Showing posts with label captive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label captive. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Hooked to the World by an App

 

Revelation 13:1-18 NKJV Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying “Who is like the beast?” Who is able to make war with him?” 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of the saints.

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of beast, should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

In the first two chapters of Genesis reveals the beginning of God’s plan which was purposed to putting a man in the garden. And in that, a deception came to disrupt….a voice from the dust.  And Genesis 3:1 tells us that the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. Yes a voice came from the dust as a beast.  BUT in the last two chapters of the Bible is the book of Revelation and in this that which was planned in the Beginning is resumed in the glory of God, of His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.                                                                                      

From Revelation 21:6 reveals that there was no more sea. For this was done away with in Revelation 20:11 for the earth and the heaven will flee away from God of  the White Throne judgment.  So “this sea” in this passage does not mean water, but of a spirit pertaining to the spiritual and a beast…….that is, it is a sea that holds a perpetual unrest as seen from Mark 4:39 where the wind and wave obeyed Jesus! This sea represents a “beast” …an unruly hostile "troubler" of God’s people: His name is Thay--reon. This troubler is seen in Revelation 13:1 and 13:11, he is equipped in demonic magic and ventriloquism.  Revelation 13:1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Yes, this beast will be done away with as described as the sea Jesus speaks of in Revelation 21:6!

Judgment will come and that sea will give up her dead. All that Thay—reon took captive. This beast will cease to destroy or disturb. If we truly look at this, we find the first beast is a man, the troubler with demonic ties. But when we look at the second "beast", this word has the meaning of not man but an idol. And behind every idol is a lie.

Where are idols found in this world, well, one is found in your phone. It is like a lifeline to the world. And this world, apps are provided to simplify your life. Oh, yes there is an app for you to use. And the "beast" will have this idol at your fingertips so that he can keep connected to you for his own intent! It will lie to you and tell you that you "really" need this app.

(In referring to the hand, it is considered the right hand when having a connection to fellowship: "the right hand of fellowship".)

 Galatians 2:9-14  NKJV 9 and when James, Cephas (Peter), and John who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. 11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12   for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. 14  But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?

In verse 10 of Revelation 13..the call is for endurance and faith of the saints. Faith is required ….it should be a knowing of the past faith walk in Him, that although He is neither chaotic nor is He haphazard, but the end times have been orchestrated by Him. It is you and I who are to walk like a beautiful song on a stormy day, to live in harmony with God seated in heavenly places while hell is breaking loose….on earth.

Faith people exhibit a language that speaks the new spiritual life and where Christ the true is praised. Those of faith hold truth and speak it as Jesus spoke !

Faith people make room for life and living…..they make room to rest in Him and abide in His presence. For it is in Him we learned to praise Him in the midst of trials and tribulations and see His glory cover our land.

 In this hour we should imagine God waving a caution flag before us. He is revealing an area of danger in that life line to the world. For you and I will not be involved in any of the same political, social, and military circles as the Beast who is alive today. His political wisdom and flattery's are exhibited in his public policies. He is an unconverted man.  His use of political strategies will essentially appeal to the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life found 1 John 2:15-17. His appeal will be for us to abandon our own faith and give cooperation to his agenda. It involves a trust and loyalty to him. It is submitting not to God but to political programs. He will have his umbrella of peace and safety.  Should we now consider and keep to the fore front of our thinking that when his seduction and subversion through flattery's fail, it is truly of reign of terror that will ensue where persecution begins.

Thank you to all who give heed to the Lord. We are thankful for His truth in this hour of chaos. In a past teaching from about 4 years ago, I had written where we would not be part of the end times, that the United States would not be there. But I was wrong! What I have seen, read and learned from the past few years from a different frame of thinking and walking. But today, I can see and hear the good Shepherd. He is for us and we are under the shadow of the Almighty. We reside in His peace and His safety. We learn by being in His presence. We understand Him by His commitment to truth He has given. He never changes! Amen!

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Sunday, May 17, 2020

Living in Oppression Does Not Bring Freedom

Was hearing this teaching this morning and it was a good one! This pastor is one out of California and we listen to him weekly. He taught to those  in attendance that they all required truth! I agree! And the truth is found in God's word and not in news articles or made up things from men's worldly thoughts and ways! 

He continued to tell them that early people in the Bible and of course, he gave the years before Christ and then during His time and how the color of those living at that time were darker. He compared his skin color and continued to tell them that even Pharaoh even had dark skin. He went on to explain Noah and the sons he had and what areas they had settled after the flood. So after he had given this teaching I kept thinking of how people are living oppressed without freedom when they are held by the very color of their skin!

Jesus was not held by oppression but came to set captives free from every stinking thing that would hold a person down.

Here I give you some detail:

Genesis 9:18-28 NKJV Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated. 20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. 21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 The he said: “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants He shall be to his brethren.” 26 And he said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant. 27 May God enlarge Japheth; and may he dwell in the tens of Shem; and may Canaan be his servant.”


Genesis 10:1-10 NKJV Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer, wer Ashkenaz,, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations. 6 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raaman, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raaman were Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 and the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Genesis 10:25 To Eber was born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.

So it was Ham who saw his father’s nakedness. And Ham’s sons were Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan. The Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary records that Ham’s descendants were associated with the regions of Africa and Arabia. Also Nimrod, from same family was a successful but aggressive empire builder.
It was this Nimrod that organized what would be the first secular government in what would be the city of Babel seen in Genesis 10:8-10. 

It is what is known today as socialism in that only a few leaders at the top would actually profit from the labor of the majority beneath them. It was revealed that this Nimrod organized others in a short time to connect with other men in the areas they wanted to have in their empire and among those many cities each was ruled by that “self-willed” king! You can see that today in those who have a greed + pride that marks their competition style that enslaves others by economic manipulation.



Genesis.11:1-4  Now the whole earth was of one language,& of one speech. (lip).  2 & it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; & they dwelt there.  3 Then they said one to another, “ Come,  let us make bricks for stone & bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, & they had asphalt for mortar. 4 & they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city & a tower, whose top may reach in to the heavens; let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” 



They did not want to be scattered for safety reasons. The increase of animals is increased when sin increases! The news of bears staying close to people’s neighborhoods and yes who built their new home in the backyard of bears seems common today as well as cougars running close to neighborhood’s  and schools, again due to building in the area that is country and home to the such. Have you lately checked the skies over the area of which you live? Take a walk outside or drive to the outskirt of your community and you will see turkey buzzards and the such. They are circling, waiting for the morsel to show up on their plate! We have noticed them where we live, and also by driving either west or east of here, and yes, the small communities have them as much as the bigger towns and cities do!


Genesis 11:5-9 NKJV BUT the Lord came down to see the city & the tower, which the sons of men had built.  6 And the Lord said, “Indeed, the people are one, & they have all one language; & this is what they begin to do: now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.   7 Come, let US go down & there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, & they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD confused the language of all the earth: & from there the LORD scattered them abroad upon over the face of all the earth.


In looking at the map of the nations of Genesis 10 we find the countries of Greece, Syria, Lebanon, Assyria, Persia, Jordan, Israel and Egypt. And the skin coloring was darker than say of those in what would be the European region.    

            
In 1 Chronicles 1:19 to Eber were born two son: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.


At the time Peleg was born and of his life, God caused the land mass to separate into continents. It would be five generations when Abram would appear. He and his family were told to leave Ur of the Chaldeans and go to Canaan. Ur would be located in northern Mesopotamia and is identified with the city in southern Iraq. These were people with darker skin coloring. It is important to remember that when Noah got off that ark, only his family got off. It was eight people: Noah and his wife, and their sons with their wives. And the sons were to be fruitful and multiply. So if Adam was taken from the ground and we know he was by the scripture seen in Genesis 2:7, God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. So this group seen after the flood would be the beginning of the lineage of man across the earth.


Today many people desire to know their lineage. They desire to know if they came over on the Mayflower, but still all have come from Adam and resembles the color of the earth. So there are those with conflicting opinions concerning people and their ethnicity.
After what occurred to the Tower of Babel, the Japhetic race went to the east of Europe and north of Asia to multiply the race!
Japheth is usually thought of as the “Father of the Europeans”. He is known to be the ancestor of all Indo-European nations. The majority of his descendants are situated in north western regions like Anatolia and Aegean.


He was given the word to enlarge in Genesis 9:27. His people would settle areas and enlarge to take the parts considered as Asia and the Americas. But Scriptures reminds us that a fraction would be separated until the conquest of the Shemite tribes would occur to drive them to the northern regions where they would occupy the South of Europe.

All these were descendants of color more or less, are still the same family, so what is the “problem”?
Certainly all came through what was of Noah and his sons. Men of color, including the Pharaohs, wise men, prophets, teachers, scholars, judges, and seamen, and even Jesus! 
Even my own mother told me when we saw the movie of Cleopatra, that she, Cleopatra,  was really not considered the “white” but would have been a woman of color…..like all were people there! She continued to tell me that as more people traveled and settled in colder regions, the less sun they saw and more indoor time they experienced and endured the less tan their skin would appear. The colder the climates, the more likely a coat would cover to keep the sun's rays off the skin of a person!

Wow, does that not seem like what we are doing today…that time to endure "sheltered" in rooms with no sunshine but the light from a lamp or the light from the television set? I wonder if we should check our color chart guide or do we have one to see if we are much too pale?

No seriously, we all have the same blood, and just because you may be lighter in skin than me or darker does not change the truth that living in oppression does not bring freedom. We must come to the place and realize God knows best and He knows what He is doing. We are here by His choice and for His pleasure. And we should learn to get along with each other because He said so and not because of any man or woman thing, but because God is Father who cares and desires us to be one family: HIS!

Whether a family comes from the south China seas makes no difference from the family who comes from Norway, or even the Hawaiian Islands. God created, and God is love! He has desires for us as His own and as His, those sons of God, we are to abide in His Son, live by the power of the Holy Spirit and express His love to others. May the rest of 2020 be for His glory and to His love that prevails in us all that none of us will live in oppression or by oppressive rules of man but by the love and guidance of a holy Father in heaven. Amen.

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WHAT is that To YOU

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Sunday, July 26, 2015

TRADING GLORY FOR SORROWS

Judges 16:1-5.............16:1 Then Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her. 2 When the Gazites were told, "Samson has come here!" they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. They were quiet all night, saying, "In the morning, when it is daylight, we will kill him." 3 And Samson lay low till midnight; then he arose at midnight, took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two gateposts, pulled them up, bar and all, put them on his shoulders, and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.

4 Afterward it happened that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, "Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver." NKJV



When Samson took hold of that gate of the city, he pulled up the entire gate with the lintels and we are told this gate had a plating of metal throughout. (the gates were done that way so as not to burn completely away when being attacked by foreigners). It was usually a double door and was locked at night by a wooden bar across the middle. We are told that he pulled it up and put in on his shoulders and carried them (the two wooden doors of the gate that was woven throughout with metal) to the top of the hill that faces Hebron! Wow!
Please realize that this carrying of the gate is up a hill all the way and with added weight on the shoulders.

Saw this young woman on the path behind our home. (Thursday noon) as I worked on this passage of scripture. She looks like she was in training for she was jogging with a metal cylinder on her back. I think of all those firefighters who have to get to a terrain where a fire is raging and their work requires an uphill climb, not far from a roadway and yet far enough to require some foot work! And you can at times see some men or women training with those heavy backpacks on their backs.......loaded down with the essentials to rescue someone who is need of help!


Let's think and meditate on this: Samson spent the night with a prostitute. He rises at midnight, to go remove a gate from its foundation, and possibly a locked gate with the cross-bar attached to them. He gathers all this on his shoulders. And he walked or ran it up-hill for about nine miles. ( Hebron was about nine geographical miles. Some think it was to a hill called el Montar, which is 45 minutes from Gaza). Either way this was some feat! Oh, and did I mention the road was made of sand? Gaza was by the sea and Hebron was in the hills.

So if one is deep into sin like he performed with this woman, was he desiring to leave in "the dark" so no one could see him? The scripture plainly points out that those of the Gazites were watching for him and knew when he was in the city with the prostitute. It says they surrounded the place where he had gone into the prostitute.
And what about that gate.....and did he really need to pull it up .........and take it?
Again think about him not destroying the gate, but actually pulling it up together, one piece and carrying it forward away from Gaza and going up to Hebron. What was he thinking?
The city of Gaza was no longer secure. The gate into the city was now gone.

Gaza was a long way from Samson's home. Was he hoping to not be seen by those who knew him or knew of him? Yet, the watchmen knew he was in the city for they set up to ambush him when he came out of the prostitutes place.  Samson was in Gaza for no honorable reason. We read that he took the gate at midnight, so where was the "watchmen"? Was no one watching the city gates? Is it possible that those watching and waiting for Samson saw him lift the entire gate? With their weapons drawn, were they afraid to do anything to him?  
If someone did that today, no doubt, that person would be arrested! So many places today have the cameras that they record 24-hour day periods and pull them up when a death or accident or some other incident occurs.
But in that day, people believed in that Divine Power of God! So many places today have the cameras situated outside businesses to capture traffic on roadway and on the sidewalk. They record 24-hour day periods and pull them up when a death or accident or some other incident occurs. They surely keep an accurate record when placed in right area and right position in front of business or parking lot!

As the Judge over Israel and against the princes of the Philistines, this man had a lot of things going on. Was his counsel now of no effect? Those of that counsel sat at the city gates to exercise government rule.
In meditating this, I thought of how that justice is done today in America. I thought of a "county seat". Growing up in the south, I knew something of the county seat. It was in the main city or town of that county where government order as in justice prevailed. If there arose any complaints through the county area, the complaint was sent to the administrative person in charge. The papers filed were handed to the judge. He would rule either in favor of the complaint or rule against it as the law states in that county or state.
Counties, as like the one in which I lived, would carry out or administer state laws at the local level.
As in our town, the "Court House" was where the government was administered at the township or city level.

When we think of Samson heading for Hebron but never reaching it, was he moving further AWAY from God? Yet, we find in looking at the word Hebron, we see it is as a "community seat of association". Did Samson like being away from the things of God and was he choosing to stay in the polluted world of sin. He could have easily stayed connected with God the Holy Spirit, and give up the fleshly ways of the world to keep a walk of faith and prudence.
HEBRON in Hebrew is (inter alia) and comes from the word for "Friend" (haver). But because of sin, was Samson still bound to the gate he managed to remove from the earth that held it. Even in the size and weight of this major gate with two doorways included, it was still in one piece. Was he still bound to those who he became a friend or an acquaintance of?
Was he angry when finding a gate closed? And was he so proud that "no gate could hold him"?

When we go on to read of Samson, he is entangled with Delilah! He, Samson, went from bad to worse. For in this passage we probably find a woman who had no sinful life, but she was promised the 1100 pieces of silver from each of the princes of the Philistines. And she did it! That made her become a prostitute by being paid a wage for it........to bring Samson down!
I wonder how many get entangled in some little something and think it harmless, when like Samson, they can remove the gate but it still be intact.......and in reality never let anyone through it.
Like this gate, and similar to where he would minister justice, but had justice gone out the way side of things? Again, would he have no power to administer justice in Israel after this?
As a Judge, Samson was to rule righteously. The Judges were to be faithful to Jehovah's righteousness. In Samson, we saw him getting deeper into sin.
Even though the book of Judges is small and lists only a few, there are those who shine like Deborah. (blog: Appointed by God, Deborah the Prophetess) But Samson is remembered as the one who gave in to sin, led by his own fleshly desires and to die while being held captive by those who hated him, the Philistines.
Are we possibly doing something like Samson and not know it? Are we holding up something we like to do, and look good doing it and want others to know how "great" we are doing this thing? It could range from the workplace to church. It could be in music, in sports, in computer work, or even in singing. It could be coming from making 20 cents a day to 2 million dollars in days!

In closing:

Acts 8:9-24.....................9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power." 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money 19 and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

20 Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin."

24 Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me." NIV

WOW! It says that Peter told Simon, you are full of bitterness and captive to sin. In the blog "HAPPY ARE THE PEOPLE", the people who know God are those who are not bitter, not after their own thing, but after the glory of God. It is in His glory that we have those radiant faces and the joyful heart that look at doing what God the Lord planned for us to do.

As we look at Simon from Acts 8 and verse 24, we find he asked for Simon to pray..........but Peter told him to repent of the  wickedness and pray to the Lord.....perhaps He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart!
It does not say that Simon repented of his act toward the holy things of God and thinking he could buy the Holy Spirit. He asked Peter to pray for him. 
Was not this like Saul?  Have we not read time and again of the pride that Saul got into as he thought he could do without the Lord's leading. He was even giving sacrifice without the priest being present. That which was duly performed was given by God, but it also meant that that sacrificing was as worship and was of the inward heart. Yes, it was a heart issue!  It was not just an outward show to perform something. Obedience with a faithful trusting heart is what pleases God. 

1 Thessalonians 2:4....................4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. NIV
Romans 14:17-20...................17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.  NKJV

I remember this gentleman who was in the church we were attending. He loved to work out. And he did some training in the field of body builders. He had done it for awhile and after an amount of time the Lord told him to stop doing it.
He shared with the body of believer's that his doing it was for his benefit and not God's. He had come to a place where that "thing" was so important that it had become " a god" to him. So he stopped doing it. He obeyed God. We must be those who willing choose to put down that which only glorifies us and pick up that which glorifies the Father. What could possibly be in our lives, that we must put down and move away from to glorify our Father in Heaven? 



Samson did repent at the end. It cost him his life! And it was recorded............for us to read and hear! He traded glory for sorrows!


Father, we are told in Romans 8:8 that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. It is Your Holy Spirit that has come to dwell in our hearts by faith. Today we are alive because the Spirit which is life is in us. Living by YOUR Holy Spirit we put to death the deeds of the body. We have received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, " Abba, Father."
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 
Father show us where we might have something that could become a "god" to us. Help us to check our hearts daily and listen to Your rebuke.
We desire not to trade Your glory for sorrows, but we desire to bring praise to YOUR name and shout praise forever!
We pray to be those who will repent when we know we must to stay in Your Presence and YOUR glory. We desire to hear every command and obey them.
We know that You have given us Your Holy Spirit and according to John 3:34,35, "for since he Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God's own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit!

We desire today to bask in the beauty of Who You are. We are expectant to have a life filled with adventure, but also with wisdom, truth and righteousness that keeps us in the shelter of the Almighty God in Jesus' name. Amen and Amen.


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