WHAT WE VALUE: WILL IT BRING US TO GLORY OR DEATH?

Acts 7:51-60.........51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him- 53 you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."

54 When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.   NIV

From the last two blogs, we covered in "THE FALLEN" and  "PICKING AND CHOOSING" we discovered those like Saul who kick against what the Lord was wanting established. Saul was breathing out cruelties to those saints of faith who had put their trust in the Lord. And of course in Picking and Choosing, we find those who would rather lie about why they would not attend a service, or attend a Bible study. As we saw in the teaching, what does that make us look like when we would rather lie than tell the truth?

In this scripture we continue to see those outraged by God's anointed. If we are the church, yes those body of believer's in Jesus, then why is there all this judgment going on about who gives the message and if it is the right message. Seems to me, the Word works and is given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit to those in need of that specific word of God for that moment in time!

Stephen saw the effect of his speech in that group of people. He saw those enraged and ready to stone him. He saw those call him names and said he had spoke blasphemy. 

Where is that "stone"?

In giving the message of God, presents us with the choice to receive it. Should not matter if the messenger is red, yellow, black or white.............and what is white anyway..........? I know no really white folks. I remember my mom mentioning some blood-bloods once and they were probably the white folks, but I know I have some Spanish background and some Cherokee............so I am what...............?????

Now back to Stephen..........a man being persecuted, and about to be stoned for his speaking truth to them who would deny the Holy Spirit. Stephen even mentions their fathers resisting the Holy Spirit in the prophets God had sent to them.

If we are saved, and have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, we can certainly pray in our heavenly language and allow God to pray through us much like he did in those days. We can operate in those same measures that they operated in at the time.

Do we want to be found fighting against God?

Acts 5:33-39................33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."      NIV

If God is directing you to have a Bible study, then have one and invite people to come. Do not pay attention to numbers of those who attend, but do pay attention as the Holy Spirit leads you through God's word.

Stephen was not deterred from speaking.  He spoke truth and continued to lift the name of Jesus. In what transpired in those moments of Stephen's speaking, men were angered seriously because of truth and they did not want to hear it. YOU know those who are called to preach and teach will continue to preach and teach. They will continually lift the name of Jesus and it does not matter the course of those around the "said speaker" of God...........the messenger sent to deliver the "specific message".

Stephen even tells them that he can see Jesus..............He was now at the right hand of God....and in the next breath, he proclaims that he can see Jesus is standing at the right hand of God!

Is it that Jesus now saw His favorite son being stoned, and was ready to receive him to glory?

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.  

Stephen even had time to pray...........! How many of us tell God that we do not have time to pray? What excuse could we use for not praying? 

And how did Stephen do that short prayer while being hit by stones and words of hateful men? He had a prayer life. He had to have sought God and spent time in prayer to have the Holy Spirit on the scene in this situation and for the wisdom Stephen spoke to those men. In those last moments he was praying that the Lord would not hold that sin against them! Wow!

It is like having a baby. It takes nine months. You have to eat the right food, exercise and have regular check-ups with the Doctor. In prayer, we check ourselves into the Word of God, eat precisely what we need and have the Great Physician to come check on us to see how we are doing. Right? 

If a ministry or even a job is like having a baby and caring for the said baby..........is it possible that we could be trying to get everything in before..........like say.....leaving for the day, or for a week off or even for a vacation? Will our absence affect others? What about ministry to others through a specific ministry? Every step.........in a job or ministry always involves others and our time away takes some planning!

For any decision, the leader in business , the church, home, in the mission field, whether Bible studies, ministering in jail, ministering in hospitals, feeding the homeless, for leadership meetings in the church, in big Business, taking care of and leading children (teaching them by example), or caring for an elderly parent, requires each of us to seek God's counsel on these important matters. It will take some prayer time, much like Stephen had to have done in his short life, to maintain the thought process for God to bless the men "who were stoning him."

Whatever we have before us cannot be accomplished without God's help! We cannot expect to accomplish in that "spirit of excellence" in God without consulting God first.

 I think of 2 Kings 5 where Elisha told Naaman to go dip in the Jordan River and he would be healed of leprosy. In all that pride and such of Naaman, still he obeyed and went to dip 7 times in the river Jordan. Naaman wanted to pay Elijah something. (verse 16)

With Naaman being healed in the dirty water of the Jordan, still Naaman wanted to repay the prophet! But the prophet had refused it. But we see something different in Gehazi. But let's read on about Stephen.  We will get to Gehazi!

Acts 6:1-11................6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 

7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."   NIV

Stephen full of God's grace and power.......did wonders and miraculous signs and then ............men began to argue with Stephen................but they could not stand up against wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
(read all of Acts 6 when you have time) We can learn a lot by Stephen's example.

 So what do we value? If like Stephen, we will speak with wisdom of God, and be prayer warriors to conduct the affairs of life we must do and do it with ease.

We must evaluate that which is before us............as to study in the Word with others, attending those church services and in going to those "special events".  We must take an evaluation of the thing before us,  its importance & the estimation of its importance to us!

What is the worth of this thing before me? Will I put a worth on the things of God or do I count them as nothing when it is about me and doing my own thing?  Allowing God to ENTER our lives on every decision , we are saying I value YOU God, I value You for the decisions in ministry, in this job, in this department, in this illness, in this problem at work, in this decision for this move to another state, in this hike to the high country! God, we  ask YOU to show us which way to walk in this job, in this ministry of Bible study, in this Prayer meeting, in the department where changes are on the horizon!  If the 11th hour is here, IS God and His wisdom in THE BEGINNING OF THIS DAY?

Well Stephen certainly came to the 11th hour. He lifted Jesus to others and was stoned to death. He left his body in peace knowing that Jesus was ready to receive him to glory.

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Wow! What an ending...........and yet people still study this passage and they receive the effects of truth and the importance of being one with God!

Will we.....yes,.....will we stand one with God .........or will our character show us to be otherwise...........like the liar...........who likes to lie about why they cannot attend some function...........one that we should probably put value on.


2 Kings 5:26-27.....................26 But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants? 27 Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and he was leprous, as white as snow. NIV


The prophet naturally said that he would not accept a thing...........even though Naaman urged him, still Elisha refused the gift.

After Naaman had traveled some distance, Gehazi said to himself, "My master was too easy on Naaman. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him (Naaman) and get something from him. YIKES!
Gehazi hurried after Naaman, and Naaman saw Gehazi running toward him. He asked Gehazi if everything was all right? Gehazi answered that everything was all right.
BUT HERE GEHAZI LIES..........NOT GOOD! In verse 22 of Chapter 5......"MY master sent me to say, 'two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing."

 "By all means, take two talents," said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left. Then he went in and stood before his master Elisha.

"Where have you been, Gehazi?" Elisha asked. 

"Your servant didn't go anywhere," Gehazi answered. 

What Naaman had, now came on Gehazi..........that leprosy was to cling to him and to his descendants forever. Gehazi left Elisha's presence. Just by lying, Gehazi changed the course for his entire descendants.  Again, what value do we place on telling the truth? In Stephen's case, it cost him his life and in the life of Gehazi, well, he chose to lie, and the rest is history..........he and his descendents suffered because of lies!!
In this we finish the series of three........being those teachings about lying and despising those called to minister either at the pulpit or in other areas as in jails or shelter or youth groups! In  THE BLOGS : THE FALLEN, PICKING AND CHOOSING, AND WHAT WE VALUE: WILL IT BRING US TO GLORY OR DEATH? have shown us the importance of not lying to others and how to be effective in ministering life as in Stephen's case.

Father, Your word states in Psalm 24.......asking this question "who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who may stand in His holy place?" " He who has clean hands and a pure heart...........who has not lifted up his soul to an idol nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (3-5) Father ,we seek that which is of value to us. We do not desire the worthless thing, the idol which may speak but brings no life to our existence. Help us Holy Spirit to hear and obey. We know it is a choice..........but give us those needed warnings like YOU do, so that we do not miss one direction from You.

We desire our character to be that which is not a liar, but truthful. We desire not to be caustic, not to be the obnoxious and the grumpy. We desire to not be like Gehazi and seek out goods rather than seeking God.

Our desire is to be holy as You are holy..........and that we have understanding of that Word in our lives. We want to be the devoted, the determined and the persistent in seeking, finding and receiving Your truth into our hearts where real change takes place.

To YOU be all the glory for all that happens in our lives as we take these needed steps toward having the character that is the faithful! It is in Jesus' name we pray. Amen and Amen.

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

PICKING AND CHOOSING

ARE we picky about what we want to participate in and are we choosing only those things that stroke our fur? Well, Shelley, I have no fur............really?
"Well, the pastor will not be there, so I am not going either!" "Well, they really are not saying or teaching anything I want to hear, so I am not going to go this Bible Study!" "Well, I think I can do better than they can, so I will not attend this one thing." "Well, I want time away from "them", even though I know I should attend, but..............!!!"
EXCUSES AND MORE EXCUSES..........and it all has to do with the "me, myself, and I"..........and that always stinks, does it not?
I was finding time to go over the regular duty of clearing old emails out...........and I always try to read over them before deleting them forever. But one remained that I thought interesting. It was written awhile ago and it mentions a person's intention of not attending this function at church because of issues with something.........yet, the next thing in their writing, they changed it and made it "their thing" the very next night. Well that issue had to do with the body, a sickness coming on, but in less than 24 hours they were all better and let their "buds" know to be out for their "thing" on the following evening.
What is wrong with being honest? Why can't someone just say, " I did not want to attend because.........." and fill in why they do not want to attend!
Are we dealing with pride, or with a reluctance to be truthful about anything? "Well, I do not want to hurt their feelings." "Well, I.............!" "Well, I.....".

DISCERNMENT!
Discernment comes by spending time in the Word of God. Believer's gain understanding and truth through that Word. In that, we find judging the right course to stay with God, and not follow man!


I always think of this scripture...................

Ezekiel 33:30-33................30 "As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.

33 "When all this comes true-and it surely will-then they will know that a prophet has been among them."   NIV


Ever been around someone who tells you that ....."this word was certainly given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit".....but yet....you see them........leave and................go about finding that which brings them only gain?
Now, come on.............be honest with yourself!
In some of the early churches I attended in my youth, no one had a Bible study. I had not heard of one till the 90's. Seriously! I kid you not!
And then, my thought process was one that I could study at home and usually did for I love to read and search things out from scripture. But I found that when I attended, I could have this light of revelation come on some verse we were looking at together. And in spending time with others over the Word of God, I found that study time was a time that culminated into what would be this beautiful tapestry being built together that would glorify God!
So many times, I would volunteer to have a study in our home. Then it became a prayer meeting time. But the study continued, and I was always ready to invite people to come!
In those cases, I would find the two or three gather from maybe the original five............well, the other two had other things to do!
I remember this one time of having a study in April 2007. It was to be a teaching on Deborah, the Prophetess. Snow began to fall, and two came. We still had a party over the Word of God. We had great fellowship and enjoyed some great finger sandwiches. Yes, those two left some two or three hours later in a snowstorm, but God got them home safe and sound!
Yes, there are those who desire to hear the Word............to seek God and then there are those who find one excuse after another of why they should not attend.
Then you will hear of those that will say they will come to a study but later you find them choosing something else because of ...........EXCUSE..........! 
To me, it seems more appropriate to say they are too busy and do not have time for the Word!

The Word teaches us that one day in the courts (house) of the Lord is better than a thousand anywhere else!


Psalm 84:10-12.........10 Better is one day in your courts 
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God 
than dwell in the tents of the wicked. 
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold 
from those whose walk is blameless. 

12 O LORD Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you.   NIV

In that one day God can save us years of work and more work. He can show us ways to get that new job, how to gain favor at work (and not through the flesh thing), He can show us how to know that He seeks our good and will bring to us honor and favor that we never dreamed we could have in our lifetimes. In His presence, we find answers to things that may have plagued us for years. In that time of receiving a teaching on a passage from the Word of God, we can move quickly through something without even pausing for a breath of air! God can show us where to go for the best prices in town when shopping for our children's back to school items. He can show us the best place to purchase a home and which neighborhood to live or He can show us the best place to rent and live far out in the country and enjoy the beauty of what He has created. He is God and He is great and His thoughts for us are wonderful!
But many times, people choose "to skip" it today because we are really "busy". Today I cannot get to church or that study because............."EXCUSE". WHAT MAKES IT SAD, IS THAT GOD, HIMSELF, COULD BE WANTING TO GIVE YOU A GOD-IDEA FOR A NEW INVENTION SO YOU MAKE ALL THE MONEY YOU NEED AND STILL FULFILL HIS PLAN FOR YOU IN MINISTRY!!!! HE COULD BE SHOWING YOU HOW TO STILL MAKE A LIVING BUT WORK LESS HOURS A DAY! HE COULD BE TRYING TO GET INTO THAT HEAD AND HEART OF OURS, THAT HIS PLAN IS A PLACE OF EASE, WITHOUT STRESS AND WE COULD SEE GREAT BENEFITS FROM FOLLOWING WHAT HE DESIRES FOR OUR GOOD.

Characteristics of discerning people are this:
Proverbs 1:5-6.....
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance-- 
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.    NIV

People become the wise to listen and add to their learning.........gaining discernment in being guided into the affairs of life...........making decisions that must be made!

Proverbs 15:14-15..............14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.       NIV

Discerning heart is the one seeking knowledge about God, His truth, and His way of doing. Again, He can certainly save us time and energy when we seek His plan. AND all our days are to have the look of the continual feast with a happy heart. We are to have a feast always on the word of God and having the happy heart knowing He is with us today!

Proverbs 17:24..........24 A discerning man keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.    NIV

A Discerning man will keep wisdom in view. THAT look is one that is steadfast, and not wandering. One who is wandering is "unsettled" and is restless! People sometimes think that by connecting with some family member is keeping the communication lines open, but in reality, the part being played out is the one thinking that by reaching for "that family member" is trying to bring to the present something the two had together in the past.....(the said family member may not even keep in contact now, not by phone, email or otherwise)............AND THAT DOES NOT WORK OUT FOR THE GOOD FOR ANYONE! Some people are resistant to change. They like things the way they are and desire for no change to take place. But if you are fifty and are still acting like a 5 year old, wow, something needs to change.
IF both hearts are on the same page, let's say like serving the Lord, having gladness in their heart, they certainly can and will connect. But if one tries in their own effort to reach one who is far from God, and wandering, the saved one may now be connecting with the wandering one and his wandering eyes and not with the "family member" but only what they remember from the past.

Again, if we say, this person (man or woman) is trying to connect with "family member" who is far from God and who lives a lifestyle that is on the pretty wild and crazy....side of life.........the saved one may continue to try reaching and many times it is like trying to drive forward but looking back in your rear view mirror all the time.  That person without wisdom of God is fluttering around from place to place all the while restless ...........ALWAYS WANDERING.........SEARCHING.......LOOKING BUT NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE. They cannot keep their mind on the "one important" thing in life. That is God!
It is good for butterflies to flutter from place to place, from flower to flower, but when a man or woman wanders it's because of a restless attitude.
You have seen them. They are the anxious, the agitated, and ill-at-ease around you. That driving forward while continually looking back, will "wreck" you.

Our son-in-law did this teaching with the "compass" a few weeks ago for the entire group attending the church service. It was awesome for the youth to see how the direction from the compass would steer them! They read the directions of the compass to get from point A to point B and so on.  I thought of that today, and how many people really need that compass of God's word to steer us in the right direction. He wants to help us avoid overworking something.  When the person is not fixed on the "one thing" but rambling about, only viewing that they need like the paycheck, a need to please mommy dearest, and keep family together, we can certainly come up short in the wise department.

God desires us to aim at that which He has placed before us. He desires us to keep that focus and not look back at "the past". And that applies to our job, our ministry, if you have one, and applies to raising our children. If you were raised without God while growing up, the best thing for your children is to bring them to God and have them hear about Him, day in and day out, week in and week out! But if we are raised in the church, and take on that holier than thou attitude, that stinks to high heaven. We may certainly quote the Word of God and still tell lies, AND what does that make us? 

I remember this lady..........some years ago, she desired to do something and had great ideas, and they would probably work well at that time. She said wanted to clone some certain people who she had known from her past, but the best thing for us today is to embrace those around us now.

Who has God placed around us that we should embrace? Too many times, people really liked their past better than their present. But if one keeps looking back to the past how can they be effective in this day which the Lord has given them?

Too many times, we are trying to make yesterday work for today and that will not work and is not a good thing to do. You can look at some ministries TODAY, many are trying to make today work out of yesterday's or last years ideas!

Next time you attend a church service, a Bible study or even a Prayer Meeting, consider this. From Ezekiel 33......ask yourself..." Am I interested in God and all that He has for me?" " Am I shallow in my thinking less toward.....Sister......"so and so"........in her teaching or her leading in this area that I desire?" Lord, " Am I just being superficial about Sister...."so and so"?

"Is my enthusiasm lacking life to it?"  "Am I loving more earthly things and avoiding those heavenly ones that I should be cherishing?"

"Am I judging pastor........."so and so".......or Sister........"so and so" because of their manner of teaching or delivering a message from God? 
" Am I Lord, seeking my favorite past times and those indulgences that come when I do my "own thing?"
"Is my interest a distraction that needs to stop right now?"

"Or do I just want my say that has no wisdom of God, but certainly carries things from the world?"

Proverbs 17:7.....7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.   NKJV


A common truth: if you have a despicable man and he appears to speak as the educated man,  the elected official, a scholar, or say even an administrator of a hospital and no one pays attention to him because of his character, how much more so will the same thing apply to say the "believer"....who knows the word of God, and still tells lies so blatantly . Will someone heed the hateful (the despicable) man when he tries to appear......as the reputable, the kind and the worthy?
In the verse below, we find the child is known by his actions.............by looking at his conduct!


Proverbs 20:11.............11 Even a child is known by his actions,
by whether his conduct is pure and right.   NIV

Is the child behaving as he ought to behave? Is he being disciplined by the Lord?  Because whatever he speaks comes straight from the heart.  How he acts at home, he will act in public! Not sure why some seem so surprised when their child throws a hissy fit at the grocery store or the mall, for they evidently have been brought up that way. (But right now we are looking at why we choose to avoid church and some pastors or teachers. )


Psalm 101:1-8......I will sing of your love and justice;to you, O LORD, I will sing praise. 2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life--when will you come to me?
I will walk in my house with blameless heart. 3 I will set before my eyes no vile thing.
The deeds of faithless men I hate;they will not cling to me. 4 Men of perverse heart shall be far from me;I will have nothing to do with evil.
5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,him will I put to silence;whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,him will I not endure.
6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,that they may dwell with me;he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. 
7 No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house;no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.
8 Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land;I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.   NIV

From the above scripture passage, the blameless life is one that has a blameless heart, that has no vile, and they have their eyes on the faithful in the land. Who is the faithful in the land? Who surrounds them? Are they the faithful? Are they in church, and leading? They are those that are the faithful and who are to minister to you and me!

The action of not presenting truth is telling lies, but does not lie fully on that "lie" itself, but on the character of the man or woman and with the harmony of each as that character plays out in their speech.

AM I speaking and doing...........do I have action to what I write? 

In closing: God loves the faithful, and He is ever-present in today. Are we ready to face the day with His Word and to heed those teachers and pastor or pastors He has provided for us to hear?

From what we have seen in scripture, that perfect way, that walk is sincere. It is not being masked either before God or with our fellow believers. If we truly have the Word of God and live by it, then it should rule........and will be........ bringing all the glory to God.............and in that we see the "perfect heart".

Behaving ourselves wisely, is walking without any pretense toward anyone. We are to be those who are as wise as serpents. If you correct a child, you have him look into your eyes while you speak. If you do not do that, he will not hear, but just be active in what he was doing before the discipline started as pertaining to his behavior. I know some ladies who live up north, who attended the same church as we did for many years, and if they desired not to hear.........they would simply lift their hand up to you and say "speak to the hand". Yikes!

From the previous blog, THE FALLEN, we looked at Saul and how Jesus came to change his attitude toward those who lead in the church. In the following is an excerpt from that blog:

If we run from church to church and trying to destroy those called by the Lord for the purpose of bringing the Kingdom of God to others, we too become like a "Saul". Are we complaining of the teaching or preaching from the pulpit? Are we trying to bring shame on one who is called by God to deliver the message of salvation to the world?

If you or I treat others with lies, then what does that speak about us?  Our duty to our neighbor is to be truthful. And in that duty, people will see our character .......and how will they see us?

Father, we pray in Jesus' name, and seek what are we disposed to , what do we have a tendency toward that will bring us to defeat. What do we conceal or keep under pretense in dealing with pastors or teachers You have sent our way?
Father, our desire is to be truthful all the days of our lives. We are examples to our children and their children. We desire to bring edification and life to those we minister life to on a daily basis. Help us to not be the liar, the grumbler, or even the complainer. Help us and remind us daily to use those words we have been disciplined by from YOUR Word of truth.
Your Word says a man who desires a long life must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit (Psalm 34:12-13). Show us where we may be missing the mark on that word.
 May Your Spirit of Love reign in the words we speak so that we do not  have a miscommunication or wound one another. Help us to show each other respect, speak words that encourage, share our feelings openly; and come to mutual agreements without strife. Help us to be honest!
Show us what we may be indulging in that is bad for us and show us the right place to be in hearing and doing Your Word. And Father, let your face shine on us Your servants, and thank You for Your unfailing love. Let us not be put to shame, for we have cried out to You today. Let lying lips be silenced who may speak arrogantly against the righteous. (Psalm 31:16-18). Amen and Amen.

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

Is Not This the Day of MIRACLES?

John 7:14-31...... 14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?" 16 Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?" 20 The people answered and said, "You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?" 21 Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? 27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from." 28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me." 30 Then they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"   NKJV

IS not this the day of "miracles"? Even those of little faith spoke and was recorded for our benefit. "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?" With no courage in their hearts, they still regarded that the One sent from God, the Messiah would perform miracles and they would see many healed.
Take note this was done in the synagogue! So Jesus referred to them both, those of His disciples and those who believed Him to be the Messiah, AND those who attended the synagogue. They were both confronted when Jesus spoke in verse 28-verse 29.....YOU BOTH know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself; but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him but; for I am from Him and He sent Me.

Wow! bold in the face of those "church" folk, and Jesus knew those who attended the synagogue but did not know God.
Ever been in a service and someone is asked to speak for a few minutes. They speak in boldness and truth of God. They do not mince words, but speak boldly about what God has shown them in their time with Him. Jesus told them that God had sent Him to them. Certainly we know that when the "someone" gets up to minister a word about what God is doing and showing them, that many times those in the service will never recognize that one truth. They have not been with God, so they no not what it looks like.  And Jesus pointed it out, and had it written for our benefit!

Now the thing about those who have gotten up to speak, and seem to ramble on about nothing seem likely to have no fire. Although they mention a time they did something for God, even at the moment they speak, life does not seem evident.  They have an hour and say nothing that encourages or motivates us to move!
I had the T. V. on the other day on this one Christian program. It turned out to be a talk show hosted by one gentleman. Well, the one guest was speaking when I had turned it on. That one guy spoke volumes in his two minutes and spurred me on to write a blog for that day. I was motivated by the Presence of God to speak what the Lord was showing me, and it came from someone I knew who had been with God. Every word he spoke was fire. Everyone encouragement had the life of God in it!
I shut off the T.V. and I went to the office to write!


John 2:23-25.............23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.   NKJV

John 2:23-24..............23 Because of the miracles he did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many people were convinced that he was indeed the Messiah. 24 But Jesus didn't trust them, for he knew mankind to the core. No one needed to tell him how changeable human nature is! 
TLB


Jesus knew what was in man. He was not going to put His trust in man for anything.

In today's society, millions keep their focus on man and woman rather than on God. The world wants heroes and they name them throughout every sport possible. They declare some to be the "best the world can have or see", yet with all that publicity, one or all of them noted as the "greatest player" of a specific sport, they come full circle in being exposed of using some kind of drug, to have beaten their wife or children, and  to be one revealed in cheating in the sport itself.
Jesus knew what was in man. He knew how weak one is and how man can be persuaded.....1 John 2:15-17..............15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.  NKJV

Men and women make mistakes and those without Jesus do it very often. We need to keep the focus that there is One Lord. The Lord over all...........! We must remember that lust of anything is not of God.

Yes, how changeable is human nature? Today we like that show, and tomorrow we do not like it. Today I want short hair and tomorrow I want long hair. It is hot today and I need air conditioning, and tomorrow it is back around 55 degrees and I need the heater going to warm the house. Yikes!

Today I have people who like me and tomorrow they will not remember my name. Today I am called to serve in the meeting and tomorrow the meeting is canceled. Am asked to serve by giving a testimony for a conference and then in two weeks later it is listed with another' name!
When we meet together, is it in knowing the Holy Spirit is with us and hearing all that is said and done by Him and through us? Do we actually know when someone has the Holy Spirit in them and is guided by HIM?
Who makes the decisions of what is right or wrong? Who decides what will be presented and what will not be presented? We must be very "careful" when speaking,

 "Well, God told me to change it", especially when God never said that at all! We have to be cautious in throwing around our own thoughts and doings and saying ,"they are God's thoughts and doings" .......AND....in reality it is just us wanting our own way to do our own thing! Not good, and it shows up in many ways, when someone is out of the will of God.
Many things change including the people who surround them. Just take a look sometime and watch. YOU might be surprised what the Lord will show you when someone is wanting their own way!  If you think not, take a look at what happened to Jerusalem some seventy years after Jesus died on the Cross. He told them to repent and to hear God. They liked the "old way" and the "things of the past". They wanted the "preeminence", they wanted to retain their importance, their prestige with the people, and they wanted and loved the celebrity status! They wanted to be NUMBER ONE!

Those kind of things will surely bring someone down.
Sure glad God did not change His mind when sending Jesus. And I AM really thankful Jesus did not change His mind at the last minute. Wow! Just try to imagine US WITH  NO  REDEEMER EVER! ( and everyone doing their "own" thing!)

Prayer and the teachings is what kept Jesus on His course. All that Word from Isaiah and all which He taught in the synagogues, surely found its place in His heart. And prayer........all that time with the Father and hearing Him speak did not deter Him. He surely had His moments in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and have we all not had our moments there as well?  But those who truly want God's will for their lives will find whatever needs to be nailed to the Cross, to find it nailed there forever.

The scripture in Hebrews comes to mind......

Hebrews 4:12-16.......12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. NIV


I like what the same scripture says in the Living Bible:

Hebrews 4:12-16.......12 For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are. 13 He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done.

14 But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting him. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned. 16 So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need. TLB

No where can I find that Jesus told Judas Iscariot that He had made a mistake by choosing him for one of the twelve disciples. Jesus found out what was in him and no doubt knew he was the one who would mount military men to come to take Him and be the catalyst to begin Jesus' being arrested to seeing Him sentenced to death.
No, Jesus, heard what the Pharisees spoke, and He knew what others whispered about Him, but His trust was in God and in Him alone!

We desire God to do miracles in our lives, and it had been almost 500 years since any miracles had been done until Jesus came on the scene. Those of small faith saw the ones that He had performed, but were still questioning themselves who might be the Messiah and "Is He still coming"? Because they thought that even the Coming One would or could still do more miracles than what this Man had done!

Even John the Baptist and those who followed him, asked the same.....
Luke 7:19-23.....19 And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" 20 When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?' " 21 And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
NKJV

Jesus told John and those who followed John...."And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

Are we looking for the outside appearance of the man or woman? Are we looking to how they draw the crowd or do we think we can do better than possibly the one that God has appointed to that place to either preach, teach, or even minister in a song or a testimony of healing? Is it possible that we fall on our faces, fall short of following Him and end up in a mess, because we did not follow His plan for any set thing before us. Do we ask God to search our hearts?
In the recent blog of "Who Then is the Faithful and Wise Servant?", I got the person' name that God wanted the testimony to be written about. I sent this woman a copy of it before being published. It is important to know they are willing to participate, but even more than that, she had the heart of love for others, and God wanted it printed with her testimony about autism. It all came down to love in the heart for others. For God looks on the heart and not on the man or woman's appearance!

Acts 13:22.......22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.'   NKJV

God always looks on the heart!

My husband and I are still experiencing miracles in our lives today. I have seen many in our daughter and her family' s lives as well! I can name probably five right now that God has done just for us all in recent weeks. The medical bill I had accumulated in just a few days with a severe anemia, was paid in full and God did it. Our daughter and family have a beautiful new home, living in a new area, and God did it!

Jesus spoke and He showed by example that many were cured of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. And the poor have the gospel preached to them!

Jesus evidently was not the package the Pharisees were seeking. Why, is He not the carpenter's son? Is He not from Galilee?

John 7:45-52..............45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?" 46 The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" 47 Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed." 50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" 52 They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."     NKJV

Sometimes we are looking for the miracle in the daytime, with sun shining, and everything at peace. And I tell you that the "miracle" comes in the middle of chaos. The miracle shows up in the middle of a dark night! Ask anyone who has had a report of death to their person, and the miracle comes when they are believing for it in the midst of the most horrific time in their life!

Is not this the day of Miracles? Has not Jesus risen from the dead and lives in us through His Holy Spirit? Are we not equipped to operate just like Jesus did and see the same Miracles as He did?

Or are we looking at the world for the latest and the greatest singer, the latest and the greatest dancer, the one with an I.Q. of 200 or are we recognizing those God has placed around us to minister life, and healing to us all?  Are we really seeing who the most powerful men or women who are in this world at this moment? Those most powerful are those who follow Jesus, fill up on the Word of God and spend time in prayer to Hear God SPEAK! Today is the day for the miraculous. WE who have the heart that sees it will receive it! Embrace those God has sent to surround you. Embrace them, for they have been sent to surround you and speak life to you when ""all hell is bent on destroying you".

Our search in the Word reveals His plan. The more we spend in study and prayer the more our faith grows.

It is that "faith" word!

Colossians 2:4-10.....4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 

NKJV

We are not to be deceived by those who philosophize life. We are not be deceived by empty deceit. What is empty deceit? Any untruth or fallacy that leads no where. It is an error in thinking, or a misleading. Empty deceit is flawed, and is not real!

Jesus is our Head. He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily and we are complete in Him in the authority and the power He has given to each of us who believe. Nothing in this world can add any holiness or redemption to our lives as Jesus did for us!  We are to remain steadfast in our faith in Christ Jesus, as our Lord, rooted and established in every Word He spoke and gave to us to adhere to always. It is not in the traditions of men or according to the basic principles of the world that we seek to be the example for our lives. That package sent to us was in the Man who came to live as we live and to die a terrible death taking on all sin of mankind. He was known for His wisdom and boldness to look sin in the face of unrighteousness and rebuke it loudly. Remember the  "money changers"?     ( see John 2: 13-17) He took a whip of cords and drove them out of His Father's house, the House of Prayer!

Faith is seen, and is evident when we believe and know truth. When our trust is in God and not in man, we move in power to see the "unseen".

Father, today we pray against that being self-focused and our own right to be first, the chosen for something, when ultimately Your vote is the only one we need. Father, in Jesus' name we pray to be focused on what Jesus did when He shed His Blood to provide for us what we needed. Praise the Lord we have a Redeemer!  Father, today we understand that we are not righteous without Jesus and we are to seek His righteousness. We are never righteous due to our performance or even in religious works. Our righteousness comes from Christ's righteousness! Help us to understand our faith is not just centered around a specific day, or even a sunny day, but healing comes when we need it, for healing was taken care of at the Cross for us.
Today, I plead the Blood of Jesus over every one who reads this. I plead the Blood over the portals of their minds, their wills and their emotions and their bodies. I pray they will know Jesus intimately and know those the Lord has sent to surround them to give them encouragement, to give them a teaching, or even speak healing over their lives and families.
Father, that power which works in us is for the impossible in our lives. That power is being exerted in our lives even now. We co-operate with You and Your kingdom. We are established in YOU before any world storms are driven toward us. Whatever walk we are in, whatever decisions, we will not be carried around by any wave of adversity or wave of doubt. Today we believe we receive that which Jesus conquered at the Cross. We are those are WHO receive our Miracles today and every day. Our faith is growing stronger and we know IN whom we have believed and are persuaded that He is able to keep what we have committed to Him until that DAY!(2 Timothy 1:12)

Today, God our Father is our witness, whom we choose to serve with our spirit in the gospel of His Son that His will is done in our lives. Amen.

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