FRESH BREAD - MANNA FOR THE HUNGRY SOUL

The first Fresh Bread devotional has been published.  Comments are coming in like: "the first day I read the book I slept that night better than I had in years." DL Mass.  "This is just the right thing to read to help me settle my spirit before I begin to pray."  BK New Jersey

Your copy of Fresh Bread Manna for the Hungry Soul is waiting for you at www.lulu.com. Create an account, hit the BUY button and enter "Fresh Bread" for the title. The Father will speak to you as it is His words scribed on the pages of this book.  

“Intimacy with Jesus” on top of Faith Mountain - October 27-29, 2011

Flowing in and by the Holy Spirit is something like an out of body experience.  We stepped into the deep end of the River of God and became bystanders of an amazing outpouring of His love.  Angelic hosts were “seen” in visions; expressions of heaven touched sin sick, physically hurting, emotionally torn, and spiritually worn out women. 

Picture twenty nine women and four bathrooms, from different areas/churches flowing together under one roof, in miraculous unity, where we slept, ate, prayed, cried, and worshiped for the better part of three days.

Pastor Sabrina Haught, pastor of Tender Loving Care Ministries, and visionary of the gathering, let us know that this set apart time was two years in the making!  I met Sabrina and her church body last May when I was blessed to minister by the Spirit to her flock. Later she asked me to be a speaker at the Faith Mountain “Encounter”.

Thursday October 27: Day one on Faith Mountain

Arrived at Faith Mountain - no small adventure up a long, narrow, winding mountain road.  Twenty-nine women, all their gear, and boxes of vittles for the weekend were unloaded.  Once we were all settled in, lunch enjoyed, we headed to the conference room where Father God was already waiting for His daughters.

Pastor Sabrina began to share a bit, ministered in song, and welcomed all of us to the “intimacy with Jesus” retreat/conference/ advance…. We really didn’t know what to call the weekend…such a taste of heaven we all encountered.

Ministers who came to also share at the gathering were Pastor Rena Jefferies from Thy Will be Done Ministries, Fairmont, WV, Pastor Linda Barry, from Ohio, Minister Laura Ringer, from TLC and Evangelist Martha, also from TLC.  

After wonderful worship time Pastor Sabrina opened up papers and read “secret” testimonies we had each written about ourselves.  We were to guess who the person might be.  It was clear from the start that there were many women there who had been through VERY difficult times in the past and who were dealing with great challenges in the present. 

Pastor Sabrina asked all the ministers to pray, she came to me last I thought it was for me to also pray.  However, she declared over me, “The shepherd’s daughter, prophetess, evangelist, Woman of Valor…..”  I began to weep and to speak in tongues. After the tongues, I pictured each woman’s heart being held by the Father.  “He is tenderly cupping our hearts and touching them in a way no person on earth could ever, ever, ever touch our heart.”  “All the Father is asking of us is to give him every part of our heart.” I spoke through my tears.  

Drama and singing continued and then to my surprise I was called upon to share….(I was told I would share Friday afternoon and evening…surprise # 1)

The Lord helped me to be humorous as I took a piece of a funny testimony one lady had shared.  I also told the girls the “egg” story. How we tried to communicate in a type of sign language in Germany.  Much laughter!

It is good to laugh. We could feel ourselves bonding in the Spirit right away. Somehow I ended up sharing my life testimony in a nut shell. I touched on the Father’s Love message, the call to rest in His presence, and the need to hear His voice.  One of my visions I have held dear for many years is that of my sitting in Daddy God’s lap. This vision became personal to everyone by the end of the weekend.

Many women are concerned about their children’s salvation.  I shared what the Father showed me about our children being engraved upon His hand, hope was revived.  Evidently, as I continued to share my life transparently before others, the door to intimacy with each other was opened.  One friend wrote, “The people were visibly blessed.“ We knew we could be open and feel safe all weekend because we were on the Mountain Top with the Father and He loves us!  

In the “off times” late at night, sisters sat around and shared.  “Mom Martha”, one of the “elders” shared some pieces of her life with the flare of a natural born comedian. Laughter does good!  Yet, it was not all that “funny”; she simply learned to make lemonade out of the lemons of life.

Friday October 28 – Day two,

Psalm 139 was our opening scripture that  morning.  In the Presence of Jehovah was a song we rested in often over the weekend as we could feel His tangible presence with us.  Pastor Linda played an instrument that was much like a harp in its sound.  She worshiped the Lord and led us in such a way that the glory of God began to fall upon us.  I knew the healing presence of the Lord was there and I spoke it out.  Later a lady told me that she noticed that a pain in her neck and back suddenly was gone, no one even touched her.

As the glory cloud increased I began to sense  a word of knowledge.  I asked Pastor Sabrina if I could release it as it was not “my turn” to minister.  She is a woman that is and was so in tune with the flow of the Holy Spirit that she gave Him freedom to move all weekend.  This was the beauty of the time on the mountain.  Things were well planned out, songs, skits, dance, not to mention the food and accommodations.

However, the Father’s will was desired above all planning.  As a result I watched the Holy Spirit move in such healing, delivering, comforting, strengthening power in those three days of blessed unity and presence like I have never seen before!  There was no competition, no showboating, nothing but humility, hunger, passionate love for Jesus, and teachable hearts among both young (we had 2 teen gals there) and old (81 year old pastor).  What an atmosphere for the Lord to work in.  

We had visions of angels, visions of Jesus, and experiences in the Father’s love. Sovereign deliverances, healings, and only the heart of each woman knows how much more. 

As I continued to give out words of knowledge about shoulders, knee cap, headaches, etc. people began to be healed or to sense that healing was beginning.  Then the Holy Spirit led me to encourage the ladies to listen to His voice.  Some heard and I brought them up front to share and to minister to others who needed to respond to what God was doing.  What a high time in Jesus.

“Words of knowledge,” I explained, are “kisses from heaven”.  There is Divine assurance built into words of knowledge - God WANTS to do this for you! 

When I relating a vision I had years ago about the Father and I watching the TV show of my life and telling me it was his favorite program I had a new revelation: “ He knows how to edit the script.”  Someone said, “He knows how to hit the delete button”, for when we confess our sins He remembers them no more.

My friend Janice, who lost her husband this past year, gave a powerful testimony. She planted afresh in everyone’s heart this truth: GOD IS FAITHFUL!  The death of her husband Bill shook her to the core this year. But God…. But God held her, strengthened her, and stayed faithful to her.  Her words gave strength and encouragement to the ladies as she reminded us not to wait till we lose someone to value what we have.  “You don’t know what you have until you lose it.” 

Janice the recalled a vision she had in a time of praying with the Women of the Light ladies in Elkins, WV.  Jesus came riding on a white horse and invited all of us to come and ride with him into battle, taking back what belongs to HIM!  We mounted with the King and road with him.

Her message also was: love God, love people, walk in forgiveness.  She told us “relationships start with intimacy with Jesus.” We were admonished us to “Respect the gift of ministry in each other.”

As Friday continued there were more dramatizations, expressions of worship, and testimonies that totally left us speechless except to sing and shout praises to HIM! 

Sister Laura from TLC taught on Esther, for such a time as this we too have been called.  Pastor Rena gave a powerful message again stressing the importance of resting in the Father’s love, intimate times with Jesus, inviting Him always into every aspect of our life.  She heard the Father say, “This is a meeting place.  I am here. I have everything you need.”   Rena also reinforced my sharing about the need to surrender all to the Lord. Surrender… “My will, my thought, my ways, my desires to his plan and purpose. “ 

Pastor Linda shared Eph. 1, reminding us of the importance to know who we are in Christ.  “The more you know who you are in Christ the more you can step out in faith and become a risk taker!” 

Linda also told us about angel encounters and made us more aware of the activity of the angelic host in our midst.  On Friday morning the Lord showed her rows of angels come up this mountain waiting for orders as they hearken to the voice of the Word!

Twenty Dollars

During one powerful skit a lady held a twenty dollar bill in her hand. She asked us how much it was worth.  “20 dollars” was our response.  Then she crumpled it up and asked us the same question.  We responded in the same manner.  Finally she put it under her foot, and ground it into the dirt until it was hardly recognizable.  How much was it worth then?  Still twenty dollars - what an object lesson for all of us.  When Jesus said, “whatever you do for the least of my brethren you have done it to me,” I understand that He was saying if you can see  the value I place on each person regardless of their life experiences or choices then you will begin to see ME!

The same lady had a testimony that would have broken your heart to hear.  The Lord Jesus alone has and is raising her out of the ashes of her past and freeing her from behaviors that came out of the lies of her childhood. 

Remember, all during the weekend’s sharing of messages, testimonies, prophetic words and actions, praying for individuals, the Lord used music, divinely inspired and prepared by faith in advance, to weave all that he was saying and doing by our continued worship to Him.  It was amazing.  I rarely have seen or experienced anything like this!  The flow of the Spirit was profoundly experienced by each person corporately and personally!  Amazing.

On Friday night Sabrina sang a song:  I’ve been through enough to know He’ll be enough for me.  I was undone.  Not too many days before the retreat I had been journaling with the Lord about what He might want me to share.  I confess at times I was antsy and anxious to have a “hint” of a message or a scripture for a launching point. Something….  To this concern Father spoke and I wrote “All of heaven is at your disposal for this time in West Virginia.  Don’t take thought and say that you have to be enough, do enough to see My power released to you and through you.  I AM ENOUGH!  Haven’t I always been Enough!”

More and more worship followed that evening and into Saturday.  Worship was the key!  We lavished worship on our King.  Abandoned ourselves to singing, praising, dancing, and celebrating His love.

Friday Evening

My last message flowed out of Revelation chapter Four.  In the margin of my Bible I had written “A deep place of intimacy.” 

 “It has been a throne room experience this weekend.  From the first moment of prayer with Sabrina, prophetically opening the door to the conference room and welcoming the Presence, the Father, son and Holy Spirit. …. To the angels which I saw in each corner of the room wings spread towards the center of the ceiling where Jesus  seemed to be sitting like on  a cloud…something…I don’t know what it was….to the vision of the wind of the Spirit moving around the ladies and blowing off  things that hinder and to the waves of the Spirit washing and washing us as we worshiped….  We experienced His Majestic Glory that Peter wrote about  in II Peter 1:17.

The Father then spoke to His daughters…. “I will come into your own secret place in your own homes just as I have in this place.  I will dine with you I will give you revelation; I will be enough for you.” 

“Even when we don’t feel anything, just believe He is there!  He loves the bride and wants intimacy with us.” 

We should almost provoke one another to jealousy…a good jealousy….when we see someone worshiping extravagantly, living surrendered to him, hungry to spend more and more time alone with Him, willing to go and flow wherever or whenever it should make us want more intimacy.

“Now, Father, I pray for a revelation of holiness.  We ask that you take the coal from your fire and clean and purify us.  Your desire is for us to be Holy even as you are holy.Vile things are detestable to the Lord.  I prayed.  “Father search our hearts right now, put your finger on anything vile in our life.”  David prayed, search me Oh God and try me and see if there is any wicked thing in me.  

We cupped our hands in a prophetic action, desiring a deeper level of intimacy and purity.  “Take the vile thing He has shown us put it in our hands by faith. By faith give it to the Father.  He knows best how to dispose of it.   Now, take your hands apart and shake them as an action of freedom from that thing”. Together we sang, nothing but the blood of Jesus…. Father has washed us in His blood, justified us, made us holy, righteous.  We cannot do this by ourselves.  It is by the Holy Spirit that our flesh is crucified. 

Again I spoke the word surrender.  “It was Jesus’ M.O…. A life surrendered to the Father’s will and ways.  We must be happy to live by His example and He will help us.  Nothing He will ever ask of you that He won’t give you 100% of His power to pack you up.  He supplies every need.” 

Intimacy with Jesus…He is the one who works in us, who begun the good work and will bring it to completion, who will perfect that which concerns us, who wants to take us deeper and higher in Him. Pray daily, “make me hungrier and thirstier, take me deeper and higher in you!” Abandon yourself to the Lord, surrender to Him, “I am a vessel”.

I shared two entries from my Fresh Bread devotional - the Dance and Get it. Both of these spoke to our hearts about the weekend encounter.

Pastor Sabrina stepped in and shared the prayer time we had together on Thursday night.  She shared how as I prayed for her I saw her dancing with the Father in a way that little girls often do with their daddy… her feet on daddy’s feet… He is leading, He wants always to lead and to let us rest in Him and to trust is His ability to lead us!

Before reading the Father’s love letter I began to wrap up the evening with the words;

“We’ve been in the river of His love.  The river of His love is in you.  Let it spill out to others who have yet to taste of His love give it away.  You can’t out give God.  It is a walk of faith, not a leap of faith that we are called to.  Sometimes it may feel like a leap…but most of the time it is really a one step at a time walk of faith.  My heart’s desire is to impart to you all that I have learned and experienced from my life and from times of intimacy with the Lord in such a way that you take it, run with it, and run ahead of me… “go past me”! 

Finally, we lowered the lights, and put on a soft instrumental worship CD.  We invited the gals to close their eyes and cuddle up in a cozy chair with the Father as I read the Father’s Love letter.  It became evident that the truths in that letter were just what we all needed to experience either for the first time for in a fresh new way.

Saturday Morning, October 29,

We shared testimonies, had a foot washing and communion; a very moving time, the Holy Spirit sealing all that the Lord had poured into us. Pastor Sabrina reminded all of us that “The God of the mountain top is the God in the valley; God in the good times is the God in the hard times.  God of the day is the God of the night.” 

Where God guides, He will provide.  Follow the cloud! He is the faithful one.
 

A few TESTIMONIES:

Candi –(Saturday Morning)“I have never been to a women’s retreat.  I convinced myself that I would not be able to go.  My husband said I needed to go.  This morning a problem flared up and I was able to say, “No, Lord, I am not receiving that.  I came down to the meeting room to pray.  All of a sudden I saw My Daddy God.  He said, “daughter, take my hand I’ll take you one step at a time.”

Cathe – “I came up here to surrender cause I am a juggler.  So many things going on.  I learned to surrender.   I don’t have to be in control.  He is a multi-tasker. My mom died a year ago and I never was able to grieve.  When Janice hugged me she smelled like my mom and I broke down and was able to finally grieve”.

Another lady – "finally able to shut down the voices in my head and hear His voice!"

Carolyn  - "I came thinking I was ugly and wouldn't amount to anything, but...  I know I am different."

 Janice -  "Up on the mountain you get strength.  In the valley you find how deeply you are rooted."   Selah!

Sara -  "Left to come to the retreat thinking of problems God could fix; all would be okay.  I got here and found it wasn't about fixing problems, it was about fixing me; strengthening me to endure."