Lisa Great

Life-long learners is who we are called to be. If you think you know it all, or can only learn from certain people, it reveals a smaller life than one might even recognize. But if you are a life-long learner, it speaks to the abundance in which you operate.

Proverbs 15:33 in the Message translation says, “Fear of God is a school in skilled living – first you learn humility, then you experience glory.”

Reading that this morning came with the thick presence of God into my office. My eyes began to water, as I realized afresh that humility precedes honor, but honor only remains when there is continual humility. The Bible offers cyclical understanding not stair stepping.

I wonder how often we want to go through a season of humility and then when we reach the glory level think, we are in a new season, rather than realize, humility is a life-long character quality that holds the glory.

My husband was saying yesterday that people used to fast, pray, take communion, to get their breakthrough but once they breakthrough they leave those things behind. But what got you the breakthrough is what sustains the breakthrough is what he said.

It reminded me of this Proverbs 15:33 verse that we first learn humility then we experience glory. Humility is the setting that glory sits in, so when we cease to be a life-long learner, which is an attitude of humility, we cease to increase in glory.

Humility is the key to success in the kingdom of God, which is our life, our relationships, our everything. No matter the glory, the humility must remain if we are to go from glory to glory.

Stay humble it is the safest place to be as you begin to experience the glory. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

When you live in a culture, you do not see the culture for you are living in it. When you leave your culture and walk into another culture, you realize there are multiple cultures on earth and no one culture is THE culture. The hardest thing for us to do is humble ourselves and realize our culture is good, but it is not complete alone.

If we took the words of Paul who says, not everyone is an eye, for if they were where would the sense of smell be and not everyone is an ear, for if we were where would the sense of sight be, and made that about culture rather than spiritual gifts we might be headed towards unity.

The earth is filled with a variety of cultures and all of those cultures make up the body of Christ. But every culture needs to submit itself to the kingdom, for the body of Christ is to operate as a variety of cultures but in one kingdom culture.

When we want our culture to dominate and dictate how the body of Christ should be, we reveal we are not interested in the kingdom we are only wanting to manifest our culture. This is why the church worldwide is separated one day a week by denominations, skin color, political affiliation, socio-economic status, etc.

If we laid down our culture and entered into the kingdom, we would find all cultures, all colors, all kinds of people living in the kingdom, which is why we function so well, Monday through Saturday together, but on Sunday we go to our cultural preferences.

When was the last time you went to another denomination, another cultures church service? If you go, what you will notice is birds of a feather flock together. But what if we blended cultures in church like we do in the marketplace? The kingdom is many cultures under the banner of one kingdom culture of love. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

What is the ache? The throbbing in your spirit that will not go away. The place inside of you that is buried under addiction, busyness, blame and shame. What is the ache? What is it you were designed in your mother’s womb to do, to be? (Psalm 139)

The ache is the reason you were created. The ache is what gets buried because it hurts to much to discuss it, desire it, dream about it, because it is buried in disappointment. Many people have buried the ache so they do not get their hopes up again only to be disappointed, yet again.

The ache throbs, it pulsates inside of you, it keeps pulling on you and won’t let you forget, the ache is the reason you were created. The issue is not your spouse, your job, your church, your friends, you family, your community, you finances, your health, the issue is you and I have an ache.

People focus on the surface issues of our history, our trauma, our brokenness, but the unearthed issue is the ache. You were born for a reason, you are on earth to fulfill a role only you can fill. You were not created to wander and wonder, you were given an ache that when expressed will bless the body of Christ.

God is calling for the ache archeologists to arise. Those who know how to unearth the ache. Those who can help people remove the rubble, the trodden paths that have packed the ache down underfoot. The ache is real, the ache will not go away, you know and I know it.

The ache archeologists can hear the sound crying out from under the pile of sand, stone and rock, history, hurt and apathy. We have given up on the ache, but God hasn’t that is why it still throbs no matter how much you try to ignore it.

Friends, the ache archeologists are arising and they will help you unearth the ache, so you can express what God put in you, for it is to be a blessing to the body of Christ. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

Did you know before you gave your life to Jesus, He had already made a promise to you? It is the same promise He made to the nation of Israel, but your promise is not physical land it is proverbial land. You were not in physical Egypt like your forefathers were, you were in proverbial Egypt.

Proverbial Egypt carries the same spirit that physical Egypt carried. A spirit of slavery, bondage, limitations, control. A place of idolatry, adultery, immorality. But just like God promised Israel a new physical land, so God promised to rescue you from Egypt and bring you into a new place as well.

Ezekiel 20:5-6 says, “On the day I chose Israel, I revealed myself to them in the country of Egypt, raising my hand in a solemn oath to the people of Jacob, in which I said, “I am GOD, your personal God.” On the same day that I raised my hand in the solemn oath, I promised them that I would take them out of the country of Egypt and bring them into a country that I had searched out just for them, a country flowing with milk and honey, a jewel of a country.”

Just like Israel while you were in Egypt, God revealed Himself to you. Do you remember that day, that historical marker in your mind? It was then He declared Himself you as your God, your Savior. He was up close and personal. It was that day He promised to take you from one land of sin and death and bring you into a land that He calls a jewel of a country.

How many years ago did you get saved from proverbial Egypt? Are you living in a new land, a land of living water, abundant streams, words of life, hope, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit? Are you living in the jewel of a land?

If the answer is no, remember the promise God made to you. Go back to the beginning and remind yourself of the God who saved you from Egypt. He started it then and He will finish it, but you must walk out of the proverbial Egypt, and leave behind all Egypt taught you, showed you, offered you. For the land where He has prepared for you does not allow anything Egyptian in it. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

What we used to value is slowing fading into the background as what is of true value is calling us to forsake all for the sake of the call. We have sang over and over again, even when I don’t see it you are working. Well, this is not just a song, this is truth on a level most don’t recognize because they can’t see it.

The hunger in humanity to know the love of God, the truth of God is breaking through the soil of people’s hearts and coming out of their mouths unannounced. Many people do not even know what they are saying, but their spirit man is breaking past flesh and speaking the desire of their hearts.

Hunger is real. The ache to do what God made them for is real. The limits are still there, but hunger is pulling them past all limitations of man being put on the hungry. A hungry man will find food, his craving causes him to keep seeking until he finds.

One the limitations in culture is noise. The noise of social media; the noise of the news headlines; the noise of streaming of shows, podcasts and music. Noise, noise and more noise. But people are hearing the invitation to the silent place. Not to hide, not to hibernate, but to hear. To hear the voice of God who will say what they need to hear so they can go and do what He has created them for.

Messenger International posted a tweet this morning about liquid love and then I was reading Psalm 130:7 and it says, “Wait and watch for GOD— with GOD’s arrival comes love, with GOD’s arrival comes generous redemption.”

The hunger in people’s hearts is calling God to come, and He is saying wait for me, watch for me, I Am Coming! He is coming with liquid love; He is coming with generous redemption; He is coming to heal, He is coming to reveal His heart for us. Can you hear the hunger in your heart calling out to Him, for even when you didn’t see it, He was working. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

Walking in revelation is walking in the truth and light of God’s word. When we seek to interpret what God said through our own lense of understanding, our own interpretation of what we think or even if we echo what others have said that is not biblical, we create a narrative that limits does not liberate.

The way to break out of the matrix of the doctrines of men is to ask questions. For years people have argued right and wrong, doctrines of men, and what they believe the word of God says. When I was in Bible School we would stay up late into the night arguing our position on a certain biblical issue. I look back on those days and realize how much I thought I knew and now realize I knew nothing.

The more time you spend with God in His word, the more you realize, He is God, I am not, I can only know what He reveals to me and honestly, it is one grain of sand compared to His beaches of sand for He is Omniscient, all knowing.

One way to break out of the matrix is to ask questions, One question I have asked, that I believe we all should ask, is why does the whole book of Proverbs speak about Wisdom in the personification of female, but when we get to Proverbs 31 now it is about wives, or women as a gender? Where did we make the switch from Wisdom to women in Proverbs 31?

This may seem small, but it is actually huge for many women have been told they are to be a Proverbs 31 woman, but the Proverbs 31 woman is Wisdom, not a gender. When we read Proverbs 31 as Wisdom, not a gender, we realize when you embody Wisdom, you have all you need.

Proverbs 8:1-6 “Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand; Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out: To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom.”

Use questions to break out of the matrix. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

Music is an indicator of what is happening in culture. Music carries the cultural narrative in a way that sermons can’t because music is words and sound combined that stick to our soul. Songs and sermons together are powerful, for they create a cultural narrative we all can carry.

I was at the Dove Awards last night, per some friends providing me tickets. While there I was listening for what is happening in the culture called church in America. From the opening words of the head of the GMA to the songs and speeches that were presented, it is obvious to me what God is saying.

There is a hunger for truth, a desire for God and a kingdom that is advancing. One of the award recipients won for his song, Dusty Bibles and he promoted reading the word of God. Another artist won and gave a speech that could have been a 90 second sermon on giving God all the glory.

The honor between artists was palpable. One artist won for his song and honored the work of another artist in the same category that did not win. It was a night of Jesus being the guest of honor, not the artists, not the outfits, not the venue.

Jesus said, “And if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me!” (John 12:32) There is a lifting, there is a drawing, there is a hunger for truth in the atmosphere over America. There is a longing for the word of God; for training in righteousness; there is a shift that has happened in the hearts of people that was obvious to me as I listened, as I watched.

There is also a deploying that is happening; a collaborating that is taking place. The “One” man show is done, the team is here. Those hidden in the back corners are being moved to the front row. There is so much going on, it is hard to even articulate, but suffice it to say, “The Kingdom of God is at hand!” Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

Last night we began a four week women’s topical conversation bible study with the ladies from our church. The leaders of our women’s ministry broke us up into homes, assigned leaders and gave us multi-generational women to be in a group.

Myself and my co-leader Erin had our first time with the ladies last night and the subject we discussed was busyness. As we were preparing for this topic, Bill Johnson put out a reel that spoke about busyness killing intimacy with God. I thought how timely considering our new group talk this week.

Eight of us gathered in my living room last night, and two of the women were from Mexico. It was easy to lead these women because they are mature, hungry, and not afraid to be vulnerable.

As we were discussing our subject matter of busyness, the Lord kept drawing my eyes to the word busyness on the sheet we were given to lead from. As I looked at that word, the Lord changed it from busyness to business in my minds eye.

While hearing business when we were discussing busyness the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “I am trading trading their busyness for My business.” Immediately I heard, Luke 2:49 “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”

I spoke this over the women and declared what you thought was busyness the Lord is calling, Doing God’s Business. And I want to declare over you today, yes for some of you it is busyness for busyness sake, but for many of you it is God’s business you are doing.

When we see that we are doing the Father’s business by raising children, helping at church, volunteering, speaking to people in the grocery store, walking with a friend. The Lord says, “You are doing my Father’s business, it is not busyness.”

Finally, when you are doing Your Father’s business, there is a rhythm of rest in the business. It is not a day off, it is a rhythm of rest. Matthew 11:28-30 says it this way, “Learn the unforced rhythm of grace…” Be blessed friends as you do Your Father’s business. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

The voice of God is being heard in the hearts of many people, the Lord is saying, “Just come home!” No strings attached, no expectations upon arrival, just a call to come home from the Spirit of God. I can hear it so clearly, “Just come home.”

Home is the heart of God. People are struggling to return to God because they have been hurt by people who say they represent God. Religion does not represent God well. God is not religious. Yes, you heard me correctly, God is not religious. He is relational.

In Luke 15, the Prodigal son, heard the voice of God say, “Just come home” so he left with a prepared speech, but the call was to “Just come home!” The father in this story did not discuss with the son what he did while he was gone or even why he left. He rejoiced that his son was home.

I think we need to realize many people will not heed the call to “Just come home” because they are afraid of the response, expectations and reactions of those who are at home. The older brother in the story of the Prodigal Son was accusatory, rather than forgiving. But thank God the younger son heeded the voice of God to “Just come home”.

One person is hearing the words, “Just come home” and if you are home can you hear the Lord saying, “Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past, see I am doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:18). We that are still at home, who have not left, are you ready to forget the former things, so they can come home?

The call is going out to both those who are far away and those who are near. One is being called to “Just come home”, while the other is being called to “Forget the former things.” Can you hear, can you heed the call? It takes courage to come home and it takes courage to forget the former things. God is calling us both simultaneously right now. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

One of the hardest things I have had to do in my life is obey God when people I highly value do not understand what I am doing or why I am doing it. If you need the approval of people, especially valuable people to you, it will be hard to obey God when what God is saying is different than what they are saying.

Those valuable people love you deeply, they are trying to protect you, they are not malicious they are loving you, but their love cannot stop you from obeying God even when they do not understand what you are doing. It is not your responsibility to convince them of what God has spoken to you, it is your responsibility to follow what God has told you, even when valuable people do not understand.

Proverbs 3 says, “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t lose your grip on love and loyalty…earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.”

Seek counsel, get wisdom from others, but at the end of the day, you must obey what God says. Now your obedience may mean you stand alone for a while, but it must mean if God said to do it, you do not try to get people to meet your need God said He would meet.

If God said it, He will do it. He is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). But you must be patient as the promise plays out. When God speaks a promise it does not have instant manifestation. Sometimes it takes decades, but if you wait for it, it truly shall come to pass if God said it. Then the valuable voices will see what God said to you has come to pass.

Evidence of God’s voice manifests as an undeniable reality that obeying God is always an investment that yields a return. He is faithful; He is going to do what He said He would do, if He said it. He is trustworthy and He wants to build faith in you and those who are watching you. Obedience is the master key to success in walking with God. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org