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God Plays Hide and Seek

“You will find Me if you search for Me with all your heart,” states Jeremiah 29:13.  So the question in the heading is does God play games?  This eye-catching title has to do with God seemingly playing the old hide and seek game that we used to play as children in the sweltering heat of the day many years ago.  Well, of course, God does not play games like that but He does have a desire for fellowship and trust.  God wants us to trust His love for us.  He wants to bond with us.  So, in a sense of hiding and seeking, He hides revelation so that we are thirsty and hungry enough to seek after that revelation.

The context of Jeremiah 29 is all about Israel in captivity.  The word from Jeremiah in verses 11-13 speaks hope to a people who were in great despair because they disobeyed their God and began to trust in false prophecies of a sudden deliverance from their oppressors.  But how does the promise of verse 13 apply to us today?  This verse can apply to the backslider or anyone who desires to find a relationship with God. For those of us who have accepted Jesus as Lord, I believe it is about the search.  It is actually what we learn throughout the seeking process that really counts.  God knows everything but yet He does not tell us everything we need to know at once about our life situations.  He wants us to ask, seek, knock on a continual basis.  Why?  Because He loves us and created us for Himself.  As we worship and as we seek His perfect will through His word (written and rhema), we continue the bonding process.  So, let the games begin.

I want the Spirit of the Lord to continue to reveal to me how to search for God!  Be encouraged and be diligent in your search for God ‘s will for your life.  For example, I have an upcoming dance workshop to teach during July this year.  It is now May 1st; however, I have already begun to ask God which songs to use and exactly how to format the workshop. Sure, I could pick any song and format the workshop in any manner, but if I pray and seek God’s wisdom, He will eventually speak to my heart and show me exactly which songs and format will work best for who is going to be attending. I have no idea who will be there but the Holy Spirit does!  So in the midst of the search, there is a voice, there is peace, there is intimacy.  I gain more than just a few songs and some choreography, I gain more of His heart.  Are you a seeker?  Do you love to play hide and seek with the Lord?

Denise Cook Godfrey

Minister/Author/Playwright/Liturgical Dance Instructor

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dcookgodfrey@gmail.com

COVID-19 Chronicles Day 3

Hello!  We are here on day 3 of the COVID-19 Chronicles.  Today we will continue in our discussion of what I believe the Lord spoke to me in a dream a week or so ago.  There were two major things that I believe the Lord reminded me of for the church…repentance and worship.

Continuing in our discussion of repentance (Day 2 started our discussion).  I want to encourage us with a scripture verse from Isaiah 30:15:

New King James Version
For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not,

The above scripture lets us know that when we return to the Lord in quietness…we will rest in the Lord.  In my dream, there was chaos and fear until the Woman in Authority stopped me in my tracks and I was directed to get back to work.  When we repent for real…we can literally kill the noise in our soul. We will be able to take Jesus yoke and swap our yokes with His so that we can have a heart of peace and tranquility.  Remember, we discussed yesterday that true repentance has to align with God’s will and it must be mixed with contrition and brokenness!

Another aspect of the scripture verse above is confidence and strength!  We can minister in boldness, walk in boldness, and live a bold confident life when we truly repent and give our whole heart to God.

Let’s pray:

Father, I give you my heart…I thank you for my salvation and I do repent right now of what I stand in need to repent of.  I repent also on behalf of this entire nation!  Beak my Lord, Shake me Lord…I want confidence and quietness before you.  I love you and I praise you,

In Jesus Name…Amen

Minister Denise

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COVID-19 Chronicles Day #2

Welp!  Here we are on day 2 of this special time of recording what I honestly believe to be the mind of Christ on the matter of the virus thing!  If you have not read day #1 of these chronicles, please do so.  On day ,1 I described the purpose of the chronicles which started with a dream that I had about a week ago.  So today is March 24, 2020 and today we are talking about repentance.

Repentance is definitely one of the things that the church must do individually and as a whole during this time.  It’s crucial. It is not an option.  What I feel compelled to speak on today is true repentance that aligns with the will of God.

First, the definition of repentance is a sincere regret and remorse.  So…from a Biblical stand point, lets look at the Hebrew meaning:

“According to Strong’s Concordance, the English word repent appears 21 times in the Old Testament. These come from two different Hebrew words. The one used most often is Nacham, which means to regret. The other is shuwb which means to turn or return.”

So to be sure that our repentance is aligned with the will of God, we must have a mind set of regret concerning our present heart condition.  The remorse and the regret, called “contrition” in Psalms 51:17, is what will eventually manifest in a turning back to GOD!!!  This is true repentance.

Take-a-way from this chronicle:

I must feel the burden of my sin…I must be sorry for real…I must trust God to cleanse me and by faith receive forgiveness as I confess and acknowledge my sinful condition…then i must TAKE ACTION!  I must plan to do something.  Taking action means doing something different than before.

God bless you!  Let’s pray:

Father, in the Name of Jesus…have mercy upon my, according to Your loving kindness, according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.  Forgive me and purify my heart. I want to turn to you in repentance.  Break my heart for what breaks Yours and restore unto me joy in Your presence.  Grace me to take action and do what is needed to be done in my situation today…In Jesus Name…Amen

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COVID-19 Chronicles Day 1

Today is Monday, March 23, 2020. I would like to present a 5-day journey into the mind of Christ for this Corona virus situation!  About a week or so ago right before we received word of lots of shut downs and closures, the Lord gave me a dream in the 4th watch of the night.  If you have ever studied the night watches from a Biblical standpoint, then you will know that the 4th watch occurs between the hours of 3 am to 6 am.  In the dream I was at work. I was sitting at my desk and all of a sudden there was a very loud siren or horn sound that blasted through my computer!  I could not maneuver at all on the keyboard.  The system was totally frozen.  The sound of the alarm (that is what it appeared to be) was not all that I heard. I also heard chatter in the air from others yelling, “Go…go to your safe houses, go to your safe house!”  I quickly picked up my purse and some other things that were important to me and headed out of the door of my office. As soon as I was about to get to the exit door, I was stopped by a woman in authority who extended out her hand in authority as to say, “Stop!”  Get back to work.”  Now there was another Lady standing beside the Woman in authority (that’s how I perceived her).  This other lady at first was one of the ones yelling for me to go and get out.  Now she was in agreement with the Woman in authority.  I went back to my office.  The dream ended. The interpretation is that it is time to go back to work. To do the work of the Kingdom. See, the other lady who switched from saying “go to your safe house, go”, to being on the side of the one in authority, represents the world without Christ.  See we as the Church, need to not be flip flopping between fear, panic, and faith!

Now, on yesterday, I was scrolling through Facebook and one of my dance Sisters posted a picture of Jesus with His hand extended out toward a large crowd of folks running as if to be in panic and war…she said that this is the picture that she saw in a dream!  Her dream was very similar to mine in that she interpreted her dream to mean that it was time to stop running and start praying against the virus!  I was astonished at this wonderful confirmation that God had truly spoken through my dream.

So…what are our take-a-ways on this 1st day of COVID Chronicles?  Well, I believe that God wants us to do two things and focus on those two things more than anything else.  Those two things are repentance and worship.  I know…sounds simple but believe me…it is profound!

On day #2, we will talk about repentance and how we can be sure that we are in alignment with the will of God for true repentance.

Thanks for reading!  Join me on tomorrow night!

Denise Cook-Godfrey

Minister/Author/Playwright/Liturgical Dance Instructor

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Hello New Things!

Hi, Denise Cook-Godfrey here…God wants to do new things for you in this new year.  According to the Jewish calendar, we have entered into a new year. God not only wants to do new things but unusual things.  He also wants us to understand our spiritual “times”.  Our times are definitely in His hands.  I am prophesying a suddenly and a springing forth of new things and also a springing forth of things that were spoken and declared in previous years!

Now, enjoy the place of His presence.  He wants to hide you in His secret place. REJOICE IN HIM!

*be sure to enjoy the youtube clip and become a follower. I am also inviting you to becom a follower of the author page at https://www.amazon.com/author/denisecookgodfrey

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Get Him Out of the Box

Recently I ministered in dance at a Women fellowship. I planned, prayed, and prepared for the event in the midst of numerous other responsibilities and assignments. I was ready but not ready so to speak but eager to minister. But guess what? Two hours before the event God changed the song! This was not the first time this has happened but feeling the way I was and being as preoccupied as I was it was a shock! The song was also an older song that I had not heard or danced in over five years!

Okay, I have enough history with the Lord to know that He would be with me so I stepped out in obedience. The ministry was phenomenal! As soon as the song begun, people were already filled with anticipation, weeping, and worship!  I did not once have to worry about choreography, technique, or anything!  As a matter of fact, I mostly interacted with the audience.  God is so amazing! Regardless of your assignment, never stuff our Lord in a box  and expect Him to always move in the same manner. Be ready to be stretched and watch how He moves!  I could see the manifestation of God’s presence resting upon so many faces!

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Hanging out with God

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.”  Exodus 25:8

God still wants to hang out with us! Are you worshipping in spirit and truth?  When I calmly think of the flaming sword and the cherubim that were set up to prevent the man from entering a certain place in the garden of Eden, and the scripture above, it gives me renewed hope that I can walk and live out my desire to come boldly before His throne of grace whenever! See Hebrews 4:14-16, 10:19-23.

Be encouraged and know that you are a welcomed guest in His house!

Minister Denise Cook Godfrey

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Praise Dance Mentorship

Peace and Many Blessings!

Mentorship is one of those Biblical principles that is sometimes forgotten, especially in the area of the arts!  Worship dance, praise dance, and interpretive dance can sometimes be overlooked when it comes to mentorship. If you are in a position where you need to stop and receive some guidance for the next phase of your dance ministry, please contact us. We want to partner with you in order to bring wholeness, deliverance, and encouragement to many lives!

Denise Cook-Godfrey

Knowing When to Push

 

2019 will definitely be a year where new things will spring forth, many will walk into the path of destiny, and so many will give birth to what they have carried in the bosom of their spirit in earlier seasons.  Not only has the Lord spoken this to my heart, but I have heard many other men and women of God sharing this same prophetic declaration!

While this is exciting news, I want to caution us to continue in a focused place. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is teaching us that the birthing position is a very serious one! We have to know how to endure the pain that takes place right before the baby comes forth! No worries though. For most of us, there is just one last,  long hard push left!  Hallelujah!

Ask Holy Spirit to grace you to know when to breathe and when to take that last push in this new season!

Blessings!

Minister Denise

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Its Over!

Praise the Lord!  It is always great to receive a refreshing from the Lord.  One thing that I am learning is that God will speak to us “comfortably” and “tenderly” when we are in extreme warfare OR when we are in a reaping season of discomfort, difficulty, hard trials, etc.  He speaks peace and blessings as if the warfare has already past by.

Yesterday during the fourth watch (between 3 & 6 a.m.), a snippet of a scripture was brought to my remembrance as I worshipped and interceded for my family.  The reference came from Isaiah 40:2:

“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the LORD has punished her twice over for all her sins.” NLT

I knew from this that some of the trials we face are a direct result of past sin, choices, and disobedience.  I also know that it is almost over!  When one season ends, a new one begins.  What about you?  Can you press through the present trial that you find yourself in only to see a glorious future of blessings and greatness as you walk into your destiny?  When the prophet spoke these comforting words to Jerusalem they were still in captivity!  The words came forth as if they were already released!  Think about it.  Your sad days are gone and you are about to see with your eyes the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!  Keep waiting, hoping, and trusting.

Minister Denise Cook-Godfrey

 

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