There were quite a few of us that went to the zoo this past weekend. It’s been years since I have had the opportunity to do this.  I love to capture in images/pictures what God is revealing through His beauty as this is displayed in everything that has been created by Him.

Every capture is moment of intimacy with the Father, as His expressed love is manifested in every living thing in the natural.  He created it, therefore He is in it. 

These images can be images in our mind, the pictures that are either enlightened by the glorious light of Lord (living) or those things that bring to the bones of the body, a dryness-such as lack, doubt, condemnation, and then become the “decoy” (distraction) to conceal the truth of  the love of the Father.

A decoy is a person, device or event meant as a distraction to conceal what an individual or a group might be looking for.  (www.answers.com) 

I heard, Watch for the decoy, I saw the decoy, on the right was what was a living breathing duck. The decoy is meant to be  the  distraction  to what God is doing in our lives, to take the focus off the LIVING breathing Lord, Jesus. I am quickly reminded of Joseph. His brothers were jealous, as Joseph shared a dream with his brothers. His brothers attempted to “conceal” Joseph before his father, leaving him for dead as they stripped Joseph of his coat of many colors that were made for him.  

Joseph was a slave in Egypt, but the hand of God was still on him. There were many distractions that were thrown his way, decoys so to speak in attempt to conceal God within him. Joseph however, remained focused, when temptation arose, he resisted the temptations and the enemy fled.  He was successful in His relationship with the Lord, though his family  concealed his life, his body, the Lord was with him. He knew who he was, he knew the dream that was given to him though having shared it prematurely, God still restored the relationships with his brothers.

While in prison, the favor of God was upon Joseph.

In Genesis 39:

Genesis 39

Joseph a Slave in Egypt

 ¹ Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. ² The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. ³ And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.

As Joseph, so shall you be. Stay watchful and gaze into my eyes, Where I lead, you will be. There is no place you have gone, or will go that I am not with you, for I have seen the end from the beginning. Keep watchful, let not the snares or pestilence be of deep concern to you, but the treasures I have hidden within you. The treasure you are within me. I say come up here, I say come up here, let me show and give to you all that I have promised as the rainbows, as the promise and the inheritance of the children of the most high God, I say to you, my children come find rest in me. My beloved, You are my beloved, I am your refuge and strength in times of trouble you are hidden within me, I am your rear guard, I am with you. I am vision, I am your vision, for apart from me, you can do nothing, I love you.

 Apart from me, you only have A Part of me, but I have come that you may receive all that I have for you. I desire you, I desire for you to receive in my fullness.

You have been engraved on the palm of my hands, what is engraved will always be, I know by name, I know you, there is nothing about you that is hidden from me, for I have created you.

My hand is upon you as was Joseph, I lay my hand upon your mind and renew each thought, bringing down every stronghold every decoy that would attempt to separate your mind from me. For I am truth. My hand is upon you, my children. When my sheep go to the pasture, I gently bring you back I am your comfort and guidance, I have set the paths before you, no harm will come to you, for I have you, I have you, I have never forsaken you, my love for you is from ever lasting to everlasting. You are blessed, for the inheritance you have my inheritance.

I am taking those who have hunched over, those who have sought me, I am raising you up, I am bringing you into alignment, I have taken every crooked path in your life, I have straigtened it, the narrow way, come with me, come I say come with me, into the rich fullness of my love of my bride. There is no harm that will come to you, no weapon that will prosper as you are clothed in my righteousness, you are my beloved.

Isaiah 54

¹² I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
      Your gates of crystal,
      And all your walls of precious stones.
       ¹³ All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
      And great shall be the peace of your children.
       ¹⁴ In righteousness you shall be established;
      You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
      And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
       ¹⁵ Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me.
      Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.
       ¹⁶ “ Behold, I have created the blacksmith
      Who blows the coals in the fire,
      Who brings forth an instrument for his work;
      And I have created the spoiler to destroy.
       ¹⁷ No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
      And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
      You shall condemn.
      This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
      And their righteousness is from Me,”
      Says the LORD.