Returning to Intimacy

Author: youngpl24

  • You Are the Desire of My Heart

    “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” — Proverbs 8:17 (KJV)

    Lord Jesus Christ,

    Before I ask for anything, I simply want to love You more. You are the desire of my heart, the One who rescued me when I could not rescue myself. Every breath I have is because of Your mercy, and every hope I possess is anchored in Your promises.

    Teach me to seek Your face above Your hand. Let my heart long for Your presence more than Your blessings, Your will more than my own comfort, and Your glory more than my own recognition. Strip away every distraction, every idol, every hidden pride that competes for my affection, until You alone reign upon the throne of my heart.

    Make me faithful when no one is watching, humble when I am praised, steadfast when I am tested, and joyful even in suffering because I know You are with me. Let my life become a living testimony that Jesus Christ is worthy of everything I am and everything I have.

    May my words reflect Your truth, my actions display Your love, and my heart remain tender before You. Keep me close to the cross, mindful of the price You paid, and forever grateful for the grace You freely gave.

    Whether my path is filled with abundance or hardship, I choose to trust You. Whether my prayers are answered quickly or after long waiting, I will bless Your name. You are enough for me, not only because of what You have done, but because of who You are.

    So tonight, as I lay down to rest, I whisper, ‘I love You, Lord.’ Keep teaching me how to love You with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all my strength. May my last thought each night and my first thought each morning be of You, the Lover of my soul. In Jesus’ precious name,

  • The Process Is Necessary

    We often want God to move quickly. We pray for the promise, the breakthrough, the ministry, the healing, or the open door. Yet God is often far more concerned with who we are becoming than simply where we are going.

    The truth is, God’s process is necessary because His desire is not merely to change our circumstances, but to transform us into the image of His Son. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son…” Romans 8:29 (KJV)

    Throughout Scripture, we see that God rarely calls someone and immediately places them into their assignment. Instead, He develops, refines, and prepares them. Joseph received a dream from God while he was still young, but before he ever sat on Egypt’s throne, he endured betrayal, the pit, slavery, false accusations, and prison. What seemed like detours were actually part of God’s divine preparation. Joseph was not simply being prepared to rule a nation; God was shaping a humble, forgiving, and God-dependent man.

    Scripture tells us:

    “Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.” Psalm 105:19 (KJV) The dream came quickly, but the development took years.

    Even our Lord Jesus Christ walked through a process.

    “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” Hebrews 5:8 (KJV) If the sinless Son of God walked through seasons of preparation, we should not be surprised when God leads us through them as well.

    Trials and difficulties are often the very tools God uses to shape our character. They reveal what is hidden in our hearts and teach us to trust Him more deeply. James writes: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:3-4 (KJV)

    The fire does not create impurities; it reveals them so they can be removed.

    Israel’s wilderness journey also reminds us that there is purpose in the process. Although the Promised Land was not far away geographically, God knew their hearts needed preparation.

    The wilderness was never meant to destroy them. It was designed to humble them, teach them dependence, and reveal what was truly in their hearts.

    Perhaps today you find yourself in a process you do not understand. Maybe you are waiting, grieving, being pruned, or walking through a difficult season. Take heart. God wastes nothing. Every delay, every trial, every closed door, and every wilderness season can become an instrument in His hands to shape you into the person He has called you to be.

    Rather than asking “Lord, when will You change my circumstances?” perhaps we should also ask, “Lord, who are You forming me to become through these circumstances?” The process may be difficult, but it is often necessary because God is preparing the vessel before He entrusts the assignment.

  • “Are We Living in the Character of God?”

    “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” — 1 Peter 1:15 (KJV)

    It is possible to know about God without truly reflecting His character. We can attend church, quote Scripture, serve in ministry, and even speak the language of faith, yet the deeper question remains: When people encounter us, do they encounter the heart of Christ?

    God never intended for us to merely believe in Him. He calls us to become more like Him. His character is revealed through love that forgives, mercy that reaches the undeserving, humility that serves without seeking recognition, patience that endures hardship, and holiness that refuses to compromise with sin.

    The world is watching. It is watching how we respond when we are offended, how we treat those who cannot benefit us, how we speak when no one is applauding, and how we conduct ourselves when life becomes difficult. Character is not revealed in comfort; it is revealed in the pressure of everyday life.

    Jesus is our perfect example. He loved the rejected, touched the untouchable, spoke truth without hatred, extended grace without excusing sin, and remained obedient to the Father even unto death. If we are truly His disciples, our lives should increasingly resemble His.

    The fruit of the Spirit is not something we manufacture through human effort. It is the evidence of a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit. As we remain close to Christ, His love becomes our love, His peace becomes our peace, His gentleness shapes our words, and His faithfulness becomes evident in our daily walk.

    Today, let us examine our hearts honestly. Are we merely representing a religion, or are we reflecting the very character of God? May our homes, workplaces, churches, and communities see Christ living through us. For in the end, the greatest testimony we will ever preach is the life we live.

  • In The Wait

    Pastor Mike shared on Sunday that only One can truly declare when we are ready, and that’s God. His message was deeply rooted in the truth about waiting.

    When he taught from 1 Samuel 23:1–14, he said something that wrecked me: “God isn’t hiding things from David; He’s hiding things for David.” And I felt it, because I’ve lived it.

    He also shared that God desires not just crowns on our heads, but character and integrity in our hearts. The delay, the wait, is doing something divine. It’s teaching us to inquire of the Lord, to seek His face, to crave not just answers, but His presence. In the stillness, we gain discernment. In the waiting, we find Him.

    You see, I didn’t know that kind of waiting would come wrapped in the layers of marriage. My husband loved me deeply, but there were unresolved wounds in his life, demons from his past that I could never fix.

    I remember in counseling once, our pastor asked, “Priscilla, what do you want?” I responded, “To pray for patience.”

    Listen, “Don’t pray for patience unless you’re ready for the process.”
    And oh, the process came.

    The emotional strain was real, but so was God’s grace. I watched the Lord use the waiting to peel back my own heart, to show me how to love without conditions, how to stand still and trust Him to do what only He could do. Just like David did with Saul.

    The wait taught me to stop praying for quick fixes and start praying for healing. I stopped asking God to change him, and started asking God to change me. That was the moment things began to shift.

    And it was there that Pastor Mike’s words came alive in my soul:

    “God isn’t hiding things from David; He’s hiding things for David.”

    It wasn’t that God was keeping healing, clarity, or restoration from me, He was preserving something sacred for me. He was saving a deeper love, a softer heart, and a lasting transformation that could only be birthed through waiting.

    The Holy Spirit showed me that the breakthrough I longed for wasn’t being denied; it was being developed. I wasn’t being punished, I was being prepared. Like David, I was learning to inquire of the Lord, not just once, but over and over, and to trust His timing with every tear, every prayer, every pause.

    God revealed my husband’s true heart, one full of love, but also full of pain. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, I learned to host God’s presence and peace even in a hurting place.

    And He was faithful.
    The work wasn’t instant, but it was holy. Through His Spirit, I learned that when we wait on God, we never wait in vain. Today I discovered that the cave isn’t a curse. It’s a classroom to learn to host the presence and peace of God.

    “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”
    Psalm 27:14

    “Before God places a crown on your head, He molds a king or queen from within.”

    Let Him. Let the wait work.
    Let it shape you, strengthen you, soften you. Until He says, now you’re ready.

  • The King Is Coming!

    DEVOTIONAL: “The Time Is Near—Jesus Is Coming Soon!”

    During Evening Prayer, the Book of Revelation has been taught with such power and clarity, revealing mighty truths that stir the soul and awaken the spirit. Each chapter, each verse, has become a trumpet blast, calling us out of complacency and into divine readiness. What once seemed sealed is now being opened with great urgency and grace.

    Revelation 10 and 11 reveal that the unveiling of Jesus is not only near, it’s happening now. The mighty angel lifting his hand to heaven declares there will be no more delay. Time as we know it is shrinking. Mercy is still available, but the window is closing. I’ve come to understand that God’s silence is not absence, it’s restraint. But soon, restraint will be removed, and righteousness will roar like a lion.

    The shaking in the earth is more than physical—there is a spiritual quaking. Hearts are growing colder. Pride is overtaking humility. Yet in the midst of this, God is raising up His remnant with prophetic fire—those who will boldly proclaim, “The King is coming!”

    The Lord is recommissioning His people in this hour. He is stirring the burden for souls, igniting the call to evangelize, to weep for the lost, to declare truth with love. We are not left in the dark. Ephesians 3 reminds us that this mystery of Christ—hidden for ages—is now made known by His Spirit. At the sound of the trumpet, the dead will rise, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52 says this transformation will be in an instant—from corruptible to incorruptible.

    Even death will not have the final word. Resurrection will.

    I’ve also been reminded of Daniel 7:13–14, where the Son of Man is given dominion and glory, His Kingdom will never be destroyed. No matter how dark it looks, Jesus reigns. He is not a forgotten King, He is a returning King. And His rule will be forever.

    Let this be the cry of the true church:
    “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
    The Spirit and the Bride say come.

    PRAYER: “Awaken Us, Lord, For Your Return”

    Father,
    We stand in holy awe of Your Word. Thank You for the revelation being poured out in this hour. Thank You for teaching us through the Book of Revelation, line by line, truth by truth. These are not just stories or future events, they are the unfolding of Your divine plan right before our eyes.

    Awaken us, Lord. Shake us from our spiritual slumber. Stir the burden for souls in us again. Where we have turned humility into pride, correct us. Where we have grown comfortable, challenge us. May our hearts burn with the urgency of heaven.

    Lord, we cry out for spiritual discernment. Let us not be deceived by the spirit of this age. Make us ready for Your return. Recommission us to preach, teach, love, and serve in the power of Your Spirit.

    Let us not fear, but believe. Let us not grow weary, but hope. Let us not be silent, but speak. For Yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.

    The trumpet will sound. The sky will part. And we shall be changed.

    Come, Lord Jesus.
    We are watching. We are waiting. We are ready.

    In Your holy name we pray,
    Amen.

  • Jesus Is Coming Are You Sealed?

    A Call to Eternal Alignment

    In Wednesday Night Evening Prayer, Pastor Oscar asked 2 questions Are you sealed? Are your idols destroyed? These are not just poetic inquiries, they are eternal checkpoints. In light of God’s Word, they carry a weight that demands response.

    The first woe has passed, but Revelation 9:12 warns, “Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.” This is not the time to straddle the fence of faith. The seals are breaking (Revelation 6), judgments are falling, and heaven is preparing for the return of the King. The Lamb who was slain is now roaring as the Lion of Judah.

    In Revelation 11:15–19, the seventh trumpet sounds and declares, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” Heaven is not silent. The nations are enraged, but God’s wrath is just. The ark of His covenant is seen in His temple, reminding us that His promises are everlasting, and His justice will not be delayed.

    But what is He looking for?

    He is looking for a sealed people. In Exodus 10, the hardened heart of Pharaoh brought darkness that could be felt. Likewise, when hearts reject the light, judgment follows. But God always makes a distinction between His people and those who refuse Him. Are you dwelling in Goshen, or grasping for Egypt’s gold?

    Isaiah 42 reveals a God who does not share His glory. “Behold, My Servant… I have put My Spirit upon Him… I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another.” Every high thing must come down. This is a divine demolition of idols, whether they be of culture, comfort, control, or cash.

    Jesus echoed it plainly in Matthew 6:24 and Paul confirms in Romans 1: those who reject truth will be given over to their desires. God doesn’t force us, He releases us to what we choose. So again the question: Are you sealed by the Spirit of God, or by the systems of Mammon?

    Pastor Oscar taught further that dead religion must be healed. Lukewarm altars must be torn down. God is not calling us to a ceremonial faith, but to covenant intimacy. The shaking in the earth is not punishment, it’s invitation. We must come into agreement with eternity, not as a threat, but as a promise. To those who are sealed, these signs are not terror, they are confirmation that the King is drawing near.

    And so we pray for the Nations; Lord, we cry out for justice across the earth. Let the gospel run swiftly and You be glorified. Overthrow wickedness in high places. Send healing where religion has made You a monument rather than a movement. Wake us up. Burn away every idol in our lives. May Your Spirit seal us, mark us, and commission us for this final hour. We pray for those who still mock the cross, rescue them. We pray for the nations where light is dim, reignite the flame. Let the Lamb receive the reward of His suffering.

    The Lamb gives life. The destroyer torments and kills. Jesus is not just coming soon, He is coming for a sealed Bride, undefiled, watching and waiting, with oil in her lamp and no idol in her heart.

    So again, I ask:

    Are you sealed? Are your idols destroyed?

    Now is the time to choose.

  • The Urgency of The Hour

    In Evening Prayer, the teachings have been on the Book of Revelation. Beloved, the hour is late. The Spirit is stirring, and the sound of Heaven is growing louder. This is not the time to slumber. This is the time to stand, to weep between the porch and the altar, and to cry out for the mercy of our God.

    As Revelation 8:6 declares, “Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.” Trumpets are not sounded in silence, they are divine warnings, piercing the veil of our distractions. Heaven is not quiet. The prayers of the saints are rising like incense from the golden altar before God (Revelation 8:3-4). These are the prayers born of groaning, of travail, of urgent intercession for a world teetering on judgment.

    And yet, in the midst of it all, plagues, fire, smoke, and woe (Revelation 9), there remains a cry from the heart of the Father: Repent. Turn. Come home. God is not willing that any should perish, but desires that all would come to the knowledge of truth. But oh, the tragedy, as Revelation 9:20-21 reveals, “The rest of mankind… still did not repent.”

    There is no neutral ground. The seals are being opened by the only One worthy, the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 6). The earth shakes, the skies recede, and kings and slaves alike hide in fear. Yet the haunting question remains: “Who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:17).

    The answer comes swiftly in Revelation 7: Those whom the Lord has sealed. Those tethered to the Lamb, clothed in white, bearing His name and washed in His blood. The sealed are not marked by the world but by God, protected, preserved, and positioned for His glory.

    Even now, the Spirit of the Lord is strengthening His people from within, “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). We will not endure in our own strength. We must be rooted in Christ, abiding in His Spirit, and anchored to His promises.

    This is not a time to be casual with our faith. The urgency of this hour calls for burning altars, not dim candles. We must return to the altar, not just to ask for things, but to offer ourselves as living sacrifices.

    Woe to those who refuse to hear. Woe to those who treat His coming as a fable or a far-off myth. Jesus is not returning as a Lamb, He is returning as the Lion, the reigning King, with fire in His eyes and justice in His hands. The window of mercy is closing.

    Let us be found ready.
    Let us be found repentant.
    Let us be found faithful.
    Let us be found sealed.

  • Why I Love Listening to Worship Music

    What do you listen to while you work?

    For me, worship music isn’t just background sound, it’s the atmosphere I choose to work in. It keeps my heart aligned with God, even in the busyness of the day. Whether it’s contemporary Christian or gospel, the lyrics speak life, peace, and strength over me. It reminds me that I’m not doing this work alone, God is with me.

    Worship centers me. It drowns out distractions and keeps my spirit anchored in truth. When things feel heavy or uncertain, a worship song will rise up and remind me of God’s promises. It turns my workspace into a sanctuary, where even in the middle of tasks, I’m being renewed, uplifted, and reminded that my work is an offering to Him.

    (more…)

  • Covenant Worship: Even in Sorrow

    “Do we not all have one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?” — Malachi 2:10(ESV)

    I love the word being taught at my House of Worship from Malachi 2. Covenant is not just a divine agreement, it’s the foundation of our relationship with God and with one another. It’s not about performance. It’s about belonging. Covenant tells us, “You are Mine, and I won’t let go.” And when we forget that, when we treat God as if He does not exist, and one another with disregard, we aren’t just being unkind, we’re dishonoring the very covenant that binds us as His people.

    We were created to thrive within the shelter of that covenant. When we walk in faithfulness, we find ourselves under the covering of His holy presence. That’s where our souls learn to stand, even when sorrow hits like a wave.

    “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” — Psalm 29:2

    I witnessed that kind of worship firsthand. My sister, in the wake of losing her beloved husband of forty years, this past week, was sitting beside me at her table. Amid the whirlwind of preparations for the memorial service, she was on the phone handling one of those many small, necessary details that arise in moments like this.

    At the close of the call with this young man, she paused and gently asked, “Is there anything you need prayer for?” The young man on the other end went silent. Then he said, “Yes… my daughter.”

    And right there, while her own heart was heavy with grief, my sister lifted a fervent, Spirit-filled prayer over that man and his child. She didn’t rush. She didn’t withhold. She gave God what He was due, and the young man an encouraging word through prayer, even in the midst of her pain. She even invited him to know the Lord for himself.

    She magnified God in her sorrow. And I had the holy privilege of witnessing it.
    That moment wasn’t about convenience. It was covenant. That was worship in the beauty of holiness, offered in the valley, not the mountaintop.

    We sometimes believe deception when it whispers that hardship is an excuse to withhold our worship. But covenant love says otherwise. It says even now, God is worthy. It invites us to worship not just when it’s easy, but especially when it’s costly.

    My sister reminded me that covenant doesn’t stop at the church doors or the sanctuary altar. Covenant travels with us, into our phone calls, our memorial services, our deepest griefs. It’s there when we choose to love, to pray, to worship, even when it hurts.

    And in doing so, we declare with our lives: God is still worthy. Let us worship like that. Let us worship a God who deserves ALL of our praise and remain in a covenant relationship with Him.

    Let us come under His tent, under the beauty of His holiness, not just when we feel strong, but especially when we feel weak. Because the truth is, God isn’t looking for what’s convenient. He’s looking for what’s consecrated.

    He’s not a contract God. He’s a covenant-keeping God. And even in the storm, especially in the storm, He is still worthy.

  • Oh Taste and See That The Lord Is Good!

    When the Spirit of God is alive within you, something shifts. You can’t hold back the praise that bubbles up from deep within your soul. There’s a fire that compels you to speak of His goodness, not out of obligation, but out of overflow. Like the woman at the well in John 4:10, once you’ve tasted the Living Water, silence is no longer an option.

    “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’” – John 4:10

    That one encounter changed everything for the Samaritan woman. Once weighed down by shame and isolation, she became a bold witness, running to her village with joy, declaring, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:29).

    When His River flows through us, it’s not just for refreshment, it’s for movement. It causes our mouths to open, our feet to go, and our hearts to burn with holy urgency. Whether we are with family, walking through pain, serving the broken, or simply going about our day, we are carriers of that water. And the world is thirsty.

    Let this Living Water rise up in you daily. Let it flood your spirit until you cannot help but glorify His name. Because once you’ve truly encountered Jesus, there’s no going back, and no staying quiet.

    Prayer:

    Lord Jesus, You are the Living Water, my source, my strength, and my song. Thank You for the gift of Your Spirit that flows like a river through every dry and weary place in me. I don’t want a sip, I want to be saturated.

    Consume me, Lord. Let Your presence so fill me that I can’t help but speak of Your goodness. Give me the heart of that Samaritan woman who, once she recognized You, could no longer keep silent. Let every step I take and every word I speak testify of who You are.

    I need Your River, daily. Not for show, not for routine, but because without You, I have no life. Flow through me into the lives of my family, friends, and those desperately needing a touch from Heaven. Make me a vessel. Use me in the ordinary and the unexpected. May Your name be glorified through me wherever I go.

    In Jesus’ name, Amen.