That Enduring House

Voice of Prayer: Photo R. Twiner

Was recalling the scripture this morning from 1 Samuel 25:28 where Abigail tells David that he has an enduring house because he was fighting the battles of the LORD and evil was not found in him throughout all his days.
David certainly had issues, yet he would turn back to God and God's ways. One note here is that not instructing his children in the ways of the LORD proved to a disadvantage when Adonijah wanted to take the throne and make himself "king".
Abigail spoke of a knowing of what evil and harsh was all about for her husband Nabal was the exact form of evil.

But thinking toward the future, that enduring house would go forward from David through Solomon toward the manifestation of Jesus Christ!

IN David we saw a man after God’s own heart. He wrote some Psalms and they were captured for our benefit. He revealed the glory of God, his problem and how the prayer would be given. Each Psalm he purposed through the Holy Spirit reveals that God was foremost on his mind.

Then we find Jesus, himself and as a house of prayer. His teachings to the disciples was one we could model no doubt.  His example was that He was continually withdrawing from the Father of light.

He had conversation with His Father drawing strength from that intimate relationship He had in heaven. From this intimate time and relationship is one we can have because Jesus Christ came and hung on a cross to pay the price for us with his life!

Displaying a life of prayer and worship to the Father, prayer was seen as a longing of closeness restored to the once lost sinner. In the born again state, we are brought back to life. It is that valued communication with the Father to see Him and hear Him. Prayer will expand heaven on earth.

 An enduring house is one that God has set in place. It is a place of the “saved”, born again to His purpose and plans. The enduring house is the place of revering the “awesome “God and bringing His words into our speaking and by praying them daily!

In abiding in His enduring house of prayer, we find what the defective within our hearts may be. Whatever is defective we should TAKE AIM AT to restore to soundness, rather than to suffer the defect to be increased. RATHER THAN LOOKING ON THE PROBLEM, LOOKING TO THE ANSWER!

In 2 Tim 1:7…we are reminded...For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.   (well-balanced)  It is in God’s power…that we are completely regulated & influenced, so as to think,  speak,  &  act   AS GOD WOULD SPEAK IN ALL THINGS!  

 Our trust is to be in God. With our whole heart, we lean not to our own understanding, not to other’s opinions and ideas, but to God’s ways. In all our ways to life, living, to children and to those we might work with or come in contact with in ministry, we should have the Lord’s wisdom on it.  For if we pay attention to the news, or some form information that is full of the world’s wisdom we gain only the world. But the wisdom that is from above, that which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:17)

If Jesus is truly our Lord, then discernment will be found as wisdom on our lips. May we be the prudent who activate the Holy Spirit in all that is purposed for us and not our own plans.

As the enduring house, we will act like Jesus and sound like Jesus. Our every decision must be based on prayer in the Word of God that is of sound wisdom.

Father God, may we be those who speak with wisdom and have faithful instruction on our tongues and “Not just what someone wants to hear”! On bent knee we bless the Father of light and have no part in darkness. It is the goodness of God that we will declare to others. Father may we bless YOU in this Word and in this day by bringing honor to YOUR holy Name. Amen.

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What Depth the Darkness

Matthew 6:22-23
22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
NKJV

Isaiah 5:20-21

0 Woe to those who call evil good 

and good evil,

who put darkness for light 

and light for darkness,

who put bitter for sweet 

and sweet for bitter. 

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes 

and clever in their own sight. 

NIV

Anyone have a nightlight in their home? We find one important when our grand-child comes for a visit. Although she knows we are just across the hall from her, yet that light is important to her.

In understanding that the eye is the lamp of the body, our eye is to be good and our whole body is to be filled with light. 

I think in respect to that "measure of faith"........that God gave us. But where is the dial located on our faith meter? If I turn my flashlight towards my husband's eyes, he will not have more light in him, just a lot of flashing circles of  light as he closes his eyes quickly. Or someone taking your picture with the flash on a camera does not fill our body with light.

When Jesus came, there was those calling what He did as evil. I wonder where they reside today, for surely they went somewhere after death, did they not? 

So what depth of darkness is there?

In the Amplified Bible, Matthew 6:23 says this: But if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the very light in you [your conscience] is darkened, how dense is that darkness!

In regard to the movies being viewed today, I heard that all of the top rated movies had box office hits of multi-millions of dollars and every one of them was rated-R! So if one is saved by the Blood of Jesus and viewed that movie.........how much light remained in them?

1 John 1:5-10

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 

NKJV

Spending time in the light will cause us to change some things and get some things out of here, right?

Well, consider this: it is a beautiful sunny day and temps are in the mid 60's..........you open the patio door, and alas as you step away from the glass door, you see dust on the T.V. stand, on the table top, and even the glass is noticeably dirty with dog paw prints and little child finger marks.

What shows up when God's light shines in us? What might be found that should not be there?

Ephesians 5:6-14

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 

7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 

8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 

9(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 

10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 

11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 

12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 

13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 

14 For this reason it says, 

"Awake, sleeper, 

And arise from the dead, 

And Christ will shine on you." 

NASU

From the above, we are not to be deceived with empty words. Empty words are those of confusion, no life and come from the world that just talks, and talks and talks. There is no vision, no walk to walk with it, except into more confusion, and more darkness. For when we stay with the Light of God and His Word, we have the fruit of Light that is in all goodness and truth. It is a daily walking of learning to please the Lord. It is not participating in that which is unfruitful deeds of the darkness, but His light is exposing them. In all that we seek into more Light, He reveals even that which is still in darkness. We are to awake, arise from sleep..........and Christ will shine on us!

1 John 2:8-14

8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 

9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 

10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 

11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 

12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name's sake. 

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. 

14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

NASU

Three different levels are mentioned: The father's, those who have a walk with God and are the spiritual fathers to many. The young men are those who have overcome the evil one, and their walk is one of "faith". They have a great trust in the Lord. And third, this is the new "child" who has come to the Lord. They are the ones just starting their walk with Him.

Our Father wants to light our way into all that is good. It is not in confusion or in hate of another. Those who hate are so deep in darkness that they are to be led out like blind men.

We certainly keep a light for our grandchild to see in the night hours should she awake and not remember where she is at. In that respect, we as individuals and in our walk, either as the spiritual "fathers" are to keep the light on for the young ones, those as a young child coming to the Father.

As disciples of Jesus are to the Light the way for those who are in darkness to the light of day. The true Light is already Shining. He came to set captives free.

We all to come to the Lord as little children. We had to humble ourselves for the need of a Savior.

Our prayer is sent for those who are still in the dark: For we certainly are those who have a Savior. We overcome, and we are the strong, and the word of God abides in us. If we truly know that we are the forgiven, would we not want others to know?

We are to be characterized as the "fathers". They are those who have the knowledge of God. As being a father to spiritual children, we lead because we have conquered holding up the Word of truth. Any conflict that was seen was conquered. In these conquests we are truly victorious but one thing remains, as His light continues to enter in us, then we find what else remains....that needs to leave our lives for the good. We are to grow stronger in Him. We then are no longer the weaklings, but we triumph in the Lord who has enabled us to overcome.

Hebrews 11:33-34

33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 

34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. 

ASV

That fruit of His light is righteousness and truth in us. In that we see our faith meter move from the good, grow to the "acceptable", to the "perfect will of God". That fruit is always in right standing with God. And it is our faith that has obtained the victory that overcomes the world.

Our faith is substance. It is seen. It is valued. Any inconsistency will be because of the lack of love in any situation. When anything is amiss or seems wrong, we must rejoice that the Holy Spirit of God is with us to point to that which does not belong in our lives and see it removed.

Having that light, like the nightlight at home, gives us the continually lighting to break into the greatest moves of God. It causes us to move into situations that seem just wrong, but God is saying go! And go now!

For there are those today who speak good as evil and evil as good. There are those who will try to give you the bitter for sweet and the sweet for bitter. We are to know the difference. And when we keep coming back to the Father of Lights of whom there is no variation or shadow of turning, we find truth, remain in truth, and move in that truth.

In closing: James 1:17 Amplified Bible

Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [ the shining of} Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

The light is our eye it is to be good and fill our body. It comes from God. It is His truth. In the influence we have with others, it is His light they are to see. It is of His own will and grace, and not by our skill of any kind that people should take note of us. It is only God that they should encounter. And how is it done? It is done in and by His love.

If we turn a porch light on for a first time visitor to the house, what if we allowed people to see our light shine with the goodness of God? What if they encountered God in a new way and not in a building on a Sunday morning? What if they encountered Him in a hallway leading to the restroom?

Hey, what if they encountered God on the way to church? What if you see someone with a flat tire and could not only help but give them Jesus?

Just as His light from the sun He created certainly reveals the dust on the top of the refrigerator...........then we should be willing to allow Him to show us those areas that should be cleared away to make room for more of Him in His: comfort, love, strength, mercy, communication, truth, life, peace and joy.

May our words speak with sound that is of God and shakes the foundations of this world to remove it and see His kingdom Come. Amen!

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"WITHOUT FEAR"

1 Corinthians 4:14-21
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?    NKJV

1 Corinthians 16:5-12
5 Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). 6 And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. 11 Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren. 12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time.          NKJV

Paul is looking over his itinerary the Lord has given him. As the act of an apostle, his is to remain faithful to that which is before him. Paul was one who did not hold to tightly to one thing the Lord presented, but always looking for that advantage of an "open door" in which he would present the gospel wherever he was sent. He sends a letter to those at Corinth, to say that Timothy is coming. And at his appearing, Paul wants Timothy to be at ease to do the work he is sent to do without being in fear. Paul goes on to say, "Therefore let no one despise him, But send him on his journey, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren."

Paul wanted Timothy to have such a good visit and a good work that he would leave Corinth and in his going to Paul, he would be at peace with the brethren. Apostles certainly have their work cut out for them. Like Paul, he was sending whom God had called and wanted to those of Corinth to receive God's anointed man. Yet, even then, it was evident that the men of Corinth had a problem with Timothy. We see Timothy going to Corinth in 1 Corinthians 4, but are not sure he made it in the writing of 1 Corinthians 16.
Paul had sent letters to the church at Corinth and through the length of 1 Corinthians, we note that he was dealing with them in issues as to: immorality, self-indulgence, another self-indulgence in the spiritual gifts and into a doctrine in denial of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They sounded like the party group who love to gorge themselves on food and drink...........eat, drink and be merry kind of folks! For their spiritual gifts, they saw that some of those "spiritual gifts" were more highly esteemed and they desired to abandon those God had given them and to acquire only those which folks would look up to them for. Their church meetings then became the chaotic and not of the peace and power of the Holy Spirit. They chose to indulge in that which brought them attention.
God has His way of doing something and in a service to worship God in word and psalms is that which in the order He desires it to be done. It is in the love of God and brings glory back to God and not to man.
Though Timothy was with Paul when the letter or Epistle to Corinth was sent, yet we do not know if Timothy got there. (1 Corinthians 16) Although there is no mention, yet Paul wanted these people to understand he was sent and was on the authority of what was started in Corinth.

When reading about the Corinthians, I always think of Naaman who had leprosy in the book of  2 Kings and chapter 5. We were told of Naaman to be the commander of the army of the king of Syria. From the reading, we are told that he was indeed great and honorable in the eye of his master. In Naaman's leadership, the Lord had given victory over to Syria. We find he is told by the young servant girl to find Elisha and that he, Naaman, would be healed of the leprosy. In all the communication going on among all the leadership when Naaman asks of Elisha, we find him arriving at the prophet's door. He was expecting, by what scripture states, that the prophet himself to come, greet Naaman, call on the name of the LORD, Elisha's God, wave his hand over the place and the leprosy would be gone. But alas, it was not to be the way the man Naaman wanted it done. Elisha gave instruction to his servant who in turn gave it to Naaman. "Go wash in the Jordan seven times and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." When Naaman heard this, he became furious. He probably had some choice words he had to speak and protest against, especially regarding the dirty water of the Jordan River. Was Naaman, because of his high rank, and his victory in war, bring him to a prideful state? Did he feel slighted by the young girl or by the prophet himself?

Of course, we know Naaman took the instructions, obeyed them and was healed. But I think of those Timothy was sent to help. Even though he had the same gifts in leadership as Paul, were those of Corinth in a prideful state, that they grew to despise the young man and the wisdom of God he carried to them? Were they wanting to do things differently..........? Well, we know the letter Paul wrote to them dealt with serious issues!

Paul called Timothy a true son in the faith in 1 Timothy 1:2.

Timothy was raised by his mother Eunice, and Grandmother Lois.

2 Timothy 1:3-7

3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

Paul had a relationship with young Timothy. He knew something of his childhood and where he stood in that day he declared him a true son in the faith.

Paul also recognized the faith that came in Timothy by being disciplined to the Word of God. Timothy was young, but he was the genuine article, he proved faithful in how he had been brought up and how his perseverance to work with others was one being obedient to the call on his life. 

A Proven Character....

Philippians 2:19-24

19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.            NKJV

Wow, Paul knows without a doubt that Timothy will continue to be like-minded in the things of God. Of his proven character time and time again, and Paul even compares to others who he sent who did not continue to expand the kingdom but their own and things which had nothing pertaining to the kingdom of God which had come!

The good Fight of Faith......
 Paul assigned Timothy a work that had serious difficulties in it. He felt he needed to write to those of Corinth, probably because of their bold attitude toward Paul and others who had come in with the gospel. Paul was giving the young bishop, the order for which was the church worship, choosing some leaders within the church and how to deal with different kinds of people. Paul was asserting that Timothy worked with him as a father and son work together. They were communicating as a father and son would communicate. They were communicating as a team!  That is one thing that is really lacking today within church leadership.............none as the father to the son or to the daughter!

Although things went wrong in Corinth and much chaos had broken out....we know that another was there as we see in Titus. While it was noted that Titus was sent to hold everything in a peaceful form of leading and teaching how the church would be, insuring that those impoverished Jews would be taken care of...... the answer was there due to those following the instructions which ultimately came from God.
In Timothy....one considered a youth, but called by God, and he kept that Word of God before him. Although it is thought that his nervous system suffered because of infirmity.........and possible out of the fear of those who were there before him, yet, he held his ground!  We read little of him in the New Testament, but it was important words that teach how one behaves in doing the work of the ministry. Timothy, too me, had maintained his high view of the word in regard to those around him. He did not stop!

1 Timothy 6:11-16

11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.                 NKJV

Walking in Wisdom........

John 18:35-38
 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." 37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." 38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.    NKJV

Paul had told Timothy.............he urged him in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate to keep that commandment without spot, blameless until the Lord's appearing. Above in John 18 we see what Jesus spoke to Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants wold fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but My kingdom is not from here." Jesus went on to say, " For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth, hears My voice."

So Timothy had probably been told this many times by Paul. Keep that which is committed to you. And Timothy held onto that truth, knowing his kingdom is with Jesus as Lord. It is not of this world and Timothy was to bear witness to that truth. And anyone who was in truth in Corinth should have heard the Lord speaking through Timothy.
But things happen, right? So men like having the preeminence, even though God sends someone who walks with God, has His wisdom and prays, yet the prideful can have many issues. But Timothy the humble saw Titus come..............and the rest is history!

Waging the Warfare...........

1 Timothy 1:18-20

18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. 

NKJV

Timothy had to see that which Paul had implemented of the truth was in place always. There was to be no contrary teaching to that which Paul had given. Paul makes note of Hymenaeus and Alexander who were named to denote their unfaithful acts toward God. They reject the whole of the gospel and it appeared in the writing as a ship, a vessel fully loaded but it strikes on a rock and sinks. 

You can see history on the maritime vessels and their trips over the ocean in the most rocky of seas. The pictures and videos they show can give detail how a ship can be broken up without the right adjustments on that rudder. In that movie the "Perfect Storm" you can see that no amount of training and reading of weather reports and other important information regarding the trip were helpful. Those waves produced by that storm were those we would rather watch from a distance and not actually be in that "major" storm.   For whatever their own knowledge of sailing was at the time, their fate was in the perfect storm.

In Timothy, we can learn a lot of things. As one who stands and we see it every step he took, he obeyed the Word of God!

Wherever our walk of faith is at, whatever our destiny in serving the Lord, I pray ours would be like that of young Timothy. That we would not back down, but hold our course for that which is truth. Ours will always have to be that good fight of faith.....................that wisdom we require is that which young Timothy sought. He held his course and continued the work of the ministry!

.....Father, we know about those in the Bible, those who have been presented to us in that Hall of Faith, and we see those like Timothy who was told to guard what was committed to his trust. In Jesus' name, we pray to be those who will guard that which has been given us, that we will be the committed with that which has been given in our hand to share with others. We desire to avoid the profane and idle babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

We understand that we are to have knowledge of the holy One. Your Word teaches us that a wise man when rebuked will love you all the more. Teaching a wise man, and he will be the wiser still. Teach a good man and he will learn more. Our desire Father, is to be the teachable, so that when we move into our positions to lead, we will lead in faith and not in fear. For the reverence and fear of God are basic to all wisdom. Knowing You our Father God results in every other kind of understanding.
For Wisdom will make the hours of our day more profitable and the years of our life more fruitful.

Wisdom is its own reward.

Father, we are the teachable..........move us forward in that direction You have chosen for us. May we be reminded of Your grace and be forever the faithful witness. Today we desire to press in, we take delight in You and expect a breakthrough into Your plan for us. May our speech and preaching, be not with persuasive words of human wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. For we desire our faith to be in the power of God and not in the wisdom of men. (1 Corinthians 2:5) Father, we pray to be the mature, speaking Your wisdom.......that of God in a mystery, which You ordained before the ages for our glory. (verse 7)

Like Timothy, we are holding on, and are remembering  that spoken prophetic Word spoken over us years ago. Help us to see YOUR hand leading us to the place for each of us that is a blessing and a purpose. We will not fear the "unknown" for we know it is the place WHERE YOU DWELL and we want to be found with YOU! Today, we let go of the past and reach forward expecting the adventure of our lives. Amen.

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

ENDLESS, BLESSED, AND ACTIVE

In recent days, we had been with our grand-daughter, and one word, she kept speaking about in praying for others was "instruments" of God! That word is one that I relish. It means we are instrumental in accomplishing something, to be a part of, and see completion in that "something". Back in June, I had written a prayer for a blog called, "WHAT GREAT LENGTHS", and in it was the words for the kingdom of God that was to be endless, blessed and active.
Our lives certainly should depict that which is of the endless in eternal life with God, thoroughly blessed like Psalm 23 mentions.

Psalm 23:5-6......You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever         NKJV

Has God ever blessed you so much, that everywhere you go, that goodness of God, that mercy is being seen by those who you just passed by, who just saw good from God overflow into their lives when you came into their life? For the verse above states, "that goodness and mercy shall follow me".....you.....us ......when we follow God and His ways. People will see our lives blessed and we are so blessed that we are distributing the overflow of good to others!

Exciting, right?

Philemon 6..............6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.  NIV

Being active for the kingdom of God, knowing that it has come, and we have a part in the end time of seeing the harvest of souls. We have our part as the instrument God will use!

That being blessed is receiving that Word of faith and having a trust that God will do what He has said He will do.

Ezekiel  36:33-36..... 33'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. 35 So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.' 36 "Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it."                    NKJV

Receiving Jesus as Lord brought us up out of a pit and into marvelous Light of His love. In receiving Him, we receive all that He died on the Cross to give us. We moved from being the desolate land to being something of beauty. In a sense like from above, the garden of Eden. What was wasted and ruined in our lives was changed, and became fortified with the Word of God. The crooked places became straight. 

Luke 3:4-6..............."A voice of one calling in the desert, 

'Prepare the way for the Lord, 

make straight paths for him. 

5 Every valley shall be filled in, 

every mountain and hill made low. 

The crooked roads shall become straight, 

the rough ways smooth. 

6 And all mankind will see God's salvation.'"       NIV

Yes, it was in receiving salvation from God that the desolate became alive, living to be fruitful and see change, not only for ourselves but for others as well.

 In verse 36 of Ezekiel 36.....we see that others, nations (peoples) will see that it is the Lord who has rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate.  "I the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it."

Walking with the Lord, hearing His commands and obeying them brings a blessed life.

Psalm 103:1-5.....Bless the LORD, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits: 

3 Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases, 

4 Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 

5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 

NKJV

You and I  have received if we believe. It is His benefits that we have bodies healed, and we are the redeemed from destruction. We have eternity with God that is living in His Presence and not in hell, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Our lives have been crowned...........with His lovingkindness and tender mercies.....so every time we are blessed with more than enough, we can distribute.

 We are the satisfied with youth being restored to us daily when we read that Holy Word. Keeping it before our eyes and walking in those statues that are of righteousness, holiness, justice, and peace.

INSTRUMENTS!
When we think of an instrument, we think of sound. It is what we hear when a violin is being played or when someone strikes keys on the piano. But what happens when God touches our hearts? What sound do we make? When someone crosses our path are we the ACTIVE in sharing our faith in every good thing we have in Christ Jesus?
For what we do here on earth for the kingdom of God will be done for an eternity. We may not know the place, but we certainly know if we are those who pray..........who teach, who exhort, who sing, who give without holding back!
God has government and it is established on Jesus' shoulders. We may not see it right now, but it is still there in the spirit, it is in our hearts who adhere to His teaching, and it EXISTS! AND WHEN JESUS RETURNS, IT WILL COME INTO FULL VIEW!
As an instrument of Jesus, we can speak the word of God and believe that truth will prevail in our lives.  It may take a week, a month or even a few years for something we believe in to occur, but it will happen and will be on God's timing and not ours. He is never late, but always on time!


2 Timothy 2:20-21..........20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.       NIV

In closing: Our desire should be that which is of gold or silver, tried in the fire and used for glory of God. If we are the man cleansed from the ignoble things........cleansed from ....that which is unworthy, shameful, despicable....and become that instrument for noble purposes....we are the instruments for.......that which is righteous, virtuous, honorable,  the regal, the striking, the man or woman made in the image of God to live a purposed life. One that is instrumental in God's plan is one who will pray. They are those who submit to wisdom that is from above and begins with a holy life characterized by love. As those instruments, we live right with God and gather as families to communicate God's love to others. In being in the Word of God, we are reminded to put others first daily. Our priorities become those God has for us. AND IT IS DIRECTED TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD THAT IS ENDLESS, BLESSED AND ACTIVE.

NOW THANKS BE TO GOD THE FATHER, WHO ALWAYS CAUSES US TO TRIUMPH IN CHRIST JESUS. AMEN.

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

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Being Trained in Godliness is Walking with God

Do we learn from church service, that which strengthens to know the Lord and His ways? If we are instructed in the Word, do we seek to follow that path set before us?
Do we expect to come away from the church service and return home to resume the "business as usual" or actually follow God?

Do we hear the Word, but shun the obedient part of doing it? It is when we submit to God as we read in James 4:7-17......
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (NKJV)

YIKES! IF WE KNOW TO DO GOOD....and do not......follow the Word to do it........it is sin.

Another question: Do we change by being a part of a wonderful worship service or do we change when we witness miracles? The worship services are wonderful. It is such joy to worship our God in song and in the lifting of our hands, but that does not bring the needed Word for change. For me, I certainly have seen miracles and know them to occur frequently, but that does not bring the needed change I need on a daily basis.

No, it it the "secret place" encounter with God that brings the needed change. It is the time of study and knowing what He has spoken and done!

From my own experiences with the Lord, the more I study and confess scripture, the more I see HIM and the more I enjoy knowing He is with me! A relationship is the give and take, but do we find ourselves more of the taking side of things than of the giving to someone else?
I have to ask myself that question a lot and remind myself, that all this is not about me. It is important for us to know the Lord and understand His purpose for our lives.
No, it should not be the "business as usual" for the Lord has the plan that brings us into knowing Him more fully and will propel us into what He planned for us to do here on earth.
Our going to a church service does not make us any more a Christian than us going to the hamburger place makes us a hamburger.
What makes you and me a "Christian" is that we know the Lord intimately, and that WE follow closely to what He has said and done. We are to set our course, much as Jesus did, and that was to follow and have THE intimate time with the Father.

I like the recent  teachings on " hearing God speak" and yet in all of these I hear nothing on PEOPLE being obedient to the Word taught. Are we discarding the truth, to walk in the worldliness and gratify our senses with the foolish things of the world?
Are we resounding brass and just making noise, or are we making a difference for the kingdom of God? Are we really practicing what we "preach and teach" others?

Time is over for  "religion and THE religious thing" and now is time for those who consistently seek God and His ways. It is not how cute and sweet, but how powerful is the Word of God that sets the captive free. Even Timothy was warned to "hold fast to the pattern of sound words which you have learned .........in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Have we set up the "secret place" to have time with God or we just building an altar that collects dust, no worship, no Word from scripture and with NO POWER!


 WE are reminded in 1 Timothy 4:6-7.....If  you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But reject profane and old wive's fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.

So, if the one teaching us is nourished in the words of faith and they follow it faithfully, should we  be those who are nourished in the same words of faith to follow too?
If we ask God what He desires for us, I am certain that He would state for us to know His Son, the Son of His Love, whom He sent for our benefit.

If I spend time with my husband, I learn all his likes and dislikes. I can learn what brings him heartache and laughter. If I spend quality time with him, I can learn what he likes to do and does not like to do whether when he is puttering around the house, on a long trip, or when we just go for a long walk together. My husband is not to be a distraction to me, but my companion in this life! If I value him, then I will want to find more quality time to spend with him and know him even better than I do today.

If I run today to catch up with the Lord, it is well worth it to me that He will know that I have come to fellowship and to ask Him some questions. Not all my questions are for something, but to know something about Him. "Lord, how can I deliver the word of truth in all godliness so others will know You as I do?" "How can I touch someone's heart today with YOUR love and let them know YOU sent me to speak with them?" "Lord, how may we bear witness for You when we have no zeal in our hearts?" "Lord, how may we apply Your word to our lives today, so that we submit ourselves, to be humble before You, and how to show others that being submitted to Your plan prospers us?"

I have learned my husband loves to prepare breakfast, and he desires to have dessert more often than I do. I know he likes to mow the grass and cook steaks on the grill. But I also know, that the best part of his day of work is coming home! He has this excitement of just being at home and to relax with the wife and the little dog.

I believe the best part of our Father God's day is when we run to catch up HIM while He walks in the cool of the day. I believe He likes the smell of roses in bloom and see dew in the early morning while the birds gather to sing their festive songs. I believe He delights to see us notice the moon He put in the sky or to see His word fulfilled in our lives when it speaks, "that himself bear our sins in His body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, might live unto righteous and by His stripes we are healed."
He is delighted when we speak what He speaks and declares what He declares about us.

 Do we value the Lord and show Him how much we want to be with Him? Do we declare how important He is in our lives and that we earnestly love Him for all that He did for us even before we knew HIM?

So if I go to church, say, Saturday evening and  truly go expecting to receive the Word that is taught at that time, then on Sunday morning will I understand and know that I am being sanctified in the Word of God?  Our walk of faith walk is in acknowledging God's nature and His heart. When receiving those teachings on Saturday evening, we should know that we are being nourished and strengthened to having a reverence and fear of God.! When the word is spoken, we are to be obedient about following that Word. Just like seeing speed limit signs on the roadway will do us no good if we fail to acknowledge that they are there are our benefit. Taking a curve with a posted sign of 25 miles an hour and taking it at 90 miles an hour will certainly bring destruction and death to the one driving the extreme speed above and beyond the speed of 25 mile an hour on that particular curve.

Today, I remember when I was a child, and when visiting the elder members of our family and seeing the "old" family Bible on the coffee table or on some shelf in their homes, the BIG BIBLE WHICH TOOK BOTH OF MY HANDS TO HOLD IT, seemed to hold all the written information for weddings, births and deaths in that particular family we were visiting.  Yet much of the time that I saw these big Bibles, they appeared more as a "show piece" and looked like they had not been opened for anyone's benefit. It just seemed to be a book to add the dates of the weddings,of the births and of the deaths of those who owned the Bible!
Does my life or your life resemble just a "showpiece" or when we open our mouths, is the Word of God coming out of it? When we speak, are we bringing a refreshing to others, giving them God's Word that will bring support and strengthen those we will speak to when they need it most? Or is it about how good we look, and is it more about that new outfit we just got to wear to the church, BUT does nothing to help the body of Christ? If we should need encouragement ourselves, would it not make a difference to encourage someone else? Would it not be important to encourage someone and plant those seeds into other people's lives? Are we put off because someone did not give us a hug or speak to us today? The possibility is great then that we lose out on the all important word given that evening that is to nourish us and strengthen us! Because of our taking on the defense of "poor me" then we are not receptive to receiving the Word of God that will bring change to our lives!

Today, we can choose what our character and conduct will be. It will either be that of the world or that which follows closely after righteousness and godliness. Our adhering to the Word of God reconciles us to His way of doing and thinking. We can clothe ourselves in His Word, and we can saturate our hearts with that same word day in and day out!
Each week, we have the choice to choose the Word or the world.

Will we choose.........

• to "be trained for godliness...1 Timothy 4:7.....7   but reject profane and old wive's fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.

• act "according to the new nature...2 Corinthians 5:17,21......17   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new 21  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

• become imitators of God.....Ephesians 5:1-2........therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

• ambassadors for Christ....2 Corinthians 5:20.....20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

Father, in Jesus' name, we make a commitment to YOU. We sing praise to You and give thanks at the remembrance of Your holy name. We worship today in the beauty of holiness. We desire to be trained in godliness. We want to walk the faith walk and acknowledge YOUR nature and heart. Today we desire our character to be like your character.
Lord, we believe and expect our bodies to be whole and healed for Jesus took and bore Himself on the tree, that we being dead unto sin might live for righteousness and by whose stripes we were healed.

Today we hold the word of truth and know our lives are sanctified by the Word of truth. We expect to have the reverence and fear of God as we adhere to the Word that sets us free. Today we choose to have YOUR character and conduct.

Father, how may we please you today in our lives? How may we bring joy and laughter to YOU? We thank You for hearing us as we pray. We also expect to have the new and adventurous life that is new everyday and not "the business as usual thing". We release You Holy Spirit into our lives this day. Expand and increase our knowledge of YOU. We want to ENCOUNTER GOD IN ALL HIS FULLNESS FIRST HAND. WE WILL BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD. AMEN

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