Thanksgiving Blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving!  

May you have a blessed day filled with memories and reminders of all you have for which to be thankful!  It's a wonderful world created by a good God.  He knows what is best for His creation and he commands us to give thanks in all things.

     Have you ever read the Passion Translation by Brian Simmons?  I find it very helpful and inspiring when I'm trying to understand a passage.  Of course, I don't use it for memorization but it certainly sheds new light on passages I have read for years in the more traditional translations.  Today I was reading in Galatians.  When I came to Gal. 5:22-23 describing the fruits of the Spirit I was especially encouraged and enlightened.

     Here is the New King James translation: 

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

    And here is the Passion Translation: 

But the fruit of the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all of its various expressions.  

This love is revealed through:

      Joy that overflows,

     Peace that subdues,

     Patience that endures,

     Kindness on display,

     A life full of virtue,

     Faith that prevails,

     Gentleness of heart, and

     Strength of spirit.

Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.

     Isn't that beautiful?

A Nice Break But Time to Get Back to Work.

     We just returned from an inspiring and restful week at a beautiful retreat center in Titusville, Florida, owned by the Park Avenue Baptist Church.  Jack Taylor, Peter Lord and Charles Carrin shared their wisdom and walk with the Lord as we got to know people from all over the U.S.
    The afternoons were free so we had time for long walks on the beach.  Canaveral National Seashore was only 15 minutes away but was so secluded we felt as if the whole beach belonged to us--until we came upon nude bathers.  That was a bit of a shock!  I had no idea nude bathing was allowed on U.S. beaches.  We didn't let it spoil our fun though.  It seemed to us they were the ones who should be embarrassed, not us, so we continued on our walk.  Below is a photo of the beautiful seashore and below that is a photo of the weather we returned to.  Quite a contrast, but both beautiful.

       Now it's time to get back to work.  I have no idea how I'm going to get everything done for Christmas right now, but it seems to always happen, so I will try not to stress about it.  Every year, I make the resolution to do less and enjoy Christmas more, but it never seems to work that way.  

     To me it seems rather pointless to drag out all the decorations for only a few weeks of enjoyment. We always seem to be in such a flurry of activity that I wouldn't call it 'enjoying' anyway, but since all our family will be here for Christmas and one of our granddaughters asked if I would get a huge tree and let her help me decorate, how can I resist?  Hopefully, the memories we will be making will outweigh the effort it takes to make them.  :o)

     Do you enjoy the preparations of Christmas, or are you like me and wish we could skip the fuss and relax?

Darren Canning: "This Is The Hour Of the Coming Waters!…"

This is a great reminder from Darren Canning (posted on The Elijah List yesterday) that it is praise and thanksgiving which brings us out of darkness into His glorious light.

"This is the Hour of the Coming Waters! How You Can Become a Conduit of It in Your Lifetime"

Darren Canning, Ontario, Canada

In a recent dream I was standing on the edge of a great lake in Canada. I was astonished to see that the waters had receded so far that the shoreline had moved by hundreds of feet. I heard somebody in the dream say, "The waters have gone down by 150 feet," and they said this with a lot of fear as if the waters were gone forever.

As I was standing there, I was aware that this fear was in many hearts, so I said to the people near me, "Don't worry, these waters will be replenished. They shall come again."(Photo by Lillis Boyer "Come to the Waters"via elijahshopper.com)

I felt that the number 150 was significant and was somehow pointing to Scripture, so I went to the Bible and read Psalm 150. The passage was quite interesting, and I believe it is a key to the coming rise of the waters of the Spirit.

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord.

Praise God in His sanctuary;
praise Him in His mighty heavens.
Praise Him for His acts of power;
praise Him for His surpassing greatness.
Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise Him with the harp and lyre,
praise Him with timbrel and dancing,
praise Him with the strings and pipe,
praise Him with the clash of cymbals,
praise Him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

How to Replenish the Waters in Your Life

If we want the waters to be replenished our focus must be always and only on God. We must not look at the drought that is in the land or the people that are not worshipping Him. We must continue to focus on the God that took out Goliath and the God who split the Red Sea. He is the God that opened up the tomb and raised Jesus from the dead. He is the God that showed up in the upper room and filled the 120 with His holy presence so that they would become witnesses to the ends of the earth.

Our life must be a life filled with praise so that even when dark times are in our land, and even when it seems that the darkness is growing darker, our focus is on God and not the darkness at all. We need to fear and worship God above all things. Our hearts must move toward Him: to the God within the Holy Sanctuary, to the God of the mighty heavens above, to the God who acts with great power and who fears no one. When our meditation turns toward Him, then the problems of this world will fade away.

I was watching a film recently about Josephine Bakhita who was made a saint because of her devotion to Christ and love for people. She was born in the Sudan in 1869 and was captured as a slave. Her masters often beat her. At one point in her life she rarely went without an open wound on her body because of the cruelty of her masters. By the grace of God she made it to Italy, and in 1890 entered a convent where she spent the rest of her life serving the Lord. (Photo via Wikipedia)

She was once asked by a student what she would say to her captors if she had the chance. She replied, "If I were to meet those who kidnapped me, and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands. For, if these things had not happened, I would not have been a Christian and a religious today."

This kind of praise and this kind of heart will never be enslaved in this present darkness. This is the heart of those who have truly overcome in Christ.

You Can Become a Conduit of the Waters in Your Lifetime

We must praise Him, and then we must continue to praise Him, and then we must praise Him some more. You will face many sufferings in this present life, but when you do, then do as the Apostle James said and "Consider it pure joy...whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2), because this will help you to overcome each trial.

As you practice praise at all times, and not just when it is convenient, the waters will return and many will be touched by God through your life as they were touched by God through Bakhita's life. Even though she was a slave and had every right in the natural to be bitter and hate, she chose the way of love. She became a joy to many people, helping them to reach the place of intimacy with Christ in their own lives. She helped replenish the waters in her own time. We need to be that conduit in ours.

John 7:38 says, "Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." These rivers are accessed through praise. (Photo by Robert Bartow "River of Gold" via elijahshopper.com)

If I have learned anything about these waters in my own life, it is that as I look to my God my situation always changes. No matter what I face and no matter how difficult it seems, when my face turns to my God I am set free.

I remember many times when it felt like I could not make another single step because of the hopelessness in my heart, but when I turned my eyes upon Jesus and looked full into His wonderful face, my own slavery ended. Peace would come sweeping over me and tears would rush down my face as Jesus entered more deeply into my reality.

I have been blessed to have had a ministry that now has touched thousands of lives. It is not me that these people are longing to see, but God. As I point Heavenward toward Him, then He manifests Himself to the people, and the same God who healed and delivered me, delivers and heals them.

As Psalm 150 shows, the key is always praise; and what seems fitting to me is that this is the last Psalm and it points Heavenward, to the eternal sanctuary, to the God of wonders, and to the God of all power. The waters will be replenished as we worship Him in all things.

And it seems certain to me that this is the hour of the coming waters when the great disparity in the earth will be repaired, when the tides of this present darkness will be turned back as the Church rises into its destiny, spreading the love of Christ abroad to many hearts.

Darren Canning
Ministry of Darren Canning
Email: darrencanning78@gmail.com
Website: darrencanning.org

Photos from Saturday's Horse Plowing Days

     John Hammond organized a Horse Plowing Day on his farm last Saturday.  He said it would give us a good idea on a small scale of what he is planning to do as an exhibition for Heritage Days on June 11 & 12.  He expects many more to participate in the Heritage Days show.  He said they would be demonstrating different kinds of equipment--not just plowing.
     That will be a wonderful addition to the Draft Horse Show!
     Here are a few pictures from Saturday's show.

A Very Busy Time!

        Has this been the busiest time in your life for you, also?  I feel as if I get one thing done and several more are called to my attention.  Some friends from Alabama were here all last week deer hunting so, of course I wanted to do some extra cooking.  But I also had meetings, a doctor's appointment, spending a day with a friend whose mother died, attending a horse plowing exhibition so that I could see what the organizer was planning for Heritage Days, and spending time on the Internet searching for lettering for the entrance to Linn Park.  Then we had symphony tickets last night.  I called several people to see if they wanted to go with us but everyone was already busy!  What a world!
      I like to be busy and have lots of new experiences but this is ridiculous!  The main problem is--how do I slow down?  What can I eliminate?  It seems the only things I can cut out are the fun things and only doing the "have to's" leads to a very dreary life!
      If you have any suggestions, or words of wisdom, I would be glad to hear them.
      In the meantime, I guess I will take each day as it comes and hope there is a break in the activities soon.  This is probably a test.  The Lord is asking, will I give thanks in all things, or will I grumble?  I guess you noticed my first inclination.  I obviously need more practice.  :o)

Agnes Sanford: Thoughts on World Prayer

      Carolyn Miller shared these thoughts from Agnes Sanford in her CFO Prayer Tower letter a few weeks ago.  I thought they were good to remember.
      Agnes Sanford was definitely a mentor to me, even though I never met her.  I read all of her books and listened to as many of her tape recorded talks given at CFOs as I could get my hands on.  She was a spiritual giant and a forerunner in healing prayer.  You, too, can hear some of her talks on Matt Leach's website: cfoclassicslibrary.org , if you're interested.

Agnes shares... "In prayer for the world(as in any other kind of prayer), God works through my faith...the same laws of prayer apply to world-prayer that apply to every other kind of prayer. The law is that in praying we must believe that we are receiving the thing for which we pray. In other words, if we are going to pray effectively for the world, or a sick friend, or one in danger, or anything else, we must believe that the thing for which we pray is at that moment being accomplished." World Prayer Suggestions by Agnes Sanford... (Suggestions used whenever she was praying with her prayer group) 1. "Bring down our objective to something concrete/simple enough so we can believe it is being accomplished while we pray for it. (only God knows what things these will be) 2. "First step is the seeking of guidance: Lord, for what or for whom shall we pray at this time so as to further the coming of Thy Kingdom? Very often certain people will come into our minds. For nations are made up of people and prayers for a nation can often be simplified by turning them into prayer for the leaders of that nation." An Example of Agnes Sanford's Prayer Group... 1. Choosing one nation at a time for a prayer-objective... 2. Making a picture in their minds of that nation so that the nation may best further the establishment of peace... 3. Visualizing an aggressor nation...for example...shrinking back her borders and sending out into the world little golden arrows of trade and commerce and financial cooperation... 4. Holding the pictures (visions) of the nation God has given them up into the light of God's love and blessing that nation in the name of Jesus Christ. 5. Stating with serene faith 'that it will be so' (Reminding themselves that it must be so, for Jesus Christ directed them to pray for it...He never gives a false or misleading prayer-objective)  6. Next, pointing their prayers into the minds of those men most powerful in bringing into being the picture (visions) they have seen. 7. Blessing leaders of the nation (one by one)...holding them up into the light of God's love...sending the love of Christ into their minds. Through this Love of Christ, the prayer group is calling forth the potential goodness that is in those leaders because it is in all men.  8. Praying Holy Spirit of God will accomplish this: Directly (overshadowing and entering their minds); Indirectly (sending the leaders good/wise advisers). 9. Giving Thanks to God that what has been prayed for is being made so...

Be Encouraged!

Johnny Enlow again speaks words of encouragement for the month of November and on in this article originally posted on The Elijah List.

"A November to Remember: Goliath Beheaded and a Wonderful Thanksgiving"

Johnny Enlow, Santa Clarita, CA

We are entering a most remarkable month as we follow a pattern I spoke about in my Rosh Hashanah Word for 2015. As you will remember entering into September and October, there was a prevalent foreboding that many were under, induced by a wide range of "prophetic" perspectives. Out of these perspectives came many, very negative projections based on reading the "blood moons", "Shemitah", and other supposed unchangeable patterns.

There were "doom dates" of September 13, 14, 24, as well as October in general. The Stock Market would crash to 6000. An asteroid would strike us. Sudden surprise nuclear wars and massive tsunamis were in the "prophetic" mix, along with "martial law in America" and too many other doomsday scenarios to list. I never stopped to study them, but was just inundated with them, generally in response to my prophetic perspectives that said these things were NOT going to happen. I was told by many I was going "out on a limb" by saying none of these things would take place, when so many others were saying the opposite.

In my Rosh Hashanah message I laid out the prophetic track for September to December. I had a parabolic comparison with the four sequential victories David had over the lion, the bear, Goliath, and lastly the Philistines. We are right on track with what I shared, which is why I want to encourage you to be excited about November.

I said October would be the month "the bear gets tamed," and I said that spoke of the Stock Market, but also the next step of not being pushed around by fear (it just hit me that this is what we've been hit with: a plague of fear). The Bear Market was tamed during October, as it was necessary that no fear be given an outlet during the month that the panickers were looking for opportunities to panic. (Photo via Pixabay)

Now we are in a November to Remember! Let's get excited!

November: A Time to Risk and Beheading Goliath with His Own Sword

The atmosphere is shifting and changing so much that we are now being enabled to behead our personal "Goliaths". There have been many who have been as the children of Israel were during the 40 days of Goliath's taunts and "prophetic declarations" that froze the nation. Perhaps you had chosen to "hide and whine" instead of "arise and shine". Maybe you added "hoarding" to that mix because you were instructed that this is how you prepare for "what is coming".

Instead, there is a reality that's available now for you to take out Goliath with his own sword.As David did, you must run towards him fearlessly and risk it all. When David went after Goliath he risked his whole future and life itself, should his assumption of a God with a different narrative not pan out. Now is the time for all who have hoarded or pulled back or speculated in fear to fully break the grip of the wrong prophetic narrative. Do it like David did. Chase down the tap root of fear itself. (Photo via flickr)

I will say that over the last two months I have heard of more significant financial and career breakthroughs than I have over any two-month period. There are sons and daughters of the King who have broken out into multi-million (and more) breakthroughs because they didn't freeze in fear; but in the face of adverse winds of doom they proceeded forward. It is unlike anything I have ever seen. Many who have been waiting for breakthrough for years and years suddenly found it, ironically (or not) in the months the sky was supposed to fall.

Fear will cost you some serious Kingdom ground, BUT a great recovery is available if you will throw all Goliath-inspired caution to the wind and go after Kingdom destiny. Without faith it is impossible to please God! Whatever steps of "caution" (translated to FEAR) that you took in order to not need faith, you now want to reverse in order to get back your Kingdom edge. Face your fear. Take it out with its own sword.

Great help from Heaven is being sent on our behalf in November, in order to make it a November to Remember. Unavoidable relational and financial advancements are commanded for us in November. However none of it will happen if we don't shut Goliath's mouth of access into our lives.Identify the fear source and cut it out of your spiritual diet.

Great winds of wealth and winds of wonder (from my prophetic word of the year for 2015: Four Winds of W) are blowing right now and will be increasing in November and December. Your sail will not be up to catch them if you are in fear. GET IN FAITH AND DO SOME RISKING. Sow into Kingdom advancement. Your best returns will come from investments of faith you make in November, as well as in December.

A Wonderful and Wonder-filled Thanksgiving

Very key in this "November to Remember" will be a remarkable Thanksgiving. We have just broken out of a 14-year cycle of trial and refinement and you will feel it this Thanksgiving. There has been a release of a wonder-filled "wind of reconciliation" and connecting for family and friends. Expect a sweet time together as you hoist your sail and yield to that wind. Relational estrangements from many years are going to be repaired, and one of the first signs of this is when you will hear from family members wanting to connect, who haven't wanted to connect in a long time.

This Thanksgiving and this Christmas will be an amazing healing time for families and you only have to yield to it. Solid family relationships will go to yet another level of love and closeness as great bonding will take place. Many significant physical healings will also happen as families take the time to pray over each other. Jehovah-Rapha (the Lord who heals) will be visiting our homes this Holiday Season and amazing testimonies will come from it. Much healing and even new important relational connections will happen this whole November, but especially around Thanksgiving.

From November 11 on watch for business, career and relational situations that seem to be dead and see them come alive again. If you have been seeing a lot of 1111, you should be particularly encouraged that God wants to do this for you. John 11:11 has the Lord saying that Lazarus is not dead but only sleeping. Many things that seem dead will prove to have been only sleeping. I expect to hear significant testimonies of this reality.

So finally, do your part in making November memorable by executing fear and by lifting your sails of hope and faith. Whatever you look for you find, so make sure to be looking for the amazing things your Papa has destined for you this November. He is eager to show to all that He is still the Psalm 23 Lord, who is on duty as our Shepherd, and we lack nothing because of it.

Johnny Enlow
Johnny and Elizabeth
Email: Contact@JohnnyandElizabeth.com
Website: JohnnyandElizabeth.com

Gratitude

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.  Cicero

Who does not thank for little will not thank for much. -Estonian Proverb

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. -Psalm 107:1

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. -Psalm 92:1

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. -Psalm 95:2

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. -Colossians 3:16

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18