Hurricanes, Snakes and other Things

 Do we daily remember to not have a conversations with snakes? Do we remember that the things of the enemy are under our feet?

Was thinking of the passage from the Old Testament where the young man has gone to help build a school for the prophets.

2 Kings 6: 1-7 And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us. 2 “Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.” So he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one said, “Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.”

 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “alas, master! For it was borrowed.” 6 So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” and he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. 7 Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

 

Now the nation of Israel was unfaithful to Yahweh at this time! Yet there were those who worked together for those who would hear God speak. The prophet Elisha asked where it had fallen and when he had cut off a stick from a tree, and threw it into the water, the iron floated to the top. And the young man had to reach out and take that which was redeemed. Obeying the prophet, the young man retrieved what had been lost!

It is a stony heart that God can work on to produce a heart receptive to heavenly things. A man considered close to God was not above the others when work was required. Do we consider helping others when they require a hand up?

We had an area out here on the side of the storage unit that needed some clean-up. Although my husband does it frequently, still a rake, some hands to weed and a good running lawn mower proved sufficient to get the job done. It did not take all day to do it when you have four hands and four arms and willing hearts!

Whoever we are and whatever our walk we have with God, still the Lord expects us to be committed to helping our mate and our community. In sowing seeds to help him in his work outside, he helps me in more ways than I could ever count. Yes, it has been a good day and it is not over yet,  and that work done outside looks good and things inside the house look good too!

If Christ Jesus is really seated on our hearts, then righteous behavior should be exhibited daily. It appears as having a will to obey His will and to do for His good pleasure.

Are we those really active in Him to contact others for a benefit to them?        

Proverbs 10:27-29 NKJV The fear of the LORD prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened. 28 The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish. 29 The way of the LORD is strength for the upright, but destruction will come to the worker’s of iniquity.

 Yes, how we live morally and how we treat others, even within our own home will have an affect on how long we live out our lives. We are to have gladness no matter what is going on in the world or in the state of which we might live! Walking as Jesus would walk brings strength to our walk, but outside of that is destruction. Walking uprightly brings strength to us and we surely required it today!

 Proverbs 13:6 Righteousness guards him whose ways is blameless, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

 If righteousness is our standard, then we will not act ungodly towards others. Living life for us who know God the Lord, is having a fear of the LORD that lengthens our days on earth. Spiritual things are activated in God and by God. If we choose to be influenced by the world, listening to commercials that do not regard God but only loose morals plus our only focus is me, myself and I, then longevity will not be a part of us!

Practicing what God does, keeps us in the place of safety as the righteous. We are reminded of this in the book of James: James 3:2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in the word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.  This is the perfect: the mature man or woman in Christ Jesus! 

We can certainly have a good paying job and yes we are thankful for those things! But it is always about how you treat others in that position, and if you are a janitor, a nurse, or corporate manager, what actions do others see in us? 

Are we about the “clean-up” when it is needed and greatly required to do it or do we just let it slide thinking we are too good for that job? Believe me I have seen some in positions who would rather have someone else do it and then they wonder why they do not have that home yet, or even a spouse when they are not willing to work with others for a good environment where people work together in a love that only comes from God through us to them.

 

 A Quote by Martin Luther King: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort & convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge & controversy.” –

There is great controversy and challenges going on across this country we live in and around the world at this moment. And the only answer is God. It is in the Son of Jesus Christ where there is a quality of hope, that expectancy in Him who spoke and still speaks where life is seen because the light shines in dark places.

The greatest hurricane, Laura came in at a category 4 and it sounds like this may be the beginning of greater challenges of those on the coastal regions of this nation. There is an election coming in the fall and conflict appears. And it especially appears to those who follow closely with Jesus. They walk beside Him as kingdom people and yes they see trials, some suffering and a slow victory, but we stay on His side. We do not choose another side. Eve should have never talked with the snake in the garden. Where was Adam when “sneaky snake” appeared? Do not be talking with snakes! The things of the enemy are under our feet.

If you got a bad report of cancer or Covid-19, my goodness do not make friends with it. Do not embrace it as a long lost friend! Cancer is not in heaven nor is Covid-19! Whatever your battle, put God in the midst of it. Do not listen to snakes! Yes, people have lost again in those southern states that were hit by Laura and are they shouting God is with them or they like some who choose to leave God out of the equation?

NO, if we can shout in the tribulation, if we can applaud the goodness of God while the shadows appear & things may look dark, shall we still know that God is present with us and will we acknowledge Him in it & through it, whatever it may be?

We were never promised a life without struggle! Yet, we have power in the kingdom of God: 1 Cor. 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power…His power is demonstrated in that which includes: signs, wonders & miracles.

The miraculous appeared for the young man who went to help build a school for the prophets. And the prophet Elisha was invited to go with them! What an extraordinary event. Like this man, we too have present help:  2 Timothy 4:18 & the Lord will deliver me from every evil work & preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever & ever. Amen

How this year of 2020 ends depends on how we take each situation that arises now and to the end of 2020. What we do in those times should be to give up praise to Him who hears from heaven, for God has called us to live for Him. Will He see it done in our lives? For Surely His goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.

  New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Everlasting Foundation

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New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Enoch Whose Name is Dedication

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Yikes ! Sewer Water

....shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water...

Psalm 1 NKJV  Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the place of 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.

Hebrews 10:19-23 NKJV 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful.

That word "pure" in verse 21 of Hebrews 10 describes a physical cleanliness.
Sin pollutes and it defiles, but the blood of Jesus washes the stains away. Receiving Jesus, washed away our sin. But it is still a daily walk to be refreshed by Him, to see His ways and follow His teachings. That is, we are to obey Him!

Had seen some of the devastation that has taken place in some areas the last several months of 2018. And I was reading of that which swept through North Carolina. A storm that made "an unusual journey" from Africa to the east coast of America. It seemed to have an appointment with the land in that region of the U. S.
When the hurricane "Florence" entered the Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, it was a 350-mile wide tropical storm. It produced large amounts of rain throughout North and South Carolina. It was noted that some area had experienced record rainfall with wide-spread flooding that impacted roadways, homes and businesses not just for the weekend, but for many weeks. It was 34 inches of rain that had fallen in just three days. We can get in the winter time an inch to 2 inches an hour but these folks were getting a lot more in less time. And if we do get that atmospheric river say in our region, it is here today and gone tomorrow.
Ah, but this storm produced serious wind problems as in tornadoes!

According to Kevin Trenberth of the National Center of Atmospheric Research reported that 53 people had died due to the horrific floodwaters. This flooding contained hog waste containing toxic mix of E. coli, Girardia and Salmonella that washed across the countryside. It was 3.4 million chickens died when the deluge struck the heart of the state's agriculture industry.
Devastation indeed had occurred and this was something that would not be cleaned up in a day or two, and it might take more than a year to clean that kind of toxicity from the land.
Can you imagine the cost of such a 'clean-up' of that magnitude? Yet they occurred in Houston Texas during Hurricane Harvey. Such contaminates swept into the water supply and caused a mixture of toxic proportions! These would be found in the land, in homes and in businesses. Can you now imagine the magnitude if those cars in those flooded areas are now cleaned up and sold to other markets in other states and you are driving "such" vehicle on a daily basis; one that has toxic sludge in the bottom parts of the carpets and other dark places?

So, can you imagine what happens to our minds and souls when we leave God's words: His thoughts and ways to follow the counsel of the ungodly, to stand with sinners or sit with the scornful? Can you imagine if you spend time watching advertisements that show partially clothed people with wine in hand and laughing their loudest to be heard and then you wishing you were there with them to partake of the same?

  Our delight is to be in the word of God and to meditate day and night on it. And when we do, we are like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf shall not wither, and whatever we do shall prosper.

Anything connected with the world will bring you to stand in sewer water. And it is anything but clean. It is not pure but holds disease and shame. If we are not in God, then we are in 'something'. And like Florence, when she appeared, she made a grand entry into a coastal beach, beautiful sand and waves and stirred up some havoc. She came into that region to dump a lot of water and to flood it  causing a deluge striking at the very heart of the state's agriculture industry. Yeah it was going to take a chunk of money from them! Yes, its very livelihood was shook to the foundations and that which is not founded on God will wash away with sewer water and never to be found again.

Devastation is occurring at a phenomenal rate today not only in the U. S. but around the world as well. When I was teen, I remember a tornado occurring every once in a great while. And one had occurred some hundred miles from where we lived. It took some time for that town to rebuild. And it will take time to rebuild cities like Houston who was hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. It will take time to rebuild and clean up areas like Florida hit by Irene in 2017 and again in 2018 by Hurricane Michael. New Orleans was hit in 2005 by Katrina and it is not the city it once was. Only parts were restored and some areas remain damaged from that major event that displaces thousands of people and killed others.

What if we truly paid attention to what matters and not just "looking to be good time Charlie or Charlene'? What if we sought out God though He is not far anyone of us.....Paul wrote this in Acts 17:26-30 NKJV  And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though he is not far from each of us; 28 for in Him, we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'. 29 Therefore since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

What can save one from a devastating storm? Well, your cell phone cannot save you nor will your government. When something occurs, it is up to the individual to have supplies, and hopefully have dried food in buckets where water will not intrude them. Water should be foremost to have on hand as well as a food supply and a first-aid kit. A generator would be great too. It should be one that does not need gas but is charged by the sun! There has been a forecast of an EMP occurring in many places around the world and I wonder how many are prepared if they lose power to their cell phones, laptops, their cars, their refrigerators and have no food or power. Pray it does not happen in the winter and then pray for a very long summer season. ( like a length of a decade)
For where there is no power, one will die with no water after how many days and will die without any food after how many days?

For the only power we have access to that is 24:7 is the Holy Spirit who gives us details of what Jesus speaks to the Father about. And we can be in the 'know' to stay out of sewer water and to pray : not just for ourselves, but for our brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world. For truly God is for us and He wants to help us....but He will not hear over the loud cries for another bottle wine nor will He hear when our voices sound more like those in Sodom and Gomorrah. No we must seek Him and abide there. We must look for His ways and hear His thoughts and move in that place of protection to be safe in Him  and live ................ Amen!

No, no sewer water today Lord, I seek to hear You speak as we are told many times in the book of Revelation....to hear what the Spirit of God is speaking. May we hold firm in a confidence that Jesus is Lord and there is no other in our heart.........so our heart is not struck by devastation and sewer water.
Lord have Your way in our lives today ....we believe You the true and only God have our back and we stay within Your plan....we give You our thanks and we recommit to be those who seek YOUR ways in this world...for we are in it but not of it.

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Enduring to the End

https://youtu.be/PPq8C7WEgJU

Also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

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New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

His Love Wounded

https://youtu.be/lI1-VSNEjcM

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

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Don't Live Like a Refugee

Voice of Prayer: Storms come, but do not be defined by them.

Was thinking of this title for about two weeks. I then remembered the lyrics of an "old" Tom Petty song that was done some decades ago, and asked the Lord what I should write about.

Now from that song, he mentions being burned by other lovers and in respect, the world can provide many lover's, but to whom will we trust our hearts to?
Being held for a ransom, literally tied up into something of the world is a "really bad place" to be. Yet there are many who are not saved today. They have not turned to hear His voice, the Lord of glory, but have continued to walk and hold onto abandonment, brokenness and pain.

Refugee: one who flees for safety, either from war, forced out by hurricanes and tornadoes.
The Collins Dictionary gives this meaning: REFUGEES are people who have been forced to leave their homes or their country, either because there is war, because of political or religious beliefs or because of natural disasters.

Bad things can occur. We live an world with an evil ruler (satan), yet our hearts are to be set on Jesus Christ the Lord of glory. Understanding that He is to leads us, yet I wonder how many are still placed in harm's way. More bad can come upon the world when sin is prevailing. 

Scripture tells us in Matthew 5:44-45..."love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. 45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes the sun rise on the evil and o the good; and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

We may not want to think about that sin thing! But when a nation turns from the things God they move into harm's way.  I remember this family who moved out of harm's way in the Texas area. They moved many miles due north of them to be doing "what the Lord asked them to do". 
So today they are high and yes dry. They have their home and safety as well.

But even if you are in the as we say "bad zone", the Lord has a way out. Being Christian should not be one who just functions within a "church building". They should not to consider that they are cutting edge when they remain closed up like Jericho behind closed doors. (The difference, the world is going to get them, instead the Lord has come  live within us and show us to take the land for His own glory.) If God is truly in us and with us we should be taking the land for His glory.

Recently I had written on standing like Esther. We should stand in the face of any real situation that can kill, yet when we know God is with us, we stand victoriously just like Esther and she did it through prayer. In Scripture we find others as well who took the "hard " road if you will allow it. They took what is known as a non-antagonistic stance toward the world. In Daniel and Joseph, we saw relationship precedes any ministry.
You cannot lead anyone you cannot influence. If we are cut-outs that just fit within the building...then we will be of no value where it counts. It is a real service to speak prophetically to your congregation but what about speaking that in the marketplace?

There has been many violent storms come through the coast lands as well as many fires inland of this great country. Yet are we speaking of God 's goodness and are we going into all the world or is is just about "that" Saturday night service or Sunday morning service.

In Dr. Bernard's Greek translations he introduced three such words for "world".
One is found in Matthew 13:22. Within this speaking of Jesus, "the cares of this world (aion) refers us to the period of time, to a generation that is in human history.

A second one is found Matthew 24:14. Again in Jesus' speaking, it is, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world (oikuomene) as a witness to all the nations." Oikuomene means land, territories and geographical nations.

Then Dr. Bernard gave alos a third meaning for world that is found in Mark 16:15. Again within Jesus' speaking,  "Go into all the world (kosmos) and preach the gospel to every creature." This use of kosmos by Christ is very interesting indeed.  Within this meaning we find it means to penetrate every social order, arrangement or culture—the way human society is organized. Yes, we are to penetrate the culture with God's word.

Have had many a talk with my husband and son-on-law as well about how to penetrate the culture as it is. If you have been in church for any length of time you will find it is divided into what is known as the the society in seven pillars.

They are : (1) religion, (2) family, (3) business, (4) education, (5) government, (6) arts, and (7) media. The latter five of business, education, government, arts and media make up what is called the "marketplace."

In understanding we are given the command to "go", then we also understand that Jesus gave us that to "preach" but also to engage.

(In a recent teaching from Life Giving Wells, the Lord gave me the teaching for "God Devised Glorification". Within that teaching we are to engage, not remain within "four walls".

Whether you have been abused by a hurricane, hit by a fast moving tornado or seen raging fires within your community, state or country, still the mandate still holds. We are to engage and in that point to engage that social order within any territory and yes the marketplace we must prove to be the relevant.

I have seen people in the last ten years to stop their teachings and pull up couches to just "chat it up" about some distant memory of God from their youth or early years of ministry but mention nothing of His majesty and glory that prevails when we come on a bent knee to pray in Jesus' name and to live like He purposed: not as a refugee from the area of 'hard knocks', volatile situations but to live for His glory in His peace and His victory. AND that is for today, to live for Him, and expect Him to prevail for us.

There are many people misplaced, and some without anything much to return to but ashes. Do not allow the devil to tell you are finished! Do not allow him to lie to you! It is not over! Get up, dust off and heed God!


And for those who have been through it already, what about our taking part in prayer for those affected, and what about some support from our check-book for those affected, and what about food from our own pantry to support another,  and from the prayer room of our house? 
No we cannot be in all places like God, but when we pray, we live outside of the box. When we pray we seek the face of God and see things change for the glory of God and for the safety of His people things happen, the environment is changed and life appears again.

Living out the Pharisaical route should not be considered among us. 

I remember reading once of Pastor Kong Hee wrote and preached that people of the church were not to live like they are carving out a Christian ghetto for themselves. He wrote they who do live that way, live in legalism and continue to make man-made rules. He said in that environment, members of the Christian faith would be taught to see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. 

Yes, each one of them within that congregation would remain unexposed to the world around them and remain also very innocent to those things as he related.

Ours is to live a life unhindered. If we truly live within Jesus's teachings, adhere to that truth only and do as He does we would be outside of the walls more often. God truly wants to keep us safe and if we obey Him, then we should be found with Him in truth, love, peace, holding onto faith that we are purposed to live for Him. Whatever the occurrence in your life, yet God is alive and He hears us when we really seek Him in prayer.

We are not to live as "refugees". We are to live for God to see His glory come and fill this earth, not just within four-walls of a church building. Today, I pray that you would know when God is speaking. And it will not be from the lazy boy recliner of life. We must be immersed in Him, His word, and be those who will pray those truths out. May the Father of Light reveal to you what is on your pathway, and may you heed those detours and obey to move ahead when the going is clear, yet remember He said I will never leave you nor will I ever forsake you. Where ever you may be at this moment and whatever condition, obey the Lord's leading and go in His peace. Live life to the full, and fear not. Remember, " seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  ( Luke 12:31-32) Amen.

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Greater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciSWjqC6fWQ

You can also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer 

for more teaching at:  http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

God Devised Glorification

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw-ubNvAOdY&t=2s

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching:

http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw