I don’t know how it happened but God connected me to Mel Wild’s blog a few years ago. He’s been one of my mentors and I recommend checking out more of his blog posts. I have his book Sonshift and would highly recommend it as well. Love you Mel!
My wife and I went to see The Shack last Saturday. No spoilers here if you read the book, but I will say that if you loved the book you’ll love the movie.
On the other hand, if you’ve already made up your mind that The Shack is heretical and dangerous false doctrine, well…your opinion probably won’t change.
our hands touched as we sat on the grass in the park,
on that fourth of july after dark
and the fire in the sky, could not compare,
with the fire that lit up my life
you looked to me and our destiny flashed before my eyes
of how it could be, how it could be, just you and me
holding hands in the forest with our maker before us,
we took our solemn vows
for the first time i knew, that me and you
would never be apart
oh there’s someone to share every joy every care
someone to lean on and trust
and to love love love (someone to love) mmmmmm
if i could live ten thousand lives,
i’d spend every one of them with you by my side
you bring me so much joy and life
a universe opened wide
and now when our daughter keeps on asking for water
long past her time for bed
crying “papa” at midnight, i’ll help her to sleep tight
so you can rest your head
i hope that you dream of lovely things, and what our future holds
i know it is love, love, love, i know it is love
if i could live ten thousand lives,
i’d spend every one of them with you by my side
you bring me so much joy and life
a universe opened wide
you’re an endless holiday, an angel of God’s grace
you have filled my life with love love love
remember how we would talk, exhausting every thought
late into the night
you gave me, sparkling dreams
& someone to hold thru the night… and so much love love love
Ohhhh love love love (4x)
Story behind the song:
I am planning to make a video with Catherine of how we met. It’s an amazing story! Before meeting her I had sworn off dating and made a promise that the next girl I kissed would be my wife. “You bring her to me God”, I prayed.
Well, when I first saw Catherine I knew she was the one. We were likely best friends in the realm before this one and had agreed to meet and marry in this life. I do agree with what the Bible teaches about how we existed with God before having our memories wiped to have this fresh and amazing human experience. (“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you!” Jeremiah 1:5)
We were destined to be together. And God let us both know it. She had been given dreams about me and was even told my name before we met. You just have to watch the video of our supernatural love story once we make it. Subscribe so we can stay connected!
One of our first interactions happened on the fourth of July watching fireworks. Her mom was there and I had the strongest impulse to call her “mom”.
At some point along the way I had a dream about being rescued from a demonic controlling spirit (probably a religious spirit) and after a huge fire erupted around a lake I ran into a forest and married a native woman. I believe this was symbolic of a native of the kingdom of God which my wife certainly is. She was raised to love and know Jesus and commune with the Holy Spirit in a very pure way. Her name Catherine means “pure one” and she certainly is that. I have never met a more godly young woman before or since. She knew God and would hear very clearly from the Holy Spirit.
It’s been an amazing 16 years of marriage and it was such a joy to sing this song to her for the first time just the other day.
I love the third verse to this and my Emma proved it true once again tonight. Just before drifting off she says “water!” and we have to get up and go get some. I love my kids and also my children. Ok, so I don’t really have any baby goats but if I did, I’d love them.
I tell them stories every night and thought about starting to share some of them with you on this blog. Another reason to subscribe to this blog!
Well, I hope you enjoy these few glimpses of heaven in this video. I want to encourage you as I do in the video to maintain a clean conscience before God, as there are amazing beautiful things we will forfeit if we fail to live pure and be holy as my own vision bears witness to.
I am reminded of Jonah’s words:
“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” – Jonah 2:8 NASB
I also want to encourage you to stop partnering with the kingdom of darkness. You have the wonderful opportunity to partner with God’s kingdom of Love and Light. It is a kingdom of righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit!
That’s actually a really encouraging declaration by the very One who makes it so. Have you ever seen it that way?
Holy means 100% God’s and there is absolutely no reason anyone cannot “be holy” in this very moment as we, “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship”. (Romans 12:1 NASB)
So lately I have been gathering courage to finally share some of the most amazing things the Lord has revealed to me over the years. You will find many other video blogs of interest at my Youtube channel. Subscribe if you want to stay connected!
Interested in learning more about Visions?
Yea? Hey, that’s funny! Me too!
Here is a great talk by my bro John Crowder on the topic:
ps:
Just watched this video:
It had so many similarities to dreams I have had. Especially getting struck by the bolt of lightning, the tunnel formed by clouds (tornado), and the dance party.
So want to see something fun? My wife Catherine and I went to the 2017 Kingdom Culture Conference in Green Bay. After teaching about prophecy most of the sessions, and especially on the last day, the speaker Bill Vanderbush decided to put it into practice by calling some people up front to “prophecy”. My wife Catherine was one of the first to share that night. Then our good friends Kyle and Emily prophecy over Bill!
Here is the whole definitely-worth-your-time talk with Catherine sharing at about an hour in (link to where she starts):
“But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.” 1 Corinthians 14:3 NIV
Prophecy then is a divinely inspired word of revelation (which literally means unveiling – WOW! – that’s the very word Catherine received in her prophecy!) straight from the heart of Jesus that “strengthens, encourages and comforts”.
Would you be surprised if I told you that Prophecy has little to do with “telling the future” or “the end times” or giving a “thus saith the Lord”? (I would highly recommend not trying the last one. It is bad practice for New Covenant saints).
Revelation 19:10 actually tells us that Prophecy is to “reveal or unveil Jesus”, to speak what he is saying. It is giving a clear witness of Jesus. Listen to this:
“Worship God, because what Jesus is saying is the spirit of prophecy!” Revelation 19:10 ISV
Here are some other ways the verse is translated:
“…the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” NLT
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” NASB
“For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” NIV
Bill Vanderbush tells a story about how he once told a meeting, “You all have Jesus THE Prophet living in you. That makes you all prophets.” The empowered people of God he then brought up from the crowd to minister amazed him with the heart of the Father revelations they brought by the Spirit.
So, how can we learn to hone and use this spiritual gift? Well, desiring it seems a great place to start!
“Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives–especially the ability to prophesy.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 NLT
As Aarron highlighted from his talk:
Why not start with just encouraging people! Loving people with our words! Building them up!
Yes there are those who carry a greater anointing in some of these giftings like Shawn Bolz. But it all begins with a decision to go after the thing that ought to be our highest goal:
Love.
Shawn focused on loving people well as he earnestly desired and went after, and practiced, and practiced some more, until the Lord released the gifting of Word of Knowledge and Prophecy in greater fashion than I have ever seen! Here Shawn is alongside Bill Johnson at Azuza Now Spring of 2016 giving several accurate words (they followed up) in front of 60,000 people!:
If you’re like me, this will send you on a search through Youtube for every Shawn Bolz video and will result in ordering several copies of his book “Translating God”. One to keep and some to give away. It was one of the best books ever. After I read it I tried prophesying twice and failed twice. But it provoked some conversations about Jesus… so it really wasn’t a fail at all. Shawn tells of a time he thought he had a word of knowledge for someone, approached them in a coffee shop and said, “Does —- mean anything to you?”
“No.” Awkward time passes… “Why do you ask?”
Shawn said, “Well, I’m trying to hear the voice of God for others.”
“Wow, that’s so cool, I’ve always wanted to hear God’s voice.”
They sat down over a cup of coffee and the man received Christ and joined the family!
Pursue loving people. Pursue sharing Jesus heart. Practice words of knowledge when you get them. I’m not sure you CAN fail!
PS: If you live near Green Bay, Please come to our free concert at the Cup O Joy music venue on Friday, March 3rd at 7:30!!! (232 S. Broadway St Green Bay WI)
I read a blog recently which was taking a look at the suggested google query responses when people were searching the question, “Why are Christians so…”
“…Mean?” is the top suggested answer to that question.
Huh? Why would people think that? So then, followers of Mr. Love Himself are considered mean? What’s going on here?
Of course Jesus said that people will know you are his followers if you have love for one another.
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35
I’ll be honest with you. Most of the Christ followers I hang out with are VERY loving. Maybe it’s about time you met a true follower? For some who are reading this, maybe it’s time you become one?
My wife and I went to see The Shack last Saturday. No spoilers here if you read the book, but I will say that if you loved the book you’ll love the movie.
Daniel Lovett 