LAM Updates

Be sure to sign up for the next series - "Restoring Your Life" teleconference meetings. They'll start again after the new year. Please call to schedule.

Upcoming Seminars: October 13th - Sacramento and October 20th - Freemont. For information on either, please click on "seminar".

Are you a FIXER? by Linda Lange

It's God's job to fix others, not mine. They aren't my responsibility. The only responsibility I have is to love them with unconditional love, serve them without fear and leave them to God for the rest. Let me share how God has equpped me to actually "do" this now and I hope it encourages you as well.

I've shared stories before about my neighbor, and how it's been a challenge having him there, but God has used him over and over to show me life changing truths, and this time is one of the biggest revelations so far.

I knew in the Word that we are to go to a neighbor or brother when we believe they have something against us and reconcile to them. So I knew that my neighbor was mad at me about something, I can tell by his attitude and the way he has responded to my waving at him as I go by, he didn't return the wave which was a huge indicator. So I went over there one afternoon when he was outside working in the yard. I began talking to him like nothing was wrong, talked to him about lots of things, and the next thing I knew he was talking and being very friendly to me. He then proceeded to tell me that I had broken his heart because we built a fence between us. He felt that he was being cast off and shut out of our lives. I explained that it was all about privacy for the both of us and that I wasn't shutting him out at all. After talking this out, he found his peace. He accepted me again and we were restored. He even said I don't know what this conversation meant to him, and for the weeks ahead he was like a little boy out there and was so happy to see us when we drove by.

Then something happened again. I don't know what it was because my husband said he didn't wave as he drove by but gave him some look. I realized that this time there wasn't anything we said or did that I was aware of so I felt I needed to go over there again and talk with him. Then the Lord showed me something. I am trying to keep everything "fixed." Trying to "control" the people to be Okay - with us. And the truth is, not just for them to be Okay, but to be Okay with us. When we are part of the equation, that's when it becomes a control issue. I then began looking around me and noticing that I was acting this way around that person, and that way around another, just to be sure everyone was Okay, and I was doing at the expense of my own identity. I was trying to keep everyone "fixed." There is a time to reconcile when it is needed, but not to get that mixed up with making sure everyone is alright around me. There are some things that only God can fix, and this was one.

After I realized what I had been doing, and even acting phony at times to keep the peace, I repented. I repented and confessed to God that I was trying to fix everyone so that my life would be more comfortable. I wasn't doing it for "their" good, I was doing it for my good. This is sin, this is control, manipulation, fear of man, etc. I asked God for wisdom when things like this come up again, that I would stay true to myself and the Word of God without compromising either, and trust Him for the rest. He is the one who restores, heals, sets free and delivers, I was trying to do it! When I realized this and after I confessed, my life has changed so dramatically. I have more peace with people now, especially my neighbors, and what they say and do doesn't offend me like it did, they are free to be, as I am free to be. It reminds me of that serenity prayer - Pray to change the things I can change, accept the things I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.

Degrees of Peace by Linda Lange

Recently the Lord has been teaching me in the area of Peace. Peace is the main focus that most of us desire and the main focuse of my ministry. When we have peace, we are "at" peace with ourselves, others and with God. Our bodies actually respond to inner peace by producing better health. So I believe peace is critical to a believers life. So as I continued studying in this area, the Lord showed me 3 degrees of Peace.

1) The first degree comes out of the scripture that says, "peace that passes all understanding." In other words, I can have peace in the midst of the storm. That I can hold true to God, and no matter what is going on around me, I will stay secure knowing God's love will keep me, and that is the peace I can have. This can only be acquired when we have a deep trust and relationship with God. When we truly know we are completely forgiven, that He loves us no matter what, and that we receive His unconditional love 24 hours a day. That's when we can experience this peace.

2) We find peace when we "understand" what is going on. For example, if something is happening that I don't understand why it's happening, I lose my peace. But once I find out what is happening I say, "Oh, now I understand" and that restores my peace. It comes from knowing. There are times we have to all agree that we won't always understand, but we can still hav epeace in this knowing the one who does know and understand, and that is God. When we can say, "I don't understand this Lord, but I trust you nonetheless" is a person who understands how to obtain peace.

3) I had thought the first two areas of peace was enough, but the Lord showed me a mystery. He said that He would share mysteries with us, and this is one of those times. He has me in a place of peace now that nothing can touch it. It's so deeply engrained that when something happens, or when my mind starts to lie to me, or when I'm dealing with people, there is a calmness to me. Something so deep, I cannot even put words to. There is no description in the english language what I'm feeling. This is when he said, "This is the peace that passes all understanding." Yes, it's one thing to have peace in the midst of a storm, yes, it's another to "know" what's going on so you can have peace knowing that, but there is the final degree of peace, that words cannot even describe. It's a feeling of awareness of God's love every single second of the day. Hiding in the shadow of His wings. Receiving His love perfectly. This is the peace that I hope each and every person obtains in this lifetime. It's a glimpse of heaven! The Bible says in the Lords' prayer, "On earth as it is in heaven." We can have heavenly things on earth, and this is one of those things.

If you want this deep engrained peace, keep on seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. There is no quick fix, or forumula, I don't have a 3 step "how to obtain peace" guide. THis is something between you adn God and if you don't give up, you too will obtain. It's a peace that doesn't go up and down with circumstances, it's a peace that maintains without your help! The first two degrees, I have a part in, but the 3rd degree comes from God himself!

TONGUES FOR THE BELIEVER by Pete Plitt

Long ago the Psalmist declared, "for I am fearfully and wonderfully made," [Psalms 139:14]. Since our Maker had everything to do with our own personal creation, He certainly knows how we are wired and what it takes to keep us on point. Most of our day to day activity is fairly calculated as we strive to walk out God's plan for our lives. However, change is inevitable. A new job offer, moving to a new location, buying the right home, interpersonal issues, whatever the change, sometimes finds us groping for direction. Here we must ask the question, "Would the God of Heaven, who paid such close attention to detail concerning our design, neglect to fashion a most perfect way to communicate with us every infinitesimal contingent concerning our daily affairs and need for guidance?" Of course not. Yet, too often our course is unclear. So since it is not God that forgot to provide the dot connectors, it falls on us to not just ask, but learn how to hear and know.

Jesus said in John 15:15, "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for ALL THINGS that I have heard of my Father I HAVE MADE KNOWN UNTO YOU." Also, Jesus said in John 16:13 that the Spirit of truth would lead us into ALL truth. Those are pretty strong indicators that God really does want us fully informed. Well, when does the light bulb go on? Paul says, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" -1Corinthians 2:7. What mysteries? What hidden wisdom? Every time we crack open the epistles, we get to enjoy pages of insights that had been hidden for centuries, insights revealed to the Apostles. We can actually walk along with Jesus in the Gospels and watch this Old Covenant Prophet usher in the New as He revealed the heart of a loving Father. Paul and the other New Testament scribes relied on the writings of Moses and the prophets and the words of Jesus, but to put these mysteries to ink, they needed the Holy Spirit to reveal them. We call these "revelations" the New Testament. The point is that the early saints learned how to hear, how to discern the mysteries of the ages, as well as how to know which town to go to next. So must we.

The 2nd chapter of I Corinthians says the heart of man had not yet received the things which God had prepared for those that loved Him, but then goes on to say that God had revealed them unto us by his Spirit, and that His "Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." The verses continue, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But we have the mind of Christ." What exactly is the "spirit" of God that we received? What exactly is having the "mind of Christ?" Simply put, it is the new Nature that we receive at the rebirth. We become one in the spirit, in the commonality of the same new Nature. We no longer have the spirit or nature of the world, but of God. With that "spirit" we are now equipped to become one with the Holy Spirit, hearing from Him that which is "spiritually discerned." We don't have the actual mind of Jesus, but by His new Nature, we have the ability to think like Him as we walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit or new Nature, [Romans 8:1].

How do truths that are "spiritually discerned" become apparent? Some of the answer lies in these select verses from 1Corintians 14:2-26 which state, "FOR HE THAT SPEAKETH IN AN UNKNOWN TONGUE SPEAKETH NOT UNTO MEN, BUT UNTO GOD: for no man understandeth him; howbeit IN THE SPIRIT HE SPEAKETH MYSTERIES.. . . He that speaketh in an unknown tongue EDIFIETH HIMSELF; . . . I would that ye ALL spake with tongues, . . . Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by REVELATION, or by KNOWLEDGE, or by PROPHESYING, or by DOCTRINE? . . . Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue PRAY THAT HE MAY INTERPRET. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, MY SPIRIT PRAYETH, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. For thou verily GIVEST THANKS WELL, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, EVERY ONE OF YOU hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a TONGUE, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying."

The focus here is not so much on the tongue for interpretation to an assembly which equals prophecy, nor is it on the God inspired intercessional groanings that Romans 8 speaks of, neither is it on that "sign" to the unbeliever, but is on a prayer that God the Holy Spirit Himself delivers to our spirit for the very purpose of our praying out [my spirit prayeth] His truths in our behalf. It is the heavenly language ["Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels . . ." I Corinthians 13:1] that edifies, exhorts, and comforts US. It builds US up on our most holy faith, [Jude 1:20]. Again, this diversity or gift application of verse 2 is a tongue not spoken to men, but to God, full of mysteries, creating an edification process. Let's see. In a heavenly language, God the Holy Spirit presents to our spirit His secrets, insights, and will, our spirit, in cooperation with our will and mouth, begin to speak these perfect wisdoms, and then God turns around and answers His own prayer that He used us as a vessel to pray them through. Now is that God typical brilliant or what?

Just for clarity, tongues is not an end all, be all, though it is a huge part of hearing from God. In other words, tongues does not do what fasting will do, nor does worship replace reading the Word. They all have an integral part in our spiritual growth. In a tongue with interpretation or prophetic word over a church body or individuals, the Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Discerning of spirits, and other facets or gifts of the Holy Spirit [I Corinthians 12] can manifest freely. The same principle applies when we pray not unto men, but unto God in the spirit. As we pray in tongues, previously vague Scriptures will jump off the page at us confirming or correcting doctrine, dark regions of our heart never before realized will come to light as God purifies us, a knowing and confidence in future decisions will reveal themselves and overwhelm us in a state of peace that boggles our mind, a warning of a trap laid by the enemy will be revealed out of nowhere, even gems like the gift of faith and workings of miracles will manifest as we begin to think and act more and more like Jesus.

Is it any wonder that the enemy fights this, having one group telling us that tongues is of the devil, another insists that tongues has passed with the prophets, some declaring that tongues is not for everyone, and yet others are sure that if you pray in tongues too much, you might get goofy. There's even a good deal of confusion as to receiving the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. The premise is that if one does not begin to tongue talk, they obviously did not receive the Holy Spirit. It's amazing we don't have more hurting shipwrecks in the Body.

According to Mark 11:23, the time that you should believe that you received is "when you prayed," not when you begin to speak in tongues, not when you start feeling healed, not when you see your bills paid. After getting saved, some don't always "feel" saved, yet if taught properly, understand that their salvation is not based on whether they feel saved, but is by Grace through Faith [Ephesian 2:8]. The same holds for tongues. If you've asked the Holy Spirit to fill you with power and evidence, then in your private worship time, just love on Him and it won't be long before rivers of living water are bringing life to the world around you.

Schedule of Events

Seminars

Your Comments

Back