Beast and Barbarians

Voice of Prayer:Picture by R. Twiner

Acts 28:1-11 KJV And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 2 And the barbarous people people show us  no little kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us every one because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped  the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly; but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. 7 In the same quarters, were possessions of the chief man who was name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. 8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux; to whom Paul entered in,  and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. 9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: 10 Who also honored us with many honours; and when we departed they laded us with such things as were necessary.


Was away from home today, and the Bible I had with me was the King James Version. I had thought of Acts 28 when rising this morning and sensed in my spirit to read the first few verses of the "beast" located there. Yes, there it was written of the "beast and the barbarians".

Paul has escaped the ship that went aground and broke up. Those looking on saw Paul and the other prisoners leave the ship along with those who were guarding those prisoners. So each man made their way from the splintered boards to reach the beach of the island of the Mediterranean Sea. The barbarous people (foreigners) to Paul and the others showed much kindness to them. They, the prisoners,  were invited to warm themselves in the fire prepared by the natives of the island and Paul helped them!

In this act of receiving kindness, Paul showed kindness and was captured by a snake in the fire. Paul shakes the snake off and the barbarous people watch him closely. In their expectancy, they are waiting for his hand and arm to expand violently. They were saying to themselves that this man escaped death in the sea, but the snake came to get him for certain. In their thinking he was a murderer and deserved the snake. Still they watched to see if their thoughts of Paul and justice of the venomous snake had come to pass. But after some time has lapsed, they determine within themselves that Paul was a "god".


Our faith in God has to be greater than the circumstance or of a situation outside of our control. Our whole trust should be in the God Who created the waves of the sea, created the serpents that crawl on the ground and know that He has hold of us every step of the way. It should not matter what the "problem" may be yet many hear a dire "report" of the dreaded C-word and faint. God did not create sickness. Sin created it. And it has developed over the many thousands of years, has it not?

When reading on Paul and his trip to Rome, he readily informed the captain of the ship and those who worked there including the centurion. In Acts 27 and verses 9-12. The centurion did not believe Paul but believed the master and the owner of the ship and of course they went head-long into a storm. The storm at sea covers verse 13 through verse 20 to verse 26 and then the ship-wreck and escape through verse 42.
Those who think they know best are usually wrong if they have not the Lord leading them through their days. It was apparent for those Paul had to travel with to Rome.
Acts 20: 23 Except that the Holy Spirit clearly and emphatically affirms to me in the city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me. 24 But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself; if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news ( Gospel) of God's grace ( His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing and mercy.). 25 And now, observe, I perceive that all of you, among whom I have gone in and out proclaiming the kingdom will see my face no more.

Paul had reverence for God. He had met Jesus on the road to Damascus. It was that road some might call hell bent for leather. He was bent toward religion and man's rules and not to God's ways and thoughts.  In his own thinking he thought he was following rigorously for the Lord, but found he was fighting for the wrong side!
Here he is following the Lord's leading aboard the ship and still there are those who will not adhere to the wisdom of God. They had done their own thing for so long, they kept doing it and until it almost kills them or else does kill them. But Paul was told he was to go to Rome. Some the operative word was God would get him to Rome. And Paul was headed there when the shipwreck occurred. God had provided an island in a storm. He provided foreigners to minister life to and to reach the guy called Popular to be healed of dysentery. (some thought it was cholera)

Yeah, this chief guy was called Popular! On looking up the Hebrew for Publius I saw it was of Latin origin and had that meaning popular.  And in the group setting on the small island, they had the same chief Popular, and had sickness as well.

In verse 10 there is the mention of the gift, it was signifying a present. The Greek word "timais" is pronounced tee-may........it is of recompense or present. 1 Timothy 5:15 Let the elders which rule well be accounted worthy of double HONOR!
This included everything these men would need to make their journey filled with supplies including clothing and food.

The sea could not take him, that is swallow him as Paul did what the Lord asked of him to do for the kingdom of God. God had them land on a Greek Island, and proved Himself faithful to Paul. Interesting that blessings came to others because of Paul's reverence for God.
We too, can have that kind of favor. We too can see the sea storms come, and snakes that kill but God is with us and He will see us through. Paul went among Popular and his family and friends and those who lived close by on the small island and no one could escapee the power of God to heal.
If only we would see the created things as they are and truly put God our Father above them, then we would find a chief Popular fellow who needs healing and then find others too who need that touch and prayer from God and then to find our arms filled with the blessings of God from others. Truly God is for us and where we are at this moment.
Would it not be good right now to lift His name, worship Him and let Him know we love Him and excited about the truth that storms can not swallow us, snakes can not kill us and devils cannot have their way, for God is with us to the end of the age.............Luke 28:18-20 NKJV 18 and Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.

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A CONFIRMATION

Voice of Prayer: Picture by R. Twiner

Hebrews 9:27 NKJV 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

Paul writes in Colossians 2:11-14: In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the un-circumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Two points we must note here: first, it is God’s sovereign authority and almighty power that is the source from which mankind derives any ability to share in the exercise of the kingdom of God. And the second point, sinful man lost all privilege, he had no claim to the early ruler-ship given to man in the garden of Eden. The power is only restored to those who have received Jesus as Lord of their lives, it is by the grace of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit!

Every person who has lived on earth will die at some point in their life. We find from this passage in Colossians 2,  that the apostle explains that a Christian is free from the bondage of death because Christ's death has removed the charges of sin against us. Truth is given here; yet today there are those who think there are many pathways to heaven and to God. It sounds like a pick and choose time of which god you desire to choose for your own privilege. But when we continue to look into the pages of the doctrine given us by grace we find this: that Jesus, in Revelation 1:18, adds another factor in our favor or the favor for the saved one who has confessed Him as Lord of their life!

Revelation 1:18-19  NKJV states this: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” Jesus Christ paid the price. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

Here both present and future events are recorded.

 That price was the penalty for our sins. At the Cross Satan was the defeated foe. Christ Jesus has the power and has given us authority too! The price paid for us was over the Second Death. Going further we find this in Revelation 20 and verse 14: “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  Detail is given to us in  Revelation 21:8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

BUT we are to be prepared! As living stones, we are being built up as a spiritual house. That is called the holy priesthood.  1 Peter 2:4-5: NKJV 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Yes, this is confirmation to being prepared for something called the spiritual house that looks like and sounds like a holy priesthood. As His “special people”, we are the chosen generations, a royal priesthood, His own special people; that we may proclaim the praises of Him who called us  out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

 As the living sacrifices, we deliberately choose to allow the Holy Spirit to change us into the image of Jesus Christ. That is, we allow the doctrine of the kingdom that has come go deep into our hearts and change our thinking where we follow after Jesus. We become obedient to His plan for our futures. Salvation is important to come into His kingdom but the paramount objective is to be leaders in His kingdom.

It is not about how many people we have in a congregation nor is according to how we as the leaders lead many people, but that we stand responsible to learn truth and teach truth. Being created into Jesus Christ’s image teaches us that. Leadership certainly is what God is looking for in you and in me! The most important note here is that we overcome our carnal natures. When we begin to see leadership in our lives leading others to truth then that becomes the norm for us. It comes by living by the spirit man that is led by the Spirit of God.

It is about being faithful as He is faithful.  As we allow more of His truth in, light dispels the darkness. We are to embrace and protect that which is truth.  We should not take part with that which is to unrighteousness.  Many today are becoming discouraged. They somehow choose not to stretch minds when thinking on Christ Jesus and the standard He represents!

 Remaining in Christ Jesus is the real test. Keeping to the teaching of His truth shows where the heart lies! Many will say it is about whether you go to church or if you are staying out of church. But truly not about opinions but where the standard of God’s word is given without any interference in each person’s life. People are to be given the whole truth and not just pieces of it.

Then when truth is given them, then that truth is to be proclaimed. It is not just to be kept by you although that is important, but is about God  who is desiring us who are grown spiritually to lead in the future world that is coming when Christ Jesus becomes the seated king in Jerusalem. If you cannot lead now, how could you possibly lead in the future!  May we not be cold, the frozen chosen and the depleted of life not to recognize that it is God who turns up the heat so that we not fall into a frozen lifestyle and frozen mentality that things will continue just as they have. For Jesus is returning and God’s Word will judge.

A Closing Point: In Revelation 21: 2-9 describes the setting of the Jerusalem come down from heaven. In Revelation 21 and verse 9 tells of the Lamb’s wife. Verses 22-27 gives details that nothing impure will ever enter the city’s gates. It is God’s “shekinah” glory that will be the light, yes, it is His own presence to shine in as the “holy place”. Those who enter, those nations and “the kings’ of the earth” will bring into this place their splendor. These kings stand for the peoples of the earth who are the very servants of Christ Jesus. Offerings will be brought to the throne of God. Those who belong to God will enter here. Their names are written the Lamb’s Book Life. Total loyalty will highlight these people. Truth will be their standard and their character will have the witness that glorifies God.

Confirmation is found among those who follow the process by submitting his all to God to gain the life Jesus came to give us. It is in the here and now one will be confirmed and not later. It is walking holy before God today remembering that it is given that a person will die once and then the judgment.

Which will we be at? Will we be leaders in the holy city of Jerusalem that is coming or will we find a different destination?

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Hope has a Name: His Name is Jesus

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You can also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer 

for more teaching at:  http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

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https://youtu.be/WbBaih_UUcs

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching:

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Talking Too Much

I have a list of verses next to my work area when studying God's word. I have several pages typed on such verses of "talking too" much! We live in a world today that people every where think they have a voice and a platform to speak! In most cases, they spend much time talking, not much time listening and end up on the " poor, poor pitiful me" pile because no one listened to them.
Was going over these verses this morning like:
Proverbs 10:19 ESV 19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
Proverbs 17:28 ESV 28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Proverbs 29:20 ESV 20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Yikes!
That is dangerous when speaking many and especially hasty words and this tells us there is more hope for a fool than for him.

David was one who regarded help in this area. He asked the Lord: Psalms 141:3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!
There is great benefit to speaking wisely! For when we speak many words, then sin is close by. We are told in Proverbs 10:19 that transgression is not lacking. Yes, that is sin! James 1:19 tells us to be "swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."

Our lives must represent the character to which we speak about to others. Do our lives appear as the "disciplined" or one of chaos? Do we make those rash decisions speaking rash words because we are bound and determined that we are "right". We must check our hearts and check within God's word where our though process is headed. Everyone wants to stand out, to be the different, but being different must mean that which stands against killing babies, against lies and hypocrisy and to stand with truth within God's standard which is His word. When we align there then our way is made level.
Jesus spoke this: Matthew 12:36 ESV 36 "I tell you on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.
Amplified Bible reads this way: 36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.

Hebrews 4:12 Amp. Bible 12 For the word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing and effective], it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of and joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing  and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

It is only God's Word that will work! Man's words are many, full of boasting and pride. But God in His Word gets down to innermost of our being to brings us into the revelation of His truth and deliver us from the miry past into a life of peace, joy and love in the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that 'death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Yes, one pathway is unto death and the fruit it produces. The other is the pathway of life leading to more life.
That same power works in everyone's tongues, not just for those who are saved, but those who are lost: those who sing songs about death and dying, who speak of killing and posting it, of speak of defilement and proceed into it, for we truly must guard our eyes and our ears.
There have been Christians songs that tend toward rendering death to the listening ear. No, truly we must know and understand........regard that our heavenly Father knows best and that we must watch what we put into our hearts. We must ask for the "discerning" heart to know truth and reside in it.

May we become content in God's word for when we do we will not go out to harass others with quarrels and fretfulness. When the peace of God resides in you and in me, we make for the peaceful home, the peaceful community and nation. May we be used to encourage others with truth, and reflect God's extravagant love and not be given to speaking too many words!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

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https://youtu.be/X8KHLzFhVa4

You can also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer 

for more teaching at:  http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

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https://youtu.be/WbBaih_UUcs

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching:

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True Joy or Scattered by Grief

Voice of Prayer

Living in a fallen world, we can experience the harshness of the world. Though being born again to life we are still in this world but not of it! If we are not in joy, then we are in sadness and grief. And outside of God you will find no true joy of any kind!


Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
Proverbs 14:13 NKJV reads this way: Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief.

As we know the outward appearance of a person does not always portray the true feelings of the heart. Within this verse given in the Amplified Bible, verse 13 gives the end of mirth is heaviness and grief. Yikes!

Now when someone gets to that place it is as foreign to them as being in another country speaking no English or like being on a planet where no one lives!

Psalm 137:2-6  NKJV  …..(2) We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it.(3) For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"   4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill!  6 If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—  If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.

Bitterness describes the complaints of those in exile. God forced Judah, not to harm but show their way was destructive to them.  These people had been scattered by their continuing to disobey God!

In this setting people desire to sit by the banks of the river under the many willows that grew along the banks, and in that coolness of the day, they desired rest from toil, but their thoughts turned to the home far away and the loneliness of being on foreign soil. They thought of the lost time in their homeland, their loss of years and heartache due to their own "desires". And while in all this, they are bullied by the nation that took them captive, to scoff and make fun of their instrument the harps and because of their God. The captors desired the captives to play them "the fun song".  This period of time they, the captives, mingled their tears with the waters that ran so freely through the region. Their grief overwhelmed them, and the present worship was only in laments of the sorrowful.

In this moment of time, they were far from life that they knew and their instruments was the bitter reminder of  life that what once was held with festive songs, delight and food in the land they called home. But in this moment ,grief challenged their hearts. No songs would serve them but the songs of Zion. What honored God would be truly noted.

Psalm 39:1-6 reminds us about pain and injustices of life often arousing an amount of indignation. It states: I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.” 2 I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; and my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing (meditating) the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue. 4 “LORD, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. 5 Indeed, You have made my days as hand-breadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best is vapor. 6 Surely every man walks about like shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them.

Repressed grief, and pent up emotions over man’s broken plans produced a flame that had long been smothered. Anything causing heat can be built up to produce a “hot” flame. In the place of the hidden heart, the many rooms contain plans, dreams, and most likely brokenness from previous relationships or with current ones. People need to talk about things but not to the extent of hammering others to the ground. We each are responsible to ourselves. We are to be responsible at the age we are and not hammer others or badmouth another when our own mouths and actions got us into that place of “trouble” and possible exile!  Being out of God’s will is like being in the “wrong” land at the "wrong" time! 

 It is willfully doing our own things when God has directed us to a certain path and to safety. And when we do not listen or obey, we find ourselves in a heap of a mess. Surely we must come to our senses and quickly not to lose the foundation of that which was placed by God in our youth or in the learning stages of His grace.

 There is something to exile, to that scattering, that God finds very good. For it certainly is not all grief, but stages the Father will take to see us kept safe and to know that we have done “wrong” will be readily before us. And we choose to see repentance is the needed answer, then we are to respond to Him so our relationship with Him continues.

Proverbs 19:21  There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the LORD’S counsel---that will stand.

Jesus told us of the heart! In Matthew 15:19 we are told that out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, and all of these kinds of things. The heart, yes, is your driving force. And some people have them “souped- up, and turbo charged. They have a hidden danger of heat burning within the heart and without allowing God to lead them through, they thrash others with verbal sword strikes that can kill.

When they "text' their friend, it appears has the hate message. In posting something, they attack someone, and list their very bad issues of character.

Still others will take a trip to fantasy land. They will make the required reservations, check their finances for the availability of  the quick purchase, fun-fare, rides of amusement, fancy dining and the quick snack on-the run thinking they are having a great time, the "great family vacation or family time together,  till they arrive home, and their old “friend bitterness” is there spilling over into grief of lost ones, lost family dinners with the crowd of loved ones, grief over what might have been and ending up on foreign soil. 

Finding their solitude painful they try silence only for the patient few days and then the flame of grief  is fanned into flame by the tongue of anger for the lost.  Their money spent, their tired from long drives, tired from long days and short nights with little or no sleep and pretending all the while that the party is still going and growing.

God does not want us to stop making plans, but He always wants us to understand that those plans are subject to His will and His purpose. God is judging the thoughts of our hearts and the plans that we make, and if they are not in harmony with His plan, then His judgment may result in something that might be emotionally or physically painful to us in order that we are put back on track.

The word of God is to be our "plumb line". Anger can appear and frustrations can be revealed, but we cannot be led by what we "feel". We must know the Word of God, regard it as the standard and not move off it . Party time is not the answer when a heart is about to blow with frustrations and many questions. And if you or I lust after other things as to what people do, what people wear and  to what people have, then we have the wrong thought process. For lust only brings the loss of most likely our good health and life.

Living godly, will bring life that is long and far from the land of exile. The next time something tries to send you into exile, remember God has a plan of good and not evil for a hope in our final outcome. Do not lose focus of His word of truth to lead you out into the light. Turn toward your Father in heaven ask in Jesus name for the expulsion to begin of the grief and pain. Be reminded He lost His Son for our benefit. He lost His first son Adam and His second Son Jesus, but gained life back for us through Jesus. What may be before you should not dictate your life for bitterness as it is harmful and grief can be devastating. It can devastate your life, your home and family.
Remember Jesus came as a human not as God to walk here. He came born into suffering and pain but it was His empathy that made the perfect sacrifice. He is for you and He will help!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Living by the Testimony of Christ

https://youtu.be/X8KHLzFhVa4

You can also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer 

for more teaching at:  http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Salvation is a Place

https://youtu.be/WbBaih_UUcs

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching:

http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw