Peace Carries a Sword

Voice of Prayer

Matthew 10: 34- 39 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.
 I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
35 For I have come to set a man against his father,
 a daughter against her mother, and a daughter -in-law against her mother-in-law;
 36 and a man's enemies will be those of his own household.
37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.
And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
 39 He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

In this passage it is Christ who brings division! Jesus calls us to be more loyal to Him than to any human being. By His guidance we have the light that guides us through circumstances and even adventures when His truth is known.
In surrendering to His reign in our hearts we relinquish all "selfish" ambition. In taking up His cross, we carry His message. We are to love our neighbor but not love them more than Jesus. Period! Many a heartache is due to " a somebody did wrong to another somebody".
In all the writings on Jesus and His life, I never saw the friend who was the constant other than John. And he was found by Jesus' side when He most notably hung on that Cross! The true will remain when circumstances seem tough and " really "hard. The true will carry the peace of Jesus with a sword.

Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breast plate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.....

Righteousness is much to us: it is that which is major to making the accurate decisions in this life that will keep us out of harms way and the heartache. No, you and I cannot make others choose God or His ways, but in our conduct we should resemble Jesus and keep to the narrow path that leads to life. In their choosing, they may opt for the "more traditional route of destruction and death, but Jesus came to give us His peace in the light of that Word.
IN the righteousness we have in Christ Jesus, we become established in Him. But people can and most times choose to trust in their own righteousness. And he who does commits iniquity without Him, will die. We find this in Ezekiel 33:13 When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed he shall die."

All the standards a man can incorporate into their lives are those of the man who came from dust! And that man gets the idea that  his standard is the right 'standard' then the wrong standard is the 'right one' that kills one. When they believe they are right and move full on in life with a force, often what is seen is that which is the true demonstration of their foolishness.
We have seen that of late with a particular party and their persistence to create dishonor for others. It is in Christ Jesus we have the righteousness which is from God by faith. Paul wrote this in Philippians 3:8-11 NKJV Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

That is the optimum word..."that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead".
If we remain in ourselves and keep our own standard of what we believe to be right and wrong will up that destruction heap and death!

Even within my own life, my former is in the heap pile of just scraps and mess. But in knowing Christ Jesus and Him crucified, I am raised up with Him in His wisdom and His glory. I am raised to be the son of God. We must be willing to lay down any former rights and reputations giving our lives in the service to others for the sake of the Gospel. We must be willing to lay down selfish desires!

In our communion with Him, we take that good part into times with family, and with friends. we take that good part into business meetings and  coffee sit-downs with a new acquaintance. Resurrection from the dead means we continue His life on earth as He began. We continue with that good part and tell others and we do it in that righteousness that is by faith.

How do I do that? I do it by teaching His words of truth and I write! I continue to tell others what God has done for me.

If we truly confess that Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world, then we have superiority over things that should no longer be holding us down in bondage. 1 John 4:4 You are of God little children and have overcome them, because He who is in your is greater than he who is in the world.
In that respect where do we hold Jesus in regard to the enemy-Satan? If Jesus is in our heart we carry His peace because He gave us His peace. In that oneness with Christ we live in a reality that is of truth, is the narrow path of life with abundance! We daily remind ourselves of those things He spoke as He carried peace of the Gospel and saw divisions. He saw disciples follow Him one day and fly the next day! He had a length of time on this earth, and His assignment that was to bring glory to the Father because of the love for man-kind.

Yes peace carries a sword. Jesus prayed to glorify the Father. (John 17:1) Eternal life was granted to all that God would send to hear the message of His Son. Within that, revival should be seen. Jesus prayed for His disciples: those whom God the Father had given to Jesus. There was to be unity in that peace that carries the sword.
This was never about an organization; this was a spiritual unity. It is visible as we saw in Jesus. It is visible that was seen in Paul, James, Peter and yes John. The more each of these men spent in time through prayer and study of the word, the more these men saw the signs and wonders in their lives manifest.
They could not kill John when they boiled him in hot oil, so they sent him to a vacation island called Patmos. Yeah, the men sent there broke up rock. But John is the Beloved and Jesus the Revelator revealed the end days for the church and Jew!

Like Jesus, the more truth revealed, the more that peace carried forth a sword to divide the light from the dark. And those refusing light and to live in their standard of right and wrong proved that man's wisdom fails. It certainly did to those who stood against Jesus who was sent by Almighty God. May we not refuse God when He sends that messenger of truth that comes from the heart of God for man to live and not die. We are to prevail in this life as over-comers and not be those coming up short in finances, healing or any other thing we know is short.
Growth is seen when we glorify God with thanksgiving in the faith we believe that is never short or one of doubt but is of truth that God is NOT dead....He is truly ALIVE and He lives to see His kingdom come in you and in me.
Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. YOU and I have the HOLY SPIRIT and HE is never self-serving! He is all about truth and that knowledge is revealed when we participate with Him. Take the peace of Jesus and speak as He spoke for that you are the truth who knows Him on that personal basis indeed!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

REHEARSAL
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New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Drawing a Confession of Triumphant Faith

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ENGAGED

Christ and His Church

Matthew 22:37-40  NKJV  37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment.  39  And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Jesus told us two principles: love toward God (Deut. 6:5) and love toward our neighbor (Leviticus 19:18) In remembering those early years of Sunday School and our Mrs. Taylor, I remember the love she spoke with when referring us back to the commandments of God. I remember how she gave Scripture and spoke of Moses walk up that mountain to wait diligently on God, to hear and carry down those wonderful words that God prepared for His people.

Mrs. Taylor would take those commands of us and reveal the importance of them for our lives. In those listed as the first four, we find the “relationship’ with God and the last six commands dealt with yes, the relationship with “the fellow man”.

For those who find friendship engaging, will find devotion time with God like a real workout indeed! Finding that time, yes the quiet, is sometimes hard to locate in any one day. Still to know someone, you must remove some things and people from your life to make room for the new person.

In coming into a major year of marriage UNION for my husband and myself, I find I still seem to know so little of him. I ask questions and even ask what I might should know of what would be on his mind for that moment or day or what his day was actually like without trying to read his facial expressions.

Sometimes I can calculate by hearing his voice if it was a fruitful day for him and those around him.

 Relationship always involves other people. We find that in regard to the relationship of Christ and His church.

Revelation 21:1-4  Then I saw a new sky (heaven) and a new earth, for the former sky and former earth had passed away (vanished), and there no longer existed any sea. (Isa 65:17)  2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, all arrayed like a bride beautified and adorned for her husband;  3 Then I heard a mighty voice from the throne and I perceived its distinct words, saying, saying, See! The abode of God is with men, and He will live (encamp, tent) among them; and they shall be His people and God shall personally be with them and be their God. (Ezekiel 37:27) 4 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away. (Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah 35:10)

For us we are in the period preceding what we find in Revelation 19:7-9. Amplified Bible states: Let us rejoice and shout for joy[ exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself.  (Psalm 118:24)  8 She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white-----for the fine linen is (signified, represents,) the righteousness (the upright, just and godly living, deeds and conduct and right standing with God) of the saints ( God’s holy people). 9 Then the [angel] said to me, Write this down: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited ,called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me [further], these are the true words (the genuine & exact declarations) of God.

If I had to have had a regular time of meeting with the man I was betrothed to, would not we need the regular meeting time to get to know one another AS WITH CHRIST?

 Amos 3:3 asks the question, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” YOU certainly have to meet with your betrothed more than once a week. Our meetings must take place often, especially in regard to the Husband to His Church.

I like the amplified Bible for this verse: Do two walk together except they make an appointment and have agreed?

In our own planning, my future husband was going away to start his education in this city. Fall rolled around and he was off!  So when the wedding date came around in the winter, all the plans were made, all things in place to be married and to make the final move to an area new to us both. We then had evenings together, meals to plan and future things to consider!

I know of married couples  and each still have their times out with their girl friends and the husband with his friends. Seems like it should be that which regards the marriage unit of a couple to meet with other couples, right? Each of us as an individual had come into a relationship where two are considered and not just one merely choosing their “free time” to be with friends or making plans for a trip with girl friends.

When I considered marriage, did I consider it a serious matter? Did I look at what we had together in fellowship and what topics we had enjoyed as “that couple”? Because as the New Year began, we began as the couple who assembled together for the ride to the grocery store, the ride over to the shopping center, we assembled together for entertainment and even paying taxes!

So in consideration that being the Church, being married to our Husband who is God, do we see the importance at the spiritual level to be a part of what is His plan?

For me, I can only speak of what I ask Him for those I am seeking to pray for….as early this morning and seeing some men in a dangerous place. I ask for His knowledge and how I might pray for them and then I prayed. I even got agreement with my husband for those men's safety in the workplace! When my husband is home  and we have our quiet time, we pray together, some evenings we have scripture that we read over and talk about. We have times while just taking a ride over the mountain & within conversation discover that we had the same conversations with God just the day before!

I am still learning much of my husband’s heart, his humor and his pain. I continue to ask him questions maybe when he is not ready, but in truth we expect to be a part of each other’s lives for a very long time. If we know eternity is on the line, will we seek that time to know Him even more?

I am thankful for Mrs. Taylor….may she rest in peace ……for I will see her lovely face and remind her one day of those important things she gave to me and my dad when we both sat before her in that Sunday School class! I will remind her of those important commands that we love God and we love our neighbor!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Good Shepherd: Is it Resounding In Us

https://youtu.be/miUEGmNYqHU

Also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

 http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Drawing a Confession of Triumphant Faith

https://youtu.be/rSsDh4MPX08

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

 http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

Committed to Life

1 John 5:14-16     NKJV  14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

John 11:38-44  NKJV  38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

Having confidence that we have in Him…..asking anything according to His will, His word….He hears us…..that…..whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions, that we ask…..In that confidence….yes spending time in His word that speaks to us, we hear it declare to us what we have right now…..and it declares who we are and what is His plan according to that word!

Going to Lazarus, His friend who lies dead in a tomb…..and the professional paid mourners are on the scene. Yes the crowd is growing as they near the tomb. And then Jesus speaks above the noise, that fervor over death. And among those present He speaks loudly, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me, and I know that YOU have heard Me, and I know that You always hear Me…..but because of these people who are standing here I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me,” Now when He had spoken these things, He cried with a loud voice….”Lazarus, come forth!” And Lazarus walks out….still bound hand and foot with grave clothes and his face was not seen. But the dead man walked out alive. Jesus said, “Loose him and let him go.”

Getting a firm foundation is imperative for us to live the way Jesus did here on earth! We are to speak and believe just as He spoke. We are to speak to situations and circumstances and believe God has gone before us and prepared a smooth path for us to walk. It is a dry place where high waters are held back by His powerful hands that allows us His children to move forward for His plan and to His glory.

May we speak with a faith confession that is established by prayer and commitment of heart to hearing God speak His will to us by His word for us. Knowing what the Father’s desire is for a situation is that which brings dead things to life and give them legs to move. Be committed to keep your eyes on His faithfulness, look to His goodness and have a heart set on Who HE Is to you in the valley.

For when we look for life, we will find it….and it will look like and sound like Jesus!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Good Shepherd: Is it Resounding In Us

https://youtu.be/miUEGmNYqHU

Also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

 http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

To Be Divinely Inspired: Continuing in the Gospel in the Face of Increased Evil

https://youtu.be/w6u0aiJHr34

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

 http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

Expiration of Issues

Voice of Prayer: No lonely road for us to walk....

Had recorded this prophetic conference where Todd White was teaching today. It is amazing to see this young man teach without script. He is so on fire and led by the Holy Spirit, I am in awe how he walks back and forth in his teaching, declaring God's truth, one after another and continues no matter the response of the audience before him!
This is so Holy Spirit, the in-the face telling what truth the Gospel is to us.
He noted that when he was saved that all the issues he ever had expired. And I thought yes, that is so right!!!
 We are not to have any issues regarding anyone or anything. He continued with his walk with the Lord and how people told him that people would not like what he was doing and that he had to be 'careful'. Yikes!

Yeah, can you imagine who has the Holy Spirit telling another who also has the Holy Spirit to be 'careful'. I mean seriously guy, the HOLY SPIRIT is God!

Was working on a teaching today and was meditating scriptures from John 21. I love that restoration of Peter back into the group of men who followed Jesus. I mean, we can all relate to Peter, right? He always seem to use his mouth a lot and at the wrong times.
Like when he asked in Matthew 14:28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 So He said, 'Come'. And when peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

Yes, he asked Lord if it is YOU ...COMMAND ME TO COME TO YOU ON THE WATER.... I mean who else could be out at that hour and walking on water but JESUS!
Jesus responded to that "if it is YOU".....and it certainly gives regard to living by faith. As a disciple, one might be expected to walk on water, yet I have heard very few doing that thing.

Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ: Matthew 16:16-18 NKJV 16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Now we know that Jesus was not going to build His CHURCH on Peter. He was going to see it built on revelation knowledge that was purposed for the church. Those who live by faith, have their trust in God will see His church and love that church no matter what! They will have eyes of faith to see what is coming toward them. They will know that truth which sets the captives free!

Yes, Peter walked with Jesus. He had meals with Jesus and heard many teachings from Him. Another man wrote on his perspective from the Damascus Road experience. You know the flash of bright light, rearing horses and others only hearing a sound of thunder, but Saul heard Jesus! Each met Jesus in such special ways. I am certain that you have met Jesus in a certain way.

I am also certain that you could remember the first day you gave notice to Him and received Him into your heart. I know the walk I have had with Him and it is nothing similar to my husbands other than we both attended Sunday school as small children. We each have our own perspectives of Him, but we both hold the word of God in our hearts, we pray for neighbors and for our President. We believe Jesus to be faithful and true. He has certainly shown up many times in our lives and so too when I had the report of some doctor speaking death over me. No, I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded He is able to accomplish what I have committed into His hand. NO DEATH HERE.....!!

2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day!

We are to be encouraged by His words that is in each of our walks with Him, that we would be 'fearless' in the face of death or any other tribulation. Jesus will guard us and keep us safe when we abide in Him!

Each of these men had expiration of issues!  In the writings of Peter, we see he wrote from his observance of being with the Lord Jesus. His expiration was the issues of wanting to fall back as the fisherman when Jesus had called him to be a fisher of men!  Paul, well, he wrote from the perspective from the Damascus Road Experience. YOU know he followed hard on the heels of religion and found that a hard road to travel. His was finding some 'Christian' to kill.  Yes, from these two men, each had to know Him more. They needed life in Him and in that they found the goodness of God leading into more life.

There should be no issues. There should be no dark places, and dark secret places within our hearts, but only the light of the Lord where truth is revealed and where the enemy has to leave.
Jesus for me, has been the Open Door. For me His love gives the length of my days for His glory and to His praise. The depth is my commitment to hold fast to Him! And the height of that is how willing am I to really wanting to move forward for Him & His glory so others might know Him as I do.

May the Morning Star lead us on.....that dawn appearing with light beams to penetrate those dark places of our hearts. May we start from the richness of Him and gain more knowledge to reveal to others how GREAT our God really is! As we are born again unto a faithful Savior, we are born into His faith, into His strength, into His comfort, peace and power. If we truly hold Him in our hearts then He truly expands us into the far reaches of Himself.
One last word that Jesus gave to Peter...'Follow Me." And he did! Peter was restored by the love of God. Called to minister to the common man. The common man Peter, reached many for the glory of God. No lonely road for us to walk. Jesus walked this way before us......and prepared the way.......prepared the truth and gave us life to see it done in His name. Amen.

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

WARFARE of the Kingdom Demands Full Attention

https://youtu.be/6NLI52E_N7A

Also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

 http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

To Be Divinely Inspired: Continuing in the Gospel in the Face of Increased Evil

https://youtu.be/w6u0aiJHr34

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

 http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw