Category Archives: Spiritual Nuggets

Has God Cancelled on Me?

Have you ever been really excited about plans made with someone and out of nowhere those plans got cancelled? Something like this can be really disappointing. Well, there are some among us right now who are feeling disappointed because they feel as if their purpose, destiny, and promises from the Lord has been cancelled! I did a teaching on our local radio broadcast this past Sunday morning where I taught on the true context of Jeremiah 29:11. This scripture verse is popular and most do not ever take the time to receive the essence of the meaning of the verse because of the failure to dig deeper into the context of the scripture verse:

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

First of all, this word was given to a people who were in captivity in the form of a letter from the prophet (29:1). What is captivity?  Captivity is confinement, imprisonment, enslavement, bondage, restraint, etc. God’s intentions was to encourage the people while in this condition. Even though the people disobeyed and rebelled against the Lord and He caused them to be carried away captive, He wanted them to know that His attitude about their future was still the same. He wanted them to know that He would visit them in the future and cause HIS promises to come to past for them.

10 For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

Even though God, in His righteous judgment allowed the captivity, He assured His people that His thoughts toward them were only peaceful and beautiful and that they still had hope for the future. He instructed the people to “get comfortable” in that place so to speak because they would not be able to escape the situation until their season of judgment was over.

My encouragement to us today is that we must trust God in every season, even the reaping seasons where we are going through chaos and fire because of our own choices. Not all sufferings are the result of sin; however, some are. Nevertheless, God has not cancelled our destiny. We still have hope as long as there is breath in our lungs.

Blessings,

Minister Denise

Denise with Praying Hands-Backyard

Are You Ready for the Next Major Move of God?

Do you believe that God can move mightily and favorably during this pandemic that we are dealing with? I do. As a matter of fact, God has been moving in my life in awesome ways ever since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic I have met people, wrote and published a book, launched a virtual course, and have gotten tons of things done around the house in the midst of working a secular job each day.

All of the above sounds great but God also wants to move in the arena of our intimacy with Him. He wants us to see facets of His glory that we’ve never seen before. Will we be ready for a  move such as this? I’m talking about a move where the glory fills the place and miracles and manifestations are breaking forth. Times where revival and repentance is evident everywhere.  In Exodus 20:18-21, Israel experienced a time in their lives when they were learning to approach God. When God allowed them to see Him move, the people distanced themselves because they were afraid. They had already seen miracles when departing out of Egypt but now they stood far away in fear.

Exodus 20:18-21

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

When God begins to move, lets not expect Him to move according to our ways, but lets be ready to respond in faith. God wants to bring us into new levels during this new era of time. We are living in prophetic times and must understand  seasons and times. Ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your understanding so that you will know how to respond to the next major move of God in your life as an individual and for all of us as a church body and as a nation.

As a liturgical dancer (Praise and Worship Dancer), I have been declaring through movement that God will rain on us as a nation and as the Body of Christ. I have also been crying out for the Light of His countenance to shine upon us like never before…enjoy a brief clip below of a portion of the movement declarations that I have consecrated to our God on behalf of our nation.

Blessings,

Denise

Divine Chaos

Chaos, darkness, loss of peace, confusion, etc.?  Well it’s no secret.  Life is filled with overwhelming challenges in our nation and the entire world right now!  I call it “raw” life!  Take heart though, think of El Elyon (the Most- High God).  This is one of the Names of God that comes to mind when I visually see the tidal wave of chaotic things in my life and in society right now.  This Name describes that part of God that is in total control of this universe!  He is the Almighty Creator and nothing or no one can take Him by storm!  God is in control and will perform His word in your life.  Rest in Him!  At times the chaos is divine, in that God is using it for a specific purpose that will turn out for our good.

Now…do you believe that you have a future and that God will do for you just what He said He would do before the pandemic?  Just a thought question…

Announcement…Coming in July…A new online course for Liturgical Dancers!  Be sure to spread the word to all the dancers that you know. More detail coming next week!

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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Are You Ready for Your BIG Next?

Hi! What huge transformation or breakthrough are you awaiting from the Lord?  Its gonna be awesome!  There have been so many prophetic ministries that have been prophesying concerning the next move of God, including my own Pastor and even me! Yes, I have a word that is burning me up and it only confirms what I’ve been hearing for the past few months. Watch the short clip below and be blessed!  Be sure to subscribe to my youtube channel.

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A Time to Rest

Rest, restoration, and replenishment.  These are 3 very important words that another worshiper had to call my attention to just recently.  Just because we are anointed and have lots of responsibilities, does not mean that there will not come a time when we need some serious “stepping aside and resting” moments.  Even Jesus in His humanity as Son of Man had times when He had to take a break.  I have personally endured some serious attacks from the adversary recently, not to mention the normal stressful issues of life that I was already undergoing.  I began to feel the results of the pressure and tight squeezes in my soul, body, and even in my spirit.  My focus has been affected, my heart bruised and heavy, and I even began to feel sick physically!  I have a long list of attacks that really are too numerous to describe to you in this short article, I am talking about real, satanic attacks, BUT………God is so faithful.  I trust Him.

Well, I will take the advice of my dear Sister . My husband and I are planning a get-a-way really soon so that we can rejuvenate, refocus, and just rest from the hard pressing issues of the ministry and just life in general.  I don’t want to get burned out.  As my spiritual friend told me:  “You cannot be of help to anyone with your tank half full”.  Read the passage below and remember that at times, we all need to step back and just rest!!!

To a Desolate Place

Mark 6:30-32
30  The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32  And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.

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Does God Play Games?

“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

https://www.amazon.com/author/denisecookgodfrey

dcookgodfrey@gmail.com

Swallowing the Bitter Pill

You’ve been there!  God gives a word either through speaking directly to your spirit man or through another person.  The word has been confirmed and you are excited beyond excited.  Your faith is stirred and you wait patiently.  Finally, the day comes for the manifestation of the promise.  All the signs point to it.  This is it, or so you thought!  Your understanding of the matter is now somewhat clouded.  You begin to drown in despair. What just happened?  A set back is what some call it.  Hope deferred is how King Soloman described it (See Proverbs 13:12:  Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life).  Either way, what you are experiencing in this moment of disappointment is quite common to all of us.  This valley like experience has nothing to do with the great purpose and destiny that God has planned for you.  It does not cancel out the promise that He made to you.

So how do you cope?  Here is something that came to mind this morning as I was reading a short article from a ministry called “Streams Ministries International.”  The article spoke of our learning to celebrate private victories as we wait for what God has prepared for us.  I was thankful for the article, but as I pondered this more and more, here is another point that was brought to my attention:  At times, we have got to embrace disappointments.  Sometimes we are just not ready for what is ahead.  Swallowing the bitter pill of disappointment and “hope deferred” as King Solomon put it, is really a pill that is good for the soul.  No, it does not feel good, but once we endure we will come out on the other side more polished and mature and ready to face the responsibilities of the blessings that our future promotion holds for us.  Until we are back on that path (because there are detours we must take on our way into our destiny), we must remain in love with the Father!  We must worship as we have never worshipped before!  Worshipping and continuing to declare and study God’s word during these types of seasons will sustain us and keep us grounded.  Keep busy.  Do for others.  Follow after peace and do the things that you can for God’s Kingdom.  Be satisfied with His goodness!

So…go ahead and cry, yell, ask God how you are to tread from this place and swallow that pill!  Someday you will be glad that you did.

Denise Cook-Godfrey

Minister/Author/PlayWright/Liturgical Dance Instructor

https://www.amazon.com/author/denisecookgodfrey

denisecookgodfrey@gmail.com

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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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Relationship over Religion

Worshipping in spirit and truth has more to do with a mindset, an attitude and a lifestyle more than external rituals. The reality (truth)of who the Father is causes the deepest part of who I am in Him (my spirit man) to connect!!! The deepest part of me engaging with the deepest part of Him…remember, this is what the Father is seeking! God wants relationship over religion!