The Joyful Branch

     An audio version of this message will soon be available at the link below:

michaelottministries.podomatic.com

John Chapter Fifteen

1.I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 

2.He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.

3.You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 

4.Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5.“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 

6.Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 

7. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 

8. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
9. “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 

10. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 

12. This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 

13. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 

14. You are my friends if you do what I command. 

15. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 

16. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 

17. This is my command: Love each other.

     As I was reading these verses today I was once again amazed at how simple the gospel really is. It is so simple that a child can truly understand it, and to complicate it negates the simple message of love that Jesus taught.

     As I was reading these verses His voice came to me and he asked me to write down these words and share them with you.
He said.


     My loved ones. I did not come to bring complicated laws and formulas and secret religious things that would make your walk with me hard. The reason these things are hidden from the wise and revealed to the simple is because those whom the world thinks are wise can not usually accept a simple explanation of how things work. They try to make things complicated so they will seem important and so you will not be able to challenge them when they are wrong.

     This is the truth that makes you free. It is the simple truth by which all of the kingdom of heaven works. The truth is that you can do nothing without me but through you I can do all things. This takes the burden off of you as it should. The parents should bear the burden of raising children. The children shouldn't be burdened with things like paying bills and providing food and running the household. I am your parent and I want to do all these things for you, if you will humble yourselves and admit that you can't do it on your own.

     In society today you have each and every person building their own kingdom and doing things their own way. This is not the way the kingdom works. The kingdom is simple. You abide in me and I abide in you. I flow through you with my power and create all the things you need to flourish. You just soak up my love like a branch soaks up sugar from the vine and produces fruit. It is a natural thing. As long as the branch is connected to the vine it bears fruit. If the branch disconnects itself and tries to bear fruit on it's own then it dies. It really is that simple. Simply abiding in my love and my joy gives you all you need to be fruitful.

     So how do you abide in me? I told you in these verses. You abide in me by loving each other. I told you in these verses that if you obey my commandments then you will abide in my love. Then I told you my commandment is to love each other.

     By loving each other and laying your lives down one for another you keep the cycle of love going. My love flows through you into others and back to me.

     My loved ones will you please put aside religion and false doctrine and return to the simplicity of abiding in me? I promise you that you will find great joy when you do so.

     It is great joy when you realize that you can enter my rest and let me flow through you to build my kingdom. I will flow through you with my life and my blood and my spirit. You will bear so much fruit for the kingdom that you will wonder why you ever tried anything else. You will be full of delight when you discover that it's the simple fellowship with me that makes you a healthy branch.

     While abiding in me if weeds grow up you don't have to fight them. You just listen to my words and my voice. I will prune you with graceful words It will not be painful. Remember my word is sharper than a two edged sword able to divide soul from spirit and joints from marrow. I will not prune you with a hatchet. I will speak to you my truth and the things that entangle you will fall away.

     I will never break this cycle of love from heaven towards you. You are the only ones who can break it. You can decide you like being connected to the tree of good and evil that the word eats from and start to wither like the world does. Anytime you choose not to walk in love you eat from that tree and get the nourishment that leads to death. Why would you want to do that when you can have the life that flows from me flowing through you and constantly feed on the tree of life?

     My loved ones, it is always your choice where you abide. You can be a sad, dying branch feeding on the world or you can be a joyful branch feeding on the love and joy of heaven. Please choose correctly. I love you and want you to abide in me. I want you to constantly eat of my goodness and love for you. I delight in you and it brings me great joy when you abide in me.

    Please my loved ones. Be the joyful branch. 

     This was the end of the words he spoke to me a few moments ago.
I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time Grow Rich in His Grace.
I love you all,
michael

     For more information please click on the links below:

michaelottministries.org

michael's blog

michael's podcast

michael on itunes

Precious Treasue

     An audio version of this message will soon be available at the link below:

michaelottministries.podomatic.com


     As I was praying today Father spoke to me and asked to write down the following words and share them with you. He said:

 My children, my precious treasure, listen to my heart. You hear me by heart and not just by voice. You are listening for a voice when I am giving you my heart. If you will be still and listen you will hear me in your thoughts and dreams also.

     I know many you want to give up but you can't. You can't go back to where you were because you know I am no longer there. I have brought you to a place where you have no choice but to trust me. Do you not think my disciples did not have days when they wish they could go back to what they knew? Some of them even tried. It is common to want to go back to where you have been because you know that place and you know where to hide. I don't want you to hide anywhere but in me.

     I want to teach you how precious and valuable you are to me. You are my delight and my greatest joy. I chose you because I wanted you because I loved you and I will always love you.

     Today your religious culture tries to tie your value to your calling. If you are in what you call the five fold ministry then somehow that makes you more important than those who aren't. This is not the way my kingdom works. We are first of all and most importantly a family. You are each precious to me. It doesn't matter if you are an apostle or a toilet scrubber at the meeting place, each of you is my child. Your value to me is because you are my child.

     If you had two children which would you value more, the child who became a doctor or the one who was unemployed? See how silly that is to put your value in your calling and not in being my child? Once again I say, "You are valuable to me because you are my child." If you never do great things for my kingdom it doesn't mean you are less special than someone who does. Jesus washed all the disciples feet. They were all precious to him.He told them to do the same to each other. I was in him loving them each and every one.

     It is the same with you. Yes each of you is gifted with certain callings and gifting to share but that doesn't make one above the other. Is your blue eyed child more important than the brown eyed child? The boy more important than the girl? The rich more valuable than the poor? The one who can sing more important than the one who dances?

     It's time my church stopped fighting for position. The place I have placed each of you is where you fit best. Contrary to your belief I didn't put you where it would be best for me. I put you where it's best for you. I love you and I wan't you to be eternally happy with what I have given you to do but it's not about doing or achieving it's about being. Jesus came to make you son's and daughters not to give you a job title.

     No one earned their calling or their gifting. That is why it is called a gift. Each of you has gifts and each of you is a gift. As I told you through Paul's letter to the Ephesians, I gave some apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists as a gift to the church. 

     Those who truly understand their callings will not flaunt it. They understand that callings are for serving and not for ruling. You will know them by their fruit and by the Spirit. You don't have to see it written on a business card to know when you see one. Most of the time if you see the word bishop or apostle on their business card it's because they are trying to convince themselves that is what they are.   So many in my church today are fighting over titles of apostle or bishop or pastor. What is this? This is not the way a family works. You are all brothers and sisters and the only title that matters is are you my child? I wish you would all drop the titles and call each other brother and sister because that is what my heart desires.

     Jesus understood that he and I were one but he came to serve and not to rule. In heaven we rule by serving. Power and gifting are not to be used to make you feel special. If you find yourself in one of these offices it is because you were put there to serve others and not to feel important. The world fights for position and power. This should not be in my church.

     My loved ones. Do you not know how valuable you were to me long before you were ever born? Before you ever did one kind thing. Long before you found yourself in my kingdom you were loved and the value for you was set. It cost me all that I had to get you and I paid your ransom before the foundation of the world. I knew that sin would want a fortune to sell you back to me and I didn't even blink at the price. How much is your child worth to you? Would you pay with your life? Of course you would.

     What I am saying is once you understand your value to me then you can rest and stop trying to find your worth elsewhere. You can stop trying to become something you are not just to feel like you are worth something. You can settle in to the place I put you and bear much fruit without struggling. You can release the gifts I gave you and be a blessing because of who you are and not because of what you do.

     So many think that if you can do miracles and great wonders then you will be worth something. If you would stop trying to "do" miracles then you could "be" a miracle. If you would just rest in my finished work then these things would flow from your spirits and you would not be straining to produce that which comes natural to you.

     The miracles that my Son did and the apostles did were not born out of works. They were born from fellowship with me and my Spirit. Jesus told you that he didn't even do the works. He told you that I did the works in him. It's Christ in you the hope of glory. Let him dwell in you. Abide in him and abide in me and let us abide in you and then heaven will pour forth from you because you are overflowing. Where do you abide? Where you abide is where you live and rest, not where you work.

     My loved ones are struggling to do great works so that they will be accepted by the so called church. You are already accepted in my beloved so what more acceptance do you need? Face it. The miracles most people seek are not born out of fellowship or love for another. If you will be completely honest about what you usually see, it's not about bringing me glory or setting captives free, it is about getting highlight videos for the internet so they can look important or to validate their ministry. Nothing wrong with sharing my love on the internet, but why you do what you do is most important. Is it to bring glory to me or is it to show people how wonderful your church is? This is not why we do miracles. They are done from love and compassion and are done to restore people's sense of value.

     Do you remember the miracle done for the lame man at the gate of the temple? Peter and John were not going preaching. They were going to pray. When they saw the lame man they told him to look at them? Why did they do this? They did it not to get his attention but to restore his dignity. He had been a beggar so long he could no longer look anyone in the eye. He didn't feel worthy enough to do so. This is also why it says Peter took him by the right hand. It's the hand men shake to business with . It made the man feel like a man again and showed him he was equal to them.

     Remember the woman who was bent over that Jesus healed? He said this daughter of Abraham should be healed. If she was valuable because she was Abraham's descendant then shouldn't people who are my children be valued because they are mine?

     Think about this for a moment. In the scriptures it says that if all the miracles that Jesus did were written down the world could not contain the books. So why didn't we write them down? Why did we only list a few in the scriptures? The miracles Jesus did were born out of compassion for others. We gave you a few examples but miracles are not the proof of a disciple. Love is. They will know you are my disciples by the love you have one for another. 

     It never was about the show. Today it's all about the show even if people have to do what they call "fake it til you make it." Fraud should not be in my church. The show must soon come to an end if you want the real to return. 
If you want to see a show then look up. The heavens declare my glory day and night. Look at the world around you. The fact that you exist is proof that I do also. How can some be so foolish to think that they exist and I don't?

     You don't need signs and wonders to know that I am with you. You know I am with you by the love that is in your heart. Signs and wonders flow from love not to love. They are gifts from my heart to you. Not something you can earn or work up. Your value to me is not in how much power you can release or how many miracles you can work. It is because I love you. It is because you are my child. It is because my son proposed marriage to you and you said yes. 

     I have given you my Spirit who lives in you. We came to you and made you our home. What more proof do you need that you are valuable to us and important to us? I could live anywhere I choose and I choose to live in your heart. Why do you need anything else to make you feel valuable?

     If you get your self worth from what you do then what happens if you can't do it anymore? If you are a professional athlete and you get old and can't play anymore are you less valuable as a person because you can't run and jump? Is a child who can't walk less valuable than one who can? Is a fireman who can't work because he was injured saving a life less important now that he can no longer fight fires?

     See my loved ones, what others want you to believe is that if you don't measure up to Jesus or Paul or Peter then you aren't as important to my kingdom. This is why you were told not to compare yourselves to others. Each of you is a treasure in your own way. Each of you is worth more than all the wealth of heaven. Each of you is worth what I paid for you. So just enjoy being who you are and stop striving to perform for me or others.

     This is one reason there is so much confusion in the church. Each of you know people who call themselves pastors and they are not. How can a man be a pastor if he hates people? Some call themselves prophets and sell millions of copies of books making predictions about things that are coming and they never do come to pass. Stop buying their books and they will stop selling them.

     If your mechanic was wrong time after time would you still pay him to work on your car? If your dentist kept pulling the wrong tooth would you go back? If your doctor kept giving you the wrong medicine would you keep paying him? Many of these people who are in the wrong place are sincerely trying. They think they have to be a household name to be important and so they go into error trying to be someone besides who I made them to be. So they step into positions they have no gifting for and fail miserably. 

     My children, it's time to wise up. Each person is valuable because you are mine. Each of you is gifted and called so find your gift and use it. Don't try to be someone else because they seem more spiritual. They may not be more spiritual, they may just be crazy.

     Stop modeling yourselves after anyone but my son. He is your example. He is the image you are being conformed to. Was he an apostle? Yes he was. Was he a prophet? By all means. Was he a pastor? Yes he is, that is why he is the great shepherd. Is he a teacher? Of course he is. Was he an evangelist? The greatest of all. So why do you look anywhere else for an example? Even my beloved Paul said "follow me as I follow Christ." He didn't say just to follow him because he was an apostle.

     It's not about who you follow on Facebook or twitter or whatever your latest social media platform is. It's not about how many are following you. It's about who you followed to the cross. Did you pick up your cross and follow him to the place you call Calvary? Did you lay down your life for him as he did for you?

     My loved ones. If you cant see how precious you are to me then consider this: How much is Christ worth? Does he not live in you? Is the bank not worth the amount of the investments that are in it? The whole Godhead dwells bodily in Christ and he dwells in you. So just how much are you worth?




     This is the end of the words he spoke to me a few moments ago.
I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael

     For more information please click the links below:

michaelottministries.org

michael's blog

michael's podcast

michael on iTunes

Where Is Your Song?

     An audio version of this message will soon be available at the link below:

michaelottministries.podomatic.com

     Before we begin today's message I would like to say thanks to all of you for bearing with me. It has been several days since my last post. I have been traveling and have been away from my computer. Sharing these messages with you and sharing the journey of faith with each of you is a great blessing in my life and I appreciate your prayers so very much. So thanks for your patience and kindness. 

     I I just got back from Montana and I would like to take time to say thanks to all my wonderful friends there. It was really great to get to spend time with you and share Father's grace and truth together. Each of you were a great blessing to me and a great help on my journey. 

     So thanks to Daniel, Sam, Kyle, Joe and Jamie and Tom and Mary for the great fellowship and encouragement. Thanks to Kevin and Holly for opening your home to us and for the great meal. And a special thanks to Michael and Livee for your hospitality, for the home cooked meal and the food for my trip home. Each and every one of you were a great blessing to me. If you all only knew just how precious you are. Thanks again.

     And now for the message.

Ephesians Chapter Five

15. So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 

16. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 

17. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 

18. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 

19. singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 

20. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Colossians Chapter Three

12. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 

13. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 

14. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 

15. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
16. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.


     As I was praying today Father spoke to me and asked me to share these words with you. He said:


     My children, where is your song?  You once sang to me and worshiped me in your heart of hearts. You kept yourselves in the Spirit with the song that is in your hearts. 

     I miss those days when you sang to me just because you love me. Do you remember those days my beloved? Those days when it wasn't just about learning Greek and Hebrew and all the great doctrines of all the past leaders who you think were closer to me than you? Not that those things are bad, they are wonderful and I am delighted that you want to learn of me, but you can never be closer to me by what you know. You draw near to me when you seek me with that love song in your heart.

     I am in love with you and there is a cross and and empty tomb to prove my love. You have forsaken the truth of the gospel to try to learn me by education and that is not the way to know someone. If you want to know someone then spend time with them. The song in your heart is what opens heaven before you. It is truly open all the time but you enter my gates with the songs of thanksgiving and praise. 

     I do love it when you all sing together but I also love it when you sing those songs that you think are silly, but they come from the part of you that I long to live in.

     My children. It is very important to know the doctrines and the great messages about the scriptures but love is the most important of all. There are many theologians who know most of the great truths in my kingdom but they don't know me and they don't experience my love.

     Even your enemy knows my scriptures and my doctrine but he doesn't get in because he doesn't sing to me. If you want to drive him crazy then sing to me. He once had the ability to stand in my presence with a song but he lost that when he fell. 

     But you me beloved ones, you have every right to stand in heavenly places and worship me with your songs and hymns. I love it when you do. I dwell in your praise and when you sing I can't help myself. I am drawn to the song in your hearts and I love to dance as you sing to me.

     When you sing your songs to me you are like that little child standing on Daddy's feet as we dance and you sing. The song in your hearts is the secret to staying in the secret place. If you want to be free then sing. If you want my power to flow then sing. If you want all of heaven to break out into your lives then sing to me. Sing with your understanding and sing with your spirits but no matter what don't stop singing to me.

     Here is another key my beloved. Do you want unity in the church? Then sing to each other in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. I love new songs. I love the ones that come out of your heart. Yes it is good to gather and sing the songs that are popular in your time, but which would you prefer from your bride? Would you prefer her to borrow a song from someone else and sing it to you or would you love for her to sing her deepest feelings to you in her own words from her own heart? 

     See what I mean? It's not how technically correct the words are or how the chorus flows with the verses or even how the melody is perfect. It is about how much of your heart is in the song that you are singing.

     If I rejoice over you with singing then shouldn't you rejoice over each other also? So many of you take each other for granted and don't realize how precious fellowship with each others is. There are those who believe in me in faraway places who would be so grateful for a kindred spirit to fellowship with. For them to have someone to worship together with would be pure delight. Please my beloved ones; wake up. If you are hearing this message you are so blessed to have each other to fellowship with.

     So my loved ones. Will you look deep in your heart and find a song for me? It doesn't have to be in perfect pitch. I don't care if the bridge is in the wrong place and the chorus should be the verse or if it has five layers of harmony. It's not perfection I am looking for. It is your sweet voice singing to me that I long to hear. 

     I am your truest love. I am the one who delights in your presence. I am the one your heart desires even if you don't know it. Just as you are the one I desire. You are the one I want to hear singing. You are the one that I want to spend eternity with.

     Will you please search deep in your heart and find your song? I know you have one. If you take your eyes off of the world and all your problems and just sing and worship with me. I adore you and I long to fill your life with my presence. Will you please just answer one question for me my beloved? Where is your song?



     This is the end of the words He spoke to me a few moments ago. I hope you are encouraged by these words.

Until next time,

Grow Rich in His Grace,

I love you all,

michael

     For more information please click on the links below:

michaelottministries.org

michael's podcast

michael's blog

michael on iTunes

A Living Sacrifice

     An audio version of this message will be available soon at the link below:

michaelottministries.podomatic.com

Romans Chapter Twelve

     I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

     For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 

    For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

     Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

     Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

     Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 

     Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

     Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

     

     As I was reading this chapter today Father spoke to me and asked me to write down the following words and share them with you. He said:

     My loved ones. I have so many of you who come to me every day and lift your hands and worship and offer your body to me as a sacrifice. While I am pleased with this act of worship this is not what was meant by the instructions given in this letter that you call the book of Romans.

     If you will read it again and again you will see that the way to offer your bodies as a sacrifice is written in this letter. It is not putting your body on the altar because the sacrifice of my son ended all sacrifice necessary for all time. There will never be another sacrifice like his sacrifice. What I want is for you to read and adhere to the instructions I gave you through my apostle Paul in this letter. 

     First is to humble yourselves and not to think you are above anyone but to serve all in meekness. It is to realize that you are all one body and not one part is more or less important. We are family and we love each other and treasure each other. To put in into context for you consider it this way: Who is more important? Your son or your daughter? Your brother or your sister? Your mom or your dad? You are all family and should see each other as equal. Some may have more or less responsibility but you are all equal for we are one.

     Second is to realize that as a body each of you has a part. If you are called to teach then teach with all your heart. If you are called to encourage then cheer others on considering how easy it is to be discouraged. If you have learned to prophesy then do so not as one who earned a special place but as one who stumbled upon a sacred gift. Do not dishonor the gift by being vain and pretending that you earned it. If your calling is to preach then be yourself and speak my word. Don't try to copy another and be like someone else. If you get excited and sometimes get loud don't stop being who you are. If you like to teach quietly then do so and do not think you have to be some power evangelist if that is not who you really are.

     My beloved, there is too much competition in the churches. People trying to out-preach each other or trying to bring forth deep subjects to prove their spirituality. Remember if you are in public then preach in a way that children can understand. Those of you who are mature and are seeking the deep things of my kingdom speak them to other mature brothers and sisters who are ready to hear. 

     Some of you think that just because all you do is serve then you are not as important as others. This is not so. Remember my son told you that if you give a cup of water in his name you will not lose your reward. One dying of thirst would rather have your water than a seven course meal. You think the revelations you have are a small thing like a cup of water but share them anyway. Every seed sown is capable of leading someone into the kingdom. You may win someone over with a small revelation or a simple kindness.

     The next point is most important. Love each other for the sake of love. If I loved you so much that I poured out my son's blood for you then shouldn't you love each other the same? Don't love just the ones you think are normal but love the unlovable. Weird people need love also. Just because someone doesn't fit the mold of society doesn't mean they are  not important to me. Don't forget people are not their problems. People are my loved ones and all of them have problems, so love them as you do your own.

     Do not return evil for evil. Love your enemies and be good to them. I know this is hard sometimes but this is how you offer your bodies as a sacrifice. My son laid down his life for those who hated him. You can surely love those that hate you also.

     Don't forget that you not only get a reward for what you do, but you are rewarded for things you don't do. When you allow yourselves to be taken advantage of you are not stealing from yourselves. Each time you have the opportunity to return evil for evil  and you refrain from doing so then you are rewarded.

     Once again go and read the teachings of my Son in the sixth chapter of Luke. Many cheapen his teachings and try to make them about money. It has nothing to do with money. In this chapter you will see how to love those who hate you. You will learn to judge not so that you will not be judged.  

     It's when you give love and forgive those who persecute you that you receive love and forgiveness. It is this love and forgiveness that is heaped together, shaken down and pressed together that others will heap unto your bosom. Your bosom is where your heart is and you don't heap money into your bosom. That is where you store love. Whatever it costs you to walk in love and forgiveness will be repaid to you in love and forgiveness. 

     Keep reading the rest of the chapters in the letter to the Romans. You will see that this is how you clothe yourselves in Christ. When you do the things he does the way he does because of love you become just like him. 

    So my beloved, remember how much you are loved. Remember how many things you were forgiven of. Walking in love towards all is the sacrifice I desire. Not a dead body on an altar but a living body letting me love others through you giving others the gift of life through a living vessel. Remember what my Son said. "Sacrifice and burnt offering was not what you desired but a body you prepared for me." It was love living inside a body that was needed to fix a broken world. 

     Will you do this my loved ones? Will you set aside your right to be right and love others when they are wrong? Will you give your bread to the hungry and your coat to the shivering and your love to the unlovable? If you will then you will be as your master. You will become one with us. For we are love. Will you be love too?

     This was the end of the words He spoke to me a few moments ago. 

I hope you are encouraged by these words.

Until next time,

Grow Rich in His Grace,

I love you all,

michael

     For more information please visit the links below.

michaelottministries.org

michael's blog

michael's podcast

michael on iTunes

Wind and Waves

     An audio version of this message will soon be available at the link below:

michaelottministries.podomatic.com

Hebrews Chapter Twelve

     Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Colossians Chapter Three

     Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 

For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

     While praying today Father spoke to me and asked me to share with you the following words. He said;

     My loved ones, so many of you are distracted by the things of the natural world and you have lost your focus on what is really important. It's time to refocus on Christ and be free from this world.

     When you set your eyes upon him you become like him. You take on his nature and his faith and his likeness. When you focus on the world you become like it. You take on it's nature and it's likeness. You are a mirror and a channel. You reflect and channel whichever image you set your gaze upon. 

     Think about this. You are only in this world for a short moment and you will be in eternal bliss with me forever. So what should you be focused on? Something that lasts a moment or something that is eternal?

     Peter could walk on water when he was looking at Jesus but when he was looking at wind and waves he began to sink. It's the same with you. All the troubles in your life are just wind and waves. Wind and waves are no problem for water walkers. 

     I know it is easy to be distracted because I am whispering while the world is shouting. You must learn to tune them out and tune me in.If you will do this you will find there is a better way of life. There is a higher plan and a greater power to rest in. 

     Think for just a moment about all your troubles. Now imagine what you would think of those same problems if you were sitting at a table with Jesus and he was was taking them from you one by one. Would you be worried about sickness if you were holding hands with the healer? Would you worry about finances if you were eating dinner at the table of the King who owns all things?

     Now realize that is where you are. You are already at my table. You are sitting with us in the heavenly realm and your natural problems are no problem for the supernatural ways of my kingdom. I am not limited by your job or your doctor or your abilities. I am only limited by your desire to work things out on your own instead of casting your cares upon me. 

     So many of you struggle because you have been taught that you have to work yourselves up into a frenzy of faith to make things happen. This is not how a family works. I am your Father and I love you. I don't want you to drown in your problems any more than you want this for your own children. I get no joy from watching you struggle. I get joy from watching you learn how to fly. 

     What I need from you is not more faith or more plans and schemes to prosper. I need you to surrender you eyes to me and look to me. I told you to look "UP" because your redemption is nigh. I need you to take your eyes of the wind and the waves and look at me. When you do you will see me smiling at you and holding all the things you need in my hands. 

     I have so many things I want to give you but they are spiritual things that are much greater than the natural things. You can only have them when you decide to set your affection on things above. This is how my son Jesus operated. He had his heart and mind set on things above and he lived above while living below. He was not limited by lack and sickness and death. He ruled over these things because he lived above these things. All of heaven is accessible to you right now. It's not your home when you die. It belongs to you already. 

     This is what I am trying to tell you through all the ones who get glimpses of heaven or visits to heaven. It is not really a visit. It is an awakening to where you already are. You are seated with me and my son in heavenly places already. Your are limited to being earthbound only because you believe you are. 

     When you awaken to the truth that you are already in me then your lives on earth will change. You will know what its like not just to be well but to be the one who spreads health wherever you go. You will not be limited by any natural thing including time or space. You are already blessed with all spiritual blessings in heaven in my son Christ. All these things are yours but you keep reaching for natural things instead of grasping onto heavenly things. 

     Please my loved ones; take your eyes off of your problems and off of your lack and off of your health and look at me. Look and see heaven's delight with you. See how much you are loved and how much provision there is here. 

     If you must look at natural things then look above at the heavens where I painted the canvas of the sky with stars and light. Look at the oceans that I filled with fish for you. Look at the forest where I planted more trees than you could ever need for lumber. Look at the majestic mountains that I carved with my own hands. Look at anything good but please stop looking at your problems. 

     I am calling you upward. I am standing on your storms and dancing on the flood of problems that you are facing. Get out of your boat and dance with me. The little boat you are clinging to is not going to make in the the turbulent storms. You must get out of it and learn to walk on the water.

     Look at my son. You call him Lord of your life but you haven't surrendered your problems to him. Why would you give him your sins and hold onto your sickness? Why would you give him your heart and hang on to your bills? Why do you call him provider and yet try to make your own way? 

     My dear children, don't delay. Give me all your problems and cares and let me handle them. You look at me and I will look at your problems. Set your minds on things above and not on things below. The King of Glory is right in front of you walking on the water, and all you see is wind and waves?

     This is the end of the words He spoke to me a little while ago.

I hope you are blessed by these words.

Until next time,

Grow Rich in His Grace,

I love you all,

michael

     For more information please click on the links below:

michaelottministries.org

michael's blog

michael's podcast

michael on iTunes

Too Busy To Pray?

     An audio version of this message will be available soon at link below:

michaelottministries.podomatic.com

Luke Chapter Five:

     1: One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 

2. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 

3. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
4. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
5. “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6. And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 

7. A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
8. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” 

9. For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 

10. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 

11. And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

12. In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”
13. Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. 

14. Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”
15. But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. 

16. But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.



     As I read these verses I am always amazed at the love of our Savior and how he healed and taught and demonstrated the goodness of our Father. Today while I was reading this chapter again Father asked me to stop on verse sixteen and read it over and over. Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

     After I read it over and over He spoke to me and asked me to write down the following words and share them with you. He said:

     My loved ones. I know you think you are busy and don't have time to come away and pray. But prayer is what is missing. Yes some of you take time to get away and pray and you enter into your closet and hide away, but even this is not what I am speaking of. I am speaking of putting everything in your lives on hold and finding time to abandon yourselves to prayer.

     The reason Jesus could do all these mighty works is because he spent time in prayer. Prayer is the place of your power and the place of instruction. Jesus only did what he saw me doing and he saw all these things while in prayer. 

     Do you notice how great crowds followed him and yet he still left them behind to pray? I know many of you are taught to always go and pray as you go but this is not what my son modeled for you. You must learn to pray first and go second. If you want to be like my son then you must learn to have the relationship with me that he had. Yes ministry is important and helping others is important, but until I am your first priority then you will never succeed in ministry to others.

     This is why so many people whom I have called into ministry fail. They get too busy with the business of ministry and don't have time to spend with me to be refreshed and empowered. I only give daily bread so you must come each day if you want to stay full. I do this because I love you and yes what you are doing is important but the time with me is more important. You must learn to give yourselves to me in prayer first and then you will be successful in helping others.

     Here are some examples. Do you remember the apostle Paul said that he prayed with his spirit and he prayed with his mind and he said” I pray in tongues more than you all?” Prayer must be the foundation of your lives or you will always struggle. Cornelius' prayers brought angels to his house. Peter was praying when he had a vision. He and John were going to pray when the lame man was healed. John was alone on the island when he got the great revelation of who Jesus is. Prayer is the most important thing.

     Many of you study the revivals of the past and you search for every word that the preachers preached and every song the singers sang but you don't consider how many people were on their faces crying out for my refreshing presence. This is where revival begins. It begins in each of you and the prayers you pray. 

     If you want to see people saved then pray. If you want to see people healed then pray. If you want to see nations changed then pray. If you want to see my will be done on earth as in heaven then pray. This is why Jesus told you to pray that my will be done on earth as in heaven. It is done while you pray.

     My children go from place to place and preacher to preacher to gather my words and this is good but they are eating leftovers when they could be getting food right from my table, served to them on a plate made for them, while sitting in a chair of honor with their name on it. Leftovers are good but I want each of my children at my table every day so that I can serve you what you are hungry for. Do you notice how you can listen to a million messages and still starve yet you can be in my presence for five minutes and be filled?

     Please my children. Do you no know how delighted I am when you set aside everything and come to me to spend time with me. Those of you who have children think about it. What do you treasure the most. The chores your children do or the time they spend in your lap letting you love on them? Chores are important but not as important as bonding and intimacy. If you get the bonding part right then the chores will be easy because you will be doing them while singing and not while worrying.

     Please my loved ones. I love the sound of your voice. I love your attention. I love our lives together so much that I created eternity so that it would never end. You are loved so much more than you can even imagine and I adore you each and every one. I need you in my lap and your voice in my ear. I need to whisper things to you that you will never hear unless you spend time with me. 

     Those of you who are in love with someone think about this: Would you rather hear them say "I love you" shouted over the noise of a crowd or would you rather hear your loved one whisper it in your ear while they hold you in their arms?

     This was Jesus' secret. He would come to me and I would so fill him with my love that he would go out and it would pour out of him. Love expresses itself in many different ways. To the sick it is healing. To the poor it is blessing. To the lonesome it is companionship. 

     Love is powerful and I am love. So come to me and let me love you and then go pour out my love on others. Then come to me again and do it over and over and over until no one is sick or poor or broken. 

     Think about the men on the road to Emmaus. They said “didn't our hearts burn within us when he spoke?” If you want your heart on fire with love then come to me. They got revelation of who Jesus was as they broke bread together. Jesus is the bread of life and if you come to me I will share him with you. 

     So please my beloved ones. Never think you are too busy to pray. Even if you become like Jesus and the crowds gather around you wanting something from heaven you still must take time to pray and to spend time with me. 

     You don't have to pray to get the answer. You have to pray to be the answer. I am the vine and you are branches. Don't cut yourself off from me and try to live on your own. How long does a branch have to be cut off before it begins to wither?

     I will never cut you off. I will prune you and cut away the things that are choking you and all this is done with words of love as you spend time with me. 

    Do you remember that Jesus told his disciples that they were clean because of his words he spoke to them? This is what prayer does. You spend time with me and I fill you with my love and while you are lost in that love I gently cut away the weeds that try to choke you. I gently lift you up out of the mud and the grass and set you up where you can bear fruit.

     I do these things because I love you beyond words. I treasure you so much that I sent my son to shed his blood to make you free and I told you through my beloved Paul in what you call Second Corinthians that I was right there in Christ reconciling you to myself not counting your sins against you. Not pouring out wrath and judgment but pouring out mercy to the fullest. When you get a revelation of this love that I have for you then prayer will be easy. You will run to me in prayer because you will know just how welcome you are in my lap.

     So please my beloved children. Come to me in prayer. Take time away and spend it with me. Abandon yourselves into my care while you pray. You just think you are too busy. Jesus had to save the world and he still had time to pray. If he could take time away then are you really too busy to pray?




     This is the end of the words he spoke to me at that moment.
I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time.
Grow Rich in His Grace.
I love you all,
michael


     For more information please click the following links:
michaelottministries.org

michael's blog

michael's podcast

michael on iTunes

Healing Broken Spirits

An audio version of this message will soon be available at the following link:

michaelottministries.podomatic.com

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine but a broken spirit drieth the bones.


Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Galatians 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Ephesians 3

14:For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

15: Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 

16: That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 

17:That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 

18:May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 

19:And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
20:Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21: Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
 

Ephesians 5

15: See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

17:Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

18:And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 

19:Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20:Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 

21:Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

     Father began speaking to me recently about questions I asked him. These questions had to do with people that I have been praying for regarding illness. 

     I have been praying for them and seeking healing for them and in some cases I have seen miraculous recoveries for which I am amazed and grateful. In some other cases I saw failure and even the death of some of the ones I was praying for. I knew this made no sense because healing is for everyone and there is no sickness or disease stronger than the blood that flowed from  the stripes that Jesus' bore.

     While meditating on these things he spoke to me the scripture in Proverbs that says “ A merry heart does good like a medicine but a broken spirit who can endure.” I studied this for a few moments and then asked him what it means. He began showing me that in every case the people who were healed had hope and were looking forward to the future. The ones we lost had given up on life and were too weak to recover. Their spirits were broken.

     He then spoke to me the following words and asked me to share them with you. He said: 

     My children, many of you are ill because your spirits are weak. In some cases your spirits are starving because they are not being fed or are feasting on lies. In other cases they are dying of thirst because you are not partaking of my living water.You are not having constant fellowship with my Spirit. The cares of life and even cares of the church have choked out your life force and your spirits are being weakened.

     As I told you in the scriptures you can be strengthened with all might by my spirit which lives within you. You must choose to do this. It will not automatically be done. I do not invade or do anything within you that you do not ask for. You must seek to be strengthened with this might and power if you want it.

     This is why some get well and some don't. The life force within you is your spirit, and if your spirit becomes too weak to sustain your body it will no longer keep you alive. This is why some people die from broken hearts and depression. 

     This is why your enemy tries to keep you depressed because he knows a wounded heart is just as effective as a bullet. This is why he uses television and even pulpits to tell you that things are awful and the end is coming. He wants you to have a defeated, depressed mind so that you will not awaken to the power that is available to change the world. He wants you to think your only hope is if I take you away and let him have the world so he can destroy it. Don't give him the pleasure. 

     You must learn to feed your spirits before you begin each day. You do this by spending time with me in prayer; not just in petition but in joyous prayer full of laughter and joy because you know you have my ear and my heart. You must also sing to yourselves songs and hymns and spiritual songs to keep yourselves built up and strong.

     I am able to do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask our think according to how much power is working in you. I work through people who are empowered by my Spirit in your spirits. So if your spirit is weak then your power is weak and you will not see the success in life that you should.

     I need you to put your attention on me and set your minds on things above. This lets the life of heaven flow through you. This is why you receive power when my Spirit comes upon you. You must learn to let my power live in you and flow through you.

     The cares of life choke out my life from flowing through you. If you will let these things go and learn to give me your cares then you will have more life working in you. You must learn to live without cares because your cares are mine. You must learn to live in joy because my joy is your strength. The more of my joy you have the stronger you will be.

     Those of you who are ministering to those who are sick need to remember that you are not fighting flesh and blood. If a person's spirit is damaged you can get the body well but it wont stay well. This is why you think people lose their healing when they don't. The get temporary relief but the damage in their spirit's flows back into their bodies and they return to their previous condition. 

     You must build up their spirit and treat their spirit like you would if you found someone malnourished and weakened.
Feed them my love and my truth. Many are so sick that they can't digest much at once so you must be patient and feed them all you can and do it every day. 

     I know this goes against what many of you think you know about healing but the simple answer is that Jesus had great success because he was full of my Spirit and he learned to endure things because of the joy I put before him. You must focus on my joy and not on sorrow. Jesus spent time with me each day in fellowship and he recharged himself in my presence. You must do the same.

    Do you remember that Peter and John were going to the temple to pray when the lame man was healed? Their hearts were full of joy expecting to be in my presence as they prayed. They were singing in their hearts and worshiping while they went so my strength was with them. Peter would soak in my presence in prayer all day and while on the way home they would lay the sick in the streets and I would pour out of him and heal them all.

     This is also why you see so many more miracles during your worship services than you do any other time. It is because in my presence is fullness of joy and when you are full of joy miracles can happen. Healed hearts heal hearts and joy is contagious. Come and get you some.

     Think of it this way. If you were going to help someone in the dark you would take a light. If your light is dead you replace the battery or recharge it. The key is to stay charged at all times so you are ready day or night to help those in need. You are not going to be able to help others if you are broken yourselves.

     So please my loved ones, come to me. Let me fill you with my joyous presence. Come to me with singing and enter into my presence with joy. Come boldly to my throne. I want you to come joyfully and get my grace to pour out on everyone in need. I have an abundance waiting for you. Let me fill you with my oil and my wine and then go find the wounded and heal them. Let me heal you and make you a healer. I love you my children and I want all my children well and blessed and living in my joy.

     Will you do this my beloved? Will you let me strengthen you with all my might so that I can reveal my love to you and fill you with my fullness? I want you to be full. I want to be overflowing in you but you must come to me and be healed.

     Be ready my beloved. The day comes soon when the most feeble among you is stronger than my mighty David. There will be a day when you search for the sick and the maimed and will not be able to find them. The stripes that my son took are more than enough to take away sickness and disease until there is none left. So don't give up. Just because you may have failed in the past doesn't mean you should quit. Keep trying. You learn by doing. So keep doing.


     This is the end of the words He spoke to me at that moment. I hope you are encouraged by these words.

Until next time.

Grow Rich in His Grace,

I love you all,

michael

     

     For more information please click on the links below:

michaelottministries.org

michael's blog

michael's podcast

michael on iTunes