Observing Yourself in the Mirror

 

James 1:16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18  Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures. 19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;  20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

We celebrated last month as Americans looking on the July 4th as the birthday of this nation. Yet the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence that is displayed in the National Archives was not signed that day. On July 4, 1776, Congress approved the final text. The engrossed document we recognize today was prepared afterward, and on August 2, 1776, most of the delegates present officially endorsed it.

What stands out to me is all those who signed it and what they pledged!  We know that John Hancock signed first with his famous large signature. Others followed, formally committing themselves to the closing words of the document: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

How many would do that today? “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

Protection of the divine Providence who is God that we would mutually pledge to each other our lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Many people today want your image changed to fit their image and not God’s!

God wanted us made in His image, not in man’s image! What parts you are born with, that is who you are. God does not mistakes!

Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, & over the cattle, over all the earth & over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male & female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth & subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, & over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

1.            Let US make man in our Image: God-Logos(Jesus) –Spirit (Holy)

2.            Father, Son Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit

3.            In the image of God he created him (Adam) ------Male and Female, He created them

4.            Not apart, not separate, but together as a couple in marriage, God sees the him He created ---Male and Female, He created them under the name Man

In Every Culture, In Every Nation the devil is still trying to mess with the image God intended for Man. The devil mars the image into a person waking one day to thinking they no longer want to be the man but a woman. Then those with God find themselves being called bigots, those who will not be tolerant with those coming out of closets. When mankind did not continue through Adam, God started with Noah: Genesis 9:1-6 NKJV So God blessed Noah and his sons, & said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply & fill the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, & on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have give you all things, even as the green herbs. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the  hand of every beast I will required it, & from the hand of man. From the hand of very man’s brother I will required the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man. 7 And as for you, be fruitful & multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth & multiply in it.”

Amos 6:12 Amplified Bible….12 do horses run on rocks? Does one plow there with oxen?  But you have turned justice into  [ the poison of ] gall, and the fruit of righteousness into[ the bitterness of] wormwood, 13 You who rejoice over Lo Debar, who say, “Have we not taken Karnaim for ourselves by our own strength?”

"Do horses run on [ the face of a cliff]? Does one plow [the sea] with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood" 13 You who rejoice in Lo-debar [ thing of nought], who say, Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim or horns of [resistance] for ourselves.

1.            Morals in man must be improved dramatically

2.            Though man may do some great technical or even mechanical thing, man in his morals is lacking

3.            God recorded what conditions were like as Noah was building the ark: "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). What a horrifying thought! What danger and oppression must have lurked at every turn!

4.            Corruption and Evil were at every turn!

THE Lord did not forbid us from discerning the character of fools, and the Book of Proverbs commends this assessment as a necessary. We find this in the book of Acts. Acts 19:8-9 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning & persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were hardened & did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them & withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

1.            A time to separate: judgment / wisdom play the lead in this.

2.            We are to impact the world, not have the world impact us by putting ungodliness on us : Proverbs 19: 27 Cease listening to instruction, my son and you will stray from the words of knowledge….. If they have no lips of knowledge then move away from them

The Need to discern between those who are fools and those who are wise is important.  Proverbs 14:7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.  9 Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor.

1.            You and I must evaluate who is wise & who is foolish based on God’s word.    Parades are given in today’s society proclaiming sin and promoting it as well…Right Decisions/Wrong Decisions

2.            When looking at the statistics of divorces: there are as many people within the church as outside of the church who condone divorce! Today there are same sex couples divorcing!

3.            There were Christians who celebrated the Supreme Courts passing of the homosexual marriage. It is considered legal in all 50 states. It may be, but is not found in the word of God….These are no longer thinking right thoughts. We must have God’s standards. Fools make a mockery of sin.

4.            Today, when a president is elected, the father figure shining forth, the “orphan” rejects the new President and clamors for the Grandma who will give them welfare for no work, give them their wants like abortion when a baby just does not fit or is not convenient at the moment.

5.            The time-honored work of the early ancestors to this country are joked about & not regarded as those who signed the Declaration of Independence…plantation owners, business men, from all walks of life who loved God …most lost everything, lost their lives, lost love ones by the hate of others,  but they never left God  !

Here in Romans and chapter 1 that men became fools is written about. We have people today hugging trees, long –dead dinosaurs, ancient gods from past centuries and they are gone who have done strange things in the earth.   We are reminded here : Romans 1:21-25NKJV 21 because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts & their foolish hearts were darkened. …..(hugging trees)instead of touching God’s heart praising Him where He gets the  glory.. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools 23 & changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man----& birds & four-footed animals & creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, & worshiped & served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Today so-called leaders say they look into mirrors or their window reflections and choose to make some large city in their image, not in God’s image. They do the corruptible and unclean thing.  They have become covetous and they want your things, they want  from your retirement , they want your spouse, your home, your children and life!

 Romans  3:13-14…  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 & bitterness.

Malicious and cutting words kill and bury the reputation of men. They tried to do it to Justice Brett Kavanaugh. They have tried it with the honorable Todd Blanche. The action of not presenting truth is practicing deceit.  THE truth is that the deceit or lie 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.

Our ‘yes’ is to be ‘yes’ & our ‘ no’ is to be ‘ no’!   Matt. 5:33-37 Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord. 34 “But I say to you, do not swear at all neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne, 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head because you cannot make one hair white or black.37 But let our ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, & your ‘No’, ‘No’ for whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Are we just wandering to find a certain crowd like on Facebook or TikTok so that we can catch up to go along with them, that we might go astray…to fulfill an agenda?  Are we going along with the crowd that will build something but be devoid of God’s presence?   When God gets the glory, it is glory to Him in the highest who sent us way out of sin! ………………..The Greatest Altar Builder is God:  His Son went  willingly ….laid down His life for others. John 10: 17-18 NKJV “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

 May we have the same relationship as Jesus did with the Father. May we delight in forefathers who believed  in a Republic in freed men and not a democratic society. Let us be laying down our lives daily and living for Him where an altar appears, and prayer is heard…where worship is not a 12-member band but a heart on fire for the Lord!  Let us be found where we are connected by our faith in Him. Let’s remember the exceeding riches of His grace that is our inheritance living in Christ belonging to God the Father Who cared for us long before we even thought of Him! In that we should never be going astray, along with the crowd, but staying in the presence of God. Amen!

Observe yourself in His word and you will a new creature indeed who is God minded!

No Image change, please only that which is of God!

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Glory of God and the Dead

 

John 11:17-44……………...17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

 

21 Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."   NKJV

 

28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."

 32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" 37 And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"

 

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."

 

40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.

 

And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."  

A favorite passage of mine. It is a favorite of the power of Jesus revealing God's glory!

Seen in Mark 9:1-2: And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.

Jesus tells them they will see the Kingdom of God present with power, and within a week they see Him transfigured. His being revealed to them in glory was a demonstration of the power of God's Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God had come upon them. Jesus was and is the central figure. Taking it a step further.....where the King abides in any person, you or me, where a person is in Christ, the Kingdom is also present.

 

John records, "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). Jesus stood  before His own and they knew Him not.

The gospel message was not popular. It bore fruit in those who were being called (Isaiah 55:11). Others hoped that the kingdom of Judah would be restored, and they were probably content to wait and watch this Man as He went about—as curiosity-seekers rather than opponents. However, for those who had a vested interest in maintaining the political and religious status quo, the gospel was seen as a threat, and those linked with the Kingdom of Jesus Christ were the object of all manner of resistance and persecution, both before and especially after His death. It holds true through this day and hour!

In verse 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

The power of Jesus in the Kingdom of God found in people willing to participate there. Odd, a cemetery....yet here Jesus told them to take away the stone from the place Lazarus, the dead man was lying.

Take away the stone....remove a stony heart from those still alive but lacking faith in the truth Jesus spoke!

And then Jesus spoke this:And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."  

He spoke in relationship to the Father. Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.  He spoke loudly so others could hear Him speaking to the Father of glory. Those who held positions of religiosity, those who held to know God but only held a world view, Jesus spoke loudly. He wanted people to hold faith in their hearts....He crying out.....with a loud voice....."Lazarus, come forth!" 

And Lazarus came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes. He came forth. He, Jesus then spoke, " Loose him and let him go."

Those angry at this event of raising the "dead" would head into Jerusalem, and tell many what had happened. Heretics would run wild with loose lips about the Lord.  Jesus stayed in Bethany. He had time with Lazarus and then ultimately would Jesus make His way to Jerusalem.

Loose him and let him go. Loose him you spirit of death. Loose him....light and power of God's word was given....and power broke the bondage of death loose. The man Lazarus walked out!

Jesus gave these words in Matthew 23:13: "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in." Some were then in the process of entering the Kingdom, and the resistance and oppression of the scribes and Pharisees were obstacles to that entrance. John 9:22 records that "the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue." The scribes and Pharisees, as well as those influenced by them, persecuted those God was drawing into His Kingdom. There was such animosity that the King Himself suffered the most awful violence that has ever been perpetrated: a mob of creatures wantonly crucifying their sinless Creator.

1.   Today even nominal Christians suffer Muslim persecution in one part of the world, while others are blocked, ridiculed, and constrained by secularists and humanists in another. True Christianity is denounced as being heretical and cultic, and its adherents suffer violence in various ways. This violence does not have to be physical violence. It can be verbal. It can be passive. It can be persecution or opposition in any number of ways.

2.  College campuses are overflowing with those who choose the persecutors over the those who have chosen life in Jesus.

3.   Do we believe but are unwilling to accept His offer of life? John 5:40

Wherever the spirit of Satan is present, his children make the way difficult for those who are in Christ Jesus or those who are being drawn to Him. They reject the royal law of the Kingdom and ridicule God's sovereignty. They sneer at His inspired Word. The violence that the Kingdom suffers will vary by degrees, but it is found wherever the ruler of this world has influence. There will always be some Pharisees and Sadducess. There will be kings and leaders who bow to idols, but light is to shine in the darkness. And light shined that day outside of Bethany. Light came in with the presence of God, and the Lord spoke with glory. 

Will we speak with glory? Times are changing. Those prepared are prayed up, have worded up and stand ready. They hear the quiet voice of God and declare loudly the word of God that sets captives free. Hear and Obey, the Lord is returning ......

                                              Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Uphill with Jesus Christ: The Witness that Glorifies God

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Teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Deceit and Deception

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The Crowd was Put Outside

Voice of Prayer

Matthew 9:18-19 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live." 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

Matthew 9:23-26  When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crows wailing, 24 He said to them, "Make room for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him.  25 But when they crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all the land.

Yes, an unbelieving crowd was put outside. I wonder if Jesus walked into some churches today, if He would put them outside. The girl was going to rise by faith in God. Unbelief kills!

What is God trying to do through us today, but can not because we have a "will", remember?

Speaking the Language of Faith: Are we actively speaking faith?  Is our life speaking a language of faith or one that speaks out those faulty experiences? 

Back on Friday,  5.05.17 , it was Joyce Meyer who gave this quote but did not name who the credit went to: Nobody needs to be afraid of failure, what we need to be more afraid of is ,….that we might succeed at doing something useless. From Ecclesiastes 8:10

In the book of Hebrews we are told to come forward with honest hearts.

Hebrews 10:22-25  Amp Bible    22 Let us all come forward & draw near with true ( honest & sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance & absolute conviction engendered by faith ( by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust & confidence in His power, wisdom, & goodness) having our hearts sprinkled & purified from a guilty(evil) conscience & our bodies cleansed with pure water.

From pure:  Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.  & Psalm 12: 6-7  NKJV   6 the words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 You shall keep them, O LORD, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.

So for us not to be the "crowd who is put outside" we are to be those who  ..(Heb. 10: 23)    seize & hold fast & retain without wavering the hope we cherish & confess & our acknowledgement of it, for HE Who promised is reliable (sure) & faithful to His word.  24 & let us consider & give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate & incite) to love & helpful deeds & noble activities. 25 Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, & encouraging) one another, & all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching. Noble activities that God has approved.

The Crowd put outside were having the Faulty Experience!

 Faulty is that which is: the incorrect, is the defective, or the misleading, …. IN Faulty thinking many mistakes are made. And wrong decisions can produce wrong actions, wrong teachings and wrong attitudes!

Faulty Experience comes when we Forget What God spoke! Faulty is following what is right in our own eyes. What we teach, or if we are to lead others…is it by the Holy Spirit of God?

1.Proverbs 21:2 Amp Bible.  Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs & tries the hearts.

2.Proverbs 24:12  Amp Bible 12 If you [profess ignorance &] say, Behold, we did not know this, does not He Who weighs & ponders the heart perceive & consider it? & He Who guards your life, does not He know it? & shall not He render to [you &] every man according to his works? Ecc. 8:8-13

3It is  God Who ponders or meditates our hearts….to examine us in our thought life…

4.We have an opponent!  Luke 10:19 reminds “behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents & scorpions & over all the power of the enemy & nothing shall by any means hurt you.

The enemy is the devil.    Following him is following out of pride, by the lust of the flesh or lust of the eyes….    Yikes!

   That  "Approved Character or Conduct" is found in John 15.

 John 15:7 Amp Bible 7 If you abide in Me, & My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, & it shall be done for you.

                                    

Abiding in truth, will bring truth into our lives, extend them and make them fruitful. I desire to be "on the inside crowd" where the children are healed and made whole. I desire to see families restored to their purpose God has for them. I desire for His will to be done on earth, in me as it is in Heaven! 

How about you?

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Nothing Will Be Impossible

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Mark 10: 46-52 Blind Bartimaeus

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Don't Be Just a Face in the Crowd

Are we just a face in the crowd? Are we needing a horn of sorts to be heard or are we those with a face that has the force of the Holy Spirit?

Being a force for God is like a flood of His love in places people do not know Him. 
Isaiah 1:18-20
18 "Come now, and let us reason together,"
Says the LORD,
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword";
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
NKJV

A force of faith is those willing and obedient.......who will eat the good of the land. A voice of faith will always speak. Speaking words that dominate the law of death is what a reborn man does. It is action and the momentum that must be a continuous action on our part. When we abide in the Word day and night, that meditation is feeding our faith and building our capacity for more faith.

Hurrah! and Praise the Lord!

He adds to us!

Proverbs 3:16-18

16 Length of days is in her right hand,

In her left hand riches and honor. 

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace. 

18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,

And happy are all who retain her. NKJV

Length of days is added to us as well as riches and honor. The way is pleasant and the path is peace. It is a tree of life to those who take hold and will not release that hold! Happy are those who retain her, that wisdom of God!

Psalm 95:2-5

2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;

Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 

3 For the LORD is the great God,

And the great King above all gods. 

4 In His hand are the deep places of the earth;

The heights of the hills are His also. 

5 The sea is His, for He made it;

And His hands formed the dry land. NKJV

Coming before His presence through Jesus we give a voice of thankfulness. We shout with joy and speak that He is the great God and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth...that is your heart and mine. We are of the earth, yep, made with dirt you and I!

He is certainly aware of every high and low place that we have and could exist in. But God is able to give us His peace. God is able to perform His word in our lives. But we must heed His words, and speak as He spoke at the Beginning in Genesis. Surely the Holy Spirit still hovers over that which may appear as chaos, but God wants to bring us to green pastures.

The Great Shepherd of the sheep desires to herd us in those deep green pasture grasses and reside in the goodness of Him all the days of our lives. Every day we have challenges and maybe not the same ones your neighbor might have, but a challenge none the less. Being thankful in the challenge will bring a great look into God's plan and remembering that He is with us.

THE Control tower is to be Jesus who sits on the throne of our hearts. Praise should emanate from our lips. (Isaiah 57:19) And God will perfect our praise. (Matthew 21:16) Daily our God is to be praised. (Psalm 72:15)  And in a moment just by speaking God's words we can stop the enemy. We can still him quickly, yes, stop him in his tracks!

Psalm 8:2

2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants 

You have ordained strength,

Because of Your enemies,

That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.  NKJV

We should be the face in the crowd that speaks as God speaks. We are to be the "disciplined". That discipline is the systematic training or subjection to authority, especially the training of the mental, moral and physical powers by instruction and exercise. The result will be of a subjection in obedience to what the Father our God has given us to speak.

"If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you will truly be My disciples." When we truly abide, hold fast to His word in obedience we become the disciplined to the things of God and His government.

Jesus had authority and He gave it to us!

Luke 10:18-20

18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."   NIV

Yes, clear cut indeed, it is authority we have been given. We have power over the enemy and nothing will harm us. But our rejoicing is in truth that our names are written in heaven...in the Lamb's Book of Life!

People not only need to see your face, they must see your heart speak and declare what God has done for you. Otherwise you are another face in the crowd. It is time for people to step up to God and His ways and thoughts. Jesus was the Sacrifice. And we needed one badly! His name is not a fetish so we can use as "a charm". No His name represents all power in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:20

We have been given Life and more abundant life through Jesus. Now is the time to step up in that power He has given us. Step up with a voice, offer to God the praise He deserves, and enter His presence to know Him more.

May we magnify Him more and not with just mere words, but that is with heart putting Him first no matter the chaos or problem.

If we carry no song, then we do not know Him personally. Make an altar and with your soul sing, for He has pardoned us through the Blood of Jesus. There is much to be thankful for today and every day. Let's look toward His goodness and may our face speak what our hearts represent............the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord's. Amen.

Revelation 19:16.............6 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: 

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. ...NIV

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The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching published:

Hearing The Sound From Heaven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9vTv8tAGrE

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BUT THIS IS MY LEISURE TIME!

Have you ever been asked to attend something that the pastor, himself, would not be attending? Have you ever been asked to attend something that was miles away, would take some time driving from where you live to get there and take hours out of a Saturday that you rather enjoy as "the leisure time"? About seventeen years ago, the pastor of this church we were attending asked us, the entire church, to attend this seminar being led by John C. Maxwell. Anyone who was in leadership or serving in some department was asked to attend the event. It was to be held down at SeaTac and would require all day. Although Dr. Maxwell was not literally in "the house", he was being televised in by some special means that day! And if you remember those days of the latter 1990's, names like Dr. John C. Maxwell, Andrew Carnegie, or Virginia Arcastle were commonplace. Everyone was teaching about lifting people higher to be the great leader.
I thought of this scripture today when reflecting back to another time and place. And I thought how Jesus in verse ten of John 7 went secretly to the Feast of the Jews.


John 7:1-19................7:1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. 2 But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

6 Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. 8 You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come." 9 Having said this, he stayed in Galilee.

10 However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?" 

12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man."

Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.

14 Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?" 

16 Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 17 If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
NIV

Now from the scripture passage, all males were to attend the Feast of Tabernacles. It was man's wisdom thinking that Jesus should go while Jewish people came for the feast and thus gain popularity.

Now back to the day spent with Dr. John C. Maxwell! There were probably some 25 people who showed up. That was only about a 1/4 of the entire church!  Yes, it was that of an early morning arrival. We got there and wanted to see where seating was available. Then as we found seating, the pastor and his wife showed up as well. Some of us looked in awe. Was father duck, checking over the little ducklings? 
Yes, for certain, he came to see who would show up, even though all were told that he would not be attending this event on that Saturday. Well, he took note of how many came and evidently took down the names of those attending. He gave us a smile and off he went to his scheduled appointment with other pastors for that Saturday morning.

In the above scripture passage, Jesus' brothers wanted Jesus to go and draw on the popularity, of that influence He was gaining. But Jesus came to expose sin. He came to bring light to the evil in the world. The "talk" was evident with differing opinions. "Where is that man?" One testifying He was good and another that He was a deceiver.

Jesus moved in secret, not to flaunt Himself, but to remain a person without fanfare. Jesus only moved when His Father revealed it to Him by His Holy Spirit. And Jesus had the wisdom of God to teach and preach in light of the truth, even though He had not attended any rabbinic schools. 

Those who spoke evil, spoke loudly about Him, as they had the rulers on their side.But those who believed Him to be good, kept it more as a quiet speech as not to be heard by others in fear of getting into trouble with the rulers of the day!

What Jesus did was to make known of the doctrine His Father sent Him to preach. He was actually teaching from the Old Testament and gave it precisely as it was written. He did not change anything, but spoke as He was commissioned to teach it!

Jesus had the truest of hearts to obey His Father Who sent Him to do something specific. He did not come to gain the glory, but to bring glory to His Father.

When asked to do something as we were asked to do, are we willing to be obedient to do it? Are we willing to do it when others refuse to do one "simple thing" that may take a leisure day out of our week? Yes, the pastor did comment on those who did not attend. But he also had some great comments on those who did attend. He made it known that he was there for a short time to check the attendance of those who actually did "show up" what they were asked to do by him!

We came away with some great teaching of how to be a leader and be one of "influence". It was a good thing to invest the time to be taught on leadership.

Will the Lord find us doing what He has asked us to do for Him? Will we choose to obey or will we take "the leisure day" at our own expense? Do we just want to show up when the pastor is there so we can hear him say something like, "how great we are for taking a day to do his plan"? 

In any kind of ministry, we should always look at the side of it that Jesus reflected on. It was always about the purpose of fulfilling the Father's plan for salvation. And it had nothing to do with fanfare!
 If someone knows our name, may it always be known that we are one with the Lord and that it is about His glory always and not for ours.

Luke 12:51-58........51 "Do you think I have come to give peace to the earth? No! Rather, strife and division! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against-or perhaps the other way around. 53 A father will decide one way about me; his son, the other; mother and daughter will disagree; and the decision of an honored mother-in-law will be spurned by her daughter-in-law."

54 Then he turned to the crowd and said, "When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, 'Here comes a shower.' And you are right.

55 "When the south wind blows you say, 'Today will be a scorcher.' And it is. 56 Hypocrites! You interpret the sky well enough, but you refuse to notice the warnings all around you about the crisis ahead. 57 Why do you refuse to see for yourselves what is right?

58 "If you meet your accuser on the way to court, try to settle the matter before it reaches the judge, lest he sentence you to jail; 59 for if that happens, you won't be free again until the last penny is paid in full."     TLB

There will always be those who complain, and bring division. Jesus said that He did not come to bring peace to the earth. The peace He brought was that who heeds the Word of God and obeys it. They are those who live their lives to obey instructions.  There were those who listened to Him and were in awe of the wisdom of which He spoke and still others were breathing out cruelty and lies as they looked to those religious leaders to circumvent Him and keep Him from doing those things He did. He only obeyed the Father and moved as the Holy Spirit caused Him to move. Jesus was the faithful servant who did what the Father asked Him to do. He went when He needed and He taught when He should. If we have someone over us in leadership, say the church, do we follow their instruction?
Do our lives reflect that in anyway?

Jesus had the wisdom of God to make the decisions He needed as He made His way to the Cross. He was going to walk, not in fear, but knowing all that He had to speak and do was that which was ordered by God His Father.  Whatever the controversy or debate, Jesus remained faithful to follow His Father's instruction! Jesus was always "ready" to do what the Father asked Him to do! When Jesus returns for His Bride, will He find us doing as much?

Father, it is in Jesus' name we pray today. We pray to be obedient like Jesus to obey without expecting all the fanfare. We desire to be the image of Jesus, and be that person who testifies of the Word of God and of His power in our lives. May we be commissioned like Jesus to deliver the message.

Father, today we pray to be delivered from our enemies, O God. Defend us from those who rise up to do us harm. (Psalm 59:1) Fight against those who fight against us (Psalm 35:1). In YOU, O’LORD, we put our trust. Let us never be put to shame (Psalm 71:1). If you are for us, then who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?

We ask as the Word reveals to be preserved from the enemy, hide us from secret counsel of the wicked. Pull us out of any net which has been laid for us. Keep us safe from the evil of gossiping mouths. Where there has been ill spoken of us, touch the lips of those who speak it with YOUR refining fire. Let those involved be revealed. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion who seek to destroy our lives; let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish us evil (Psalm 40:14). We commit our way today unto YOU, and we know that YOU will bring to pass what we believe for to pass.

Our desire is to have total trust in You and not be afraid of what man can do to us (Psalm 56:11) for YOU have said whoever believes in YOU will not be put to shame (Romans 10:11). Lead and guide us, and be our mighty fortress and hiding place. We choose today to delight ourselves in You and it is YOU Who will give us those righteous desires of our hearts. May our light so shine before men that they see our good works and glorify YOU Lord ( Matthew 5:16 ) Amen.

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