"A Vision of the Golden Shovel" - Tiffany Ann Lewis

"A Vision of the Golden Shovel"

Tiffany Ann Lewis, Rexford, NY

The Elijah List

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1

Here's my heart Lord
Here's my heart Lord
Here's my heart Lord
Take all of me...

I had a glorious vision of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem during a time of prayer while these words were being sung. In the vision, I was standing at the entrance of the temple facing the brazen altar and the whole court of God was before me and it was alive with worship.

The images changed quickly from scene to scene and suddenly the smoke that had been rising steadily from the altar of sacrifice, died down and the people went home. It was then, in the stillness of the courtyard, that I saw Jesus, our High Priest, come out from the Holy Place with a golden shovel in His hand. He went quickly and purposefully to the brazen alter and scooped up the ashes and carried them inside the Holy Place. (Photo via Wikipedia)

The vision ended as quickly as it started but something about the intensity that the Lord had while He was scooping the ashes continued to grip my heart. There was a protectiveness and tenderness to His actions. I sensed Jesus cherished those precious ashes. You see, He knows firsthand that the Altar of Sacrifice is not always a pleasant place to be therefore, He is tender and sympathetic to the pain of the process. And it is a process, however, in Jesus, nothing is lost.

Even the searing pain has a purpose. Even the ashes have a purpose. Jesus was bringing the ashes into the Holy Place to make something beautiful from the hearts offered up to Him in faith on the altar of sacrifice. Selah...

Jesus Picked Up Our Ashes...

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me... to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." Isaiah 61:1a;3

Now, I know what you're thinking... it wasn't a golden shovel that the priest used to bring the coals into the holy place... it was a brass shovel. This is true however, I think there was a reason that the Lord showed me a golden shovel in the vision verses the bronze one in Scripture. Let me explain.

In Scripture bronze symbolizes strength, judgement, and captivity. Gold on the other hand represent rarity, purity and God's deity. Using a gold verses bronze shovel reveals, I believe, how precious the lives that we offer up to Him are. They may not be lives that are perfect or free from failure, but a broken, humble heart the Lord will never despise.

You are probably familiar with this Psalm written by King David, the man after God's heart, after his horrific sin of killing Uriah to cover committing adultery with his wife, and which was revealed (see 2 Samuel 11). What David had done was displeasing to the Lord but his sincere repentance wasn't. I believe his repentance was precious to the Lord and the very reason, in the vision, I saw the Lord Jesus come with a golden shovel, not a shovel of strong bronze judgement. (Photo via Wikipedia)

Many Believers today are stuck in their shame, feeling like the Lord despises them because of their sin. Instead of being set free with the truth of Romans 5:8 that "...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us," they are stuck in "the shame of being a sinner" that Christ needed to die for.

Here is the core of the vision: there was no distain or judgement on the Lord's face as He scooped up the ashes. There was a look of joy and pleasure as He scooped up the precious ashes that come from our lives laid upon the altar of sacrifice in sweet surrender to Him.

Beloved, surrounded by all that ashes of our lives there is a burning ember that He will bring into the Holy Place and use to bring a sweet, smelling aroma to God from the altar of incense. Amen and Amen.

Tiffany Ann Lewis
Dancing With the Flame of the LORD Ministries

Email: tiffanyann@tiffanyannlewis.com
Website: tiffanyannlewis.com

Tiffany Ann Lewis is an enthusiastic Bible teacher with a unique focus on Biblical Hebrew and a worshiper of God whose heart has been awakened by a God who sees us in our shortcomings and loves us in spite of them all. He calls out to us so we can live fully free from the trappings of guilt and shame, because we are accepted in the Beloved, Christ Jesus (see Ephesians 1:6). She is passionate about empowering individuals through the Word of God, knowing it will instill a deeper devotion to Him and give them hope for the journey.

Tiffany Ann and her husband Rodney have been married for twenty-five years and have one darling daughter, Ashley, a glorious granddaughter, Gloriana, and two pups that are also a part of their precious family. They live in upstate New York where Tiffany is pastor at Crossroadz Christian Church in Rexford, New York.

To subscribe to The Elijah List go to:http://elijahlist.com/subscribe

"I Called You Here" - Tiffany Ann Lewis

"I Called You Here"

Tiffany Ann Lewis, Rexford, NY

The Elijah List

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away... Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea... But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 

So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased (see Matthew 14:22-32).

During a time of prayer and worship at our church, I sensed that there are many of us who have stepped out in faith, believing the Lord has called us upon the water, only to find ourselves sinking. We have believed God for a healing, a restored relationship, a career change, or a breakthrough of another kind and are taken aback because rather than rising above a situation, we are sinking under. Dazed and confused, we crawl back into the boat wondering why God let us sink.

In response to this prophetic moment in prayer, I felt the Lord say, "Peter...I called you out on this water for a purpose, and sinking even just a little, was part of it."

Storms Aren't a Surprise to God

Do we really think that the storms that come our way in life are a surprise to the Almighty? After all, we are talking about the God who holds the entire universe in place with the power of His Word and works things out through the counsel of His supreme will. Did this storm that the disciples found themselves in the midst of really surprise Him? I think not. (Photo via pixabay)

Let's look back at the text and I'll show you what I mean. Notice in verse 22, it says Jesus "made" the disciples go into the boat so they could go to the other side before Him. The Greek word used here for "made" is anagkazo (Strong's #315). Anagkazo is an odd way to get folks in a boat if you were to ask me. The Vines Lexicon explains that the word denotes "to put constraint upon (from the word ananke, 'necessity'), to constrain," whether by threat, entreaty, force or persuasion. 

You can see its intensity in Luke 14:23 when Jesus was giving the parable of the great supper in the Kingdom of God where it is translated "compel": "Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.'"Compel them to come!!!

It's almost as if Jesus was saying "Please...get in the boat! You must get in the boat." Now, you can imagine the intensity if they were already in a sinking ship and He was trying to get them into a lifeboat, but this situation is the other way around. Jesus was compelling them to get into a boat that was going to encounter a storm.

You see, sometimes, God calls us on the water and then allows us to go under just a smidgen so we can see His sovereign hand reaching out to save us. Although we feel forsaken because we are sinking fast, we are not. 

Jesus is with us, we are not alone, and He is aware of every single thing that is going on. From there (that place of feeling like we are sinking), we are learning an invaluable lesson. We are learning that we will see His hand reach out to us at just the right time.

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). God uses both the good and the bad together. Not just the good and not just the bad. He uses all things: the good, the bad, and everything in between, and works it together for good. In His sovereignty, He uses them both.

Peter walked on the water (good) and Peter also began to sink (bad). Yet it was all happening under God's watchful eye and He had a purpose for it all that everyone on that boat would benefit from then and now. (Photo via flickr)

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

Peter only sank a little, yet he was not sunken because He served a God who had a plan and a purpose for his life. This was all part of becoming the rock Jesus would build His Church upon. The same holds true for us all.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you." Isaiah 43:2

God has called you here for a purpose and you are not alone. He is there with you and you will see His hand reach out to you. 

Amen and Amen.

Tiffany Ann Lewis
Dancing With the Flame of the LORD Ministries

Email: tiffanyann@tiffanyannlewis.com
Website: tiffanyannlewis.com

Tiffany Ann Lewis is an enthusiastic Bible teacher with a unique focus on Biblical Hebrew and a worshiper of God whose heart has been awakened by a God who sees us in our shortcomings and loves us in spite of them all. He calls out to us so we can live fully free from the trappings of guilt and shame, because we are accepted in the Beloved, Christ Jesus (see Ephesians 1:6). She is passionate about empowering individuals through the Word of God, knowing it will instill a deeper devotion to Him and give them hope for the journey.

Tiffany Ann and her husband Rodney have been married for twenty-five years and have one darling daughter, Ashley, a glorious granddaughter, Gloriana, and two pups that are also a part of their precious family. They live in upstate New York where Tiffany is pastor at Crossroadz Christian Church in Rexford, New York.

To subscribe to The Elijah List go to:http://elijahlist.com/subscribe

God Said it…Just Believe it by Tiffany Ann Lewis

God Said it…Just Believe it 

by Tiffany Ann Lewis

Identity Network

"…Do not be afraid; only believe." (Mark 5:36b)

God said it - just believe it…is a phrase I saw on a bumper sticker years ago.  The goal of the bumper sticker was to evoke childlike faith.  However, it did just the opposite in my mind.  I remember thinking to myself, "easier said than done."  You see, when your house is falling down, your health is failing, and your finances are dwindling it's hard to keep believing.  In moments like these we may even wonder, "What did God say?"  Or even worse, "Did He really mean it?  Is it really so?"  This is something humanity has wrestled with from the beginning of time.

The Intentions of God's Heart

In Genesis 1, we have the first record of God speaking.  At the head of all things, God's Spirit was hovering over the face of confusion, the waters of chaos, circling over the darkness, brooding over it.  Then suddenly God spoke the intentions of His heart and as you know, what He said came to pass bringing order out of chaos.

Everything God said/says, past, present, and future will come to pass and has the power to bring order out of chaos. Yet, since the beginning, the slippery serpent has been messing with the minds of God's kids attempting to pluck the seed, "His words" right out of our hearts with one simple question, "Did God really say?  Did God really 'amar?"  (see Gen 3:1) It is the classic deception from the enemy of our souls because he knows that God's word has the power to calm our chaos.

However, the very word that the serpent uses to stumble us with, "Did God really 'amar/say," is actually the chief cornerstone to our house of faith.  Let me show you what I mean.

The Hebrew word for say/said is 'Amar. (Strong's #559)  It's a root word that is found nearly 5000 times in the bible.  'Amar is spelled: aleph, mem, resh.  These three little letters are found three times in the book of Ezra and have brought order and peace to my own moments of darkness, chaos, and confusion.

Now, Ezra didn't use this word to explain something God said, no it's way better than that.  Ezra uses this word to define the lambs that were brought to the restored Temple for sacrifice.  

"And whatever they need - young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the request of the priests who are in Jerusalem - let it be given them day by day without fail." (Ezra 6:9)  

The word here for "lambs" is 'immar (Strong's #563) which comes from the Aramaic root "amar (strong's #560) in the sense of bringing forth and is connected to the root we have been studying, 'amar (Strong's #559).

The Word of God Stands Up for Itself

Are you still tracking with me?  It's easy to get confused. 

The bottom line of this word search is that the Word of God stands up for itself and it cannot deny itself.  It supports and confirms itself.  It's all hidden right within His word.  This is the mortar that will hold our house of hope together when the devil is trying to get us to doubt the fullness of God's intentions, to doubt what God said.  This isn't just a type and shadow this is a truth that is inscribed in the Word of God forever, in His own Holy language!

Jesus Christ is both the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29) and the Word of God made flesh to dwell among us (John 1:14).  He is the total message from God's heart to ours.  The Holy Spirit is still hovering today bringing forth/ reminding us of all that Jesus said (see John 14).  That which God utters into the darkness, void, chaos and confusion in our lives has the power to bring forth order and perfection.

Why did Ezra choose to use this word?  Only the Spirit of God knows but Scripture reveals that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (see Ephesians 6:17).  Therefore, I'm going to use it as a sword to cut through the lies of the enemy.

The Word that God has spoken, His promises, do not change.  God is the same yesterday today and forever and His blood - the very blood of the Lamb, still speaks.  Let's choose to listen to His voice and believe what He says.  Amen and Amen.

Tiffany Ann Lewis

www.tiffanyannlewis.com

School of the Law of Attraction

MP3/MP4 Digital Download 4 Week Course

By Jeremy Lopez
Price: $199.99
Sale! $109.99

Click HERE to order.

Sign up to receive our daily articles and receive 

2 FREE MP3 Teaching Downloads

from Identity Network

by Jeremy Lopez automatically.

(New Subscribers Only Please) 

*The Seeing Process of a Seer

*What Next God? Discouraged After Your Prophetic Word.

 A $20.00 Value

Print Friendly

Tiffany Ann Lewis: To Lean Or Not To Lean?

Tiffany Ann Lewis:

To Lean Or Not To Lean?

I would like to talk about Sampson and something that is seldom brought up: his natural strength. Generally, when we think about Sampson, we think about his supernatural strength or his fall to temptation resulting from dabbling with Delilah; however, I believe there is something else to be revealed here that we can all benefit from. 

I believe Sampson's greatest folly was not leaning on God because of his natural strength.

You see, I don't picture Sampson as a wimpy lad wandering around waiting for the Spirit of the Lord to come upon him, empowering him. The Bible says he was a warrior, so I believe he had plenty of natural strength of his own. He had to be ready to battle 24/7, in season and out.

Beloved, I believe that each of us has some natural strength that makes it possible to walk out what God has called us to do. Let me explain. There is a call, there are gifts, and there are talents – three different things. Each of us has received a call from God to be the light to the world around us. The gifts of the Holy Spirit empower us to reflect that light through the talents God has given us.

His Anointing

How that glorious Light is expressed through us will be uniquely different for everyone. A talent represents any kind of natural resource we are given. For example, a worship leader isn't a worship leader just because they can play an instrument or sing. A worship leader is called by God to lead others into His presence.

Furthermore, God may give that leader a supernatural gift of being able to hear His voice through the music so he/she can prophesy. Nevertheless, that individual has a natural talent of making music; there is skill that he/she needs to utilize in order to make that joyful sound to the Lord. With all that said, natural talent/strength can make beautiful music, but it can only touch the soul realm of the listener. 

Only the anointing of His Spirit will touch the heart.

The problem arises when we begin to gain confidence in our natural skill. I used that example because I was a worship leader long before I was a pastor, and it taught me a lesson I pray I never forget. When I began leading worship, I was scared to death. I would spend days praying and fasting in hopes that I could get all the way through a song without falling on my face.

Thankfully, over the years, I grew more confident and I didn't feel sick to my stomach every time I led worship. Unfortunately, as I gained confidence, I wasn't praying with the same intensity to make it through a service as I did in the beginning. 

Now, there is nothing wrong with confidence, but so often, as our confidence grows in that area, our prayer life diminishes in it.

Our Own Strength

In the Bible, prayerlessness is symbolized by sleep. It's no coincidence that Sampson was sleeping on Delilah's lap when his hair was cut. When he woke up, he just assumed that he could operate once again as he had always done before. 

Beloved, please hear this: Just because God anointed what you did yesterday, doesn't mean that He's anointing it today.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Evidently it was worth repeating, because it's quoted twice: both in Proverbs 14:12 and in Proverbs 16:25. So often we run out and do something assuming it will work just because it's worked for us in the past. Sampson ran out in the way that seemed right to him, and his enemies captured him. 

His greatest deception was not Delilah; it was his own strength. The deception comes when our natural talent causes us to lose sight of our utter dependency on God.

It would be very easy for me to lean on my experience or a good song list in order to lead worship "well," but then I wouldn't be leaning on Him anymore – I'd be leaning on my knowledge. Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." 

Sampson woke up finding himself once again in a situation where he needed to use his strength, and he said, "'I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!' But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him" (Judges 16:20).

Sampson got up and ran out as he had many times before, but notice, this time he didn't even know that the presence of the Lord had left him. O' God, how sad...how is this possible that he didn't even know? He must have been doing things for a long time in his own strength if he couldn't even discern the difference between when God was with him and when He wasn't.

Remember to Lean!

Tears sting my eyes and I tremble deep inside because I know firsthand what it's like to run out apart from the presence of the Lord. I know what it feels like to have turned left when God has turned right, only to find myself standing in my own strength and not His. I read this Bible passage and an alarm goes off in my spirit as if the Lord is shouting, "Warning, warning, please remember to lean!" 

What will it take us to get there? Does God have to cut our hair, or can we realize it through this glimpse into Sampson's life?

We have an opportunity right now to learn from Sampson's mistake. My calling today as a pastor is different than it was as a worship leader, and it's very different from Sampson's, and your calling is probably quite different from mine. However, one thing that we all have in common is our total dependency on Jesus Christ to help us walk it out.

The Lord wants us leaning on Him in all things, always! 

Seriously, think about it: all things, always – in raising our children, in doing our job, in all day-to-day affairs. He wants us leaning on Him emotionally, physically, and spiritually. He wants us leaning on Him for our next meal, our next promotion, and our next breath, in all things, always.

The Lord is inviting us today to take this leaning position. May we respond and choose to lean. Amen and Amen.

Tiffany Ann Lewis
Dancing With the Flame of the LORD Ministries

Email: tiffanyann@tiffanyannlewis.com
Website: tiffanyannlewis.com

Tiffany Ann Lewis is a prophetic worship leader and Bible teacher with a unique focus on Biblical Hebrew, and whose heart has been passionately awakened by a God who sees us in our shortcomings, loves us in spite of it all, and calls out to us so we can live (Ezekiel 16). Her vision is to create an atmosphere in worship where we can meet with God face-to-face, where the Spirit of God moves freely, releasing emotional, spiritual, and physical healing, and igniting a passion for our Heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus. 

Tiffany Ann has been ministering for over 15 years in the Body of Christ through worship and the Word. Her newest opportunity will be to serve as an Adjunct Professor of Biblical Hebrew at the Quest Bible Institute in Georgia where she is also a fully matriculated student enrolled in a graduate level Biblical/theological studies program at Quest Bible Institute and Seminary. Upon completion of her studies she will be awarded a Master's degree in Biblical Studies.

Tiffany and her husband Rodney have been married for more than twenty years and have one darling daughter, Ashley, a glorious granddaughter, Gloriana, and two precious pups that are also a part of their family.

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

There are some great life-lessons for us to glean on from Tiffany Ann Lewis' latest article. What she speaks about here – we've all been through!

It's always good to LEAN on the LORD and not ourselves, nor lean on our own understanding.

Enjoy this word!

Steve

To receive daily, encouraging prophetic emails from The Elijah List to your inbox CLICK HERE.

***

Note from Steve Shultz:

Your support for the Elijah List helps to pay the cost to deliver daily Words from the Lord to you for FREE. You help us by simply purchasing your prophetic and other Christian resources from a selection of over 6,000 products directly from us at: elijahshopper.com.

We appreciate our dear readers and we thank you for supporting your Elijah List staff!

Blessings,

Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher
The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News 

http://www.elijahlist.com http://www.breakingchristiannews.com

To subscribe to The Elijah List go to:http://elijahlist.com/subscribe

Let Love Win by Tiffany Ann Lewis (Identity Network)

Let Love Win 

by Tiffany Ann Lewis

"A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle." (Proverbs 18:19) 

There seems to be some difficulty in the translation of this text.  Some scholars see the text as reading, "A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities." (Douay-Rheims Bible)  The Aramaic Bible in Plain English translates it like this; "A brother is helped by his brother, like a city by its fortress, and they hold it like the bars of a fortress."  

Either way, what seems crystal clear to me is that offences such as bitterness, resentment, and un-forgiveness, can become a type of prison if left unresolved.  Oh sure, at first it feels like those bars are protecting the heart from more hurt, but the truth is, they are preventing individuals from the ultimate relational goal that God has designed.  God designed human beings for fellowship with Him and each other. "It is not good for man to be alone…" (Genesis 2:18) 

Forgiving someone may be one of the hardest choices a Christian will ever make.  With anger, hurt, and a very real sense of injustice fueling the fire of our emotions, we are faced with a very difficult decision…to forgive or not to forgive. 

The specific forgiveness that I sense the Lord speaking about is something more than turning the other cheek; more than not holding a grudge.  I believe the Lord is calling us to a forgiveness that would be willing to extend love again.  Unfortunately, depending on the level of hurt you have experienced, it may feel like a burden you simply can't bear. 

Learning Through Experience 

The heart is a funny little organ.  Responsible for sustaining life, it also has been likened as the source of our emotions too.  We learn by every experience we go through.  Pain teaches us some very powerful lessons in life.  We burn our hand and the pain teaches us how to handle the stove. We fall off our bicycle and the pain teaches us how to balance on two skinny wheels.  

Now, just because we have experienced pain does not mean that we will never use a stove or ride a bike again, oh but the heart…when it gets hurt it doesn't want to love again.  Sometimes it's just easier to build walls and hide behind them than to feel the pain of a broken heart.  The problem with that solution is that love isn't getting in nor is it getting out. 

It's time to break out of the prison of offence and let love win. 

The litmus test to all this is love.  Are we willing to extend our heart again?  You see, it is possible to share your time with someone but still withhold your heart from the relationship.  We can hide our heart and protect it from pain while walking around with tender mercy, kindness, and humility. However, to live this life that Christ has called us to we must extend love again. 

Above all else we are called to love.  

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection." (Colossians 3:12-14) 

The Core of Forgiveness 

Forgiveness that does not extend the heart again isn't really forgiveness at all because love and restoration is at the core of forgiveness.  Let me explain what I call "the grace factor of forgiveness".  The Greek word used here in Colossians for forgiving is "charizomai" (Strong's #5483).  Charizomai is a grace word, it comes from the same root as grace, "charis" (Strong's #5485) and means: to do a favor, to show kindness unconditionally, to give freely, to grant forgiveness, and to forgive freely.   

In other words, forgiveness is an intentional act of releasing one another from the debt that the offence caused.  It is refusing to require the penalty due, literally, to let it go.  The grace factor of forgiveness is giving the offender what they don't deserve…forgiveness. 

Beloved, forgiveness is a choice.  In that moment the pain may or may not go away.  We don't have the power to heal our heart but we serve the One who does.  He has called us to forgive others as He has forgiven us.  Therefore, in His love and mercy, He will supply what we need in order to respond to His request. 

Our power is only the power of choice.  It may take years to experience the emotional freedom and healing of forgiveness but it starts with us making a choice…choosing to let love win.  Amen and Amen. 

Tiffany Ann Lewis

www.tiffanyannlewis.com

Wholeness

The Mystery of Healing in the Bible

E-Book/PDF Download

By Jeremy Lopez
Price: $11.99
Sale! $8.99

Click HERE to order.

Sign up to receive our daily articles from 

Identity Network

and receive 

2 FREE MP3 Teaching Downloads

by Jeremy Lopez automatically.

(New Subscribers Only Please) 

*The Seeing Process of a Seer

*What Next God? Discouraged After Your Prophetic Word.

 A $20.00 Value

 

Print Friendly