It's Time to Hope Again

It’s Time to Hope Again

Posted on by Karolyn Miller
“Hope never abandons you, you abandon it” – George Weinberg

According to a news report a few nights ago, this week ended the “honeymoon” period after New Year’s. During this week, most people lose hope, abandon their New Year’s resolution, and slip back into their old habits.

Fitness centers that were full the first week of January have already reduced in volume. Dietary restrictions have already been breached. People who set out to turn their lives around at the beginning of the year are already back on the couch, in line at KFC, or smoking on their lunch break.

Why? Because they didn’t see results fast enough. The one small change in their routine activity did not bring overwhelming transformation and gratification, so they gave up and returned to their past behaviors. 3 weeks into the new year and people have already given up hope on reaching their personal goals.  

Even though the date on the calendar changed, their hope level remained the same.

Is This Your Story?

The past season was filled with struggle, heavy warfare, disappointment, stagnation, things not working out, loss, and discouragement for many. Hope was deferred and many became heart sick on the journey. Dreams sat on the backburner as obstacle after obstacle arose.

Even though you might have been able to implement some plans or take some steps, they didn’t yield their maximum result. Frustration began to cancel faith and soon many of God’s people became weary from the fight and sat on the sidelines tending to their wounds.

Do not let previous failure cause you to become content with “normal” and familiar with mediocre!

Some have resigned themselves to think that things will never change. Others have been tempted to give up on the business and settle into the 9 to 5 scene. There are even a few who have even given up on prayer because change is not happening fast enough.

For many, picking up the shield of faith again sounds like getting your hopes up for another let down. Don’t let past failure hinder your hope!

It’s a new year and the season has changed! To believe that declaration, hope needs to spring eternal again.

It’s Time to Hope Again

Don’t beat yourself up if you have lost hope from a prolonged battle season. You are not alone! Jeremiah found himself in a similar position where he had to stir himself to hope again. 

Lamentations 3:18-26 (NKJV)

18 And I said, “My strength and my hope
Have perished from the Lord.”

19 Remember my affliction and roaming,
The wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul still remembers
And sinks within me.
21 This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.

Jeremiah looked at all that he had been through and became despondent and discouraged. His battle scars and afflictions had created a gloomy outlook with the natural eye. Yet, he stirred himself in the area of hope by shifting his focus from his personal win/loss record to the track record of God. 

He had hope because in every situation, win or lose, God was still there. God was still in control of the outcome.

My friend, we should be able to do the same. As we look back over the past season, no- everything may not have gone our way, but God was still consistent. He was ever-present and faithful. In the valley, God was a keeper and protector in the storm. When the battle raged toward us, God was our shield and buckler. When we felt alone and forgotten, Holy Spirit was a reliable comforter.  In times of lack, Jehovah-Jireh provided in a miraculous way.

If you look at God’s track record for the past season, we can see not only did we survive, but we thrived through His amazing love. 

He was merciful to us even through the trials and the afflictions. God was faithful to navigate us through the trying times even when we were double minded, doubtful, and faithless.  His great mercy did not give us what we deserved – but he strengthened us to be able to go through!

Therefore, we can say like Jeremiah, “The Lord is my portion…therefore I hope in Him!”

He is the God of Hope!

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13 (NKJV)

Are you lacking hope in the new year? Are you afraid to start again? Is it hard to raise your expectation level to dream bigger or try harder? If so, it’s time to spend time praying to the God of hope!

God of hope, heal our hearts from wounds of the previous season! Fill us with Your unspeakable joy and peace that surpasses all understanding. Help us to keep our minds stayed on You so that we can have peace in every situation. Holy Spirit, stir in us a new well of hope, that we may abound in hope. We decree that we walk in an abundance of hope. Our hope is multiplied along with our joy and peace. Let us move in power through the Holy Ghost as the God of hope propels us into this new season with new results!

Faithful to Begin

Posted on by Karolyn Miller

“A journey of 1,000 miles begins with just one step.”- Lao Tzu

It’s easy to look at others and desire their status or possessions. The comparison game can produce either a positive or a negative effect. Comparison can cause you to become a jealous “hater” or it can be a motivator and spur you into action.

As easy as it is to become inspired by someone else’s success, it’s not as easy to work and obtain the same level of status. For example, many students want to obtain straight A’s, but they are not willing to sacrifice the parties, hanging out with friends, and other extracurricular activities to spend long hours studying and late nights in the library. People want to be out of debt, but still want certain comforts like shopping sprees, eating out, and watching cable which pulls discretionary dollars away from paying extra on debt.

Success does not arrive overnight; it takes hard work and consistency to achieve.

Before you can arrive at a particular goal or life position, you must make a step in that direction. The most important step in any achievement is the first step. With one step, a dream begins to manifest into a reality.

It is hard to see how one small step can manifest into a big change. For instance, you can lose weight by cutting out soda and sugary drinks, with no other diet modifications or exercise needed. That one minor change can make a big difference quickly. You can create extra savings if you save the change from every cash purchase. It may only look like a few coins in a jar, but coins make dollars. We can enjoy the bountiful end result, but we have to take the first small step to get there.

You have to begin!

Zechariah 4:10a (NIV)- Who dares despise the day of small things…

Job 8:7 (KJV)- Though the beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

If we know the great potential of the end result, what keeps us from beginning?

There are numerous personal reasons why people have a hard time beginning the transformation of an idea into reality.  Some people want to know the whole plan from the beginning to the end before they get started. Sometimes God will reveal the plan in great detail as he did Noah with the specific instructions regarding the ark. He told Noah how to build the ark, what materials to use, and who should get on the ark once the build was complete. On the other hand, He told Abraham to pack up and leave his family and familiar surroundings to embark on a journey “unto a land that I will show thee” (Genesis 12:1, KJV).

Sounds like destination unknown to me….

Both men had one thing in common – they trusted God for the outcome.

Some people are paralyzed from beginning because the dream is so big until they feel they don’t have the resources to bring it to fruition. God may have shown you a vision of a Christian school for children that you are supposed to build. You don’t have cash on hand for a building with a gym, teachers, nor textbooks for grades K-8 at the present time, but you can start by homeschooling 4 or 5 kindergarteners.

Once you begin what God has called you to do, you will find yourself in a position like Noah.

Genesis 6:8 (NIV) – But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

You may not have all of the resources in your hand, but God’s favor is the only currency you need.

His favor can open doors that would usually be shut and cause your path to be directed to people who will bless you with what you need. Before you know it, the small homeschool class that you began with will turn into a network of grade-specific homeschool teachers and eventually the private Christian school that God showed you in the vision.

Don’t shelve God’s blueprint because you don’t have the resources! Before you get defeated by a massive operating budget, try making a small step with God’s favor.

Finally, the major reason why people don’t ever start on what they are called to do is FEAR! Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of lack, fear of people and what they will say, fear of losing everything, fear of change, fear of rejection, fear of worthiness, fear of everything………….except the fear of God.

Hebrews 11:7 (NIV) – By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

We are afraid of everything and everybody, except God. If anything, we should be afraid of not doing what He called us to do. We should be afraid of procrastinating and missing His divine timing for the vision. We should fear the consequences of our decision to be disobedient. We should fear disappointing God.

This is the only fear that should be considered as you begin.

God is calling YOU to be a “Noah”!

Noah was called by God to become a trail blazer and a record breaker. Noah was going to build the first cruise ship. It would be the biggest boat ever seen and it would look different than every other boat that had ever been built.

God challenged everything that Noah knew to give him a concept that had never been seen before. Noah didn’t know when his ark was going to “blow up” or “go viral”. He had no idea when the rain would begin. He had only a small inkling of the significance his personal instruction would contribute to the course of history. Not only would every person and creature on the ark be saved from the flood, Noah would also find a place in the “Hall of Faith”.

In this new year and season, God is calling us to build “arks.” He is changing the paradigm and the method. Noah’s ark did not look like any other boat.

If you build a boat according to what you know as a boat, you will build too small. You will build within a box of previous experience and personal boundaries. Your new venture will simply be a reflection of your current comfort zone.

Isaiah 42:9 (KJV) – Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.

Like Noah, God is calling us to build a new thing, something ingenious, out of the box, innovative, and brand new.  However, we can’t study what already exists and research someone else’s empire and design too long.

God is ready to give us new blueprints for the new “ark” that He wants to build.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NIV)- The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

What an awesome promise! It’s better than a money back guarantee! This one promise removes the burden from you to provide the successful outcome. All you have to do is be faithful to the call and begin. God will do the rest! He is there to teach you to fly and catch you when you fall.

There is no failure in God! 

What is God calling you to begin in 2019?

Whether it’s a business or a blog, a ministry or a non-profit organization, a product or a service, a lifestyle change or a lifetime savings, start today by asking God for the blueprint. Be satisfied if He only gives you one step. Work those one or two steps until He releases more directions. Be faithful over the small steps, the few things, and He will make you ruler over many (Matthew 25:21).

Just be faithful to begin!

*Read more about the life of Noah in Genesis, Chapters 6-8.

Overcoming the Spirit of Offense

Posted on by Karolyn Miller

One of the rampant attacks in the Body of Christ currently is the spirit of offense. The enemy knows if he can divide the body with offense, we will no longer be effective. Instead of focusing on revival, we will be focused on ourselves and personal hurt. Strategic alignments and divine relationships would be strained and hindered–dissolving cords of resources, support, and partnership necessary for Kingdom building. We will be so busy bickering within the body until we will never reach the lost…and we will not experience the supernatural power of God flowing in our daily lives.

This strategy is not new. Jesus was also affected by the spirit of offense.

A Prophet Has No Honor in His Own Country…

Jesus himself encountered the spirit of offense in Mark 6:1-6. As he went into his hometown, he began to teach in the synagogues. The people were amazed at his teachings. They marveled at his level of wisdom, revelation, and the miracles that he had been performing. Instead of giving him good publicity and believing in the message, they began to bring Jesus down to their level.

“Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (Mark 6:3, NIV)

Oftentimes, the spirit of offense travels with other spirits, such as pride, familiarity, and jealousy, as seen in this passage. These spirits rose up in the people and caused them to miss the message and focus on the messenger. They tried to disqualify what he was saying by recounting his lack of qualifications to say it.

His hometown cronies focused on the fact that he was a carpenter instead of a well-educated theologian — according to their standards.

He was an ordinary man, just like them — according to their standards.

“Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.” – Romans 8:32 (NIV)

Who was Jesus to hold them accountable?

Lack of Accountability Breeds Offense

Have you ever noticed that it is easier to be taught or rebuked by someone from afar, like a television preacher, than to be held accountable by someone who walks closely in fellowship with you? Isn’t it interesting how you can receive a word of rebuke by a traveling prophet, but it’s hard to receive that same word from your local minister or pastor? Although we desire growth and change, the silent truth is being held accountable is tough, and sometimes a challenging word rubs us the wrong way.

The spirit of offense often rises up when we are held accountable by those we are walking in fellowship with because, like Jesus’ neighbors, we get too familiar with them. Jesus was teaching with power and authority, but the Word could not produce conviction, repentance, and change. Pride, familiarity, and jealousy filtered the teaching, ultimately resulting in the townspeople becoming offended.

In this passage, we also see why the spirit of offense is so dangerous to Believers. Offense resulted in the people being unable to receive healing & miracles…and ultimately wholeness. The spirit of offense serves as a barrier to limit faith and the flow of the Holy Spirit. So, the townspeople stayed in their same state or condition because they were offended by the messenger.

Unmet Expectations and Selfish Vantage Points

The spirit of offense can also walk in through the door of unmet expectations. We can become offended when someone has not reacted/ behaved in a manner or completed an action in a manner than we expected. For example, if you were expecting a word of encouragement, but received a word of rebuke with love instead, you may become offended.

Once an expected outcome or desired result is unmet, a person can choose understanding or offense. Offense brings a critical lens through which others are viewed, while understanding steps out of self and sees the situation from the other person’s vantage point. Usually, an offended person creates unrealistic and misplaced expectations on others, expecting them to meet their needs rather than God. Disappointment results because in our own selfish spiral, we fail to realize that the other person was unaware, unable, or unwilling to conform to our expectation.

“My soul, wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from Him.” – Psalm 62:5 (KJV)

The people in Jesus’ hometown were offended by Him because they had an expectation that was not met. They were expecting the Messiah, a king, royalty, a savior that would rescue them…and they got Mary’s son, the carpenter? He looked like them, grew up with them…how could He help them?

While we are waiting on others to meet or fill a need, God may be sending someone else. While the people of Nazareth were waiting on an image they had created, they missed the blessing of the Messiah.

Offense is like a fence, dividing our relationship with God and man. Who do you need to forgive and remove from the fence of offense? In this new season, let’s not miss the glory and blessings of the Lord because we are harboring the spirit of offense!

How I Lost and Truly Found My Voice

Posted on by Karolyn Miller

I have been without a voice since Christmas Day! Literally—playing charades to hold a conversation, writing notes on paper, and straining to whisper to anyone with “dog hearing” who could listen. I’ve been to work, raised my kids, and carried about my daily tasks in silence. After about 5 days, the novelty wore off and I was exhausted and frustrated. I went to the minor med clinic where I was misdiagnosed and treated with medicine that did not help.

You see, while the flu and other viral respiratory illnesses were running rampant, I had lost my voice for a different reason. Christmas Eve, I became extremely strangled while talking, not eating, just talking to my husband while driving home from church. My laryngitis was a completely freak event…so I thought.

Not only was I bummed out about my silence, I was saddened by my inability to use my voice in worship. I am a worshipper! I sing to the Lord all day, making melodies to Him. I sing in my private and corporate worship times. And now, I couldn’t even make a joyful noise.

Do you know what I learned through the frustration of silent worship?–New ways to worship! I realized that I had been talking too much and not listening enough. I was praying, but the time that I spent speaking overshadowed the time that I was spending listening. I would miss the still, small voice of the Lord because my voice was so loud! (I’m sure that has never happened to anyone else before…)

My worship time began to include more reading, meditating, and listening. Active listening–with paper and the pen of a ready writer. I began to reverence the silence and tune into another frequency. Sometimes, we just need to sit still and quiet in His presence…not just with our mouths, but our minds and hearts also. I was surprised to hear what He had to say…

Take me back, dear Lord…

After the birth of my first son in 2011, I found myself in a new role as a first-time, stay-at-home mom, and medical caregiver for my son. Social Security denied our application where I could get paid for caring for him. My severance package was running out and I started praying about ways to make a living from my home. The Lord said, “Writing…start a blog. Get the Word out. Help others get the Word out..”

I started my writing business, but I focused on helping others to get the Word out. I edited other people’s books, wrote devotionals for other’s publications, built websites for other people’s ministries, and helped others fulfill the call and dreams for their lives. The concentration of my business was propelling the Gospel message forward through others.

I placed the blogging portion of my business on the back burner in 2011. Why? I didn’t know what to write about. I couldn’t see myself becoming a mommy blogger because I was reading other mommy bloggers for tips. My son was born with a rare disease, so I was looking for help –surely I couldn’t provide any. There was nothing else that I was passionate about outside of my faith.

However, I was not a big name pastor with a mega-church and 4 books on the best seller list. The degrees behind my name were not from a seminary. Who was I to instruct, encourage, ignite, and empower anyone? The enemy’s barrage of disqualifications lead to fear and ultimately delay. Delay, until last year, when the Lord brought back the passion for reaching others through the power of technology and what… BLOGGING & WRITING!

Moving forward?

Last year, I built the blog and wrote a series of posts that were never posted. Why not? After doing my “blogging research”, one of the first instructions that I found was you have to find your voice.

You guessed it–I didn’t have a voice (according to the enemy’s new lie). I wrote and rewrote the posts trying to find my voice. I came to the conclusion that my voice is not as flowery and warm & fuzzy as some of the other bloggers that I was reading. My voice was a bit more challenging –but it still came from a place of love and passion for God and His people. My voice is different from other voices, and by losing my physical voice, I realized that my spiritual voice is needed in this space as well. God gave me a unique voice in this time, in this space… and it scared me.

On the inside, I was asking God for courage, strength, and holy boldness. I had become so discontent with my current state until I was stirred to jump from the familiar and take a big leap of faith. I needed some risk to grow–I knew that. But was my voice enough?

It’s as the old adage says, you never truly appreciate what you have until it’s gone. I literally, physically, lost my voice.

If you don’t use it, you will lose it. Well, I lost it.

Something as routine as my ability to speak, something  we take for granted that will be there every day, was gone. I repented for not using my voice and for letting the fear of man stop me from releasing the unique sound that God had given me. I saw another doctor yesterday who treated me more aggressively and for the first time today, I spoke with the correct tone and volume. I am still waiting on my singing voice to fully return, but I am grateful to be heard without discomfort.

Lightbulb moment!

For the past 3 years, I have prayed for The Lord to give me one word for the year. He develops the Word as the year goes along, but it becomes my focal point or theme for the year. My word for 2018 is “Shine”.

My mind went back to a prophetic word that I received last spring. I was told that people were waiting for me to open my mouth. When I spoke, a light came from my mouth that pierced through darkness. People were healed, delivered, and set free when I opened my mouth and allowed His light to shine through me.

So, I’m going to let my light shine and my voice be heard. My prayer is that you will see the glorious light of The Lord and hear his voice as I scribe. I also pray that you will access your God-given power to change your life and the lives of others – for His glory.

I encourage you to use what you have been given— your gifting, talents, and God-given dreams & visions to achieve your purpose and walk into your destiny. Discouragement, disqualification, and delay are prevalent tactics that the enemy is using right now–don’t fall victim to his tactics any longer!

What is God calling you to do this year? What area is He calling you to pierce the darkness with your light?: Is it your marriage? Your finances? Your workplace? Your family? Who do you need to lead to Christ with your voice? What endeavor have you been dragging your feet on because you didn’t feel qualified?

Remember, Romans 8:30-31 (NIV) says:

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Now get up, take your light from under the bushel, put it on a candlestick, and SHINE!

Prayer for Fresh Oil

Prayer for Fresh Oil

Posted on by Karolyn Miller

Lord,

I want to be an oily Christian! I want to be a vessel that can carry fresh oil and pour it out for the glory of God. Tear down any familiar constructs and foundational fallacies that will prevent me from receiving fresh oil. Expand my borders, my capacity, and my faith so that I can cultivate, perceive, and receive fresh oil.

I want to pour out fresh oil on those who are sick that they may be healed and recover all for the glory of God.

I want to pour out fresh oil so that demons tremble and are expelled by the power of God.

I want to pour out fresh oil so that prophetic words and songs are poured out into the body of Christ so it may live and thrive.

I want fresh oil pouring out of me that draws prodigals back into the house of the Lord.

I want fresh oil pouring out of me that gives words of wisdom & knowledge that sparks prophetic evangelism.

I want fresh oil to be able to have an increase in my discernment level and a fresh prophetic eye.

I want the power of God that lives in the medium of fresh oil!

I want fresh oil to ooze in my conversations, in my family interactions, and even in the marketplace.

I want fresh oil even in my shadow, like Peter, who healed people as he walked by.

I want fresh oil so I can pour into others who are having an oil shortage or kinks in their pipelines.

I want to be a carrier and distributor of fresh oil so that Your Spirit can permeate the nations.

Show me, Lord, what you are doing in this season so that I can be in sync. Let me change my thinking, observations, and criteria that I may see and judge correctly what is anointed,

…so I may see where Your hand is moving

…that I may discern who and what You are using in this hour

…that I may fulfill my purpose in Your plan to produce revival and the next  great awakening of Your church.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen!