Standing!

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23, NKJV)

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. (Mark 11:24, New Living Translation)

This morning I woke up with the Legacy Church (www.legacykona.com) Praise Team singing in my head. Loud and clear, I could hear William McDowell's version of  "Standing".   

"We are stand-ing... stand-ing...

Standing on the promise of Christ our Savior!"

If you've never heard that version of the song, I encourage you to meditate on it. It will really bless you. I so deeply appreciate the impact worship teams have on congregations! Life giving words set to music and whole heartedly belted out during services in a "corporate setting" continue to minister days, weeks, even months or years later! I consistently revert to praise songs I heard over twenty years ago. Worship teams, don't ever fall for the lie that you are not impacting His kingdom. 

But, praise teams is not what this post is about. Today's post is about standing on His promises! 

After I worshipped the LORD with that song, thanked Him for His great faithfulness, and enjoyed His amazing presence, I asked Him what He would have me write today. He said, "Standing!"

In a previous blog post, I discussed speech issues that we've battled with my youngest child. If you missed that post, you can read it here.  

http://keytovblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/stay-in-it-to-win-it.html

The following Sunday after Gracie's initial consultation, I took her to our pastor,  Dr. Larry Ollison. He prayed for her and declared all would be right with her. Additionally, he spoke life and peace into me. That moment was a turning point. From fear and despair to faith and hope. 

This morning God brought to my remembrance, our family's confession for the past 4 + years during the speech battle with Gracie. Basic, simple and very uncomplicated, every time the LORD brought it to our remembrance or every time the enemy would whisper in our ear, "It's been so long, she will never speak correctly." We laid our hands on Gracie's head and gently spoke, "Perfect speech in the name of Jesus." We also taught her and her sister to stay in agreement with us by speaking the same thing. We refused to get in agreement with what we were seeing and hearing. Instead, we were standing in agreement with His promises. 

Last year, when Gracie was six years old, she was tested by a www.chea-elks.org speech pathologist. At that time, her speech was at a five year old level (one year behind). Last week, she was re-tested, her speech is now at an eight year old level (one year ahead).

In this fast food nation, the temptation to give up if immediate results don't manifest may strike. Strike back! It is more crucial now than ever, to forego what we are told in the natural and hold fast to that which is permanent without wavering because He who has promised is faithful! 

"We are stand-ing... stand-ing...

Standing on the promise of Christ our Savior!"

This Just In: God Called Me to Pastor!

As many of  you know, my mother died in a car wreck when I was 2 years old. As a result, I learned from a very early age to compartmentalize life's issues in one of two categories: Critical or Non critical  As a result, I have unintentionally disregarded many of my children's childhood issues filing them in the non critical category. At times, my method has made them feel unheard because their issues were only non critical to me. The LORD recently told me, "Their little issues are just as large to them from their perspective as yours are to you from your perspective." I recently heard Jimmy Evans at Marriage Today say, "Husbands must pastor their wives all day long, every day". For example, if the garbage disposal breaks, the husband pastors her (ministers to her) and says, "Honey, I will call the plumber right now and get it fixed." If the wife's mother breaks her foot, the husband pastors her and says, "Honey, it's ok, we will do what we have to do to take care of her." God woke me up last night at 3:00 A.M. He lovingly told me, I am called to pastor my children in much the same manner a husband pastors a wife. I am to insure our daily schedule is not overwhelmed so that when one of my girls brings an issue to me, I consistently have time, energy and attention to say, "Honey, it's ok, we will (fill in the blank)".  Who has He called you to pastor?

My Children's Chazown

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6, NKJV)

This past weekend I attended The Chazown Experience at www.legacykona.com. Please see prior blog post for more information.

In the class, I committed to use the Chazown Experience website (www.chazown.com) on an ongoing consistent basis in order to keep my priorities in line with what I learned in class. 

The Chazown Experience doesn’t focus on just one area of my life. It focuses on major key points keeping me aligned in order to fulfill the desired end result...the reason God created me.

This morning, as I was working on the website, I had a thought. 

What if, I had  the Chazown Experience when:

• I graduated college, or 

• graduated high school, or 

• before I entered college or high school? 

Then I went a step further, what if I had been given the Chazown Experience when I was a child?

Unfortunately, until I was in my late twenties, I had very little focus. For the most part, for almost thirty years, I lived day to day with little regard for my future. Thirty years is a long time.

Then I thought of my girls. God has given me the awesome privilege of training them up in the way they should go, insuring when they are old they will not depart from it.

Then my spirit leaped! I can walk my girls through the Chazown Experience now! So we started today! We are walking through our Chazown together! I am determined that this Fulton O’Hana will end up somewhere on purpose!

You are going to end up somewhere. The question is, will you end up somewhere on purpose?

The Chazown Experience

Where there is no vision, the people perish.  (Proverbs 29:18)

I am a photographer. Photography is a main driving force in my life. In photography, focus can make or break a photograph. If a photographer doesn't insure the subject is in focus, the photographers work is in vain. Additionally, specific focus can add character and integrity to a shot if strategically placed making an ordinary photo beyond extraordinary. 

Our lives are the same. When we daily operate with a specific, purposeful focus on the main driving forces in our lives, our lives are beyond extraordinary. 

This weekend, I participated in The Chazown Experience at www.legacykona.com facilitated by Pastor Chris Greisser. For details, and you are going to want the details, please go to www.chazown.com. 

For me, this year has been a year of gaining personal focus. This year, I have eliminated many of those things in my life that doesn't support my personal vision. I have filtered out and stopped doing many things, in order to operate in those specific things that God has called me to do. As a result, I've stopped operating in mediocrity in many things working towards excellence in specific things.

This weekend was the cumulation of the areas God has been walking out in me this year. The Chazown Experience training zeroed me in on an even more specific focus for the rest of my life illuminating my heart's desire for my end result. Now, I can work daily with the end result in mind to purposefully hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Now enter into the joy of your Master." Hearing those words from my King, is my ultimate goal.

What are the driving forces in your life?
Are you focused?

Make the move now, get somewhere on purpose! Find your Chazown!

Sit AND Hold It

Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the LORD your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him. (Deuteronomy  11:22)

I have a wonderful dog, Bo. He is considered a large breed weighing over 80 pounds. Bo loves to take walks. We live in an area that requires all animals be on a leash. When Bo hears his leash, he gets so excited, spins in circles, and has difficulty sitting down and holding that position in order for me to put the leash on him. 

While he is in a tail spin, he isn't listening so I refuse to wrestle with him. I could grab his neck, swing the leash on him (after several attempts) and that process would work but it would only serve to wear me out and hype him up further. Been there. Done that. It's almost like roping a calf. When he came to live with us, he had been wonderfully trained so he knows the commands. In his frenzied state, he doesn't always want to adhere to the commands.


When I have a treat in my hand, he will hold it (His sitting position.) for as long as I stand there so I know he has the ability to sit and hold it. 

Instead of wrestling his leash on him, I use a different approach. I pick up the leash. He turns in circles. I say, "sit and hold it". His bottom hits the floor for .2 seconds and he is up spinning in circles again. I say, "sit and hold it". He sits again for a few seconds, whines, stretches, and starts spinning again. 

After several verbal commands, I give him the hand signal (American Sign Language) for sit and hold it. Now he knows I'm serious because I've stopped talking. I will not take him on his walk until he follows through with the commands. I refuse to confuse him with a different approach daily. I hold to original training because consistency is critical as to not confuse him. Finally, he decides to sit and hold it, patiently, while I calmly place the leash on him. I can't do anything productive with him as long as he is spinning around in a frenzy. 

Currently, in our world, we are seeing things happen that has never been seen before and oftentimes our flesh wants to throw us into a tail spin. It is more important now than ever to be still, walk in His ways and hold tightly to Him. We must refuse the tailspin!

Consider this, just as I refuse to wrestle with Bo as long as he is in a tailspin, could it be the LORD waits for us to sit AND hold it? 

Mahalo Nui Loa!

We would like to take a moment to thank you all who continue to send emails, texts, share Key Tov Blog, retweets, etc. in your support of Key Tov Blog ministering His love, grace and light!

Your encouragement is a blessing! It is such a great honor to be blessed with you in running this race alongside us!

We also want to take this time to encourage you to step up and step out in His call for your life. He has a divine purpose for you! He called you and He is faithful! (1 Corinthians 1:9)

Some of you have expressed to me that you cannot be used because of past mistakes, current struggles, etc. Your time is now! He delivers you! (Psalm 34:19)

Please hear me now! So…you recognize you have weaknesses and struggles…big woo. File all weaknesses and struggles in the, “Big Woo Department” and forget what lies behind and press on to what lies ahead! (Philippians 3:13)

Thank you Dr. Larry Ollison for teaching me the powerful message of, “Big Woo”!

In celebration of our upcoming one year anniversary, and because of your overwhelming encouragement, we want to give something back to you, our phenomenal supporters!

Every time you mention Key Tov Blog on social media from now until 12:00 p.m. our time on August 30^th, 2012, we will add your name in a free drawing for your choice of “Breaking the Cycle of Offense” by Dr. Larry Ollison or “Streams of Living Color: The Light of His Glory” by Pastor Melissa Harris. As an added bonus, I will see what I can do in order to get you a signed copy if possible.

I’ve read both books and God has used the authors to change the course of my life in a power filled way.

But wait! There’s more! We will also include a Visa gift card! The amount to be announced at the time of the drawing! Drawing to be held on August 31^st, 2012.

For more information on Breaking the Cycle of Offense, please use this link.

http://www.walkonthewaterbooks.com/wowbooks/index.php?l=product_detail&p=2

For more information on “Streams of Living Color: The Light of His Glory” please use this link.

http://www.millerhopecenter.org/

To insure each of your mention(s) are in the drawing, please go to our Facebook page and “like” it. We will be acknowledging all mentions on our Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Whatsoever-things-are-of-good-report/123471901011836

Drawing Rules:

To insure each of your mentions are included in the drawing, we will acknowledge every mention(s). If at any point we do not acknowledge your mention(s) within 24 hours, please contact us via our Facebook wall so that we may insure your mention(s) are included. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via our Facebook wall.

Mahalo Nui Loa from the depths of our hearts for your love, encouragement, and support. We are eternally grateful to God for placing in your our lives! And we take to heart every encouraging word, prayer request, and words of life spoken into Key Tov Blog!

The Beautiful Swan

During reading time with my girls, I chose The Ugly Duckling. This is very uncommon because I generally always choose something new to read that they haven't read before. I really sensed a leading from the Holy Spirit to choose this story.

The book explains how the ducks were very mean to the duckling. They pecked the duckling (physical abuse) and said mean things (verbal abuse). They bombarded the duckling from all sides. Then came the geese and herons which were also very mean, saying ugly things and subjecting the duckling to more pecking (abuse/neglect).

Then the duckling got away from the mean ducks, geese and the heron. The book says, "The duckling went off to himself and the duckling grew." Once the duckling relocated itself, it grew. To further elaborate, once the duckling removed itself from exterior pressure, it grew. The book means physically, but I believe we grow spiritually when we get away from exterior pressure. When we remove ourselves from all the "noise" and commune with Him, we lay aside everything that hinders us and we run with perseverance because there is no excess baggage to meditate on. Mediating on the wonderful goodness of God brings light to any situation. 

Then one day, a fellow swan swam over and spoke to the "ugly duckling"...that...had...grown. Even though the duckling had changed, even though it grew, it still saw itself as it was prior to the growth. But the fellow swan saw the "ugly duckling" for what it actually was! A beautiful swan!

Sometimes, we feel like we have been pecked and chipped away at from all sides; parents, spouse, children, work, car problems, bills, medical issues, loneliness, societal "norms" attempting to tell us we don't stack up. All those things are not absolute truth. 

Brother Terry Mize taught me, "I know God is good and I know His Word is Truth. Truth always trumps true. What may be true today, may not be true tomorrow." 


Please allow me to elaborate. Your mother/father/siblings/spouse/children (In other words, anyone who isn't speaking God's Truth which is His Word.) may have said mean things to you to make you believe you are an ugly duckling. But you are not an ugly duckling. You are a child of God. (John 1:12)  He calls you His friend. (John 15:15) You belong to Him. (1 Corinthians 6:19 & 20) 

Ask Him for a verse that reconciles with your spirit. Make that verse yours. You don't need a hundred verses. I believe it was Kenneth Copeland who said, "One word from God can change your life forever". Be faithful in replacing all other "noise" with your scripture. You can trump true with Absolute Truth! (Hebrews 4:12)

You can make the decision to take the Word of God and literally rewire your brain and rewrite your future to align with absolute Truth. Truth trumps true. Choose to take everything that has been said to you and trump it with, "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is mine through Christ, who loves me."

Overwhelming victory is ours!

Take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). Your thoughts are in your head so you control them. Joy must come. (Psalm 30:5)

Therefore if anyone is in Christ...who is in Christ? YOU are in Christ! You are a new creature! All this newness is from God! It doesn't matter what anyone has said to you as a child, or what people say about you now if they gang up on you! Because, if what they say doesn't line up with the Word of God, it is a lie, how exciting! And since that is truth, you don't have to think on it! (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Consider this, perhaps others have said things to you not based on what how they see you but through filters they view themselves through. Perhaps they have more issues with themselves than they do with you but they have used you for their fall guy. 

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 

What are you going to think of yourself? What are you going to say about yourself? 

Are you going to base your thoughts and words in light of what others have thought and said? Or according to His marvelous light and dependent on what He thinks and according to what He has said? 

This choice is not only about you. It is also about your descendants.
This is truly your choice, so always, always, choose life! (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Wanna Stand? Gotta get Dressed Every Day!

Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)

Currently, there are cutesy little signs on the internet regarding awkward moments; for example, “Awkward Moment # 9,362” and then they fill in the blank with something awkward.

Today I experienced an awesome moment!

Someone made a random comment to me about a pastor (as if it were firsthand knowledge) and I knew the comment to be untrue. Behold! I was handed the amazing opportunity to respond with, “Oh really? Well, they are a close personal friend of mine, I will call them right now to confirm or deny that situation.” I immediately got a shocked look, eyes bugged out and I distinctly heard a big gulp.


I didn’t respond this way in order to pat myself on the back and say, “Woohoo, look at me.” No, this was all about cutting the enemies head off, immediately. By the way, the person making the comment is not the enemy. (Ephesians 6:12)

This is how we handle these type of situations:

1. Never, ever link up with that. 
2. Always go directly to the source. 
3. Cut that things head off, immediately. 
4. Stand up for the person who is not there as if you are standing up for yourself, or your spouse, or your children, or your best friend.

In doing so, the momentum of the weapon of the enemy immediately falls to the ground! It completely loses its force!

The second element in this battle is no less critical than the first. That is, once we successfully decapitate the enemy in the first strike (negative comment) we must never resuscitate it by speaking about the incident. Loose lips sink ships. Some information is just not worthy of passing on. (Philippians 4:8). 


For example, I could have called the pastor and told him/her all about the incident. That is, winning the first strike but suiting up for a suicide mission for the second strike and taking all those around me down with me.


I could have told my husband, Mike. In the overall battle, first strike would have been won while the third strike blew up home base.


I could have told all my closest girlfriends at church. First strike won while fourth strike scattered the forces.


Or worst of all options, I could have posted the incident on Facebook, KABOOM! Won one battle but lost the war...


We must be vigilant, alert, self controlled and refuse to be devoured! (1 Peter 5:8)

God has set us up to successfully stand and Ephesians 6:12-18 tells us how!

• Get dressed in His full armor and stand!
• Stand firm in our belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness in place!
• Insure our feet are fitted and stay ready with the gospel of peace!
• Use our shield of faith, it extinguishes all flaming arrows!
• Protect our head with the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, His Word!
• Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Be alert and always pray for the Lord’s people!

Get dressed every day and stand!

Battle!

Resist the devil, and he will flee. (James 4:7)

Ever been hurt? Ever been hurt and what you believed to have happened was truth but as it turned out, you were wrong? And you harbored hurt based on a lie?

Ever been hurt and what you believed to have happened was truth and as it turned out, you were right? And you harbored hurt based on a truth? 

What is the difference between the two when aligned with scripture? Do we have loopholes in scripture? If we were truly wronged, and not operating in a misunderstanding, are we allowed the "luxury" to nurture that hurt until it grows into a full blown root continuing to "bloom" even decades later? Or at least until a new hurt presents itself. And affecting all relationships, present and future.

No, we don't.  We truly have option. Submit to God by obeying His Word.

Of course, there is that other option. Pick up the offense caused by the hurt, hold it, pet it, baby it, feed it for years or even until death finally kills the hurt. After all, some people purposefully hurt others. But I know every person reading this is far too wise, far too full of The Word, and far too led by the Spirit to fall for the enemies schemes by fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. We immediately recognize this as a scheme of the enemy; therefore, we absolutely avoid it. 

How do we do battle against this scheme? I'm so glad you asked! 

First, please understand, we operate in two realms. Natural (what we see which is temporary, James 4:14) and the spiritual (what we don't see which is permanent, 2 Corinthians 4:18). The flesh wants to scream, cry, complain. We must not fulfill those lusts of the flesh. Instead, we must walk by the Spirit renewing our minds daily, having new mercies every day like our Father, and operate in forgiveness. (Galations 5:16, Romans 12:2, Lamentations 3:23, Luke 6:37)

Stay so closely knitted in His Word, there is no room for anything else. And as a result, we lack for nothing. Including freedom from offense. (Matthew 6:33)

We can operate in so much grace, everyone who comes into contact with us is changed! I've been learning a lot about grace lately. I believe one aspect of grace is continually meditating on and operating in the fullest definition of thanksgiving in everything Jesus is and refusing to meditate on anything that everything else and everyone else isn't. At the end of the day, isn't everything we do (including speaking and thinking) all about Jesus? In light of our redemption package, what else truly matters?

The secular world knows offense is poison to the mind, soul, and body. Deadly diseases that manifest in the body can be scientifically linked to an offense(s). How much more must we, as born again believers, avoid obvious traps. Choose life! (Deuteronomy 30:19) 

So somebody we know does something stupid to us...big woo (As Dr. Larry Ollison would say). 


We must spend more time meditating on Kingdom principles than we do on whether or not we are justified in an offense. Failing to do so, is a first step in the wrong direction. Consider this, the next time you are offended, don't tell anyone but Jesus. And then, pray for that person until you are free. That's freedom!

What would happen if we imitated our Father as dear children and focused on the good of others and disregard the negatives. God focuses on the good in us, let's do the same! (Ephesians 5:1)

Doing battle like this in the spiritual realm is not as difficult as some may think. This fight against the enemy is not ours but the LORD's. (2 Chronicles 20:15). My battle and your battle lies in the first part of James 4:7. So place yourselves under God's authority. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you. (God's Word Translation) Hard for him to do battle as he is running away.

How are you going to do battle?

Provision

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

My husband, Mike, does the majority of the shopping for our household. Our girls always want to go shopping with Daddy. They know if they go shopping with Dad, they leave the store with their own pack of gum.

Our girls have often asked, "If I am good, will you buy me gum?" His response, "No I will buy you gum because I love you, I know you like gum, and I want to bless you." Buying them gum isn't about what they do but is about who he is.

Our girls know who their father is and they know good things come from him. They have never questioned his existence or his ability to provide. They know, based on experience, that he consistently gives them good gifts. They also know how to position themselves to receive from him by having complete faith in him to provide. 

Mike operates in these principles with our girls because he has learned these principles from his Heavenly Father. He knows who his Father is. He believes God is and believes He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. God blesses us, not because of what we do but because of who He is!

Do you know the Father?
Do you believe He is?
Do you believe He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him?

Many know The Father. Many believe He is. Many believe He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. But some struggle with His provision for them personally. Take a step of faith today. His provision is not based on what you do but who He is. Dig into His promises in His wonderful Word and just believe!