NOT YOURS

"NOT YOURS"

This morning I got up...thanked the Lord for the day....thanked HIM for the life in me to get up and then to rise for His purpose through me and mine! I did a number things, and went to the quiet place to pray and again give thanks for His goodness to us, the sacrifice of His son and the great opportunity to have a relationship with Him.
It was coming on the hour that I take out some bird feed and fill that which brings in the song birds and yes, some birds with attitude. As I walked the yard and was praying and relaxing in the warmth of the day, I saw a golf ball lying under this large pine tree not far from the corner of the house. As I got closer I saw black writing on it! I picked it up and it said " not yours"! And I thought your ball should be on the fairway of the golf course and not on the fairway of our backyard!
My thought was: "did this guy know he would lose it no matter how he played" which reflects badly on his hand and eye coordination. And he could not blame the loss of that ball due to an easterly wind this morning, for it is most certainly quiet....which the day revealed not an inkling of a breeze of any kind was around.  It was so quiet out, that you could hear the creaking of material objects expanding under the rays of the hot sun.

As I finished my duties outside I returned to the kitchen to wash my hands, & I kept looking at the found ball  that I had laid next to the sink.  I turned it around to see the words written " NOT YOURS" on it. I was still wondering why someone would get so angry about a ball in his possession, to mark it up enough that the person finding it in their yard...would no doubt see their attitude and hear them yelling out their complaints in advance for losing their ball!
My other thought was, "why would anyone play a sport that he has so much anger in". Maybe he rids his heart of anger by hitting the ball instead of his 'boss'. Maybe he expresses his restless heart within him to say " I am moaning noisily and if this gets into your hands, you will know it too! I am going to aggravate you today! And you know the 'enemy' tries to do that especially when you are getting close to that 'thing' God has for you to do for His glory!


The enemy is that way you know! He will try to stop you by reminding you where you came from and  that you cannot expect to walk out of that place because "it is not yours". Then when he tries to terrorize with throwing things at you like golf balls with written intents, sends email with no hope in it, sends a card for your birthday but no signature on it nor any kind of greeting other than what the card was imprinted with at the factory, or  when he the enemy yells to you that you are not exiting this place, because that out there, "it is not yours".

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. But we really must read this verse in context of Scripture given. Jesus the Good Shepherd spoke in John10: 7 "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves' and robbers' , but the sheep did not hear them. 9 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. AND then verse 10: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

In Jesus, we that is you and me (we) go in and out and we find pasture! That pasture is food to eat, it is a place where the Shepherd keeps His watch over us. We find clear running water for thirst and can lie down in green pastures and enjoy the harvest of food the Lord gives to us. 
Psalm 23 reminds of that!

Let’s begin by remembering Psalm 22 has to do with Christ on the Cross, Psalm 23 deals with Him as the Father’s Shepherd in WHOSE care Jesus would live for God,  die for man-kind but still reside in the Father’s hands and Psalm 24 revealing His ascension. And from Hebrews we find that prayer is requested for this and so too, we as His follower’s would do well to pray: Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. 19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Seek to cooperate with leaders. That means any leaders you have over you including the President of the United States. We may not like ‘everything’ he does, but he was elected and if God is in it with him, it is best not touch God’s anointed. We should pray for all leadership whether in Washington D. C., Washington state, from the mayor of the city to the police chiefs, to fire chiefs, to the people who lead in the schools and universities. It is God that we desire to please. You and I are to love our neighbor and love God, but also please Him our Father, who is in heaven. (Hebrews 13:21….make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ)

So the Lord is our Shepherd and we shall not be in want of any good thing. Those who have repented and turned have Jesus as Lord! That pasture of His goodness supplies what we need bodily, soul and spirit in HIM!  He leads us by still waters not agitating waters! Those violent torrents of water coming from ragged rocks on high would terrify the sheep. YOU can hear those violent waters creating much commotion as it washes down as through the heights to the valley below.

David who wrote those words inspired by the Spirit of God had seen those waters of refreshment in the areas of the sandy and rocky country of where he grew up. He saw extended times where the hot sun dried up those streams and how ‘special’ the coolness and sweetness of that water was to a famished soul and when that refreshing was needed!

It is God who restores the believer into the spiritual history that was of the Jew and now Gentile. Those who are restored to the purposes God intended from the beginning. We are restored in righteousness for His name’s sake. His name is great and worthy to be praised.  His name is love, peace and forgiveness.

Ezekiel 34:14-24 NKJV “I will feed them in good pastures, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 “I will feed My flock and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. 16 “I will seek  what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, & feed them in judgment.” 17 “And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God, “Behold I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats. 18 “Is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture----& to have drunk of the clear waters that you must foul the residue with your feet?”19 “And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet & they drink what you have fouled with your feet.” 20 “Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: “Behold, I myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. 21 “Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, & scattered them abroad. 22 “Therefore I will save my flock, & they shall no longer be a prey; & I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 I will establish one shepherd over them, & he shall feed them---MY servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 “And I, the LORD will be their God & My servant David a prince among them; I, the LORD have spoken.  This was for the ‘church’. It is for the spiritual to bought back into the natural of man!

Living by faith, is living with a trust in the Lord that restores. He takes care of the sick sheep and brings them out of addictions and out of those ever-changing passions man seems to desire live by but have nothing to do with a passion for God. We are to be reconciled back to God. The kingdom has come and those who enter do so by repentance into that open door of the kingdom. God must live in our hearts.

As from that of Ezekiel, the church must not be the ‘virtue-less cesspool’. If that which stinks and gets on you, it is still going to stink because it is on you....yes it is with you!  Ever been close to a cesspool and noticed the stink it gives off and especially on a hot day?  We sometimes have to drive by this small community heading west toward the interstate and there are times especially in the summer when this communities sewer system must be malfunctioning, for it is exposed, and running over the rims of that which is to hold it inside the vat! What a stink!

For His Name’s sake, He leads us in paths of righteousness and the church pastor, apostle or teacher should do the same. We are to lead others in paths of righteousness for is His Name’s sake. He is the ONE who died for us all! But not all of us will go and repent and follow Him. It is by grace that we have been saved. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The architectural design is by God and in God and through God. The Redeemed believer is His new creation. And in HIM we have balance in our lives: we have His peace, His love and His power. And by His love we can love others . But His love brings conviction. Remember His love always tells truth. Anything outside of that is disloyal to God,  is disloyal to His love and brings conviction.  1John 4:1 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 
I am not going to talk about false prophets today but I do want to talk about love. John continues in verse 16: “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

WHEN Jesus came from the Father we saw a love that is a manifestation of connection with God His father. It was by "relationship"! So we should not make love “a god” to give  it as it is a thing. NO, we  instead give the love by knowing the God of  love. That is, we are giving a God who is alive and knows their heartbreak and failures! Many people today try to initiate love to others by “a god of love” without standing by their convictions that caused them to repent in the first place. Missing the very AUTHOR OF LOVE IS  not loving others but only applying that which only man can give and has no help from the Holy Spirit. Yes, we must love others more than our convictions but we cannot and should not ever love others instead of our convictions. If you remember the woman caught in adultery. Jesus forgave the woman but he also exhorted her to “Go and sin no more”.
LOVE recognizes sin........forgives but exhorts as well! Don't sin again.

That which lies on the other side should no longer bring fear to us. We certainly walk through valleys, those low places but those dangers should not cause us to fear when we have  the God-saving care with us through every season and every dark night. In the dark, the stalker stalks their prey in looking for their food. You and I have been given the Holy Spirit, and in that comfort we experience the seasons to come and to go, and we still see trials and tribulations, but the Shepherd is watching, and by His Spirit He counts His own, He watches over His word to perform it in their lives. His word brings that support and we should be speaking that God is with us and He is for us as this too is His word!

The table was set and what a rich spiritual feast it is that God has provided. What great taste and benefit to us all who are willing to humble ourselves and receive Jesus as Lord. Yes we are secure at the table of the Lord. For though enemies will be present there, we are not to fear. OUR head is anointed with oil. We are refreshed with the wonderful oils and smells of the Lord. We receive His oil of gladness (Psalm 45:7) the joy which the holy Spirit imparts to us (1 John 2:20) and that which is the odor of brotherly love…that fragrant oil of spiritual relationship found in Psalm 133. The spiritual find the scents of being united to the purpose to worship, to praise, to sing, and pray together when one heart with God.

Yes, all our days are to be forever the pilgrim following Jesus. For when God dwells in our heart by faith, we dwell in the house of the Lord forever. You and I can go out and we find we are shepherd by the Shepherd of the sheep. We find satisfaction and peace. We find His love that is viable. It was a love that is manifested knowing the Father of LOVE. If we do anything for another, it is that we operate out of that which is love we know of the Father for ourselves. 

When we do anything for the Lord, may we know HIM, go and in out finding pasture, finding that knowledge of Him, and that is seen as "the passion" for Him. For in that our actions will rebuke the devil when he speaks, 'not yours', BUT we speak I and my Father are one and my passion reveals the love that is of the Father and is given to others in the same way it was given for me, for you and for all ……...but all will not receive it, indeed!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Authority Is a Gift NOT Personal Rivalry

https://youtu.be/hvuTnkBXTz4

Also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

 http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Fashioned for Purpose

https://youtu.be/WUCvtT39gnE

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

 http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

Don't Lose Your Footing

Habakkuk 3:19
19 The LORD God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer's feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.
NKJV

It is the Lord Who is our strength. Psalm 27 speaks to us this:

Psalm 27:1-3

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid? 

2 When the wicked came against me 

To eat up my flesh,

My enemies and foes,

They stumbled and fell. 

3 Though an army may encamp against me,

My heart shall not fear;

Though war should rise against me,

In this I will be confident. 

NKJV

In what are we confident? We are confident that HE is our STRENGTH! Whatever is on our pathway, the Lord is our STRENGTH. He is mighty to save and bring us through no matter the circumstance. Wherever we walk, high or low, He will guide us when we know Him as our salvation and our life.

Psalm 28:6-9

6 Blessed be the LORD,

Because He has heard the voice of my supplications! 

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,

And with my song I will praise Him. 

8 The LORD is their strength,

And He is the saving refuge of His anointed. 

9 Save Your people,

And bless Your inheritance;

Shepherd them also,

And bear them up forever. 

NKJV

Psalm 28 reminds us that the Lord hears our supplications. When our hearts are set on Him, our strength comes. The shield is in place. Hearts fixed and in place, receptive to Him and His speaking, we are the helped. So rejoice you who are broken, who may experience pain today, for God is with you. He will not leave or forsake you, for He will hear the song of rejoicing in your heart. 

Praise is a wonderful thing. Voicing our heart and hearing His praise come is welcome, an open gate into His goodness, grace and peace. Songs in our heart beats the enemy and leaves him in his tracks of defeat.

Stand strong in Him today. The battle is known, and He is your strength. He is your place of refuge in those times of trouble, and He will save. He will carry you through. He will lift you out of despair and bring you to peace in Him. Abide and let your words speak His goodness. Reside by His still waters and feed on His faithfulness. In that you will find rest for your soul! Amen!

Notice: 

The Voice of Prayer  has two new teaching published:
Meekness: Not Weakness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckFuD-ZaDxE


Christmas Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKXnnlvjAVA


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

What's Bugging YOU?

Anything "bugging" you today? Anything appearing to not fit in what the day should look like or what was expected?

When we realize that this world has multitudes of people and change will happen at a given moment in time, then we understand the importance of having an all-knowing God on the scene of our lives!
To me, each day is like making a trip across country. No matter what you plan for along the way, other people will change it or help you make another plan. As I had written in an earlier blog, traveling with our grand-child last fall added to our delight of travel and seeing things through her eyes she had not seen before added enjoyment and laughter too, at some point, but it was truly rich when we relaxed in knowing God was with us and see the best be done for His will for our lives.
Now if anyone knew me before my walk with Jesus, they would surely know I had to have a hard copy of a list to what to wear, what to eat, where to eat, and how far to travel in each day. Seriously!  I kid you not!

Proverbs 16:9.............9 A man's heart plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps. NKJV

I have always told my husband that I know God loves to laugh and I believe He laughs when we tell Him our plans!  Our plans should always include others and not just for me or you! It is like regarding the "Rest Area" stop offs. Someone will say something just as you are driving past the "Rest Area" sign. It sounded like this: "Mommy, I have to potty!" Yes, timing was remarkable but not quick enough to get in that lane to exit. So driving to the next "Rest Area" may take some more time and effort. Finally the sign appears, and the vehicle is driven into the space, hop out now, and "run".  But in those "rest area" times we find some moments to think about the quick trip to that point for the "much needed potty break" and laugh. We can find in those moments a quiet time to laugh or even giggle and see our young grand-daughter pleased that she made it on time and needs a much needed snack! Resting brings us back to "why did we think we needed to hurry anyway"?

So after that, announcements were made of the upcoming exit to the "Rest Area"!

To me, traveling across country is like the shepherd who keeps a flock of sheep.  Yes, Psalm 23 keeps coming to me!
We lived in Wyoming for many years and had opportunity to meet an actual sheepherder. We got to see first-hand the wagon they lived in and where they prepared their food to eat. We got to see the Australian Blue Heelers they kept to help them guard the sheep and it was just  like a working office with everyone in their place and doing their "duty" or work for that specific day and hour. Now it happened in the time when the sheepherder was down in the lowland area of this valley(usually winter time). And since that time, I have had several occasions to write and teach on the importance of the "keep watch" over those given into our keeping as parents, grand-parents and even in ministry leadership!

One specific teaching was the stubbornness of some of the sheep in regards to the others. In what I would term rebellious (doing their own thing), the dogs certainly got those sheep moving toward the greener pasture high up the slopes of the Big Horn Mountains for the summer months. The consistency of the dogs working together as a team to unite the whole flock kept the movement going forward and the dogs would look to the shepherd for his command to "go" and do.
In remembering my days living in the country as a teenager, I reflected on those who cared for sheep and had the formal task of taking the said sheep into a "sheep dip". I remember some of the formulations of liquids and liquid insecticides and fungicides which farmers then used and some shepherds use today to protect said sheep from infestations against external parasites like itch mite, those terrible blowflies, and even ticks and lice.
Even in this area of the Gorge, people will remind us if we are out with our dog to remember that ticks are on the rise, and that we have to keep watch for them and inspect our dog regularly. We will not even take our dog into the wooded areas like Strawberry Island,  but some do and that is helpful information to ward off those hideous bugs from your beloved pet!

Psalm 23.....The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 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

When the Lord Jesus is our Shepherd, then we shall not be in want of any good thing. We can lie down in peace of green pastures that feeds us. WE are Not disturbed in anyway or in any fashion but are just those who are settled in a peace with good of God added to it!
But what about those who come to "butt and disturb"? What if all are not of the family of God?

So as Jesus enforces His peace He left to us, it is that weapon that fights chaos at the highest level. He leads us besides still waters by His Holy Spirit and restores our souls. He restores us to the life we were meant to live and were always meant to have. Like sheep that have been dipped, we are dipped into life everlasting where we are to be at ease with rest and enjoyment. We as the sheep should not be deterred by bugs of any sort. We should not be irritated by anything, but resting place in the Lord, even like an oasis of beauty where the weary find that special spot to rest.

So too, the pastor who has the anointing to "shepherd a flock" is to have that gentle leading of the sheep to the right place that feeds, protects the believer, the leadership to impart life from the Word of God to them, that will bring, not only a refreshing, but also strengthen them in knowing and using the Word of God to walk things out in the natural and see God's glory in it! For the believer it is the place to gather and water amidst any trouble or any tribulation!
The shepherd (pastor) is to lead always looking with a tender affection toward his flock. As the shepherd in the wilderness area, so the shepherd (pastor), who has a congregation, is to lead and have that constant watch and care for his "sheep". The pastor is to remember that the sheep are those who need the Word that feeds them. They are those who are to be led by that Word when not ONLY in church, but at work, home or play. So should danger arise, or trouble from somewhere even close by, there should be no fear of evil of any danger or difficulties.  For "sheep" should not be dealing with stuff all the time. Those things that "bug" should have been dealt with in the "sheep dip" once and for all!

Even in the wilderness, the shepherd is reminded of the dangers of those things that come to cause death, but he guards, and sets those dogs to guard and moves the flock regularly whether from the deep valley to the night of dark shadows, and though darkness may cover and keep hidden some kind of peril, it is the Lord who will keep one safe, fed and much satisfied. Amen! It is the "sheep" who are moved to safety and kept safe with the watchful eye of the shepherd!

So any "butting and disturbing" among the flock should not be present. That peace as Jesus came to bring is here today........John 14:27..........27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. NKJV

There should be this "freedom" that holds off all of the worldly tension, and all that would aggravate like mites, and blowflies is to sheep in the summer months of feeding on the slopes of the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming.  Being held in a peace that is a total weapon against those agitating things is a God-send to us. Today is the day that we should not hunger anymore, for the Word was manifested to give us life abundantly. As a group of believers we are to believe and adhere to the Word of God that causes us to prosper. As the "sheep" on the slopes of green grass, we too, should be experiencing being well-fed, strengthened from the inside out to move forward and take our place for God's glory.


Father, thank You for Your Son, the Savior of the world! We are thankful for the shed Blood at Calvary, and the greatest sacrifice of Jesus for our sins!
We pray today that we stay close to the Shepherd and hear Him when He speaks. Today we pray that as we come to You, Your will be done in our lives here on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others who have trespassed against us. Deliver us today from evil. For it is Your kingdom we seek, and Your power that is loosed today in our homes, families, and situations to give YOU all the glory done here in Jesus' name. Amen.


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