Matthew 17:20  (AMP) For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.


What Does a Breakthrough Look Like?  


 Many times when I hear the words "break through," I picture doors bursting wide open that were once sealed up, or the smashing of a brick wall...like something you would see from a superhero movie (as my boys love to mimic, "Hulk smash!").  We know as children of God that a "break through" often describes a moment of victory, either in our own lives or in some kind of circumstance connected to us.  Breakthroughs resound with joy, healing, revelation and many times bring us to a higher place of faith.

I love break throughs.  I love the incredible encouragement they bring.  I love those moments when my heart cries out, "Yes! A true shift has happened!"

Some breakthroughs can happen suddenly, or with great momentum.  I've witnessed that.  Yet, I also believe breakthroughs don't always happen immediately, or over night.  Prayer, perseverance and continuous trust in God are all part of the journey leading us to breakthrough moments.  We sow precious seeds of faith and prayer into the soil of our lives and our spheres of influence....and then we wait.  And wait.  And sometimes wait a bit longer.  Sometimes for years.  Sometimes our tears become like rain, watering our prayers of faith.  Our worship opens the window of our hearts to the beautiful warmth of the Son, radiating beams hope within our souls...bringing us the nourishment of God's very presence.

And the seed grows.  Slowly.  Hidden and unseen.  The roots go deeper, developing an incredible system that encompasses absorption, support, nutrient storage and reproduction.  The root systems become a true anchor for whatever it is connected to and upholding.... our seeds of faith.  What we are hoping for, praying for...believing for.  I am reminded of the tap root illustration Pastor Aimee gave us last year at Bible Study, as we are becoming like that tree, "planted by streams of living water."  Rooted and established in the incredible love of our Father.

Picture with me a sweet little sunflower shoot, ever so slowly finding it's way through the soil, reaching and reaching upward until the surface opens. Pressing upward, through the dirt...through the surroundings of earthen sod where the seed was first planted. It rises higher....and higher.  Then, ever so beautifully, the green color of life emerges. 🌱   I think sometimes a breakthrough looks like that.  The incredible process leading to that shoot rising was hidden and unseen, and yet so significant and necessary.  Breakthroughs are the harvest of what was planted in faith...and what was developed in the waiting.  It remains rooted, yet has risen to meet the atmosphere for which it was designed to thrive. The picture you first saw introducing this blog shows a child, taking delight in a sweet little plant growing.  I see in this picture an expression of faith and wonder.  You see, even after this little plant has broken through, there is more life to be lived, more growth to take place. In fact, a breakthrough not only represents victory...but a brand new beginning.

That little green shoot will keep rising and is far from finished...

by Erin Paolercio

 

Psalm 145  God's Greatness (Passion Translation)

King David's poetic song of praise

 

Psalm 145 starting in verse 3 declares, "Lord You are great, and worthy of the highest praise! For there is no end to the discovery of the greatness that surrounds you. Generation after generation will declare more of your greatness, and discover more of your glory."  

 

As I sat at the piano with this Scripture opened in front of me, I was deeply moved by the powerful truth that I am destined to discover MORE of God's glory!  We represent what David prophetically declared...we are the "generation after generation" here and NOW!  As we declare more of His greatness, we WILL discover more of His glory! The next verse describes how His "miracles of majesty are my constant meditation."  What an awesome challenge, that His majestic miracles be what our thoughts dwell on!  I have seen breakthrough after breakthrough in my own life when my gaze is fixed on God's nature and presence.  He holds the answers!  He holds the power to overcome!  And that same power is IN us!  I'm just amazed at how He continues unfolding and revealing more and more to us His children.  What a good God, what a loving Father. No wonder David continues by saying in verse 8, "You're so kind and tenderhearted to those who don't deserve it...Your love is like a flooding river overflowing its banks with kindness."  His love overflows, providing us with more than enough.  He is a God of MORE!  Even further in verse 19, "Every one of your godly lovers receives even MORE than what they ask for.  For you hear what their hearts really long for, and you bring them your saving strength!" 

I'm challenged myself, and I want to challenge you today...to see that there is more.  More to see in Him today, more to praise Him for...more glory to discover!  See that image today of that flooding river of His love, overflowing the banks of your life with His kindness.  Be encouraged in the truth that He gives us MORE than we ask for, because it's Who He is. My mind cannot grasp this yet my spirit responds and cries out, "More of You Lord!" Let that be our cry and our prayer as we walk this life out.  We are a generation who is destined to see MORE.

by Amy Pasinski

If you have ever been to a 3D bible study or event, you have probably heard the following passage of scripture.

Ezekiel 47:1-12 The Message (MSG) Trees on Both Sides of the River

47 ^1-2 Now he brought me back to the entrance to the Temple. I saw water pouring out from under the Temple porch to the east (the Temple faced east). The water poured from the south side of the Temple, south of the altar. He then took me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the gate complex on the east. The water was gushing from under the south front of the Temple.

^3-5 He walked to the east with a measuring tape and measured off fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water waist-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet. By now it was a river over my head, water to swim in, water no one could possibly walk through..."

Early this morning I heard a new song from Bethel Live.  As I ran on the treadmill, the presence of God filled my heart once again.  It filled it as promised, with new mercies for today.  It filled with new hunger, determination to move further away from the shore.  It filled my heart with hope and peace that the instant I call upon your name, you show up.  It filled my heart in so many ways.
 Take a moment to listen, read the lyrics, and hear the heart cry of this song.  Thank you Lord, that even at knee depth waters, you keep calling us further.  You call us to freedom.  You call our hearts to come back to you.  You are always calling on us.  Always forgiving.  Always kind and just.  God, we give you our lives this day.  We ask for you to take our hand and lead us into deep water, where we can be, beautifully in over our heads.  Because that is where you want us to be.  Tear down the boxes we have put you in.  We give you free reign to move in our lives.  You are so good, God.



 

I have come to this place in my life
I’m full but I’ve not satisfied
This longing to have more of You
I can feel it my heart is convinced
I’m thirsty my soul can’t be quenched
You already know this but still
Come and do whatever You want to

I’m standing knee deep but I’m out where never been
I feel You coming and I hear Your voice on the wind

Would you come and tear down the boxes that I have tried to put You in
Let love come teach me who You are again
Take me back to the place where my heart was only about You
And all I wanted was just to be with You
Come and do whatever You want to

Further and further my heart moves away from the shore
Whatever it looks like, whatever may come I am Yours
Further and further my heart moves away from the shore
Whatever it looks like, whatever may come I am Yours
[x2] Then You crash over me and I’ve lost control but I’m free
I’m going under, I’m in over my head
And You crash over me, I’m where You want me to be
I’m going under, I’m in over my head
Whether I sink, whether I swim
It makes no difference when I’m beautifully in over my head
Whether I sink, whether I swim
It makes no difference when I’m beautifully in over my head
I’m Beautifully in over my head
I’m Beautifully in over my head

by Aimee Sych

Hello 3D gals! Our Tuesday evening Bible Study is back up and running with fire after our Holiday break. This season, we have been going through the study of my upcoming book, "For This ... I Bow." It is such vibrant season we are living at 3D, both in the Word and in Spirit! If you haven't joined us yet, don't hesitate! Each study, though part of the series, is independent and stands on its own for anyone to enjoy at any time! So, you can come and go as your schedule permits!

This week our study comes from Ephesians 3:16, “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being.” Adorned with glorious riches, the worshiper stands poised with extraordinary power flowing from their inner being, fueled by the fire of the indwelling Spirit of God."
There is a Covenant for you to enter into today! A covenant with God that is a NEW, fresh, Living Covenant … one not based on Law or human effort, but on grace and favor! This Covenant will lead you into new dimensions that you may have never even imagined. Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, left His Disciples (and generations to come) with a great and precious gift, a power accessible to each one of us! This power is the sign of the New Covenant!

Join us at 3D, this Tuesday at 7pm at The Tab's World Leadership Center. Let's discover this power and come in to greater understanding together, as we see the New Covenant activated in our lives!

by Amy Pasinski

Hey beautiful ladies. It's a new year. I'm sure we all have different feelings when this time rolls around each January 1st. I am not one to make New Year's Resolutions. I AM one to open a new journal and seek God to hear His heart for my life, for the new year. What areas do I need to grow in? Where can I do better? What things do I need to give up, that are not effective uses of my time? How can I be a better version of who God wants me to be...to Him, to my husband..., to my children, to my friends, to my church, to strangers, to my enemies? Most importantly, where do I fit in? Where do you want to use me? Deep stuff, right? We all ask these questions. As I was journaling and studying, I came across this paragraph from Beth Moore. It brought me to tears, and I hope it encourages you all today. We are all in this together.

 
In this, she is talking about finding our place, our ministry, where we fit in.  Look at it as... in 2015....
 
God is looking to our sincere resolve to do some good in His great name. Stay after it, Sister. Stay willing, stay flexible, and teachable, and God will not let you miss what He put you on this planet to accomplish. If you're on the wrong road, He'll take you to the right place. He will raise you up out of a rubble of confusion, so that you're trained and equipped for works that work." Beth Moore
So, if in this new year, you are searching, it's a good thing. The last thing we ever want to be is, content. We're on a pilgrimage. Stay after it, Sister.  Beth Moore
 
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 MSG
Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time-pray that our God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely.

by Diane Betker

Chestnut Ridge, Resurrection Sunday

After winter one might look around and everything appears to be dead.  Everything seems dark and gloomy.  We went walking at Chestnut Ridge on Resurrection Sunday.  Dead trees had fallen, no longer reaching for the sky.  Decaying wood from all of winters storms just seem to lay amongst the ground.  Waiting, waiting to become the nourishment, the food for new growth.  Under what appears to be dead is new life.  

A walk in the woods, what do you see?  Where is your focus?  Can you see it?  Can you feel it?  There is new life everywhere.  It's where you are looking, sometimes you need to dig beneath the dead stuff to see the new rising!  New rising amongst all the yuck.  Sometimes in life our past or the things right now that seem so dark are nourishing your future!  What I've become is because of my past.  The good and the bad has nourished it and gave me this new life, this new life that reaches for the light.  He is the light in the darkness.  The resurrection life!

 

So as I walked in the woods that day I took a picture of the bright beautiful sun to save for a rainy day. I thought, what a beautiful day it is.  Nature always makes me think of Him, the one who holds the Sun in place.  The one who made the universe, and yet here I am, here we are, living our lives.  If He created all things and all things are beautiful, we are beautiful.  This picture lets us know we are never alone on our simple walks in the woods.  In the gloom, amongst the dead things, life is all around waiting to show itself!

by Amy Pasinski

March 16, 2013, during worship Sunday morning.  Pastor Aimee began to sing,
   
"I am running after, running after, running after You.  I am running to You, running to You,
     running to You."

This is the picture of what God showed me by His Spirit. 

There appeared a great multitude of people.  They were all different ages and races.  Each person was carrying a huge pack on their backs.  These were some serious backpacks.  Imagine the kind of pack you would take into the woods camping, or something someone in the military would carry.  They were large and filled completely.  The packs were so big that the posture of each person was hunched over.  The weight of the packs would not allow them to stand up straight.  I saw Jesus far, far, off in the distance.  I saw the radiating light of His glory.  His eyes shown bright.  At that moment the people began to see Him.  They caught a glimpse of His eyes.  The people began to walk toward Him.  They tried to move faster and slowly tried to jog His way.  What they carried on their backs was limiting their ability to quickly get to Him.  All of a sudden their desire to get to Him outweighed the need to carry the pack.  They finally decided, and simultaneously realized, they didn't need to carry them anymore!  Together the people started to rip the packs off of their backs so they could sprint to Him.  They realized they just needed to get to Him.

Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
    "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

God wants to take off the pack you are carrying and give you rest.  When we fix our eyes on Him and allow Him to carry the burden for us, we will find rest.  The pack may remain full, full of worry, sickness, fear, hurt, brokenness, shame, hopelessness, etc.  If we can make a purposed decision to take off the pack and place it at His feet, He will give us rest!  When we fix our eyes on God and run to Him, we give Him permission to carry our burden.  We are not meant to carry it.  He paid the price so we wouldn't have to.  As we seek Him and find Him, we discover that He has lightened our packs.  God takes the burden and He fills us up with Peace.  Rest.  Joy.  Love.  Purpose.  Wisdom.  Hope.  New Vision.  New Dreams. 
Can we make a decision today to remove the pack that we carry, place it at His feet, and run to Jesus?  He wants to fill you with hope.

Psalm 55:22 NKJ
    "Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.