The Holy One of God

 

Meditating on Jesus going into the wilderness just after His being baptized by John the Baptist and before His ministry, I was drawn toward Jesus in that time period that He had much conversation with the Father of heaven. And while He had much conversation with the Father in those forty days, He also heard from the devil.

In conversations people declare their hearts! They can declare they are glad to see you or else drag their feet in greeting you. They can declare much joy, or a pain or hurtful situation. They can express the trial they are experiencing in a stressful state with much sorrow. Of they can give a message of too much information or only that which is false. Then again, there are those who choose a life without people and without speaking!

 In that wilderness Jesus walked, the devil, too, desired some conversation with Jesus. And in those forty days, it was about identity. And when Jesus returned to begin His ministry, He continued to spend time going to the Father in prayer!

Jesus had A Committed Prayer time to speak with the Father! Jesus was keeping His identity with God the Father, and His plan.

Morning time:   Mark 1:35  & in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a “deserted place”, and there He prayed. Amplified Bible

Evening time: Mark 6:46-47  and after He had taken leave of them, He went off into the hills to pray. Now when evening had come, the boat was out in the middle of the lake, & He was by Himself on the land.

Solitary Prayer time:   Luke 5:15-16 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him; and great multitudes came together to hear, & to be healed by him of their infirmities. 16 And He withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.  

The more THE  demand from people on our lives, the more we should pray! 

All Night:    Luke 6:12  Now in those days it occurred that He went up into a mountain to pray and spent the whole night in prayer to God.. 13 And when it was day, He summoned His disciples & selected from them twelve, whom He named apostles (special messengers).

Jesus chose that time in prayer finding the Father's heart to choose the 12 disciples.  Prayer had held Jesus in the mind of God. Philippians 2:5…Let this same attitude and purpose & [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]

We are to have a Prayer commitment, praying for those God has given to you and me as family members, friends, people we work with and any who is within our circle of influence.  Prayer commitment is not only for ourselves…… but for pastors of other churches, other leaders and other people’s children and not just for our own! It is in love when we, yes you and I, respond to God’s plan for them and pray!

 Prayer kept Jesus in focus to His identity in the Father, to the Father’s command in instruction to deliver the Kingdom which had come! It would also prepare Him for what was coming toward Him in His walk to deliver that Message from the Father’s heart! Identity should hold us in Jesus!

 Jesus encountered the Sanhedrin! Luke 22:66 As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, 67 “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe. 68 And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer me or let Me go. 69 Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.” 70 Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “you rightly say that I am.” 71 And they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.

 Yes, the company you keep will determine where you will go in this life! Jesus even warns these people that the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God. And all they heard was what they thought to be blasphemy! That very thing is going on today in the land of which I live and most likely where you live anywhere around this world!

 Here it is also written: Matthew 26:63-65 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!”

I love this when he the high priest asks Jesus...."I put You under oath by the living God": Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" Jesus voiced an affirmation that He is the “Son of God” a title expressing His exclusive and unique oneness with God! Jesus came to separate the holy of God from the profane. He gave an affirming word of God: Luke 23:3 then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” he answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

Identity! Identity! Identity!

 Even the disciples knew who Jesus was! They called Him the Son of God: Matthew 14:28-33  NKJV And Peter answered Him & said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “come”. And when Peter had come out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 & immediately Jesus stretched out His hand & caught him, & said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat came & worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

If you ever have a disastrous situation occurring before you and those close to you, you will certainly come through holding out to Jesus and worshiping Him the ONE who is TRULY the Son of God!

 The Demons knew who He was! Mark 1: 21- 28 NKJV Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are-----the Holy One of God!” 25 But Jesus rebuked him saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

Yes, the demons knew Jesus! And they greatly desired to not be harassed by the powerful One of God!

 Kept hearing this morning: “the Holy One of God”! Then I read where a university in this nation has hired a chaplain who is an atheist. Now how does that work? How was the job listed?  How is his job description detailed? You can pray but in your own name only, you can treat people as is natural to you, and you can have worship time to worship you! I have never in my life heard of an atheist being chaplain. Have you?

An atheist believes there is no God. Do you know what God's response to that is? "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'"Psalm 14:1.

An atheist does not pray. The atheist has no time to seek God in prayer. The Lord says in the Book of James, "You do not have because you do not ask" James 4:2.  An atheist does not read the Bible. So the average atheist is very susceptible to the devil's lies because he or she does not take time to read and study God's Word. Hopefully that does not apply to those saying they are Christ's followers today!

An atheist walks by sight, not faith. So sad too that many people including Christians should tend to walk by sight and not by faith. They fail to receive the miraculous power of God and how it came through Jesus! "Without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God" Hebrews 11:6.  An atheist never gives to the Lord's work. An atheist lives only for this life. "The eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth" Proverbs 17:24.

 Interesting to truth that the religious sect did not know Who Jesus was, but demons did! When Jesus prayed, He met with people, and lives were changing.  In Jesus’ time, as in today’s culture, the world sees the “wise man” as one who will live for the moment, always living by sight, and is devoted to self.  He uses his own time for his own thing or purpose he has set to do. Jesus set about to do the Father's business on earth.  For Jesus, His own neighbors rejected Him. They saw interruption in their lifestyle, and refused Him in their own thinking and chose to carry on in their unbelief.

People were wanting to rid their plate of that which they did not like, you know like the child who will not eat their food that their mother put on the plate. They kick, scream and push the plate away till they get their way. And many in that place, like Pilate, Caiaphas or Herod would have their way but it was the way of destruction and yes death to them!

You know Herod had seen Jesus, was exceedingly glad to see Him because he, Herod, had heard many things about Jesus and Herod had hoped to see some miracle done by Him. ( Luke 23:6-12) But alas, Herod with his men of war, would treat Jesus with contempt and mock Him and send Him back to Pilate.

Do people seek out something from you that is only a part of the kingdom of God but not willing to participate because they do not want to hear God's words spoken by you?

Pilate wishing to release Jesus called out to the crowd.  And YOU know that crowd chose Barabbas (the world) and not Jesus (life eternal). So Pilate gave sentence as they requested. ( Luke 23:24) Barabbas was released and Jesus was delivered to their will. Yeah, remember that screaming child not wanting to eat what was before them, well here you have a people kicking and screaming wanting the world and not life of God!

People today are clamoring for the murderer to be put back into society and the righteous to be jailed. People are clamoring for their demands and not that of the Father Who is the Creator!

Yes, where Jesus would walk, the Holy One would not be revered by many. But His prayer time brought power, looked like grace, and caused reactions. In His teaching, the doctrine was the EXTREME when heard, and some received the Son and some refused. But His prayer was for ADVANCEMENT OF THE KINGDOM!

Jesus encountered many people on His walk from the wilderness to the Place of the Skull, where He would take His last breath at Calvary. In John 17:3 and this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, & Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  He prayed:  John 17:6 "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

 John 17:11  Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, & I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

Yes, Jesus was no longer in the world, His heart faith was in His Father. And in John 17:26  And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."    NKJV

 In these it was words given, it is Jesus Who spoke what He spent His ministry revealing to us about God His Father. It is in this, that He keeps us through His name, both by our trusting in what it means & by the evidence revealed by living this life in faith and in obedience!  This obedience is for fellowship, that daily walk with the Lord in communion, to have God’s Word fill our hearts, to speak of our future with the Lord and yes, for that prayer life that gives voice to where we are headed. 

We live in this world, but we should not be of it.

 Holy One of God is majesty on high. Holy One of God is life eternal, that speaks truth that lives in prayer and resides in a rest. Might we be united with the Holy One of  God, to see with our eyes and understand in our hearts. United to one heart where we expect to see the astonishment in the faces of those God is touching by His presence in and through us. Before we go to participate out there, we should have the intimate time to know our Father’s heart.

Knowing not what you might encounter in the coming year, but that your steps are ordered in the Lord like Jesus: you have a voice, not a languishing voice, but one of joy and gladness, a song of praise that fills the atmosphere where the peace of God rules your heart and a boldness of authority because Jesus is Lord of your life.

It may appear bleak where you reside, but we have the Holy One of God. The world may have lock-downs, shutdowns, closed signs, wearing the latest new masks designed by some new designer; still we should not be in fear nor should we be the tired nor weary. Pray for your leaders eyes to be wide open to actually see and ears to hear and to guided by love in God by the Holy Spirit. Pray for those dealing in insanity that they would become sane again. If you know their names, those living, confess their names before the Father, and ask with that righteous desire that they would live and not die to declare the works of God

People require conversation! We were never meant to be alone! We know the Way, for Jesus pointed it out to us in John 14:1-11 they WAY HOME! To go along with Jesus is one heart with Jesus! For in Him is truth revealed and life is given in the Father. We give thanks for this revealed nature of the Father and purpose set in Jesus for we received Him and carry His authority in boldness in a walk where demons quake, the religious shake and chaos around us becomes only peace! We receive the next advancement of His kingdom. Come Lord Jesus Come!

                                          New teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

The Faith that Sees and Is Seen

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New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Weighing the Hearts

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Remembering the Still Small Voice

Voice of Prayer

Was thinking of Elijah in the cave? He was running from the defiant Queen Jezebel, from what he thought was a broken covenant and rebellion in the extreme within the territory he called home. He had faced the false prophets of Baal. And even had them executed but there still remained other false prophets within Queen Jezebel’s palace.

Doing that “thing” for God brought Elijah to a low place. Some say it was pride. But Elijah was asked a question. And does not God ask us questions. Jesus did to his disciples.

1 Kings 19:9 And there he went into a cave and spent the night in that place; and behold the word of the LORD came to him;, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 So he said, “I have been zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.

1 Kings 19:11 Then he said, “ Go out, and stand in the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind, and after the wind an earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

And again Elijah responds as he did previously. Still within a refuge, the darkness of the cave can hide the most deep seated feelings of rejection and hurt. Now depression can be a physical problem like being dehydrated. And many things had captured the elderly prophet in his thinking. Did he adequately maintain his personal needs despite being occupied with a queen who sought her way and no other way!

The LORD did not reveal Himself in the spectacular events of that moment: He was not in the extreme wind storm, not in the earthquake nor was He found in the fire….but after all these astounding events, it was the quiet voice that captured Elijah.

In these days, one thinks that unless you are a part of the magnificent displays of a big mega-church then you are not with it, not a part of it, and have missed it. In these days, unless you have a platform, a mega name with many accolades, you have not risen to popularity that the world seeks. And in these days, if you have lived as a married couple for no longer than the estimated  three years to some five together…but it is over now...….it was good run, a good thing and now move on!

One might be told to cheer up….or “good thing you did not have children” or “there are better fish in the sea”!

What….who is looking for 'better' fish…?  Any commitments to a spouse, to having a job in the workplace, raising children, or leading in other places like church, can and will have issues come up when dealing with people. In those are we willing to make a true commitment to them for without a true commitment, we can make a mess of things including other people's lives. We then come to a juncture, a point of dealing with yes, the devastating effects within our lives which will include, anger, hurt, and depression with other's but also with God!

Feeling anxious and irritable can take its toll on a person. And within this depression can occur, plus a lack of energy & including the appearance of one with the “feeling of inadequacy as a person, as a wife, husband or even a daughter.

What are the signs and symptoms of depression?  Well for the aging prophet, he was not motivated by the high wind storm nor was he motivated by the earthquake. Even as the fire moved passed the opening of the cave still the prophet did not come out! Frankly, the man called fire down from heaven and God did that for him! (1 Kings 18:38--it was rebuilding the altar worship to God)

So too, if mega has anything to do with it, it is possible that people will not hear the still small voice.  Is the Mega done in order of worship to God or to something else? Is it true worship to God...so that others can know the way at home without bass guitarist with the torn at knees jeans and FEARLESS t-shirt on.  And what may be presented as just a great display of smoke, bright lights and much too do about nothing....and the moment is exciting, but sincerely people are really hurting, really addicted to something bad and really need to hear HIM speak. For when God has anything to do with it, He will speak in the quiet and He will hear the response of the individual as He did with Elijah.  Again the prophet did not come out even though the LORD was passing by, it was only when Elijah heard the voice did he come to the opening of the cave.
God was not in the wind storm, was not in the earthquake nor was He in the fire storm!

Ever been is a service and they say the Lord is passing by.....? Hey, the Lord is in our hearts....!  The commitment Elijah had made was hearing God.

It is the same in making commitments to God, to a spouse, to the boss man who hired you, the commitment to serve maybe in your community or even church. The commitment should not be bells and whistles or on a whim as the culture seems to dictate today, but by the still small voice that speaks truth wrapped in the love of God, for anything else will only bring one's life to a situation loaded with depression, no sleep, and most likely some anger and frustration! 

In making the commitment to God one is motivated by the voice of God: it is hearing Him speak love, peace, truth and grace! It is in the relationship of marriage one finds a hit at the commitment place, the point where two were committed with one thought to be together as the sun shone, in good and bad, in strength and weakness, old age too, where each day, each year, and each season is not measured in the mega, but in the still small moments. 

It is in those moments of taking each others hand and walk for an hour or two with no other thought than being together. To be committed to give each other time to speak, to laugh, and to enjoy those precious times of communicating together. Communicating love, and maybe pain. Communicating hope with tears. For when two people marry it is about the quiet part of the service where the minister will ask if anyone objects to the two being wed! And in the next moment it turns to the two facing each other, do you take this person?

For this person who writes this: my view was to be about knowing the best things for my husband's health. I was always wanting him to remain strong and healthy as the day we were wed. And with the Holy Spirit as our guide we can see our path directed toward good health.
My view was to be the best companion for life I could be to my husband.

I would like to say that I did not always encourage him in his work for there were times he seemed to be working much when our daughter was young and I thought he missed much of those great hours and evenings of her youth.

 On this side I see that he was learning things he needed to know where he would be working one day and from the perspective I have seen his dreams come to pass. I also today see us doing ministry together which has been my dream for over twenty years. Together we give God's word by Voice of Prayer and Life Giving Wells on You-tube. But I also see that together we are creative and confident of that which God called us to. 

As the praying wife, in the quiet place, I speak words out that declare what God has for him, for me and us together. Praying from the Lord's perspective His word is prayer is positive to change for each us, to continue to find the passion in life with God for that is the true transforming power.

99.99 percent of decisions are made were by prayer in the quiet place. Of the last twenty plus years, we never tried to escape what many would consider when storms hit a marriage. Commitment is always key and is regarded as being loyal to the one whether to husband or to a GREAT GOD. We each worked toward commitment, but at times we did not occupy thought and prayer always in the same manner. In that you will find the one who prays and speaks......to seek the Father's favor on this union blessed by God. But both at some point must come back together to face the weakness and to understand the strength is always in God Himself.

 In the re-commissioning of the prophet the quiet voice was needed. In the truth of the word of God, blessings come to those who believe it. And Elijah is told to anoint three people and each one was as an agent of the coming divine judgment or blessing of Israel.  He was to call Hazael of Syria to perform in Israel 2 Kings 8:12 ..... And Hazael said, "Why is my lord weeping?" He answered, "Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you will dash their children, and rip open their women with child. 

 & 2 Kings 10:32-36…He was to call Jehu….2 Kings 9:1-10 And Elisha …Elijah’s successor…1 Kings 19:17

Elijah recognized the LORD'S voice. In his times of prayer, he sought to hear....and in all his doing for the LORD, Elijah at some point became captive to or overwhelmed by other voices. We must always come back to speaking ...that talking & conversing with the Lord ...not merely to Him but to where we hear Him ask us a question like He did with Elijah!  Did you hear God today? He still speaks!

 We can see the mega of God ....when we..look up at the starlight sky on a summer night and see a star sailing across with out regard to its end, watch the stretch of a newborn baby with clenched fist reach out when he cries and in these, we hold GOD to be great, with a heart that gives, and knows us all. And in that we remain anchored to His strength, to be effective to giving Him praise for His glory.....understanding His voice speaking into our situation, is Him speaking His power and majesty. (Psalm 29:4) 
For that which is above us....that moves without our control on it....so too, the tiny baby expresses the tiniest of cries, but tugs the greatest heart of all. For the Father knows those who are His. For without Him, we can do nothing. And with HIM...all things are possible that are of God and to His praise forever. Amen.
You cannot hear God if you are bouncing around like a 'red rubber ball'. Take a break from the culture of your land. Hear Him today in the quiet. Hear Him today as He leads....you will be most certainly glad you did.

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

THE Ultimate Test & Scarifice

https://youtu.be/jgbJuMgBwfE

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

 http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Fashioned for Purpose

https://youtu.be/WUCvtT39gnE

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

 http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

BAD SUCCESS?!?

Joshua 1:8-9
 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."    NKJV

Can you imagine, God asked these wandering people in a desert to meditate the Word? Yeah, no microwaves, no frozen dinners, children running rampant, and scorpions, and God wanted them to meditate the Book of the Law!

So that means they had to be there when the reading of whatever was available so they could hear it, right?

From verse 1 of Joshua 1, it is the LORD speaking to Joshua.

And God told Joshua:"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

Yeah, man....good success is a good thing! And we have to be "active" in making our prosperous. Meditating enough of the Word will cause us to speak it out loud, share with others, and become the prosperous.
In that there is a "good success", then there must be a "bad" success as well, for God the LORD mentions "the good success" and how to get that good and keep it. We are told it is by speaking it out of our mouths, meditating on it by looking, reading and seeking and then to observe to do what it says.

"Yeah, but God I am on a schedule!" And God would say, "well you made your own schedule, change it yourself?"

In the passage we see below the importance of being justified of that which pertains to God, for the unrighteous sin. To us was given those oracles of God!

Romans 3:1-24

3:1 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. 3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. 

As it is written: 

"That You may be justified in Your words,And may overcome when You are judged."  

5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) 6 Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? 7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, "Let us do evil that good may come"?--as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just. 

9 What then? Are we better than they?

 Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 10 As it is written: 

"There is none righteous, no, not one;  11 There is none who understands;There is none who seeks after God.  12 They have all turned aside;They have together become unprofitable;There is none who does good, no, not one."  13 "Their throat is an open tomb;With their tongues they have practiced deceit";"The poison of asps is under their lips";  14 "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."  15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;  16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;  17 And the way of peace they have not known."  18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."  

(Yes, from the above in verses 9-18, there are those who will not seek, or know God. They practice their own "thing".) ( They are doers of empty words and are self-sufficient doing it!)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,   NKJV

Now the report in Romans 8 was that Paul  and some of his followers were saying, "Why not do evil that good may come?" But the Apostle was on his guard against this kind of ridiculous thinking. 
That which was spiritual in the Law and Prophets came through the Cross. And grace was mad available, but not abused!

Romans 5:19-21

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.   NKJV

Paul saw what "crazy" thinking would come about by some minds thinking they could DO all the sinning they wanted because they were under grace and that "grace would abound all the more, (verse 20)  (you know that "super-grace")
 Now what Paul was seeing  in Corinth was a church group who allowed sexual immorality within their ranks. The Word must be given and not watered down or parts left out to make "people" comfortable. God is truth and He desires us to walk in truth as His Son did!
Let's remember Zacchaeus....he came down a tree after seeing Jesus.........and he was repenting for all that he had done. I mean this man was talking fast for the Prophet, Wisdom, and Knowledge came to where he was gazing!
Luke 19:5-10
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." 8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." 9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
NKJV

Yes, this was Repentance on Zacchaeus' part.

Read what Paul sent to the church at Corinth:

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles--that a man has his father's wife! 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Our lives must be that of sincerity and truth!

9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."  NKJV

Paul said "I wrote to you in my epistle ( my letter) not to keep company with sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. BUT NOW I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard or an extortioner----not even eat with such a person.


People will read something or do just enough to get "themselves into a world hurt" and all that was needed was to find that like Joshua was told, mediate that book that is given by God, that which is life and direction for success that is the "good".

Paul noted the problem in Corinth needed addressing and he insisted that the incestuous couple be excommunicated for there were those within that church body thinking that nothing was wrong with the incest. To them, it was somehow the excellent liberty for a Christian to have because God gives more grace. Right?
WRONG thinking! JUST PLAIN AND SIMPLY WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!

If you tolerate something within society and take it to the body of believer's, you wear that garment you tolerate. You will be known by that garment. God is love, and He loves those He has created, but He will not tolerate sin, in any form!

In verse 6 we are reminded of the leaven from the book of Luke and found in chapter 12.


Luke 12:1-3
12:1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.   NKJV

Success in anything for our lives starts with salvation, comes to be fruitful when we make a commitment to God's plan and purpose for us and is seen by others when we are the loyal.
There are times in our lives we must make a stand for something greater than ourselves. We must look into God's Word and His way of thinking for the purpose He has for each of us. And anything we lightly esteem that runs throughout society will look much like the Corinth Church.

WE who have received Jesus were buried with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life. For if we have become one with Him by sharing a death like His, we shall also be [one with Him in sharing] His resurrection [by a new life lived for God]. 

We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. (Romans 6:4-6 Amplified Bible)

Paul goes on to say in verse 12 of chapter 6....let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make you yield to its craving and be subject to its lusts and evil passions.

Verse 9......Because we know that Christ (the Anointed One), being once raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has power over Him.

He goes on to this in verse 17......BUT THANK GOD,though you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed.

And in verse 18...it reads this way: And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose and action). Amen!!!!

22 But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life. 23 For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.

A true Christian is circumcised in heart.

Philippians 3:2-3  Amplified bible…2 Look out for those dogs [Judaizers, legalists] look out for those mischief-makers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we [Christians] are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit and by the Spirit of God and exult and glory and pride ourselves in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances.

Our boast is in Him and Him alone. 
If I or anyone comes up to one of your services and hear you mention "you" in the first 15 minutes at least five times, then I know your boast is in you and not in Jesus. 
Our boast is to be in Him, as He was given as the atoning sacrifice for us. Our identity is in Him. And without Him we can do nothing.
John 15:5
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
NIV

Yes, there is a "success" out there. For some people, it is in all the wrong things.........and looks like:

Jeremiah 12:1-2
You are always righteous, O LORD,
when I bring a case before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all the faithless live at ease?
2 You have planted them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.  NIV

Psalm 73:1-12.....................73:1 A psalm of Asaph.

Surely God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart. 

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;

I had nearly lost my foothold. 

3 For I envied the arrogant 

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 

4 They have no struggles;

their bodies are healthy and strong.   

5 They are free from the burdens common to man;

they are not plagued by human ills. 

6 Therefore pride is their necklace;

they clothe themselves with violence. 

7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;

the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. 

8 They scoff, and speak with malice;

in their arrogance they threaten oppression. 

9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,

and their tongues take possession of the earth. 

10 Therefore their people turn to them 

and drink up waters in abundance.   

11 They say, "How can God know?

Does the Most High have knowledge?" 

12 This is what the wicked are like--

always carefree, they increase in wealth.  NIV

We can see from the above that the wicked flourish as well as those who know their God!

Yes, there is a day coming when all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. I am thinking there will be many tears and much pleading, but God's Word stands. It is eternal. And those who do not know (in intimacy) Jesus with their heart will have nothing to stand on. 
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is by Jesus' shed blood we are the saved.  As each of us submit, becoming the body of Christ, we begin to see in the light of Christ and how He loved us who would be the church and He gave Himself willing for us. And through Him, He has made us holy, cleansing us by the washing with water through the word and to present us to Himself as a radiant church that is without stain or wrinkle, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:22-28)

Today, let's open up to Him, and ask for help in situations that are beyond us. Today let's allow God the Holy Spirit to speak to us about the situations we may be in that may be only death to us forever. God loved us and sent His best for us. Would it not be wonderful to spend an eternity finding out about His love that is for us and not against us?1 John 4:10-11
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. NKJV

In closing: Romans 12:9-17....Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer, 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, give to hospitality 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse, 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. NKJV

Remember when we elevate ourselves, making our boast in me, myself and I, we help no one but ourselves. We are to have the fear of the Lord. And it looks like this! That fear of the Lord:   The fear of the LORD is to hate evil, pride, arrogance, and the evil way. (Proverbs 8:13)

Meditate On His love, His faithfulness, His strength:
Love: 1 John, 2 John, 3 John
Faithful: Isaiah 49:7, 1 Corinthians 1:9, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Keeper: Psalm 121:5
Strength: Psalm 27, Habakkuk 3:19, Isaiah 12:2
Are One: John 17:20-23
20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. NIV

Father, we pray to keep the Word before our eyes, to meditate and speak it out just like YOU did. We pray to be those who will not elevate ourselves, but make our boast in the Lord.  We understand that You have planted them (the wicked), and they have taken root;

they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus to be those who will be the active in pursuing not with just our lips but with hearts set on You and to know Your purpose for our lives. We desire to have that fear of the Lord that is to hate evil, pride, arrogance and the evil way. Let our love be without hypocrisy. We understand that Word of LOVE is YOUR kind of love and comes from meditating like Books of 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John. Help us Holy Spirit to keep that which has been given to us by our diligence and may we always bring forth praise to God and give thanks for our Savior Jesus Christ. We desire to be One with You as You were with Father.

 May people know us by the love we expect to carry as we keep close to YOU and YOUR Ways. For Your Ways are truly higher ways and Your thoughts are the higher thoughts that lead us out of the gray areas and into YOUR LIGHT! AMEN.


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