Returning to Intimacy

Tag: Praise

  • The Clarion Call

    A Call To Watch And Pray

    A Cry for the Church to Arise

    Heavenly Father,

    We come before You today burdened for our nation and this world. The darkness has grown thick, deception has spread like wildfire, and many have been blinded by the lies of the enemy. But You, O God, are still on the throne. Your Word is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), and it cuts through confusion, division, and despair.

    Lord, awaken Your Church. Stir up a holy fire in the hearts of pastors, intercessors, and believers everywhere. Let us no longer sleep while the enemy sows seeds of destruction. Call us out of complacency and into the secret place of prayer. Raise up watchmen on the wall, those who will stand in the gap, who will cry out day and night, who will not rest until Your will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

    Father, take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Silence the lies of the enemy with the truth of Your Word. Forgive us for entertaining falsehoods, for allowing fear, pride, and compromise to take root in our hearts. Teach us, like Jesus, to stand firm and speak back to the devil, not with opinion, but with Scripture. For it is written, and what is written cannot be undone.

    Lord, help us to know the truth, not just read it or quote it, but to walk in it. For only the truth we live will set us free. Let the Church rise in boldness, not in pride but in power. Let us love deeply, pray fervently, and speak Your Word fearlessly.

    We are not fighting flesh and blood, but principalities and powers of darkness. Help us to see with spiritual eyes, to battle in the spirit, and to never forget that the victory is already ours through Christ Jesus.

    Have mercy on those who are still blinded, Father. Remove the veil. Open their eyes. Soften their hearts. Let the light of Your truth shine into every hidden place. And let revival begin, not just in our buildings, but in our homes, our cities, and our hearts.

    In Jesus’ mighty name,
    Amen.

  • When Night Is No More

    “No More Night” truly captures the heart-cry of every believer who longs for the eternal promise found in Revelation 21:4:

    “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

    Let’s take a moment to beautifully elaborate on this glorious day…

    Imagine a world where sorrow is swallowed up by joy, where every tear that has ever fallen is gently wiped away by the hand of God Himself. No more disease, no more death, no more mental torment or heartache. This is not a fairy tale, it is a forever truth for those whose hope is in Christ.

    This glorious day is when the King of Kings will dwell among His people. Heaven will not be a distant dream, it will come to earth, just as Jesus promised. The New Jerusalem, radiant like a bride, will descend, and God will make His dwelling place with man.

    On that day:

    No more night will mean no more fear, darkness, or evil. Christ Himself will be our everlasting Light (Revelation 21:23).

    No more pain speaks to every burden, every physical affliction, every broken memory, gone in an instant.

    No more crying again means the grief of lost loved ones, the weariness of long nights, and the silent tears we’ve cried in prayer will all be remembered no more.

    This is the hope that anchors our soul, not in this temporary world, but in the eternal one that is to come.

    As we sing songs like “No More Night,” we are prophetically declaring what is soon to be. We are reminding every heart within earshot that this life is not the end. A trumpet will sound, the sky will split, and our Soon Coming King will return for His Bride, clothed in righteousness, made ready by His grace.

  • The Idol of Busyness

    Rest In His Presence

    The Idols of Busyness

    These are some key points Pastor Brooke shared today that truly spoke to my heart. The message was on the idols of busyness, drawn from Luke 5:15–16, and it reminded me how easy it is to get caught up doing things for God instead of spending time in His presence.

    She shared how busyness can become an idol, not because we stop believing in God, but because we start adding things to Him. We start measuring our worth by how much we do, how productive we are, or how full our calendars look. But God didn’t call us to hustle for Him, He called us to rest with Him.

    When my husband transitioned, I didn’t know how to handle the silence that followed. So I filled the silence with service, singing in the choir, joining the Praise Team, ushering, doing community work, and caring for my mom. All of it felt like I was doing something good, even godly. But, in all honesty, I was running on empty. Deep down, I think I was afraid to slow down… afraid that if I did, I’d have to face my pain. So I stayed busy, thinking I was pleasing God, yet missing His presence in the process.

    That’s why this message hit home for me.

    Pastor Brooke reminded us that Jesus had a rhythm, a pace that included stepping away from the crowds to be with the Father. Luke 5:16 says, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” He wasn’t moved by demand, but by intimacy. His power flowed from presence, not productivity.

    We were created to live in sync with Heaven’s rhythm. But when we get out of step, when the noise gets too loud, and the weight gets too heavy, we need to return to the stillness. Return to the table. Return to Him.

    With the Holy Spirit’s help, I had to learn to slow down. To be still. To abide in Him. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m learning that rest is not laziness, it’s obedience. And presence will always be more powerful than performance.

    Jesus is not calling us to busyness, He’s calling us to the table. To sit. To rest. To simply be with Him.

  • Power Over Politics

    A Call To Wake Up!

    In these perilous times, many in the body of Christ are trading spiritual discernment for positions of power and political gain. The Church is called to be the pillar and ground of truth (1 Timothy 3:15), not a place where worldly agendas are masked in religious garments.

    But the Word warns us:

    “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires… they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”
    — 2 Timothy 4:3–4 (NKJV)

    Instead of contending for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3), some have grown comfortable in lukewarmness, idolizing leaders, titles, and traditions more than Christ Himself. Political alliances and power plays have replaced repentance, holiness, and the urgency of the hour.

    But let this be a call to the remnant, those whose hearts still burn for the truth.

    “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
    — 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)

    You cannot afford to be spiritually asleep. Jesus is coming, and He’s not returning for a politically correct church, but a pure and watchful Bride.

    “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
    — Matthew 24:42 (NKJV)

    🚨 What Should We Do?

    1. Return to Sound Doctrine
      Stand firm on the Word. Measure everything, not by popularity or politics, but by Scripture.
    2. Stay Spiritually Awake
      Refuse to be lulled by smooth talk and church politics. Let the Holy Spirit lead you into all truth (John 16:13).
    3. Guard Your Heart
      Power can corrupt. Keep your motives pure and your eyes on Jesus.
    4. Stand in Boldness
      Don’t bow to man-made systems. Be like the prophets of old who declared the truth no matter the cost.

    “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord…”
    — 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NKJV)

    🙏🏾 Prayer of Clarity and Courage

    Father,
    We repent for the times we’ve allowed pride, politics, or power to cloud our spiritual vision. Open our eyes again to Your truth. Cleanse Your house, Lord, and awaken Your people. Let every false agenda be exposed, and may Your remnant rise with holy boldness. Help us to be vigilant, standing on the wall, declaring Your soon return. We look not to man, but to You, our coming King.
    In Jesus’ name, amen.

  • The Fragrance of Love

    Love Well

    Loving Well Until the Day of Jesus Christ

    In a world that often feels cold and divided, it’s easy to become disheartened or offended by what we see around us. But as children of the Most High God, we are not called to react like the world, we are called to respond like Christ.

    “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.”
    — Philippians 1:9-10 (NKJV)

    God’s Word calls us to abound in love, not just to love, but to overflow in it. Why? Because love has a way of cutting through the chaos. Love clears our vision. Love helps us rise above offense and see people the way God sees them.

    “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
    — 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)

    When the enemy tries to use offense to distract or divide, we must remember: we are ambassadors of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Our love may be the bridge someone needs to experience Jesus.

    So today, and every day until Christ returns:

    Choose forgiveness over frustration.

    Choose compassion over criticism.

    Choose purpose over pettiness.

    Choose love over offense.

    “Let all that you do be done in love.”
    — 1 Corinthians 16:14 (ESV)

    Let’s commit to loving well, not because it’s always easy, but because it’s who we are as His own. And when He returns, may He find our hearts still burning bright with love.

    Lord, help us to love as You love, fiercely, faithfully, and without condition, until the day You return. Amen.

  • OnlyJesus

    Jesus said, “Follow Me.”
    That wasn’t a suggestion, it was a call to reorient everything. And it changed my life.

    I wasn’t always bold. I didn’t always feel qualified. In fact, there was a time I was hiding, behind fear, behind pain, behind shame. But Jesus… Jesus came right into that place and called me by name. He didn’t ask me to be perfect. He didn’t ask me to fix myself. He just said, “Follow Me.”

    And I did. That simple yes led to the most beautiful undoing and becoming. My Pastor reminded me of these three key nuggets:

    1. Jesus Helps Ordinary People

    I’m proof of this. I’m not here because I figured life out. I’m here because Jesus met me as I was, ordinary, overwhelmed, unsure, and loved me anyway. His grace didn’t demand performance; it invited me to rest.

    “When they saw the courage of Peter and John… they were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
    Acts 4:13

    Peter and John were fishermen. Rough around the edges. But being with Jesus made them bold. It still does.

    There’s something sacred about helping others find what we’ve found, grace that rewrites your story. Eulogy virtue isn’t about what we achieve. It’s about who we become. Jesus is still using ordinary people to do eternal work.

    1. Jesus Helps Us Become

    I used to strive to “get it right” before I believed I could belong. But Jesus flipped that.

    With Him, you belong before you believe, and you believe before you behave. That truth shattered my shame. The way Jesus loves is deeper than any sin that tried to stain me. I didn’t have to earn it. I just had to receive it.

    “In Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:17

    Even me. Especially me.
    Being with Jesus changes you. His grace is greater than your guilt. His love digs deeper than your brokenness. He doesn’t shame you into holiness, He loves you into wholeness.

    1. Jesus Makes Us Passionate Followers

    Somewhere along the way, I stopped trying to just survive and started burning with purpose. The same Jesus who called me out of hiding, now sends me out to help others find Him. I’m not here to impress people, I’m here to point them to Jesus, the Preeminent One.

    “That in everything He might be preeminent.”
    Colossians 1:18

    He’s not just first in my day, He’s first in my desires, in my calling, in my voice. Jesus is not just someone I talk about, He is my life.

    So Today, I Reorient

    I reorient my thoughts, my steps, my heart, around Jesus. Not religion. Not rules. Just Jesus. He found me. He changed me. He sent me. And now I burn to help others come and follow Him too.

    Let me leave you with this:

    Only Jesus can take ordinary people and make them bold. Only Jesus can turn shame into strength. Only Jesus is worthy of your whole life.

  • A Living Testimony

    Living Testimony for Jesus

    We are not just called to speak about Jesus, we are called to live Him. Every trial we’ve overcome, every tear we’ve shed, and every victory we’ve won by faith tells a story. When we allow the Holy Spirit to work through our lives, we become living epistles, letters written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the Living God (2 Corinthians 3:3).

    Being a living testimony means loving when it’s hard, forgiving when it’s undeserved, and standing firm in truth when the world sways. It’s in how we respond to hardship, how we extend grace, and how we choose obedience over convenience.

    Our lives preach louder than our lips ever could.

    Lord Jesus, let our lives reflect Your glory. Let our walk match our words. May every part of us testify to Your goodness, mercy, and power. Use our life to draw others to You. In Jesus name. Amen.

    Take one moment today to share your story, big or small, with someone who needs hope. Your scars might just be the roadmap to someone else’s healing.

  • A Vessel or Vault?

    Living a Life of Generosity

    “What do you have?”
    This was the question posed by the prophet Elisha to a desperate widow in 2 Kings 4:2–7. Her answer, a small jar of oil, did not seem like much. But what followed was a miracle rooted not in how much she had, but in her willingness to pour out what she did have.

    This same question echoes to us today: What do you have? And are you willing to give it to the Lord?

    As Pastor Matt shared these truths, he reminded us that generosity isn’t just about money or things, it’s about identity. It’s not simply something we do; it’s who we are. Generosity is the outward expression of a heart surrendered to God.

    Scripture is clear:
    “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty… for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.” – 1 Chronicles 29:11

    “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me,’ but remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” – Deuteronomy 8:17-18

    “The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord Almighty.” – Haggai 2:8

    God owns it all, yet He chooses to work through us. The question is, how are we stewarding what He’s placed in our hands?

    We can live life as a vault, locked up, storing for ourselves, hoarding our time, talent, and treasure. Or we can live as a vessel, open, yielded, and ready to pour.

    Elisha didn’t ask the widow to store the oil. He told her to pour it. And as long as she poured, the oil kept flowing. That’s the kingdom principle: the key to ongoing provision is pouring, not preserving.

    Are you a storer or a pourer?

    Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) If our heart is truly set on the kingdom, generosity becomes our natural response. We’re not called to keep the oil, but to spread it, across generations, across communities, across nations.

    We are agents of hope and transformation. When we live with open hands and surrendered hearts, God uses us to fill empty jars all around us, broken people, hurting families, weary souls.

    So ask yourself today:
    Am I living as a vessel or a vault? Am I storing or pouring?

    May our answer be: “Lord, all I have is Yours. Use me as a vessel, let the oil flow.”

  • Stay Connected to the Vine

    Jesus said, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

    To stay connected to the Vine is not a passive suggestion, it’s a covenant call. A divine invitation to live in alignment, authority, and abundant grace. When we abide in Him, we step into a rhythm not driven by striving but by divine partnership.

    Grace is not only what saves us, it reveals what faith retrieves. In other words, grace opens the door, but faith is what walks through it. When we are intimately connected to Christ, our faith becomes alive, strong, and active. We no longer live reactionary lives. We live responsive ones, sensitive to the Spirit and bold in obedience.

    The place where you meet God is sacred. But it is also limitless. Expand your expectations. Invite Him everywhere, into the car ride, the boardroom, the kitchen, the prison, the hospital room. Like the psalmist said, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). The answer? Nowhere. He is always present. And He wants to be invited into everything.

    To stay connected is to stay in covenant. Not just when it feels good, but when it’s hard. Ecclesiastes 9:11 reminds us that the race is not given to the swift. In other words, this walk isn’t about being the fastest or most talented, it’s about being faithful.

    “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him.” (2 Timothy 2:12). Passion for Christ will cause us to suffer. But suffering in Christ isn’t a setback, it’s a setup for authority. Through suffering, we gain spiritual weight. Heaven recognizes those who’ve stayed when others left, who pressed in when others gave up.

    Beloved, don’t let go.
    Be persistent. Be rooted. Be relentless. God is not after perfection, He’s after connection. To stay connected to the Vine is to remain nourished when the world is dry, focused when distractions scream, and fruitful even in famine.

    Stay in divine alignment. Stand for what God stands for. You were born to bear much fruit, but only in Him.

  • Power In His Name

    Abba Father,
    We come before You today with hearts bowed low and hands lifted high, giving You total honor and adoration. There is none like You, holy, righteous, and true. You are the Great I AM, self-existent, eternal, and unchanging.

    Jehovah Jireh – The Lord Who Provides
    We worship You, our Provider. You see every need before we speak it, and Your faithfulness surrounds us like a shield. You provided the Lamb, Jesus Christ, our ultimate sacrifice and salvation.

    Jehovah Rapha – The Lord Who Heals
    You are our Healer, not only of our bodies but of our hearts, our minds, and our souls. You mend the broken and restore the weary. In You, wholeness is found.

    Jehovah Shalom – The Lord Is Peace
    You are our Peace in every storm. Your presence stills our anxieties and anchors us in perfect rest. We worship You for the calm You bring in chaos.

    Jehovah Nissi – The Lord Our Banner
    You go before us in battle, waving the banner of victory. You are our identity and covering. We lift Your name high over every circumstance and give You glory.

    El Shaddai – God Almighty
    You are more than enough. You are all-powerful, all-sufficient, and ever-present. We bow before Your might and rest in Your sovereignty.

    El Roi – The God Who Sees
    Thank You that nothing escapes Your watchful eye. You see our pain, our prayers, and our purpose. You are near to the brokenhearted and attentive to the cries of Your children.

    Yahweh – I AM WHO I AM
    You are holy, set apart, and beyond all comprehension. Yet You choose to dwell with us. We are in awe of Your majesty and Your mercy.

    Jesus – Yeshua, Savior
    The Name above all names! In You we have redemption, grace, and eternal life. You are the Good Shepherd, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

    Holy Spirit,
    You are our Comforter, Counselor, and Convictor of truth. We honor Your presence and ask You to continue shaping us into the image of Christ.

    To You alone be all honor, glory, and praise, forever and ever.
    Amen.