Not Running After Evil but Pursuing Peace

 

Psalm 1: 1-3  Amplified Bible  1 Blessed (Happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purpose], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest], where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. 2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].

 Avoiding the Path of Wicked brings blessings from God.: Romans 6:23 Amplified Bible 23 For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through ( in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.

  Loving Life and Happiness: 1 Peter 3:10-12 Amplified Bible 10 For let him who wants to enjoy life and see good days [good---whether apparent or not] keep his tongue free from evil and his lips from guile ( treachery, deceit).11 Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; un-disturbedness from fears; agitating passion and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them! 12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), and His ears are attentive to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who practice evil [ to oppress them, to frustrate them, and defeat them].

We are so well-connected yet people are lonely…From verse 11: “do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, & with yourself, but pursue, go after them!” You and I are to have peace with ourselves.

1.   Philippians 4:4 reminds us to rejoice in the Lord: Philippians 4:4 in the Amp. Bible 4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

2.   Happiness is being in the blessed state given by God: Jeremiah 17:7-8 Blessed is the man who trust in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear (see) when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the ear of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.

3.   Jeremiah 17:7-8 Amplified Bible 7 [Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, not shall it cease yielding fruit.

Isaiah 59:7-9  Amplified Bible  7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths and highways. 8 The way of peace they know not, and there is no justice or right in their goings. They have made them into crooked paths; whoever goes in them does not know peace. 9 Therefore are justice and right far from us, and righteousness and salvation do not overtake us. We expectantly wait for light, but [only] see darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity and gloom.

1.   Mischief , those evil deeds will keep God’s blessings from coming to us

2.   Their actions, those running to evil, prove out what they are speaking

3.   In verse 8…..Truth is opposed, and there is not any that pleads for it,…people bent toward destruction with no peace…all their paths are crooked

4.     The way of peace is as little regarded as the way of truth; they know it not, that is, they never study the things that make for peace, no care is taken to prevent or punish the breaches of the peace and to accommodate matters in difference among neighbors;

5.   Being strangers to quiet and peaceable, their lives dictate and affect that which amounts to the blustering and turbulent.

6.   In their ambitious drives, whether for protesting or riots… usually some kind of  hurt comes  to others as to breaking up other people’s businesses or livelihood, robbing from them and breaking out windows or doorways,  but can never do any real service or kindness to themselves by them.

7.   In the walk of their life, they present sin

 

Proverbs 1:15-16 Amp. Bible 15 My son, do not walk in the way with them; restrain your foot from their path; 16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

 Remember Our Salvation:  Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. NKJV

1.   Narrow 2346 means thlibo…… thlee-bo …to crowd with tribulation or trouble

2.   So the gate has obstacles

3.   Saved by grace through faith :Ephesians 2:8 Amplified Bible 8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s. salvation ) through [your]faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving]. But it is the gift of God.

 

Exercising Faith: we walk, we work throughout the process of our growth within God’s purpose

1.   Our salvation is the finished work of Jesus Christ; If laziness is a part of us, then that we cannot overcome that which Jesus overcame at the Cross. To take it by faith, is we receive it in the spirit and confess and believe till it is manifested in this moment of time of which we exist.

2.   In respect to being the lazy person, and not overcoming in our faith walk, though still in God’s kingdom, yet we will fail to reap the rewards of God’s promises to over-comers!

3.   Revelations 12:10-11 NKJV 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before or God day and night, has been cast down. 11”And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

 

The Word of Their Testimony: Testimony against Sickness, Testimony Against the label of “special education”, Against the label “Dyslexia”

God’s Word is to be held up against the sickness, the attack against you!

God’s Word directs our steps into His goodness, His peace, and we prosper!

God’s Word is peace to our hearts.  We are to Rejoice and be glad……..not because of the bad report BUT BECAUSE Jesus gave His life to take the ugly thing from my life, that which was sin and death!      

                                              

(Paul speaks of a group of believer’s the Thessalonians)  Salvation and Thanksgiving: 1 Thessalonians 1: 2- 5; 8-9 Amplified Bible  We are ever giving thanks to God for all of you, continually mentioning [you when engaged] in our prayers. 3 Recalling unceasingly before our God and Father your work energized by faith and service motivated by love and unwavering hope in the [return of] our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) 4 [O] brethren beloved by God, we recognize and know that he has selected (chosen )you; 5 For our [preaching of the ] glad tidings (the Gospel) came to you not only in word, but also in [its own inherent] power and in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction and absolute certainty [on our part]. You know what kind of men we proved [ourselves] to be among you for your good.

8 for not only has the Word concerning and from the Lord resounded forth from you unmistakably in Macedonia and Achaia, but everywhere the report has gone forth of your faith in God [ of your leaning of your whole personality on Him in complete trust and confidence in His power, wisdom and goodness]. So we [find that we] never need to tell people anything [further about it].

9For they themselves volunteer testimony concerning us, telling what an entrance we had among you, and how you turned to God from [your] idols to serve a God Who is alive and true and genuine.

 

We are to Grow into what He is: Appear alive--Appear true--Appear the genuine---Appearing in His glory and to His praise!

 Romans 5:1 NKJV Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

God’s grace defines for us His generosity and His love toward us! The sinful man should not return, for we should know the goodness of God and His favor for us. Knowing God is becoming to know who we are in Him and through Him. Love should start in us 1^st and forgiveness should begin within us and our hearts. Not only forgiving those who  have hurt us in some way, shape or form. Someone has broken our hearts when they failed us, but knowing we too as the individual are human and subject to error.

 

 Our salvation is to influence others. Salvation speaks of the things Christ Jesus obtained for us at the Cross! In that salvation we have redemption. We are redeemed from the old man to live out new born again experience that is God, of life, truth and love!

These in 1 Thessalonians 1:8-9 had left behind that which they were educated in of the false and obtained the true inheritance that comes to those who walk after God, receive His instruction and continually seek to look like Him and act like Him!

Unwavering in their love and their hope of Christ’s return, they made the message known to others, declared their loyalty to their Lord God and walked the walk of the one alive unto God! Colossians 2: 13 And you who were dead in trespasses and in the un-circumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought  to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us all our transgressions.

 Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice, v. 4.   Our thoughts of God must be delightful thoughts. Delight thyself in the Lord (Psalm 37:4), In the multitude of our thoughts within us (grievous and afflicting thoughts) his comforts delight our souls (Psalm 94:19), Our meditation of him is sweet, Ps 104:34. . We must not think the worse of him or of his ways for the hardships we meet with in his service. There is enough in God to furnish us with joy in the worst circumstance on earth.  We should have the continual feast of God’s word, and if we do not, then it is our fault that we are not in His joy and peace!

To be free of bondage, we must take the word, speak it out by faith, pull it from the spirit and into the present moment and see it manifested for all our days, then we are truly alive unto God and giving others a view to heaven on earth….

 

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Mistakes in the Bible!?!

Mistakes in the bible: yes, I have seen them like Adam who chose with his wife to sin against God. Those who choose to go without God throughout their lifetime become mistakes, not in how they were created for purpose in God, but how they aligned themselves with the world and created to alienate themselves from the truth and life in God!

Heard this morning that two drivers were killed on one highway, the northbound roadway, yet one driver was on the wrong roadway, driving in the wrong direction and hit another vehicle who was actually going the right way to head toward Vancouver, Washington. Sad but true, this happens in the Portland and Vancouver area all too often.  What direction is the accurate and true to go or arrive at the “specific” destination where life and truth are seen and lived out?

Might Adam and Eve in their thinking after finding fig leaves to cover themselves, speak, “ we will just hide from God and be fine. We can stay among these coverings and God will not question us”! Yes, God knew their condition and it could not continue within His presence. People long for the great accolades when giving what they believe to be as an arduous endeavor, but those aligning with the world will find only heartache, loss and death. You cannot feed yourself on false hopes expecting God to pass you through when you fail to recognize His will is life for you and you act outside of that!

Just like on the roadway, two different vehicles traveling, each heading for a destination, but not reading the warnings and going onto a freeway that is northbound only you will find someone on the same path expecting to go northbound but find someone coming toward you from the opposite direction. Following directions will bring life but avoiding it will bring only death. We must never presume God’s grace or take it for granted. We must always be the fervent people to seek and to submit to the will of God in order to be in His kingdom!

 Matthew 19:16-18 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” 17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God. But if you want to enter  into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,”

Yes, there it is in the written word of God: you shall not bear false witness! And did we not know that is written as the ninth commandment of God found in Exodus 20:16: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Matthew 5:37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes” and your ‘No’, ‘No’. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. So in believing truth and holding onto truth, celebration of Christ should be sometime during mid Sept to mid October and not in December. For outside of God is considered pagan. And paganism is of the evil one: is a total lie of the devil and is from the father of that lie: John 8:44 You are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do, He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

 

We depend on Christ in our salvation. There is not one ounce of spirituality that we bring to the table! Jesus was and is the ultimate sacrifice, we are utterly bankrupt Matthew 5:3 blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Yes, spiritual poverty is a real thing indeed. Jesus on the cross gave up His body and by shedding His blood completely satisfied God’s requirement: Hebrews 10:12-14 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. He completely opened up the gates of heaven for anyone that would believe in Him. (John 3:16).

Whether you are the leader of your home or the pastor leading other believers, The Lord’s Supper’s is an opportunity to examine our hearts. As that leader one can be overwhelmed with the responsibility of shepherding souls. In truth, it is more than any human being can handle and can be impossible for humans to handle. James 2:4  …have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love Him?

It is worldly standards that tries to reveal the person or his true value! It can be hard to discern why people do what they do even when they are adults. We cannot see their hearts but God does. Certainly the disciples never expected Judas as not being saved. They had no idea that he would betray Jesus! They spent much time together, going from town to town to deliver the kingdom of God that Jesus held in His heart.

If our heart only holds what we desire, and forget what God spoke about not touching that one tree, then we are being our own leader without another for God! We are to be faith people! While writing on this today, I am reminded that David did not take the rule as king immediately when the Prophet Samuel anointed him with oil. David slew the giant, and then he had to steer completely away from king Saul who desired David to be gone. It was many years before David had a crown and the royal robes, but his heart held that of God and giving Him first place, David moved through the obstacles of life which included people!

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?---unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

It is not the opinion of men of whether you are approved, it is their right behavior that of the righteous man who does what is right behavior before God.

Adam and his wife did not keep the right behavior before God. They made an opinion and followed it after a lengthy talk with a “sneaky snake”.

Going back to the Old Testament, I am reminded of the prophet Micaiah who warns the king Ahab. Ahab is in battle with Syria and he enlists the help of Jehoshaphat  who ruled from the south. And Jehoshaphat wisely asks for counsel before going into battle. Now Ahab had gathered only prophets that would speak what he wanted to hear so he could continue doing things his way! But Jehoshaphat asks if another prophet is there for counsel. And yes, there is another prophet: Micaiah!

1 Kings 22: 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight or shall I refrain?” So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.” 7 And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?” 8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah ( Me—kaw---yeh---hoo’) the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”

 And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

 The king knows Me—kawy-yeh-hoo is giving the truthful word and he hates him for giving what he does not want to hear. Even in his wisdom, Jehoshaphat is reminding Ahab not to bad mouth the prophet!

 1 Kings 22: 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah( Me-kaw-yeh-hoo’) the son of Imlah quickly!” 10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.  11 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah (Ken- ah-an –aw) had made some horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus said the LORD: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.”

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead & prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the king’s hand.” 13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah ( Me-kaw-yeh-hoo’) spoke to him saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.

 Me-kaw-yeh-hoo…is being told that his word was to match that of the false prophets….and one which would bring or speak encouragement.

 1 Kings 22:14 And Micaiah (Me-kaw-yeh-hoo’)  said, “As the LORD lives, whatever the LORD says to me, that I will speak.”  15 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, Micaiah (Me-kaw-yeh-hoo’), shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, ‘Go and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king!” 16 So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?”

                                                                  

17 Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, “These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.” 18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” 19 Then Macaiah (Me-kaw-yeh-hoo’) said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD; “I saw the  LORD sitting on His throne, and all the hose of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on the left. 20”Amd the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’

 

Micaiah is holding to truth and would not be given over to the false narrative. He gives the vision and the king is now upset. King Ahab wanted people to give him love always, and to be encouraged in all of his own endeavors. Observing that Ahab demanded truth from verse 16….the king still held a low or no account of honor toward the prophet. It is by verse 18 that king Ahab makes Micaiah as malevolent without any authority…but verse 19 gives the account of a vision given the prophet: given to Stephen in Acts 7:56! THE Word now given, the king would fall, be cut off and his army scattered!

1 Kings 22: 21 “Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ Yes, if the father of lies that will persuade him….22 “The LORD said to him, ‘In what way?” So he said, “ I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets’. And the LORD said, “You shall persuade him, and also prevail, Go out and do so.’

23 “Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.”

24 Now Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah (Ken- ah-an –aw)     went near and struck Micaiah (Me-kaw-yeh-hoo)  on the cheek and said, “Which way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you?”  25 And Micaiah (Me-kaw-yee-hoo)  said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”

 

It is the wicked prophet Zedekiah who insults the prophet Micaiah!  He hits him on the cheek……expressing indignation (Jesus was abused this way: Matthew 26:67) Then  Ahab was pleased with this conduct of the “false prophet” and king Jehoshaphat did nothing to help the injured prophet. Micaiah tells Zedekiah that he would see his judgment when he goes into an inner chamber to hide.  

1 Kings 22:26 So the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah (Me, kaw-yee-hoo’), and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; 27 “and say, “Thus says the king; ‘Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.

” 28 But Micaiah  (Me-kaw-yee-hoo’) said, “If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people.”

 Ahab, that wicked king, committed him ( Micaiah) to prison (v. 27), not only ordered him to be taken into custody, or remitted to the prison! He was to be fed with bread and water, (coarse bread and puddle-water) till he should return, not doubting but that he should return a conqueror, and then he would put him to death for being a false prophet (v. 27)—hard usage for one that would have prevented his ruin!  There was little likelihood of Ahab coming home in peace when he left one of God's prophets behind him in prison.

 Micaiah put it upon the issue, and called all the people to be witnesses that he did so: "If  you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me….from  v. 28. Let me incur the reproach and punishment of a false prophet, if the king come home alive." Micaiah spoke with no error, for he knew whom he had believed!

Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to me voice, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the things for which I send it.

To live in safety, is to live for God in His plan and from His truth! Increasing in God is increasing in a strength of muscle that fills a place, it is yes, a place of love but it is also a place of authority! And our response is to give place to Him and make our own!

Jesus used the picture of sheep that have no shepherd in Mark 6:34 like Micaiah uses here.  Zedekiah gave an optimistic prophecy and it confirmed what the other prophet's were giving to the kings Ahab and Jehoshaphat! But it is one prophet who stood alone to give truth. In this day and within this hour, there are still those who would rather have the lie than to receive God's truth!

Oh yes, time will tell of those who stand with God and of those who do not! And this I have heard for over a year from the Lord for many may speak, but only the true will be lived out. Only in time will one note for who has God in their speaking and one who does not!

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IT'S JUST A GREAT EARTHQUAKE!

Acts 16:25-34.........25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.
NKJV

Now in Acts 16:16-24, we find out how Paul and Silas ended up in a prison. People are all connected in some way, and we see it here in this passage. Paul had cast the spirit out of the young girl who followed them around.

Because of their act on the spirit, the girl's masters seized Paul and Silas. They dragged them to the the marketplace to authorities of the city. Being led to the magistrates, the order was given for Paul and Silas to be beaten with rods and after receiving many stripes to their bodies, they were taken by the jailer to the inner prison and their feet were secured in the stocks.

As we find Paul and Silas praying and singing about midnight, we find that the prisoners were listening to them and those hymns to God!
Suddenly there was a "great earthquake". Not a 3.2, but a great earthquake..........so great that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and all the doors opened immediately from the force. Interesting that all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. The keeper of the prison was also awakened. Interesting he was awakened out of his sleep. Did he not hear the singing and praise going on? Yet, it states that Paul yelled out.............loudly......not to kill himself.
Yes, a violent shaking and all the doors of the prison opened. The keeper drew his sword to kill himself as he was alarmed that the prisoners probably had left the prison.

Paul and Silas were exerting a godly influence, when staying in the same place they had been chained. They were exerting some influence, when Paul told the keeper to do himself no harm. They were exerting godly influence in giving the "keeper" the thing he needed. "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
He called them "sirs"! Okay, they smell like stinky poop. It was probably the stinkiest place on earth and being in the depths of the prison probably proved to be hot and foul! This guy calls them sirs!

In those moments, when something occurs as the "great earthquake", a 9-11, or F-5 tornado, would we be there, standing and delivering the message of life to be saved? If you were locked up in chains and they fell off, would you stand or would you run? ( is it every man for himself?)
I think of those who, if they experienced it today, would say, "the Lord has loosed the chains, and I am out of here." If that great earthquake occurred in or around a prison and the doors flew open, how many do you think would flee the area without thinking twice about it?
I was thinking of the movie "Fugitive" and the train wreck. There were a lot of convicts making their way off that train for freedom!


When we talk of the salvation message, we think of what we were expected to do when presented with the same as the "keeper". It is knowing that we are to be loyal to One. It is knowing we need saving. Once conversion came, we became the family of God. We had to make a choice.
These men had to make a choice to stay in the prison even though it was "wide open" and nothing held them. But one thing held them. It was their character. They were connected to God!

One dictionary defines character as " the complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person." Character is said to be the stable and distinct quality that is built into an individual which determines his or her response of circumstances.

Our character is determined by that one that rules it. We can see in scripture that Peter confirms Jesus' words. Let's look into the book of Acts.
Acts 5:29-32................. 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him." 
NKJV

Where does our loyalty lie? Was I forced to make a decision for Christ? No, I was not forced, but I certainly knew I had it placed before me and the question had to be answered. I NEEDED A SAVIOR!  Yes, I received Jesus as Lord of my life. 
But that "loyalty"  has to be in place every day and not only on "church day"!.
When the world puts pressure on us, and we must make decisions, is Jesus on the throne of our hearts, AND what will our character reveal?
Will we stand as Paul and Silas, and bring others to Jesus.........or flee like Chicken Little.............the sky is falling........kind of thing........."should I stay, or should I go"?
Will we revert to the past and use those old habits to rule our decisions or will we keep Jesus seated on our hearts? Running in when a catastrophe occurs, as in 9-11, is something most have to think about doing. For those like firemen, police officers, and paramedics, it is something they do not have to think or meditate on, they are ready for it! For me, seeing that ash and smoke rising and falling to create the sense of late evening, gave me the shutters to the core of my being.

When we read on about Paul and Silas, the "keeper" brought them out, and cleaned their wounds. He took them home, fed them and his whole house was saved!
Standing still when adversity comes, IS MUCH LIKE that silence that comes after the great earthquake. I know for I have been in an earthquake and have heard the silence after things stop crashing and the ground stops rumbling like a bowling ball against pins in a bowling alley all going at once.........and then silence!
Standing still, everything is torn apart, nothing looks familiar and WHAT? Standing still in the silence when a word comes that your step-father has passed suddenly and your mother is taken to the hospital. What will those circumstances reveal about our character?
A WORD COMES, AND IT IS NOT A GOOD WORD!
No one is exempt from this one thing! Paul and Silas were not exempt from them.
What will be revealed in your life, when the enemy comes with a circumstance? When the moment comes, AND THOSE thoughts and pressures build about that circumstance, will you or I sing? These men went from beatings to singing, to a great earthquake, to giving the message of salvation to others.


Today, we pray in Jesus' holy name. Father, we set ourselves to pray and not lose heart.(Hebrews 12:3)
Lord, we know not what obstacles we will face today. But we thank You for illumination in situations that we cannot understand at this time. Our hearts are set on You. Whatever the circumstances today, whatever heartache, you have given us the ability to hear You speak in these situations.
2 Peter tells us that God has given us all things that pertain to life and godly living. It is understandable then that wisdom and revelation has been given to us as well and that we have access to it. 

Father, we pray to be those who will sing praise to You through the most horrific of times, and give YOUR message of salvation when all others may be fleeing the house. We desire to be those who co-operate with YOU and receive instruction as we lean into YOU and receive faith for this walk. Today, we pray to hear YOU in every circumstance we face. The surface of everything may look good to us, but You Lord have all knowledge as YOU see the end from the beginning. Today, we pray to be those who will listen and know Your voice. So when any catastrophic event may occur, to shake up our lives, we know hearing YOUR voice will give us the direction in and through those hidden dangers, obstacles and traps the enemy may have placed in our path to cause us to stumble. Trouble may come, and pain may come into our hearts for the loss of a loved one, or where we stand is no longer familiar to us, but our every focus is on YOU, the Great I AM in our midst. In the midst of these trials, our names remain the same, the place may look different, and there may even be those smells of smoke and the sounds of disaster, but we remain and abide in YOU, our Fortress and Hightower. Praise be to God, the Faithful One, the Everlasting One, The Great "I AM" ! AMEN.

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

Puddle Jumpers

Psalm 44:3......3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance,
Because You favored them. NKJV

There are giants in the land! Yes, this was probably heard throughout the camp for days when the spies returned from checking out the Promised Land. But according to this scripture above, they gained possession of the land, not by their own sword nor by their own arm! They gained the land through the right hand of God, by the light of His countenance because God favored them! Amen.

Psalm 5:11-12................11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name 

Be joyful in You. 

12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.  NKJV

Was listening to some teaching early this morning, and when I heard the Psalm 44, I thought also of Psalm 5 and verse 12.............and this picture like a motion picture movie came spiritually to my heart to see. It was like seeing this new vehicle, like a new pickup truck, all washed and waxed, go through this tremendous mud puddle. As I watched the truck go through this really deep, almost pond sized-body filled with mixture of watery mud with the consistency of thick, sticky, and pasty mud, the truck rolled through the muddy mess, and this thick paste splashed in slow motion over this new truck. It looked like a real muddy mess. As I looked closely, I could this impenetrable thick shield over the paint of the vehicle. Then instantly, rain came from heaven and washed the mud away. The truck was as new and shiny as before with no trace of mud anywhere to be seen on the body! The paint on the truck was not marred in anyway by the sudden insult of mud on the shiny coat.

I then thought of people and walking through their daily lives. They need their bills paid, their children schooled, their taxes paid, money to help out their elderly parents, a new place to live or to sell some property they no longer need. They just need some favor where they are walking that day! They desire to have a lower bill on their utilities, a lower bill on their property taxes or favor just getting to work that morning.

Some of the things we may encounter each day, may look like this grand new truck driving through a tremendous sized mud puddle. Having to get from point A to point B certainly can take some effort and work when dealing with other people.  But anyone knows that some people just create mud puddles, and are known as puddle jumpers. They like making things hard, difficult, and sometimes just hard to understand. But truly having God and His favor causes us to have a shield of favor. That when God our Father favors us, He surrounds with a shield where the mud from those puddle jumpers just rolls off us. When God our Father is for us, then all other things must bow to the name of Jesus.

A good example of this I desire to share with you all is this, and again I think of our children, C. and K.  It was five years ago when our grand-daughter was just months old and C. and K.  were requiring a larger home. They had seen a couple of places to check out and I happened to be visiting in their home at the time. So I went with them, and we all prayed for God our Father's perfect plan for them in the process in finding a new place to live!

Well, we arrived early and had to wait for the property manager to arrive. This gave us time to continue to pray to the Father about this specific home. This was a new home and not lived in, but the owner's wanted it rented to the right people.

When we went in, and walked each room downstairs, I immediately in the spirit, saw my son-in-law donned with his chef's hat on, perfectly white apron,  and was serving food to guests in this perfect kitchen. I could see him laughing and enjoying himself as he served others!

Again, I tell you this place was new, and even the information brochures on each appliance were still taped to the inside of the oven, the microwave oven, and the refrigerator. There was still plastic coverings all over the carpets! It was awesome. It had the new home smell of fresh lumber and paint! As we walked through, I told C. and K. what I saw about seeing our son-in-law preparing food in this kitchen and they were excited.

So, they talked with the property management and found out there was already two other families ahead of them on the list for occupying this particular property. C. and K. then filled out the proper forms and waited. Together, we all thanked the Lord for His goodness to His children and they were giving thanks for their new home. One week went by and then two weeks went by and nothing. Then along about the third week a call was made. One family had been disqualified and the lady was to give it to the 2nd on list who qualified, but she said she could not do it! She said somehow she knew this property should go to C. and K. and our grand-child!

They moved in May of that year and have been there ever since! They have always had favor there with this woman and the management company, plus with the actually owner of said property!

We can go through our life's journey and know God our Father is with us. He loves us and wants to bless us. We may come across puddle jumpers sometimes, but God makes all that muddy mess to wash away and restore to us the beauty He has for His children and their children! We truly have seen this circumstance unfold in the lives of  C., K. and our grand-child!

Some things make look like obstacles, road-blocks or hindrances, but we should ask the Lord for His plan and when He gives us vision, then we must hold on and keep Him ever before our eyes knowing that He has given us a shield of favor and whatever the world may throw at us, the Lord will wash it away and cause us to win!
If you are searching out new things, like buying a new home, renting a new place, just moving across town, helping your elderly parents, or just needing lower taxes, ask the Lord to show you  how to walk through the circumstance. He may or may not give you a vision of it, but you will have this knowing within your heart that things are about to change. Seek the Lord in His guidance for your life and you will experience the favor of God as a SHIELD!

Father, thank You for the shield of favor that You have surrounded us with. May we always know that You are looking out for our best interest. The world may speak or do something against Your plan for us, but it is You Who have given us the Land of Promise.  Help us to know that we do not gain this possession by sword or our own arm, but know that it is by Your right hand, Your arm and the Light of Your Countenance because You favor us!

Father, in Jesus' name, thank You for favor upon those whose hearts follow after You.
Today, Your children diligently seek good among those they work with, with those they live with, with those they gather with to worship You and  with those Who are dedicated to serving You no matter what the circumstance! I thank You for all who have received this Word today, and know that the favor of God is flowing to them right now. It is YOU who has placed on them the spirit of favor. They are a success today! These, Your children, seekers of good, are filled today with Your fullness and rooted and grounded in love. Father, today, I ask You to give to Your children abundantly above all that they may ask or think as YOUR mighty power takes over in them. 

Father, I attest that out of the abundance of their hearts, they shall continually speak, "Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. And their tongue shall talk of Your righteousness, rightness, and justice and [his/her reason for] Your praise all the day long. Amen.

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