ABRUPTLY

Ever hear of that "suddenly" when God does something in your life? Abruptly something changes in like what we have seen within the Christian community. Many people were banking on that good season, and someone decided to lie about somethings and keep 'secrets' and a good season changed abruptly. But God is in this house, those who know Him should not be moved by a virus! But some are in this day and hour.
So have you heard of someone speaking of an abrupt change or a suddenly, when what was wrong was made right or what about something right, was going right suddenly changed to something not so good?

Do we notice when a "suddenly" appears and involves nations around the world at the same time?

The Flood occurred to save those who follow God! God show Noah the strategic plan of "An Ark" to save those of Noah's family for the rest of that known world were going to die because of their evil ways! Remember rain appeared abruptly, but Noah knew it was coming and it took some one hundred years to arrive, and it was delivered. And the known world at that time participated in that 'event'.


Then there was the day the Sun stood still and the Moon stopped in place.

Joshua 10 12-15 NKJV Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel and he said in the sight of Israel:   "Sun stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon." 13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge on their enemies.  Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of man; for the LORD fought for Israel. 15 Then Joshua returned and all Israel with him, to the camp of Gilgal.

The " abruptly" appears out of or from the supernatural of God! It occurs when there is prayer given, when answers are needed and the only one who can get it done is God Himself!

In this passage, Joshua spoke to God in prayer that the sun stand still.....and we all know that we on planet earth orbit around the sun. The point is that sun had to stop its influence on the planets as the earth. Joshua spoke to the sun and the moon!
In earlier passages of Joshua, the man did not consult with God! In Joshua 9:14. You might remember this passage. You know there was a group of men called the Gibeonites and they had heard what God with Joshua and Israel had done had Jericho and Ai!  So these men decided to deceive Joshua and Israel. They decided to be 'ambassadors' and they prepared their deceit by making themselves appear as the weary travelers. They took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. ( Joshua 9:1-5) 
Then they come to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal and said: "we have come from a far country; now therefore make a covenant with us." And Joshua does question them about they might dwell among them and he asks again where do they come from and their response is that they have come from a very far country.....then they say flattering things like" we come because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt.


If you remember from what God told them, they would have to rid Canaan of the Canaanites. These specific men were Hivites who had most likely come into the region from what would have been north of Palestine in Syria. It was meant that they had to rid the land of them like what had been done in Jericho and Ai.
In earlier reading of Joshua, you can find those who live in Canaan as the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites,Girgashites, Amorites, & Jebusites.( Joshua 3:1-13)

As the Israelites entered into Canaan, those who of that land were hearing of their entrance and they began to melt within their hearts that God was moving in and His rule was going to be seen! And yes, kings and the such were shaking for they were to be driven out of that which God promised His people who came to possess that very land! So these Gibeonites did not think they could unite the cities of Canaan to fight against Israel, so they thought they would join them, the children of God, so they could live and not die!

These deceitful men keep speaking:
 Joshua 9:11 Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take no provisions with you for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, "We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us." 12 "this bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy. 13 "And these wine-skins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey." 14 Then the man of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD.


Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them. (Joshua 9:15-17) The children of Israel then came to the actual region these deceitful men lived and allowed them to live. Israel had believed their lies and sworn a covenant with them. But  the rulers said they would have them be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them. Addressing that the men be called to him, Joshua asked why they had deceived them and spoke they were people who lived far away from them. Joshua pronounces a curse on them and none would be freed from being slaves---woodcutters and water carriers for the house of his God.

The people ( the children of Israel) grumbled as a whole community against the leadership that were placed before them by God.  But their grumbling was because leadership did not seek God's counsel of the plan on the whole ordeal!


On their march forward across Canaan, the other kings heard of what Joshua and Israel had done to Jericho, and to Ai and how the Gibeonites had joined them. 
( Joshua 10: 3:9) Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, "Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and the children of Israel." 

Therefore it was five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jersusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it. And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, "Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us." 

So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the mighty men of valor. And the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you." Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 

Joshua 10:10 So the LORD routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes now to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel, and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

Now Joshua has counsel with the LORD! Now he is not making wrong decisions but right ones in hearing God speak to him the plan.
Now out of prayer the answer has come and the spiritual is seen in the natural! When God gives us authority to speak things happen. Victory occurs in the direction we are to be going. As with Joshua he followed God in prayer, he with his men of war and men of valor, they fought, they did not sit idly by and whine. They went at it with faith in God and hailstones killed more of those than the children of Israel had slain.

Joshua spoke they would be slaves….and we know this came originally from Noah’s speaking:  Genesis 9:24-27    So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 Then he said: “Cursed be Canaan, as servant of servants he shall be to his brethren.” 26 And he said: “Blessed be the LORD the God of Shem, & may Canaan be his servant. 27 May God enlarge Japheth; and may he dwell in the tents of Shem; & may Canaan be his servant.”    

                                                                    

These men would be wood cutters and water carriers to carry out laborious work! This act meant that the men of Gibeon (Ghib—on) would do the work or service that their women and children had done for them for centuries... Yikes!

These men were being diminished….they would come into degrading employment: once warriors now they were condemned to perform the work once performed by women or females. It was for self- preservation, these people had sunk to a real low!

The Gibeonites wanted to live, so they became servants or like Joshua had said in  verse ….23 Now therefore, you are cursed, &  none of you shall be freed from being slaves---woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.

 Joshua 9:27   and that day Joshua made them wood-cutters and water carriers for the congregation & for the altar of the LORD, in the place which He would choose, even to this day.

(It is amazing to me how people will rather take a curse to live than trust God for what is ours already by the blood of Jesus! People are all out for "that cure " for covid 19 when we have Jesus! They would rather come under that curse thing than stay under the shelter of the living God!)

We should take heed from chapter 9: Lies will not benefit anyone, and that pagans like those people of Gibeon would produce no honor but would only be known for wicked lies and reduced to slavery!

It is important to remember that in speaking, truth should prevail, our conduct should prove having a heart after God and willing to do what He commands. Reading earlier in Joshua 9:17 the congregation of Israel took three days to get to Gibeon, and they went with battle attire and marched 18+ miles overnight!

10 So the LORD routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, & struck them down as far as Azekah ( A–zee-kah) and Makkedah. 11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel & were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven, on them as far as Azekah, and they died, There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

NOW THAT is GOD! Joshua showed up suddenly……was traveling all night from Gilgal.  The marching was a 18 -26 mile march…and …would have taken 3 days and these men arrived at daybreak……..SO SURPRISE!

In verse 11 that God used hailstones to assist in the attack! This was no natural occurrence.  More were killed by hail-stones than by the sword of the Israelites.

God himself had spoken to Job of the treasury of snow and hail, Job 38: 22-23    ….22 Have you entered the treasury of snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail  23 which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?

It is a fearful thing to fall into God’s hands when one is against Him and His people.....So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, & did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel. 15 Then Joshua returned & all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

 God can and will do the miraculous in fulfilling His word.

You and I can be fully loaded and ready for battlements against the enemy. Prayer should be our life as it was seen in Jesus. It is hearing Him and then doing without hesitation, and no uncertainty, the surefooted who know God is with them….even surefooted in the high places where even God has His arsenal ready for action. For God’s word is sure and makes us strong and steadfast without quaking in our shoes where we never shrink or fall backward!

The great power of God crowned the miraculous event…of the sun….and The great faith of Joshua lived a victorious battle for Israel …… 24 hours  became a 48 hour day….

Habakkuk 3:11. The sun and moon stood still in their habitation; at the light of Your arrows they went, as the shining of Your glittering spear.

Joshua as one who lived a life that illustrated a heart wholly devoted to the Lord that exhibited a faithfulness and a trust in God!

Evidence proved God is alive and is seen in those men who can move far above and beyond themselves in a victory that is of the Lord God.  He will do what He has spoken. God confounded those idolaters who worshiped the sun and the moon. And that the very things these men worshiped were stopped in place for a whole day!

In this day and time, taking what was promised meant putting to death that which remained in their way! For the Israelites, their success was to be in God and all that He ever spoke to them.

Our allegiance is to God the One and Only TRUE God. Hold fast when others lie, for if you will hold strong in Him, He will not let you go! Those who lie, who bank on lies will be those who will be diminished……but you who hold fast to God will see the miraculous. Israel did!

That which we might take for granted was used against this enemy ………..and God was faithful and proved strong! 

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

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WHAT is that To YOU

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Arguing with the Fence Post

Don't Argue with the Fence Post!

When I was growing up, and still at home with my parents I loved the stories my dad could tell. He surely had a colorful life. He had grown up in the "depression years" and knew how hard it was for many people to feed their families back in that day and hour!
But for sure, he had a story to tell about the things that one might take for granted. He loved showing young boys how to build a fence, how to rope a steer and how to drive a semi tractor trailer. Still he had a love of horses and for laughter. Our kitchen was the gathering for those times of laughter. Especially in the summer, our dad would bring home some of our cousins who would either be at the feed store or the chicken farm. These young boys would dress in their denim jeans like Levi's, wear those cowboy boots and have a hat that matched.
They would gather around the table, although too antsy to sit, but close enough to hear the stories my dad could tell. I was reminded of this verse from the Bible.
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

In this we are reminded it is a good thing to laugh. It works like a medicine. It seemed that we spent many hours laughing at the things that make one forget the gray areas of life. It was not about strife or criticizing others but generally how my dad would get into stuff and have to "figure the way out" of that thing.
For some folks though it is hard for them to laugh about some of the things they have done in their lives. For many they want others to remember them for their "good only" and not some of the mistakes they have made in their lifetime. I certainly would not desire to speak on some of the goofy things I did, but I can say drugs was never a part of my life. I was told early on in my life that my parents would know if I did "something stupid" and then I would answer for it and not sit down for a week. I believed them!
But all people can and do make mistakes at sometime or another in their life and never desire others to know of the "stupid is as stupid does" kind of thing.
Still others like notoriety. They like being right and was thinking of Balaam today and the donkey speaking to him. Now Balaam was a prophet and he ignored God's will, so God opened the mouth of his donkey to rebuke him. Still, within the enormity of this supernatural element of a talking animal, it was Balaam who began to argue with a dumb beast. (Numbers 22:25-30)

It was one hot day I believe in the summer of"68 and my dad was building fence. He had added some livestock, and was having our cousins help him build a stronger fence.  Now when my dad built a fence, the cedar posts for the corners was put into cement and was expected to be there for many years.

Now of this one specific day, one  of the young fellows was not agreeing with the work ethic. For my dad, integrity was important as was the quality of work to be done. Every "man" was expected to do his fair share of work if being paid for doing it!

The other variable was of teamwork and somehow one member was not up to the job or work to be done! So yes, a story came out about it. Yet, all of us at some time did not like the work that had to be done, but someone has to do it. YOU can find that out when you and your husband have given birth to a baby and when it is time to change "the baby's diaper".
One such day I remember being at work. It was like the beginning of a new year. People were excited, talking fast about their new year resolutions and losing more weight to gain more muscle mass. Anyway, this young boy decided to be "sick" in the very middle of the room where we had about 20+ kids playing. With rain outside and some high wind, it was not good to take the kids out of doors. Still the room had to be cleared and some of the adults moved as fast as they could to get some of the younger kids away from "the sick" on the floor!
Many of the "kids" were moved to another area of the main office.
Left standing there were two of us adults. YOU guessed it...we cleaned it all up and sprayed the carpet and sprayed the air then we sprayed our clothes.....Yikes!

Yes, some people have their ideas about work and that work ethic includes: integrity, teamwork, but it also includes quality and discipline for that job. But when our dedication to the job is beyond ourselves, then we can do for others. For we should not be like Balaam who argued with a donkey nor we would or should we be arguing with a fence post or arguing with an animal.

Today, I can look back and hear some of my "dad's tales" and remember he had some mistakes in his life, but he learned from them and made people his priority. We too can see things that should be done but will require some discipline rather than just thinking of that "paycheck" but it is about people's lives and helping them be better too! In allowing laughter, we can see the mistake and avoid it.

I long for the laughter to fill our house as it filled my parent's home those summer days. I long to see people filled with the Holy Spirit and to know that God has a place for them when they receive His Son. For within our existence, we learn many things, but family and laughter is key. To do anything less is sin! Without laughter we stagnate the atmosphere. If we abide in doom and gloom we will fall victim to our own abilities and our own way of doing much like Balaam did!


For each of us face hundreds of choices and decisions daily. Fortunately most of them are not life-altering.

Should I go with veggies for all my meals only today or "all week"?  Should I get the ultra-whitening toothpaste or the kind of vitamin that restores brain cells? Oh yeah, I need to lose about five pounds of weight!

But just as surely  as the new year begins, many of us face difficult and life-changing decisions. I’m so grateful for God’s incredible promise in Psalms 32:8:I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

As my father taught us to laugh, our Father God teaches and guides us for his own glory. Our Father desires to lead our lives of maximum effectiveness and fruitfulness for His glory. He desires to display his goodness, kindness, mercy, and transforming power through us. God wants to counsel us more than we want His counsel.

He shows us the way to go because He is a loving Father. 

Let's not argue with God our Father about anything. Let's just do what He asks us to do. My father asked that we obeyed His instructions and when it was time to leave home, we knew a job was a good thing, being married to the right person was a good thing as well and laughter would add zest to our lives.

Laughter is a good medicine for us everyday. Let us find that merry heart in God, obey His commands and expect laughter to invade our homes. Truly the joy of the Lord is our Strength: The spirit of rejoicing, joy and laughter is our heritage. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty….an emancipation from bondage………… Maintaining that walk as the son is by the Holy Spirit and it is by our remaining in the joy of the Lord who is our strength! Amen

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

The Wonder of God & His Instruction

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New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

In Order With God: Being Established

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IT'S JUST A GREAT EARTHQUAKE!

Acts 16:25-34.........25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.
NKJV

Now in Acts 16:16-24, we find out how Paul and Silas ended up in a prison. People are all connected in some way, and we see it here in this passage. Paul had cast the spirit out of the young girl who followed them around.

Because of their act on the spirit, the girl's masters seized Paul and Silas. They dragged them to the the marketplace to authorities of the city. Being led to the magistrates, the order was given for Paul and Silas to be beaten with rods and after receiving many stripes to their bodies, they were taken by the jailer to the inner prison and their feet were secured in the stocks.

As we find Paul and Silas praying and singing about midnight, we find that the prisoners were listening to them and those hymns to God!
Suddenly there was a "great earthquake". Not a 3.2, but a great earthquake..........so great that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and all the doors opened immediately from the force. Interesting that all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. The keeper of the prison was also awakened. Interesting he was awakened out of his sleep. Did he not hear the singing and praise going on? Yet, it states that Paul yelled out.............loudly......not to kill himself.
Yes, a violent shaking and all the doors of the prison opened. The keeper drew his sword to kill himself as he was alarmed that the prisoners probably had left the prison.

Paul and Silas were exerting a godly influence, when staying in the same place they had been chained. They were exerting some influence, when Paul told the keeper to do himself no harm. They were exerting godly influence in giving the "keeper" the thing he needed. "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
He called them "sirs"! Okay, they smell like stinky poop. It was probably the stinkiest place on earth and being in the depths of the prison probably proved to be hot and foul! This guy calls them sirs!

In those moments, when something occurs as the "great earthquake", a 9-11, or F-5 tornado, would we be there, standing and delivering the message of life to be saved? If you were locked up in chains and they fell off, would you stand or would you run? ( is it every man for himself?)
I think of those who, if they experienced it today, would say, "the Lord has loosed the chains, and I am out of here." If that great earthquake occurred in or around a prison and the doors flew open, how many do you think would flee the area without thinking twice about it?
I was thinking of the movie "Fugitive" and the train wreck. There were a lot of convicts making their way off that train for freedom!


When we talk of the salvation message, we think of what we were expected to do when presented with the same as the "keeper". It is knowing that we are to be loyal to One. It is knowing we need saving. Once conversion came, we became the family of God. We had to make a choice.
These men had to make a choice to stay in the prison even though it was "wide open" and nothing held them. But one thing held them. It was their character. They were connected to God!

One dictionary defines character as " the complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person." Character is said to be the stable and distinct quality that is built into an individual which determines his or her response of circumstances.

Our character is determined by that one that rules it. We can see in scripture that Peter confirms Jesus' words. Let's look into the book of Acts.
Acts 5:29-32................. 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him." 
NKJV

Where does our loyalty lie? Was I forced to make a decision for Christ? No, I was not forced, but I certainly knew I had it placed before me and the question had to be answered. I NEEDED A SAVIOR!  Yes, I received Jesus as Lord of my life. 
But that "loyalty"  has to be in place every day and not only on "church day"!.
When the world puts pressure on us, and we must make decisions, is Jesus on the throne of our hearts, AND what will our character reveal?
Will we stand as Paul and Silas, and bring others to Jesus.........or flee like Chicken Little.............the sky is falling........kind of thing........."should I stay, or should I go"?
Will we revert to the past and use those old habits to rule our decisions or will we keep Jesus seated on our hearts? Running in when a catastrophe occurs, as in 9-11, is something most have to think about doing. For those like firemen, police officers, and paramedics, it is something they do not have to think or meditate on, they are ready for it! For me, seeing that ash and smoke rising and falling to create the sense of late evening, gave me the shutters to the core of my being.

When we read on about Paul and Silas, the "keeper" brought them out, and cleaned their wounds. He took them home, fed them and his whole house was saved!
Standing still when adversity comes, IS MUCH LIKE that silence that comes after the great earthquake. I know for I have been in an earthquake and have heard the silence after things stop crashing and the ground stops rumbling like a bowling ball against pins in a bowling alley all going at once.........and then silence!
Standing still, everything is torn apart, nothing looks familiar and WHAT? Standing still in the silence when a word comes that your step-father has passed suddenly and your mother is taken to the hospital. What will those circumstances reveal about our character?
A WORD COMES, AND IT IS NOT A GOOD WORD!
No one is exempt from this one thing! Paul and Silas were not exempt from them.
What will be revealed in your life, when the enemy comes with a circumstance? When the moment comes, AND THOSE thoughts and pressures build about that circumstance, will you or I sing? These men went from beatings to singing, to a great earthquake, to giving the message of salvation to others.


Today, we pray in Jesus' holy name. Father, we set ourselves to pray and not lose heart.(Hebrews 12:3)
Lord, we know not what obstacles we will face today. But we thank You for illumination in situations that we cannot understand at this time. Our hearts are set on You. Whatever the circumstances today, whatever heartache, you have given us the ability to hear You speak in these situations.
2 Peter tells us that God has given us all things that pertain to life and godly living. It is understandable then that wisdom and revelation has been given to us as well and that we have access to it. 

Father, we pray to be those who will sing praise to You through the most horrific of times, and give YOUR message of salvation when all others may be fleeing the house. We desire to be those who co-operate with YOU and receive instruction as we lean into YOU and receive faith for this walk. Today, we pray to hear YOU in every circumstance we face. The surface of everything may look good to us, but You Lord have all knowledge as YOU see the end from the beginning. Today, we pray to be those who will listen and know Your voice. So when any catastrophic event may occur, to shake up our lives, we know hearing YOUR voice will give us the direction in and through those hidden dangers, obstacles and traps the enemy may have placed in our path to cause us to stumble. Trouble may come, and pain may come into our hearts for the loss of a loved one, or where we stand is no longer familiar to us, but our every focus is on YOU, the Great I AM in our midst. In the midst of these trials, our names remain the same, the place may look different, and there may even be those smells of smoke and the sounds of disaster, but we remain and abide in YOU, our Fortress and Hightower. Praise be to God, the Faithful One, the Everlasting One, The Great "I AM" ! AMEN.

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God, Enlarge our Hearts

Psalm 119:25-32
25 My soul clings to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
26 I have declared my ways, and You answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts;
So shall I meditate on Your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts from heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
29 Remove from me the way of lying,
And grant me Your law graciously.
30 I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
31 I cling to Your testimonies;
O LORD, do not put me to shame!
32 I will run the course of Your commandments,
For You shall enlarge my heart. NKJV

Have you ever had a day when it seems like you rather go back to bed than make the best of the day that awaits you?
In the scripture above, David seems to relate to us that his soul, was clinging to the dust. Now, that is a bad day! When your mind, will and emotions gang up on you and tell you it is over. At this point one might as well cancel the day, and then resign ones self to the bedroom or the the recliner chair in the living room, right?
Wrong! Just because the T.V. commercials tell you that your life will be better after that face lift or tummy tuck is wrong. That latest procedure to take years off your your face in 15 minutes is in reality another gimmick to make you purchase something you really do not need! If you would or could remember the last night you had a good sleep, and then actually choose to go to bed and rest one might would find their face looking better just from the time of extra rest!

Or how about that aid you need to live longer but may cause a string of ailments ( you know, those side-effects )that may even cause death to come quickly to you?

Or what if healthier eating became a lifestyle for our bodies and  bring more energy for us to make it through the day?


Help Lord, oh please help, my hair is too long, my hair is too short, that second job is not working out, that weight loss aid put more pounds on the body, instead of off the body, the boss needs me to stay late all next month and the kid's extracurricular school play is being held, not in the town we live but 45 minutes from here at a civic center and will be on five nights of that same month! I was scheduled for two events on work calendar, but now I am looking at doing five events on the work calendar for the lady who usually does them but is taking a year long trip around the world. Oh help me Jesus!  Am certain this life has turned into an amusement ride and I want off........now!!!!

It appears that David had the same kind of days we sometimes have. He tells of the heaviness, and he spoke that he would be strengthened according to God's Word in verse 28.
Now some commentaries wrote that they thought, "the soul clings to dust" is meaning near death. But I do not think that is the truth, for why would David, ask in the verse 29, that he be removed from the way of lying? I believe for every decision he had to make, he needed the wisdom of God to make it. He did not want to base his decisions on anything false. No, I believed he still had many days ahead of him and he needed God's wisdom!

We are to base any and all decisions on the wisdom of God…..James 1:5-8…..5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. NKJV

 Always seek to make a wise choice….in Psalm 119:105 says,  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” When we follow the teachings of God’s Word, He guides our path and provides knowledge to make wise choices.

Keeping our speech in the integrity of God's word is imperative. We should always be seeking to be honest with others. Lying is just a way of power that is of the evil one, to take you where you probably do not want to go. That lying thing is always about me and not you, the other person! Lying makes me look good and  makes you, "well not so good looking at all"!

In keeping honesty before us, is to being above reproach.......Paul tells us in Colossians 1:21-23
 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-- 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. NKJV

When we have received Jesus as Lord, those wicked things were put far from us. In His death, Jesus bore every sinful thing including disease and we became holy, blameless and above reproach in the sight of God. But as Paul went on to say that.... " if "...you continue in faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the gospel which we have heard, then we continually are walking reconciled to God, blameless and above reproach.  When we reside in The Word of Promise, we stay strong, and continue to adhere to the truth and have no need to lie.

When we continue to cling, like David did in  the testimonies of God, we are never put to shame. YOU and I may have a bad day, but if we will continually turn to the Word of truth and see His light for our lives, we move out of the darkness and continue on our way to purpose. Walking in truth will keep us from at adding lies to our walk with others. People should always know us to be truthful. They should know when you open your mouth, the truth is to help others, encourage others and bring the peace of God! Granted, as a leader, some correction may need to be ministered, but should not include lies to make us look better and the "corrected one" to look like the dirt we walk on!

It is not up to us, for the other to receive in what we have given and spoken in love and faith in God, but it is entirely up to the Holy Spirit! We can certainly give to others in the grace and love of God and move away to continue our walk of faith, trusting God is still on our side and is with us in every decision based upon His wisdom.

And whether the given word was received or not, always trust God to bring to pass that which He has spoken to our hearts! What we give is under the blood of the covenant in Jesus!
Our expectancy is to allow God to continue to enlarge our hearts to receive all that He has prepared for you and me! 

It should not be about those who jockeying for positions to gain a place in ranks of those who lead, but it should be our hearts enlarged to receive what God had designed for us to stand . It is a place that will cause our gift to shine, It is a place that brings glory to God .........whatever your situation today, know God is on Your side and He will promote You in the time He has destined for you to take that place of leadership. If He gives you a name, it will still be under His holy son's name, Jesus Christ.

Today, let's continue to follow truth of God's Word and not the world. Let's put the Word into practice and see His purpose for our lives come to manifestation. Our God is for  us. He created us to look the way we do, and act the way we do according to His word of power.

Today, Lord, we pray for our hearts to be enlarged for that which YOU created us to be. We ask in the name of Jesus to be like David who always sought truth, and gave praise for YOUR counsel. Today, we do desire to move out of the arena of mediocrity, those looking to make their flesh look great, but deny any aid to their inner being, the hearts YOU our Lord hold so dear. Guide us Holy Spirit in truth and show us the right way to walk out any circumstances or situations that have arisen to give us the sense of a heaviness we know YOU do not want us to carry. In truth of YOU and YOUR word, we surrender to YOUR plan and expect to BE led away from lying. We do not desire to see ourselves dressed in reproach for we follow closely to Your Word and plan. As we learned in previous teachings Lord, Mary, the mother of Jesus never bore shame. Be it unto us according to YOUR Word and may we bless YOU and bring glory to YOUR name all the days of our lives. Amen

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

Courageous from the Inside Out.........September 11, 2014

Proverbs 30:2-5...Surely I am more stupid than any man, and do not have the understanding of a man. 3 I neither learned wisdom nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended into heaven or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if you know? 5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. (NKJV)

Today, being courageous is doing what is right according to what our Father God states in His Word and not according to the world's standards.
We are aware of the Mental Knowledge. As good as it may be, is still inadequate and is capable of producing pride!
In 1 Corinthians 8:1-3...Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. (NKJV)

Courage is being able to stand in the face of an enemy (a report of sickness, disease;  any person who sets out to harm another person;  presenting conflict to the body of believer's or elsewhere: ie, on the job site, in ministry, within a family situation that causes bodily hurt, and occurring at the least likely moment)

We have been given our five senses, but they make poor masters in the event of decision making! Basing our decisions on our senses is folly. Without true knowledge we fall victim to our senses and relying on them is detrimental to our lives. Making a decision based on the fear factor, we are likely to run into the confusion arena where darkness takes over. Instead of running to the Father of light with His knowledge, His wisdom, we choose to blanket ourselves in the darkness of confusion and as the fear multiplies, and terror grips our souls, we look for the "way out of the circumstance". When we do not rely on the Word of God, we become the driver (of our situation) to act out on the fear based emotions we are experiencing. This acting out is based on false evidence.
Our trust is to be in God. We are to have knowledge of the Holy One.

It is pretty simple to apply God's Word. In  Proverbs 23:12 ...apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge. (NKJV)
It is paramount to apply our hearts to instruction. Just like learning to swim, takes some time, and water swallowing at times, so does learning to read, understand, to practice what we have read, & meditated on in scripture.
I am in awe when people say, "you do not have to read the Bible everyday"! Wow, I certainly do! And if I am not reading it, then I have the CD on with scriptures either on healing or from the New Testament playing. I also keep praise and worship to God going in the center of the house as well!
I surely want the Lord to know that He is welcome in this home! I want Him to always know I desire His wisdom and His way of doing beyond any natural thing I could every choose to do.
In Proverbs 2:10-14...it says that wisdom enters our heart, and knowledge is pleasant to our soul, 11 discretion will preserve us; understanding will keep us. 12 to deliver us from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, 13 from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; 14 who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; (NKJV)

Again, it appears simple for us to stay in the light of God and His knowledge.  As we stay in His Word and learning His wisdom, then we will not fall into the fear factor of relying on the five senses and of clothing ourselves in darkness!  It is imperative to have the light of God's truth shining in on the thing or the man who set out to harm us! We definitely do not want to be the driver, who forcefully drives further into darkness and confusion and try to make a "right decision" based of the senses that bring folly.
It is the Word of God that will keep you and me, preserve you and me, and will deliver us from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things. We are to adhere to God's teachings, and stay in the light, understanding God's ways and thoughts are life to us. As we do this daily, our hearts are growing in courage to make the "right decisions" in the moment we need them most. When or if the enemy appears, we have the courage in our hearts to defeat him with the light and truth of God's Word.

Today, I set out to be faithful to teach others of God and His knowledge. In 2 Timothy 2:22-26 we are told to flee youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 but avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife; 24 and a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.  (NKJV)
You will know those who call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart. YOU will also recognize those who do not. No, we are not to quarrel or argue, but in humility those who are to be corrected should be corrected. Look at the life of Jesus, and how many people that He corrected. I can think of the priests in the temple when Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers. I also think of Jesus correcting Peter. People must remember what love looks like and it is more than me telling you, "oh, I love you!" You can ask our daughter, that a lot of love came through correcting her and I am certain, our daughter loves her daughter and does correct and will correct her consistently when it is needed. It takes a pure heart filled with the love of God to pursue being humble, avoiding ignorant disputes, avoiding strife, but to correct when necessary.
Then it appears that our hearts are to be filled to the maximum with the love of God and His Word!
Pay attention at the next meeting or leadership time together, and watch those who operate out of the pure heart, who are willing to yield! Then watch for those who take the floor and run with loose lips. Pay attention, to those who want your attention and have to have their say, and then watch those who are humble in the sight of God, who will remain silent till time to speak. Truly, correction is love and is needed, not only in the homes, but in the communities, in business, and in government!

In a recent study I got on Peace, I like what John Paul Jackson wrote in WAGE PEACE! He said that peace is like authority. It is not a spiritual gift that we were born with, but it is something we experience and carry with us. (Is something we grow in, my words)
So the more we KNOW God, and pursue HIM in righteous, & peace, the more we speak, the more authority we carry the STRONG peace through the darkness, to seek light and the truth of God's Word.
 I have learned peace to be a violent word. In the Greek, it means to obtain by quietness by removing what seeks to distract and destroy. This peace is not the simple compliant and serene peace, BUT IS AN aggressive taking out or forceful removal of that which needs to be removed. Peace is not a passive word. When seeking God and His peace, love, faith and righteousness, I am setting my boundaries. So when I say peace in my life, I  am saying what Jesus spoke in the Gospels. When He spoke "peace be with you", He was stating a command that all chaos, darkness, anything of the enemy had to be removed.

The instruction God has given is there so we can place it in our hearts.It is through this instruction that we learn how to co-operate with God and His way of doing things. As we continue studying and meditating on the Word of God, we grow wise in things of God and His kingdom. We become those living wisely and who practice it regularly.
Today, let's take His wise counsel, fill our hearts with knowledge and wisdom of the Holy One, so if and when the enemy tries to darken the doorway of our hearts, we will tell him to take a hike. Today, I believe us to make no provision for the flesh, but I do expect we will walk properly as we see the day approaching of the Lord's return.

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