A Woman is to be Valued

A woman is to be valued. She is not the "plaything", an object or the lesser of a man, for God took of Adam a rib and formed Eve.
Yes, woman came from the vision of God and took a rib from man.
Read below:
Genesis 2:19-25
19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said,

"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called 'woman,'
for she was taken out of man."

24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.   NIV


Adam saw her, the bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh and he called her woman. Adam was to leave the leadership of his father and create a home for his wife. He was to cleave to her. He was to bring security to the woman. As they were to walk together, him leading, they would work together and build the home.
There was no shame (verse 25). With woman arriving on the scene,  the two would glorify God, but satan came to devalue the woman. He came in with intent to stop the glorification to God that man and wife would bring to the Father who created them.
She was to stand beside him, not behind him!

Genesis 3:1
3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"  NIV

The adversary just asked a question, "did God really say.............'you must not eat from any tree in the garden?"

And what did God really say?

Genesis 2:15-17
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."   NIV

And Eve, the woman spoke:

Genesis 3:2-3

2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"   NIV

Proverbs 31:10-12 Amplified Bible

10 a capable, intelligent and virtuous woman---who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.  11 The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil. 12 She comforts, encourages and does him only good as long as there is life within her.

Proverbs 31:17 Amplified Bible

17 She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.

Proverbs 31:25-31 Amplified Bible

25 Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it!] 26 She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction]. 27 She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity), she will not eat. 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her [saying], 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness], but you excel them all. 30 Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised! 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city]!

God has more for women. He desires to enrich their lives with the beauty of Who He is and to see them fulfill what He placed in their hearts when they were first formed in their mother's wombs.

When we have the golden threads of diligence, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.......every woman will be neither barren not unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Read below:

2 Peter 1:5-8.....NKJV......5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

The "virtuous" woman from Proverbs 31 put a foundation of knowing God under her. She walked and followed truth. She walked side by side with her husband as the intelligent, and she has the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness. 

There was a report out of Hollywood today, that there are just as many women as men who study to be directors of films and movies. They (women) study all aspects of the field, and yet there are very, very few women considered to direct any movie. They have the credentials, yet they fall short in the eyes of the men in the same field. They are not considered "the qualified".

That is why I love God and His Word. I love His justice and how He makes our paths level and straight. We can plan our futures, but our best is that which God planned for us. A woman is not merely a homemaker and should not be considered to be the "all" in the field of homemaker.

God created the garden of Eden.........brought forth the animals and had Adam name them all! In that moment as well, He brought forth Adam a helpmate. No where do I read that she was to clean toilets everyday and cook that bacon up in a pan. It is a 50-50 thing. Each has what they bring to the table. But if the husband has brought what his family raised him to add nothing but some guy thing, and told him in regards to family and cooking, and work...within that home is just women's work is badly mistaken. One can see why so many families fall apart. Marriage is work and it takes both parties to want to maintain a family and look to the reward of seeing Grand-children and Great-grandchildren grow and become what God planned for them as well. It is a "team work effort" and every one fills a role!

Spend some months reading Proverbs 31. Look into that which God showed as an example of that woman who seeks and loves God. Spend time filling your heart what you really look like!

God did not plan for a woman to be the pin-up of the month. He planned her to walk along side and be just as productive as the man. In the woman, is a beautiful and delightful deposit of God Himself. In her heart is what He purposed for her. It takes a real man of God to uncover that beauty that God placed there in the "woman's heart". Taking from his rib, He took that which would or should be closest to his heart. It was to be a fellowship and unity held together as one.

 But satan devised other plans. The thing is, satan directed it to be played out that God would receive no credit and no praise for the man and woman He created. But God!

Woman had fallen through the cracks. And in the coming of Jesus, we read how it took time to talk with them and tell them what was next.

They knew Jesus, the Friend. He restored women back to that of virtue and christian devotion. (Luke 7:37-50)  Women rejoiced when He blessed their children ( Mark 10:13-16) and when He had raised "the dead". (see Luke 7:12-15)

The women in the Bible at the time of Jesus were those who stepped out to see change come. They chose to be clothed in the beauty and simplicity of the character of Jesus Christ. They exchanged their low estate, and a life of paganism......to worship God,  to see their families cared for, their spiritual life nourished in the words of Jesus and be transformed to live lives that still speak today. 

For the agonies, the pain and activity of today is set on degrading women and bringing them lower than dirt is not good and is not of God.

We stand together as women, created by God to speak out in faith, "enough is enough". We speak out that our daughters and their daughters will be looked to in high esteem. We believe for the purity of women to be seen, that women will be seen as those with an undaunted heroism to speak out against injustices to women. May we not shrink in fear, but be bold and show that we are the ever loyal to Christ Jesus. It is in HIM, we live and move and have our being. May we rise and take our place. Not with less clothes and spiked heels, but with a virtue that others will see. May we be those who will desire to be a Christian, to receive Jesus as Lord.
May women rise to honor the King. May they be clothed in His beauty, speak with His wisdom and love others that way He does! Shine Jesus in the hearts YOU know of those Who ARE YOURS!

See other blogs pertaining to women: Standing in Line:Order, Order, Order
Love By Subduing, What?

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Notice:

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Faith Without Borders: The Experience of Our Faith

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

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Willing to Ask God to Blot Your Name Out of His Book

Exodus 32:31-35
31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin--but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written."

33 The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin."

35 And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.  NIV

Now they were talking about the book of Life. And Moses asked God to forgive them for their sin, in creating for themselves a golden calf to worship. But God spoke, and He asked Moses to lead the people to the place He had told him to take them. And God said His angel, will go before them. That angel was Jesus.  God continued, when it comes time to punish them, I will punish them for their sin.
Instantly, He struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf, and yes at the hands of the priest Aaron.

When we look back up to Exodus 32 and verses 1-2......we find the people gathering around the priest Aaron and  complaining. They had seen Moses delayed from coming down the mountain. They now wanted to make up their "own gods" because we do not know where this man was at who brought them out.
Exodus 32:1-2
32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."   NKJV

Oh, how quickly people forget what God has done for them!


Exodus 32:7-10
7 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!' " 9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! 10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."   NKJV



God tells him to get down the mountain quickly for "your people", whom you brought out of Egypt have corrupted themselves. God told him that they had worshiped it and sacrificed to it...........speaking  "this is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" And God told him that He would bring wrath upon them, that which would burn hot that He may consume them, and make Moses a great "nation"!

 In Exodus 32:11-24 we find Moses pleading with LORD his God. "LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

It is interesting that in verse 12, Moses is speaking about the Egyptians left in Egypt.......why have them speak evil of God. Moses speaks this then: 

  "Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.' " 14 So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people. 

Moses had to have had some kind of heart for these people. He was trying to persuade God to relent. He was asking God? Would we be willing to pray for another, who continually got into mischief and much wrong-dong as well?

15 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. 16 Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets. 17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp." 18 But he said: 

"It is not the noise of the shout of victory,

Nor the noise of the cry of defeat,

But the sound of singing I hear."

Yes, Moses knew this group of people even in their multitude and heard their singing. And Joshua, his servant, heard as well!

19 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses' anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it. 21 And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?" 22 So Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, 'Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' 24 "And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.' So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out."  NKJV

Moses now is very angry with the people. He has cast the tablets (ten commandments) onto the ground at the foot of the mountain. Moses asks Aaron about what they did and he willingly told him, that the people are set on evil. He told Moses that they wanted him to make them "the gods who would go before them."

Aaron had not restrained the people ( verse 25) who were running around "naked" or better stated they were stripped of their dignity. Ever seen anyone who has acted in this manner?


  Moses who then stood at the entrance of the camp said,  "Whoever is on the LORD's side, come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

Unity is always important for the "right thing". Are we held together by the Word of God to obey?
Are we not to live by justice and righteousness that Jesus delivered to us?

27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' " 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother." 

By verse 30, we see Moses speaking on the next day to the people......... "You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." 31 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin--but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."

Luke 10:20
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
NIV

33 And the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. 34 Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin." 

35 So the LORD plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.
NKJV

No, no man could stop what they had in serving sin and creating for themselves a calf of gold.

Punishment always comes from sin. It grows just like a plant or a tree grows. The more one gives into doing the sin, it becomes of great size in a person.
People are known by their deeds.

Luke 6:43-45

43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn-bushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. 

NIV

Amplified speaks this: 43 For there is no good (healthy) tree that bears decayed (worthless, stale) fruit, no on the other hand does a decayed (worthless, sickly) tree bear good fruit. 44 For each is known and identified by its own fruit, for figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor is a cluster of grapes picked from a bramblebush. 45 The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks.

Aaron was to be "in charge" when Moses was not there. But he was "weak". He held no authority and came under the same name of evil as the rest, yet he chose to blame them, the people! Evil will kill, steal and destroy you. It holds no mercy or regard. Those who practice in it, find themselves with more than they bargained for. It is like those who leave home, live in the world, in the world's ways.......leaving home healthy but return home sick with a disease that is finding it's way into those lives of people who rather throw "caution to the wind."

Moses felt responsible since they were in his "keeping". And was willing to ask God to blot out his name out of the book of Life. Would we desire to do that? No, everyone wants to go to heaven, but all will not go to heaven. All would like to participate in the things of God and have good every day, but rather they choose to serve themselves. YIKES!

Moses had those removed who did not want to be on the LORD'S Side! Those on that side were those who wanted to follow God. Though the road look less traveled, wilderness and solitude many miles from any form of civilization, yet surrounded by a least a million or two million people. Still, God could not have the sacrifice of Moses for man's sin.

It is God who decides judgement. Our part is to pray and speak a blessing on all who are "made in His image". The sacrifice was taken by Jesus. 

Roman 6:8-10

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 

NIV

Hebrews 9:11-15

11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 

NIV

1 Peter 4:7-11

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.  NIV

We must be the clear minded and the self-controlled to pray.
We are to love our neighbors and when we see them do something we may not understand, we certainly pray for them. May the very words we speak be those of God that is in love. May we serve others in the strength that God provides and in all that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.

For we may have our moments with an "Aaron" but our Shepherd is Jesus. Our hearts are to hold His thoughts and purposes for us and for others. In expressing love to others may we always remember that love covers a multitude of sins. For the end of all things is near.

Can we lead our family and stay in obedience to the Lord? Do we follow the pattern that He laid down for us to follow?
Those who came out of Egypt were following the things that would ultimately lead back to Egypt! We are to be transformed in the renewing of our minds. We are to have that daily dose of God's word that HOLDS US IN PLACE.......SO that we fear not, but walk in faith by believing, trusting, adhering and understanding His ways and His thoughts. His ways are not burdensome, but a delight!

1 John 5:3-5
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
NKJV

In closing: Moses was an Old Testament Apostle. In his relationship with God, God had given him a plan to produce a community. He was to lead them, out of slavery and to regain freedom. They needed to be delivered from themselves. Moses had heart for the nation. He suffered through their unbelief. In his life to minister God to them: he had to pull rubbish, and much debris out of their hearts to see what God had wanted. Even more than that though, Moses kept his relationship with God. He had kept the voice of God, by keeping covenant with the Father Who gave it!
We too, give voice to leading our children and grand-children back to the Father of the Covenant through Jesus Christ. But even more, we reach those who desire to be sons, who desire to hear and receive the blessing that was promised. A lot of idolatry worship was in Israel, but Moses sought to deliver them and give voice in establishing governmental foundation to them.

Father, our beginnings are in You. In the name of Jesus......we know You have given us Your Holy Spirit and according to John 3:34,35 " for since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God's own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit!" The Father loves the Son and has given (entrusted, committed) everything into His hand." By this Holy word, You gave to us Your Holy Spirit without measure. We loose Him into our lives. It was for order and righteousness that You set up Your kingdom. When Your Word is given to us O Lord, we pray You are seated on the throne of our hearts to help us receive that which is not only truth but power to prevail. For Jesus the Prophet prevailed to gain for us the victory we need to have a fruitful life of power in HIM. Help us to speak against evil, and any oppression against the weak. It is YOUR Word that brings restoration back to our lives in harmonizing with YOU! Help us to dig through any accumulation of that which was done away when we received Jesus, knowing that Christ dwells in our hearts through our faith. Help us to be those [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, being the fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God's people) the width and length and height and depth of His love and come to know through personal experience the love of of Christ which far surpasses mere knowledge, that we be filled throughout our being to all the fullness of God [so that we may have the richest experience of God's presence in our lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself. Amen.
(Amplified Bible:Ephesians 3:17-19)


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

The Love that We Share

Psalm 90:14
O satisfy us with Your mercy and loving-kindness
in the morning [now, before we are older], that we may
rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad in proportion to the days in which
You have afflicted us and to the years in which we have
suffered evil.
16 Let Your work [the signs of Your power] be revealed to
Your servants; and Your [glorious] majesty to their children.
17 And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord
our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands--
yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.

In this Psalm we are directed to prayer!
I always hear my husband pray for our meals, and over our family, home and that which God has given to us as in the job (finances), a vehicle for driving to work, a place to attend church to worship our God and especially that extra time to have with our grandchild and family. We plan to come together with our love ones at different times during the year. But it was just over the weekend, I heard my husband speak, "the love that we share".

I told my husband that is important for the love we all share for the Lord, binds us together. In thinking and praying on this for today, I was brought back to Moses who prayed this for the whole of those who would ultimately die in the wilderness. There were many who were not going into the Promised Land. And Moses prayed a prayer.
Take a look back at the entire prayer in Psalm 90 and think on the wilderness, and the surroundings. The only people were those they had known in Egypt. Moses had brought them out of bondage under the leading of the Lord. Moses had obeyed to do what the Lord showed him to do in his connecting with Pharaoh, to the plagues, and to ultimately bring them all out. Moses prayed from what we read here from Psalm 90...and verse 11-12...."Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of you, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

In dealing with people, as to living around large volumes of people, and being in contact with many different ethnic groups ( men and women alike) we are to have a love that can only come through knowing Jesus and His love. It is having the wisdom of God.  Like Moses and his leadership ability, much was gained by hearing and obeying God and His directions. He had much to contend with and mostly was due to a people who were "slaves" to their own thinking, their lack, their depending on making bricks, and not looking for the "new" to life!
If we take note and look back for a moment we can see that which Moses probably saw for all that was recorded. Persecution was to come, and it came in the Garden of Eden. In all that was recorded and we can read here in the Holy Bible, we can see Cain kill his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8), Ham the son of Noah, mocked Noah (Genesis 8:20-23). We also see in the time of Isaac the son of Abraham being mocked by Ishmael.(Genesis 21:8-10)
8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac." NIV

 Esau had wanted to kill his own brother Jacob. (Genesis 27:41-42)
41 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob." 42 And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, "Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you.
NKJV
And we come back to that of Joseph who was the exalted in Egypt and became the deliverer to bring food to a people and a famished land. Forgiveness!

It was by harassment and bitter hate that Joseph was given over into a pit, to become a slave and become the deliverer for his family and many others in a time of severe famine. It was in that love he had for them all, the ability to forgive, that allowed him to move forward in live and see a life that was beautified by the glory of the Lord.

We see Joseph as the fourth son of Jacob. It was the not the first son or the second son of Jacob, but the fourth who played such a great role in the history. Yet, the tribes are all important in the foundation of the family of God and those who would follow.

Yes, the love that we share.

We may not understand the thinking of some we come in contact with, but surely God gives us wisdom to understand our fellow man or fellow woman!

In Matthew 25 we find this: 34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God, appointed to eternal salvation], inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me [with help and ministering care]; I was in prison and you came to me [ignoring personal danger].

37 The the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?"

40 the King will answer and say to them, ' I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it for Me.' 41 "Then He will say to those on His left, 'Leave Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (demons);42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me [with help and ministering care]' 44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, ' Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?"

45 Then He will reply to them, ' I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these [my followers], you did not do it for Me.' 46 Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [ will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life." Amplified Bible

Now in all my years of hearing and being taught, I always heard this as for doing for those who are lacking, sick and without........anybody.. especially those you did not know.......BUT.......never heard it as verse 45 speaks..............the "followers" of Jesus. Now that takes or makes a shift in another direction.
Let's see, if we start in the "home", are we seeing after ........say not only those within our home, but what about those who live far away and maybe alone?  (you know a relative) What about those who are the saved, and in need of some help and  ministering care?
It is interesting that the whole chapter is talking about two kinds of people. In light of the teaching, we see people who are to be lights to the world. As the Gospel is presented to us, we too, look for those outlets to minister that same light to others. It begins within us and then to others. It begins in our character of that which we boast. Is our boast in the Lord or in our own goodness and  what you might do for me?

Let's look first in the home: as the spouse, do we look out after our spouse? Do we see where we might help them in their day, in their work, or around the home? Will we see after them when they are not well, see after them when they are not around.......say, like at the work place? Then do we help in the way of laundry, doing dishes, or maybe planning and preparing a meal, the wife usually prepares. How about taking the "kids" to school even though they ride the bus? What if we took some extra time to show those of the house of God, those "followers" of Jesus we care about them even when they are not around!
To that spouse, do we say........"I appreciate you". "Thanks for all you do to help me!"? Do we take time to text them that message of how important they are to us? Will we take time to mend a favorite shirt, a little girl's princess dress, or how about designing something of ribbon over a neckpiece for earbuds that you do not use, but is a help to another? What about calling someone to invite them out for dinner with your family?
Then the "follower" of Jesus you go to church with, will you invite them over for a holiday? If they are alone most of the time, what if we had them come for dinner on Sunday or maybe a barbeque on Friday evening?

There are all kinds of harassment going on right now! One surely has a view whether on the roadway, in a mall, at school or in the workplace. At some point today in a given moment someone is being bombarded by those who will hate and harass, and seek their own agenda. But ours is suppose to be that like Jesus........and to love no matter what.
I believe that the Psalm 90 that Moses prayed for those who would die in the wilderness was a prayer for any who live out their lives in knowing nothing but slavery, although God has the way through His mercy and grace. I believe he desired the children of these people to see and know of the miraculous that their God had done for them in that wilderness. Yes many died there. But many went into the Promised Land to see and know more of God. Our choice is choosing that which is or should resemble Moses that he cared for those given into his hand for keeping watch. They brought a lot of heartache and much time in prayer to Moses for them.

In our coming in and our going out, may we speak with peace to others with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May we speak grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. It is the Lord Who gives grace to the humble!
May we respect those who work hard and who is over us in the Lord and who admonishes us. (2 Thessalonians 5:13-24)  In close encounters with family and those of the family of God, we desire to hold each in the highest regard in love because of his work.  We pray to be those that would encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone making sure nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Praying for those of the body of Christ to be joyful always (verse 16) to pray continually (verse 17) to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus.
Today, may we, "the beloved" build ourselves up on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit and to keep ourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. To guard and keep ourselves in the love of God, expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) which will bring us unto life eternal. And refute [so as to] convict some who dispute with you ( or us) and on some have mercy who waiver and doubt. We strive to save others, snatching [them] out of the fire; on others take pity [but] with fear, loathing even the garment spotted by the flesh and polluted by their sensuality. [Zechariah 3:2-4) It is to the one only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord be the glory (splendor), majesty, might and dominion and power and authority, before all time and now and forever (unto all ages of eternity). FOR IT IS THE LOVE THAT WE SHARE!  Amen. (so be it.) Amplified


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

Who is PLOTTING TO KILL JESUS? or I WAS AFRAID!

Who is plotting to kill Jesus?
Anyone who wants their own way, who wants to live as much in sin as they can today, and who will not receive that He is the Son of God.....the sent One!

Luke 22:66-71
66 As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, 67 "If You are the Christ, tell us." But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe. 68 And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go. 69 Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God." 70 Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?" So He said to them, "You rightly say that I am." 71 And they said, "What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth."
NKJV

Recognizing truth should be simple. But today we see many wanting to compromise their faith. I like what I heard yesterday of a pastor down in San Diego, California. He said too many believer's are stepping aside in those things which contradict God's Word. Too many, are not speaking out when they should be saying something against that which contradicts.
I never read of Jesus stepping aside.......when anyone was contradicting..........!
Truth was before the chief priests and scribes as they held "their council" and yet none believed. But the scripture would be fulfilled..........

Luke 9:20-22
20 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

Peter answered, "The Christ of God."

21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."               NIV

Matthew 12:9-21

9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"--that they might accuse Him. 11 Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 13 Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. 

15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 

18 "Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen,

My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 

19 He will not quarrel nor cry out,

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 

20 A bruised reed He will not break,

And smoking flax He will not quench,

Till He sends forth justice to victory; 

21 And in His name Gentiles will trust."          NKJV

Even the prophet Isaiah spoke that Jesus would declare justice to the Gentiles and they would put their trust in Him. Yet, Israel would not relent. They did not want the carpenter's son.  They were plotting to kill Him......or destroy Him.......verse 14!

John 11:45-57

45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation." 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. 53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples. 55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, "What do you think--that He will not come to the feast?" 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.   NKJV

Yes, even in Jesus' time we see those of the "me" society. They wanted to keep their preeminence with their long robes, and their loud open prayers in public for all to see, so that they might remain somewhat "important" to their thinking. But God sent His Son to bring love to a dying nation. And they would not receive it.  Even those as the crowd who saw many wonderful signs and wonders had remarks as the one below.

Luke 19:1-10

19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'" 

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." 

9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."   NIV

Yikes! These who saw gave up to mutter things about Zacchaeus.........the sinner and how Jesus was going to the house of the "sinner".

Now we can see from the Gospels of those plotting against Jesus, but I would like you to walk back into Genesis with me and read what Adam told God.


Genesis 3:6-10
 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. 8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" 10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."   NKJV

Now what did Adam say after he and his wife Eve ate the apple?

Let's see: their eyes were opened. They now knew "sin". They were trying to cover themselves so as not to be seen as those who did something wrong. Then...........they heard the sound of the LORD........God walking in the garden. Adam and Eve hid in their sin. They were no longer considering themselves among God's family.

Then God asks: "Where are you?" And Adam responds" I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."  Adam does not mention Eve at all in this, as he is so consumed with the sinning against God. And he was afraid when he heard God's voice in the garden.

Can you imagine that these were probably the saddest words that God would hear? That Adam spoke of being afraid when he heard God's voice in the garden. 

Adam had heard His voice............knew God spoke always in truth..........and now was experiencing what sin meant to someone who had lived in the presence of God! He felt separated, apart from God and left in knowing its affect on him.

How many times have we gone into a service and did not like what the pastor or another was speaking from either the pulpit or just in front of a group of people? How many know that when we are afraid and blame the person who spoke God's Word is not the bad guy, and is not the bad "messenger" who is sent by God. The person who is playing the blame game is the one who is afraid of the Word of God being spoken to them. They try to put up that "wall" that facade (fe' sad) that is just a covering, a mask, an act to cover what is really going on in their life.

These scribes and pharisees sought out Jesus. They plot to do away with Him. They were afraid of truth! Yet, God used all this to fulfill those prophecies of Jesus. He came and they did not see Him, did not receive Him and therefore sought to do away with the Prince of peace.

Luke 20:17-19
17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written:

"'The stone the builders rejected 
has become the capstone'? 

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.  NIV

In closing: consider this, that Peter and John too faced the same things that Jesus faced when He walked in Jerusalem............

Acts 4:1-21
4:1 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'  12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name." 18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.  NKJV

Now is not the time to step aside, and let those who think they are right because they believe a "lie". Eyes certainly need to be opened to truth. That truth is found in the Bible. Paul had warned of a time......and that the "time will come when [believers] will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." ( 2 Timothy 4:3-4)  As the body of believer's we must keep close intimacy with the Lord, and keep that Word before our eyes that keeps us on that straight and narrow path of life.

I like what Steve Hill, Evangelist wrote in " The 7 Great Lies in the Church Today"........"Don't just go through the Word: let the Word go through you. Why are we so afraid in the godless generation to confront fallacies?"

Jesus stood for truth. He was sent to bring restoration to the fallen man. He came to set captives free and to see that the Father desired His family: the sons of God! We come to that place when we believe. Being renewed in our hearts and mind to truth. We are not to live like in our past.........."in the good 'ole days" but by putting on the new man, created in His likeness that is true righteousness and holiness. Live in Christ's love. Our lives should certainly be the fragrant aroma of worship to the Lord and not to ourselves or the "me" society.
I like what my pastor said the other day..........and it is so true. " A cursed tree cannot produce anything but death." 
God's way will always produce in us that of life and holiness.......that speaks wisdom and declares glory to God! Amen.



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

MUDDY BOOTS??

Mark 1:35-39
35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.

36 Simon and his companions searched for Him;

37 they found Him, and said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."

38 He said to them, "Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for."

39 And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.
NASU


In the early morning hours, while still dark outside, Jesus got up........left the warm bed and maybe that comfortable chair...... to go to a secluded place AND PRAY!

WE ARE TOLD, Simon and companions searched for Him. And yes, they found Him........and told Him how others were looking for Him. But Jesus said, "Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for."

And He went. He went into synagogues all throughout Galilee. He was preaching and casting out demons.

Jesus was the devoted! He was devoted to His Father and to the call!

Devotion: being faithful and loyal......surrender to being taught, and find trust in .......as in maturing in the things of God, being the consistent, and expecting to grow in faith

Colossians 2:6-8

6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 

7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.   NASU

Yes, that tradition of men is Muddy Water and can bring on our walk in Muddy Boots!
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world ......rather than according to Christ.

Prayer was certainly foremost in Jesus' day to day life. We can find Him coming down the mountain or going up to the quiet place to pray. Sometimes we saw Him go in the evening and still pray in the morning. He was devoted to speaking with His Father. He needed to know some things as well as we need to know some things concerning the day and hour we live in.

Jesus took the opportunities to correct when correction was needed. He no doubt asked questions as the Scribes and Pharisees asked Him questions. As we see in scripture below; we see Jesus talk with the disciples about "not one stone here will be left on another. every one will be thrown down."

 In all that, Jesus warned of a coming day where the future for Israel would be far from bright and rosy. All their security would be gone. He gave them a time-line of a span of some forty years......and what the outcome would be.

Mark 13:1-8
13:1 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

2 "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

5 Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.    NIV

The prophet was speaking, and He was speaking what the Father had shown Him by the Holy Spirit. Those that feel that they are.......... the separated, those greater than any other, whether in nations or even in those churches, will and can see what can happen when faith is put into man and nation and not into God and His Word.

We may be able to feed the nations, but where is our true devotion? Where is our heart really? Is it found in God and with God or is in "how great we are" and see I fed another nation this week.   Just because this nation was found on biblical truths, does not mean we are the secure. This nation has surely moved away from God and from His plan. But even a few could pray and keep seeking........a few could ........keep burning that midnight oil and see God come through for a nation who have come to the point of forgetting about Him.

Revelation 3:7-13

These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": 8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '      NKJV

Do we know without a doubt, He is with us, walking with us, or have we muddied our marching boots into man's religion and attending services that only serve man? Surely church is boring if we just do the same "ole thing" and expect to be entertained all the time.

In praying the last few weeks over the situations going on in this nation, I always think of the "Emperor's New Clothes". And I thought how everyone was in agreement about the Emperor and the deception which had taken place, yet no one wanted to speak up, but only the child.

I remember my mother reading the book to me: "The Emperor's New Clothes". It was a short story written by Hans Christian Andersen. Of course, it was the tale of an emperor needing a new suit of clothes. Well, the two weavers had promised that this kind was invisible to those who were the unfit for their position. Remember those weavers worked with nothing on their looms.  The "old minister" was sent to check how the weavers were doing. But alas, he saw nothing. Of course, he thought himself as either the stupid or one who was unfit for the position he held. And of course, all the folks agreed with the deceitful weavers that the new clothes were of beautiful pattern and colors. Although this Emperor paraded before the subjects naked, no one says a thing. It was the young child who cries out......."But he isn't wearing anything at all!" And of course, the Emperor paraded on, even though there was really no train to carry from behind the naked man!

How is God seeing us? Are we the clothed, with the breastplate of righteous of God?
Or are we those in His eyes which are the miserable, blind and naked".........yikes!

God desires the relationship ........it is in His love and by His grace. Jesus was not the relaxed in the short while He was here on earth.  He certainly went where He needed to go and He went there in prayer. He went having the relationship to see truth, and speak against any deceptions in the land at the time. If we are the body of Christ, now is not the time to relax............let down our hair and party like there is no tomorrow.  Certainly the Jew's of Jesus' day felt secure. They kept eating and drinking and having merriment. But within some forty years Rome had reduced Jerusalem to that pile of rubble where Jesus said that not one stone would remain on another. Jesus witnessed to His disciples the importance of  spending time with God. He spoke with love, peace and words that were to correct a nation that was quickly moving away from God. So too, our relationship should be one where we truly know the will of God and that comes from a close, daily fellowship. We too, can know the mind and will of God when we place our faith and trust in the one who came to set us free from the bondage of slavery. Truly God is for us, and He delights to give us those righteous desires. They come when we truly trust, truly believe and doubt not, that Jesus is the Son of God. Amen.

2 Timothy 3:13-17
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  NKJV


Hebrews 11:32-39
32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated- 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.     NIV

May our names too, be found in the halls of Faith! May we leave traditions of men behind, and be the devoted like Jesus, find our place and believe by faith that we will take hold of the future God has purposed for us..........."something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." Amen.

Now faith is the assurance ( the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
For by [faith----trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.

Father, thank You .....because You had us in mind and had something better and greater in view for us, so that they [those heroes and heroines of faith] should not come to perfection apart from us [before we join them]. Thank You for Jesus who is the greatest example of the faithful to stand against tradition....those things created by man..........and boldly speak Your Words of spirit and truth. We pray to be those willingly submitted to time of prayer........in devotion time with You to hear those truths we need to face all of our tomorrows. May we be found doing that faithful walk, a communing with You daily and hear You speak what we really need to know before Christ's return to earth. We know time is so short!  We pray for those around the world to pick that devotion time with God.........to find peace in the shelter of the Almighty and please YOU our Father as we do the work of the ministry. O merciful Father (God), help us not exchange the truth of God for a lie, and worship and serve the created things rather than You, our Creator.......who is forever praised. (Romans 1:25) It is in Jesus' name we pray and believe, and trust. Amen.

Continue our Faith Series: Earthly Good and Heaven Bound, Too!


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