So Many Keys

If you have lived for the amount of time that I have, you will have this abundance of keys that are a mystery. Of all the properties we have owned, bought or sold, including various vehicles, houses and cars, we have collected so many colorful keys of which I know not where they belong. We always seemed to take note of each collected key and to what it was used for in regards to the house or vehicle, but then came the need for security box keys, the mail box keys, the baggage keys, and then the safety box keys! Yikes! So many keys! So how did we get such a collection at this time of life?
When I was growing up, I remember the crystal door knobs with the skeleton keys! That is something that can take you back to another era! Yes, they are something of the past. They are of the ancient and sometimes overly decorative according to the tastes of today. The other thing is that they came as in my parent's first home, with the brassy back plates. And that same "skeleton key" could open just about every door in that house!
In the journey of our family and those involved, we probably have the biggest and best collection of odd keys!

Yes, so many keys, yet the one that counts is the key of faith for salvation into the promises of God!

Hebrew 11:32-40...............32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-- 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
NKJV

Faith was, is and will always be that which salvation is received. It is in true faith that confidence is shown toward God the Author and Finisher of our faith. Our salvation is by grace, but it is by faith that trust is shown that we have obedience, a trust in the promises of God that He will do what He has spoken in His promises to us. Our salvation, or Redemption came through faith in Jesus Christ. We are saved from the penalty of sin. Daily we are sanctified as the Holy Spirit sanctifies us. God rescued us (John 3:17)in Jesus His Son, through His resurrection achieved our salvation.
Romans 5:8-11....................8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. NKJV

Ephesians 1:7-9.............. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, NKJV

We understand and know that salvation is the gracious and undeserved gift of God...............Ephesians 2:5-8................5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, NKJV

Our salvation came through faith in Jesus Christ........Acts 4:12..... 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
NKJV

I like what John wrote:  1 John 5:9-13... 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. NKJV

By grace we have been given salvation, and through belief in the Son of God...........we have eternal life.

And like those who walked by faith but did not receive the promise but looked forward to the day Jesus would come. Although Jesus had not been made flesh to walk with us, yet, these men and women of old certainly walked to subdue kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises given them and certainly shut the mouths of lions. Men and women put their trust in God to obtain a good testimony through faith. Some lived in the mountains and the caves. Some were beaten, others were tormented and others became strong to fight many battles.

These were those who put their trust in God and what He spoke!

We have a key to use! We have the promises of God and there are many of them. I like to say them over and over and hold onto to them daily, and as I speak I am reminded of the faith of those who saw Jesus coming one day..........well, He came and He is with us through His Holy Spirit. We have Holy Spirit fire!
Below, I add a testimony that occurred about 10 or so years ago. It is having that "KEY" that gets you to the point of trust in God that He will do what He says He will do for us!
We too can experience some awesome leading of the Holy Spirit when we heed His voice. Like those of "old" who came through with a testimony of faith, I, too, want to be remembered as one who held a testimony of faith!

Our daughter was leading youths on a Mission's trip to Haiti back at the beginning of this new century. She and another leader were in training in the Dallas area before the trip. The youths joined them about the last 10 days and then they as a group were to fly out to Haiti. Because of civil unrest and two or three people being killed in the streets of Haiti on the day they were to travel there, changes were made. So our daughter called us in Washington and asked for prayer for the team, the leaders and God's plan for this ever-changing mission's trip! So my husband and I went to prayer on our knees. It was almost 7 pm our time and we prayed till we got the answer.

Our daughter called back and we told her what the Lord had us to pray! We told her the trip by plane to Miami would be fine, but the Holy Spirit was showing us problems of the plane they were destined to fly overseas. We had asked the Lord to stop the plane from taking off as there were many mechanical things that needed to be gone over before a flight that would go across the Atlantic Ocean. We asked the Lord that a fine tooth comb be used over every mechanical area of that plane. As we spoke with our daughter, she told us that they were now set to fly to Panama and be  the"Panamanian Special Forces".

Together the three of us prayed together and then we hung up. My husband and I continued to cover the plane, the leaders and youths in prayer for the trip overseas. On the morning of next day, our daughter called from Miami and the "plane for Panama was not taking off". They found some "mechanical" things wrong with the plane and that the plane was not in good shape to make the flight over open waters of the Atlantic. So the team was given vouchers for food and a place to sleep till they got a plane that was available that could make the flight to Panama. Yes, they got to Panama and it was all to God's glory! Amen.

So many keys..........so many things that could be opened, yet, one works all the time. It is the Key of faith and trust in the Lord. It is knowing that He is with us and knows the end from the beginning.


I take a quote from Joyce Meyer.........she said, "many people feel so pressured by the expectations of others that it causes them to be frustrated, miserable, and confused about what they should do. But there is a way that to live a simple joy-filled, peaceful life, and the key is learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit, not the traditions of men, or the expectations of men."


Father, thank You for Jesus, the gift of salvation through Your grace and mercy towards us. We thank You for the Holy Spirit who was given to us as the comforter! For we know Your Word teaches us that ...."No eye has seen,   no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"- God has revealed it to us by his Spirit."

Father, we are thankful for the Spirit  that searches all things, even the deep things of God. It is through Him today that we understand what You have given freely to us. Father today we draw near to You....and we ask the Holy Spirit to lead us on the path purposed. We ask You Holy Spirit to talk to us about our specific assignment. (Acts 13:2 as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.)

Holy Spirit we ask YOU to link us miraculously with those who will celebrate us.(according to Acts chapter 8)

Holy Spirit, we ask You to reveal those who despise us as an enemy. (Acts 13:9-10)

We ask You, Holy Spirit to reveal to us the difference between the essential and nonessential issues. (“For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.” Acts 15:28)

We ask You Holy Spirit to  talk to us about the place of provision and supply. (“Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook…I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there” 1Kings 17:3-4 (was evident in the life of Elijah)

Holy Spirit, we ask You to talk to us about problems in the lives of other people. ( Samuel experienced this as a child.. God talked to Samuel about Eli, his spiritual mentor.)

Holy Spirit I KNOW  that YOU will become a Source of agitation to unholy men. (Acts 6:10

Acts 6:8-11    8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.  NKJV)

Today, we expect the fire of the Holy Spirit. We honor You Holy Spirit and we heed Your warnings concerning those things coming on the earth. Help us Holy Spirit, You are a wonderful gift to us. You are our Companion. YOU mentor us and teach us,You are truly our treasured Friend. Thank YOU for taking time to talk with us, converse with us and reveal instructions to us. Please, please, forgives us for the times we have not listened, obeyed, and completed Your word. If we have failed to do any instruction, please speak again to us in such a way we cannot doubt it. Please unclutter our lives of all distractions so that we may hear Your voice and obey You without question.  In Jesus’ holy name. amen and amen!

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV