship has developed over the last few weeks, things have been a roller coaster of funny events. You see, Ginger is the most aggressively affectionate cat I have ever seen, and Bianca still likes interaction with us on her terms yet is jealous of Ginger.  Even now, as I lay on the floor of my living room typing this on my iPad, Ginger is rubbing back and forth under my chin, across my arms, shoving her head into my hands to rub, and purring her little heart out. At the same time, I glance up and see Bianca sitting on the stairs, glaring at us with utter distress in her eyes! Ha!

What keeps this cat at bay, jealous as anything, while this new "predator" in her home steals our hearts with all this proactive affection???  Maybe there is a parallel here with our relationship with the Lord?  How proactive are we with showering our affection on Him? Are we leaning into Him? Are we seeking His cover, His embrace over our lives?  Do we go after Him so much that we "distract" Him from what He is doing at the moment?  Or ... are we distant and foreboding, sitting back and watching as others go after Him ... becoming embittered as it seems that God favors them with His presence and favor in their lives????

I love the Message Bible version of this scripture in Psalm 89:15 "Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of GOD!"  Do we really know the power of our praise, the proactive pursuit of showering our affection on the Lord?  It is literally a "password" into the depths of His presence!  We can daily unlock new dimensions of His presence and favor on our lives with this type of praise!  

The passage goes on to say in verses 16-17, "Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do--they can't keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us-- you've been so good to us! We're walking on air!"  When we pursue His presence in this dimension, our knowledge of Him increases continuously, we know Who He is and what He does!  We see things differently and we understand Him more fully because "He has gotten inside of us!"  Wow!  There is a new spring in our step that comes, regardless of what we are facing in our lives it is as if we are "walking on air!"

This is so much like my little Ginger, she is the happiest cat in town ... there is always a purr in her voice and a rub coming to you when you're in our house!  She was talking so loud yesterday that we all said it sounded like she was saying' "Mama!" Ha!

Verse 18 says, "All we are and have we owe to GOD, Holy God of Israel, our King!"  Our unfolding divine interchange brings us to such a beautiful, humble recognition that all we are and all we have is because of Him, because of who He is, what He has fashioned for us, and what He pours out upon us as we pursue His heart!  I call worship, "the divine exchange," for this very reason. In moments of true worship, we exchange all that we are for all that He is ... what a glorious, continuously unfolding revelation!

Both my cats were rescue cats, but Bianca has been in our home for 2 years now ... perhaps Ginger is so affectionate partially due to her gratefulness in having a family of her own for the first time.  It is a fresh experience to her.  Bianca was much like that the first few weeks we had her too.  I just hope this never grows old with Ginger! She has stolen our hearts!  All you animal-lovers out there understand what I'm saying .....

In the same way, may we never become so familiar, so accustomed to God's presence in our lives that we become numb, distant, and passive in our approach of Him!  He is worthy of sooooooo much more!!!!  Pull out your "password of praise" and go deeply into His presence! He is waiting for you!!!!!

Funny how God speaks to us sometimes ....
Aimee