Journey Notes

Our Lord's Reception

2012-02-27T20:53:00.003-08:00

Tonight I was again overjoyed at how much God loves humans. I was reading in Isaiah 55:7-9 it says " LET the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let them RETURN to the Lord. for He will have mercy and to OUR GOD for He will abundantly pardon, for my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways. I thought God so true, when someone does me wrong, I am very hesitant to show mercy for fear of being hurt again. I'm so glad God's heart is totally pure and holy and accurate. He loves that person who we may think is beyond help and when they FORSAKE, their ways , He not only pardons but abundantly pardons!!!! In other words, when I blow it royally, and repent and come back to the one who owned me in the first place, when I RETURN!!! He makes me again righteous in his sight through his blood and presses DELETE!!!! May I learn to show mercy as he does, I know we are to use wisdom, but may we show mercy. Jer. 29:11 says I know the thoughts i think about you. Thoughts of peace to give you an expected end. He is thinking I want to give peace to the one who repents and comes home!!! Luke 15: speaks clearly of Gods reception of a repentant heart!!!! Is not this wonderful news???? No wonder the angels cry Holy!!! Day and night night and day, let incense arise. This is a call to all those who feel afar off.... Come home to the one who loves you. Jesus Christ.

Stay on the Journey
May you fall in love with the God you never knew
www.songofthebride.org

Faithful

2011-11-14T06:09:00.000-08:00

I love the verse in Revelation 1:5-6

"AND from Jesus Christ who is the Faithful Witness, and the first begotten from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto our God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever, Amen.

Did you notice how many times He mentioned the word AND!!!!???
I love how in Gods Word it does not just declare He is Worthy!!! He profoundly tells us WHY!!!! When I say He is worthy of my praise, its not just a nice clique' It is true. I can imagine the angels and four beasts and twenty four elders all given reasons over and over as they gaze on Him as to WHY!!!! He is Worthy... They never tire and neither will we as we gaze in His Word and live life fresh every day. If we just gaze on the things of this world, including the needs of people, it will wear us out and discourage us because the need is so severe and overwhelming at times. So let us turn our eyes upon Jesus!! Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.

Denise McCleese
Until He Comes
Turkey 2012

Beginning to Run

2011-07-28T00:43:00.000-07:00

This has been a time of mixed emotions. With the start of Watchmen, I have discovered the difference between " wanting a house of prayer" and actually beginning to DO IT. I am fast realizing that without a personal growing relationship with Jesus, a person cannot maintain the lifestyle of Forerunner. The term sounds glamorous but let me tell you, I go to WORK at WHOP. Many may say. well all " those people do is sit and sing, That is so far from truth. Try this instead, First watch 10am. I or room director arrives at 9am, sets up chairs, turns on sound, set out mics and chairs for first team, put out signs, set up info table, turns on computer for later IHOP feed. 1st team arrival, 945, run sound system ( I'm learning 2),for team .greet new comers, get mats out for those who desire them, answer all inquiries about WHOP or direct to Facebook or calendar for schedule. After all is hopefully running smooth with first watch, on computer and phone for team changes for the day. After watch complete, setting up for next team and doing this until 5pm. Afterwards, breaking down room in reverse order. I usually get home at 6pm, cook dinner nap for an hour and its back out the door at 8pm for our evening watch at 9pm. depending on who or what room we are in. setting up all over again. After the last watch, breaking down for day, posting schedule for next day, making sure info table stocked and finally lock up leaving around 1145pm. Since I'm a night owl, I then have my own time with Jesus. Am I still in the SONG? YES!!!! do I grow weary YES!!! do I argue with myself " Denise WHY are you doing this? YES!!!! Are the watches including my own always mountain top exciting NO!!!!! Would I trade my life right now????? NOT FOR ANYTHING!!!!! For I also have the AWESOME privilege of HEARING HEAVENS CRY thru some of the most astounding people on earth. Young, Old, all races, and varied genre, They all have one thing in common... They are Lovers of our Beautiful King. I get to watch them pour out their hearts in worship and for Hampton Roads. We are 12 weeks old. learning to crawl but Jesus is WORTH IT ALL.

May You fall in love with the God U never Knew
Denise McCleese
www.songofthebride.org
Watchmen House Of Prayer

Are You REALLY THIRSTY???

2011-06-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

This past week I had coffee and lunch with two wonderful sisters. Both intelligent, witty, and easy to converse with. As I heard their story, What endeared me to them both was their insatiable thirst for the WORD of God in their lives. Ps. 42:1 says as the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after thee. Can you imagine a deer who has been looking for water and finds it not putting its head down to drink? Yet this is what we tend to do in our daily lives. We get sips from everywhere but the true source. Last week as I was studying this passage, I heard Holy Spirit say, Denise put your head down and drink. Drink Deep of my Word. So I began to just read Leviticus. Now those who know me, know that I devour over and over " The Song" so when Leviticus caught my attention, I was surprised. But for the next three days, I drank from that book. After reading it, I came to one conclusion, God is Holy and Thank God for the Blood of Jesus.Of course, I went back to my usual drink. The point is after reading and studying my prayer life lets just say connected more. Deep calls unto Deep. May I encourage you all to spend more time drinking? You may never be famous or a household name but Out of your belly will flow rivers of living water and that water will touch the two or three that God sends your way. Its difficult to be content to sit before Him, not neglecting our responsibilities, but pushing away distractions, and thus having time to drink.

"Fall in Love with The God You never Knew"
Denise Mccleese
www.songofthebride.org
Watchmen House of Prayer

Be like the Bereans... Search it Out...Please Read.

2011-03-06T04:03:00.000-08:00

I heard a message earlier in the week. This message was very well delivered, by a person I had never heard, but from a ministry I've come to respect. As I listened, I was deeply touched by some of the things that were said, so I listened again. My husband whom I know, KNOWS me, asked about the message and I SNAPPED him up!!!! I hardly ever do that and at that point, as he told me last night, he knew something was wrong and began to pray.You see I take messages that are " from the Lord" extremely serious and will began to change my life. Well anyway, I noticed over the last few days, my confidence before God waned and I found myself getting depressed.
As I was studying " The Song" (Song of Solomon)last night, I ran accross a scripture that said, " You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride" This talks about that we have relationship with Jesus as both his sister and bride. Well as I went on my study path, looking up scriptures, I began to search out as to why the cloud again. I knew I always ask God to cleanse me of secret sin and what I don't yet know, I believe His BLOOD covers. The last four years of my life, Ive been so different because
1.) He put a Yes in my heart
2.) His Blood has made me righteous
3.) I know my destiny
4.) I know He is Beautiful and is imparting that to me

Now Im not saying we should just sin all the time and say grace covers it, nor am I saying to just be rebellious, Im just saying be watchful and careful, SEARCH things out yourself. Don't let your heart go into despair, no matter WHO it is. Those we lead really follow us and we are pastors, no matter the role, whether two or 4000. This particular message, was PASTORED afterwards, "Stay in your lane" as Melvin says. Be like the Bereans....

SEARCH IT OUT
God Bless You on Your Journey
www.songofthebride.org

I need an Invite... You Have One

2011-02-24T20:34:00.000-08:00

In todays Christian culture, I hear this so much!! I need to be invited.. I too thought I needed an invite to begin to share the truths that I have gleaned and continue to glean from " The Song" I had to have that "SURE WORD OF PROPHECY" well I fell into a trap.. I did nothing for years,so afraid of being wrong, so afraid of having little or no " FOLLOWING". However at the OneThing conference in December, a conference we attend yearly at Kansas City House of Prayer
I heard Mike Bickle's Testimony of how at sixteen, He was told go teach a Bible Study.
He started and the rest is as they say "HISTORY". Well I returned home and decided to do something I had carried since age nine, I decided to begin to share or impart to others. I started January 4th with a small group of women at my home, and have just completed my first seven week teaching on "The Song of Solomon" At the same time, Melvin and I taught a six week session in PrimeTime on " Holiness A Different Approach" We just finished our last class. Well you would not believe what happened, we saw peoples lives changed right before our eyes with the simple truths of God's Word. We taught from Song of Solomon and the book of John. Topics like:
1.) Dark but Lovely
2.) Position Yourself to Enter In
3.) You are a Royal Priesthood
4.) Change Your Identity
5.) Difficult Times
6.) The Warrior King is Coming

A special treat was having my oldest son Amos share at the last class. He loves " Romans". How wonderful to see my first born share God's Word boldly. We also saw our lives change. I loved how Melvin made the people laugh. One special class, Holy Spirit manifested Himself and we all took 3-4 minutes of "Silence" as Melvin was teaching about what John saw at the Cross...
Well we prayed a lot and are now regrouping for our next Seven Week Session at New Life Providence Deep Creek at 9am Sunday Mornings, starting March 20th.
So my friends answer your call, no matter how small a following.. love the ones in front of You.. There is a whole world out there who needs to hear what YOU have to say. Oh How He Loves To Hear Our Voice. SOS 2
"God bless You on Your Journey"
www.songofthebride.org

Starting New Again

2011-01-02T16:53:00.000-08:00

Well its the time of year when we make those Resolutions. I did not make any. My heart is so Hungry to be with Jesus that I let Him move me along with Promptings to pray and I follow them. My pastor said that on our first bulletin for the year. Jesus Christ is Bridegroom, King and Judge. If that is not enough to motivate me to seek His face, nothing will. I want to encourage those who may have grown weary by last years ups and downs. We to went thru some very trying times, but God's wonderful Word kept us from being in despair. I believe He is doing what He said He would do " removing everything that hinders love" Jesus will have a Bride totally in love with Him. I went to a conference a few days ago where one of the main worship leaders was one minute singing before 30,000 people and when it was over, I saw that same man picking up botles and putting flyers on the chairs. Where a Leaders wife was also the head usher. This is for the most part below so many "stars" status to do such things. How do you stay in a place of humility? by living before an audience of ONE and knowing that He sees and rewards SOOO!!!! well, even the smallest acts of LOVE. Mama Heidi( Heidi Baker) says it best.. " LOVE THE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU" Translation:While Im cooking black eye peas and cornbread for my family for love or while Im picking up a shirt or towel for the UMPTEENTH time, I am learning not to be jealous of the ones speaking and singing every where... for God really SEES me in ALL my seasons and will reward me for " THAT PICKED UP SHIRT" done for love just as sure as He rewards Billy Graham.

Song of Solomon 4:9 says "I have ravished His heart with ONE glance" Lord Im glancing your way.

May you Fall in love with the God you never knew. He is Jealous for You

www.songofthebride.org

Who is This???

2010-09-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

My first grandson came into the world Thursday to a room waiting for that first cry. The joy and wonder of watching my grandson take his first breath then out it came, strong for all to hear and I realized, I would give all yet again. Oh how he loves us. that made me ask three questions Who is this God that we serve? Who is man that He loves us so? and Who is the enemy that he would so deceive us about God's love? There is only one place and person with the answers The Word of God and Holy Spirit.May you find yourself in the secret place and may God direct your heart to love.
" Fall in love with a God you never knew"

www.songofthebride.org

I can't STOP

2010-08-23T04:14:00.000-07:00

8/23/10
My own vineyard, have I not kept. Usher board, Nursery, choir, worship Team, musician, sound technician, hospitality, parking lot attendant, teacher, apostle, prophet, pastor, evangelist, doctor, lawyer, accountant, mailman, laundryman, chef,
Counselor, singer, songwriter, mother, wife, partner…something is missing… Oops I forgot…my devotional
The Master wisely wrote One thing is needed, when asked about the fact that Mary of Bethany had chosen for a season to sit at His feet. These verses are not to say that we don’t have busy lives, but our priorities must shift if we are to walk with God.
The five foolish virgins had this problem.. They were going about as usual and building their ministry, everything looked good for a while. However the scripture says while the Bridegroom tarried, they ALL fell asleep. Sooner or later, weariness comes to all of us. Only those who have taken time to put oil in their lamps will be ready tor His Appearing. His appearing for the most part surprises us.
It takes discipline and patience to wait on God. He is not a cosmic bellhop. When you say jump, He does not say how hi? In my own life, there are times when I hear and sense His desire for me to pull aside. Ever so slowly, I’m learning to do that. When I ignore those promptings, I get confused, bogged down, out of sorts and as my family can attest to “ cranky” or in a “mood”. This happens if we don’t stay connected to the vine, we will begin to die and become more prone to temptation in our life.
May I encourage you today to tend to your own garden first. We can only give out, what we receive. You may not be able to do everything, but what you do will bear fruit over time, because You stay connected to the Vine.
Jesus said, Mary has chosen that GOOD thing, and it shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:42

“ Fall in love with the God you never Knew”
Song of the Bride
www.songofthebride.org

Fragrance... part two

2010-08-16T04:53:00.001-07:00

A wonderful fragrance from a rose seems to say without words, smell me. Enjoy me. Why do women love perfume in so many different fragrances? Because perfumes speak all of our different emotions and feelings we can’t express. The deep places in our hearts that say, “ I love You”.
Remember when Mary the sister of Lazarus, took a pound of very costly ointment and anointed Jesus? What happened? The fragrance filled the whole house!!!! The whole house… Now Judas was indignant and said, “Why this waste?” Can you imagine? His real feelings about the Lord came out in that statement… Well what Judas did not know was that Mary not only was expressing her total devotion but this scripture…
Your name is as ointment poured forth… How are people perceiving the God we represent? When Jesus was here, His whole life, He let us know Gods true character, even to the point where He said when you have seen me, you have seen the Father. (John 14:9-10). He went about doing good and healing the sick, feeding the hungry, giving hope to the poor, loving and forgiving those in sin. By the way that’s all of us.
He finally was humble to the point of death. You smell a rose the strongest, when its crushed. He was crushed for our sins and the fragrance of total surrender, filled the earth. God is not mean, bad smelling, repulsive or aloft. As we seek to find out for ourselves, We discover to our amazement, that Jesus has a wonderful personality. I have discovered how HONEST, and Full of Mercy He is. Indeed there is no other name like Jesus!!!! When we speak His name in Faith and Love, We bring all of heaven to attention to marvel at the ointment that flows… Speak His wonderful name often.
His name poured into our lives causes us to say. He is
ALTOGETHER LOVELY…
Therefore the virgins or those with pure hearts, Give you their LOVE…. Song of Solomon
www.songofthebride.org
God Bless you on Your Journey…

Fragrance

2010-08-09T05:07:00.000-07:00

SOS 1:2
Jesus is Pure and altogether lovely and those who are virgin or pure in heart will follow Him… it is inevitable. Remember when you were home for Thanksgiving?
My house always smelled of sweet potato pies, dressing, turkey and chitlins…Even though I did not like them, the aroma of chitlins…all those smells combined drew me and 6 others like a magnet as soon as we entered the front door. His name is as ointment poured forth because of His good fragrance. So when people get a wift of our lives are they smelling His wonderful character? Or are we causing a horrible odor that makes people want to run? His ointment poured forth!!! This is for healing, salvation, deliverance and drawing us HOME. Let us be encouraged even if at the moment our attitudes don't draw people, I find all I have to do is spend time with Him and his fragrance begins to come forth. A rose does not make itself have fragrance, it is a ROSE. What is inside comes out. May His name be poured forth in our lives. He is the Balm in Gilead. ( sos1:3) God Bless You on Your Journey

We all have desires

2010-08-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

I will concentrate on remembering Your Love More than wine. what is the definition of enjoy- possess utterly, consume, gaze, to look upon. Allegorically as the Shulamite would have asked David to allow Solomon to release his kisses, so we ask the Father to let the kisses of the Word to be released in our lives. How does she know? she had to have tasted wine and His love to make the comparison. Ecclesiastes speaks of Solomon's journey into this world of labor and delights he had everything money, power, wealth, esteem, great possessions, honey, oil, wine, best clothes, but these things do not satisfy the human spirit. We stuff ourselves with more, more because we are trying to satisfy the unseen with the seen. The longing is so great that we don’t care if we kill the human body to satisfy it!!!! ( dangerous sexual practices, overeating, smoking, drugs) My heart was created for God!!! (rev 4:11)
Father thank you that you satisfy all my God given longings,
the longing for beauty, to stand in awe, to be abandoned, to be great, to be totally enjoyed, to be intimate without shame, and to leave a legacy is found in Jesus for you created me with these longings. I'm learning the LONGINGS are not sin But how I fulfill them can be...
Therefore we give ourselves to you today. www.songofthebride.org
" Fall in love with a God You never knew"

I dont Feel like it Today... PRESS IN

2010-07-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

Many times as I get up in the morning, I don’t feel like studying or praying, but I have found what works for me. I go get my Bible and my pens and commentary and begin to study anyway. then I begin to sing the scripture to myself, word for word then I sing in tongues then the scripture then in tongues, then I begin to paraphrase same two or three verses. well after 30 minutes of doing that gratitude and worship begin to flow and I am able to enter that place where we are changed. I learned this from my mentor. It is a discipline and becomes a pleasure. Press in, He is worth the wait. Remember many in scripture waited for days to hear His Voice. You and I get to join in that line of those who know how to wait. They that wait on the Lord SHALL renew their Strength...May you be blessed with joy behind the veil.

"Fall in Love with a God you never knew"

Dark but Lovely

2010-07-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

By Denise McCleese
Today I would like to encourage those who may find themselves like I was about three years ago. Even though I’d been saved for years, I had a very difficult time seeing the beauty inside myself because of the work of the cross. Song of Solomon 1:5-6 I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon. As many of you know, the tents of Kedar were tents of a nomadic tribe dark, whereas the curtains of Solomon were pure and white. This is a simple beginning description. Unfortunately in a lot of streams of the body of Christ, the focus is on the darkness of our hearts. However we must also focus and remind ourselves that because of what Jesus has done, who we are destined to be, and Gods own personality, He sees us as Beautiful. The enemy always brings condemnation. Many times people only see the sin, the weakness, the failure. I have a grand baby now and I remember the night God revealed a meaning in this verse. My granddaughter had been in my bedroom and in five minutes, it looked like a tornado had struck. As I looked at her I could only laugh. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, do you still enjoy her? I said of course, she’s my granddaughter. He said “I enjoy you now!!! Even while you are maturing, not only when you get to heaven.” Remember Moses? He had actually MURDERED someone, however when God met him at the burning bush, He did not say “Moses you are going to hell and now I’ve got to find someone else because you killed a man” Remember Peter?
Even after He denied Jesus and renounced himself by saying “I’m going fishing” They fished all night. He said nothing about going into all the world and preaching the Gospel. I can imagine him saying “Oh well that’s over… Jesus nor the disciples will never forgive me. In a loving encounter Jesus restored Peter by asking him “THREE TIMES.. Peter do you love me?” Jesus knew Peter would do this and had told him, Behold the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Ok I can hear some saying, Are you saying go ahead and sin? NO by no means am I advocating a cheap Gospel. This is for the weak in flesh but ever struggling and praying for victory. You have a significant victory, just by the fact that you desire to be FREE!!! Think of it!! Out of the millions who don’t even think of Jesus during the day, You on the other hand long to be FREE. Peter finally said “ Lord you know all things, you know that I love you” At that point, He was restored and became what he was destined to be. Peter (a rock). Now when I discover a dark area in my heart, I quickly repent and run to God, instead of sulking or taking time out for a few years, thinking I’ve got to give God time to get over his anger and disgust of me. Those days are over. God is Never Moody. Now I run STRAIGHT into his arms. His goodness leads me to repentance. Yes Sin is serious but Jesus Paid it ALL, All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain He washed It white as snow. God’s Dream was me. For music to encourage your heart, visit me at http://www.songofthebride.org
“ Fall in Love with a God you never knew”

2010-07-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

ONE THING
In today’s world, it is very difficult to develop a hunger for one thing. There are so many and dishes to nibble on at the Lord’s table. The good part about this is there is always variety. The disturbing part is that if we are not careful, we find ourselves loosing track of what we are called to do. So the question is what exactly are we called to do? According to scripture, we are called to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. I will leave the Greek and Hebrew for those who are wiser than I and just encourage us all to Fall in love with Jesus again. Remember when you first fell in love??? Everything suddenly centered around that one person. your time, money, thoughts, dress, perfumes, schedule, food patterns, and emotions were suddenly awakened. You had found ONE PERSON in whom you were totally in love with. I want to encourage you to focus and let God give you a hunger for HIM. He longs for you to become a lover again. In your prayer time, just be with Jesus. Drop the list and gaze into His Word. If you are used to being a nibbler like me, it may take time, but when it begins to happen, You will not be able to get enough of his word. You may find yourself falling head over heels in love with a specific book of the Bible. You may find yourself falling in love with the book of luke
My favorite book is the Song of Solomon. for almost three years now, I have been meditating and singing from that book. I cant even begin to tell you of the transformation.

" Fall in Love with the God You never knew"
Song of the Bride
http://www.songofthebride.org

So..what changed everything?

2010-07-18T05:40:00.000-07:00

My greatest desire and my greatest fear was letting God come close. I know you may say well as a Christian, the Holy Spirit lives in you, so that is close. Not really... for me receiving the Holy Spirit was yes a wonderful experience, but that's all I was taught. I was not taught you could talk to Him and He to you. Well 2002 rolls around and after life had happened, I found myself in Canada on the floor, having my first and only so far open vision. I wont go into details here, but suffice to say, I started a journey of discovering this God who claimed He loved me. What stops You? Are you afraid of experiencing love? Are you afraid that He will discover deep sin and make it known? Are you afraid He will ask of you changes you don't want to make? Are you afraid that He is more awesome than we all imagined? All these are valid questions. Come with me, Take the Journey. slowly but surely, you will discover Jesus.

" Fall in love with a God you never knew"

How I feel about God. part 1

2010-07-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

I used to think God was far away, and angry. I even thought I was a puppet on a string dangling at His whim. Since I did not know the experience getting hugged by a father, I had no comprehension of a Father image of God. This went on for years and years. I also thought that He was on the verge of destroying me the next time i committed a "sin"
Ideas of old man, stern faced sitting on edge of seat waiting to zap me came to mind. I learned about Jesus as a little girl, but the Christians I saw were sad like me. They sang in church, but otherwise there was no difference in their attitude about life. Because of this viewpoint, or paradigm, I was miserable for years. Even 19 years into marriage to a Christian Man did not change my View. But in 2002, I saw A God I never Knew and for eight years now, I have been in pursuit of that God.
He changed not only me, but my entire family. This is what this blog is about. I want to invite you to

" Fall in Love with the God, You never Knew"