Man of War

 

Exodus 15: 3 The LORD is a man of war; The LORD is His name.

David spoke in Psalm 27....The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Obedient are those who have a covenant relationship with God the LORD. One of the blessings enjoyed as in obedience,  one adhering to His words and thoughts. For they are higher than us!

Jesus came the first time as the obedient in faith to God's gospel. He came to represent God and spread the Good News of that gospel! When He returns He will seek those who are obedient to that Word of God.

Ephesians 2:8  NKJV   For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Faith's importance to salvation is accentuated by this verse. Faith plays a role in the entire process until we enter the Kingdom of God. It is the sum of what God is doing in our lives: "Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent'" (John 6:29).

 In the fourth and fifth chapters of Romans, Paul mentions faith a dozen times, almost all concerning justification, being made righteous or having access to grace, and thus, having the hope of the glory of God.

The faith that saves has its beginning when God, on His own initiative, calls us (John 6:44) and leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). He does this by His Spirit guiding us into all truth (John 16:7-14). Stirring up our minds to knowledge, His Spirit enables us to perceive from a perspective we never before seriously considered. This, combined with the confrontation that occurs with the carnal mind when we are forced to choose what to do with this precious truth, gives birth to a living faith, a faith that works, a faith that walks in godliness.

This Gift then shows the way. We sin, then repent seriously and honestly in our hearts to believe the Lord by His Holy Spirit can direct our way into that holy walk! Once this appears as "little things" and not serious, then it is that faith which stops being cultivated, then injustice begins to appear in more serious areas, such as increased crime, divorce, abortion, suicide, and the like. Morality plunges and the people move farther and farther from godly morals and values. And when God sees no repentance in sight, His wrath is not long in coming.

Jesus delivered truth and we are to abide in that truth! Too many are changing truth for lies today! 
Today men can be women with some tweaks. No, only God made man and He made them male and female. Injustice appears everywhere. It is a heart thing to lament remembrance of what was decades ago now lies in streets of falsehood and despair!

There is a word given the last few months of an asteroid or planet moving into our solar system.            (31/Atlas) This month of October marks it's pass by Mars. Interesting enough Mars means war! Then it moves past the sun and earth. It is suppose to be through our solar system by end of October.   This could cause damage to a planet in our system and to people here on earth. Any debris caused by an impact can cause darkness of the sun. And if this is not enough, people on earth in certain areas have taken upon themselves to take ground water to water plants and fill reservoirs. (like California and Arizona)  As a result, here a hill stood in 1988 is lowered and now causes a person to stand above that hill. That land has sunk to under one's feet today. A woman is shown given to measurements of such displacement. (On Insight on the Impact Channel, Steve Cochran.) To displacement of terra frima will bring calamity. A word given here in twenty-first century, John Paul Jackson stated there would be a great quake. There would be change in California and Missouri. John Kilpatrick also was given a vision of California and of the Great Madrid Fault. His is one that  terrifies. Of these, we are told that there would be a mouth opened to water between San Diego and Los Angeles. This would account for many being swallowed by calamitous disaster over the western region and Pacific Ocean! Got your suits ready for long time swimming?

Man is making the very ground he stands on to be anything but stable! What's more enlightening is that Russia now has a missile that can cause a tsunami some 500 feet high. (Yes, taller than the Empire State Building in New York City) They started testing such devices back in 2022. ( Insight with Steve Cochran on the Impact Channel)

IN meditating on Ephesians 2:8 Paul is not simply giving a description of that beginning of faith., He gives a look at the progress to be made by faith throughout a person's conversion. We have strength when we hear and believe. Salvation is a grace thing. And through that faith, we have a gift given to us to not only hear and obey but redirect our lives to that word of God always!

AND Who are we expecting at His return? He was the mild man, He without sin, He loving His neighbors as He did, and becoming the sacrifice for mankind. We are told to keep that progression through that faith given us and live a life that is wondrous and active! He even asks in John 16:8 if faith would be found at His return.

Again, where do we reside, in righteousness or dust of the earth? In Amos 5:7 the word states, " You who turn justice to wormwood, and lay righteousness to rest in the earth!" NKJV    .....Also a similar verse stands out in Amos 6:12........it connects justice and righteousness. That we should know the fruit of righteousness is justice. It is fair treatment, not only in the courts but in every walk of life.  Here righteousness is the standard, yet this banner is now thrown to the ground. They rested in their untrained consciences. Being their own guides in life...it was " anything goes". 

In a study of human culture and human development, many sociologists and anthropologists have agreed that every society is made up of seven pillars: (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." And the Great Commission that Jesus Christ gave is not only for us to preach in every geographical nation, but to engage the social order within that territory, especially that of the marketplace. To do that, the Church has to be relevant and contemporary to the cultural context God has planted it in.

Without righteousness each of these goes away.  Now while righteousness is inward, justice is out-going, concerning even such "trivial" things as being neat and orderly. Can one not notice how much trash litters our highways and graffiti mars our cities and our highways ? And we know that no law of God specifically regulates our driving, but is it not fair and just to be considerate of others on the road? Certainly God's law has to do with being thoughtful, gracious, tactful, and discreet, all of which are founded on one of its basic principles, the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12). Does anyone remember the Golden Rule?

Things are changing rapidly! Ground under us is shifting downwards as to getting ready for the next quake! Morality continues to plunge downward. It is a people choosing to farther themselves from godly virtues and values. When no repentance is found in His sight, His wrath is coming indeed! And He will use high waves of water, and deep crevasses in the earth to testify to His faithfulness. He will allow to come on people what they have worshiped indeed! 

Look out where you step and how you live!

 

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What are We Embracing Today?

Embracing the dangerous might hold you by its thorns!

Proverbs 12:26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.
What does evil imply when applied to daily living? Scripture tells us to choose our friends carefully and many people choose to go with the "crowd". Some remain close to family for "a hand-out" while others look for various ways to get rich quick! Still the word of God, His very wisdom tells us to choose our friends carefully!

You can pick a crowd, any crowd, like the one at the coffee shop, the crowd at the Mall, the crowd at the workplace and within them you will find at least one person either male or female remarking of someone in the world won the lottery, someone bet on "something" with their last buck in hand and won some pile of money or else they are that someone "who"  was just given "a new car" when they "just" walked in the door of a store downtown.
And many times, yes, the "righteous" fellow will gravitate to follow the crowds roar of enthusiasm for those who made it rich overnight, became a new car owner or even of that person who instantly experienced loss of weight overnight.

Anyone knows that keeping healthy takes more than just healthy eating. It takes more than just reading on the latest health tips available to us.  It also takes exercise and good sleep at night to heal a body and give it strength.
Others know that the best foot forward is out the door to the job and out the door to make a difference for your family. But there remains the man or woman who choose to seek the easy way out. They seek to gravitate toward the couch, stay out of gyms or even the paths to exercise the "dog" and continue to the ever growing waistline. They seek to avoid the workplace by looking for a simple hand-out!

Ask anyone who has really lost weight and how they at the very beginning of the "want to" within them, they turned to a spouse for support, they turned toward applying some effort to getting back to being the size 10 or the size 12 by eating less foods, picking healthier foods like fresh vegetables and they prayed over their endeavor to lose weight. It takes the diligent person to find the rowing machine, the outerwear for the rainy season to hit the paths in the rain & where the joggers are found regularly, exercising their way to the more healthy body for long life.

So if one finds friends who travel the wine tasting avenue, then there could arise some potential hazards to the wine tasting adventure. One might turn out to be a real "taster" to never stop.
On the other hand, you might run with the crowd who loves to  stand in long lines for lottery tickets to win the next big bundle to just go buy more lottery tickets. Yikes!

Proverbs 12:24  The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor. Yes there are many who want to live in the mansion. There are many who want to drive that "exotic" looking car without the work behind the effort to gain such things. The slothful will not rule! Those lazy in attitude will remain slothful. They will devise their way from their sofa or couch.
To really work, is to put effort in that which we are hired to do and do it to the point of where we are learning to increase in productivity. My husband is one who wanted to learn as much as he could of the maintenance side of machines, the maintenance of anything that would produce energy to mankind. In that he learned skills, not found in books but with "all hands" on the job and in detail of the very work. In that today, he teaches many others how to apply those skills.
In recent weeks, I had noticed of the special reports of those in cities looking to put more emphasis on what people call the blue collar worker. In that is the person who has learn the trades: welders, electricians, mechanics, iron-workers, etc. For in this the 21st century there is a laborless force for what is called the "blue collar" worker. Many women are choosing that field many frown upon today as it pays too little for them to live. But when one really looks at the whole picture, many are choosing to have "no labor" a part of their lifestyle. They want: easy, free if possible, with no loss of that which they really like and entertain in their hearts to have.
Then one can also find those who say they are doing their work, but later find that while a specific problem reared its head, the person or persons involved or should have been involved were off like someone on Facebook! Surely if we are hired to do a specific job, then we should do it to the ability God has given us to do our work.

Something for nothing seems to be the motto of many people and of those coming from other countries as well! It appears that some people choose welfare instead of actually living a life to the full that God planned for us to live. Even today we find those who would rather play games than work.  But this great land was built by the strength of arm and the sweat of the brow.
I think of my Savior who walked to many cities in His day to make sure others would know of the love that had come from the Father of lights and of whom there is no variableness. He never changes His mind. He does not change His word to fit us, we spend time in His word to find out what we truly look like and how we are to act. So that one day we will see the actual image God planned for us what it looks like and how to live that image.
Hopefully we are embracing truth and not lies. Hopefully our eyes are on Jesus and that we have strength and power through the Holy Spirit to move through this life in that which pleases God. In this hopefully we awoke today and rose to walk another day in the glory of the Lord, to hear Him speak and how we can be a blessing to others. This was never meant for hand-outs but a hand-up to see God's love, and bask in the beauty of Him. Today commit your works unto the Lord and your thoughts shall be established. (Proverbs 16:3) Be fixed in Him, and when you do, He leads and controls your thoughts toward life, to brand-new information that is from His treasury of wisdom. Really there is no alternative!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Field of Blood: Self Interest

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New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

The Tower of Babel

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Where is that Ball?

Where is that ball?

My husband and I had some errands to run yesterday about noon. We had left a little before noon and not finding what we went after, we had to venture further down and to the east to find a store that sold this Kombucha drink. Now this drink has some health benefits, and it is wise to get that which was just created to drink. After the drive over the river, we returned down the interstate.
On arriving, put our newly purchased items in the refrigerator, I walked to the patio door to put the dog outside. There is no need to coax her for at this time, she needs to go, and just after her instant on the spot to check our the visitor to the back of the yard  she took care of her 'business'.

I watched someone in a "golf cart" drive ever so slowly by from the south to the east and he must have spotted some ball in the yard. Watching me and my reaction to his moving around the cart and into the yard, he waved and of course I just waved back. Still watching him, he leaned down to pick up this ball laying in full view. He said laughingly like: "the wild playing and swinging caused his ball to go wild and out of control"!

He  appeared anxious to leave, and I started to mention the other ball to him that I saw closer to the big tree in the yard, but like a flash he was gone. I saw him go around the hill and back onto the golf course and again he appeared to examine the ball. I am thinking the ball he really wanted was the one next to the 'willow' tree but he dare not come close or attempt to check out the other ball in the yard. I figured he was thinking about the dog and the woman who would not leave the back door so about two minutes later the man drove off in his golf cart and our dog came indoors. About 2 hours later, I see him appear, again driving slowly, like looking for "his" ball, and then he headed back towards the club house. Am thinking he was really wanting his ball and not someone else's to play with!

Our habit is to check our yard for any balls and bring them to be washed. We find people who like playing golf and will put them into egg cartons to give them balls for their use for their time out on the golf course.

We were on a walk about this morning and took the leisure time to searched among the tree seedlings and "yes, some weeds" but did not find any except for the one that the  "golf" courses lawn groomer ran over with blades and caused it to split open. It is those tiny balls that people will practice with for that specific game. Today, I am still in awe of those who play and have the expertise to get that tiny ball down a fairway to "a hole in one". I always tell my husband that golfers on this course close by to this house, do not know the amount of hole in ones they get when hitting it toward our yard. For surely you have to look hard sometimes when the grass is needing a real good cut job! And when searching, it is there that we find the little ball as a "hole in one"  shot within the tall grass!

While walking in the brisk air, and sustained wind of about thirty miles an hour this morning, I was reminded of the walk with the Lord. Surely we would like our days to hold many "hole in one shots ", to hold many rainbows with  no rain, to have many windless days to enjoy the peace and quiet! Yes, we desire to hold have many days of receiving a mystery gift from a close friend or family member who lives far away, yet our days should hold the significance that God paid a big price for each of us.

Some people will denote their day the "moment they saw their baby smile" for the first time. Some will delight to tell of their seeing their child walk or graduate college. Still others will mark the day when they married or when their children marry.

In my life, I have seen and heard the stories of many relatives and friends of my parents who served their country. My uncle, as a young man flew as a pilot in World War II. He would land on those ships with a landing runway and a short one at that.  My brother-in-law served in the military for more than one term. He also went to help those in Guatemala when they were ravaged by earthquakes. And in my life, I see someone like my husband who goes the length to see people treated fairly, not because of entitlement, but because they love God, love this nation and choose to work for this nation. And as a people to see the glory of God to fill this world with His glory.

We have to choose life in Jesus and through Him see many others come to Him for salvation. But even more we can look to life eternally with Him, where the atmosphere is filled with life and joy, where He lights our days forever with His beauty and His glory.
Those certainly without Him and remain that way will be that way forever. They will forever be in darkness, forever be in torment of "what if", forever in the atmosphere where there is no refreshing breeze or water to enjoy but only darkness and sulfur filled darkness. What is sad is we each have "the choice" to choose to make a difference like Jesus did.

We have the choice to worship Him now, we have the choice to view His likeness in the Word of the truth now and we can participate in His love, His life and His joy that is found in the peace of God now!

For many it is see how big a house can one buy now, how fancy can that new car be, how fancy can our vacation be this 'summer' (now). For me, I have joy all around me. I have the joy of seeing my husband while he is checking out a a new recipe to prepare for a meal. I have joy of seeing our grand-daughter pretend she is surfing, and yes with surfing music on..( I think is was by the Ventures) and of having joy when our dog brings us her stuff toy to us the first thing in the morning.

I have joy, not for what I have lost but for what I have gained through Jesus for it is in Him that we live and move and have our being. One scripture that stands out today is John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Our energy for a life of devotion to Jesus comes by the Holy Spirit. In this we draw our lives from His life, from this we have energized prayer, energized worship, the partaking of the Lord's supper and see healing come to every part of our being.

Our focus is to be on Jesus, not to one man or one woman, for each of us is learning, growing and becoming what God planned. It will take all of us not just a few of us to participate in His kingdom that has come. Do the works of Jesus while there is still time while it is still day. Go through your day and tell others of those parables Jesus taught from, and pray. Ask the Lord to direct you into His perfect plan He destined for you to live.

Sometimes when we lose something, it is likely it was not needed, but that which is for life we need every moment of everyday of our lives. The Word of God is life to us,  and from that Word Jesus appeared and was crucified. In that we should no longer fear man or death. Don't be hard-headed but be willing to let go of your life to gain His. For truly God is good and His truth is everlasting. Unity is allowing Christ to be the head of our lives. Unity is not a building, a pastor, or a religious doctrine, but is Christ, the anointed One Who is head of the believer's and King of the Jews. There is one God and His Gospel that came through as GRACE in Jesus.
Ask God what He has placed in your hand for His good and then ask Him how to walk in it. For then truly joy is heard, rainbows are seen, peace resides when truth is coveted from the word of God.
Remember you can always buy more "golf balls" but will never buy your way out of hell for we all need a Savior. Amen!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Reflecting Through Transparency

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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

Dispensing Divine Grace

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The Public Display

The Public Display

Matthew 15:2-3 Why do Your disciples transgress and violate the rules handed down by the elders of the past? For they do not practice [ceremonially] washing their hands before they eat. 3 He replied to them, And why do you transgress and violate the commandment of God for the sake of the rules handed down to you by your forefathers (the elders)?
Thayers Lexicon:3845 (parabaino) to overstep, to neglect, to violate...to transgress...

Jesus was reminding them it was of more importance to obey the commandments of God than to obey those ceremonially rules set down by men!
2 John 9 Amplified Bible 9 anyone who runs on ahead [of God] and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ [who is not content with what He taught] does not have God; but he who continues to live in the doctrine (teaching) of Christ [does have God], he has both the Father and the Son.

Willing to transgress what God has given is foolish indeed!

willful: with set purpose; self-determined; without yielding to reason; obstinate; stubborn
From 3845 parabaino :to transgress in a defiant will; someone who knows the right way but chooses to go their own way in contrariness
Psalm 101:2 I will behave myself wisely and give heed to the blameless way---O when will You come to me? I will walk within my house in integrity and with a blameless heart.

Yeah the heart has a lot to do with our following God. Staying in His protection, knowing Him is to give heed to His way of righteousness! That if we are in Him, we are to remain within that righteous walk that is holiness!  He is perfection, He is the mighty God, our Counsel.
Filling our heart with His kind of peace and wisdom, then we will truly know Him and follow a good path!

If you read on in Psalm 101 you become aware that following God is really about having nothing to do with evil and the evil person or thing close to us. Being aware of what God has given those who follow Him are those who will not slander his neighbor and will not tolerate the haughty look. For truly our eyes should be on those who walk faithfully with God and always looking out for the neighbor.

Was thinking of all the headlines today and those marching for some cause! Then I remembered the one anchor person of a news program mentioned a 'peaceful protest'. Now how did they come up with that?
Let's see: protest has the meaning of complaint, objection, or display of unwillingness usually to an idea or to course of action . Will publicly display their approval....by an organized demonstration of their disapproval.
Then peaceful has the meaning: a peaceful place; not involving war, violence; without worry and excitement.
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English: peaceful people do not like violence and do not behave in a violent manner.

God is not only supreme in power and authority, but He is also supreme in judgment. In the greatness of God,  His very mind pierces through all of the justifications we make to excuse our bad attitudes and conduct as measured against His righteous standard.

Oh yeah, God has a righteous standard!

If we are truly followers and find our trust wholly in Him, then we would have faith to recognize and know His justice and be willing to operate in it.

We are not be followers of the world, but followers of Jesus Christ. And just like Jesus, we can come under persecution. But we are to remain faithful to God and know He loves us greatly to send His Son to die for us. So being reminded of God and His sense of justice, we must consider carefully what it is we are focused on and is it for His glory or for me to make a stand for me?
Again, it comes back to the attitude of our heart.

So in planning to go out for a 'march' we must consider is this a small thing. Could this be something of an event that will make no impact if it is done in being peaceful? Do we ask Him if it is good for us to do this? Or is this just a whim? Certainly there are many causes in the world today, but what we think of as the little matter may turn out for bad thing, the bad road and destruction to us.

Facing serious consequences will truly be known when we go outside the boundary of God. He is firm about us being obedient to His word. We are reminded in Romans 1: 18-21 Amplified Bible this: 18 For God's  [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative. 19 For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them. 20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes , that is, His eternal power and divinity have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the thing that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse (altogether with any defense or justification. 21 Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened.

Yikes! Without God who is Light, then man's mind is darkened. The man operating out of  "the darkened mind" is given over to speculation. In their speculating, they will act out as the fool for they are given no firm evidence. They operate out of wrong beliefs, that false evidence and move in places void of peace, or life! Without the truth of God, they move into the arena of their own opinion, explore by taking a hunch and end up in jeopardy. Destruction!

To whom much is given, of him shall be much required. ….What of Jesus are we giving to people? Are we being easy & trying to make our Lord and Savior more digestible to others? Are we Dressing HIM up or changing His character to suit their character & ours? 

Do we go out to march and say it is for the Lord? Or do we just go out for the 'march' just for the sake of people seeing us "march"?

 Is our culture so steeped in convenience…that we neglect the spiritual of Jesus & follow a culture that is bankrupt because we left God out.  When we try bringing entertainment, we can totally reduce our involvement and our expectations in reaching others for Him.  If we really look at what is going on today, we would focus on that if Jesus is not the center of any family, then chaos can ensue. You can see that from guns in schools to people taking a motor vehicle to run someone else down. If we don't have our salvation, have our hearts set with Jesus allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to us and live by the commands given, then most likely we resemble the world!

We are reminded of this: Proverbs 24:1-4 Amplified Bible BE not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; 2 for their minds plot oppression and devise violence and their lips talk of causing trouble and vexation. 3 Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house ( a life, a home, a family) built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation], 4 And by knowledge shall its chambers [of every area]be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

If we are going out in our name, then this is easily viewed as one in immoral conduct. Understand that people who know not God pay little attention. And they have no responsibilities to Him or for Him. He is disregarded.....again yikes! Remember He can cast one into Hell! And He certainly deserves our praise for all that His love has given to us especially for that displayed on the Cross! If one would take a moment to look into the face of a newborn baby, see the beauty of magnificent colors at sunset, and realize this was not a 'big bang' thing! 
If making a difference is important find out where you play the part in the plan God has in motion. Ask Him if that is where you belong! So if God is not vital to this and within this very cause to march about, then we find no cause to be obedient to His will being done on earth in us as it is in heaven. Being willful is having the face of attitude that which is considered serious indeed.  Bad attitude is always bad, causes problems, and will defy life for the good. Knowing that God is committed to us, then we should also remember He is serious. AND He is very serious about fulfilling His purposes on earth.

In receiving salvation, our walk was and is as the "disciple". Disciples are followers of Jesus. Our focus priority is Jesus as He was, is and will always BE the LIFE! Taking the territory for Jesus is that we are not on the sidelines cheering others on. We are to be the church without walls! It looks like the committed with an undivided and a dedicated life humbled to seeing His kingdom come.
So  if you are going out for that "march" consider talking to the Father about it. Tell Him your concerns and what troubles you about what is going on in the 'streets'. Ask Him if you will be safe and wise to go! And if He is for you going out, then ask what you will speak by the Holy Spirit to others that will bring them to God.

 Pray and ask Him what your step might be in this "coming march". For our greatest value to God our Father is in the here and now of this moment on earth. It certainly should be for His glory if we dare go out. And when going out in His name, then certainly is the glory due to His holy name.

Certainly engage culture but understand it is not for the fainthearted. If you go out in your name and being willful not to obey God then you go it alone!

That is not a safe place to be, outside the will of God. Another question to ask, especially to you is will you influence by  the speaking of peace, the good in God or you just going to be influenced by the world.

Each of us has role to participate for God and His glory and the world is opposed and contrary to God. But ours is not to make the gospel acceptable to man but just to make it available to those who does not know God!

Proverbs 26:27 whoever digs a pit [for another man's feet] shall fall into himself and he who rolls a stone [up a height to do mischief]; it will return upon him.

Proverbs 28:10 whoever leads the upright astray into an evil way, be will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.

Rest tonight, pray and tomorrow rise to live the life Jesus came to give us. Rise to be the blameless. Shine in His glory, prosper in His word, and deliver His truth to your community.And then do it because He said it was a "good thing to do".

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

The Wonder of God & His Instruction

https://youtu.be/BrnI4LPfL2k 

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

In Order With God: Being Established

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2It_I6W1-g&t=180s

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

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Retiring Swings, Balls, Bats & Life

Voice of Prayer

Psalm 75: 1  We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.

Was sitting today viewing the backyard. Within that view I saw that trimmed birch tree with a swing hung up on a very short branch and seeing the affects of the wind blasting through the area. Have not seen such terrific wind for awhile and for this length of time. Yet here is that boisterous wind again, paying its call as it travels through this gorge.
 Was observing the swing our grand-daughter uses while here visiting and it hangs on protruding small branch that will hold it securely while not in use. For it surely that swing can be in the way when my husband makes his way pushing the mower all around the lawn  to shorten the grass so it looks more manicured. Yikes, I used the word manicured....wonder what that means!

Seriously, was remembering my days of those quiet swing "times" in the backyard and the trips my mother took my sister and I to the park that was not as quiet a time.  It was a captivating drive into that park, Mill Pond Park, and it had this water fall to the right of the roadway just past the swimming pool area.
My mother made her way into the parking area for cars, and we would get out, heading towards that noisy area! If it was laughter you were after, this was far from it!   Yeah, all that bickering for five swings was too much and the threats of knocking someone over was just too much. You know the one wanting the swing made the demand by walking closer & closer to high rising swing, and feet were prepared outward to strike or give a quick hit to that someone or at least push them backward. I did not want to observe some person, young or small, being knocked across the gravel into the merry-go-around. What fun would be in that?  Yeah, I moved over to the merry-go-round, only to find me pushing it for about ten other kids.

But was remembering those days of swings, baseball bats, hard balls, and  the life of those early days. Some called them "the lazy days of summer". I called them much too long for I liked being in school. Still, I liked baseball but not as much as my sister did. But you have probably read up on the writings I have had on her before this writing today. Continuing my thought process, I remember the last days of playing baseball with our daughter and niece.
They were probably about nine years old.  I remember we had a picnic somewhere and we had tennis rackets with us as well.  The area we were headed had tennis courts and a baseball field for any to use. But I only remember having the bat in hand and I could hit it a good distance. We would play for short time and allow the girls their time at bat. Was a good time, but even then, I thought that those days might be numbered.
Then the girls grew up. They married! And life continued but not with the bat and ball in hand nor of the trumpet or violin. To how much we desire to keep in our lives on this journey we truly must find that which pleases our Father God and within that relationship, love is needed. Oh no not for things, but for other people. Yes our girls respectively grew up and their lives changed dramatically. They serve the Lord. With gladness they speak of God's goodness and love.

Within our lives, we too, see change has come. Our grand-daughter loves the swing, but I sense it will be retired someday. Maybe she will trade her swing for that double one like her grandmother uses in the backyard. It is a swing made for two people.
Oh don't get me wrong here, she surely uses her swing right now for two: with dad and with mom when they are here! Yet one day she will take her place, that position that God planned for her to stand.
People should never retire from life! As productive human beings, being transformed into the image of Christ Jesus we should act and do as He did and still does. Life still gives, it always encourages and moves. In Christ we live and move and have our being.
Our confession has been to have a long life, that we grow up in years and not out of them. We pray and confess to see our grand-daughter married and with children of her own. We pray to be on this journey, my husband and I, together for a long time. It is about doing that for which our steps have been ordered by God to do here and now! It is not about putting off life till someone retires, but that we actively pursue life and knowing others doing life in God who desire us to really live.

We still purchase those bats and balls but not for us, but for others. We still put out that swing we remember from an earlier time, but hold on dearly to the joy and laughter that comes when one sits on that wooden seat and pushes off with one foot and then raising eyes to the sky!

No, we desire not to retire not at this time, at least not from life. We believe our bodies to be whole and strong, not sick or diseased for certainly these things do not exist in heaven. And heaven has come, the kingdom  Jesus set up here on earth! There stands two trees, both birch, in the backyard, and they had to be trimmed back due to the severe winter and ice that took many trees down.  In noticing the leaf growth on the two trees, one seems well behind the other. It has not put out as many numerous growths as the other birch!
The one with the swing, well it looks vibrant and has new growth sprouting every place it can. That tree has heard the words: beautiful tree, beautiful worship songs to God and heard life spoken over it. The other birch tree, well, it has no swing, it does not look quite as good as the other. It does not have as many new leaves as the other birch has. It has not heard the sounds of that sweet voice singing praise to God, giving thanks for all the good that has come to this house and to our grand-daughter. NO.....the other tree has not heard the beautiful life spoken to it.

As long as we have breath, we should be living, really living and giving our best in strength and courage. For where we give voice to life, and take the youth by the hand, we enjoy laughter, joy and  many moments from that swing that allows us to touch heaven and change our earth!


Notice: 

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Trickery ONLY Leads to Surviving and NOT Thriving

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdk_wBfH4QU

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

To be Immersed in The Holy Spirit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7eZ40jeVNE&t=4s

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

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