Author: margiwintermute

Throughout the Old Testament, we see kings and judges who were a disobedient people. In fact, most of these men were worshippers of other gods or themselves. Then we see a few who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord but did not tear down the high places. Here is a God who is faithful – He gave plenty to His people, even protection. These were kings that knew God – who came from Godly backgrounds, yet chose to walk in grey areas.

We too have a God that gives and saves. He does our battles for us, protects and gives us plenty. Yet we, who say we walk uprightly in the sight of God, walk many times in the grey areas.

Many of the grey areas are what we were taught wrongly and are not willing to let go of. An example I learned from my dad: don’t do as I do but do what I say. Self indulgences may be R rated movies or even harmless flirting with the opposite sex. When the Holy Spirit points these areas out to us, we tend to justify them. “Well everyone is going to see the movie – it can’t be that bad”.

I know your works,and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. and you hold fast to My Name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolatians which thing I hate. Revelations 2:12

The Nicolations were an early Christian heretical sect. They were a group of freedom riders who supported self-indulgence and later became the gnostics. So the Lord says, I know your works. He does see faithfulness to ministry. Works can be good and we know that faith without works is dead.

But have our works become so important that it takes the place of the Father? Do we give time to prayer? Are we so busy doing Kingdom work that it takes the place of spending time with the Father?

He says He knows our works – He sees you – He see me and He created the job we are to do. And He calls us to His side – to spend time with Him.

And then because of a lack of prayer, our grey areas get greyer and darker. And we find ourselves walking much like the world.

At this point we need to stop – and repent and change our direction. We need to remember from where we came and repent – give the grey areas to God and allow the washing of the Word to come over us. We need to let the Holy Spirit take hold once again and be our guide and teacher.

Those grey areas in our lives can and will affect those around us. We will then see no discipline, no encouragement, no exhorting, no counseling. And above all, no love and unity. But we can turn things around – we can repent. And once again, our lives can become a source of light.

Grey areas are like a stagnant pond where suffocation can occur. These ponds are where evil will traffic. But these ponds were once a river – let them flow again with prayer and repentance.

One of my favorite Christian authors is a woman by the name of Francine Rivers. She has written many amazing books, but my all time favorite, is “Redeeming Love”. I am also in love with her trilogy: “A Voice In the Wind”, An Echo in the Darkness” and “As Sure As the Dawn”. Recently, I found she also does a blog. In her latest post, she talks of her Be Still and Know Time.

As you can guess, this really got my attention! This has made me love her even more! Recently, her timely word was called: Hawklets in the Backyard. She shares that these little birds are so busy squawking for a meal, they scare their prey away – and of course there goes lunch! They need to learn to be quiet!

Miss Rivers confesses she has learned a great lesson from these little guys. In her prayer time, she needs to learn to be still before the Lord – to listen and let Him do the talking.

I too have to keep learning to be still before the Lord, and so I have set aside a special time of day where all I try to do is just seek His face and listen for His voice. Many times this has not been easy! I have a million things I want to ask Him and another several to declare. But, when I am Still, an amazing peace comes over me. Sometimes I can hear His voice so clearly and sometimes it comes in gentle whispers. Oh, the lessons I have learned! BUT, it takes a listening and watchful ear.

If you have never read any of Francine’s works, try starting with her blog or even her book, “Redeeming Love”. I promise you will be more than blessed. And remember her story of those little hawklets – Be Still before Him and know He is God. May He bless you abundantly today! Margi

Stand up – those words seem easy enough to do. Yet, when your God tells you to Stand Up, think about it, how do we respond? I find these two words hard to follow. As Christians, we are to honor the Word of God. Yet, many in the world today are trying to change the Word of God to fit the world around us.

To tell the truth, It’s hard for me to stand up against the liberal crowd. Many of the people I know and even love do not believe the Word of God is to be our all in all. They declare, since the world has changed, so should our standards. It is never easy to be of a contrary opinion when it comes to our world today.

Matthew 12:30 tells us that whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

I recently had an encounter with a friend who has declared himself to be a Christian, yet believes the Word of God needs to be re-evaluated to fit into today’s world. Has love changed, has hope moved on and is faith in the One who we call our Heavenly Father, taken a vacation? No, God does not change and He has not and never will write for us a new Gospel message.

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Numbers 23:19.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

So God gives this command: Stand Up! Stand up for the Word of God. Stand up for my righteousness. Stand up and take your place in the body of Christ. Stand up and be counted as one who declares my precepts throughout the earth!

Remember to take these words with you wherever you go and declare them to whomever you talk to. Stand Up!

Not long ago, I received a vision (or a dream) from the Lord. I was in field of flowers, quite like that in The Wizard of Oz. Only these flowers were not poppies, but tulips. A friend shared the same vision with me – she had seen me in a field of tulips. Later, as I was sharing with one of the pastors in the office, I noticed her tulip stationery.

It has taken me awhile to sort out the meaning of all of this. At first, I ignored it like some crazy dream but couldn’t let go of it. Then I knew I had to figure this out – what in the world did tulips have to do with me, or my family or even my church?

Tulip is the common name for any spring flowering plant from the genus tulipa and this comes from the lily family. So I know that tulip represents springtime for us – when we see tulips, we think spring. They originated in the Mediterranean area I heard which would have made them common, even Jesus’s time. Jesus, seeing tulips, would have thought of spring I’m sure.

Tulips are long and broad plants with a cup shaped flower. To me, they reach for the sun and are just waiting to be filled with rain water. In the sun, they seem to grow even taller. Most are one solid bright color. If you see one with a vein of color across the top, it had developed a virus which created the veined effect. At one time in history, the tulip became so popular, especially in Holland, there was, what people called “tulipmania”! Even a small plant went for an exorbitant price!

Why is all of this so important? The Lord shared that a tulip represents two things in life. This was why I had the vision and what I want to share with you.

1. Tulips represent springtime = new birth, new life. We know Spring is a time of new birth. We see dead grass peaking through – each blade greener than the next. buds appear on trees, red, muted browns and pale green at first, and later bursting open as if they could not wait to get out of their shell. Their flowers bring forth pinks, reds, yellows and oranges winter has hidden for so many long months. AND the smell of Spring – fresh, sweet and cool air slowly warming in the sun. The sun melts the winter frost, and just counts the days until it can rule the skies again.

Is there anyone who doesn’t love spring and can’t wait for it to be here? The anticipation in our lives as warmer and sunnier days appear, fills me with excitement and a rush of hope.

When God is ready to do something in our lives, it is like spring – the green grass is peaking through, buds are bursting open, flowers of faith and love start bringing forth color and the smells are overwhelming! The Son Himself starts to warm our cold bodies and melts the winter frost of our lives.

I am believing this spring will soon break forth at our church. We do not know as yet when it is coming and what is to be birthed, but buds are beginning to show. The grass is peaking through just enough to know something is about to happen. Winter still tries to linger, BUT you cannot stop Spring – you cannot stop God from breaking forth!

I know that excitement will spring forth here soon. Little by little we will begin to see God’s hand – we are so ready and looking with anticipation!

2. Perennials – flowers that keep coming up over and over again usually in the Spring. A tulip is a perennial plant. Plant it in the fall and it will come up spring after spring. I look forward to their appearance for they tell me its spring, and are so faithful to appear.

I believe tulips represent the perennials in our lives. You see, God has planted His Word in our hearts. We might not use it today, tomorrow or the next day, but it will always there just when you need it, and the very right verse.

And your testimony – by now we all have many God experiences to share. Someone out there needs to hear them – Stories of healing, comfort and joy. Both the Word of God and our testimonies are perennials in our lives. They are there to use just when you need to share!

Lately, the Lord showed me tulips as an acronym for what he is doing.

T – Training and discipling His people, and training us to train others.

U – Unify – God is working everywhere to unify His church. Wherever there is Revival, there is a spirit of unity.

L – Love – without it, God is not with us. He is teaching each one of us to love and love more!

I – Importance – God is #1 – we need to make Him number one and not just talk about Him. Others need to see He is the most important one in our lives. In turn, they will understand and begin to make him #1

P- Prayer – Not just prayer, but more prayer. God is teaching us the importance of communicating with Him. Here, He gives us our orders, our daily bread and encouragement. He wants us to know how very important prayer is for us and for the body of Christ!

S – Speak it out! He wants us to share and tell others! This springtime is for everyone and we need to let them in on the good news. The Glory of God has come and Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

Take a tulip and look at it – see it bring Spring into your life. See it come up year after year. See God use these tulips for our good – to bring new life, new hope and vision and your perennials. Allow God to use them to defeat the enemy and call in the victory God already has for us!

Yesterday I heard the sound of changing seasons – a Meadowlark. His voice was small, yet distinct, and I knew summer was definitely here. Seasons can be heard. God has given us ears to hear – we can listen for most any change in our lives.
Listen for the changes of seasons God may have for us. His voice can be still and small, always reminding us He is there. Listen for His guidance in these new seasons. Listen and hear His love. Listen and hear Him calling. It only takes a spiritual ear to hear.
The Bible tells us there is a season for everything in life. There is a time for birth and a time for death, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to plant and a time to uproot. These seasons we experience are ordained by a God who knew us before we were born. Many of these seasons are not easy. At times, when a season becomes difficult, we cry for change. Every winter I yearn for the summer months, and so life goes. This winter my mother died, and last spring a new granddaughter was born – a time to be born and a time to die.
Through each season, God is working to bring about the changes we need. A garden needs to stay dormant for a time to renew the nutrients in the soil. Even though we see no harvest, God is preparing for the next planting season. These seasons can be hard, but we need to remember that God is there with us – even sending words of encouragement and support.
When we hear the voice of God, our ears will tune in to other sounds, like the sound of sheep crying for help, for love and for encouragement. Listen for their cries. God wants us to respond to their cries, but before we can, we need to develop the gift of hearing.
Take time to Listen this week for the Meadowlark and you will know that summer is here. And – in your Be Still and Know Time – begin to listen for the voice of God and you will hear His love. Listen for His voice in the seasonal changes, and listen for the cries of the sheep – The Father will always let you know how to respond!

Summertime for us means cabin time! High in the mountains of Colorado, lies a beautiful valley known to many as Conejos. As the warmer days approached, my husband and I drove there to just enjoy the terrain and get away for a few days. As we traveled up the old dirt road leading to our cabin on FR250, we suddenly came upon a meadow covered with an amazing array of yellow flowers! I got out of the car to take a picture, and low and behold, those yellow flowers were dandelions! Yes, hundred of dandelions creating such a magnificent picture!
Have you ever thought of a dandelion as beautiful? Neither have I, especially when those pesky little things show up in your grass just daring you to pluck them out. But there, in that valley in Conejos, Colorado at about 9,000 feet, were dandelions showing off their colors and shouting: take the picture!
What a lesson I learned walking through that meadow! A dandelion, when viewed with other dandelions is a picture of beauty not just a pesky weed. Right then, the lord spoke to my heart and shared their meaning. When like the dandelion, we are in the wrong place and not where our Lord has planted us or we are not doing his will, our lives show nothing more than hardship, pain and unrest. But when our lives are placed in the Lord’s hands and we are working for the Kingdom alongside other believers, we radiate an amazing and glorious life!
so today, I check with the Holy Spirit and ask for direction – where I am to go, what He wants me to do and who I am to speak to. And it all begins in my Be Still and Know Time!
Let your beauty shine for Him today just as dandelions do in that meadow. I can see it already!