Thoughts Higher Than Mine_Living Word Chronicle

I am working on your behalf even while you sleep. Come from this small concept of me, and know me in the light of redeemed fellowship and communion. In the light of this relationship, I am brighter than all of the blinding troubles of unbelief. I have not forsaken you in this time of uncertainty. I am not that kind of God. I am a faithful Savior. I am not simply called, "Wonderful," but know that the secrecy of my name is more than simply a word. There are many meanings to that name, "Wonderful." Come away from food, and learn of the wonderful fellowship in hunger and denial. I will not condemn you if you fail, but try and receive the grace to succeed. I have not forgotten you, neither have I run away while you were calling. I do not have an answering machine, neither do I screen my calls. I hear everyone. I have listened intently at your prayers. I have also listened knowingly to your heart. I know the secret intent of your heart, and I also know what you do not know about yourself. The decision that I am making concerning you is rooted and grounded in divine love and not in knowledge about you.

(RHEMA: Safety In the Stronghold of Grace During the Storm of Fury)

God is working on my behalf even while I sleep. I come from this small concept of the Lord, and I will know him in the light of redeemed fellowship and communion. In the light of this relationship, God is brighter than all of the blinding troubles of unbelief. He has not forsaken me in this time of uncertainty. He is not that kind of God. He is a faithful Savior. He is not simply called, "Wonderful," but I know that the secrecy of his name is more than simply a word. There are many meanings to that name, "Wonderful." I come away from food and learn of the wonderful fellowship in hunger and denial. The Lord will not condemn me if I fail. I will try and receive the grace to succeed. God has not forgotten me, neither has he run away while I was calling. He does not have an answering machine; neither does he screen his calls. He hears everyone. He has listened intently at my prayers. He has also listened knowingly to my heart. He knows the secret intent of my heart, and he also knows what I do not know about myself. The decision that God is making concerning me is rooted and grounded in divine love and not in knowledge about me.

By Moses Hightower

Moses and Thelma Hightower

When the Image of the Cross Is Held In God's Light, Monuments of Faith and Trust Are Unveiled

I am the spirit of the Father, the spirit of Christ, which speaks in you. I am omnipresent. I am in you.....IN YOU....IN YOU. I have transformed your life; therefore, your mind is transformed such that you have access to the unlimited power of the mind of Christ. The mind of God is within you. I have given you the mind which was in Christ Jesus. Now believe that, and you will never be limited by the limitations of human reasoning again. I am the light which holds back the darkness that threatens to come. I am the hand, which holds back the giant roller that threatens to roll you over and flatten your life as the pavement. I am the tree, which was cut down for you. Though the ax is laid at the root of your life, I am the hand that restrains the axe man that prepares to swing against your life. Be not afraid of the axe man of the darkness, for his ax has no power against you. I have placed you within me and hidden you in the light. Walk on in the light as I am in the light, for here you have fellowship with me, and my blood continually cleanses you from all unrighteousness.

Today shall bring to you that which I did make. The formation, which is by my hand, does not include the design of defeat, nor destruction for you. Though the voices of your enemy cry victory, yet they do not have victory over you. I have not ordained their victory over you. The enemy says that you have stumbled. With their big feet, they rush to trample you, but I am the hand that pulls you from under the big feet of destruction. I am on your side, and the floods of the adversary shall not go over your head. I have raised you up and made you to sit together with me in places which are heavenly. Do not fear the big feet of the tramp which walks about in the earth. The tramp of the darkness seeks whom he may devour, but I have not chosen you to be devoured, for you are chosen unto eternal salvation. Rejoice in your salvation, for this jungle of life is not a place of your defeat, but it is a scene of my glorious love, which does save and keep you from all harm.

Be fully persuaded that I will keep your feet from falling and will present you faultless before the presence of my own glory with exceeding joy. Be fully persuaded that I am the light in a dark place and that there is nothing that can be against you. Lift up your voice on high, and cry aloud that I am Lord. I have saved by my own grace. I have lifted you by my love. Now as the serpent was lifted upon the pole in the wilderness, so have I have been lifted up; therefore, look up unto me, and know that I will lift you up also unto my glorious victory and triumph.

I am the light that shines in the darkness. The darkness has no foundation to build upon. The darkness is without any foundation or strategy against you, for you are the light of this world. Allow me to remove the small things from your life and then will the shadows which appear so big vanish from your vision. My light is shining. Everything that you see is made possible by the light of my glory. As my light shines past the small sins in your life, they are manifested as huge images of defeat and trouble. Bring me all of your sins by confession today, and I will cause them to vanish in the presence of my light of love and forgiveness. When I shed forth my forgiveness, then there are no structures to produce these images of defeat. I do give you images of righteousness and holiness. I do give you fresh images which stand as monuments of faith and trust. Take this image of the cross, and hold it in the light then will you see the manifestation of my victory. Then will you say with your mouth, "Defeat, where is your glory? Trouble, where is your threat? Sickness, where is your consummation? Poverty, where are your rags? Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?"

Don't you know that the sting of death is sin and that the strength of sin is the law?

I came and fulfilled the law. Now there is no strength left in sin. I robbed sin of all of its strength as I swallowed up death by accepting its sting. I have taken the sting of death. Now all of the images of death are mere passing vapors of dark smoke in the presence of the breath of my righteousness. I blow with my breath the breath of love and forgiveness. The sting of death, which has reared up its ugly head again, shall not be the instrument which produces shadows on the wall of your mind. By love, I do forgive you, and take the pen of condemnation from the hand of death that death will not write or draw his images of defeat upon the walls and chambers of your heart. By love, I blot out all the other images, and now I write and draw the images of righteousness upon the walls and chambers of your heart.

Now follow the path of the righteousness of God, which has spoken for you, for the word is nigh you even in your mouth and in your heart, the word of faith that I told you to preach. Arise from the dust of defeat and destruction. Arise from the pavement of this world, for I have not appointed you to be the gravel in the tar of sin that is to be rolled and leveled for the feet and the vehicles of the darkness, but I have chosen you to dwell in my heavenly places of peace and victory. Arise, for I do give you light today.

Thus have I, the Lord, spoken unto you from within you. I am the faithful witness, the spirit of the Father, which speaks in you. Believe me, for I am real. I am true. I am faithful.

By Don Grigsby

Don and Linda Grigsby

RE: RHEMA - When the Image of the Cross Is Held In God's Light, Monuments of Faith and Trust Are Unveiled

Faith worketh by love. No greater line of demarcation stands in history than the cross. Faith brings every fortress to its knees. Every army that has ever marched cannot stand when love disarms it. His cross sweeps back the darkness and envelopes the forces of hell in its grasp. All the horses of the depths of destruction will be swept into the pit from which they have ridden by the chariot of salvation paved with love. As time opens its stage of history at the stage of the cross, we see the smoky toxic cloud of sin parting and the cross lifting its occupant up for heaven to behold. Heaven with all its purity, power and glory stared starkly into the face of its antithesis, crushed into the brutally ravaged form of the love of heaven, the Creator of the universe. Barely recognizable as life ebbs away...in suffering and dying, he embraces the crushed and crying, saying, "These are mine," to the audible gasps of Heaven's host. But the angels recognize the face of their own Lord, reflecting every human face that would ever look up and need to see the smile of his grace. Here he stands still today at the cross lifting in his hands of mercy, the hands of the guilty above the hands of death into the hands of Life.

DARKNESS, DEFEAT, AND DESTRUCTION

Jesus is the spirit of the Father, the spirit of Christ, which speaks in me. He is omnipresent. He is in me.....IN ME....IN ME. He has transformed my life; therefore, my mind is transformed such that I have access to the unlimited power of the mind of Christ. The mind of God is within me. He has given me the mind which was in Christ Jesus. Now I believe that, and I will never be limited by the limitations of human reasoning again. Jesus is the light which holds back the darkness that threatens to come. He is the hand, which holds back the giant roller that threatens to roll me over and flatten my life as the pavement. Jesus is the tree, which was cut down for me. Though the ax is laid at the root of my life, God is the hand that restrains the axe man that prepares to swing against my life. I am not afraid of the axe man of the darkness, for his ax has no power against me. Jesus has placed me within him and hidden me in the light. I walk on in the light as he is in the light, for here I have fellowship with the Lord, and his blood continually cleanses me from all unrighteousness.

Today shall bring to me that which God did make. The formation, which is by his hand, does not include the design of defeat, nor destruction for me. Though the voices of my enemy cry victory, they do not have victory over me. God has not ordained their victory over me. The enemy says that I have stumbled. With their big feet, they rush to trample me, but God is the hand that pulls me from under the big feet of destruction. He is on my side, and the floods of the adversary shall not go over my head. God has raised me up and made me to sit together with him in places which are heavenly. I do not fear the big feet of the tramp which walks about in the earth. The tramp of the darkness seeks whom he may devour, but God has not chosen me to be devoured, for I am chosen unto eternal salvation. I rejoice in my salvation, for this jungle of life is not a place of my defeat, but it is a scene of God's glorious love which does save and keep me from all harm.

I am fully persuaded that God will keep my feet from falling and will present me faultless before the presence of his own glory with exceeding joy. I am fully persuaded that Jesus is the light in a dark place and that there is nothing that can be against me. I lift up my voice on high and cry aloud that Jesus is Lord. He has saved by his own grace. He has lifted me by his love. Now as the serpent was lifted upon the pole in the wilderness, so has he been lifted up; therefore, I look up unto him and know that he will lift me up also unto his glorious victory and triumph.

Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness. The darkness has no foundation to build upon. The darkness is without any foundation or strategy against me, for I am the light of this world. I will allow God to remove the small things from my life and then will the shadows which appear so big vanish from my vision. His light is shining. Everything that I see is made possible by the light of his glory. As his light shines past the small sins in my life, they are manifested as huge images of defeat and trouble. I bring the Lord all of my sins by confession today, and he will cause them to vanish in the presence of his light of love and forgiveness. When he sheds forth his forgiveness, then there are no structures to produce these images of defeat. Jesus gives me images of righteousness and holiness. He gives me fresh images which stand as monuments of faith and trust. I take this image of the cross, and I hold it in the light. Now will I see the manifestation of his victory. I can now say with my mouth, "Defeat, where is your glory? Trouble, where is your threat? Sickness, where is your consummation? Poverty, where are your rags? Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?"

I know that the sting of death is sin and that the strength of sin is the law. Jesus came and fulfilled the law. Now there is no strength left in sin. He robbed sin of all of its strength as he swallowed up death by accepting its sting. He has taken the sting of death. Now all of the images of death are mere passing vapors of dark smoke in the presence of the breath of God's righteousness. He blows with his breath the breath of love and forgiveness. The sting of death, which has reared up its ugly head again, shall not be the instrument which produces shadows on the wall of my mind. By love, Jesus forgives me and takes the pen of condemnation from the hand of death that death does not write or draw his images of defeat upon the walls and chambers of my heart. By love, he blots out all the other images and now he writes and draws the images of righteousness upon the walls and chambers of my heart.

Now I follow the path of the righteousness of God, which has spoken for me, for the word is nigh me even in my mouth and in my heart, the word of faith that he told me to preach. I arise from the dust of defeat and destruction. I arise from the pavement of this world, for he has not appointed me to be the gravel in the tar of sin that is to be rolled and leveled for the feet and the vehicles of the darkness, but he has chosen me to dwell in his heavenly places of peace and victory. I arise, for he gives me light today. Jesus, the Lord, has spoken unto me from within me. He is the faithful witness, the spirit of the Father, which speaks in me. I believe him, for he is real. He is true and faithful.

INSPIRATION

By Don Grigsby

RE: RHEMA - Our God Is a Consuming Fire; Therefore, So Are We

Eternity has claimed us as sure as the bush before Moses was burning and not consumed. Before us, there lies a destiny of eternal power and demonstration that will flow through the doors of our lives. As the disciples were about to enter the ship, Jesus tried to engage them in a conversation about eternal things. He marveled at their lack of understanding of the miracles of the feeding of the 4,000 and the 5,000. There were twelve and seven baskets left over after the work was done. He tried to move them from the temporary to the eternal in their understanding. We are, many times, left at the low tide of the rush of the sea of the supernatural and the fire that consumed him by our own lack of understanding. He always has bread and fish on the fire, and we have the propensity to be standing in the shadows of the cold of the night. He has invited us to draw near and be set aflame with the intensity of heaven. Many of the things that we think are irrelevant and trivial are the very shadows that he hides behind. He only veils himself so that we will seek after him. Most Greek authorities agree that the passage in Matthew in the beatitudes should read, "Blessed are the hungering ones." Not to hunger just one time but to continually be seeking the fountain of power and grace in the presence that is always available to us.

Our lens of perspective has been placed in our hands by the unforced rhythms of grace. Light waves of visible images have cast themselves across the reflective properties of our spirit and are magnified by the faith that is within us. We must not be myopic in our view of the door and the entrance into all the spiritual treasure that God longs to give to us so eagerly. Overlays of love and grace are the lens of the frames of reference that he will use to cause us to see the work he is doing in those who are coming to him.

(Continued)

Go on unto the salvation of the lost, for the hour approaches that I shall become the rod of iron over all nations, and it shall be seen and known by the whole world. Continue seeking the things of the kingdom of God, for my kingdom rules over all, and the increase of my government and peace shall have no end.

327. Will you choose a kingdom that ends over a kingdom without end?

I am the Lord, your God. Be not filled with contempt, but be filled with faith. I am the Lord, who made all things. Open your arms of faith, and receive of that which you need. I am stretching forth my hands of provision that you might reach into my arms and get that which you need. Step out on the land of faith today and get what you want, for it is reserved for you. There are no hindering things to keep you back, for I have paved a highway without any beasts or vultures to prevent you. Walk out, and see that I am with you to assist and to help you in every way. Prove me now, and know how real I am. The hour is late, but first I do bring to your fingertips that which I have promised.

328. Do you believe in miracles?

The blood that I shed has become the pathway for you to walk into my presence and unto my throne. Now in my name, you may ask what you will, and it will be done unto you. I have said, "Ask anything in my name, and I will do it."

329. Do you think that these are just words written on paper?

I do take you away in the spirit to see that separation from me is not an exit out of the door of a house, but separation from me is a leap into the darkness of a bottomless pit. Do not deceive yourself and say that what you see is a figment of your imagination, but the vision before your mind is reality. Do not go unto yonder place to leap from the bosom of grace and into the seemingly right path of human reasoning. The path of rejection of truth is a path of damnation and slavery forever. I have come that you might have life and to have that life more abundantly.

330. Will you halt between the opinions of heaven and hell?

Look unto me, and see that I yet remember Calvary and my cross. My eyes have been dried of the tears, but my mind yet recalls the horror and the joy of the cross for you.

331. Do you really grasp its meaning?

332. Do you really understand the great love that was expressed there?

333. Do you really know of the grapes that I did tread?

334. Or is the cross only pieces of wood placed in your sanctuary?

I do bring them to the Father's house to eat bread with the children. Push aside, and make room for the strangers and the foreigners to the covenants of promise. I do come with a multitude of hungry souls. Make room for the hungry and the thirsty at my table. Stop thinking only of yourselves, and make room. Enlarge the coast, and make room for the hungry. You do keep many back, for you do not go forth.

335. Must I scatter you by persecution, or will you hear the voice to go and make room?

(To Be Continued)

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