Thursday, June 29, 2017

Focus!


 35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”  Mark 4:35-41 NIV
In this passage - didn't Jesus say, get in the boat and let's go over to the other side?  When the storm hits, are you looking at the storm or are you eyes fixed on Jesus and His words?

The waves are crashing in.  The enemy is prowling around looking to devour.  BUT GOD!

This devotional is a good reminder of who God is for us in this season.


Streams in the Desert June 27th.
The Lord hath sent strength for thee (Ps.68.28, PBV).
The Lord imparts unto us that primary strength of character which makes everything in life work with intensity and decision. We are "strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." And the strength is continuous; reserves of power come to us which we cannot exhaust.
"As thy days, so shall thy strength be"—strength of will, strength of affection, strength of judgment, strength of ideals and achievement.
"The Lord is my strength" to go on. He gives us power to tread the dead level, to walk the long lane that seems never to have a turning, to go through those long reaches of life which afford no pleasant surprise, and which depress the spirits in the sameness of a terrible drudgery.
"The Lord is my strength" to go up. He is to me the power by which I can climb the Hill Difficulty and not be afraid.
"The Lord is my strength" to go down. It is when we leave the bracing heights, where the wind and the sun have been about us, and when we begin to come down the hill into closer and more sultry spheres, that the heart is apt to grow faint. I heard a man say the other day concerning his growing physical frailty, "It is the coming down that tires me!"
"The Lord is my strength" to sit still. And how difficult is the attainment! Do we not often say to one another, in seasons when we are compelled to be quiet, "If only I could do something!"
When the child is ill, and the mother stands by in comparative impotence, how severe is the test! But to do nothing, just to sit still and wait, requires tremendous strength.
"The Lord is my strength!" "Our sufficiency is of God" (2 Cor. 3:5. from The Silver Lining


Our only hope is trusting in the strength of our Lord.  We have to keep our focus fixed on Jesus, our trust has to stay on His promises and His Word - He will see us through!

Streams in the Desert June 29th 

"There we saw the Giants" (Num. 13:33).
Yes, they saw the giants, but Caleb and Joshua saw God! Those who doubt say, "We be not able to go up." Those who believe say, "Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able."
Giants stand for great difficulties; and giants are stalking everywhere. They are in our families, in our churches, in our social life, in our own hearts; and we must overcome them or they will eat us up, as these men of old said of the giants of Canaan. The men of faith said, "They are bread for us; we will eat them up." In other words, "We will be stronger by overcoming them than if there had been no giants to overcome."
Now the fact is, unless we have the overcoming faith we shall be eaten up, consumed by the giants in our path. Let us have the spirit of faith that these men of faith had, and see God, and He will take care of the difficulties.
--Selected
It is when we are in the way of duty that we find giants. It was when Israel was going forward that the, giants appeared. When they turned back into the wilderness they found none.
There is a prevalent idea that the power of God in a human life should lift us above all trials and conflicts. The fact is, the power of God always brings a conflict and a struggle. One would have thought that on his great missionary journey to Rome, Paul would have been carried by some mighty providence above the power of storms and tempests and enemies. But, on the contrary, it was one long, hard fight with persecuting Jews, with wild tempests, with venomous vipers and all the powers of earth and hell, and at last he was saved, as it seemed, by the narrowest margin, and had to swim ashore at Malta on a piece of wreckage and barely escape a watery grave.
Was that like a God of infinite power? Yes, just like Him. And so Paul tells us that when he took the Lord Jesus Christ as the life of his body, a severe conflict immediately came; indeed, a conflict that never ended, a pressure that was persistent, but out of which he always emerged victorious through the strength of Jesus Christ.
The language in which he describes this is most graphic. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body."
What a ceaseless, strenuous struggle! It is impossible to express in English the forcible language of the original. There are five pictures in succession. In the first, the idea is crowding enemies pressing in from every side, and yet not crushing him because the police of heaven cleared the way just wide enough for him to get through. The literal translation would be, "We are crowded on every side, but not crushed."
The second picture is that of one whose way seems utterly closed and yet he has pressed through; there is light enough to show him the next step. The Revised Version translates it, "Perplexed but not unto despair." Rotherham still more literally renders it, "Without a way, but not without a by-way."
The third figure is that of an enemy in hot pursuit while the divine Defender still stands by, and he is not left alone. Again we adopt the fine rendering of Rotherham, "Pursued but not abandoned."
The fourth figure is still more vivid and dramatic. The enemy has overtaken him, has struck him, has knocked him down. But it is not a fatal blow; he is able to rise again. It might be translated, "Overthrown but not overcome."
Once more the figure advances, and now it seems to be even death itself, "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus." But he does not die, for "the life also of Jesus" now comes to his aid and he lives in the life of another until his life work is done.
The reason so many fail in this experience of divine healing is because they expect to have it all without a struggle, and when the conflict comes and the battle wages long, they become discouraged and surrender. God has nothing worth having that is easy. There are no cheap goods in the heavenly market. Our redemption cost all that God had to give, and everything worth having is expensive. Hard places are the very school of faith and character, and if we are to rise over mere human strength and prove the power of life divine in these mortal bodies, it must be through a process of conflict that may well be called the birth travail of a new life. It is the old figure of the bush that burned, but was not consumed, or of the Vision in the house of the Interpreter of the flame that would not expire, notwithstanding the fact that the demon ceaselessly poured water on it, because in the background stood an angel ever pouring oil and keeping the flame aglow.
No, dear suffering child of God, you cannot fail if only you dare to believe, to stand fast and refuse to be overcome.
--Tract
I close with an amazingly anointed song a friend sent me last night.  This really spoke to me and I pray will bless you too. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnyVz1u-6yM&feature=share

The King Is Among Us
Elevation Worship
All our fathers saw in the days of old
Would you do it again
Do it again
All the stories told
All the miracles
Would you do it again
Do it again
You said “Consecrate yourselves to me
And you will see amazing things”
We need Your revival
Holy Spirit fire
Burning ever brighter in our souls
Kings and kingdoms falling
Hear your people calling
King of Kings, we need a miracle
There’s a time to sow and a time to reap
Would you do it again
Do it again
There’s a time to heal and a time to build
Would you do it again
Do it again
You said “Consecrate yourselves to me
And you will see amazing things”
We need Your revival
Holy Spirit fire
Burning ever brighter in our souls
Kings and kingdoms falling
Hear your people calling
King of Kings, we need a miracle
We need Your revival
Holy Spirit fire
Burning ever brighter in our souls
Kings and kingdoms falling
Hear your people calling
King of Kings, we need a miracle
The King is among us
And His glory surrounds us
And His fire is falling as we sing
The Savior is for us
And His love is victorious
And revival is rising in His name
The King is among us
And His glory surrounds us
And His fire is falling as we sing
The Savior is for us
And His love is victorious
And revival is rising in His name
The King is among us
And His glory surrounds us
And His fire is falling as we sing
The Savior is for us
And His love is victorious
And revival is rising in His name
The King is among us
And His glory surrounds us
And His fire is falling as we sing
The Savior is for us
And His love is victorious
And revival is rising in His name
Oh, oh, we see His revival is rising up
We see His revival is rising up, oh
The King is among us
And His glory surrounds us
And His fire is falling as we sing
The Savior is for us
And His love is victorious
And revival is rising in His name, oh, God
And revival, You are rising
You are rising
The Savior, oh, God, He is right here
He is rising up in His name
So waking up, He is waking up
We all see the problems all over the world
So waking up, oh, waking up
'Cause we all know, 'cause we all know our Gods
Oh, glory surrounds us
And our Gods, His love is among us
We stay with His victorious
This place, full of fears and coming down
This place, full of tears, broken down
The King is among us
And His glory surrounds us
And His fire is falling as we sing
The Savior is for us
And His love is victorious
And He is rising in, He is rising
The King is among us
And His glory surrounds us
And His fire is falling as we sing
The Savior is for us
And His love is victorious

Praise & Prayer Requests -
God is good!  He is faithful!  Thanking Him often for those who reach out to bless us with prayers and support of what God is doing in and through us.  Words can't express the humble gratitude I have for your ongoing friendship.

Ken - strength & endurance for his job - both physically & emotionally.  Still only part time!
Me -Healing and SLEEP - back to 2 hours or so.
Canyon - is still hanging on - but seeing more signs the end is getting closer.
Ministry - the Lords will be done.  We want to step into what He has called us too!!!

P.S.  There's a show on Netflix we saw awhile back- its called The Kindness Diaries. If you have the ability to watch it, please do.  It is so inspiring!  The guy who made the show, Leon Logothetis (you can like his page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/leonlogothetis/) has these postcards that you complete every time you do a kind act for someone.  You mail them in and he will send a book to a child.  I asked him to send me several hundred.... so that is a goal I have - is to be able to complete at least one a day.  Kindness is Contagious!  

Thank YOU to those who email me prayer requests. It's been awesome especially this past month, the many I have received!  
If you have been blessed by this ministry or feel led to support what God is doing through us - financially, below are a few options.  Your generosity and your prayer support is greatly appreciated and needed as we continue to walk in faith and God's calling. 

Megablessings  - 
Ken & Michele Cole
http://www.wantinsight.com
michele@wantinsight.com, ken@wantinsight.com

Tax deductible & non tax deductible donations can be made: 
1.  Checks made payable to Sonlit Fields, PO Box 371, El Dorado Springs, MO 64744 or if you prefer anonymous giving - you can give through our Donor Fund 

2.  Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by:  THIS IS THE FASTEST WAY TO GET MONEY TO US FOR DAILY USE. 
 Paypal - www.paypal.com  (michele@wantinsight.com) 

3. Donor Fund - Contact National Christian Foundation - Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight Fund -   Tax deductible 
    7171 W. 95th Street, Suite 501
Overland Park, KS 66212
    Phone: 913.310.0279
    Fax: 913.227.0254     www.nationalchristian.com 

Vision
God has given us a vision to build a retreat property along with ministry equipping center.  
The retreat portion of our ministry is to provide a safe place for pastors, lay leaders & other ministry folks to come and be refreshed & encouraged through prophetic ministry (if wanted).  We will offer private cabins with kitchens & full bathrooms, and plenty of places to roam on the property to get quiet with the Lord. 
We will offer other specialty retreats - marriage, healing, prophetic teaching & activating people into the world & health and wellness retreats and more.  

The Lord has graced us with the desire to come alongside the Church - to bring healing, deliverance & freedom to new/newer believers.  We are not wanting to replace their church, but better help them be ready to serve in their church. 
In our community building - we will eventually have a 24/7 prayer room, healing & prophetic rooms and a place for community worship services for those on the property.  

Our passion is to minister to a lost & hurting world.   To equip the saints to do the same and to be a blessing to our community and surrounding areas.  Our hopes are that we can pour out God's love in a mighty way to bring more and more souls into the Kingdom, get them discipled, called into their purpose & destiny and released to do God's business!!!!  We also have a passion to give generously to help those in need and to help others launch into their God given destinies.  





Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Praise the Lord! 10,000 Reasons (Just Kidding)

Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Psalm 103:1 NASB

Has God blessed you recently?  Is there something you can be thankful for today?  Has a kind word or gesture been given to you?

It is so easy to get distracted and focused on the negative things in life.  The more problems one might have, the easier it is to fall into "poor me" attitudes.

Years ago when I prayed to the Lord asking for healing from my migraines, I told him I wanted to be like the one leper that came back and thanked Him.  I didn't want to be healed and just go on my way.  Let's take a look at this Scripture.  

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[b] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  Luke 17:11-19

In the past year or so, the Lord has set me free from daily migraines that I've had from 1984-2016.  I have an occasional headache and once every month or two I might get a doozy migraine, but overall, I feel like I've been healed.  When I first got my healing, I thanked God daily...or almost daily.  I was and still am so thankful for the relief.  And I thank Him for the MANY of you who prayed for me to get this healing!!!!!  I still often thank Him because it has been such a blessing to be free from the tormenting 24 hour a day pain.  They were awful.  I have no idea how I used to be able to push through.  God's grace!  I am more thankful for the mercy & grace He showed me by relieving me from them.  Praise the Lord!!!!!  

This song below has been playing in my head quite often over the last few weeks.  It has reminded me that there are so many reasons to be thankful and to praise the Lord for His goodness.  Listen to it at the link below or read the words, I've copied & pasted.  
10000 Reasons Song - https://youtu.be/XtwIT8JjddM
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
The sun comes up
It's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
You're rich in love
And You're slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Bless You Lord
And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
Forevermore
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Yes I'll worship Your Holy name
I'll worship Your Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Jesus I will worship Your Holy name
Worship Your Holy name


God is so worthy of our praise!  He is a good good father!  Last month, we felt led to go to Joplin,MO to shop at Aldi & Sam's Club. We prayed for a divine appointment & connection.    Someone popped in just as we were ready to leave and stayed for 1.5 hours.  I told Ken it must be a divine delay.  Ken had it all planned to eat at an Italian restaurant for lunch as there are none around us.  As we were approaching Joplin, Ken changed his mind and wanted Mexican.  I googled Mexican restaurants and kept getting drawn to one specific one.   There were many to choose from.  Fast forward...... we were seated in a little cubbie type hole in the restaurant where only one other table was seated.  We were sitting so close to the other table, it was natural to start up a conversation.  We ended up chatting for 1.5 hours and had a delightful time.  We even prayed for each other and God gave me some words of encouragement for them.  When we got up to leave, the husband, took our check and said he wanted to pay for our lunch because we were such an inspiration.  Little kindness gestures like that really can make a person's day.  There is so much more to this story, but I'm trying to keep it short.  P.S.  She wrote a book called I'll Push, You Steer.  It's all about having a good attitude to help you get through life!  By Bonnie Tesh & Ronda Del Boccio.  https://www.amazon.com/Ill-Push-You-Steer-Definitive/dp/0937660280


Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.  James 1:17

Today, I posted a comment on Facebook - COMPLIMENT CHALLENGE
🤣...comment below, just your name... I will reply to your comment something I like about you....and if I don't know you, I will ask the Lord. #love #bekind #wordofknowledge
  I have had well over 75 & counting people put their name down and have given them a word from my heart or from the Father's heart.  But, the point I wanted to share with this is that so many returned the favor and have blessed my socks off!  This goes right along with one of my favorite verses (I have quite a few favorites).  Wow, that is something I'm thankful for!  
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38 NIV
I will end with a challenge for you - Are you giving God thanks and praise daily for the many, many blessings He bestows on you?  If you are not, start today.  Make a "praise & thanksgiving" journal to remind you when times are hard how good and faithful God is!!!  If you are, well thank you Lord!

“It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” 
― Germany Kent

Prayer & Praise - 
Praise God for ALL of you!  I 'm so thankful for the many friends & family who commit time to pray for us and our ministry.  I have even learned to be thankful for my "enemies" as they are what catapulted me into deeper time with the Lord.
Michele - Please continue to pray for my healing - I really think it's coming soon!  I am finally getting much better sleep, not consistent yet, but much better!  whooohooo God!  I thank Him every morning as I awaken!    
Ken - Please pray for him.... his hours are still cut. It's hard for a man, to not be able to earn enough.....but he is trusting God as am I.   His bring home is less than what we pay for rent....and we have sold just about everything we can to bring us some additional funds. I say this because we are in the 11th hour, well, my opinion it's close to 11:59 and .59 seconds.  Ha!  God has proven faithful over and over!  
Canyon - He is a trooper.  He still is showing signs of weakness.  He's kind of like a newborn.  Sleep, poop and eats (well, not as often).  
Ministry - We don't know how, we don't know when, BUT we are still contending and believing for God to bring the provision for the vision.  He has been showing us new things and a lot since January and are anxiously awaiting for it to happen (In His timing).  Without divulging much, big changes are imminent.  We've been released and been given a blessing from our pastor and his wife....and from God!  Please PRAY FOR OPEN DOORS!!!!!  Connections are being made and much confirmation is happening!  We are in the state of Missouri, which is the show me state, right?  So, we are praying God, show us the money!  Ha! 

Thank YOU to those who email me prayer requests.  I really am blessed to be able to have the time to do that for you!  
If you have been blessed by this ministry or feel led to support what God is doing through us - financially, below are a few options.  Your generosity and your prayer support is greatly appreciated and needed as we continue to walk in faith and God's calling. 

Megablessings  - 
Ken & Michele Cole
http://www.wantinsight.com
michele@wantinsight.com, ken@wantinsight.com

Tax deductible & non tax deductible donations can be made: 
1.  Checks made payable to Sonlit Fields, PO Box 371, El Dorado Springs, MO 64744 or if you prefer anonymous giving - you can give through our Donor Fund 

2.  Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by:  THIS IS THE FASTEST WAY TO GET MONEY TO US FOR DAILY USE. 
 Paypal - www.paypal.com  (michele@wantinsight.com) 

3. Donor Fund - Contact National Christian Foundation - Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight Fund -   Tax deductible 
    7171 W. 95th Street, Suite 501
Overland Park, KS 66212
    Phone: 913.310.0279
    Fax: 913.227.0254     www.nationalchristian.com 

Vision
God has given us a vision to build a retreat property along with ministry equipping center.  
The retreat portion of our ministry is to provide a safe place for pastors, lay leaders & other ministry folks to come and be refreshed & encouraged through prophetic ministry (if wanted).  We will offer private cabins with kitchens & full bathrooms, and plenty of places to roam on the property to get quiet with the Lord. 
We will offer other specialty retreats - marriage, healing, prophetic teaching & activating people into the world & health and wellness retreats and more.  

The Lord has graced us with the desire to come alongside the Church - to bring healing, deliverance & freedom to new/newer believers.  We are not wanting to replace their church, but better help them be ready to serve in their church. 
In our community building - we will eventually have a 24/7 prayer room, healing & prophetic rooms and a place for community worship services for those on the property.  

Our passion is to minister to a lost & hurting world.   To equip the saints to do the same and to be a blessing to our community and surrounding areas.  Our hopes are that we can pour out God's love in a mighty way to bring more and more souls into the Kingdom, get them discipled, called into their purpose & destiny and released to do God's business!!!!  We also have a passion to give generously to help those in need and to help others launch into their God given destinies.