No Spiritual Hospice

 

Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV  10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints---19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.

We see this as 12 commands for the Saints: to be strong in the Lord, be strong in His power, put on the whole armor of God ( not the world), STAND, having your loins girded about His TRUTH,  putting on the breastplate of righteousness, having feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, taking the helmet of salvation, using the the sword of the Spirit, praying in the Spirit and watching in prayer.

To be fully armored is to be heavily armed as a soldier. This armor of God gives us ability to stand against all enemies. Ability to withstand all attacks. It also gives ability to quench every fiery dart of Satan.

Now prayer is not the part of armor but is in addition to this full armor. If we choose not to do this, then we walk through this life with no soaring, and again I say no soaring with God in the heavenlies!  

Isaiah 40:30 Even youths shall faint & be weary, & [selected] young men shall feebly stumble & fall exhausted; 31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, & hope in Him] shall change & renew their strength & power; they shall lift up their wings & mount up [close to God], as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run & not be weary, they shall walk & not faint or become tired.  [Heb. 12:1-3]

Wait on the Lord, He Who is from everlasting: He who is above those little gods of idols, not pecking at the ground like chickens..…God, the Creator, the God who is not fatigued nor exhausted but continues daily in His mercy to extend life, love & peace to us! It is in Him we look for & expect…..to be the renewed….and rise toward the Son of God!  ( Three points from Isaiah 40: to abide in the Lord, to be active and …. to fly above the circumstances)

Without this prayer added, this verse is ineffective. We must power up with God to see Ephesains 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

What if people chose to just go so far with God and then reside in hospice care? You know it as the program that provides palliative care and attends to the emotional and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients at an inpatient facility or at the patient’s home. In this hospice care one is only expected to live nor more than 6 months. So does the Christain decide to hide out, lay on the edge of active life and choose dying over living? Hospice is to be the “specialized medical care” focusing on comfort and support emphasizing quality of life and dignity during the very end of life. You choose not to seek God, give Jesus praise, but only choose to take from others, say like the leech!

Proverbs 30:15-16 NKJV 15 The leech has two daughters-----Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!” 16  “The grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water-----and the fire never says, “Enough!”

The Leech is described as taking without contributing anything at anytime. How sad if we as a people do not contribute to the care of our family or those in need around us!

1.   Sheol and fire always try to destroy

2.   The womb and the soil strives to produce; just put posts in the ground when building a fence and the soil will try to make it produce

Those in their own glory and multitude with pomp and jubilant voices descend into it: Jeremiah 13:15-16 Hear and give ear: do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken. 16 Give glory to the LORD your God before He causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death and makes it a dense darkness. 

1.   These are headed for “hell” ….the shadow of death ; makes it dense darkness; Drunkenness robs one of the ability to act; their feet stumble while looking for light : Phil. 3:19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame---who set their mind on earthly things.

2.   Their honors are in the “dust”….this is death & the grave Ps. 49: 17-20 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him. 18 Though while he lives he blesses himself (for men will praise you when you do well for yourself) 19 He shall go to the generation of his father’s; they shall never see light. 20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.

Death is the equalizer: the foolish rich can die like the wise poor can

With the armor of God on, we are to continue to sow God’s word into our lives. Not that we peck the ground but soar with eagles. 1.  Would be made perfect….1 John 2:1-5   Amp Bible  My little children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law & sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father----[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought & action]. 2 And he [ that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world.

3 And this how we may discern [daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand & become better acquainted with Him]; if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments).  From the NW ..back to page 2

4 Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, & am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep & obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. 5 But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of & for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize & be sure] that we are in Him. In this love of God,…..we pray…

a.         Pray 1st before doing anything!

b.         If someone has spoken evil of you as in gossip, pray.

c.         If someone in the workplace has fired you, pray!

d.         If someone has passed suddenly within your family or circle of friends, pray!

e.         If someone, who you do not know, suddenly writes something concerning you for others to see and read…pray.      Seek the God of love!

This best way is through prayer….to do the right thing, and the Lord will remind you of His word in you…

2. Established and far from Oppression: Isaiah 54:14-17 Amp. Bible  

14 You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God’s will & order): you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you.  Established in God they are no longer tossed about or afflicted

15 Behold, they may gather together and stir up strife, but it is not from Me. Whoever stirs up strife against you shall fall and surrender to you. 16 Behold, I have created the smith who blows on the fire of coals and who produces a weapon for its purpose; and I have created the devastator to destroy.

Anyone who troubles God’s people will themselves be troubled!

17 But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced  ,,,chickens for chicken city, chicken soup)]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord….many marching in unity for ruin…anything against God is for ruin…(unity is those who believe consistently and stand continually on His power words!)

Understand we are to be the secure in God…so..do we know Him as our justice..?    Justification comes through the heart: one which is  either…based in God and His teachings , those commands and the other is based in the ruins of the divisive of evil against God and His people.

What any one person thinks of you or me should not rule over us, only God’s rule,  His standard is to be raised against the tongues of judgment. Whether they wrote it, spoke it, tweeted it….God’s commands should be our standard for life…..WHY obey or answer a fool? A foolish person should not have dominion over us….Any malicious intent, God will take care of it and we must participate by faith knowing He will care for us and we are the secure in HIM!

Eyes on Jesus, Eyes on Him Who Renews our Strength….Psalm 27: 13-14 … NKJV 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD; be of good courage; and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say on the LORD!

That believe : is the  ‘aman…Strongs: 539….is to be firm, stable, established, also to be firmly persuaded.

Mounting up on Wings of Eagles:  Go from strength to strength: Psalm 84:4-7  Amp bible  4 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied ) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence: they shall be singing Your praises all the day long. Selah [pause and calmly think of that]! 5 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

1.         Whose heart: their thoughts and actions are on God

2.         They are always happy and to be envied!

6 Passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca), they make it a place of springs; the early rain also fills [the pools] with blessings. 7 They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; each of them appears before God in Zion.  Zion is God’s stronghold and a place of restoration…

No Fainting: Galatians 6:6-9  Amp Bible…6 Let him who receives instruction in the Word [of God] share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his support. 7 Do not be deceived & deluded, & misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside;) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.

God does NOT like those who wear masks and pretend to be godly!

8 For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin & destruction, he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in action nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we will reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

This sowing is spiritually done! Those who sow to the spirit will enjoy eternal life in the here and  now in way which other Christians do not. The harvest comes to the faithful who sow, not only the word of God into their lives but also in the finances, and in prayer!  There are churches who will not allow the Holy spirit to move within their service! Sown towards that power of God, then you operate in His power, praying in the Holy Spirit, loosing Him in your lives….( Understand all is God’s. You own nothing. God does. He provides. He is to guide and move you into His plan, not your plan!)

In closing: Ex.19: 1-6 Amp Bible    1 In the third month after the Israelites left  the land of  Egypt , the same day, they came into the Wilderness of Sinai. 2 When they had departed from Rephidim and had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, they encamped there before the mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him out of the mountain, Say this to the house of Jacob and tell the Israelites 4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle’s wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant, then you shall be my own peculiar possession & treasure from among & above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation [consecrated, set apart to the worship of God]. These are the words you shall speak to the Israelites. Those of unity…a kingdom of priests…                                                                                  

From this passage of Exodus 19, the people were to obey God. He would bless them. Their perfection, that completion was to be in God,  and through the teachings of the Gospel we know today! “Bore you on eagle’s wings, was the miraculous life of living in and through the Spirit of God!  Why would we not want to live that way always?

Jesus brought it all together in His Sermon on the mount:  Matthew 5 :6 Blessed, and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous ( in that state in which the born- again child of God enjoys His favor & salvation) are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness (uprightness & right standing with God, for they shall be completely satisfied.

It is a spiritual kingdom that is one which operates in having faith in God. It is trusting God no matter what! This is only one of many blessings that were listed in Matthew 5, but all of them were given by Jesus that the kingdom citizen would adhere to and become the ideal who acknowledged they are the poor spiritually, sense their inadequacies, and reach for that which is supplied by heaven through Jesus Himself. This kingdom is the dwelling where self-sufficiency is no virtue nor is self-exaltation practiced. The only strength we need is found in the Lord, and in that we go from strength to strength in Him….Amen!

No spiritual hospice, our soaring is seeing Him in the heavenly place where we are seated in Christ Jesus!

 

    Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

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Feeding on Foolishness

 

FOOLS MUST BE DEALT WITH DIFFERENTLY THAN THOSE WHO ARE WISE. We cannot deal with all men in the same way. Our response to people must be based on the kind of character they have demonstrated.

 Reading through the book of Proverbs last week, and this stood out in our reading: Proverbs 21:6-7  NKJV 6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death. 7 The violence of the wicked will destroy them. because they refuse to do justice.

In reading the meaning a stumble toward death and the "destroy" means to drag them away. They move toward death quickly.

Matthew 16:1-4 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that he would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ ‘Hypocrites!’ You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. And He left them and departed.

1.         From verse 4: Jesus’ description of Israel’s religious leaders is reminiscent of Deut. 32:5 where Moses rebuked Israel for rejecting Yahweh.

2.         Deuteronomy 32:5-6 NKJV They have corrupted themselves; they are not His children, because of their blemish: a perverse and crooked generation. 6 Do you thus deal(repay the )with the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, who bought you? Has He not made you and established you?

3.         The relationship with the LORD is ruined when His children no longer act like His children.

4.         They had become a grotesque mockery of what God created them to be

Ever wonder where some of these teens arrested today were raised? Some speaking as a parent say they are the sweet child who harms no one. Yet they destroy store windows, steal produce from the store and take off running when police arrive. Interesting! Who in their right mind would take a knife to a track event in the spring time? Who decides to run down people on a roadway and call it accidental  done?  But what if these teens are just like their parents. What if they act the same manner and ready to use a weapon just because they are mad about something? Another thought here: young adults carrying signs saying ideas are not illegal? No they are no illegal, but not done in God will bring disaster. They bring consequences like a knife at a Track Meet!

Matthew 12: 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

A spiritual adulterous exhibition was presented by the scribe’s and Pharisees because of their rejection of Jesus

1.         Jonah’s experience in the depths of death would be Jesus experience as well

2.         Three days and three nights: Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly. 2 And he said: “I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. 3 For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me; all Your billows and Your waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ 5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; the deep closed around me; weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 I went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever; yet YOU have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God.

3.         Away from God’s presence…a life threatening situation

4.         Going into the belly of Sheol, the inner part of the earth, the grave

5.         From verse 6 the moorings or the bars of Sheol the land of the dead beneath the great deep; from the pits refers to Sheol

One thing for certain, fools are liars!  They may say the jury is all white when there is only what 4? And the rest are Hispanic and Asian. (total of 12) Liars are known when they can count the crowd for themselves and then tell the journalist there is only white folks on the jury. Lying is sin and is dangerous.

Steve Hill was founder of Heartland World Ministries Church in Dallas. He was widely known for preaching the uncompromising message of Christ throughout the world. He wrote this before his passing into heaven.   He wrote:     The challenging of God’s authority goes back to the Garden of Eden, starting with the serpent’s challenge to Eve: “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Gen. 3:1). This satanic challenge was twofold: First, did God really say that? And second, God didn’t really mean what He said. After all, you won’t die if you eat from the tree (vv. 1-5).

That twofold challenge continues to assault us today. Best-selling authors tell us the biblical text isn’t reliable, that the biblical manuscripts we have in our possession are hopelessly contradictory, and that we can know little or nothing about the real, historical Jesus. Other authors tell us that the Bible is no more than a collection of religious traditions and that God Himself is nothing more than a religious myth.

For the most part, though, the challenge to the authority of the Scriptures is subtler, and some of it flows out of the deification of man, which says, “The Bible must live up to my standards. I will judge the God of the Bible based on my morality rather than the God of the Bible judging me based on His morality.” In short, when the Scriptures contradict our feelings and preferences rather than crucify our feelings and preferences and bow down before God and His Word, we question God’s Word.

Steve Hill had written this as well:   Universal reconciliation promotes a get-out-of-jail-free mentality—that in the end, everyone will make it into heaven because of Jesus’ death on the cross. (In contrast, universalism teaches that all paths lead to God.) There may be future suffering, but it will be purging rather than punishment, and ultimately everyone will be saved.

Proponents of universal reconciliation point to verses that teach that God reconciled “all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20). And they point out that just as in Adam all die, in Jesus all will live (Rom. 5:12-21).

What would you say if someone attempted to persuade you that Adolf Hitler was in heaven? “Abomination!” you would scream. “You’re deranged!” Yet that’s a sample of the fundamental false teaching of this layer of “avalanche snow.” Added to other layers mentioned previously, we will find the believer’s foundation deteriorated, and when the storms come in damaging ways, life is extinguished.

Are we feeding on foolishness?  Do we really recognize a false teaching that is a strong wind of error? If we think a color of a person makes it right to kill is totally wrong! Character is what counts when standing with God. This is what Martin Luther King extended in his speech before his death. He wanted his children to be known by the content of their character and not the color of their skin!  If we are in that place, darkness is coming down quickly!

A. W. Tozer wrote, "So skilled is error at imitating truth, that the two are constantly being mistaken for each another. It takes a sharp eye these days to know which brother is Cain and which is Abel." The apostle Paul also speaks to the outwardly pleasing behavior of apostates and their teaching when he says, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). In other words, do not look for apostates to appear bad on the outside or speak dramatic words of heresy at the outset of their teaching. Rather than denying truth outright, apostates will twist it to fit their own agenda, but as pastor R. C. Lensky has noted, “The worst forms of wickedness consist in perversions of the truth.”

Peter says, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves” (2 Peter 2:1). Another aspect of true believers is that they have been delivered out of spiritual darkness into light (Ephesians 5:8) and therefore will not deny core truths of Scripture like Arius did with the divinity of Jesus.

Ultimately, the sign of an apostate is that he eventually falls away and departs from the truth of God’s Word and His righteousness. The apostle John signifies this is a mark of a false believer: “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19).

Ideas Have Consequences

That God takes apostasy and false teaching seriously is evidenced by the fact that every New Testament book except Philemon contains warnings about false teaching. Why is this?

1.         Simply because ideas have consequences.

2.         Right thinking and its fruit produces goodness, whereas wrong thinking and its accompanying action results in undesired penalties. As an example, the Cambodian killing fields in the 1970s were the product of the nihilistic worldview of Jean Paul Sartre and his teaching. The Khmer Rouge’s leader Pol Pot lived out Sartre’s philosophy toward the people in a clear and frightening way, which was articulated in this manner: “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss.” ( are we not seeing baseball players of the majors wearing uniforms and caps to celebrate the LGBTQ folks. God only made male and female)

3.         It should be remembered that satan did not come to the first couple in the Garden with an external armament or supernatural weapon; instead, he came to them with an idea. And it was that idea that condemned them and the rest of humankind, with the only remedy being the sacrificial death of God’s Son!

The authority the Master gave you and me  is for putting people together, not taking them apart. We want to get on with it and not have to spend time on reprimands.  And that’s about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. Greet one another with a holy embrace. All the brothers and sisters here say hello. The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.  Amen!

 

       Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

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OUR STEPS WILL EITHER POSSESS OR DISPOSSESS THE LAND

Proverbs 4:10-13
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
NIV

Was meditating on "our steps" we take everyday. It was something I thought of in hearing of all the chaos in France right now. And then for some reason, I thought on the OCCUPY that was part of the news back five + years ago.

In Proverbs 4, we are told that God's wisdom will guide us along straight paths, and when we walk, our steps will not be hampered ( hindered ). We are also told that when we run, we will not stumble for when we hold on to instruction, and do not let go, that instruction, that Wisdom from God will guard our life when we guard the instruction.

GOD has a place for us. I know I write on this a lot, but I have gotten some more insight on it in the last few days. Thinking of our grand-daughter and her activities, her parents saw the steps she took to possess where she lived. If you remember, her father, showed her as a baby and then a toddler what was hers as her parents provided a healthy home for them all. She already owned it, it was hers, and it is where she lived as a small child. Then as she started walking and talking, she went into soccer and swimming lessons. That is a  place that she now possesses! Every place she has marked out with her foot is hers and no one can take that from her. She was instructed in soccer and in swimming and she can do both. Is she the expert? No, not yet, but she has the opportunity to grow in a greater skill in these if she continues in them. They are both good and health to her body in the form of exercise!

We too, can gain greater skill in taking instruction from our Father in heaven. We too, can possess that place where our steps take us. But will they be for the fruitful, life-giving instruction of God or will it be of the devil kind of instruction, who desires to kill, steal and destroy?

Acts 5:25-42

"Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!" 26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" 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." 

33 When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. 34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it--lest you even be found to fight against God." 40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. 

NKJV

In obeying God and His instructions we walk in a place that may mean much adversity like we see for Peter and the other apostles in chapter 5 of the book of Acts. Please read it for yourself, especially to see how God cares for His own. It was noted by Gamaliel who was a teacher of the law, that "if what ( Peter and the others ) were doing was of God, you cannot overthrow it......lest you be found fighting against God."

 What is of God will continue! It may mean much adversity and much intentional harm, but God is greater. And if He really lives in us........then He should be ruling this body by His Word of truth.

Where do we occupy today? Can it be the safe place or is that which we are determined to stay just because we like the notoriety? Is where we occupying bringing glory to God or to ourselves? Of late, you see some men or even women lose their jobs, and in the light of their dismissal you find them so lost, for their identity was in that job. Sad but true, and many truly lose sight of what is truth and right  by ending up in despair and such depression they can no longer make right decisions for their god was the job!
I remember my husband had the desire to learn as much as he could as in a trade occupation. He had opportunities open to him to not only weld but also operate many machines, like cranes, and see how the cold weather as well as the hot temps might hinder production in coal mines. He had many opportunities to take extra classes and he seized all that he could back in those early days to manage a dam site today. He took steps to possess a place. Was not sure where he was headed with it, but he knew was to master them!

Proverbs 16:9

9 A man's heart plans his way,

But the LORD directs his steps. 

NKJV

God is bound by His Word. He cannot lie, and He will not go against what He has already placed for us to come to. That place we are to possess is by His Word. In His plan, it has nothing to do with wickedness, but in grace, truth, and love. But wanting our own way, and doing our own thing causes us much harm, and even death.

People like the avenues of communicating today. Yet in all those I see, there is much danger. There is not the formal eye to eye and face to face communication of decades ago. Today, it is just a text or a quick "tweet". In giving this much thought, I am surprised how some handle their employees' Work Evaluation. Of course, this writing context is in regard to those teachers, bosses, those in any management positions and even in regard to business owners, that one to one contact would be important.
 In regard to meeting eye to eye, we can express our heartfelt questions and answers in regard to either our work or even work within school as in the Parent/Teacher Conferences. In reality though, if we only send a text to "Well Done" and the person needs some work in some areas, are we not adding to their defeat in life? Some folks just do not like communication at all. They are content with the five minute e-mail explanation, the 30 second tweet or such else to communicate.

In posting a comment in regards to something important as a job or a student's work record, would not a more formal of meet and greet over this thing so important to maybe the life of the job, or maintaining school attendance.
There is so much that probably should be said but is left undone because we "decided to text" or "tweet" someone about how they are doing. I think of the applying for a job today and online. I am not sure if that is just a way to weed them (the applicant's) out that may not fit the job. I know that I liked going for those interviews and meeting with people face to face. In meeting one on one, you find their real heart on the job they are trying to fill. You find the real heart of those teaching your children at school. You find the real heart of those you might attend church with.

Going back to our grand-daughter, I think of how different her life would be if her parents just texted, " well done " with a HAPPY FACE on it! If there was correction by just texting.........the sad, grumpy face would not work!

In doing that they would be shortening their commitment time, that being in her face, and showing her what the life in God is really about. They must show her daily how her steps will possess that land God has planned for her! In society today, we surely see those who have not had the face to face with parents and those who really care. We have seen the effects of a 30 second text sent at the wrong time as in many young and middle aged getting into terrible car wrecks. Please understand that this is my opinion. I think Jesus liked getting out among them and looking into their eyes and watching their body movements as He spoke truth. I think He liked getting involved and letting them know He really cared for them.

In this age of this kind of communication we can surely see that people can maintain a low - key commitment and almost no responsibility to anyone. It is like the elusive unicorn. In sending a text once or twice to someone does not mean that anyone will really know us? It is not commitment and it is not possessing a place in society. Commitment is time and money.

I believe that those who post their page are posting the "fake" person. The real you or me is the one who lives and breathes and acts out at home where no one sees. In that posting of our thoughts from a heart not guarding the instruction of God can surely lead us down to a place thinking we really have a voice when we really do not have one.  We can write it out and expand on it, and then at one point, one day comes when we grab that megaphone (horn) and gather those who think as we think. But is it of truth? Is it something that will last? For truly God desires to keep His own safe! So are our hearts one with HIM? Do we delight in Him or we salivating for our fifteen minutes of fame!

Communication is awesome! It is truly needed in the amount of people who cover this earth. But my thoughts are, if God desires this technology, will we see where sin might abound more and see our own glory and not God's glory?

Our pastor likes us sitting down together to meet and talk. It is his desire that we know one another. It is his desire that "like Jesus" we too communicate face to face. We did it during the summer at the park during an actual service time. We circled our chairs and faced each other. We also have come to eat together after a service time of Word and worship. We get to know the neighbor. We get to know how to pray for them and see them succeed, not by voicing loudly over a "megaphone", but actually speaking what is in their heart that comes from God. It may be in bits and pieces..........but God can restore those who are broken. God can cause restoration to come, when we start out slow, possessing our steps as the individual and then as the child of the Most High God. Our boundaries should be those that God placed at the foundation of this world.
We too, should look back at the Ten Commandments and realize God has it all in hand when we choose to follow and guard His instruction and know that He has given us the land..............that no man can take from us. Amen!

Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.
NIV ( list found in Exodus  20 )

In closing: I think about Adam when he was formed by God. God brought him into the garden and to work there with his hands. He called Adam to name the animals. Adam was not created to just sit and let others work for him, but he was created to have the relationship with God and live life to the full! It was the place already prepared for him, much like the place prepared for our grand-daughter and even our own. It was the place prepared to start enjoying life with a family and with others.

Ah, but sin came into the garden. Adam did not guard the instruction given him!  Our grand-child did not come to sit and observe, she came to participate in life. She did not come to sit on her laurels and not work for she certainly has her chores to do within the home. And in the right time, she will go to college, she will work at a job.  She came to learn and possess land.
We must guard that instruction given to us. In seeing our grand-child grow in God, I expect her to be taking those steps to continue having a healthy body, learning an instrument that will bring praise to God, see her teach the parables of Jesus and see her become all that God has destined her to be. She is possessing the land. May God be glorified!

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