Running to the House

 

Was thinking in the days of my youth, we as children in our pre-teen years would walk down to the river on my uncle’s farm. We had heard all the snake stories where the bulldog Mustard was bitten several times in his lifetime but always lived to see another snake in the river. Besides all that, it was fun to walk or even run to the river’s edge to have talks of what our summer would be like that year. Anticipation filled our speaking as our future in the sun and fun without school was good! ( we thought)

And we would finish that walk to the river either by seeing one of our cousins take a swing off the rope to land perfectly with a big splash that centered in the river. Cheering him back to shore we watched to see any movement toward the waves of the water and when seeing none, our voices tired of speaking of summer events to come, we ran with a force back to the house. Now our hearts were set on the hot cookies that would be coming out of that hot oven. Running meant we would see who could run the fastest and who would reach those fresh baked cookies just out of the oven.

Running to the house takes a different meaning for especially me today. Running is like seeing the Apostle Paul do all the wrong things to close his life doing all the better things in God. He a leader with certain garments giving voice to his calling, still in the later days, he would do the speaking with Holy Spirit leading to do right and fulfill the Father’s promise in his life. He would find himself still speaking of the Lord, the Gospel and His salvation but find himself behind bars.

In one teaching we hear Paul arriving at 1 Thessalonians 5. And it is here the apostle Paul urges the saints to reorganize those who labored among them. Dealing with  “problem brothers: included the unruly with irresponsible behavior, to comfort the faint-hearted, to uphold the weak: those who were spiritually weak and give support to those weak in the faith…….and of course to be patient with all.

We are told in verse 19 to not quench the spirit! And this meant to not stifle the work of the Holy Spirit. Limiting Him is stifling Him. Adhering to the traditions of men is stifling the Holy Spirit. Keeping up with man-made rules is again stifling Him, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit should have full access through our spiritual frame: giving of praise, being prayerful, being thankful and the teachable keeps us in that justice of God and lights our way into His truth keeping and to avoid evil.

Even here the apostle was running to the house. It is the house of our Father God of where he ran!

We still walk to the River. No not the river called the Leon River in Texas. We no longer plan our summer events, but expect Him to appear before us. We run not for the cookies though they tasted really good, but we run for the best place before Him. We run to see His face and experience His presence. (I can smell His fragrance even now.) We run to reach Him when we hear Him speak, to hear His voice and pronounce His blessing. To hear Him give life to that which barely moves, to give life to see with new eyes and hear His peace and experience His love over our lives in a truly evil world.

We have His guiding personage in the Holy Spirit. And by Him, we reject evil today. We reject that which tries to speak it needs our support. No we support the truth of God, to know God and have revelation knowledge of Him. Our purpose God placed in us, that anointing is available every minute and also available to us to know the evil of Satan and his plans and tactics to destroy man.

 May we not be weak, no backbone people, but be the strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, and that we are more than conquerors through Him. He conquered death, hell and the grave and chose life and not death. We chose to walk in His light and resist darkness for the Lord returns and He will find faith on the earth. (Luke 18:8)

My Redeemer lives. He was wounded for my transgressions, He was bruised for my iniquities. The chastisement for my peace was upon Him, and by His stripes  I am healed. He reaches from the cross to take me with Him. He reaches with blood on His hands for taking our sins. He reaches with a thorny crown and shows me His revealed crown of glory. In His reach is nothing but love. In His reach is nothing but wisdom of God and His great peace! In His reach is a consuming fire of brilliance  revealing love from above but not to consume you or me.  But of Him we are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God----and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-----He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.

We run to the store for an article, a food maybe or paper for schoolwork. We run down to the bank for that deposit or we run to pick up the kids or granddaughter at the park. People in their everyday living have that run on the mind, never thinking of God or the Son of His love. We bask in weak stuff, forgetting the mighty thing, yet God triumphant in Jericho when the wall came down. He reduced Gideon’s army to a mere 300 from 32,000 men. Samson defeated an entire army with the jawbone of a donkey. And when we prayed with our niece for her dad to go home from hospital before Christmas, he went home to be with family for Christmas. Faith is the stuff the mighty have fully in heart. Faith moves the mountains of doctors, their agendas and more tests to prove God is alive and makes a glorious love in this hour for those who love Him!

 Remember it was Samson who ran to meet the army might. Gideon met those who would be alert to that which would appear before them. And a people marched around Jericho in silence for seven days and then a shout went up! Unity with God is so very vital in this hour we live. Unity by faith living His word, giving that word and shouting if necessary that our God reigns.

We might run to do a chore, do a thing as take a meal to a hungry family, but we also must run with our hearts to the Lord who Redeems. We run without any doubt, people of faith, expecting His kingdom to appear. Yes, run with all that is with you for the Lord lives and He moves where angels will not tread. But God is for us and He will not forsake us.

In Isaiah 45: 2-3 NKJV I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by names am the God of Israel.

In this King Cyrus would see the Egyptian booty and control of Egyptian trade routes. Those called by name, those called to be reconcilers will bring the light of the gospel even in the dark places the enemy tries to take us…to bring unwarranted sickness when we have Jesus as Lord. Still we live in a world of sin, plaguing others, we seek the Lord’s heart and know HIM as the God of Israel.

Those knowing their heart for the Lord, will do valiantly. Their trust is in Him always. They speak to the mountains trying to rise higher in their lives. The mountains of the enemy must move out of our way. The Lord will straighten those pathways when we truly know and confess from our heart His word of truth. Then the path levels out for our good!

How will we act in just living day to day? How will others see us in the height of wealth, the despair of disease, the lowest rung of the ladder starting over after a sudden divorce or death? How will they see us? Do any of these occur ever? Yes, they do occur and can come. But we look up to His return. We seek our future with Him. For in darkness of the enemy, we live to see the light of the Lord and to bring that light to others at work, at the hospital or medical center. We seek to be light to others in whatever situation may be occurring. But we rise, in Him, we rise to give voice to His goodness in the land of the living.  If not us, then who and if not now when…..for tomorrow may be too late!

We run to meet this new year! We run not hesitating but always looking with eyes of wonder on Him who brings such beauty to a failing world. We run to meet the brightness of His coming for He brings light everywhere He goes.

We run, not limited nor hindered! We run to light. We run to truth. Without Him we can do nothing. Let’s take Him at His word and trust, morning will come with joy and dancing. The night has almost ended, for it is His joy in us that rises….it reaches the heights of heaven…and is better to us than anything the world could ever offer. Amen and Amen.

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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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Wisdom's Invitation

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 His Light, His Fragrance

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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 

Cable Butler

Anyone like a good movie to watch on a cloudy and rainy afternoon?
What about a good mystery of "who done it" type involving about ten people and they all seem like the "bad guy"?
What about a movie of someone dealing with an illness? No! Well, how about the "Avengers"? Too much action for you, well, how about a movie for the younger generation like something called "Ice Age"?
No, can't do the animation type thing?

How about grabbing the "cable butler" and let him lead you over the channels available to you from the service you pay for?
If you do that for very long, frustration can set in! You can find the channel finder exposing what the world sees as entertainment. How about ghosts today or some zombie flick? NO! How about another shark movie? How about another "mummy type" movie? NO!
What else is on? Well, the history channel sometimes has some informative things of the past generations, we could look at that for awhile. There is something about UFO's on as well!
What about the news channel? What about the Travel Channel? Have you seen that channel, you know, the one on all those fancy pools being built? Was wondering if any were being built in California. A thought of pools and all that water needed to fill a pool and with a water shortage going right now in California would seem just wrong, would it not?

Yes, the Cable Butler is there to guide you into T.V. paradise, mummies and all! Looking for the packages of the Youth, or those packaged for R. , the Cable Butler, that handy little remote control, will take you where you desire to go visit!

aah, but .....we have apps for free T. V. and movies. Wow! Awesome. You will get there even faster.  Is it possible that Cable Butler can get us into trouble or even those free apps for phone users wanting to catch a  T. V. series and movies?
Yes, gazing for hours into that "wide screen" or your little phone screen, can certainly make you feel at home away from the theaters.

Yes, we have cruise control in that handy Cable Butler!
But what moments are we missing by gazing at the "wide screen"? Is it possible that which we are viewing could change our course forever, or even for some time? What are we allowing to broadcast into our homes and into our hearts that might stop our walk with God? This is just a question, okay?

We are told that a "table is prepared" for each of us in the presence of our enemies. That means the adversary knows what is ahead on the path for each of us. He has spent thousands of years getting to understand the "human" and see how he operates. We saw what happened when he went to Eve and that all transpired to living out of the garden of Eden to working for a living, tilling the ground, and ultimately see that we needed a Savior.


Psalm 23:5........5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.  NKJV

enemies: tsarar pronounced- (tsaw-rar'.....meaning to cramp. 
Other meanings: to shut up, to distress, to bind up, trouble

Have you ever tried running as your form of exercise? It can take some time, and you start out slow. You can ask my daughter about that one. When she was in Jr. High and High School, I ran some for exercise. I had started out slow, and she would go with me. She would ride her bike and make some blocks and come back to check on me. Sometimes she would stay with me and we would talk, but mostly she liked the hills and loved riding as fast and furious as she could on those high hills that surrounded our neighborhood.

Once in awhile, when running, I would notice a cramp in my calf muscle.  I would find my warm -ups needed to be lengthened before walking out the front door. So I found relief from the cramp thing by spending more time warming up and stretching. Then after more weeks passing, the cramp returned, but now was at night. So looking for more relief, vitamin E came to the rescue.
The thought here is that running the race, we require a need for some space, some equipping in good running shoes, some preparation like stretching, and of course, some right eating as in a good diet with all the good vegetables and wholesome meats like chicken and fish as part of that preparation for a race.
Remember what Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 .....................24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.      NKJV

People watch us daily. We have opportunity to minister life to them. Just like Paul spoke about, we have to discipline this body as to not become disqualified for that which God called us. And everyone is called to something specific as the Body of Christ!  It takes discipline to prepare to do something God has for us to do. So am I taking in the right things to minister the life that Jesus gave His life for to see us with Him forever? What am I allowing to 'broadcast' into my heart that should not have an opening ever into my heart?

In 1 Corinthians 9 and verse 25, we are told to run in such a way that is temperate in all things. Hummm......temperate. What has being temperate have to do with running a race? 

temperate:egkarateuomai and is pronounced (eng-krat-yoo'-om-ahee) to exercise in being self-restrained and in chastity.

When we look that word chastity up, it brings up both marriage and crimes. 

Interesting that Paul talked about running as one being self-controlled and chaste. In looking up chaste, we find,  morally pure in conduct and thought. So running a race, of which God has placed for us, involves being morally pure in both conduct and thought. Reasonable and discreet also sum up being temperate or self-controlled.

Titus 2...............2:1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. 6 Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, 8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. 9 Exhort bond servants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.    11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. 15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you. NKJV

Yes, we find that word temperate and chaste found in verses 2 and 5 of this passage of scripture.

2 Timothy 4:1-8................4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

6  For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.   NKJV

What we remember about Paul before his name change, was that he harassed Christians. He spoke threats against them and then chased them down!  Reading about him in the book of Acts and chapter 9, we find him getting letters from the high priest to officials in the synagogues. He wanted to bring those following Jesus bound to Jerusalem. But what stopped Saul in his tracks against someone else?

Acts 9:1-10............9:1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" And the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." 7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.   NKJV

Now Saul who became Paul, was raised as a Pharisee. He was in memorization of the LAW some eight hours a day when he was some 3-4 years old. He knew how to be a Pharisee and to operate there. They took of what was from the Word we know as the first 5 books, The Law!

But Jesus desired Saul to move into a place to minister and that was TO those outside, those Gentiles, yes, it was the rest of the world!

Paul tells us of his soon departure. He had fought a good fight of faith. He told us that he had finished his race .....(2 Timothy 4:7)... 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 

Paul had to contend against an adversary who wanted his attention somewhere else. Paul had to labor fervently to finish what he knew God had given him to do in this life.
The enemy certainly put a "cramp" in that which Paul was doing before Jesus came and spoke to him on the road to Damascus.

Did Paul know a lot about the books of the Law? He surely did! Do we think we know all that we need to run the race set before us? Paul told us he had to keep the faith he had for what he believed. He told us that he kept the faith and it is that which he had to watch and guard!

have kept: tereo (tay-reh'-o) to watch, to guard from loss

Titus 2:8 mentions that shame should come on the opponent, the one who opposes us. So in all this, we are to run like Paul ran when he got the "right course" set for him to run. We are to keep the faith by keeping guard of it, and as we keep watch of that faith, we move toward the victory line, that prize as those who are self-controlled and chaste.

As in preparing to "take a run" for exercise, we should also consider how we are running this race before us. Are we on the right path? Are we staying within the parameters that God has set for us? Are we taking up other things like the "Cable Butler" and feeding our hearts with too much other stuff of the world? We should consider what and how much do we take in on a regular basis. God surely wants us to enjoy life, but not give our souls into hell while enjoying too much of a good thing, we think we deserve.

Father, thank You for the examples of those who ran their race for You and have received their crowns of righteousness. Truly those who have gone ahead of us and stayed their course have their victor's crown. We pray for the patience and the courage to keep running the course You have set for each of us. We pray over decision-making as to what we put before our eye-gate. We know there are probably hundreds of choices that are not life-altering. But some may be life-altering to the plan You have set for us to run. Today, we stand on the Word that You will teach us in the way we should go; and that You will counsel us with Your eye upon us. (Psalm 32:8) We are thankful for Your wisdom today and it will guide us in decision making for this day. Today we expect to have those hearts that are counseled by You in our time together. Father, we pray to be those who will display Your goodness, mercy and transforming power to others. We pray to be obedient at every spoken word You give to us. Help us when we feel like the going is hard. Help us know Your truth concerning YOUR will for our lives. We know You have good things for us.....help us, build within us that fire that never goes out, but will accomplish what YOU destined us to do for YOU in this life. In Jesus' name we pray and believe our best days are ahead for victory in YOU. Amen.

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