Identifying with Heartache

 

Psalm 23 :1-6 NKJV  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD  forever.

 

VERSE 4…though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Comfort: nacham….Strongs #5162 …to comfort, to console; extend compassion, sigh with one grieving ; to repent…translated has meaning of regrets of a transgression……..so this word does not describe a casual sympathy, but describes empathy. It is actually one who will weep with another who weeps!

Love is when one comes to: help, to motivate, those in love will actively watch with sorrow and pity

Empathy is getting down in the ugliness of deep darkness, no light,  “hey this trench is deep” of despair, no help, but panic!  Empathy is the action of understanding, being very much aware of and sensitive to experiencing the feelings of others in thoughts and in experiences……….whether to the past or to a present moment. The one with empathy knows the experience as their own experience. He was willing to avenge their distress of ailments, sickness because of His love…that is anchored in the depths of empathy, proactive on the scene to suffer as those He came to suffer for on the Cross…

 Jesus was active in empathy for others. The man healed on the Sabbath..:Mark 2:27-28 ;3 1-5…NKJV…27 and He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” 28 “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

Mark 3:1-4 NKJV and He entered the synagogue again, & a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward”. 4 The he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent.

5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, & his hand was restored as whole as the other.

 Another passage using the word Nacham: Psalm 119:75-82  Amplified Bible 75 I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right & righteous, & in faithfulness You have afflicted me. 76 Let, I pray You, Your merciful kindness & steadfast love be for my comfort, according to your promise to Your servant.

Comfort: He prays…: You in Your merciful kindness and steadfast love be for my comfort…

Psalm 119:77 Let Your tender mercy and loving kindness come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight. 78 Let the proud be put to shame, for they dealt perversely with me without a cause; but I will mediate on Your precepts. 79 Let those who reverently and worshipfully fear You turn to me, and those who have known Your testimonies. 80 Let my heart be sound (sincere and wholehearted & blameless) in Your statues, that I may not be put to shame. 81 My soul languishes and grows faint for Your salvation, but I hope in Your word. 82 My eyes fail, watching for [the fulfillment of] Your promised. I say, when will You comfort me? Comfort:nacham

From Psalm 119 and verses 77-82 every display of the tender mercies of God is like a fresh transfusion of life to the hard-pressed saint. From verse 79 it is a spiritual instinct to seek the fellowship of those who know and love the Word of God. But truly how often do we ask the Lord to lead those who fear God across our pathway? The believer may be afflicted but not crushed; perplexed but not driven to despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed ( 2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Even though eyes grow dime with searching for the fulfillment of God’s promise of deliverance, he does not pray “Will you comfort me? But he prays “When will you comfort me?”

Empathy and No Trenches : Identifying with Heartache………Jesus was on the front lines to confront the enemy: Us!   Philippians 2:5-8 – Jesus Christ, who being in the very nature of God did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage.  Rather he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant (left his home), being made in human likeness.  And being found as a man, humbled himself even further by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Identifying with others in a heartache is identifying with those in need. Jesus drew no tears from His own griefs but He sweat drops of the blood for mine. (author: Charles H. Gabriel) Jesus held a sacrificial mind, the selfless mind, and the serving mind. Jesus consistently thought of others. Yeah, He got it from His Father!

Jesus is empathy’s perfect example. He did not come to earth to save us as God, detached and gazing down in sympathy and pity. He came as man, born into the trenches, to live and suffer as a human. His empathy makes Him the perfect sacrifice. The perfect bridge between God and us.  Hebrews 4:15  “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin”

But we are not Jesus. So how can we identify with others going through situations that we have never encountered face-to-face? How can we walk trenches we have never been pushed into? Because based on the way Jesus lived his life, that’s what I believe He’s asking us to do as Christians. To put away sympathy and embrace empathy. That’s where true comfort lies.

Jesus didn’t have a trench: Breaking Barriers

1.   Initiated grace to the least of them: the broken, the lame but also the one who hung on the Cross next to him

2.   Served those who dishonored him the most: Judas

3.   His beliefs were not fables or fickle

4.   His opinion was not swayed: He was on His mission for Salvation who kept the future focus, faith and determination: It is Finished He spoke from that bloody Cross!

5.    HE acted on  complete conviction!

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Amplified Bible 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source of every comfort [(consolation and encouragement). 4 Who comforts (consoles and encourages us in every trouble (calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort (consolation and encouragement) with which we ourselves are comforted (consoled and encouraged) by God. 5 For just as Christ’s [own] sufferings fall to our lot [as they overflow upon His disciples, and we share and experience them] abundantly, so through Christ’s comfort (consolation and encouragement) is also [shared and experienced] abundantly by us.

Now this passage is a favorite of mine. I have spent some time on it in the past ten years meditating it. Paul bursts into thanksgiving to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul addresses the full title of God. As we saw in the Old Testament: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, or the God of Jacob. Paul is brought news from Titus in Macedonia. In all Paul had in afflictions, he was conscious of God’s comforting presence. As Paul was comforted, he comforted those around him. It is a comfort that comes as the form of encouragement and exhortation. We are not comforted to be made comfortable, but to be comforted to fly to the aid of him on “death’s bed” or one who is home under Dr.’s care!

Our association with Jesus Christ brings from others: suffer that is brought on by reproach, by rejection, hostility, hatred, denial, betrayal, and much more. But we to them in His name. We appear as His hands, His feet and speak His words!

 The New Testament presents Jesus as the supreme example of empathy: as one who fully understands both the experience of God and the experience of humanity.  And Paul challenges followers of Jesus to empathize fully with Jesus’ faith and Jesus’ death, and to hope for his resurrection as seen in 1 Corinthians 1:3-5! Jesus was active and moving: He was about removing those trenches of religious beliefs.

This came through Jesus…to comfort us.

While we still walk on earth, might we initiate grace to the least of them like Jesus did? Might we serve those who dishonored Him the most?  His beliefs were not fables, nor a fairy tale but truth held in His heart. He was sent by the Father, manifested to be heard and to be seen with eyes. He was manifested and bear witness of eternal life which was with the Father and manifested to the apostles indeed.

He was on His mission for Salvation who kept the future focus, faith and determination in His speaking. He always acted on a complete conviction. He came, would face persecution and die for many. He came to comfort those in need of a Comforter!  The Message heard, from Him and was declared to us that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. We walk in light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Comforter, Helper, or Companion, Holy Spirit You are a wonderful gift to us. You mentor us and teach us. You are our treasured Friend. Thank You for taking time to talk with us today, to converse the thoughts of the Father and to reveal instructions to us. Forgive us when we have shown a short fuse for anything of the world. Forgive us for failing to heed Your instruction just when we require it the most.

Please un-clutter us of distractions so that we may hear Your voice and obey You without question.  In Jesus’ holy name. amen and amen!

 

                                           New teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Oil of Intimacy

https://youtu.be/nFSkZYMkQL0

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

A Level of Faith: A Saving Faith

https://youtu.be/-BoP0Ary5Zw

Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

Now Posting to Rumble 

Voice of Prayer

https://rumble.com/c/c-1425534

And

Life Giving Wells

https://rumble.com/c/c-1428234 

A Funky Place

Salvation is not in a trophy!

Proverbs 4:19 the way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.

This word stumble has the meaning to totter by decay!

When we are led by the world we get into some very complicated things that lead to death. For the man or woman who chooses their own way can find hardship, and of course, death! 

Our Father’s word teaches us that those who are in the flesh cannot please God found in Romans 8:8. Those who walk in their own ways of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life find the paths of the destroyer. 
Psalm 17:4 concerning the works of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
So ultimately being away from God and His word, is being led away from life, truth and eternity with Him!

John told us in 1 John 2:16 for all that is in the world---the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life---is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away; and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

There has been evil operating in this world since Eve was deceived in the Garden of Eden. And many, many people still fall to the schemes of the devil, although he has no new material to try out on any one person!  No he just listens to those times when covetousness speaking may be heard from our mouths and hearts!  He pays attention to those times we whine and complain and then he pulls out the same old trip-up he used some years ago.

 God demonstrated His love toward us that we might live for Him and have life!

Romans 5:8-10  NKJV 8 But demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

God initiated that relationship with us. AND He made it possible, paving the way so that we can have fellowship with Him. In this relationship, He made possible through the gift of His Son, those things He desires to develop such as trust in us. So by His love, He gave us His best gift. In this we respond by faith: that trust in God who has purpose for us that is for good and not evil. Without that gift, without that expression of His love, the relationship never would have begun. So without faith there is no love of God present… and it ends up being about Me, Me and Me…!!!

We know God continued the Message of His love by sending His prophets. He kept the relationship alive by being faithful to see those created in His image would hear truth and live by it.

The last time He sent a Prophet, the Prophet was also the Son of God who was the example of:  Obedience, loyalty, & devotion to Him the Father…… By His Son Jesus, He extended His hand forever beckoning us to come back to the relationship. This is so clearly seen in the way God dealt with Israel in the Old Testament. And from old testaments teachings, we find the Israelites were reminded when they were brought out of Egypt, when they were brought out of slavery to serve the living God.

 Luke 1:70-75 NKJV  70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies & from the hand of all who hate us, 72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers & to remember His holy covenant, 73 the oath which he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, 75 in Holiness & Righteousness before Him all the days of our life.    

While writing this, I was reminded of watching the video of Matthew, that story of Jesus in His ministry. And the young man who played the role of Jesus always makes me think of how Jesus is waving to us, still walking but beckoning us to come to Him and to know Him as He really is. Bruce Marchiano is the man who played that part of the Visual Bible Film series. With the smile he presents while walking and turning using his hands to wave us to come, I am forever thinking of Jesus' compassion for us. He died for us that we might have life through Him.

But rejection can appear when man becomes obsessed with the power of self and self worship. It can appear in those who really live on the edge of danger in life: like bull-riders, horse-tamers, high-wire walkers, Wall Street moguls, or even those with both feet on the ground as the mother with several children, the one who sings like a sweet nightingale, the basketball player who scores more points than any other player on the team. Yes, these can start to worship themselves and will not voluntarily submit themselves to God's rules or laws.
                                                             

The ‘terrible’ thing about this is that many die early and usually is the result of suicide. We have known some people who have died in the last 15 years due to that suicide 'thing'. Both were friends, one of mine from my early years and high school and another, a young man we met at church.
Was that God’s plan for them? Certainly not, but the devil had his schemes and anything outside of God and His word of truth lies under the rule of the devil.

Sometimes people get caught up in the applause, the accolades, that cheer of the crowd, the cheer of the grateful husband who works all hours to make a living for the wife and children, or the cheer of the cowboy star who lives his latter years remembering his former glory days in the saddle as a star.

We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 15:33  Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits" . Amplified Bible: 33 do not be deceived & misled! Evil companionship's (communion, association’s ) corrupt & deprave good manners & morals & character.

If our mind is clutter with yesterday, when do we think about God and His goodness? If our mind is in the gutter, we cannot live a virtuous life. If we have received Jesus as Lord of our lives, there is hope in seeing that part of our hearts healed in His name. As Christians, we can never escape all the negative influences of sin around us, such as that which is spoken over the news by fake media, or the negative of that which assaults another by intruding on the personal space of another like men against women in serious acts by sexually immoral people of the world.

 Paul said this in one epistle or letter he wrote to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 5:9-10 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous or extortioners or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

Now what Paul wrote was that we were not to have associations with those known as a Christian who have the lifestyle as sexual immorality. Yes, immoral people can claim to be Christians! For a follower of Jesus will not openly persist in sin & will not heed the corrective counsel….Jesus regards this in  Matthew 5:27-30). Adultery in the heart is wrong and a rigid moral self-denial should be in place.

God our Father sent us a way out of the world, but it is to live for HIM through our life here on this earth. He sent Jesus our Savior.  God told us that He redeems our souls when we put our trust in Him according to what is written in Psalm 34:22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

If your walk through this life has taken you in to the business arena, the life of the mother who is the nurturer, the doctor, the debater, the guidance counselor and meal maker, the cowboy who knows horses and wild rides, the basketball player who knows the court and players better than he knows God, then we can come under a funky thought like: not good enough, aging quickly, my body is out of condition and strength, will my kids remember me when I am older!  It is then our thoughts are not good thoughts, and a person can fall into a pit where the controlling things like depression, anger, anxiety, jealousy, hopelessness, fear or even suicide can become a part of your demeanor.  How does one come out of that 'funky thing'?
Funk has the meaning of being panicky! Also means to be overcome by great fear!

Suicide by ones own hand will end like Judas'. He hung himself when he had become a traitor to Jesus. For thirty pieces of silver he betrayed the Lord of glory. God is love and He loves all and will we receive His love or choose Me, Me and Me?
When someone's identity has been in themselves, they cannot possibly continue in that for long. I cannot have my identity in my husband. I must have an identity as Shelley, but must also be in Jesus who is life to me! My identity is within that which Jesus died to give me. But someone who has their identity in their children can suffer many bouts of anxiety, empty nest syndrome and even abandonment. The one who receives accolades from their sport ventures will find those trophy's cannot give back any love or remembrance of the winning moment when that point came to take that coveted gleaming silver cup!
Interesting that some of the games that people play all have the winning cup and I wonder how many end up drinking from the cup that provides nothing at the end.

Please take this seriously that any anxiety, any depression, fear or suicide is not of God. These are things the enemy can use against a man or woman made in the image of God. Please hear the voice of the Good Shepherd today and turn to Him who can deliver you from these terrible afflictions. Holy Spirit can guide you through the healing process. Find your identity in Him and not in other people or things.

 Today, we pray for you to hear, receive and know the Father’s love for your 'life' right now. We pray in Jesus’ name that you are delivered from controlling emotions (Psalm 40:17)

We also pray for you to be healed and restored to what the Father’s purpose for your life is. We speak words of life over you right now and believe you to be free to share your deepest feelings with those qualified to help.  We pray for you to have the gift of laughter and the ability to find humor in even serious situations. 

May you take your eyes off the circumstances that cause you dread or be in terror and be reminded that God sent the Son of His love for you to have salvation and that ‘relationship ‘with HIM! We pray you to have patience to possess your soul and the ability to take charge of it. (Luke 21:19)

Father, refresh your child now in the mighty name of Jesus. Refresh him with Your Holy Spirit and set him free today from any negative emotions that would cause him harm. We believe the best for Your child who YOU made for Your glory. May they run and prosper in Your name. Amen.

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

And Holy is His Name

https://youtu.be/Rybc4KOapts

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

 http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Day of the Lord

https://youtu.be/zUxSFseDVPo

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

 http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

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