FAITH SPEAKS!

In 2010 I gave a Bible study on a "rallying faith cry". It was in March of that year, and I still hold a copy of it.
The question asked at that time was this" "If someone came by to visit you, what testimony could they take back to their church or home about your faith and love toward others?"
Believer's in God are to exercise their faith. That is, they act toward Him, who is Spirit. To see Him, is to see Him as Jesus spoke about Him.  And others wrote about God and His kingdom.

Romans 14:17-18
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.   NIV
1 Corinthians 14:33

33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.   NIV

1 John 4:8-12

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.   NIV

We have read of the Thessalonians, have we not, and what a wonderful example they set for believer's everywhere!

1 Thessalonians 1:7-10
7 Then you yourselves became an example to all the other Christians in Greece. 8 And now the Word of the Lord has spread out from you to others everywhere, far beyond your boundaries, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your remarkable faith in God. We don't need to tell them about it, 9 for they keep telling us about the wonderful welcome you gave us, and how you turned away from your idols to God so that now the living and true God only is your Master. 10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the return of God's Son from heaven-Jesus, whom God brought back to life-and he is our only Savior from God's terrible anger against sin.   TLB

1 Thessalonians 1:4-10

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia-your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 

NIV

Yes, our faith speaks and what do we have faith in? Is our trust in God and Him alone or is it in ourselves?

Do we allow God to do somethings for us, but others we hold to do in our strength?

Is our "heart" set towards God and His love or is our heart set towards those things with no life? You cannot have it both ways. There is no fence straddling here.

Being obedient to that Word of Faith is speaking it out. It is a boldness in the face of any bad report, any tribulation, any sudden catastrophe, any unexplained and unknown reason for conflicts that are put upon you. It is a knowing that God is with you no matter what the circumstance may be or what it may hold against you.

Faith is Now and it is substance. It is that which we hope, having trust in God. Holding firm in His purpose that comes by and through His Word. There is no other way. It is by receiving Jesus as Lord that we have access to the Father. There is NO OTHER ACCESS TO THE FATHER!

Romans 5:1-11

5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.  NIV

We have reconciliation through our Lord Jesus Christ. And through Him we are reconciled through His death on the Cross. There is no other way to the Father (God). We are saved by grace. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And in this hope, we experience God in that his love was poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. If we never spend time with God and acknowledge the Holy Spirit, we never experience His refreshing. Every time I raise my voice to speak His word aloud, I am affirming my trust in Him and I pray out that verse, that passage of truth. It is in Him that we are to live by faith, move by His power by the Holy Spirit and live out the purpose of His Word into our very being to be people who live and are justified by faith in HIM.

If anyone tells you there is another way to God, forget it. In this reading I expect everyone to encounter God. I expect people to know that He is real and that He desires relationship for that is why His Son died for us.

Things can happen and the things can be bad thing happening to good people. But "good" people are not going to heaven if they have not made Jesus Lord of their lives.

Appropriating the power of faith we speak like this:

2 Corinthians 9:12-15
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! NIV

 How can one describe what God did for us?
In our obedience to God and His Word through Jesus, our confession of Christ, is shared. In it we state much like Simon Peter....."You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Matthew 16:13-16

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 

14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 

15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 

16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  NIV

I remember days long ago when I would tell God that I was not satisfied. And it seemed the more I tried to do for Him and with Him seemed more like work and not really trusting Him. But what I have learned is that I could not apply what the "pastor" was wanting me to do along with what God was wanting me to do. As sometimes they seemed to be in direct conflict with each other. And we know that God is not in conflict with Himself, so the one relating to us at that time had to have had some heart issue.
Yet when I followed God, peace would ensue, the power of His Holy Spirit would cause me to mount up in a trust I had never known before. And as I went to the Living Water of Jesus and turned my trust over to Him --the Bread of Life---I came to be the 'satisfied'. I came to be satisfied in Him. I had made my boast in the Lord.

Ephesians 2:8................For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that one may boast.

I do not turn to my "ways " of doing things, I seek out how Jesus did it and what He spoke. He would abide in the Father of love and seek His purpose for His life.

1 Peter 3:17-22

 18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,   NIV

We get to God through Jesus. Our faith is expanded when we abide in the Word of truth. Romans 10:17....so faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.

The Amplified Bible reads this way: Romans 10:17...So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).

See, it is not only those " who preach and teach the word" that the Word goes out, but it is also heard by those who believe in their heart, trust God and make Him known to others. In that which came through Jesus Christ, we have salvation. The Message given was for life through the only begotten Son of God. 

John 1:18

18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.  NKJV

John 3:16-21

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." 

NKJV

We who abide in the Light are they who magnify Him .......our faith speaks! We declare Him to the world. That people may believe and be saved is God's priority through His Son on the Cross. We declare in our rallying faith cry that God is for us.............and has given us His Word that we may abide and become all that He purposed from the foundation of the world.

We abide in the Light,,,,,,,,,staying in His truth that our deeds are clearly seen and that they have been don in God! Amen.

Interested in reading more on Faith...see blog....That Place Called Faith that was published Wednesday October 7, 2015
 http://godsgoodnessandlove.blogspot.com/2015/10/that-place-called-faith.html

And blog called: Responding in Faith that was published March 31, 2015
http://godsgoodnessandlove.blogspot.com/2015/03/responding-in-faith.html

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

WHAT WE VALUE: WILL IT BRING US TO GLORY OR DEATH?

Acts 7:51-60.........51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him- 53 you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."

54 When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.   NIV

From the last two blogs, we covered in "THE FALLEN" and  "PICKING AND CHOOSING" we discovered those like Saul who kick against what the Lord was wanting established. Saul was breathing out cruelties to those saints of faith who had put their trust in the Lord. And of course in Picking and Choosing, we find those who would rather lie about why they would not attend a service, or attend a Bible study. As we saw in the teaching, what does that make us look like when we would rather lie than tell the truth?

In this scripture we continue to see those outraged by God's anointed. If we are the church, yes those body of believer's in Jesus, then why is there all this judgment going on about who gives the message and if it is the right message. Seems to me, the Word works and is given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit to those in need of that specific word of God for that moment in time!

Stephen saw the effect of his speech in that group of people. He saw those enraged and ready to stone him. He saw those call him names and said he had spoke blasphemy. 

Where is that "stone"?

In giving the message of God, presents us with the choice to receive it. Should not matter if the messenger is red, yellow, black or white.............and what is white anyway..........? I know no really white folks. I remember my mom mentioning some blood-bloods once and they were probably the white folks, but I know I have some Spanish background and some Cherokee............so I am what...............?????

Now back to Stephen..........a man being persecuted, and about to be stoned for his speaking truth to them who would deny the Holy Spirit. Stephen even mentions their fathers resisting the Holy Spirit in the prophets God had sent to them.

If we are saved, and have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, we can certainly pray in our heavenly language and allow God to pray through us much like he did in those days. We can operate in those same measures that they operated in at the time.

Do we want to be found fighting against God?

Acts 5:33-39................33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."      NIV

If God is directing you to have a Bible study, then have one and invite people to come. Do not pay attention to numbers of those who attend, but do pay attention as the Holy Spirit leads you through God's word.

Stephen was not deterred from speaking.  He spoke truth and continued to lift the name of Jesus. In what transpired in those moments of Stephen's speaking, men were angered seriously because of truth and they did not want to hear it. YOU know those who are called to preach and teach will continue to preach and teach. They will continually lift the name of Jesus and it does not matter the course of those around the "said speaker" of God...........the messenger sent to deliver the "specific message".

Stephen even tells them that he can see Jesus..............He was now at the right hand of God....and in the next breath, he proclaims that he can see Jesus is standing at the right hand of God!

Is it that Jesus now saw His favorite son being stoned, and was ready to receive him to glory?

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.  

Stephen even had time to pray...........! How many of us tell God that we do not have time to pray? What excuse could we use for not praying? 

And how did Stephen do that short prayer while being hit by stones and words of hateful men? He had a prayer life. He had to have sought God and spent time in prayer to have the Holy Spirit on the scene in this situation and for the wisdom Stephen spoke to those men. In those last moments he was praying that the Lord would not hold that sin against them! Wow!

It is like having a baby. It takes nine months. You have to eat the right food, exercise and have regular check-ups with the Doctor. In prayer, we check ourselves into the Word of God, eat precisely what we need and have the Great Physician to come check on us to see how we are doing. Right? 

If a ministry or even a job is like having a baby and caring for the said baby..........is it possible that we could be trying to get everything in before..........like say.....leaving for the day, or for a week off or even for a vacation? Will our absence affect others? What about ministry to others through a specific ministry? Every step.........in a job or ministry always involves others and our time away takes some planning!

For any decision, the leader in business , the church, home, in the mission field, whether Bible studies, ministering in jail, ministering in hospitals, feeding the homeless, for leadership meetings in the church, in big Business, taking care of and leading children (teaching them by example), or caring for an elderly parent, requires each of us to seek God's counsel on these important matters. It will take some prayer time, much like Stephen had to have done in his short life, to maintain the thought process for God to bless the men "who were stoning him."

Whatever we have before us cannot be accomplished without God's help! We cannot expect to accomplish in that "spirit of excellence" in God without consulting God first.

 I think of 2 Kings 5 where Elisha told Naaman to go dip in the Jordan River and he would be healed of leprosy. In all that pride and such of Naaman, still he obeyed and went to dip 7 times in the river Jordan. Naaman wanted to pay Elijah something. (verse 16)

With Naaman being healed in the dirty water of the Jordan, still Naaman wanted to repay the prophet! But the prophet had refused it. But we see something different in Gehazi. But let's read on about Stephen.  We will get to Gehazi!

Acts 6:1-11................6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 

7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."   NIV

Stephen full of God's grace and power.......did wonders and miraculous signs and then ............men began to argue with Stephen................but they could not stand up against wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
(read all of Acts 6 when you have time) We can learn a lot by Stephen's example.

 So what do we value? If like Stephen, we will speak with wisdom of God, and be prayer warriors to conduct the affairs of life we must do and do it with ease.

We must evaluate that which is before us............as to study in the Word with others, attending those church services and in going to those "special events".  We must take an evaluation of the thing before us,  its importance & the estimation of its importance to us!

What is the worth of this thing before me? Will I put a worth on the things of God or do I count them as nothing when it is about me and doing my own thing?  Allowing God to ENTER our lives on every decision , we are saying I value YOU God, I value You for the decisions in ministry, in this job, in this department, in this illness, in this problem at work, in this decision for this move to another state, in this hike to the high country! God, we  ask YOU to show us which way to walk in this job, in this ministry of Bible study, in this Prayer meeting, in the department where changes are on the horizon!  If the 11th hour is here, IS God and His wisdom in THE BEGINNING OF THIS DAY?

Well Stephen certainly came to the 11th hour. He lifted Jesus to others and was stoned to death. He left his body in peace knowing that Jesus was ready to receive him to glory.

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Wow! What an ending...........and yet people still study this passage and they receive the effects of truth and the importance of being one with God!

Will we.....yes,.....will we stand one with God .........or will our character show us to be otherwise...........like the liar...........who likes to lie about why they cannot attend some function...........one that we should probably put value on.


2 Kings 5:26-27.....................26 But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants? 27 Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and he was leprous, as white as snow. NIV


The prophet naturally said that he would not accept a thing...........even though Naaman urged him, still Elisha refused the gift.

After Naaman had traveled some distance, Gehazi said to himself, "My master was too easy on Naaman. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him (Naaman) and get something from him. YIKES!
Gehazi hurried after Naaman, and Naaman saw Gehazi running toward him. He asked Gehazi if everything was all right? Gehazi answered that everything was all right.
BUT HERE GEHAZI LIES..........NOT GOOD! In verse 22 of Chapter 5......"MY master sent me to say, 'two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing."

 "By all means, take two talents," said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left. Then he went in and stood before his master Elisha.

"Where have you been, Gehazi?" Elisha asked. 

"Your servant didn't go anywhere," Gehazi answered. 

What Naaman had, now came on Gehazi..........that leprosy was to cling to him and to his descendants forever. Gehazi left Elisha's presence. Just by lying, Gehazi changed the course for his entire descendants.  Again, what value do we place on telling the truth? In Stephen's case, it cost him his life and in the life of Gehazi, well, he chose to lie, and the rest is history..........he and his descendents suffered because of lies!!
In this we finish the series of three........being those teachings about lying and despising those called to minister either at the pulpit or in other areas as in jails or shelter or youth groups! In  THE BLOGS : THE FALLEN, PICKING AND CHOOSING, AND WHAT WE VALUE: WILL IT BRING US TO GLORY OR DEATH? have shown us the importance of not lying to others and how to be effective in ministering life as in Stephen's case.

Father, Your word states in Psalm 24.......asking this question "who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who may stand in His holy place?" " He who has clean hands and a pure heart...........who has not lifted up his soul to an idol nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (3-5) Father ,we seek that which is of value to us. We do not desire the worthless thing, the idol which may speak but brings no life to our existence. Help us Holy Spirit to hear and obey. We know it is a choice..........but give us those needed warnings like YOU do, so that we do not miss one direction from You.

We desire our character to be that which is not a liar, but truthful. We desire not to be caustic, not to be the obnoxious and the grumpy. We desire to not be like Gehazi and seek out goods rather than seeking God.

Our desire is to be holy as You are holy..........and that we have understanding of that Word in our lives. We want to be the devoted, the determined and the persistent in seeking, finding and receiving Your truth into our hearts where real change takes place.

To YOU be all the glory for all that happens in our lives as we take these needed steps toward having the character that is the faithful! It is in Jesus' name we pray. Amen and Amen.

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

What Language Do You Speak?

When I was in grade school, I was taught Spanish. As a class, we would go to a room in the High School building. In the afternoon, and close to the end of the day, we each were greeted as we entered the room. We were called by our Spanish name we had chosen to be called at the beginning of the year. Each of us had a booth we sat in, put on earphones, and listen to the instructions of the one teaching. Cannot recall the teacher's name right now, but she surely did a good job teaching and we loved that class. We learned a new language that year with the help of someone who loved their job. She taught other languages, but she was surely fluent in Spanish.
What language do we speak? How do we relate in expressing joy, or sorrow in a situation? What do we actually sound like to others when speaking about something specific?

In recent days, our daughter and her family had moved to a more serene country community. Our grand-daughter was out playing in the sprinkler as the weekend proved to be a "hot one"! She donned her swimsuit and got the water turned on, the sprinkler placed  in just the right spot and the fun was on. One thing I noted, as I told our daughter, was that our grand-daughter could squeal loudly and I believed someone would be out to check if the child was in pain. Sure enough, not five minutes passed from the first sprinkler run through and squeal, and someone came out to check. I told her that the neighbors, being new around our grand-daughter would not know her laughter, and would not know that by that squeal she could make, was just her way of expressing her fun time through the sprinkler. The neighbors learned that day what her language was when having fun in the sprinkler. Yes, it is a very loud squawk of joy and not one of pain.

In learning how to speak a different language like what I and others took in school, we were prompted to listen and to speak or repeat what the instructor had just spoken. I think how important that is when we want to go from point A to point B, specifically in the things of God! We should be reminded to listen and then speak or repeat the same thing!

Too many times, we choose to relate what the " greatest sport entertainer" is speaking or that "singer". Too many times, we choose to do and say those things the world relates as good things, but in the end, brings either pain, or loss or both!
In viewing a couple of commercials that sell burgers, one would believe that you require wearing a two piece swimsuit to chow down on one of those enormous burgers! 
It is one thing to be a Doctor and go to Medical School to learn all the procedures for say surgery, and to repeat the good procedure and not to err in anyway. But to go to Medical School and not repeat what they were taught is detrimental to all the doctor's new patients, would it not?

John 2:13-17.....13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!" 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up."  NKJV

Is it possible that we can cause our hearts, our Father's house to be a house of merchandise? Jesus came to bring reformation to the people. He came to purge out the old and keep the Passover.

Malachai 3:1-5.....3:1 "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty. 

2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years. 

5 "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty. NIV

Proverbs 17:3......The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

But the LORD tests the hearts. NKJV

How does the Lord test our hearts? By His Word! His Word sets the standard, and the more Word we put in, the hotter the Light of His Word gets to purify and remove any dross out of our lives. And by praying in the Holy Spirit, He purges away fear, torment,rejection, and temptations that might try to rise up as a stronghold. God's Word sets up a wall that is established around us, a wall of protection. The praying part flushes out all that is not of God and helps us to take charge over our spirit man.

What do we choose to "repeat"? From the Dr.'s report to the dental report or the news on earthquakes, drought conditions or worse, yet we should be resilient and ready to apply what God speaks. As we grow in the Word of God, we choose to speak as He speaks and do as He does! Do we feel the need to copy, to imitate those commercials, so as to "look like world"?  If we do that, then we will be those that will put on that two-piece suit and order that enormous burger.

Our heart is the deciding factor. If our heart is soft and pliable to the teachings of the Lord, then we can recover from difficult conditions. We become the strong, the tough and the hardy ones! Whatever the "storm" or the "ordeal", or "verdict" of one doctor, one dentist or even the world, one holds the answer to it all! God is to get the last Word in and we are to abide in that Word!
Well, Shelley, the word is not working in my life! My response to you would be, "How much do you speak it" ?  How often do you repeat it over and over? If none, then I would say, "yes, that Word is not working in your life!" 
If our hearts are hardened, then we need to find out why they are in such a condition. Meditation on those miracles we have seen keep us mindful that God is good.  But if we are concerned with the cares of this world, wearing some special outfit, wearing some kind of hair-do to looking like that "singer" or that special "actor" from a movie, or even driving a certain "brand new" vehicle can bring us to another place. The heart can become calloused and hard! It may be more about what "I want" or "I need", yes, that thing which will make "me" happy!
GOD DOES NOT MIND US HAVING THINGS, BUT HE DOES MIND IF THINGS HAVE US! Those things are suppose to be that which helps us get the "message" out that Jesus is returning for His Bride, the church! And not bring bondage and slavery to us! (like working 80 hours a week to make a house payment you cannot afford to make)

If you have ever worked in a garden, you know the time it takes to keep those weeds down so you can recognize those carrot seedlings, those squash seedlings or even those onions...........oh, no, they look like weeds to me! All that pulling of the weeds, all that cleaning up with the hoe sure takes a toll on the hands. It is felt in the soreness of muscles you forgot you had and discover those newly formed callouses in places on your hands that you recognize as "painful". All that gardening involves much work in bending and stooping, the kneeling down on the dirt, and finding a small pebble nesting into the skin of the knee joint, we try to meditate that the garden is good! We speak on the good that we will enjoy adding those delicious vegetables to our meals. We remind ourselves that we planted good food to eat soon, and we try to push out the pain that tries to capture our thoughts and take us away from those green onions, and great tasting yellow squash. Yes, our thoughts are to be kept on that which should be about the Lord and His plan. 
Our thoughts should not be captured by the game of the Final Four! (and spending how much time and finances on one set thing) Even heard of a Dr.'s assistant getting tickets for free to the Final Four. She went and glad she went, but she knew nothing about them and went back to not caring about any basketball games. She enjoyed the part of watching those spectators and their thrill, but it escaped her thinking how some could get so wrapped up in "sports".
I remember a day when basketball started just after football was done in November if there were championship games being played. Basketball was done in March with major play-offs at the end of that month of March. Today, it seems games are played year around for big bucks, and by choice, they choose to play nearly all year. I even saw a football game being advertised during the news break last week. What, football in June?

In coming to this area awhile back, our family went to church together as a rule for about two years. Our grand-daughter was small and required some napping time before church. So her parents went to the church and took care of those things that needed tending to be ready for a service and we watched our grand-daughter. We would arrive about 45 minutes ahead of service, as she wanted to hear the band play. She would clap her hands and sing with them. She grew accustomed to raising her hands in worship and enjoying the Presence of God! She would sing no matter if no one else sang during this practice time. She would want to dance and do those things small children do to have fun!

In our family, as we abide as a family, by spending time together, we grow aware of each other's personalities and how they differ. We know our grand-daughter's zest for life, and her acute or intense way of expressing her joy in it! So too, as we abide in God, we grow accustom to His ways and doings. We know when He speaks and when He is silent. We know when correction comes, and when we have moved to another level in God. We know His voice and know we are truly welcomed in His presence! Our language is to be just like His! 
Today, our grand-child gets upset if she has to miss a service. She delights to sing and clap and raise holy hands to the Lord. She thoroughly misses that time with others who worship God.
Ephesians 5:1-2........5:1 Follow God's example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father. 2 Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, for Christ's love for you was like sweet perfume to him.   TLB

A much loved child imitates his father. I like this example. Although my dad was generally out of town on business, I sure liked the idea of wearing those cowboy boots and jeans and dressing like he did whether he was home or gone for a few days. My mother was more of the dress-up type and wore the lipstick and blush. She always looked like a model to me in that she was of a small stature and weighed around a hundred pounds. My friends and school mates always commented how beautiful she was when entering our class room when she was hosting as the "homeroom mom" for a special holiday. But in my younger years, my paternal grandmother always stood out to me in that she always seemed to be interested in those around her.(my maternal grandparents lived in another state and many miles away from us) She loved conversation and loved hamburgers as her many grand-children did. She was to me, a person who loved life and loved others. And I think of this scripture verse as Jesus gave Himself, the sacrifice, to take away sins. And God was so pleased with Christ's love for me, that it was like sweet perfume to Him. Wow! Now that is awesome. The giving of ourselves for others, that seems like an easy thing, but I know that it is not. 
At the end of the day, my grandmother still had another meal to prepare, another call on the lady next door who lived alone, and a garden to tend. Her days were filled with many things, but she always had time for those who had no family close by. And she had time for us, her grand-children. She worked to fit everyone in who needed a smile, a hug, a good laugh, a good meal, and some times just to let someone know that they were not alone!  In looking back at that time, I believe it was her "gift of gab" that was the vehicle that took her to all those places and accomplish all that she did. God created her to do all that!

John 1:6-14...................6 God sent John the Baptist as a witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is the true Light. 8 John himself was not the Light; he was only a witness to identify it. 

9 Later on, the one who is the true Light arrived to shine on everyone coming into the world. 

10 But although he made the world, the world didn't recognize him when he came. 11 Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them.  

13 All those who believe this are reborn!-not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan-but from the will of God. 

14 And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness and truth. And some of us have seen his glory-the glory of the only Son of the heavenly Father!  TLB

The world did not recognize the One Who created it when He came to this world. Jesus was accepted by few who received Him and welcomed Him in.
What and whom do we welcome into our lives? What do we readily receive as the best for us and our family?

Who do we identify with? Is our identity in the world........the world's heroes.......with the ungodly, the atheists, or with God?  Isaiah 32:5-8.......5 In those days the ungodly, the atheists, will not be heroes! Wealthy cheaters will not be spoken of as generous, outstanding men! 6 Everyone will recognized an evil man when he sees him, and hypocrites will fool no one at all. Their lies about God and their cheating the hungry will be plain for all to see. 7 The smooth tricks of evil men will be exposed, as will all the lies they use to oppress the poor in the courts. 8 But good men will be generous to others and will be blessed of God for all they do. TLB 

In this scripture passage of Isaiah 32, the teaching is about the new King Hezekiah, but some have referred to it as a type of Christ in prophecy. In these verses of 5-8, it is God alone who takes care of those who have become the heroes in their own deceit.
Have we not seen this in recent months, those who sought to keep their preeminence and pay out large sums of money to keep others quiet. Have we not seen those who were declared heroes make a downward spiral fall from that high post of preeminence?
The prophet here in Isaiah was describing what was going to occur in the future. Although King Hezekiah did not fulfill his role in being the king, the prophecy surely points to Jesus as well.
In the passage below, we see those who call evil good, and good evil. They are those who put darkness for light and light for darkness. Do we not see that today as well?


Isaiah 5:18-23...........18 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity,
And sin as if with a cart rope; 
19 That say, "Let Him make speed and hasten His work,
That we may see it;
And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come,
That we may know it." 

20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight! 

22 Woe to men mighty at drinking wine,
Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, 
23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away justice from the righteous man! 

NKJV

If we view the above scripture from Isaiah 32, as that of a prophecy, it is as the final world battle! It is the two things: good versus evil that will come to an end forever. King Jesus will return soon to take His rightful place and will rule forever. His righteousness will deliver to the world, the place with life where souls will be satisfied. 
Psalm 36:8-9..............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

 It is God's standard that will set the plumb line so to speak. Men will not be deceived by the enemy any longer. Men will see and recognize the truth for all time. Today, we have the Holy Spirit to show us those who are of the devil. We recognize those who are fire for God and those who just use words to flatter and deceive others by directing some innocents into their webs of deceit and nonsense!
We hold the course, by adhering to the Word of God and speaking the same He speaks.
People need the Holy Spirit to show those who are for you and for those who are against you. We need the Holy Spirit to direct our walk in this world where everything appears to be upside down as we see in Isaiah 5.

Our individuality is ours alone, but our identity should be in God alone! He created us to be individuals with choices to live for Him and be a part of His family.  Should we not want to look like the sons of God and be imitators of that which is good and not that which is of evil intent?
As we search the scriptures, we find our identity. Our worth is found in Him. It is through His eyes and by His standards we begin to see and know those unique qualities He has placed in each of us.
We need to quiet the voices that would tell us otherwise and turn off that T.V. set!
May we choose to be directed by His Holy Spirit and see with out a doubt that God has good things for us as His children! May we speak as He speaks and see the greatness of Who He is today and everyday for an eternity! Listen and Repeat!

Father, it is in Jesus' holy name we pray. Today we seek to know the Cornerstone of our lives. We expect to spend time and help us to see His example everyday, knowing that He Who committed no sin nor was deceit found in His mouth, did not revile nor did He threaten, but He judged righteously according to the word of God. Help us to understand that He bore in His own body the sins of the world on a tree for the world to see.
Help us to see that He reigns and is seated with the Father of Righteousness, the Father of Glory.
Help us to see that we have become that Royal Priesthood and to pray accurately what the Lord is speaking to each of us for He does speak and there is much peace in His Word. We pray that we would not continue to turn to chaos in our thinking, not turn aside to the whims of man,  or those of seducing spirits of this world. We desire to follow closely after Jesus and stay out of the mud and the mire of this world that is drowning people in empty promises of deceit that bring death and destruction. May we be found,  bound to the Author and the Finisher of our faith.  May we be bound to truth, and not to legalism of man's wisdom.  Father, we thank You that we have come to the Holiness Highway (Isaiah 35:8) and that You have heard from heaven. We receive Your answers of truth to our prayer of which we have asked in Jesus' holy name. Amen.



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