Deborah Perkins's Blog, page 13

GOD IS SENDING WAVES OF RESTORATION AND HEALING!

Many believers including myself have seen tsunami “waves” of revival coming in the Spirit: waves of God's power and glory crossing the earth to wash away evil, corruption, or sin. 

Yet this morning as I prayed I heard the Lord say, “Look at this wave, Deborah.” When I looked, I saw waves of people - worshiping armies - moving across the earth, bringing refreshment and restoration to dry places. 
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Immediately I was reminded of a football stadium, where cheering fans often “do the wave” by raising their hands in harmonious, precisely-timed coordination with each other to create a visible wave that travels through the entire arena. 

I heard the Lord say: “I am releasing waves of restorers. I am releasing waves of healers!” 

I saw that there is a corporate shout of praise arising from the lovers of God and a movement on their behalf that is so synced with heaven’s timing! I saw a picture of worshiping warriors: those who are seated in heavenly places with hands and hearts raised in praise of Jesus. These people who make up the next “wave” are carriers of God’s presence already, but as they begin to move individually by faith, worshiping Him in Spirit and truth, they will suddenly SEE that they are part of a VAST MOVEMENT, a much larger process of praise-filled and joyful RESTORATION in the earth. 

Because of their individual obedience, these “healers” and “restorers” will now see and hear the effects of their personal, private sacrifices to Him making a WORLDWIDE impact. They will link arms with those on either side of them and advance, not alone, but corporately, into the greatest “wave” of God’s power that has ever been seen on this earth. The goal is not simply to fill stadiums: the goal is to reach the corners of the earth! This wave will spill out of stadiums and reach people on the streets, the ones who have never had the means or opportunity to come to Jesus. 

I hear the Lord saying He wants to “cause a stir” among the people on the streets, to release a flood of glory and restoration that will cleanse and purify that which has been polluted and contaminated for so long. OBEDIENCE is a key to this wave, for those who are obedient to “sync” themselves to God’s timing will see their parts fulfilled and will be carried along by this wave. They will be swept into the joy of a massive ingathering of souls. 

I believe we are seeing the beginning of these waves now. The stadiums are not yet filled in the Spirit; there are those who are still on the fence about whether to come fully into God’s Presence and glory. NOW is the day of decision; it is imperative that we settle and determine in our hearts where we will stand during this time! Those who do not find their seats in this great ingathering will miss being part of the joy of the movement itself.

I heard the Lord say: “Tell them the restorers are coming. The healers are coming. The warriors and rescuers are arriving on scene even now, moving into their individual places by faith, and they will see the joy and reward of their obedience to Me as they consecrate themselves in this time.”

​Amen!

© Deborah Perkins /www.HisInscriptions.com
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ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT TO DO NEXT? 10 KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING A NEW MOVE OF GOD

Dear Friends, 

Today, July 27, 2020, marks exactly 7 months and 7 days since the tangible glory of God stepped into my home.

As some of you know, at the Lord's request I have spent the past three weeks on an extended prayer retreat. Never before have I been so "deep" with Him, and never have I been more sure of one thing: God is on the move! A NEW MOVE!

Like you, I have spent the past few months wondering: what do I do next? It is easy to prophesy a "new move of the Spirit," but what, really, does that look like? How does it happen practically?

Most of us do not have extended time to sit with the Lord and wait like "Mary" when life demands that we fulfill some very "Martha-type" roles. Yet as I've pressed into the Father's heart for understanding, He has revealed some keys that I believe will be helpful to anyone who is hungry to see God's glory manifest around the world.

​Unlocking a new move begins with a man named Peter. 

ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD
Jesus promised Peter - the same disciple who denied Him three times  - that on the rock of his revelation about Christ's identity He would build His church (see Matthew 16:13-20). In the same breath, Jesus also said He would give Peter the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. The first key was Peter's answer to the question: Who do you say I am?

New moves of God are not built on good works; they're built on revelation. The moment we receive a revelation of WHO HE IS is the moment revival begins. Jesus is still seeking to reveal Himself to the world today! 

A quick look at the Bible shows us that Peter received other keys as well: first at Pentecost, when the promised Holy Spirit was poured out, and then later in a story less quoted but equally significant. (Acts 10.) Each key has to do with Peter's expanded understanding of WHO CHRIST IS and how God wants to relate to His people. 

Peter's call to the house of a Roman centurion named Cornelius contains ten keys that will help us understand the next move of God. 

1. A NEW MOVE IS FOR THE HUNGRY
​Peter was staying in a Palestinian town called Joppa, enjoying much favor in his ministry because he had recently raised a beloved disciple named Tabitha from the dead.

Peter had a solid history with God and God's people: he had been a key player at Pentecost; he was traveling the "preaching circuit" already; and he was a well-respected leader in many Jewish communities. But God had something new to show him!

At lunchtime one day, Peter went up on the roof of his host's house to pray. Although Peter was hungry and food was being prepared for him, God chose this time of hunger to nourish Peter with a heavenly meal!

​In a trance, Peter saw a large sheet like a tablecloth descending to earth containing all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds. Peter heard the Lord say: "Get up, Peter, kill, and eat." (Acts 10:9-13)

At the same time, Cornelius, a God-fearing Gentile, was praying and fasting in Caesarea when he had a vision. The Bible says he "distinctly saw an angel of God" who came to him and called his name, telling him to send for Peter, who would help him grow his own relationship with God into something better than he had ever imagined! (Acts 10:1-8)

God was preparing a feast for the hungry, but it wasn't limited to Peter and Cornelius.

2. A NEW MOVE WILL SHAKE OLD MINDSETS
Peter knew the words of Jesus from Matthew 5:6: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." What he didn't know was that a Jewish God would break with His own "kosher" traditions in order to reach a Gentile nation!

​God was asking a devout Jew to "eat" unclean things and visit with heathen people - something that contradicted the foundational "word of God" Peter had been taught. More than just the difference between a "logos" and a "rhema" word, this was a complete break with everything Peter knew to be acceptable.

A new move of God will not rely upon traditional church structures or old mindsets for support, but will rely solely on God. God will pull from among His chosen servants those whose hearts have been prepared to help build according to Kingdom specifications.
​ 3. A NEW MOVE WON'T MAKE SENSE TO THE NATURAL MIND
One of the most interesting things to me about Peter is that he often said "no" to the Lord before he obeyed. His initial response to the Lord's request in the trance was "Not so, Lord!" He would not willingly violate what he knew of God's laws.

This wasn't the first time Peter contradicted the Lord. He had already said "no" to Jesus when he heard his Messiah must die and when Jesus asked to wash his feet. (Matthew 16:22 and John 13:8). Peter later denied Jesus three times when confronted about their relationship.

A new move of God will offend the natural mind. It will offend religious systems and spiritual leaders - even the BEST, most anointed "Peters" of our day! Why? Because what we know of the old always gets in the way of what is new! We must be on guard against the will of man, which often opposes the will of God and will weary the servants of God.
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4. A NEW MOVE REQUIRES A RESPONSE
​Twice the Bible tells us "Peter was wondering" and "still thinking" about the vision, and twice Peter had to ask those from the household of Cornelius: "Why have you come for me?" Peter was caught up in reasoning, just as the disciples on the Emmaus Road were reasoning amongst themselves and failed to discern the Presence of God with them. 

Three times the Spirit repeated Peter's heavenly vision. Even after these three confirmations, Holy Spirit had to break into the middle of Peter's musings to say: "DON'T HESITATE TO GO, for I have sent them!" (Acts 10:20)

The Lord is issuing an invitation into the next move of God. Heavenly invitations require a response! Don't let the fear of doing something new delay your movement by faith!

5. A NEW MOVE WILL MOVE YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE 
Peter had built a successful ministry at the Lord's leading. He was well respected and was doing everything he should have to honor the Lord. Perhaps he had even reached a place of feeling comfortable in his partnership with Holy Spirit. He could have continued to faithfully shepherd Messianic believers as he had in the past, but God had something even greater for him to do. 

"Greater works" will always require us to to move out of our comfort zones. Even for someone accustomed to seeing angels, Pentecostal power, and raising the dead, God had something greater! That greater anointing was to bring in a HUGE harvest of Gentile souls - people no one had even thought might be interested in the Jewish faith!

God used Cornelius's request as an unusual sign to Peter that he should never settle into the comfort of the old truths he trusted. Perhaps Peter's obedience here is one reason why Paul could trust God to do "unusual miracles" among the Gentiles later. (See Acts 19:11-12)

6. A NEW MOVE WILL HAVE LOVE AT THE FOREFRONT
One admirable trait about Peter in this passage is that he had "learned to love." He loved God and knew the Spirit was speaking to him, even if what the Lord was saying seemed unconventional.

Because of his love for God, Peter extended love to heathen messengers. He didn't just speak with Cornelius's men at the door (which was "taboo" for Jewish leaders), but welcomed them into his house and provided for them as his guests. Peter's reward was similar to Abraham, who entertained angels unaware: he was blessed with an anointing for multiplication he had not even imagined.

Centuries before Peter's time, a prophet named Jonah had also left Joppa with a mission from God. Jonah did not have the same love for people that Peter did. Instead of obeying the voice of God, he fled to Tarshish and suffered the consequences. His disobedience did not stop the move of God in Nineveh, but a lack of love even after Nineveh's conversion left Jonah angry and outside the perfect will of God.

The moral of these stories? We can GO in obedience to God's request but still not have hearts of love. One mark of this next move of God is a love for the lost. It is far better to allow God to expand and purify our hearts now than to suffer for it later! 

7. A NEW MOVE REQUIRES HUMILITY
The grateful new believers in Cornelius's household feared God. Cornelius himself had enough of a relationship with the Lord to be a generous giver, receive a vision, and stand out publicly as a devout man in a Roman regiment. Yet he still almost made an idol out of Peter. 

The moment Peter entered Cornelius's house, the centurion met him and fell at his feet to worship him. Peter had the humility and wisdom to say: "Stand up. I am only a man myself."

Although it was not wrong for Cornelius to honor Peter's obedience and sacrificial love, Peter had the maturity and humility to redirect undue attention to God. The next move will include many such people: nameless, faceless ones whose sole desire is to give all the honor to Jesus.

8. A NEW MOVE WILL GIVE YOU A NEW MESSAGE
Right up until the moment Peter arrived and heard the story of Cornelius's visitation, he did not know what his "new message" would be. In front of everyone who had gathered to see him, Peter questioned Cornelius: "May I ask why you sent for me?"

Participants in this new move of God may feel unprepared, but we have a promise from the Father that the Spirit of God will give us in that hour what we are to say. (Luke 12:12)

God has a unique way of pulling both "old and new treasures" out of our spiritual storehouses to feed the hungry. Foundational truths we have lived by and relied on for years will be combined with revelatory "rhema" words the Spirit gives us for each specific new situation.

9. A NEW MOVE DEMANDS THAT YOU WAIT ON GOD'S TIMING
Mary and Martha waited three days to see Lazarus's resurrection. The disciples waited 120 days for the promised Holy Spirit. Israel waited until the pillar of fire or the cloud moved before they moved themselves. The next move of God requires that we wait for God's timing, which is always perfect! Not only does the right timing advance us; it also protects us.

​When Peter arrived in Caesarea, he found three essential things already in place for him: expectant faith, an audience that had gathered through no effort of his own, and the Presence of God awaiting him. (Acts 10:24;33) When we wait on God's timing, everything we need will be ready and waiting! 

10. YOU CAN'T MESS UP A NEW MOVE!
One of the greatest things the Lord ever said to me was this: "Deb, you can't mess this up!" Just as Nineveh was saved in spite of Jonah's reluctance, so God will make sure each movement He initiates is fulfilled.

Don't let the fear of failure define you. Instead, trust that your Creator knows exactly what you can handle. He trusts you to hear from Him correctly at all the right moments. He is so much greater than your failures, and His plan really is foolproof!

If you're waiting to see the next move of God, I want to encourage you: YOU CAN'T MESS IT UP! God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. He knows your heart, and if you are willing, He will lead you right into the center of His plans, a place of glory and beauty that's beyond your wildest dreams. 

© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com 
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Deborah Perkins is a seasoned prophetic writer, teacher, and Christian leader with more than 35 years of ministry experience across denominations.  At God's request in 2013, she founded His Inscriptions, an online ministry devoted to helping people worldwide “Discover Life-Giving Communication with God.”  Through her website, speaking, and a weekly blog, Deborah offers encouragement to those who want to grow their relationship with God.

Deborah lives in New England with her hubby, 3 sons, one cat, and a coop full of chickens. You can learn more about Deborah’s published books on her Amazon author page. To request Deborah as a speaker, click here. 

THE WHITE-HOT PASSION OF THE LORD

Dear Friends,  

A few weeks ago, the Lord asked me to set aside some time for Him, as I do several times a year, for a prayer retreat. Several days became a week, then two, of deeper encounters with Him, and I am now in the third week of intensely seeking His heart.

I have never felt more of an urgency in the Spirit, especially for our nation and the world, and I know many of you are feeling the same desire to draw close to the Lord in repentance and prayer. I believe our prayers can change even the worst outcomes predicted by man!

During the course of these weeks with the Lord, I was awakened one morning at 2 am. I often go downstairs in the early hours of the morning to worship, read, or pray, but on this morning I was led to go and share communion with Him with no Bible or notebook, just heart to heart. 

I feel strongly impressed to share with you what happened during this time because I believe it is an urgent call for all of us as His Body.

A NEW HEART
As I took communion, I entered into a deep encounter with the Lord. I saw the Father before me, and I was welcomed into His arms. I talked with Him about some things that concerned me, and then the Father showed me a vision. 

I saw that He was holding a human heart in His hands. I realized that it was my heart and that while my heart was alive and functional, it had on the surface of it black spots, like sunspots on an otherwise brilliant sun. 

These spots seemed ugly to me, and I knew that they represented sin, deception, or places where the enemy had gained access to my heart in the past. He and I both knew it would not do for these dark places to remain there! 

It would not be unusual for the Lord to highlight things needing my repentance, but in this vision, He did something different: He threw the old heart behind Him and then held out in front of me a new one. 

This new heart had no blemishes on it. It, too, was alive and functional, and reddish in color as you would expect a heart to be, but it was completely flawless, having no dark spots on it. I was reminded of Ezekiel 36:26: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

He took the new heart and placed it in me then, and I felt the impact of that deposit. I heard Him say that His intention was that His Body be known as “Healers of Hearts;” that we would carry HIS heart of compassion for the healing of people and nations everywhere. Only when our hard, sinful hearts are exchanged for His tenderness can we bring restoration to the world around us! 

JOY OF THE LORD
This powerful encounter with the Father would have been enough, but as I continued to be still before Him, the Father disappeared and the Lord Jesus appeared beside me. In His face I saw pure joy; it was as though He radiated happiness and peace, and His joy seemed such a stark contrast to the weightiness I had been feeling previously in my soul!

I marveled at His demeanor; He knew what the Father had just done, had seen the new heart deposited within me moments earlier, and with the eager innocence and excitement of a child He said, “May I show you My heart?”  

There was not a trace of condemnation or condescension in these words or in His demeanor; He only wanted me to see what the Father had also done for Him. 

Of course, I agreed, and as I watched in the vision He parted His white robes at the chest to reveal His heart, which was the purest white color I have ever seen. It was iridescent and filled with light! At the moment of revelation, I heard Jesus say that His heart was “WHITE HOT.” 

There was, I saw, purity and refinement in Christ’s heart which made even a “new heart” from the Father seem unrefined and immature! The Lord had walked through a similar journey to ours on earth, but the result of His journey of pain and suffering was a glorious, radiant light and joy within Him - a burning passion for His Bride that is so beautiful! 

WHITE-HOT PASSION OF THE LORD
The vision ended, but as I prayed the following morning about what it meant, I was led to look up the phrase “White Hot.” 

Emotionally, to be “white-hot” is to be ardent, exceedingly enthusiastic, zealous, or even angry. It denotes a fervency of passion. 

In chemistry or physics, “white-hot” speaks of exceedingly high temperatures (above 2200 degrees Fahrenheit) which exist as a result of combustion. 

Red fire, by comparison, ranges between just 1112-1800 degrees. Orange-yellow flames appear at 2012 degrees. White flame can range from 2200 up to 2700 degrees, and blue flame - the hottest manifestation of fire - appears from 2600-3000 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The color of a fire’s flame is related to the frequency (or wavelength) of light as well as its temperature. The more energy impacting the atoms in an object, the greater the vibrations, and the greater the vibrations, the greater the light. 

“White Hot” means that the amount of visible light emitted by an object covers the entire visible spectrum of color equally so that our eyes perceive it as white. 

What an amazing picture of the desire of the Lord for us to be fully alive and passionate for Him! Revelation 3:15-16 reads: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

Friends, the difference between the reddish-colored heart the Father showed me in this encounter and the Lord’s heart, which is “White-Hot,” is over 1500 degrees! The Lord is revealing Himself as the Lover in Song of Solomon, burning with passion for His Bride. He longs for His Bride to experience the same passion for Him! 

It is imperative that we as His Body move past our lukewarm condition. We are called to be burning, shining ones for the Lord in this dark time. Ask yourself: What do I need to do to turn up the heat in my own passion for the Lord? 

Sunspots - those dark places that appear on the photosphere, or surface, of the sun, represent the coolest places, where “storms” of magnetic activity produce solar flares. Like the first heart in my vision, these storms obstruct the brilliant light the sun produces and cause disruptions in the atmosphere. We are not meant to have any darkness in us, and by the grace of God we can have those dark places healed and removed. 

God IS light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. We are called to be children of light: sons and daughters of the Father of lights “with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” (James 1:17) 

May your spirit be awakened to the passion and power of Christ’s life within you. May you welcome the fiery trials that serve to purify your soul of all darkness, bringing you into a place of radiant flame and light that is evident to those around you. May you be consumed with His love for you, which demands everything, is worth everything, and fills everything in every way! 

Deborah

© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com
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Deborah Perkins is a seasoned prophetic writer, teacher, and Christian leader with more than 35 years of ministry experience across denominations.  At God's request in 2013, she founded His Inscriptions, an online ministry devoted to helping people worldwide “Discover Life-Giving Communication with God.”  Through her website, mentoring courses, and a weekly blog, Deborah offers encouragement to those who want to grow their relationship with God.

Deborah lives in New England with her hubby, 3 sons, one cat, and a coop full of chickens. You can learn more about Deborah’s published books on her Amazon author page. To request Deborah as a speaker, click here. 

THE HARNESS OF THE LORD

Dear Friends,

Like you, I struggle sometimes with the idea of dying to myself or facing persecution for my faith in Christ. As lawlessness increases, I often cry out to God for the grace to stand under mounting pressure from antichrist agendas. It seems, lately, that evil knows no bounds! 

On an extended prayer retreat this week, I sought the Lord for wisdom about how to walk through these dark times. I knew that only the fullness of God could combat the full measure of wickedness that is being unleashed in this hour. 

We need more of the the power and love of God in us! Yet how do we overcome the barriers which prevent us from engaging fully with the Lord? 

In answer to my prayer, the Lord led me to a prophetic word I published two years ago called "The Harness of the Lord." I am reposting it because I believe it is an essential word for today. May it encourage you as it has encouraged me!
 

The Invitation: A Prophetic Word from the Shepherd's Heart

Dear Friends, 

In the past few months, I have been blessed to have several encounters with the Lord in which He revealed Himself to me chiefly as the Shepherd. In modern-day terms we might say he manifested Himself as a Pastor, or perhaps as a very wise and dear Companion.

Whatever the terminology, I was reminded more than once of the scripture in 1 Peter 2:25 which reads: "You were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." I have been thoroughly captured by the gentleness, patience, and love I have seen as He manifested Himself to me this way!

We know from 1 Peter 1:9 that the goal of our faith is the salvation (the word savlvation here means a full deliverance or purifying) of our souls. Since Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith, His chief concern will always be for our souls!

The book of Hebrews says that believers are "those who have faith to the preserving of our souls," and that leaders in the Kingdom of God are to be like Christ in that they also keep watch over our souls, as those who will give an account to the Lord.

In several recent prayer times, the Lord took me into specific scriptures to see the depth of His love and concern for the soul (which I define as our mind, our will, and our emotions). Perhaps the best known of these scriptures is Psalm 23, but there are many others!

​One early morning, I was awakened from my sleep by the Holy Spirit, hearing clearly the words I transcribed below. They come straight from the Shepherd's heart, and I believe they will be a blessing to you as they are to me. 

"Shepherds who know how to feed themselves will be in great demand at this time. Those who know how to come to My table will be filled with good and nourishing things, entering into places of deep rest and personal refreshment. They will then be strengthened to prepare a table for the ones they are called to serve in this hour. 

The weak and sick among you are many, and I will not forget them. I am raising up shepherds and guardians who will care for the 'Mephibosheths:' the ones who require greater care in My Kingdom. (See 2 Samuel 9.)

Like David, set a table for those whom you serve and share freely of the goodness of My Kingdom! Invite the weak, invite the lame, invite the sick and the troubled, because I have done the same for you, and will continue to do so. You have nothing to fear; you cannot exhaust the provision of your One True Shepherd, whose eyes are ever on His flock to care for them and feed them. 

Rest in My perfect provision for you, Dear Ones, and let the waters of life wash over you as you enjoy these times in My presence. I will refresh and restore your souls until there is no need for refreshment anymore. A day is coming when you will rejoice constantly and will weep no more, reveling in My goodness and mercy and filled with My presence! This "saturation point" in My Spirit is quickly approaching; even now the River is rising and you are being flooded with light and glory! 

Release yourselves to rest in these times of intimacy and feasting with Me, for it will always be out of the overflow of My goodness to you that you serve and minister to others.

​Begin here with Me, and let Me lead you into quiet places that will sustain you all along this journey; green pastures which will delight you even as you continue to labor in the fields of My Kingdom."
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May you take your place at the Lord's table daily as rightful sons and daughters of our King, feasting on all that He is!

In Him, 
Deborah
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© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com
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PROPHETIC WORDS FROM THE BOOK OF RUTH

Dear Friends,

​For the past two nights, I have encountered the glory of the Lord in a powerful but unusual way: through the book of Ruth. Most of us know the story of Ruth and Naomi as a beautiful Old Testament "gospel" of redemption through Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer. It is impossible not to notice the love story foreshadowed between our heavenly Bridegroom and His Bride!

Yet this week, the Lord has been speaking to me about deeper truths contained within the lives of these two women; insights that have direct application to us as redeemed people called to reflect the glory of the Lord in a dark time. 

The book of Ruth is an allegory: a Jewish parable containing hidden keys for a life of faith. I invite you to walk with me for a moment through its pages, allowing the Lord to inscribe on your hearts the very personal and prophetic messages He has for you today!


​In the biblical days of the Judges, apostasy, lawlessness, and famine drive a certain Jewish family out of the Promised Land and into Moab like exiles. 

Ten years of tragedy and death follow before one courageous woman makes a decision to return to God and to her ancestral home in Bethlehem. 

She returns to the city whose name means “House of Bread,” possessing nothing except a firm decision to right her family’s wrongs and to follow the God of Israel. 

Her name is Naomi.Chronologically, the book of Ruth predates the stories of Deborah, Gideon, Samson, and even David, all of whom were deliverers raised up to assist Israel during dark times of lawlessness. Conditions around 1194 BC were not unlike those we see now: everyone did what was right in their own eyes, rejecting governance by the one true King. The Promised Land was devastated by famine and drought, its people suffering because of disobedience. 

Naomi’s husband moves the family to Moab, leaving their land and inheritance, and her sons marry daughters of a foreign nation, which is against God’s laws. Over the next ten years, Naomi watches her husband and two sons die. She is left with only bitterness in her soul and two daughters-in-law at her side. God, it seems, has forsaken her.

We can easily compare the conditions of Naomi’s day with what we see in the nations today. 

Worldwide there are shortages of food, and sickness abounds. Riots are erupting in our streets among people whose different viewpoints defy reconciliation, each side claiming it champions the truth. Presidents and kings struggle to rule a generation devoid of honor, facing daily public ridicule. Where is God in all of this? 

Naomi’s cry echoes our own as she tells her daughters-in-law: “It is more bitter for me than for you, for the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” (Ruth 1:13) 

Praise God, Naomi’s story doesn’t end here, and neither does ours! 

HUMILITY AND HONESTY: KEYS TO YOUR HARVEST
Faith arises in Naomi when she hears that the Lord has come to the aid of His people and provided bread in the Promised Land. Faith always comes by hearing! 

Driven by hunger, Naomi sets out to return to Bethlehem, telling her daughters-in-law to remain behind. But Naomi's renewed faith has sparked something in Ruth.

Inspired, perhaps, by Naomi’s boldness to repent and return, Ruth pledges her friendship to Naomi and to the Lord, becoming a “firstfruits” of Naomi’s own harvest. (“Your people will be my people and your God will be my God,” Ruth 1:16). Together, the two women return - empty, bitter, and homeless - but hoping to find abundance and peace through their obedience.

Just as Naomi and Ruth return to the Lord with a humble, honest appraisal of their situation, so I believe humility and honesty are keys to our readiness to be used by God to reap a harvest. Our “bread” is Christ. Our strength is found in doing His will. 

One woman's honest evalutation results in a good decision and a harvest of blessings. The Lord is emphasizing again today that our response to Him has the power to make us bitter or better! 

RISE AND THRESH!
I have heard the Lord speak many times about the incoming harvest. Many are prophesying that a great harvest is upon us, and I believe the Lord is calling us to be ready to reap.

“See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up, and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy One of Israel.”
~Isaiah 41:15-16

And again:

The nations do not understand (God’s) plan... “that He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor. Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hooves of bronze, and you will break to pieces many nations. You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.” 
~Micah 4:12-13 

​Friends, even in the middle of desolation and destruction, you can reap a harvest! 

Soon after Naomi and Ruth return, Ruth becomes a harvester herself, gleaning in Boaz’s fields. She comes under the protection of this benevolent Christ-figure, and the servants of Boaz (who represent Christ’s harvesting angels) go before her, pulling up and setting aside some of the sheaves of barley for her to glean. 

Ruth moves quickly from famine to feasting to fruitfulness as she embraces her new bridegroom, producing a son who will take his place in the Messianic dynasty. What an amazing prophetic picture of the desire of God to use willing people of every tribe and nation to help gather in His harvest!  

PROPHETIC APPLICATIONS
​I believe the Lord is speaking to three types of people through this story today.

Some of you, like Naomi, have suffered years of bitter disappointment and moved away from your places of faith and provision. You have endured the death of your dreams or the loss of covenant relationships. It seems the Lord's hand has been against you, bringing you to a place of barrenness and despair. You feel like you aren't hearing from the Lord anymore, and life as you once knew it has crumbled into emptiness.  

I believe the Lord wants you to know that He is still the God of resurrection, and He can restore life to both individuals and families who, at present, carry no hope for a Christian legacy. As Naomi made a sober assessment of her life and returned to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ and the "house of bread," so you can by faith return to a place of communion and intimacy with the Lord, ensuring that your legacy in Christ is passed on to future generations. The world is watching for these bold and courageous ones who will win souls even in the wake of their own honesty and humility! 

Others reading these words identify more with Ruth, whose encounters with death and disaster caused her to notice and cling to people of faith. Perhaps you have recently been inspired through the faith of another believer, to make their God your God, too. You have "crossed over" from death to life and from a place of exile into a place of promise!

I believe your decision to honor those who have gone before you will result in overflowing blessings to you. Just as Boaz surrounded Ruth with provision and protection, so you have caught the eye of your heavenly Bridegroom who is eager to bless you! Stay close to those whose authentic faith can guide you in this hour; learn from them and your own path and purpose in this time of harvest will become clearer to you. 

Finally, there are some reading these words who are mature in the Lord. You know what it is to labor in the fields of your Bridegroom; you have harvested with angels and fellow servants alike. Yet there is a cry rising up within you for even more of Him. You are not content to settle for the Lord's provision alone and you have a deep desire to encounter Him personally and intimately. 

Naomi's words to Ruth will become your keys in this hour: Go and position yourself at the feet of Christ as Ruth lay before Boaz! As a son or daughter of the King, wait before Him until you find out what He will do. (Ruth 3:18.) The Lord will redeem this time for you, releasing new strength and power as you rest before Him in honesty and humility. Oneness and deep intimacy with Him will bring you from a place of reaping another's harvest to bearing fruit yourself as He fills you with His glory.

Reread God's words through Isaiah and Micah above, and ask the Lord to make you a sharp threshing sledge, rejoicing in the glory He is releasing through you! 

Blessings to all who read these words. ​My prayers are with you!
​
Deborah 

© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com


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TRADE YOUR TRIALS FOR JOY!

Dear Friends, 

Those who follow His Inscriptions know that I usually write my messages to you, but this week I felt compelled by the Lord to see you face to face!

If you are feeling weary from your battles, please watch and share this short video, which will encourage you to find places of peace and joy in the midst of your trials. I believe there are many of you who need a "word in season" to combat the work of the enemy.

Join with me at the end of the broadcast to receive freedom as we pray together. May you be blessed by what I'm hearing from the Lord this week. 

For Him,
Deborah
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THIS PENTECOST, DRAW NEAR TO ME AND I WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU!

"Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you."
~ James 4:8
As we joyfully celebrate this feast of Pentecost I am overtaken by the glory of the Lord in a measure such as I have never seen! I want to release a word to my readers which is essential to hear in this hour because along with the glory, there is significant turmoil raging around us. This word will pierce through confusion and help bring clarity and focus to you in what is a troubling and difficult time. 

The Lord desires to bring His people stage-by-stage into a greater glory such as we have never known! The glory that is being released at this moment is a GREAT EMPOWERMENT for those who can receive it: empowerment like the apostolic church in Acts experienced. 

Dear friends, it was never the Lord's desire for us to leave the eternal place of "lockdown" in His Presence! Those who love Him are called and destined to remain and abide IN HIM forever!

For those who can receive it, there is a precision of movement in the Spirit that the Lord is calling us into, even corporately. It is not God's will that anyone should suffer from the judgments already coming on the earth! Yet it cannot be denied that this is a time of divine judgment on the corruption and evil that is so pervasive throughout both church and nation.

I hear the Lord saying: "Ascend with Me; draw near to Me, for My glory is following a specific path right now and you will be wise to stay within it!  Those who ascend with Me will find places of protection and rest. Those who remain in the state of the "church as usual" will not be privy to My protection or to the refreshing rains of My Presence. 

"You must COME OUT and COME AWAY with Me! Come out from what you have known so that you can experience the greater things I will do in this era. Come away with Me to mountains of fruitfulness and love, to new places in the Spirit yet undiscovered! 

What the world perceives as your "escape" into My Spirit will actually become your place of power: a power that is then released and ricochets back onto the earth to bring about My eternal purposes and victories in times of deep distress. 

He who does not ascend with Me now will find himself caught in the snare of the fowler and trapped by deadly pestilence. For there is more to come, much more to come, and the buffeting of these waves will undo you if you do not rise above them. 

Make a place for yourself in the Spirit; invest in eternal things, and this will be your safeguard from temporal disasters. I would not have you fall prey to the ways of the enemy but would gather you as a loving Father into my arms of protection, becoming your shield. 

He who embraces Me in return in this hour will be safe. He who remains behind in rebellion will not know My goodness or provision. Choose this day whom you will serve, lest you be overtaken by evil rather than good!  

Discern correctly, with accurate judgment, and see what is happening around you now as signs of My judgment to the world, but as awakening and vindication for you who cling to My Name. Will not a Father, who foresees all these things, shield and provide for His own? Yet you must choose me; you must draw near to Me to enjoy this place of peace and protection."

Dear friends, don't miss this powerful time of visitation from the Lord as He releases brilliant glory into deep darkness and joy into times of tribultation! Your proximity to Him is the determining factor for what you will experience. Choose to receive the blessings available to those who continue to draw near! 


"Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations..."
~Jeremiah 29:12-14 
​    © Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com
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OPEN WIDE YOUR DOORS!

​Twice in the past few weeks the Lord has allowed me to see from His perspective the advancing of His Kingdom during these times of trial. The first was in a dream, but last night as I listened, the Lord began to speak more specifically of what is happening today. I believe that applying these very personal strategies will help you receive your harvest! 

“Never before has there been such hostility to the truth, and never again will there be such an engaging witness to the same. 

“Even as the world exerts pressure on My people, so that very pressure is releasing a great cry for justice and mercy, one that would not be so passionate and heartfelt were it not for the pain the pressure is producing. 

“I am extracting the precious from the vile.

“This process is difficult but necessary. Listen for the cries of those whose hearts are turned toward Me in the middle of these trials - do you hear them? For I hear the cries of My passionate ones who are seeking Me day and night for what is needed to withstand this evil time. 

“Do not dismay, but join your voice to theirs in a heartfelt cry for mercy and I will hear and respond. Every cry, every tear is recorded, and not one will go unanswered. 

“Those who listen at My gates in this hour will hear a sound emerging from Heaven: the sound of My vindication for those who have been repeatedly oppressed. “How long, Lord?” will become “How soon He is coming!” for you will begin to see the signs of My manifest Presence even as you see sorrows multiply.”

Friends, I was so touched by the Lord’s love for His church as I sat with Him! He has never abandoned His church, nor will He now. Yet there is a very real and present danger of believers abandoning Him. Again I heard the Lord saying: 

“Incredible favor is available to those who seek Me in this hour, or incredible distress and affliction for those who have no time for Me. Truly this is a day to ‘Choose whom you will serve!’ ” (Joshua 24:14-15)

I saw that in addition to our churches, there is a great desire on the Father’s heart to open the doors to local homes and families who will receive power to bring in the coming harvest: 

“I will pour out on the households who choose Me a great anointing for evangelism, great grace to reach the people around them. Their greatest hour is upon them if they will do two simple things: Seek Me and Open their Doors! 

"To handle the incoming harvest, I will cause both churches and households of faith to begin opening their doors to the needy and sharing what they have with the lost. 

“Acts 4:33 power is found in the context of unity and community. (*See note below). Where the church has failed to build true community and commonality, I will now build it even among local homes around the world.

"These communities will not find it necessary to be called “churches.” They will simply be seekers of My Presence themselves: true sold-out worshipers who have no desire for fame, pretense, title, or salary but only a simple desire to serve Me. 

“Even the children will be instrumental in this next move of God as they bring healing to the aged and healing to the wounded. Their presence in these families and communities will serve to reignite hope and healing in the hearts of those whose spirits have grown jaded or hopeless. They will remind others of the joy and purpose of Jesus in the midst of a crooked generation.”
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I want to encourage you to look to God again today for the very personal strategies He will give you to reach your harvest during this time! Those who simply seek God’s heart will bear more fruit than those who emphasize complex traditional teachings (which are often meant to close and lock doors instead of opening them!).

It is time to open wide the doors of our churches, hearts, and homes! Although the words below were written by the apostle Paul, I hear the echo of the Lord’s voice within them for each of us, and I pray this for you today: 


“We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also”.
2 Corinthians 6:11-13


​*Note: A study of Acts 4:32-35 reveals that the “great power” the apostles enjoyed was given in the context of both unity and community. Acts 4:33 power is “sandwiched” between unity and shared property (verse 32) and generosity that resulted in no needy persons among them (verses 34-35). The apostles distributed both power and practical assistance to whoever had unmet needs. This mirrors Christ’s model of service and sacrifice.

© Deborah Perkins /www.HisInscriptions.com
​

KNOWING GOD

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
~Romans 5:7-8
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
~Philippians 2:6-8


Dear Friends,

Throughout history, God has looked for people who were either curious enough or sensitive enough to turn aside from their daily routines and spend time with Him.

Just as the Lord longs for us to turn to Him, so He also draws near to us when we do so, revealing Himself in greater measure. 

Abraham showed hospitality to strangers and entertained angels. Moses turned aside to see a burning bush and encountered God. Joshua, Samuel, Daniel, Anna, Zaccheus, Mary, and so many others made quality decisions to seek God, and were rewarded for pressing in.

​Their reward? To hear God's voice and to know Him personally. 


We, too, are being challenged - even forced - by our current circumstances to set aside things that normally divert our attention from the Lord. He is jealous for our love! (For more on this topic, read this recent post on Hosea).

It goes without saying that God deserves ALL of our time and attention because of the priceless sacrifice He made for us: He died to deliver us from every curse and sin. 

Yet time and time again, I am struck by a parallel truth, which is that Christ turned aside from the captivating beauty and glory of heaven to spend time with us. He entered into our places of despair, pain, darkness, sin, even death to comfort and heal us.

He redeemed what we -  not He! - had lost. He did not have to do this. He wanted to, because He loved us. 

HUMILITY THAT DIES TO SELF
As I read through the stories of Christ's encounters with broken people in the Gospels, I am struck by His humility. A man who claimed to be God - was God - had every right to draw attention to Himself. We certainly would! 

If healing for cancer or COVID-19 or any debilitating disease were available we would immediately seek the largest stage, the most public platform, and the greatest audience to "market" our message. If we refused, others would do it for us. After all, what good is a healing ministry if no one knows about it? 

But Christ was not concerned that people know about His ministry; He desired that people know Him. His approach was completely different. 

Jesus came to a deaf and dumb man in Mark 7:31-37 to heal him.

Everyone knew it would take just a simple touch of Christ's hand to heal a deaf man; there was plenty of faith for a miracle! In fact, the crowds begged Jesus to heal him; it would be such a testimony, would it not? 

Yet Christ did the opposite; He pulled the man aside, away from the crowd. He sighed deeply and prayed as if He understood, somehow, the man's shame and agony. He brought the heart of the man to the Father as a true high priest would, in intercession. (See Romans 8:26.)

Only after "standing in the gap," as prayer warriors would say; identifying completely with the man's sorrows, did Christ use his authority to heal, saying "Be opened."

I believe that the time Jesus spent taking this unknown man aside for a private encounter was equally healing, if not more so, than the miracle itself.

In humility, He loved the man. 

The Greek translation of Mark's text implies a loosing of the cords of death around the deaf and dumb man, and indeed his tongue was loosed and the silence broken as Jesus prayed for him.

Jesus did this miracle even before He died on the cross, as the Son of Man.

In compassion, He healed the man. Compassion was - and still is - the key to healing. 

COMPASSION THAT HEALS
​What do we do with this kind of love and humility that prefers another over self? Honors another who is by all standards unworthy? Cares for someone who could never return such a favor? How do we comprehend love like that?

Rarely do we see someone lay down self for another; as the scripture says, we might possibly see someone die for a good man, but never for an unrighteous, unworthy one! And this is how Christ finds us when He comes to us.

We are racked with doubts and fears, full of sin, unable to see as we ought to see, often deaf to the Lord's instructions. We often feel unaware, really, of His will for our lives. Pressure and conflict surround us and we do not have the answers; we feel like puppets controlled by forces much greater than ourselves! 

But then we encounter Jesus. And He restores dignity. Worth. Vision. Stability when we feel off-balance. Healing for our bodies. Deliverance from our demons. Purpose for our futures. Most of all, He says again to us: "I want to know you, too. You are worth My time and attention, just as I am worth yours."

There is no response to this except to worship Him! Friends, the depth of Christ's love for us is SO FAR BEYOND what we can imagine. He still wants to encounter us personally today, if we will only seek Him! Paul prayed that we would know the depths of that love - and the height of it and the width of it - that love that desires to fill us beyond any human measure!

Dear friends, may you never settle. May pride at what you do know about the Lord never stop you from discovering more about Him! We will spend eternity celebrating who He is!

The joy of knowing God, and of Him knowing you completely, can begin here and now. For those who diligently seek Jesus, that relationship is truly heaven on earth.
  WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW GOD? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
~Ephesians 3:17-18
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© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com
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