Casting Our What?

Yeah, you remember the scripture casting our cares on Him for He cares for you?
1 Peter 5:6-11
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV

What about Paul and Silas in the prison? Read Acts 16!

Acts 16:16-34
16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." 18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour. 19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. 20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, "These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; 21 and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe." 22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. NKJV


Where we stand with God will certainly show our "true colors". For Paul and Silas, we see two men following close to God and in that come in conflict with those who were masters of a young slave girl who possessed a spirit of divination. In that, Paul commanded the spirit to come out in Jesus Name.
Well, the long story shorten here, is that they went to jail.
They were the accused of having made trouble to the "the city"! They were also dragged into the marketplace to the authorities. Then beaten with rods, Silas and Paul are found probably in the most lower level of the jail. With their feet in stocks, and most likely people's waste falling on their heads from the prisoners above them, these guys sang. Yes they sang!
At the midnight hour Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening. They could hear them praising God!

In those deplorable conditions the men, Paul and Silas continued to worship God. Though experiencing the stench of waste and the putrid smell of sweat and such, these men released God into the situation.

They applauded God in words of praise that lifted them out of the filth and into an atmosphere that brought God on the scene.

For their faithfulness to follow God, they brought the Gospel, the Good News to those who needed salvation. They brought Jesus to the jailer and his family. In unison Paul and Silas gave the call to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."

The jailer's family was saved, and Paul and Silas were cleaned with their stripes being washed.

That place shook with a vibration of heaven. That jail opened its doors to allow the Great "I AM" in the house.

Will we allow Him in? Will we cast our cares on Him, sing His praise and expect Him to have His way in our situations?

It is those moments with God, when all else does not matter, that our worship and praise comes up loud and strong. Not to show others we can sing, play the drums, or even toot the horn, right? But it is about our lives touching someone else's when everything seems wrong and out of sorts.

May we have longing our hearts.........that will thirst for Him. Psalm 42:2....."my soul thirsts for God"

May we have faith that pleases God..."without faith, it is impossible to please God...Hebrews 11:6

And may we quickly invite the Holy Spirit to come.

"Come Holy Spirit, come, YOU are invited here, in this place, right now!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,....Matthew 5:6.

Valuing prayer and God's presence, these men saw the miraculous happen for a family needing God. For it is truly wonderful to see those touched by His Presence when we see that one fall out under His power or the one who dances wildly or even the one who lies prostrate for hours in His very Presence.

But there is nothing, no nothing, that can compare with being with Him in prayer and  encountering Him, with questions a child asks the Father.

The Holy Spirit is not wind but we can certainly experience His freshness in a room. He is not fire, but He surely can bring a fire to our bones to live for Him. And He is not the white dove. He is a Person.

Find time to cast that care on God! Find that place to seek His face, His quiet place of peace and truth and He will reveal to you magnitudes of His goodness for you. It is never too late to start that relationship with Him. Take the time today and speak with Him about your future.

Romans 5: Message Bible….We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand---out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praises. “There’s more to COME.” “There’s More To COME!”   We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.

Our prayer for this generation who look for His return must be ever alert to keep watch……….to pray…….and seek to praise Him and remind Him of what words of life He has spoken for us to live by. It is in our experience of faith we find His peace and joy. In the Holy Spirit we find power to live out what we seek for tomorrow. If God was concerned for THE FUTURE, HE IS CONCERNED FOR OURS. “THERE IS MORE TO COME FOR YOU AND FOR ME!”

Father thank You for Jesus. Thank You for Your goodness to us. We look forward to our future with You and standing in those open spaces of Your grace and glory. May we always shout...........sing praise and not forget.........."There's more to come"............and develop within us that passionate patience forging in us a virtue, and to keep our watch of what You will do next in our lives. IN Jesus Name, we believe we receive all that You intend for us. Amen.

Notice:
The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching published: 
Praise Report of Faith: Jesus Speaking of John The Baptist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0I5xPxONv0

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

MUDDY BOOTS??

Mark 1:35-39
35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.

36 Simon and his companions searched for Him;

37 they found Him, and said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."

38 He said to them, "Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for."

39 And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.
NASU


In the early morning hours, while still dark outside, Jesus got up........left the warm bed and maybe that comfortable chair...... to go to a secluded place AND PRAY!

WE ARE TOLD, Simon and companions searched for Him. And yes, they found Him........and told Him how others were looking for Him. But Jesus said, "Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for."

And He went. He went into synagogues all throughout Galilee. He was preaching and casting out demons.

Jesus was the devoted! He was devoted to His Father and to the call!

Devotion: being faithful and loyal......surrender to being taught, and find trust in .......as in maturing in the things of God, being the consistent, and expecting to grow in faith

Colossians 2:6-8

6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 

7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.   NASU

Yes, that tradition of men is Muddy Water and can bring on our walk in Muddy Boots!
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world ......rather than according to Christ.

Prayer was certainly foremost in Jesus' day to day life. We can find Him coming down the mountain or going up to the quiet place to pray. Sometimes we saw Him go in the evening and still pray in the morning. He was devoted to speaking with His Father. He needed to know some things as well as we need to know some things concerning the day and hour we live in.

Jesus took the opportunities to correct when correction was needed. He no doubt asked questions as the Scribes and Pharisees asked Him questions. As we see in scripture below; we see Jesus talk with the disciples about "not one stone here will be left on another. every one will be thrown down."

 In all that, Jesus warned of a coming day where the future for Israel would be far from bright and rosy. All their security would be gone. He gave them a time-line of a span of some forty years......and what the outcome would be.

Mark 13:1-8
13:1 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

2 "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

5 Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.    NIV

The prophet was speaking, and He was speaking what the Father had shown Him by the Holy Spirit. Those that feel that they are.......... the separated, those greater than any other, whether in nations or even in those churches, will and can see what can happen when faith is put into man and nation and not into God and His Word.

We may be able to feed the nations, but where is our true devotion? Where is our heart really? Is it found in God and with God or is in "how great we are" and see I fed another nation this week.   Just because this nation was found on biblical truths, does not mean we are the secure. This nation has surely moved away from God and from His plan. But even a few could pray and keep seeking........a few could ........keep burning that midnight oil and see God come through for a nation who have come to the point of forgetting about Him.

Revelation 3:7-13

These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": 8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '      NKJV

Do we know without a doubt, He is with us, walking with us, or have we muddied our marching boots into man's religion and attending services that only serve man? Surely church is boring if we just do the same "ole thing" and expect to be entertained all the time.

In praying the last few weeks over the situations going on in this nation, I always think of the "Emperor's New Clothes". And I thought how everyone was in agreement about the Emperor and the deception which had taken place, yet no one wanted to speak up, but only the child.

I remember my mother reading the book to me: "The Emperor's New Clothes". It was a short story written by Hans Christian Andersen. Of course, it was the tale of an emperor needing a new suit of clothes. Well, the two weavers had promised that this kind was invisible to those who were the unfit for their position. Remember those weavers worked with nothing on their looms.  The "old minister" was sent to check how the weavers were doing. But alas, he saw nothing. Of course, he thought himself as either the stupid or one who was unfit for the position he held. And of course, all the folks agreed with the deceitful weavers that the new clothes were of beautiful pattern and colors. Although this Emperor paraded before the subjects naked, no one says a thing. It was the young child who cries out......."But he isn't wearing anything at all!" And of course, the Emperor paraded on, even though there was really no train to carry from behind the naked man!

How is God seeing us? Are we the clothed, with the breastplate of righteous of God?
Or are we those in His eyes which are the miserable, blind and naked".........yikes!

God desires the relationship ........it is in His love and by His grace. Jesus was not the relaxed in the short while He was here on earth.  He certainly went where He needed to go and He went there in prayer. He went having the relationship to see truth, and speak against any deceptions in the land at the time. If we are the body of Christ, now is not the time to relax............let down our hair and party like there is no tomorrow.  Certainly the Jew's of Jesus' day felt secure. They kept eating and drinking and having merriment. But within some forty years Rome had reduced Jerusalem to that pile of rubble where Jesus said that not one stone would remain on another. Jesus witnessed to His disciples the importance of  spending time with God. He spoke with love, peace and words that were to correct a nation that was quickly moving away from God. So too, our relationship should be one where we truly know the will of God and that comes from a close, daily fellowship. We too, can know the mind and will of God when we place our faith and trust in the one who came to set us free from the bondage of slavery. Truly God is for us, and He delights to give us those righteous desires. They come when we truly trust, truly believe and doubt not, that Jesus is the Son of God. Amen.

2 Timothy 3:13-17
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  NKJV


Hebrews 11:32-39
32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated- 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.     NIV

May our names too, be found in the halls of Faith! May we leave traditions of men behind, and be the devoted like Jesus, find our place and believe by faith that we will take hold of the future God has purposed for us..........."something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." Amen.

Now faith is the assurance ( the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
For by [faith----trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.

Father, thank You .....because You had us in mind and had something better and greater in view for us, so that they [those heroes and heroines of faith] should not come to perfection apart from us [before we join them]. Thank You for Jesus who is the greatest example of the faithful to stand against tradition....those things created by man..........and boldly speak Your Words of spirit and truth. We pray to be those willingly submitted to time of prayer........in devotion time with You to hear those truths we need to face all of our tomorrows. May we be found doing that faithful walk, a communing with You daily and hear You speak what we really need to know before Christ's return to earth. We know time is so short!  We pray for those around the world to pick that devotion time with God.........to find peace in the shelter of the Almighty and please YOU our Father as we do the work of the ministry. O merciful Father (God), help us not exchange the truth of God for a lie, and worship and serve the created things rather than You, our Creator.......who is forever praised. (Romans 1:25) It is in Jesus' name we pray and believe, and trust. Amen.

Continue our Faith Series: Earthly Good and Heaven Bound, Too!


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