Small Straws In A Soft Wind - April
 

April 1: I am reminded of Elijah when he was on the run from Jezebel who wanted to kill him. He was in a cave where God spoke to him. We also are in a cave of sorts, separated from other people, where God can and will speak to us. We must have a heart to seek and ears to hear Him so that He can direct us in the days ahead. 1 Kings 19:9-12 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" So he said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life." Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

April 2: Beloved, discouragement is your enemy; it will kill faith. Refuse to obsess about life's conditions that make you afraid or cause despair. I would have you develop a more personal, intimate and vital relationship with Me, says the Lord. Stay present with Me. I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. I do not change, nor has My power diminished. Trust Me. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

April 3: I am your strength and your shield, says the Lord. When weakness threatens you must find your place of refuge in Me and stand strong. Possess and maintain an attitude of faith and resilience. I have called you, My people, to be overcomers even in the most dire circumstances. John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

April 4: In a vision I saw a single, straight and narrow path that was illuminated and seemed to be elevated above the ground. And I heard the word of the Lord: You are called to walk this path of illumination that is beyond and above earthly life. I am with you on this supernatural journey to direct your every step. Do not be afraid. Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

April 5: I speak to nations of people who have become self-focused and concerned about their own needs and desires. I would have you deliberately rise above selfishness to develop kindness and generosity. Remember that reward always exceeds sacrifice, says the Lord. Help where you can without jeopardizing your health and that of others. You will not regret becoming a giver. Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

April 6: You have been given a prime opportunity to grow and mature in your personal relationship with Me. In the past many of you have tried to have that relationship through your pastor, priest, or preacher. Use this time to seek Me for yourself and grow into the glorious saint you were created to be, says the Lord. Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

April 7, 2020: I am calling to you to search for Me and find Me. I am your hope in hopeless situations. I am your very present help in trouble. It is high time that you set your sights and values on things eternal. This must be a deliberate change in focus and attitude. You can trust Me, says the Lord. Romans 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

April 8: In a vision I saw someone in a large open space waiting for atmospheric conditions to produce an updraft. The individual had a kite and kept testing the wind to see if the air quality was right to launch the kite. I believe this vision represents us rising up in the realm of the Spirit to get instructions for the right timing in certain life experiences. We must deliberately and continually test our discernment to see if we are in sync with the Spirit or not. Proverbs 2:3-5 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

April 9: When you feel isolated and alone, remember that you are not alone. I am with you to comfort and protect you. I will give you strength and fortitude to do all that is necessary. I will lead, guide, direct and protect you. You are the apple of My eye, says the Lord. Psalm 91:3-6 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

April 10: Beloved, I would have you develop ears to hear and eyes to see spiritually. In order to do this, you must transcend the flesh and worldly views that keep you earthbound. Set your heart on living and walking in the Spirit so that you are constantly connected to Me, says the Lord. Psalm 84:5-7 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca [weeping], they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.

April 11: I see and know that many of you have grown weary as you go through difficult times. It has become even more important for you to come closer to Me, says the Lord. Do your best to stay in My light and life where you can be encouraged and strengthened. You are not standing alone; I am with you. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

April 12: Receive My blessings, resurrection life, and the power to rise up and move beyond your crisis. Leave the past behind in this time of new beginnings. Go forth with renewed strength and hope. Let Me empower you and impart a new and fresh perspective of divine purpose, says the Lord. Psalm 30:5b Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

April 13: In a vision I saw souls sleeping in the sorrow of life's tragedies. They were in anguish. And I was aware of the Spirit of the Lord calling to their spirits to awaken out of hopelessness and distress to seek His life and light. It was difficult for them to let go of what they deemed to be real and true because they did not see their lives and difficulties as being transitory. We must awaken to spiritual life that cannot be touched by our circumstances. 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

April 14: Many of My people are in the slump of stagnation. Refuse to allow this to become your new normal, but rather stir yourself up to reach higher spiritually and resolve to live and walk in My Spirit, says the Lord. This could become one of the most significant opportunities in your life to seek and find Me. Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

April 15: Position yourself in the flow of the Spirit and allow Me to guide you through the current maze to reach your divine destination. Regardless of fear and feelings of despair, I will lift you up and set you in a high place above the fray. Trust Me, says the Lord. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

April 16: In a vision I saw a huge mud bog that reminded me of quicksand. I saw a mud-caked arm come out of the mud and reach up. Then, a hand came down from heaven and took hold of the muddy hand and lifted the man out of the mud. He lay there as though dying, but the sun came out and dried the mud, which began to crack and fall away. Breath and new life began to flow through him, and he stood on his feet restored, refreshed, and renewed. It was a new beginning with new opportunities to live. Hosea 14:7 Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall be revived like grain, and grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

April 17: There is a wave of condemnation sweeping through mankind. It is an attack from the enemy to establish a sense of failure and self-loathing. Listen to Me! I love and value every human being, and I am reaching out to you with the truth of your worth, says the Lord. Do not believe the lies that will bring discouragement and depression. 1 Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

April 18: Do not despair for I am opening alternative doors for you to accomplish all that I have set you to be and to do. What you presumed your path to be has taken a turn that you could not have foreseen. But, I am still with you, says the Lord, and I will guide you so that you will not miss one step of My perfect will for you. Rest in that assurance. Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

April 19: Life as you knew it has changed forever, but the changes that you have made were absolutely necessary for all involved. You are living your life within parameters that will become a new normal for you and will provide a level of safety that you never considered. Allow the anointing of My Spirit to envelop you and guide you in all your ways, says the Lord. 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

April 20: You will have prime opportunities to bring encouragement to those around you. Woe to those who denigrate and disparage others. Remember the golden rule to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The law of sowing and reaping cannot be avoided or overridden. Encourage and you will be encouraged. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

April 21: With fewer distractions, you can be far more efficient in accomplishing what you have to do. You will be able to give more thought and consideration to the things that really matter. Do not waste time on disappointment and discouragement. Encourage yourself in the knowledge that this time can produce unexpected and excellent results. Psalm 16:3 As for the saints who are on the earth, "They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight."

April 22: You are being moved day by day to a new place in the realm of the Spirit. I have been calling you to come higher, but you were distracted by life issues and world values. Now is the time when you can set your mind and heart on heavenly things and come into true unity with Me, says the Lord. Luke 10:40-42 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

April 23: In a vision I saw a tortoise with its head retracted into the shell. And, I heard the Lord admonishing us to stay safe and to remember that ultimately He is our help and our safe haven in times of trouble. We must stay in touch with Him and trust Him to surround us with a hedge of protection. Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

April 24: There has been a great divergence among Christians. Many of you began with great zeal, but in the progression of time you have only managed to maintain religious attitudes and have lost your first love. I am calling you back to a place of genuine desire to be one with Me, says the Lord. You must settle this issue in the depths of your soul and deliberately re-establish divine connection. 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

April 25: One day at a time; one step at a time. Stay present with Me and maintain an eternal perspective. Every thought you think, every word your speak, everything you do either molds you into My image or moves you away from Me, says the Lord. Set yourself to be consciously aware of your spiritual condition at all times. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

April 26: Remember the commandment to love one another. In order to do this you have to see others as equals. If you are to be numbered among those who love Me, you must be done with justifying hatred and prejudice. Let Me reveal your areas of pride and superiority so that you can fulfill My desires and your destiny, says the Lord. Mathew 22:37-39 Jesus said to him, "‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"

April 27: Take this time to reflect on where you have been and how you have responded to your circumstances. Let go of the past and return to Me so that you can be revived and renewed. I will restore you and send healing to your body, mind and spirit, says the Lord. Isaiah 40:10 Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.

April 28: Never think or believe that I have forgotten you, says the Lord. You are of great value to Me. You belong to Me. I have not shut My eyes so that I do not see you, nor have I closed my ears to your cries. Rise up in faith and renew yourself in the truth of My love for you. Luke 12:6-7 "Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

April 29: I speak to the many who have hardened your heart in the effort of self-protection. Soften your heart and look with compassion on others who are struggling. Listen for My still, small voice as I show you how to help those less fortunate. Deliberately develop a heart of love and empathy. Hebrews 13:16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

April 30: You have learned some things that will serve you for the rest of your days. And you have been given many opportunities to grow spiritually, for which you will forever be grateful. But now you are on the verge of breakthrough in a number of ways. You will move forth with a greater sense of gentleness. James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.