Many times when we have friends or loved ones who are going through fiery trials, we feel their pain. God’s word teaches us to love our brothers and sisters as ourselves. “…Rom. 13:9b “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” However, when the trial lingers our feelings can change. We have choices to make. We can either decide to look the other way, live our life and make rash decisions as to why their trials continue.

We can’t seem to understand, so we rationalize the situation to ease our own conscience. We can even try to find answers of how we can ease their situation. If those answers require too much of us, we can begin to feel that the person tested must have sin in their life to deserve this trial.

Just as Isaiah spoke concerning Jesus, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Is. 53:4 If the trial is too hard and it is bumming us out, we can just abandon ship and leave the situation entirely, while all the time stating “that there was just nothing we could do.”

However, the reaction to the trials of another that I want us to think about today, is another option altogether. It springs from the fountain of love and can be very deceptive. We try everything that we know to do to help this person, physically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually, but their trial continues. We pray, and pray, and pray, and yet nothing changes. We see our family or friend going deeper and deeper into despair. We want to save them, be there for them, and ease their agony. Yet their situation only seems to get worse.

We then begin to question God ourselves at why our prayers are not being answered. The enemy comes and condemns us. Why are we blessed and they are not? Why should we be happy when they are in pain? How can we enjoy our life where theirs is so miserable? Slowly we begin to feel sad, we become despondent. We feel we have done everything humanly and spiritually and yet it seems that nothing has changed. The heavens remain as brass as the trial rages on. By this time we feel their heaviness.

We can’t enjoy our life for thinking of their life. Little by little our joy slips away quietly as the enemy keeps chipping away at our faith in God, causing us to question God’s actions. We are now in great danger of being stolen away by the enemy of our souls. “Wherefore let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.”  I Cor. 10:12 This happened to me not too long ago. I am a person who loves deeply. I was blessed to have been raised in a family who loved and adored each other. My mother and father were very affectionate. I thought everyone grew up the way I did, in a family that had very little of what the world had to offer, but had the best of what God had to offer, and that is His Love.

I was miserable. My husband tried to counsel me but it fell on ears that would not hear. How could I abandon my friend? I would not. I could not, are we not our brother or sister’s keeper? One day I had to have an answer. I had to have relief. My heart could not take it anymore.

As I was crying out to the Lord, my husband said as he had many times before, “Release this, release it to the Lord.” I said “I have.” He said, “No, you have not, or peace would come.” In total frustration and desperation I cried out violently, “I release this Lord, I release this to you, I can no longer carry this burden.” With these words, my deliverance and answer came immediately
The Lord spoke to me and said, “Charli, I am the Savior, you are not. I did not ask you to save the world, only to love those I send you. I did not ask you to carry their burden, but to share it. Share it in love, prayer, and all the ways that I show you, but don’t try to carry it, for only I could carry the cross.”

Carrying and sharing are totally different. When I try to carry someone else’s burden, I am useless to myself and everyone else. I can only share their burden through intercession and love, and that is enough. For the Lord stated in His word, “Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy ladened, and learn of me, take my yoke upon you, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls.” Matt: 11:28-29

The enemy desires to bind us in self-entangled chains, so that we become useless to everyone. When we share a burden, we can always lay it at the feet of Jesus and remain free to continue to help others as well as ourselves. Remember, Jesus is aware of the situation for He allowed it. Thus, He has the answer for it, and He says: ” I know the plans I have for you (and for my friend or loved one), plans to give you hope and a bright future.”Jer. 29:11.

Oh the joy of a soul set free. As I learned this great truth, I have been much more help to my friend, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Now that I have learned that I am not the Savior, but I am His servant, a clay vessel that He can flow through.
I love you,
Charli

One day my husband was reading his Bible out loud as I was working. He does this every day. A technique of reading the Word that is extremely effective. First, as we read the Word, the very Spirit of Jesus leaps off the pages and into our eyes. For Jesus is the “Word.” John 1:1, 14. NKJ

The scripture says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” Rom. 10:17 NKJ. As we hear the Word being read out loud, we hear it in our own 2 ears. Also, as we read the Word ourselves, it goes into our 2 eye gates and 2 ear gates. We have 4 “in gates;” 2 ear gates” and 2 eye gates.” We have 1 “out gate.” The Word of God enters our mind through our 4 “in gates;” our ears and our eyes. Thus, what goes into our minds can find its way into our hearts. The Word of God also says that “out of the heart the mouth speaks. “Luke 6:45 NKJ Thus, sooner or later our heart will speak from it’s abundance through our “out gate.”

As my husband was reading the Word out loud, he read a verse that stopped me in my tracks,

Jer. 9: 20-21. NIV

“Now, O women, hear the word of the lord; open your ears to the words of his mouth. Teach your daughters how to wail; teach one another a lament. Death has climbed in through our windows and has entered our fortresses; it has cut off the children from the streets and the young men from the public squares.”

At that moment, one word “jumped” out at me as I stared at my computer screen…”WINDOWS.”

I was literally looking out into the “Windows of the World.” But as I was looking out, what was coming in? Then the Lord revealed to me the most important revelation of all,

Now, O women, hear the word of the lord;

(women, guardians of your family’s heart,

you are the chosen messengers

of God’s impending judgment)

open your ears to the words of his mouth

(apply God’s Word boldly and

warn others of the crisis at hand).

Teach your daughters how to wail;

teach one another a lament

(teach them to grieve—not accept—what’s being lost).

Death has climbed in through our windows

and has entered our fortresses;

(the enemy has found his way into our homes

through the windows of our computers.)

it has cut off the children from the streets

(glued to computers and video games,

our children no longer play outside)

and the young men from the public squares

(unwise use of technology has caused men to overwork

and sin in isolation, putting our families and

spiritual fellowship in very real danger).

The “Windows of the World” is a dangerous tool in our hands, for we have the power, knowingly or unknowingly, to allow life or death to come through our computer screens, through our windows, into our “in gates,” our eyes and our ears. Then it can begin to take up residence and live in our houses, creeping ever so subtly into our hearts. This refers to our spiritual house, where the God of the universe has chosen to live on this earth, within our earthly temple abides the most high God. I Cor. 3:16 NKJ

We must be accountable and be a good steward over the windows of our temple and the windows of our children’s temples. Who am I allowing to come through my windows; the spirit of darkness or the Spirit of Light? We are all stewards over the members of our bodies, over the gates to our soul. It has often been said that “our eyes are the windows to the soul.” Let us strengthen the walls around our spiritual temples and “edify ourselves in our most Holy Faith.,” Jude 1:20 NKJ Then, when we stand before our Lord & Savior and look into His eyes, that we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we closed and locked all the spiritual windows to our soul. Who’s coming through your windows?

As the leaves silently turn to the myriad colors of fall, I think of the splendor of my heavenly Father and His limitless supply of beauty, love, mercy and grace. Yet in this world of fear, worry, turmoil, strife and hate, how can we live a normal life in an atmosphere of doom & gloom?

How can we survive being swept away in the midst of such instability and conflict? It isn’t easy, yet it is possible. This particular time in history should be our finest hour as the Bride of Christ. Peace should reign supreme in our lives.

Jehovah Shalom should encircle our being, spilling over on those we meet as a sweet fragrance of hope, faith, joy and happiness. How can this be?

We must find our place of safety, our place of peace and happiness in the midst of difficulty and trouble; our place of refuge and serenity in the midst of chaos. We must find an Oasis of Love. A place of living waters in a dry and terrorized land.

This is not a time for the faint at heart, for business as usual, or for status quo. This is a time that we must all fall on our faces before God daily, crying out for grace and mercy, mercy, mercy… II Chron. 7:14

As the forces of darkness close in, we must be ready with God’s plan of action. That plan of action is back to the basics of Christianity–repentance, forgiveness, prayer, fasting, and edifying ourselves in our most holy faith.

We must face the fact that we have become complacent and desensitized to the tactics of our adversary. The enemy of our souls has sung a lullaby to the church and much to our dismay we have become spiritually relaxed and sleepy in our pursuit of good over evil.

My dear friends, it is not too late! Time is of the essence. In a time such as this, we should be more in love with our bridegroom than ever before. This should be a time when our trust and love for the Lord is soaring to its greatest height. Our lives and the lives of our families and friends depend on the love of God that dwells within us.

“We are an Oasis of Love. That Oasis of love for whom Jesus gave His life. We must commit ourselves to live daily at the foot of the cross. It is our only place of safety. It is where the Oasis of Love begins and ends; at the feet of Jesus.”

With a humble & contrite heart, I love and treasure each of you. I thank God for the Oasis of Love He has provided for us all. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

I love you, Charli

Once again, I find myself at war with the enemy in a raging battle royale for the control of my mind. The battleground in the mind is never ending. There is no de-militarized zone.

There are times that the battle rages so fierce that I weary from the fight. I know what to do. My spirit is willing but my flesh is weak. I know the answer; pray the WORD. Even then, the battle seems to rage hotter. I say, “Lord, What more can I do?”

This past weekend I was honored to speak to a group of mighty women of God at an Intercessory Prayer Seminar. I asked the Lord what message He would have me deliver to these ladies, when I myself am finding it hard to stay strong? He then reminded me of a message he had given me years before, and He then began to develop it further in my spirit.

Before I share the message I would like to give you a little background of five things that happened to me during the past five weeks prior to the date of the seminar. Over night, what looked like a mole came up on my hand. I am very cognizant of changes in my skin, as my Mother died of Melanoma skin cancer at 53. I watched it for about 10 days and it began to change. I had a former doctor’s appointment for the next week, so I decided to let her look at it. Just as I suspected she immediately took a biopsy and sent it off.

The next week a spider bit me. It was very painful for 3 days and had lasting effects for two weeks. This called for another doctor’s appointment, shot, & prescriptions. During my recuperation from the spider bite I received my lab results, which informed me that I had a squamous skin cancer on my hand and that it needed to be removed immediately. My appointment was scheduled, and the next week I had the cancer removed and a larger biopsy was again sent off to the lab.

The following Monday before the seminar scheduled for the following Saturday, I awoke with laryngitis. By the next day, I had totally lost my voice. I had to be completely silent, take antibiotics and rest. By Thursday I am getting a little nervous, as Friday evening I am to meet with the leaders of the seminar. That day I was back at the doctor’s office to hear my lab results and have my stitches removed. CANCER-FREE! Praise the Name of Jehovah Rapha, MY HEALER! No sweeter words were ever heard!

My voice slowly began to return on Friday morning and we left for Memphis. Just as we were arriving at our destination, an E2 [small tornado with high straight-line winds] was hitting. We just made it into the front door. The next few minutes were filled with prayer as the storm left as quickly as it came. There was damage and debris everywhere, EXCEPT where we were! PRAISE FATHER, SON, & HOLY GHOST!

The winds subsided, but it was still raining when I left to meet the leaders of the seminar. When I arrived and was getting out of my car, I opened my umbrella and cut my thumb open. As the blood was running down my hand, I thought, Oh Lord, this must be a VERY IMPORTANT prayer seminar, and that it was!

The next morning, many shared similar incidents that had happened to them. Stories of various ways the enemy had tried to stop them from attending the seminar. He wanted to thwart their opportunity to learn how to “Turn up the Power” in prayer. When the enemy fights this hard to discourage or deter, there is always a great victory at the end of the trial. This seminar was no exception. It was a classic example of “when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord will raise up a standard against him.” Is. 59:19

The standard that the Lord raises up is His body. For within His body; His Bride, lies the power of the Holy Spirit. In the spiritual veins of each member of His Bride, flows His Royal Blood; that of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. No foe can withstand the combination of the Blood and the Holy Spirit. The devil trembles when the weakest Christian prays.

Unity + Agreement = POWER! Learning how to pray in one accord is more than praying together. It is many people praying corporately as one voice, one mind, one spirit, and with the same thoughts. Praying the same thing at the same time with someone else, involves listening to what is being prayed, agreeing with what is being said, and then echoing the same words that have just been spoken in unison and harmony, which is “one accord.”

There will be certain situations in our lives that will require corporate prayer. We must learn how to pray together, not just all pray at the same time. The disciples asked Jesus to “teach them to pray.” Luke 11:1 As we learn more effective ways to pray corporately, the power in our prayers will be turned up, and the enemy will be turned back.

There are many types of prayers: supplication, praying in the spirit, thankfulness, adoration, worship, etc. However, when we pray corporately in total unity, agreement, and one accord, the Holy Ghost fire falls from heaven upon us and our prayers, just like it did on the day of Pentecost.

They were not only in the same place geographically, but they were also in the same place spiritually. They were in spiritual agreement, spiritual harmony and spiritual unison. Remember, Deu. 32:30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight…” Can you imagine what could happen if the Body of Christ tapped into the power of true corporate intercession? The devil wouldn’t stand a chance, and Christians would be too blessed to be stressed!

Grab hold of every revelation the Lord reveals to you and make it your own. Use it to its fullest. For it is the truth that sets us free. The more truth we discover and believe, the more freedom we receive. No wonder the enemy does not want truth to be revealed. It threatens his power and diminishes his territory. Deu. 29:29 “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all of the words of this law.”

The Intercessory Seminar was a breath of fresh air as the Lord taught each of us how to “Turn up the Power” in prayer.

I love you, Charli

Can you do it? I didn’t know I could…

When Charli asked me to give my testimony for her “Charli-zine,” I pondered “which testimony?” I have so many. God has been so faithful and blessed me in so many ways, time and time again. Should I give the one where God healed me of cancer? The one where I stood waiting for 11 years on His word that He had given me for a promised restoration and reconciliation? It was finally time to share my testimony about my marriage.

My husband and I are ministering in our home once a month to couples and many others through our Home Fellowship. Our ministry, Fresh Fire Home Fellowship, was started over a year ago in our home in Tennessee. God is using us to minister to broken marriages, the lost, and hurting people. I have the most wonderful, loving, caring and sensitive husband in the world. The Lord has given my husband such wisdom and knowledge. He has blessed us in so many ways. I cannot thank God enough for what He has done in our lives. Together as a couple and with the help of God, we are impacting our family and friends lives. It hasn’t always been this way though.

I have been married to a man who had cheated on me for 9 years on and off. A man who is a Christian but a carnal one for many years and who has been mean, unfaithful, insensitive, uncaring, inconsiderate, etc throughout my marriage…that is until God got hold of him. In the past each time he cheated, he asked for my forgiveness and I forgave him but it got harder and harder and I kept trying to change his bad habits. I would pray, read the word and say I was turning him over to God but always tried to change him myself by pointing out to him everything he did wrong.

Well over a year ago I found out he was having an affair again. When confronting him with it this time, he didn’t deny it but said yes he was and even worse, told me that he was in love with her and wanted a divorce from me. Let me tell you I was crushed! My whole world seemed to come crashing down. I found out this affair had been going on for months. They did not live in the same state so they never had relations but he had fallen in love with her.

I did not know what to do. I called a good friend and mentor (Charli Pickett) who helped me turn to God. She gently and lovingly guided me to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and taught me how to walk in the spirit by putting my trust in God and not in my husband. She helped me to get my eyes off of the problem and turned them to Jesus, our deliverer. She taught me quickly what I needed to do and I listened to her Godly advice and applied every bit of it. What I am about to tell you how I overcame this trial is not to bring glory upon myself for what I did, but to give God all the glory for what He did through me.

I first started to pray for my husband like I never had before. I would wake at 3 am every morning, get out of bed, and go to the foot of the bed on my knees where my husband lie sleeping and lay hands on him and pray. I would go into his closet and kneel and pray. Every waking moment I would lift my husband up to the Lord. I asked the Lord not to hold this charge against my husband. I asked the Lord not to hold this charge against her. I told my husband that I loved him and was not going to leave him and that I was praying for him. I fasted for 4-5 days straight while praying for him. I sought out the scriptures to find every scripture I could about the situation. I wrote these scriptures down and prayed them every day.

I would sometimes pick up the phone and he would be talking to her. I did not confront him about this or bring anything up to my husband. He was not trying to hide it anymore. Was this easy?? No Way! Nancy could not do this on her own. I did not have the ability to love like this. I was able to love him in a way I never had before though. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit could I do this. I ignored when he said mean things to me. I ignored when he did mean things. I just showed him unconditional love. I told him often how much I loved him.

He was unable to give me any encouragement or sense of hope. HE wasn’t but GOD was. I left him alone by not bugging him or confronting him about anything. I just showed him love. I made love to him. I praised him and showered him with love. He started to notice a big change in me.

Now, I did not say I FELT like doing any of this. My flesh rebelled and did not want to do any of this. The enemy spoke in my ear daily telling me it was of no use and tried to discourage me. The enemy reminded me of all the times in the past where I had prayed and asked God to change my husband but did not see any lasting change. Each time I took my eyes off of God and put them on the problem or my husband, I would start to lose my peace of mind, the peace of God that passes all understanding.

I had to learn to bring every thought into captivity and focus on the things of God. I was in a spiritual battle and had to fight this in the spirit and not the flesh. Most of the time it was not easy to love him like this but God gave me the strength because I stayed in His presence nonstop. I was learning how Jesus loves us unconditionally. In spite of our sins and weaknesses, He still loves us.

I prayed the word over my husband and over my situation daily. I stayed in Psalms for weeks and months as the word ministered to my spirit.Ps 37:4-7 4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. (my husband’s love..my marriage) 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; (this was hard to do for me as I did not have a lot of patience and wanted God to change him fast) do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Ps 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; Ps 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

I would substitute my husbands or my name into the scriptures so it applied to me and my situation. I cried out to the Lord day and night and asked the Lord to be my help, my strong tower, and my deliverer. And, He was and still is!

I learned through that trial of my life how to truly trust in the Lord and not look to what was going on around me. I was learning how to truly walk in the spirit and not in the flesh. To not go by my feelings or emotions. I knew that no matter what happened between my husband and me, I was going to be ok, I had the peace, trust and security of the Lord knowing that my life was in the Lords hands. I learned not to fret or worry and to cast all my cares upon Him. As I learned to depend totally upon the Lord, God changed my situation and my husband. Little did I know that this battle I was going through of learning to totally trust God, was preparing me for an even bigger battle a few months down the road. One that my life depended upon.

I saw God start to change my husband. He eventually quit the affair, went for deliverance and got set free from this stronghold over his life and fell back in love with me. This did not happen overnight but over the next 6-8 months. He is now walking in the spirit and not fulfilling the desires of his flesh. God is faithful to complete the work that He started! My husband amazes me constantly. He does so many little things for me now that he never did before. He is more sensitive, caring, kind and loving. He is not perfect and still has his faults, like we all do, but God has truly changed him into a husband that I can now be proud of and admire.

I have the marriage now that I have always dreamed of having. One where my husband loves the Lord with all his heart, soul and mind, respects, admires and loves me unconditionally. Something I could not do for years by my preaching, scolding, nagging, teaching, etc, For 10 years I tried to change my husband and couldn’t and when I finally learned to totally trust God and put him in God’s hands, God changed not only him but more importantly ME.

Five months after all this I was diagnosed with Cancer. Since I was so built up spiritually and had so much of the word in me, I was able to stand and have faith for my healing and the Lord healed me. Praise God. To Him be all the Glory!! Again Charli Pickett was a vessel that the Lord used to impart a supernatural gift of faith into my life when she laid hands on me for my healing. I then found every scripture about healing, put it on index cards and posted them all over my house….bathroom mirrors, refrigerator, laundry room, bedroom, computer, everywhere so that the word was before me constantly.

This increased my faith and allowed me to keep my eyes off the problem and confess the word over my body. When the doctors went back in for surgery the 2nd time to get the remaining cancer tumor out of my body, they could not find any cancer. They could not explain it either. I COULD! God had healed me.

The enemy uses specific tools disguised, and often innocently packaged, to tear families apart. This is why the basis for marriage should be anchored in unconditional love. God is love and love never fails, because God never fails. Love is patient and kind. It is not irritable or prideful and does not insist on its own way. When love is not the foundation, the marriage will crumble. You have a responsibility to love your spouse unconditionally.

Consider each other’s concerns, and take them seriously. When husbands and wives fail to love, the marriage becomes vulnerable to satanic attack. We can easily drift away from God and our spouses when we lack balance and direction from God. Miscommunication is a tactic Satan uses. Many times we feel we have communicated effectively with our spouse, only to later find out that something we said was misconstrued. It is important that you communicate effectively with your spouse. Always consider your motives before expressing your feelings.

Also, when you are talking to your spouse, make sure they understand what you are saying. Be sure to give them your undivided attention when they are speaking to you. Love and understanding are keys to effective communication. Despite the enemy’s attacks, your marriage can remain strong. Let God’s Word be your foundation at all times. When you have a problem, search the Word for your answers. Remember, it is through skillful and godly wisdom a marriage is built.

I know our walk with the Lord is not an easy one and throughout our lives we will go through many trials and tribulations. My advice from someone who has done it the wrong way and failed and then learned the right way and succeeded is “The Word”. Plain and simple. Get in the word. Find scriptures that relate to your problem. Confess them daily. Get your eyes off of the problem and on Jesus…literally! Do not go by what you are seeing but on what the Word says .

The Lord has a work He wants to do in YOU! When you’re ready to acquire what God has for you, many times you won’t be able to just walk into it; sometimes we have to fight for it. Most people don’t know how hard we’ve had to fight to get where we are today.

There was a time I almost lost heart, there was a time I almost walked out, there was a time I almost gave up, but to God be the glory.2 Corinthians 4:17 (NKJV) “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”.

I now understand that every affliction I went through was only for a moment even though at times it seem like it was lasting forever. I want to make a declaration and say keep fighting! Keep fighting for your marriage! Don’t you lose heart, and don’t you give up!

I pray the word will be a lamp unto your feet. That you will have a fresh revelation of the word and that you will be able to fight the good fight of faith. I know with these tools you will have Victory in every situation. God will see you Through! With man these things seem impossible but with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

May the Lord be your strong tower. May you have the peace of God fill your heart and spirit. May He give you the desires of your heart as He has mine. Eph 6:12-18 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Servant of the Most High God,

Nancy Connell

No matter how spiritual we may be, there will always be times when unexpected circumstances, a misunderstanding, or a situation will arise that will take our heart to a place it doesn’t want to go. Then our minds are left to contend with our wounded heart.

The heart is an entity all its own. Its healing properties take time. In the natural, the eyes heal faster than any organ in our body. Our heart on the other hand can’t seem to heal itself; it needs help.

The heart is the home of our most treasured emotions; love, joy, peace, and righteousness. However, many times unwanted intruders can break into our hearts and steal our most prized possessions. The trauma that results can leave a residue of disappointment, sadness, and discouragement. These trespassing emotions are home steaders. They take up residence and never intend to leave. They have stolen our hearts.

“Taking back what the enemy has stole from me” is more than a song. It is a fight for our eternal life. The enemy’s desire is not only to steal our heart, but to infect it with evil intent, which can lead to death eventually destroying our soul.

How can I help my heart to heal? First, we must quickly forgive. Who can truly do that? Besides, how can that mend a broken heart?

Once there was a particular situation where my husband had been hurt by someone he cared for deeply. It caused me to become very angry. The Lord spoke to my heart in the middle of my anger and said, “Charli, say you forgive him.” I said, “Lord I can’t say that because it is not the truth! Again, the Lord spoke to me, “Say that you forgive him.” I hastily replied, “Lord, even if I say it I won’t mean it!” A third time, the Lord said, “Charli, say that you forgive Him.” I said, “Okay, okay, I forgive Him,” I blurted it out knowing I did not mean it.

As I sat there stewing over the situation, the Holy Spirit began to reveal a deep spiritual truth to me. He showed me that it did not matter what tone of voice I used when I said that I forgive, or whether I meant it or not. The only thing that mattered was that I spoke words of life into the atmosphere and that took faith. At that very moment the Holy Spirit could take those words to the Son, and as they passed through His blood, my Heavenly Father would never know His daughter had been so unforgiving.

Tenderly the Lord spoke these words into my heart as only He can, “If you will say it in the natural, I will birth it into the Spirit for you.” Praise the name of Jesus! His mercy never ends. The joy of a heart & soul set free!

So, if you have a heart that hasn’t healed,
help it out; say I Forgive.

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.
Mark 11:25 AMP

I Love you,
Charli

The Word of God says in

Prov. 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”

My name is Andrew McClung. I have been privileged to grow up all my life in church and serving God. It is a blessing for me to have a heritage of my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents as Ministers and Pastors.

At an early age I became interested and very involved in the audio/video department at our church. This sparked a lifelong interest for me to pursue working in this field.

Upon graduation from high school, I joined the United States Air Force. Ps. 37:23 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.” During my enlistment, I would see time and time again how the Divine Protection and Favor of God was on my life. Little did I know when I was assigned to a squadron in basic training that I was in what ended up being the honor squadron of that cycle.

After basic training, I went to Air Force Tech School in Texas. The class of 10 guys that I was assigned to was the most unified and respected class. The Training Instructors that were usually very strict and crude requested being assigned to our class. God blessed me during that time and I graduated as #1 of that class.

My first duty station was Spangdahlem, AFB Germany. I remained there for 2 wonderful years. God directed my path by allowing me to be under a great supervisor. This was a supervisor that most people did not want to be under. While across the ocean, with limited contact to home and family, my supervisor took it upon himself to fill that void. Not only was he a great mentor and instructor to me on duty, he also included me in his family off duty.

I had become friends with a guy in basic training, we were assigned Tech School together and we both ended up on the same base in Germany. We also rented apartments across the street from each other. God definitely directs our path and He places people in our lives with whom we build lifelong friendships.

When I found out I was on the list for deployment to Iraq, I called home and my family and friends immediately prayed God’s will and protection over my life. Ps. 91:11 says…”For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” Ps. 34:7…”The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.”

While prayer was going on back home, my supervisor went to the Senior Supervision and insisted that I be allowed to remain at our home base and continue my work on the F16′s I was assigned. I had no knowledge of him doing this for me and this just proved how God’s hand of protection always covers us. When I arrived at my duty station stateside I was again listed for deployment. Due to scheduling issues I never had to leave. Once again, by God’s guidance and protection, He kept me at my base and safe.

After my discharge from the Air Force I returned home and completed my degree in Business and Commerce. Currently I am living my dream as a Freelance Web Designer. God blessed me with the knowledge and skill for this field. I started my company, AM Perspectives and I enjoy each new project. I also work with my family at Oasis Christian Center & Retreat in Franklin, KY. Here I get continue my passion from an early age by overseeing and operating all the audio/video systems.

Jer. 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I give all Glory and Honor to God for watching over my life, guiding and protecting my steps every day, and that I have His promise of a Blessed future.

Ps. 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

Andy McClung
(615) 957-5959
www.amperspectives.com

A PERSONAL NOTE
I wanted to personally introduce you to Andy McClung. Andy is a wonderful Christian young man whom I met when I spoke at the “Time Together Ladies Retreat” in Franklin, Ky. He is the son of Pastors Robert & Janet McClung whose ministry is the Oasis Christian Retreat Center & Church.
Andy is an exceptional young man. In fact he is my ITT man, (my computer guy for those who haven’t learned all the new techie jargon). He recently designed my beautiful new website, takes care of all my technical needs, custom designs my templates, hosts my website and fulfills lots of other techie things!
I wanted you to get to know him. Hear his testimony and allow him to share with you some of the ways that God has moved in his life. If you have any computer needs– this is your guy. He is the best. I am honored to call him my friend.

When you do contact him (and I know you will), tell him Charli sent you!

During that same span of time I noticed that this same lady began to act differently toward me also. I did not know her well, but we always had a cordial relationship. She stopped speaking to me. When I would see her she would look the other way. I kept thinking that with time she would return to her normal self.

Months began to pass. She remained the same. I would visit her store and when she saw me come in she would leave the floor and her employees would wait on me. I began to pray over the situation in general. I didn’t understand her attitude. I knew that she had a problem with my friend, but she and I had never had any difficulties as we barely knew each other.

One day a woman from my church that was very close to this lady called me. She told me that the lady was causing great harm to me in the spirit by the things she was saying about me. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Proverbs 18:21 Thus I went before the Lord asking Him to explain this to me. The Lord spoke clearly to me and said, “guilt by association.” (the spirit of friendship) I said.” Lord, what must I do to bring peace and restoration to this broken fellowship.” He reminded me of Matt. 25:3-4 “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

So I began my pursuit of reconciliation. I tried many times to speak with her but she would not talk to me. I sought the Lord again, and He gave me a specific plan. He told me to go to her store before it opened, and to wait for her to arrive when she would be alone. So I did just as the Lord instructed me. I drove to her store early one morning and parked my car in an inconspicuous place and waited. It wasn’t but a few minutes until she arrived. Her store was in a strip mall and she was walking up to the door with keys in hand. I quickly walked up to her and said, “May I speak with you for just a moment?” When she saw me she said “NO! Please go away and leave me alone.” I said, “It won’t take me but just a minute.” Again she emphatically said, “NO,” as her keys were going into the door. Fearing that she would get inside and I would miss my opportunity to obey the Lord, I immediately fell to my knees on the sidewalk outside the store, between her and the door. I said, “I ask you to forgive me for whatever I have done to hurt you.” She said, “What are you doing, get up, get up!” I persevered, “Do you forgive me?” She said, “Yes, yes, yes, just get up!” I said, “I thank you for forgiving me and I love you very much.” As I stood up she rushed into the store as I slowly walked back to my car with tears pouring down my face.

A few weeks past and the Lord began to deal with me again to go back into her store. So one day I slowly walked in and just browsed a bit. She saw me, spoke to me and helped me with a purchase. The Lord kept leading me to go back to her store again and again. Slowly she begin to soften. Through the next year she became very friendly and we talked many times. One day I received a call that her 18 year old son had been killed in an auto accident. He was her and her husband’s life. This was a very special opportunity for me to then be able to give myself to her without measure since I had obeyed the Lord in the beginning. A year later she had a gall bladder attack and during the operation her liver was cut and she almost died. She suffered for a long while and had to undergo another operation to restore her injured liver. Many days through all her trials I would stop by her store and pray with her as the Lord would allow me to minister to her in such a precious way.

Besides the Blood, Forgiveness is one of the most powerful weapons we possess against the enemy. We are using the same weapon that Christ used against the enemy on the cross…Forgiveness. “Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34a We must forgive to be forgiven. There isn’t one without the other. Forgiveness is the key that opens the door to some of the greatest blessings that the Kingdom of God has to offer.

This woman is a devoted intercessor. Intercessors pay a high price for the call upon their life. Standing between someone and Satan draws fire and retaliation from the enemy. Over a year ago, this woman called me out of the blue. She began to pour out her heart to me and tell me a story, which in most respects would provide the perfect scenario of a script for a Hollywood horror movie. Thus over the past months I have counseled her spiritually as well as providing a shoulder for a friend to cry on.

She has walked a very hard path, one that many could not endure. She has been through the depths of despair. She has lost everything, her husband, her children, her home, and her business. Even though she has been through periods of weakness and depression, she did not give up hope. When she would call me, we would begin to speak the Word of God together over her situation. She knew the Word for she had studied to show herself approved. In the past, she was a Women’s Intercessory Ministry Leader and used her home for Intercessory Women’s Retreats.

Many times our love for the Lord can result in zeal before wisdom resulting in a lack of discernment. There are times that God desires for us to assist His children in common sense ways. They need a natural word. My friend called the other day and as we began to talk, I realized that she needed natural advice, ideas, and confirmation that what she was doing in the natural part of her life was the right thing to do. She needed a natural plan. We live in two worlds at once–the natural and the spiritual just like our Lord when He walked among us. We as Christians must be sensitive to the needs of others in the natural as well as the spiritual.

Before our conversation ended, she related that she felt more at peace as she realized that there was a way in the natural to start over and she could do it. Christians often overlook natural counsel, encouragement, and edification for loftier spiritual heights. Jesus fed the five thousand natural food before He fed them spiritual food. (Matt.14:13-21) Our love for the Lord will result in our service to Him, however as we seek to find ways to serve Him more, let us desire the anointing of the Sons of Issachar; (1 Chronicles 12:32) to be able to discern the times in our lives and the lives of those  God sends our way.