Carving Out That Treasure

Thanksgiving is almost here!

Yes, those plans to make, a list to write out, making sure every desire for great food is listed and not left out. Even that big pan for the "bird" is important. Yes, that carving time will come for the turkey. It most likely will bring a smile to some, but not all at our table will be pleased. Hopefully our youngest member will have a desire for turkey this year, and if not maybe a burger will do!

 Being intent on serving healthy food, meeting most appetites with a choice of good things, and pondering on all the cook times and when to serve can mount quickly. And if you have more than one meat to prepare for the oven, not mention the other items requiring some oven time, one finds "the oven shuffle" a practice year after year will come close to a possible perfection.

But life is more than food and drink. And being disciplined is vital and is to be treasured when keeping a close walk with God.

Technology today has given most things to keep God's Word close at hand. They carry it with them either in the cell phone, the tablet, or some other device that they prefer. But keeping it close to hand does not mean that it is in our heart.

Carving out that time, just like carving that turkey starts with a grocery list. And in that list for life, it takes some discipline, certainly some time and much effort to do.

Meditating God's Word requires us to keep it active in our hearts and our minds. It must be a commitment. Connecting with God is meeting Him face to face. It is seeking Him and He is found.

My husband has been reading some commentaries on the Gnosticism that was considered the earliest enemy of Christianity. Gnosticism was that which held a certain belief that of the physical world, salvation was the release from the physical body. But physical to us is to mean face to face.

"Gnosticism" does not ask how one is saved from sin, but asks the one question of what the possible origin of sin (or evil) might be. Those who considered themselves gnostic would anxiously guard their secret sect. They regarded knowledge more important than faith. They carried within them the denial of the humanity of Jesus Christ.

What they believed and what they spoke was contrary to God the Creator!

Spending time in the Word gives us a clear picture of the Creator. Speaking out His Word, giving voice to His commands, we begin to think like our Father thinks. Mediating truth will bring multiplication to truth in other areas of our lives.

One specific I think of is that of "only surface" relationships. God presented Himself in His entirety. He gave us that which declares Who and What He has done. But when we first meet someone or see them maybe only a few times throughout the year, we will not actually "know " them, or will they just be a fantasy. A true relationship in fellowship- requires us to actually engage another.

To me it would be the same as driving a standard shift vehicle. You must engage that stick shift to move.

Ezekiel 36:26-28

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.  NIV

Our salvation came through Jesus and we do have the Spirit of God living on the inside of us. And the more we apply ourselves to seek Him, spend time with Him, we move in greater power of His Spirit.

I do not know your encounters with a stick shift but I had many encounters. The teaching my mother had for me, proved to me to be loud, instructional and many tears. Along came my friend Loretta, and her desire to teach others to drive a standard shift car. That one was fun indeed. All I had to do was put about fifty cents worth of gas in her car, and we were off on a driving lesson.

I had to listen, but I also had to engage.

Encountering God, His deep love and His presence was electric to me. The more I looked for fellowship with other like-minded individuals, I too experience even more electrifying times with Him. He is more real to me than anything or anyone.

Each time we choose to declare Him, His Word and His love, we see manifested Jesus the Christ. And the Comforter, the Holy Spirit fills our tanks to the full line. His Presence in our lives transforms us and will cause us to take note that we too have been with the Spirit . of Prophecy. Jesus!  1 John 4:7-11 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. NKJV

Yes, we should love God more than we love turkey.

As we come to the end of another year, may I as a spiritual mother speak words of wisdom. As I speak this out and type the words of God's wisdom, may you see revealed to your heart God and what He has planned for you. May you believe for the "new in God". God our Father always desire us as His children to keep believing, trusting and expect what He has planned.

Ps 24:7-10

Lift up your heads, O you gates!

And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in. 

8 Who is this King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,

The LORD mighty in battle. 

9 Lift up your heads, O you gates!

Lift up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in. 

10 Who is this King of glory?

The LORD of hosts,

He is the King of glory.

NKJV

I speak the opening of heavenly gates and ancient doors that will bring us into deeper relationship with  God. May you know Jesus in greater ways. In that may you always be renewed in strength to soar with God. (Isiah 40:3)  God rewards those who will come to practice justice in all their dealings with others. In the written words of the prophet Amos 5:24, it says this: "let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream." Speaking this all injustices must end.

Come to the spiritual refreshing. Come out of the wilderness and drink from the river of His delights.  John 4:10....10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." 

NKJV

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." (Isaiah 43:18-19)

 In this way you (they) will lay up treasure for  yourselves (themselves) as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that you (they) may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:19) (italics mine)

 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) Engage Jesus, engage the life we have through Him, and expect much life to be lived through Him, now and in this hour!

Amen.

I HAVE A NEW WEB SITE AVAILABLE NOW WITH OTHER CURRENT BLOGS AND YOUTUBE TEACHINGS. I INVITE YOU TOO CHECK IT OUT.  THERE IS A PRAYER REQUEST SECTION ON THE SITE.

www.godsgoodnessandlove.com

Notice: 

The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching published:

Speaking As To A Clear Conscience

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUEiCK2djgY

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

An ORANGE CRUSH, Please!

I remember the orange crush drink. Yes, a soda with a zest of the very sweetened orange to fill a sweet tooth completely and with cold ice included is or was something I did not mind in my youth. I certainly added the "Please" to make sure I was courteous about receiving such a grand prize of delicious goodness to my mouth.
As the child, I could dance around in merriment because I had gotten this delicious drink: JUST BECAUSE!

Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones. NKJV

But it is more than a sweet drink that one needs to have the "merry" heart. This "merry" is the gleeful type of heart to have. It also sounds like one who can go in and cheer up a room full of people. Or at least that is what it appears to me to be. This also sounds like being really joyful with a dance.

When thinking on this "merry" today, I think of my sister. Now as a young child she could enter a room and have people laughing in minutes. When she got to be a teenager, she still could bring a laugh or two, but by that time she was more skilled in delivering that "funny" word, or "funny" look as she spoke about something she liked.  She certainly could deliver a more funny and cleaner joke than what was on T.V. at the time.
She was never lost for word when she was delivering what she thought had to be the best "joke" in town. And I always thought she should have been a comedian on T.V. or even worldwide.


Proverbs 15:13
3 A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.  NKJV

Now for me, it was hard enough growing up, and trying to keep up with her and her better than average person's A's............I had study a lot to get and maintain the B grade. Although C was normal for Physical Education,  I believe I held that grade for most of that grade was about climbing those ropes all the way to the ceiling I had trouble with. Not sure why we needed to touch the ceiling of our gym but it was the "expected" to move up those ropes. Yeah, right, and I needed it today to do what?

 As the years have gone by, my sister and I have lived for most of our lives separated by thousands of miles. In keeping touch by phone we find time to reflect on our day, what the Lord is doing and laugh about the dog we have or the pet rabbit of our niece. But in all the short of amount of time, my sister is like that "orange crush, please!" She has been through a lot of late. Both she and my brother-in-law have weathered and marched out the storms with a laugh still found on their lips and down in their hearts. Seeing our mother pass recently, sis and Shorty maintained their stature of holding themselves in God and believing the best for anything and anyone who crossed their paths in all decisions to be made concerning our mother's last moments.

Delicious goodness: Yes, they delivered not only to her, but to us as well the importance of keeping the right spirit and referring always to God's goodness. I know they ministered to me in many ways. Yes, I have been ministered to by my sister in many ways. In her youth, her laughter made me feel alive. In her effortless work of maintaining A's, I worked harder to stay with the flow. In the absence of our mother today, my sister still walks with a joy in her heart, and I pray strength in her body. I pray today that God is still with her, and will strengthen her to finish the course He purposed for her and Shorty's as well. For to her and to Shorty, their look is to HIM in fulfilling that which He said He would do for them!

I spoke with them today and yes felt like I had received my orange crush. What a blessing families are to us and what an opportunity as we all speak with one voice to give God glory for all that He has done for us and all that He will do for us.

Psalm 32
32:1 What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record.

3 There was a time when I wouldn't admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration. 4 All day and all night your hand was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day 5 until I finally admitted all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, "I will confess them to the Lord." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

6 Now I say that each believer should confess his sins to God when he is aware of them, while there is time to be forgiven. Judgment will not touch him if he does.

7 You are my hiding place from every storm of life; you even keep me from getting into trouble! You surround me with songs of victory. 8 I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress. 9 Don't be like a senseless horse or mule that has to have a bit in its mouth to keep it in line!

10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but abiding love surrounds those who trust in the Lord. 11 So rejoice in him, all those who are his, and shout for joy, all those who try to obey him.  TLB


Those who abide in God's love are those who have placed their trust in Him. My sister and brother-in-law rejoice in Him, and all those who are His should shout for joy..............all those who obey Him.
For truly God is for us. He is not against us. We find that as believer's together, we pray and worship the same God who sent us the Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the only way to the Father.(John 14:6)

Psalm 62:5-8
5 My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.

8 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. NKJV

In thinking about my sister who is like more than a sister to me. I pray for her and all sisters like her everywhere that when we allow our souls to wait silently for God (without any complaint) and our expectation is from Him, our rock and salvation. I know that like my sister every other sister can know Jesus as their Rock and not be moved by adverse things attacking to the body. For in our salvation we have the Healer on hand. He is here. And with the Rock as our strength, we can move through anything and come out the victor on the other side. Yes, some wind may blow, the water may appear to flood the boat, but God is with us. He is our Strength and Refuge in the day of trouble. May all who read this know that there are good days ahead. Yes, we lose family members, and yes, we grow older each day. I mean, think on that baby, and they are already heading out to be the aged, right? Today they need a bottle, tomorrow they need a car, and the next they are looking at retirement.

As we pour out our hearts may God hear from heaven. May He look on hearts today and tonight and know that we love Him and want to finish the course. In this knowing, we expect His strength to carry us forward where we can use our legs to walk and run, reach out with helping hands, give a hug of support and look up intently for His return.

Like that "orange crush" my sister added zest to my life today. She is forever thinking of others and not herself. She is forever being blessed by God. How do I know? For what flows from her mouth is nothing but praise for our God. 

May God honor her, and many like her today who give God the first........and whose desire is for Him only! Amen.

Today I honor those who have stood their ground,  they walked with those who came to death, and in that became the tired and weary. I pray they rise today, to see the New Day in God, to live in health and vigor all the days of their lives. May they reach millions with the Gospel of peace, and may they shine brighter and brighter to the full light of day....(Proverbs 4:18)..................for God is with them!

Notice:
The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching published: 
Prompted By Faith-Contenting Our Faith must Speak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD90sBKMLlM

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

Way of Fruitfulness or What Am I Agreeing With

Psalm 1
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
NKJV

Fruitfulness is seen in the warm months like June, July and August around here! Even like the huckleberries being picked is a sign that summer is passing quickly now and fall is making its "grand" appearance with some rain and very cool mornings. Which is no surprise to us here in this area. But in truth, fruitfulness can occur anytime of the year. We can see in the markets and grocery stores, products that are grown in far-away countries in their warm months and those fruits or vegetables come to us in our winter months.
I like the garden aspect of seeing that blossom to appear and then some fruit or vegetable to come on that plant or the vine to grow and be harvested. We had a surprise this year when planting the few seeds for plants of yellow squash. We planted only yellow squash but we now have some zucchini squash growing as well!  One is of good size, was harvested over the weekend and the others are small.They need a couple more weeks on the vine!
Fruitfulness! We know it is what seed we plant that we believe to harvest. Yes, something is suppose to come up by what seed you have planted. Am thinking someone, somewhere put the wrong seed in the wrong packet! What happened to the quality control person?
I am sure we will find something to do with the zucchini, but I had no plans of having any in the beginning of starting this little garden in early spring.

We certainly kept watch on the pepper plants and counted the blooms, but alas, only one plant actually produced the peppers. The one, yes the tallest one, has been a failure in producing any peppers at all. It sure looks healthy and tall. It has it's vibrant green leaves but NO PEPPERS! Looking at it from a distance, you would think it would have peppers on every branch.


Are we producing any fruit? Well of course we are! But what kind are we producing? Are we producing that which leads to life or death? Is our fruit that which we planted and see it when we are harvesting? Whatever we sow in the ground regarding anything to our lives, will either look good and produce an abundance to a good thing or will be bad and produce in abundance to a bad thing!


In the kingdom of God, we find a blessed man, who is sowing seed. It looks like the "blessed" man is one who keeps his walk, not among the counsel of the ungodly, never stands in the path of sinners and never takes a seat among the scornful!

1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

In Matthew 8:8-12, we find that we are told to bear fruits worthy of repentance........

8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."    NKJV   

Bearing fruit....worthy of repentance.  Remember we have a pepper plant that will produce the flower but no fruit that even looks like the pepper. The godly man will look over how he walks, acts and conducts his life in accordance to the Word of God!

The counsel of the ungodly is......as we see them, we are not to facilitate anything the ungodly are doing or speaking. Do we see that today? It is God's Word that we should think on, act on and live by daily!

Luke 23:50-56
50 Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51 He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. 54 That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. 55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. NKJV

Others were consorting ( mixing ) together, to crucify Jesus, yet this man Joseph, a good and just man had not consented to their decision and deed.


When we stay out of the path of sinners, we will stay out of the "affected area of sin". I like that as I read it in one commentary. It would be pretty much like standing out on the roadway like I-5 during 5 pm traffic or going to someplace where they have the "plague" or "disease that kills in a few days".
I think of the days many years ago, and it was time for either basketball or baseball. You were either picked to join or forget it. Basketball I was not good at. But give me a bat, and that ball was going to sail way past the heads of those who thought they could catch it.
The thing is though with sin, that if you dance with it, participate with it, you may sound like the crowd who you thought you would avoid entirely. Clothes do not make us, nor does that "new do" and men are affected by that thing as women are. God looks on our heart and where does our heart lead us? Many will just follow "a crowd" so that they feel either loved or a part of something that had not done before, either good or bad.

Now that seat of the scornful is the man who is the secure in their wickedness.  They like doing wicked. They care not whether they gain blood of another.

Proverbs 4:14-19
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked 
or walk in the way of evil men. 
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way. 
16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil;
they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall. 
17 They eat the bread of wickedness 
and drink the wine of violence. 

18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.  NIV

That scornful is one who will laugh at another in derision. The scorner is one who wants their way, and will scorn the one who wants more of the quiet, godly life. We have seen that too, today in our society. It seems the norm to laugh at another in an insulting way. But the truly godly will hold their steps in God. They will abide under the shelter of the Almighty God.
These three show us that the ungodly does not like the Word of God, resents those who do, and will seek out to change the godly to their agenda. And the sinner is the one who willfully sins against God and His commands. They are the ones who are willful to show their true colors either by drink, theft or even defile themselves in ways that causes them death in the end.

Proverbs 23:29-35
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,
who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!
32 In the end it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights
and your mind imagine confusing things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying on top of the rigging.
35 "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt!
They beat me, but I don't feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?"     NIV

 From the Blog: BUTTING AND DISTURBING......What terrible problems that come when we desire or want that which we either should not have, or do not need. It is like becoming intoxicated with the thing "we so desire" to have or control, to have "my way", or add to our collection of things we think we need at the time! And being intoxicated with those desires, our want can cause us to start those quarrels that end nowhere, but in the place of many wounds JUST because "we want that thing."

In some respect, some will even go searching for those who will join in with them to agree for that "thing desired". And however good the appearance or thing may sound at the time of our desire, one will certainly know after some time has gone by, that it can come back to bite you in a big way! 
You can see that from some reports of the news of people wanting their thing done NOW! Certain peril will be evident like not making your payments on bills you owe, or putting yourself in danger to get something that may be wrong from the start for us like doing drugs or even stealing someone else's stuff! Some people just go and take from their neighbor and think it is okay. Well, it means stealing to most people of the civilized world. I heard the other day of a guy throwing ALL his mail away because it had bills in it he had to pay and he did not want to do it! He had charged so much and so much again, that he owed more than what he brought into his account each month. He wanted to have "fun" and do whatever he fancied and decided he would not pay any bills at all!

In closing: will we be fruitful to the things of God and stand for our country? Will we speak and give counsel that comes from God alone or the world? TODAY WE CHOOSE!

Father, in Psalm 1 the blessed man prospers. Fruitfulness is important to our daily living for we find Jesus talked about it in John 15. Our desire is that we abide in the true vine. Help us to see and know that abiding in You will help us bear much fruit (verse 5) Our desire is asking You to show us how to put this into practice every day for without YOU, we can do nothing. We also seek to glorify You in everything we speak and everything we do. We pray today to be found doing just that when You return to get us. We truly seek to keep to the path YOU have directed us to walk.
In and through Jesus we are reconciled back to You. We have salvation because of the love You had for us. Help us to realize that we are not to return to folly. Help us see the importance of binding in truth. As those plants, (Psalm 85: 11) to prosper, those that bear fruit, will be those that bear truth to glorify You and Who You are. Lord guide us into all truth . May we spring up everywhere we must be and bring truth to others. We desire to yes, look good, but that we would also bring forth fruit in its season that will not wither. That we would continue the way into righteousness, that which comes acting like YOU and speaking what YOU speak. We are thankful that righteousness will go before us.........and In YOUR righteousness, YOU shall make YOUR footsteps our pathway. (Psalm 85:13)
It is in Jesus' holy name we pray. Amen.

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

Splash and Dash

Spring comes in bringing change. It is evident with leaves appearing on trees, flowers displaying their beauty and lawns turning a lush dark green that winter packed its ice chest and left. Add to that the "spring showers" and one sees more of the splash and dash over the colorful bouquets that are sprinkled around the lawn of green. Those festive colors just shout for us to join in to partake of a special yard party to be held in our honor!
 I like being outside this time of year. I love the colors, the feel of green grass under the feet as one walks the length of it and I love to feel the soft rain on the face.
In experiencing this "splash and dash" about two weeks to less than ten days ago, however, the showers seem to be short, few sprinkles and lots of wind. Anyone living in this region knows we need some adequate rain to get through the coming summer months.
We were praying for some slow rains that will spend the whole day here and not continue the "splash and dash" thing! Today our prayers were answered for the rain has come and stayed to saturate the ground. Praise the Lord for His goodness to us!

Was considering this while praying for the writing today. As living beings we need the water to live.
Psalm 36:7-9......7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. 
8 They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. 
9 For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.  NKJV

abundantly satisfied=filled, satiated, 
with fatness or fullness of Your house= abundance in the temple
drink (shaqah (shaw-kaw'); drink, drown, moisten as in water
from the river=as from a filled and overflowing river or stream at winter's end
life= revelation knowledge
the river of God's delight and pleasure to give


When considering there is no rain or water for the lawn and plants for a length of days or weeks, the ground will be dry and hard. Even if one were to run the hose full open on that "dry ground", any moisture will not adequately water the roots of the grass or plants. The optimum word here is to penetrate the soil. That moisture would need to penetrate to the root area and be repeated for some days to get the needed affect for plants and grass to grow and thrive.

John 7:37-39...........37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.     NKJV

anyone= whosoever will come

with thirst= of uncertain affinity....for a relationship, a correspondence, or associate with

Let him come=erchomai (er'khom-ahee) ...appear, grow, enter

It reminds of this saying my mother had when referring to her cleaning the house when I was a young child. She would say, "I will give it a lick and a promise." She would always add, "I promise to get the whole house done tomorrow." She wanted a clean house always, but with two girls and her PTA meetings and such, her time was used up quickly. All her meals she prepared for dinner was not out of a box but all made from scratch.  So she cleaned those areas that one could see upon entering our home. Yes, that was a quick clean and then move on to do what she needed on her to-do list for that day!

 And on the very next day though, she would tackle that job of cleaning with a vengeance. She would clean anything and everything in her way.

The American Heritage Dictionary puts it like this: to perform said task with a lick and a promise is to the absolute minimum required and far less than that. With the lick and a promise, you are not really tackling the task , but only half-heartedly pretending to chase it.

In respect to my mother and her house cleaning projects, she regarded a clean house above all else. That meant if we, my sister and I were at home from school ( or summer vacation), were called to duty immediately. That duty included any detail our mother would broadcast to us. She would give us her plan, and then we would do the job or project she gave us to do.

2 Corinthians 13:14.............14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. NIV

Seems simple does it not? We are to have the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to have the ability(grace) Jesus had as He walked here on earth with favor and beauty. We are to have the love of God! But we are to have fellowship of the Holy Spirit, too!

1 John 4:9-11........9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. NKJV

Philippians 2:1-4.......2:1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.     NKJV

It takes that communion of the Holy Spirit to retain any semblance of a love walk with other Christians, or believer's in Jesus Christ. In knowing God and His love, we are to know that, we too, are loved. It is not in a pretending, "well, I love Jesus, I guess I can love you." No, it is so much more than that. We must know that we are loved by God. 

Jesus sent the Comforter to us! Our lives are to be influenced by the Holy Spirit. He is a gentleman. He does not act vulgar in any way, form or fashion! When He is around, we speak the wisdom of God. When He is around, people know us by His love through us. When He is around, we look good!

The Holy Spirit has been poured out! 

The leadership of the Spirit has always had its foundation on the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will never leads us from it. 

1 John 5:7-13............7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. NKJV

Do you know any "splash and dash" people?  What about the "lick and promise" folks? Know any of them by their promising to do better tomorrow? For cleaning still comes by the Word of God, and it gives us promises of a great future! I have learned that there is no such thing as "dry cleaning" when it comes to the word of God.  We truly need the water of the Word to be clean as seen in John 15:3-4.... 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you.  NKJV

A crisis, problem or trouble can come any time. We know not what our path holds, but God does. Should He be speaking for us to continue to come, continue to enter His Presence, and to come so that we will water the seed of fellowship of the Holy Spirit, what would our reply be to Him? 
I promise tomorrow God that I will pray, I will pray in tongues, and I will confess the promises You have for me.

Reading the Word of God is paramount as is prayer!  There is also fasting, and worship that we are know and consider!

For worship does play a major role when we know to whom we are worshiping and why we are to worship.

The Holy Spirit can and will  bring us the vocabulary that God speaks through His Holy Spirit. He helps our infirmities in not knowing how or what to pray, and He also establishes in us the Word of God that speaks, when we spend the time to read and put it in our hearts. For me, I desire to not be a splash and  dash person.

In this day and time, it is not good to be half-hearted towards God and His wisdom. Surely God is for us and wants to keep us in that land that oozes with every resource we need.

Let's not be the splash and dash people, but those who spend time with the Holy Spirit by praying in tongues, worshiping, and confessing the Word.

Father, thank You for the Holy Spirit! Thank You Jesus for sending the Comforter to us!

Holy Spirit, I truly love to behold and gaze upon the beauty YOU have imagined. Thank YOU for all that we view from our back door. We see the magnitude of the greatness of our God. Thank YOU for allowing me to be here and enjoy YOUR world. How may I bring pleasure to YOU?  I ask YOU to speak to me and guide me into the specific assignment YOU have for me to do. I am alive because of YOU and I know YOU have a plan. Holy Spirit, YOU are a treasure to me. I give thanks to my God, my Creator for allowing me to participate in the Great Commission. Holy Spirit lead me and I will testify of Jesus and the goodness of God in the land of the living. Holy Spirit it is You Who reveals to me the difference between those essential and nonessential issues that we can see on our journey through this life. Mentor me my treasured Friend. Please clutter my life of distractions, so that I may hear Your voice clearly today. Come, You are welcome here! We give freedom for You to rule here. Show us the plan for this day!  In Jesus' name, I pray and believe the Holy Spirit will have His way in every situation or thing that appears on my pathway. Amen. You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV