Showing posts with label cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cross. Show all posts

Thursday, January 29, 2026

The Prayer Force

 

God’s Kingdom had come and Jesus delivered it to us on the Cross!

From John 15 to Abide to John 16 : Jesus came from the Father and was going back to the Father

To John 17: His prayer, the High Priest prays for Himself……….the longest prayer in the Bible:

1.      To consecrate Himself to that task before Him……not for Himself but for us

2.      John 17:1-5 To glorify His Father…..

3.      John 17: 6-19…..His thought and purpose ……..for their sanctification to go out into the world

4.      His relationship….was to sanctify Himself to the Word and His Father’s plan

His confession before praying…THIS IS HIS CONFESSION……..found in John 16:27  For the Father Himself [tenderly] loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came out from the Father. 28 I came out from the Father and have come into the world, again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.           His faith was based on going back to the Father…

Verse 32….the hour is coming, and it has arrived, when you will all be dispersed and scattered, every man to his own home leaving Me alone, but I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.    He expressed His confidence that the Father was with Him.

John 16:33…..I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulations and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]  He had not gone to the Cross yet, but by His confession and confidence in the Word and His Father , he had done it!

Then He prays: John 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come, Glorify and exalt and honor and magnify Your Son, so that YOUR Son may glorify and extol and honor and magnify YOU.

The ONLY ONES WHO CAN PRAY THAT ARE THE HUMBLE IN HEART…..TO BRING GLORY, AND EXALTATION TO THE FATHER.

Jesus was the example of the praying  person! We should all be praying people! It should not only be occurring when facing a drug addiction, a divorce, a job change, nor facing a disease you have never heard of in this world. It was Jesus who prayed day and night.Without Ceasing We Maintain a fellowship of Prayer:1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

1.   1 Thessalonians 5:17….pray without ceasing

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

3.   Evening time: Mark 6:46-47  & 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.

4.   Solitary Prayer time:   Luke 5:15-16 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him; & 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 & spent the whole night in prayer to God.. 13 & when it was day, He summoned His disciples & selected from them twelve, whom He named apostles (special messengers).Jesus chose that time in prayer 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:]

Here again, we see Jesus, a demand of time with answering questions.......Matthew 18:1-5

18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.   NKJV

 Mark 10:13-16………13 Then they brought young children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." 16 And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them. 

 In the Old Testament we are reminded of that which God placed by the 10 Commandments

1.      Old Testament: 10 Commandments…….no one could follow but by being humble. Deuteronomy 10:1-5…..laser written by God Himself on Mt. Sinai

2.      God raised  up prophet to speak to the people…….And THEY SPOKE IN PARABLES!

Mal 4:1-6..."For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven,

And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.

And the day which is coming shall burn them up,"

Says the LORD of hosts,

"That will leave them neither root nor branch.

2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise

With healing in His wings; And you shall go out

And grow fat like stall-fed calves.

3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet

On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts.

 4 "Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,

With the statutes and judgments.

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet  Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.

6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers,

Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." NKJV

3.      Jesus the Prophet, He is THE Savior, Redeemer, the King : was considered  the Meek……someone who operates in humility and authority...and prayer!

Matthew 21:1-17.....21:1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

5 "Tell the daughter of Zion,  'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,  A colt, the foal of a donkey.' "   SEEN IN Zechariah 9:9…

6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

"Hosanna to the Son of David!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'

Hosanna in the highest!" (Saves us now)…..what the people were saying

10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" 11 So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.

Meek Jesus…THE MILD JESUS…………THE PROPHET JESUS WHO had authority……

 13 And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"

 14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant.

 Let’ see,  Jesus just flipped tables upside down, and what?

Indignant: the annoyed, the angry, the disgruntled, the offended, the irritated

So the INDIGNANT SAID TO HIM…. 16 and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read,    'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants ……You have perfected praise'?"

17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.   NKJV

 The children’s worship was with no ulterior motive, but the people did. In their selfishness they did not want the Roman government and got tyrannical rule.

 Two Governments Represented:

1.      One that was evident: Antonia Fortress, a strong fortress built and named by Herod in honor of Antonius, also known as Mark Antony

2.       was situated to the Northwest from the Temple area in Jerusalem. It was garrisoned with Roman soldiers, who were there to preserve order in the Temple courts.

3.       It was in the time of the Roman Occupation in the region of Jerusalem, that Herod in his reign as king some 33 years from 37 BC to 4 BC had transformed the city as no other king had.  Since the time of King Solomon, no other had produced such grandeur for other’s to see. For all that was built, his only focus was that on that of increasing the importance of Jerusalem and producing an elegant beauty in the eyes of those who had some power at the time. And that was of the Roman Empire.

4.      In the time that Jesus was on the earth, the Roman Empire had established a government consisting of Roman overseers and Jewish leaders who exercised all their control in the name of Rome. Herod was the prominent leader in a tyrannical rule. Pontius Pilate was in place as we read in the last hours of Jesus’ ministry on earth.


5.      The Sadducees were considered the hard-headed business men…….they sought compromise to retain their wealth and power with Rome.

6.      The high priest was considered sacred, was to have his term for life, but in the time of Jesus, the Roman government named and deposed high priests according to their political plans.

7.      Their thoughts were the High Priest held too much power.

                 

8.       At the time of the “Passover” was when Jesus entered The Temple. He was addressing that state which the Temple had become.  A RITUAL…….A BURDEN 

 

9.      All Jews had to pay an annual temple tax that was equivalent to two days of work (Matthew 17:24) and as for the maintenance of the clergy as well. On this date was the sacrifices and the currency exchange of that which was of commercialism based on swindle, being managed and administrated by the high priests. Jesus was confronting the political, those with the allegiance to adhere to the gain through being greedy, and to that which was viewed as a group geared for financial great gain through a dishonest practice of gaining more capital through those who gave their sacrifices to God.

 

10.  They had obtained Roman domination: They compromised!

11.  Another thing, was a revolution had appeared on the scene and was geared toward violence. It was the Zealot movement that rose up in an armed rebellion to rid the Roman oppression. As today, one could view them as the terrorist. But the one zealot who was ‘Simon the Zealot’ came to be a follower of Jesus. In the conflict that was rising in the time of Jesus……the Roman Empire fearing the power Jesus had as a priest……a teacher of truth…..but carried no weapons.

One represented a throne backed by money of the Roman government. And the other Jesus showed us…………..the Kingdom of God He represented was that of spirit and power through prayer!

Isaiah 9:6-7....6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.

He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it With justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. NIV

Power of One: Jesus, “not My will but Yours be done.” Jesus is Identified in His confessions: Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God. “Get behind Me Satan! For it is written you shall worship the LORD your God & Him only you shall serve.” “It has been said, You shall not tempt (test) the LORD your God.”

God Spoke the One Whom we are to Hear: Matthew 17: 1- 13  NKJV  Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  3 & behold, Moses & Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered & said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles; one for You, one for Moses, & one for Elijah. 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; & suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”  6 “And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces & were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came & touched them & said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”  8 When they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Matthew 17: 9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” 10 and His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. 12 “But I say to you that Elijah has come already, & they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptist.

Power of One: Jesus reached many for His Father…& 3 were on the Mount of Transfiguration: Peter, James and John

1.   Peter preached the first sermon on the Day of Pentecost: Acts 2

2.   And when on trial before the High Priest & Sadducees sent them to a common prison, but released by angel of the Lord, he told them to go out stand in the temple, & speak to the people all the words of life. Acts 5:18-20…. When brought again before the council,  Peter answered the council demands by speaking, “We ought to obey God rather than men.

3.   James wrote the epistle of James pointing to genuine faith that would demonstrate validity of their experiences with Christ. He regarded the gospel as foundational: James 1:27 Pure & un-defiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans & widows in their trouble, & to keep oneself un-spotted from the world.  James 4: 1-10  Where do wars & fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust & do not have. You murder & covet & cannot obtain. You fight & war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask & do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers & Adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God……5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil & he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God & He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; & purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Lament & mourn & weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning & your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, & He will lift you up.

   

4.   John wrote of relationship, of the Shepherd: John 10:11-12 I am the good Shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, see the wolf coming & leaves the sheep & flees; & the wolf catches the sheep & scatters them , life in Him: John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life., and of the spiritual status of man: John 16:13-15 NKJV  However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth for He will not speak on His own authority but whatever He hears he will speak and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine & declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine & declare it to you.. John addressed error, that false doctrine  that Jesus was real and of flesh, blood and bone. 1 John 2: 6 he who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 3:7-9 Little children, let no one deceive you, He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

5.   John also described the Holy Spirit at work: 1 John 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

6.   Holy Spirit testifies to the reality of the incarnation of Christ: 1 John 4:2 By this you know the  Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and 1 John 5:6-8 NKJV 6 This is He who came by water and blood----Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

7.   Thirdly, the Holy Spirit leads true believers into the full truth concerning Jesus so that they will oppose heretics who deny that truth: 1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.; 1 John 4:4  You are of God, little children and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.               

Galatians 6:9 and let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

David was called a man after God’s own heart! He had trusted God when he faced a lion and bear, and he would run toward the unclean giant Goliath: 1 Samuel 17:45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword , with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air, and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. When this occurred, David was not hiding, but ready to face evil.

Esther had to have courage in the face of persecution from Haman and his followers. Esther held her courage in God and prayer. She sought to know His perfect will and she went when not invited to the king’s court.  She had to go against common sense in order to follow God’s plan. Esther would have to approach the king not with a group of people but by herself, though she didn’t have permission. This could have meant certain and sudden death for her, since it was even against the law to approach the king. Esther’s response: “If I perish, I perish!”

Noah had to keep the faith in God that he would do what He said He would do.  Rain did not appear till one hundred years later. Noah built an ark while corruption flourished around him. He built what God instructed him to build and then God invited Noah and his family to come aboard for a great ride into their future! He knew nothing of rain but it was coming. And instructions were heeded.

Peter, James and John were plucked from the shores of Galilee to become fisher’s of men. Called to teach and to proclaim the gospel, to dispel the darkness and be lights to those perishing.  In James 4:12-17 Amp. Bible 12 One only is the Lawgiver & Judge Who is able to save and to destroy [the One Who has the absolute power of life & death]. [ But you] who are that [ you presume to] pass judgment on your neighbor?  13 Come now, you who say, today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make money.  14 Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor ( a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while & then disappears [into thin air]. 15 You ought instead to say, If the Lord is willing, we shall live & we shall do this or that [thing]. 16 but as it is, you boast [falsely] in your presumption and your self-conceit. All such boasting is wrong. 17 So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.  

James pointed to the truth that sin is not only actively committing evil deeds but it is also passively failing to do what we know God wants us to do. a clear indication of one with the characteristic of having an affair with worldliness in making plans without consulting God for it is seen as those people who will boast in their own strength without God…so that they control any circumstances that will appear in their life! 

This prayer force, the Power of One, is the one submitted to the Holy One: Jesus! It is prayer, and worship to God that will demonstrate that relationship where loving God is giving Him words that are filled with not only faith but a faithfulness to abide in Him.   Hebrews 11: 7 prompted by faith Noah, being forewarned by God concerning events of which as yet there were no visible sign, took heed and diligently and reverently constructed and prepared an ark for deliverance of his own family.

Our faith is established in the truth that it exists in the blood and water of Christ. We take hold of it though we cannot see it. But our expectation, that very hope is in Him ,who PROVIDES it! God made revelation knowledge available through our new birth. Looking with spiritual eyes to see our Father who loves us, revealing His nature before Us, we walk as He walks and we speak as He speaks. Power of One will be seen in one who is totally submitted to the Lord and willingly goes toward what is the religious platform where the gospel is given. It is in His power and His spirit! It will be the person speaking truth of what Jesus told those in leadership in Jerusalem. In the secure place of the Lord, we will valiantly go forth into the future with heads held high, and a voice proclaiming the Lord.

What will it be…what scripture proclaiming the Lord….It is a prayer force! We will not hide!!! Are you with me?

   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 


Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching


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And
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Sunday, December 28, 2025

The Echos of Faith


Turning from the twinkling light of the tree in the corner of the room, and turning eyes on the leather bound Bible in hand, it is a silent night. In the brightness of His coming upon a midnight hour, He is to live and die for mankind! Born to change things on earth toward God, it is on a hilltop far away He will die with few surrounding Him with tears in eyes.

In the echoes of faith, it was Jesus who prayed for Jerusalem.

For the Righteous Cause: Jesus came…and these were His last words:

THE 1st WORD: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

Luke 23:34……

1.   He came to earth, to live as a man, and died between two criminals.

2.   Hanging by the strength of nails, he sees the soldiers who mocked and scourged Him.

3.   Tortured and visible in His mind Caiaphas & the high priests of the Sanhedrin…have sentenced Him to die. With blood running over his eyes, He sees John with His mother Mary.

4.   His apostles and friends deserted Him. Peter denied Him 3 times…….& only the fickle remain, yes that crowd who just praised Him on His entrance into that city of Jerusalem has now demanded His crucifixion some days later at Golgotha!

Forgiveness is His focus! His love prevailed! In those final hours on earth, He has forgiven those who trespassed against Him, including Peter. Jesus had told Peter in Matthew 18:21-22 to seventy times seven to forgive another. He forgave the paralytic at Capernaum: Mark 3:3-12. He forgives the sinful woman who anointed Him in the home of Simon the Pharisee: Luke 7:37-48! The adulteress caught in the act and was to be stoned: John 8:1-11.

Jesus cried out in a loud voice,  "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Luke 23:46…Jesus obedient to will of His Father to the end, & his final word before on the Cross was a prayer to His Father. The relationship of Jesus to the Father is given in John 3:16 “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus declared, “The Father and I are one.” John 10:30 ; He had a return ticket: "I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" John 16:28  Jesus fulfills His own mission and that of His Father on the Cross! He directs His final word, “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit. Luke 23:46; "Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Certainly this was a righteous Man" (Luke 23:47).


The echoes of faith resound even now. The sound somewhere is heard, the married woman desiring a child of her own to hold.  She asks by calling unto Him in her darkest hour?

What about the man or woman given a death sentence by their own doctor and that their days are numbered in weeks and not months? In their fear of death so soon they ask Him for long life and that He would "keep watch" over them some 24/7. Yet on any given Christmas holiday they complained of spending one hour with Him in His House! 

But what about the person who gives Him praise in the middle of the night? What about that man or woman who thanks Him for their life, for their job and their family? What about the one who remembers to say "Thank you for the good" when only bad appears by breaking out all around them?

Jesus knew one thing: He knew the Father sent Him for purpose!   Jesus on the cross, giving up His body and by shedding His blood completely satisfied God’s requirement: Hebrews 10:12-14 NKJV But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are going sanctified.

It was about God having His family:  Opened up the gates of Heaven for anyone that would believe in Him John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.


That Steadfast faith speaks: Hebrews 6: 19-20 that the Hope we have as an anchor for our soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus having become High Priest forever according to the order of Mechizedek………Reminded from Hebrews 7:24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.


It is  In HIM, we have the benefit of life eternal.  1 John 5:10-12 NKJV 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony; that God has given us eternal life, & this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Romans 2:6-11 Amp. Bible 6 for He will render to every man according to his works [justly, as his deeds deserve]. 7 To those who by patient persistence in well-doing [spring from piety] seek [unseen but sure] glory and honor and [the disobedient to the Truth  but responsive to wickedness, there will be indignation and wrath. 9 [And] there will be tribulation & anguish & calamity & constraint for every soul of man who [habitually] does  evil, the Jew first & also the [Gentile]. 11 For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another. Our answer is in Jesus from Matthew 11:29-30 He said “take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle &lowly in heart….you will find rest for your soul. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Of the last century , it was found in the winter of 1944 a winter not confined to the names of la Nina nor la Nino, but as to the "brutal" type. It was as the Allied forces were facing the ferocious German counteroffensive in the Battle of the Bulge. It would be General George S. Patton who wound find peace in prayer. With relentless rains and much fog, the grounded planes and troops were stalled. He had urged the Third Army to seek God for clear skies:   Almighty and most merciful Father, we humble beseech You, of the great goodness, to restrain these moderate rains. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to use as soldiers who may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and and establish Your justice among men and nations.

Yes, the weather broke, and triumph appeared. It was in the desperate hour that prayer, an echo of faith proved God would hear and answer. Truly awesome: Matthew 18:19 that where two or three are gather in His name, God is there. He moves. (this would invite an invitation into prayer and having faith in Him, and not the government nor any Snap Benefits.)

In a recent report: When LeBron James broke the NBA's all-time scoring record, it was not just a historic moment it became a metaphor for our age. As LeBron pulled up for the record-breaking shot, nearly every spectator had their phone raised, not to remember him, but to capture their own version of the moment according to them! 

Things are changing dramatically in this hour of His close return. What will He find? Is it voices of faith expressing His greatness, His glory and eternal future for us or will it be only voices set to see us as the center of our own existence?


   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 


Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching


Now Posting to Rumble 
Voice of Prayer
And
Life Giving Wells
    Life Giving Wells now on Spotify Podcast!

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/xashcfy9ez

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Painful Thorns

 What a difference 50 years makes in one's life! 

What was held in disgust years ago, people do it so willingly today. Was seeing a teaching on what the swimsuits looked like in the twenties and thirties of the 20th century. Everyone had on clothes, but was meant for swimming. Each dressed, the man in his slacks and the woman in a two piece suit covering from the neck to passed the knees. Today it is anything goes. You have a display of nudity in all forms on the beaches today. Sad to say, many have fallen into the culture theme of being free in sin. I remember the Rockettes of yesteryear. Those dancers in NYC were in the Macy's parade over Thanksgiving. What appeared were very thin women. What once looked like healthy dancers, with an amount of muscle on the legs and arms, today they are skin and bone ....Was wondering if it had to do with people losing weight just to be thin. What would Jesus think today?

Jesus was the “meek” man. He humbled Himself before the Father to walk in His steps regarding His image and the foundation of the work to be set forever in His word.

In God's perspective, people who humble themselves, are these people who are strong, while from a human perspective, it depends on whom they want to impress. You can see that in the story of those who impressed David’s son instead of staying alongside David as the King! ( of Ahithophel’s advice to the King seen in 2 Samuel 16, 17, and what occurs in 18) Ahithophel commits suicide out of bitterness in 2 Samuel 17:23.

At the point of Grace, we choose whom we will serve. We are told over and over to forgive those who have done something against us. Yes, and that can occur daily in this world we live in today!

But Humility is so important that God gave Paul some help to make sure that he would stay humble: 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 NKJV 6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to or hears from me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Yet, this “thorn” in the flesh is a person. We know this because we see it in the Old Testament: Ezekiel 28:22- 24 NKJV “Behold, I am against you, O Sidon; I will be glorified in your midst; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I executed judgments in her and am hallowed in her. For I will send pestilence upon her and blood in her streets; the wounded shall be judge in her midst by the sword against her on every side; then they shall know that I am the LORD. 24 “And there shall not longer be a pricking brier or a “painful thorn for the house of Israel from among all who around them, who despise them. Then they shall know that I am the LORD GOD.”

From this verse 24, we see that insults of the nations are compared to prickly briers and painful thorns. Numbers 33:55 ‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. 56 Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them.’”

 In this year, we certainly have the irritants of painful thorns. You expect truth and get that which relates to honoring the evil and to destroy the good!

From the time of Jesus, His walk was about the persistent heart giving the kingdom of God that had come: the Gospel! Jesus was effective in that He laid down His life and could take it up again because He spoke it into being. Paul saw the power of Jesus’ walk and proved to be an effective servant of God.

So humility has a dominant thrust in it where appears a willingness to submit to God, to what is His truth and remain in it to give to others. These two willingly submit to giving their whole life into God’s glory. So what would be the level of our humble hearts? Ephesians 4:3 …endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Unity with each begins in the unity each of us has with God. And it is within that unity with God you can keep unity with others.

So in returning to Ahithophel we find a most fascinating character. In 2 Samuel 15: 12 Ahithophel was a trusted counselor to King David. He was also a member of his cabinet. The King relied on Ahithophel’s advise as if he spoke from God himself seen 2 Samuel 16:23.

Ah yes, but things changed for the “bad”. It was David’s son Absalom that led a rebellion against him. and in this rebellion Ahithophel betrayed David by joining with rebellious Abasalom. AND we can know the king’s heart on this matter when David recounts those painful laments of heart when a trusted Ahithophel betrayed him in Psalm 41:8-9 and Psalm 55:12-15.

Psalm 55:12-16 NKJV For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; then I could hide from him. 13 but it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in the throng. 15 Let death seize them; let them do down alive into hell, for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. 16 As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD shall save me.

AHITHOPHEL: whose name means “foolishness” certainly proved to be the foolish man and it was indicated in his first meeting with Absalom in 2 Samuel 15:12. Yes the rebellion was on! And some parts of historical record give a light on what occurred to make Ahithophel do what he did to the king! In historic background, Ahithophel was the father Eliam found in 1 Chronicles 3:5. And then the grandfather of Bathsheba, so this was a personal ordeal for the man who knew the king and had worked side by side with him. Yes, David as the king with loose morals at this time defiled another man’s wife. Instead of being on the front lines in battle with his men, David stayed in the palace and then had his eye on the lovely Bathsheba bathing.  So in this corrupted action on David’s part, Ahithophel’s sense of wrong crowded his thinking.

Yes, David was king but was to be the honorable and here he slipped terribly in the acts of murder of Bathsheba's husband Uriah the Hittite. What Ahithophel proposed in his pursuit of David is given in 2 Samuel 17:1…… Ahithophel gives Absalom advice: “Now let me choose twelve thousand men and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and weak and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee and I will strike the king.

It was a personal hostility that Ahithophel held for David. 1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world. 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Through the Gospel, revelation of truth is power. And in the operation of God’s power through this gospel is victory over sin and death. But to the Jews, this very message of Christ crucified signaled weakness and proved Jesus the false Messiah. The Jews looked for signs instead of in Messiah’s power ( Isaiah 35; 61)  The Jews stumbled in this truth. And of course to the Gentile mind-set, they held no messianic expectations. No, they held only what a deity should be like, so the message of Christ crucified was foolishness to them.

Yes, David did try to hide his corrupted acts. He treated this young woman terribly and her husband even worse. He wanted her to sleep with her own husband to hide his dilemma her creating a child within her womb. But the honorable Uriah would not do that while the men he fought with would not have the same thing available to them. David proceeds with another act of betrayal to place Uriah on the front line of the battle. Yes, death would occur to this young man.

Ahithophel most likely burned in his thinking that became a hate with a force behind it! So Absalom set to take David’s throne, and he, Ahithophel, must have thought some kind of good must have turned towards him in favor, but David prayed in 2 Samuel 15:31 “O LORD I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”  Remember David had already prayed in Psalm 55!

In Ahithophel’s  counsel to Absalom to immediately attack David before he can regroup, a change occurs in a dramatic way.  A loyal friend to David, Hushai pretends to have turned to Absalom’s side and urges him to delay an attack. It was God causing Absalom to heed Husahi’s advice and Ahithophel realizes a fatal mistake. In bitterness, he knows that God will not punish David now. No, because David repented and prayed for God’s hand on the outcome of his own stupid behavior.

In despair it was Ahithophel who would die:  “He put his house in order and then hanged himself (2 Sam 17:23). In prayer, David displayed anguish. He wrote of betrayal in Psalm 55:13-14.  A seemingly spiritual companion betrayed David in verse 13: “ but it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my acquaintance”.

2 Samuel 15:31 Then someone told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, “O LORD I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

Humility goes hand in hand with meekness. Jesus the meek had a restraint being held in the “kind, the gentle, and the sensitive to others’ needs. This is done in truth, with no lying and stealing. They are those who will agree with that which is God’s word. They will not argue God’s word, neither will they insist on their own way in it. People could approach Jesus! They could speak with Him and He would return that which was life to them. He was and is the meek but He is not the “weak”! Like Jesus we are to be the firm and the uncompromising regarding following truth. And what is revealed to us is that Jesus did not overwhelm others who were aligned against Him.

God’s grace has been poured out to us! People who know their Lord and God are the blessed and it shows! We too can enjoy this abundance of grace. We should let people go and give them over to God.

Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” 15 “But if you do not forgive me their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Jesus hung on a Cross at Calvary and forgave the one who hung there with Him. Jesus told the man that he would be with Him in Paradise. The other went his way into hell. It was one who held onto Jesus the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Painful thorns indeed appear in our walk. But we keep our eyes on Jesus! You can see insanity in the world, but peace is found in the Lord alone!


    Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

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