Sonlit Fields Retreat Ministry & Equipping Center

Monday, October 15, 2012

What Keeps Your Focus? Upcoming Events

WHAT KEEPS YOUR FOCUS?

When you look at this glass - do you see it half empty or half full?
When you are going through tough times or life throws you some unwanted circumstances, what are you focusing on? Do you focus on what you lack or on what you do have? Are you seeing the hinderance or do you see an opportunity? Do you see the giants or do you see promises of God?

In the book of Numbers, there's a powerful story about how our thoughts and actions can affect our destiny. To preface the Scripture highlighted below, Moses tells God's people that they will receive a new land called the Promised Land. It's a land filled with milk and honey. The Israelites sent twelve spies into the land first, to see what kind of enemy they were up against. When they came back they...well, let's read it first hand.....

They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.

Ten of the twelve spies focused on the giants! They saw the obstacles and hinderances. They saw the glass half empty. However, Joshua and Caleb - they took a different view point. They saw that the land was good and they had confidence they could overcome the giants because they had faith that God was giving them this land. They saw opportunity. They saw provision. They saw the glass half full. Their focus was not on how big and bad the enemies were. They were focused on how good their God was and is!

A pastor once said that if you don't have any hardships in your life, then you must not be a threat to the devil. On the flip side, if you are experiencing what may be an unfair share of trials and tribulations, praise God!

The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; I come that you may have life and have it more abundantly. John 10:10

When I first became a believer, one of the first sermons I heard was about putting on the full armor of God out of Ephesians 6:10. The pastor was very graphic and had many word pictures describing the battle Christians go through. If it were a movie, it would of been Rated R for graphic violence and bloody scenes. He had a way of preaching that put you right in the middle of it. I remember thinking to myself during that sermon, wow, who are the people that have to go through this. I sure don't want to. Ha Ha!

A year later, someone prophesied over me that the enemy had an assignment for my life and that he was going to do all he could to take me out and plans to destroy me. Being vulnerable and new in learning about God, I took this threat as literal. The seed was planted and I allowed it to take root, not knowing yet how to fight it. (just for the record, I don't think the person who prophesied over me meant it for harm, but definitely delivered it inappropriately).

My entire life has been a battle. I won't go into detail, but I can tell you that even before I became a believer, the enemy was out to get me and now that I am a believer he has called in the heavy artillery to do whatever he can to take me out! My health challenges and doctors reports have had me believing that my life could be coming to an end. The Lord tells me to trust Him and believe that He has good for me and that He has plans for my life and that my life is not over.

Not long ago, the Lord gave me a dream where Satan himself swooped down looking like a pterodactyl and pounced on me. I was fighting him using the name of Jesus, but he was very overpowering. I was being wooped. I was weary and just about dead, when I called on the name of Jesus with much more authority and with a shout of praise... and Satan looked at me and said, you win for now, but I'll be back. When I awoke, the Lord showed me that I had overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony. I received the victory.

Each day is a struggle for me physically and can be emotionally too! The battle is wearisome! Even though the battle is the Lords, it is my responsibility to keep my eyes fixed on JESUS. I must focus on His Word and His Promises! Just a few days ago, in my quiet time, I asked the Lord again... will I live? Will we get to see the promises You have spoken to Ken and I? Or, am I going to die? The next morning a Facebook friend posted on my wall (I haven't spoke to her for probably a year)......Here's what she wrote: Thinking about you today..."Yet I am confident that I will see the Lord's goodness while I am here in the land of the living." Psalm 27 NLT. The Lord bless you and all that you love...immeasurably!! The Lord again in His mercy, gave me reassurance.

Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

I want to encourage you today...no matter what circumstances you are facing keep your eyes FOCUSED on JESUS! Focus on His Word! Our faith is strengthened and our minds refreshed when we meditate on His Promises for our lives! Focus on the goodness of God, not on the lies the enemy is speaking to you. Focus on the opportunity God has for you and not the obstacles. See your circumstances from God's viewpoint! And, ff you need reassurance, just ask Him for it. He is faithful and His mercy and lovingkindness are forever.

"When you see a need try to meet it. Indifference makes an excuse, but love finds a way. -Joyce Meyer"

If you have been blessed by this ministry or feel led to support us financially, here's how you can. Your generosity and your prayer support is greatly appreciated and needed as we continue to walk in faith and God's calling.

Ken and I love to pray for folks who need a touch from the Lord - with words of encouragement, words of knowledge and a healing touch. If you are someone in need, please let us know. We also have a passion to activate and influence believers to walk in radical obedience to a fun and wonderful God! There is just nothing like it!

If you are interested in Ken and I coming to minister to you, your small group or church, please give us a call. We would be delighted to!

God Bless YOU -

Ken & Michele Cole

http://www.wantinsight.com

michele@wantinsight.com, ken@wantinsight.com

1. https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight?
2. Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.

(any donations made through HH is anonymous..so if you want us to know, please let us know).
3. You can donate through our Donor Fund at National Christian Foundation:

5. If you purchase any product from www.bulkfoodinvesting.com or www.preparetheway.com, we will receive a percentage back.

6. Send check to our home. Please contact us for our address.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thurman Scrivner - Healing

October 31 - November 3 - Olathe, KS

Time:	Wednesday - 7 PM Thursday - 7 PM Friday - 7 PM Saturday - 10 AM
Where:	Jubilee Ministry Center 189 S Rogers Rd Olathe, KS 66062-1676 (913) 592-4030 Click here for map
Contact:	Pastors Dan & Cindie Crevier - (913) 488-6749 WWW: jubilee01@earthlink.net Email: jubileeministry.com

Dr Gary Wood - Dec 7th - 9th at Jubilee - This guy died & God brought him back to life! Powerful anointing for healing!

Tony Kemp - March 8-10th 2013 at Jubilee - Healing & Prophetic! Good stuff!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Waiting in the Desert

Waiting in the desert!

What do you think of when you hear the word desert? Typically deserts are hot, dry, parched and lifeless. Nothing can live long term in the desert. It's not a place where most would choose as a vacation destination.

Many of God's children are in a spiritual desert, an extremely tough season right now. I can't articulate all the different stories I've been hearing and even experiencing personally, but I know that lots of us are going through some very challenging times. We are experiencing financial droughts, health droughts and relational droughts. So - why does God allow such hard times - desert seasons?

The Lord is always looking for willing hearts who will trust and obey Him. The Lord uses difficult seasons to strengthen His children. It's in the dry deserts and valley's that God helps us to grow spiritually. This is where we decide if we are fully committed to the Lord. The valley is what helps us to know whether or not we will truly trust the Lord for all things. God knows whether we will, but He wants us to know too.

2 Chronicles 16:9 says

"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

I believe that when we say yes to the Lord, when we tell the Lord we are willing to do anything for Him, He takes us seriously. I also believe the Lord has chosen us in advance to have willing hearts to do what He asks of us. (Eph 2:10). I believe He already knows who will be faithful, committed and sold out at all costs and who won't. It's the valley of decision - will we push through or will we wander in the desert forever? In the desert, we learn to hunger and thirst for God. The desert essentially builds our faith to prepare us for our Promised Land.

O God, You are my God! Early will I seek You! My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water, to see Your power and Your glory, so I have seen You in the sanctuary.

Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips will praise You! Thus will I bless you while I live. I shall lift up my hands in Your name. My inner being will be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth will praise with joyful lips ; when I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches.

Because you have been my Help; therefore I shall rejoice in the shadow of Your wings. My inner being follows hard after You: Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek to destroy my life will go into the lower parts of the earth. They will be thrust down by the sword: they will be a portion for the jackals. But the king will rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by Him will glory, but the mouth of those who speak lies will be stopped. Psalm 63 (emphasis mine)

The desert is a hard place. You're weary and worn out from the journey. It's a very lonely place, because your friends don't know what to do for you or they just avoid you. They can pray but they don't have many words that can bring comfort. In the desert, you question your faith, you question whether or not you truly heard from God. Raw and real emotions are exposed.

I believe God's goal for us in the desert is to have you go from believing in Him, to believing Him and His timing. Let me say that again - we go from believing IN Him to BELIEVING HIM! Here are four additional points we will learn in the desert!

know that God will respond - He will speak to you and bring you comfort as you go through this season. He wants you to learn that He alone is enough and that He is with you.
know that God will answer your prayers - He may not answer your prayers the way you expect as His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55) but He hears and He responds.
that He will show Himself mightily on your behalf - but in His timing - because He is all about bringing glory to His name!
He rewards those who diligently seek Him, especially in the desert places. (Heb 11:6)

The only way to please God is by living a life of faith! Obedience to what He tells you in His word or speaks to you in your inner man is faith. Partial obedience is disobedience and is not faith! To obey is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22). We must choose to live our lives absolutely dependent on Him. We need to trust Him for all things we have need of. He is Jehovah Jireh!

I can't say the desert is easy in any way, but if you surrender your will to His, and you trust Him fully, He will show how loving and faithful He is. Here is a song that has been comforting us in this season. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvfCMoLIi98 Pour out your spirit by Shannon Wexelberg.

Trust in the Lord! Do good! so you will dwell in the land and you will be faithfully fed. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your ways to the Lord. Trust also in Him and He will bring it to pass. Psalm 37:3-5

So our challenge to you today is to seek the Lord diligently - ask Him to show you if you are truly following Him wholeheartedly? Are you committed to do whatever He asks of you even if that means radical sacrifice? And if you're not right now, are you willing to lay down your personal agenda and choose His today?

I end with a quote that John Bevere just tweeted on Twitter: "We choose amid the hardship to believe God, even if it appears to be to our disadavantage. This is when true spiritual growth occurs".

Ken and I are anxiously awaiting for God to bring us out of this desert place. We appreciate those of you have been so faithful to pray for us and to hold our arms up when we have been to weary to do so ourselves.