A Do-Gooder

Salt & Light

Acts 10:36-41 NKJV 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ-----He is Lord of all----- 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

Ever hear of someone speaking of maybe a friend, family member or themselves as being "a do-gooder".
But scripture tells us that the person who does good is one who is baptized, anointed by the Holy Spirit and who goes about like Jesus did, healing all who were oppressed by the devil.
Simple, right?
God is with us when we receive Jesus as Lord of our lives. Confessing Him with our mouths, that is by repenting of sins, repenting of the past life and by faith receive the new life or the new man in Him!

Still though, I hear from new broadcasts to the on-line sector video news to heralding a " do-gooder" dying suddenly, or in regard to some freakish event.
Jesus was the Word of God! John 1:14-18 NKJV And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out saying, "This was He of whom I said, He who comes after is preferred before m,e for He was before me." 16 and of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Jesus came to bring the love of the Father. He declared Him. Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God which had come. It was seen as preaching peace. Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him.

So it would be easy to see when God is not with someone, right? God is love, but Jesus told us in John 14:6 ...."no one comes to the Father except through Him.
Jesus told us this in John 15:15-17 .....No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

This is what the "do-gooder" looks like: they sound like Jesus, their lives imitate His life and they declare the Father. Our lives should have fruit that is to have more life, more fruit produced living our life that points to the Father, the Creator of the Heavens and Earth!

Heard on a teaching today by Kenneth Copeland. He was speaking of the time when the Queen Mary was to be raised out of the ocean water in Long Beach, California and place on land where it was going to be built into a hotel. He spoke they had a Believer's Convention about the time it started some years ago and he said, "the men meticulously removed the first smoke stack from its position, and placed it on the deck with no one touching it.

He said it was suddenly that the enormous smoke stack that looked so beautiful with the fine paint instantly crumbled to the floor of the dock. In awe, people ran to look at "what just happened in an instant"! He said that what was revealed was nothing but layers of paint for the salt air had corroded the very metal of the smoke stack. It was only the the outside the facade!

Yes, that salt water air had corroded the metal on that smoke stack! It was the metal that held the shape, but paint remained only when the metal was gone. So too, we must remember that being saved, we are moved into that which should have no pathways for sin to run rampant. The Father loves us and staying close to Him through Jesus connects us to truth and to light. Outside of that it is just a facade.

People who remain in Jesus should do what Jesus did without going to the Cross, but nailing the flesh creature must be applied. Our emotions should not lead us into sin. Scripture tells us the if our eye or hand offends remove it.
Matthew 5:27-30 NKJV You have heard that is was said to those of old, "You shall not commit adultery. " 28 But I say to you, that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than your whole body to be cast into hell.

We cannot just appear good like the smoke stack, we are to have hearts connected to the Him who has key of life in Him. Just quoting some scripture does not make us a "do-gooder" in God. It is not enough to just walk through life without making the commitment to Him.
When a man and woman get married, it is to be for life through the continual communication and covenant between them. So many lose that connection and divorce usually finding out too late that freedom truly was in the connection they had at the first in their relationship!
Those who truly understand that the "salt" maintains the effectiveness in adhering to the kingdom that had come. The norm is for us to be salt and light. In that regard as the disciple of Jesus we are to act as the preservative in a world by conforming to kingdom reality or truths. Adhering to His words of truth we remain the strong strengthened in Him. Without Him, then we would appear as the smokestack from the ship Queen Mary cruise-liner!
Surely salt will stall the decay of the meat....and for us it will do the same. Oh, it so vital to stay connected to the Lord, and to know we have the Holy Spirit, we have the open communication to continue in the life-giving grace that has come from the Father of lights and in whom there is no changing ....He never changes His mind toward us.
We must not change our minds either, for to do so well, we would end up looking that beautiful smoke stack for awhile to only end up a heap on the dock of some port. No! We should want to remain in Him for life. Amen!

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Speech

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Strong Belief But Not in Harmony with God

Voice of Prayer

Jeremiah 23:21-22  NKJV 

(21) " I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran.

I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

(22) But if they had stood in My counsel,

And had caused My people to hear My words,

Then they would have turned them from their evil way

And from the evil of their doings.   

Many people have strong beliefs, but are they right? Are they in harmony with God's will? 

Many people hold onto beliefs, those handed down by parents. But truly a belief must not only be strong, but it must also be right  and according to God's purpose and plan. In truth our living out God's word will give proof and prove to that which is right in the process of right living!

We are taught that righteous actions will produce godly fruit. This is why Jesus says, "You will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16). 

Matthew 7:16  Amplified Bible 16 You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit. 18 A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration].

So too, within our lives and who follow truly after the Lord will produce fruits. In that life it is a person's life that will show what a person believes, producing in him a resolution that his actions are God-ordered and he dare not turn aside or change them.

Psalm 40:4 Amplified Bible 4 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who makes the Lord his refuge and trust; and turns not to the proud or to the followers of false gods.

Psalm 125:4-5 Amplified Bible 4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are right [with You and all people] in their hearts. 5 As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways [of indifference to God], the Lord will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel!

Do our lives really reflect what we believe? And is the truth really found in God? Is our faith set in Him or in something else?

For whatever our walk today, you and I must be those who desire truth. And to have that truth will be in God. For prayer is set for communication and to keep that focus that God is our answer, that answer will come through Him and show us the way to walk.

In truth then, are we really following His example of prayer as we saw Jesus go up the mountain to pray? Do we follow that path to the quiet to hear Him with our heart?

If truly in right standing with Him, and knowing His heart is to bless those who follow Him closely, then we should know He wants the good for us!

Titus 3:4-8  Amplified Bible 4 But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man [as man] appeared, 5 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had one, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing bath of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 [And he did it in order] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [ that we might be acknowledge and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought and action],  And that we might become heirs of eternal life according to [our hope].

8 This message is most trustworthy, and concerning these things I want you to insist steadfastly, so that those who have believed in (trusted in, relied on,) God may be careful to apply themselves to honorable occupations and to doing good, for such  themselves are [not only] excellent and right [in themselves,] but [they] are good and profitable for the people.

As the woman or man of God, then our purpose in God and by God is that our thinking on that purpose be of and in His divine thought and not of my belief system of other things. Designated by God for a purposeful life, then I must come to His ways of doing and thinking and not my own.

So is our hope found in God. Have I truly relied on God and His ways for my life?

We have that righteous status in Jesus Christ! That we could be regenerated into a new life of rebirth to become what God purposed for you and for me. Truly the Lord is for us. Truly He sent His best for us and in that we have a good hope to come across that victory line, not behind the 8-ball but out in that glorious life that is of the blessed, the fortunate, that which is envied by those who do not know Him and live as He desires.

Matthew 13:43  Amplified Bible 43 Then will the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God) shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears [to hear] be listening, and let him consider and perceive and understand by hearing.

May we harmonize with God our Father. May our lips produce those words of righteousness that is from the New Covenant to shine forth as the sun shines! Walk out in harmony, walk in the fullness of that dignity and reality of the Father's own righteousness. For truly we are born-again, we are born into RIGHTEOUSNESS by and of the Father Himself. Amen!

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Rumor

Job 28:20-28
20 "Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds of the air.
22 Destruction and Death say,
'Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.'
23 God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,
24 for he views the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters,
26 when he made a decree for the rain
and a path for the thunderstorm,
27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.
28 And he said to man,
'The fear of the Lord-that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.   NIV

Have you ever been at a church where rumor's run rampant?
Consider the gossip behind this rumor! Remember from the Bible about rumors that are mentioned? Let's start with Jesus!  We find rumors in Mark 1!

Mark 1:23-29  Amplified

Just at that time there was in their synagogue a man [ who was in the power] of an unclean spirit; and now [immediately] he raised a deep and terrible cry from the depths of his throat, saying, 24 what have You to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are---the Holy One of God! 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hush up (be muzzled, gagged), and come out of him! 26 And the unclean spirit, throwing the man into convulsions and screeching with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all so amazed, and almost terrified that they kept questioning and demanding one of another, saying What is this? What new (fresh) teaching! With authority He gives orders even to the unclean spirits and they obey Him! 28 And immediately rumors concerning Him spread [everywhere] throughout all the region surrounding Galilee.

The fear of the Lord is wisdom........and it is to shun evil and gain the understanding of God. In coming to His thoughts and ways are certainly higher than ours. But remaining in Him, we grow in His wisdom of righteous living and walk into the understanding of those inclinations that we learned early in life and lean toward while living in a fallen world. For when we understand His way that is right and security to us, He will certainly guard those paths of justice and preserve our way. (Proverbs 2:8-9)
In remaining in Him we gain the understanding of living that righteous life that has the hallmark of justice. And those inclinations of family given to us over periods of generations is stopped by His Word of power in our lives.

In the scripture passage above from the book of Mark and chapter 1, we find a man who was under the power of an unclean spirit. And it evidently was a loud speaking spirit, indeed. For it's screeching sounds are indicated in verse 26. And in verse 27 we find that they (who looked on) were all amazed and almost terrified that they kept questioning and demanding one of another, saying, What is this? What new (fresh) teaching! With authority He gives even orders to the unclean spirits and they obey Him!

to be amazed: thambeo....NT: 2285 to stupefy, to astound

So what amazed the people more? Was it that He, Jesus cast out the unclean spirit or that He spoke with authority or could it have been both things? For it certainly was fresh teaching to them and they considered this a teaching to them!

Have you seen a child surprised about something that almost scares them? They run to the closest parent and start asking questions immediately. I remember our grand-child the first time she saw the Easter Bunny. She knew it to not be a good thing. She was terrified!  She turned inward toward her mom and tightened her grip on mother's neck. This is the scene I picture here in this moment of time. These folks had never seen such authority and order! He is teaching from the Word of God, the Holy Scripture and then ministers to a man who was demon possessed.  Imagine what life was being given in those moments before those people and they saw it as "fresh"!

Then in verse 28..............immediately rumors concerning Him spread [everywhere] through all the region surrounding Galilee.

And it was spread, from ear to ear and am certain many added their own flavor of what occurred although they were not there to see the actual happening. RUMORS!

They are generally spread by those who really have no relationship with the person being talked about. They care nothing about the person but are so readily available to have their say about the ordeal or happening concerning the "person" ! 

It then turns to gossip and ugliness. When they could follow Jesus and see the authority He walked in, yet the word, the rumor they spoke went out through the region surrounding Galilee. In that event some saw good and other's did not.

Luke 4:31-37

31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. 32 And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. 33 Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, 34 saying, 

Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!" 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. 36 Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, "What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." 37 And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.     NKJV

Again we see this in Luke 4. They were all amazed and spoke among themselves. "What a word this is!" "For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."

And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

In the KJV the word given was "fame" and in the NKJV we see " report ".......in looking up fame in the Greek.........we find it listed as an : echo.....uncertain, noisy...........loud and confused...also roar: rumor

What is they say: familiarity breeds contempt?
And people can be vicious.............they can say really stupid things:

Well, I know you, and God will never use you! You know I knew your parents and they were not quality people.  Well, I know your background and God is looking for the faithful. 

But God is looking for the humble in heart who will do His bidding.

What we may view with our own eyes may not be the next Billy Graham, but may be the very guy God is growing up to walk with Him.

Then another speaks more ugliness............................ Ah, but who is mentoring you.....????.......well, you really need someone to mentor you...........!!!
Come on guys, we have the Holy Spirit living in our hearts. Remember Him, who was hovering over the face of the earth.............brooding and brought order into all the chaos that covered that face of the earth?

I like this one: "Well you scared me!" or "They overwhelm me..........and ......well, I am not coming back!"                 I wonder how many Jesus heard speak those same sentiments.

In this day and hour, we must be those who abide in the Word of God. We should not live by rumors and those confused echos of a fallen world. For if we truly we live, then we live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. We live by the Holy Spirit Who lives in our hearts and relays to us the things we must know for all our tomorrow's. It is not about, "well, he said, or she said", but it is about Jesus who went about doing good and healing all that were the sick.

Acts 10:38-43

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."  NKJV


Do our lives look like His life?

 Jesus came openly and spoke but not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after he arose from the dead.

Even so today, God speaks to His chosen and those He is establishing. It is Him that we give the new (fresh) that is entirely His Word. It is no fairy tale, contains no magic dust, but it is power to bring healing to all who are the oppressed by the devil.

For truly God is with us who obey His every command, and who keep the faithful walk by His side and minister weekly to those who come to hear God and to praise His name.

Don't party with those who want to spread the "rumor". Don't spend time to start gossip about something you know nothing about. If people want to know what God is doing, then they need to ask Him. And He will listen when their heart is for Him and not for the sake of gossip. Go visit "person" where the "happening" is going on. Go and look for His kingdom and it will be there for the kingdom of God has come. You should experience His presence there!

 BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT, THEN YES GO CHECK OUT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH WHERE PEOPLE ARE BEING HEALED AND THE PEOPLE ARE BEING SET FREE TO BE ALL GOD PLANNED FOR THEM THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
Yes, rumors are going to fly and we, even the church we attend will hear them, but we speak what we have heard from the Father. We abide in Him to bring His presence to the lost and the dying. Where does your heart reside? Will you be overwhelmed in the presence of God?

Jesus spoke this:

Matthew 12:25-28
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.   NIV

If we are truly in God's house and the demons are leaving people, then the "kingdom of God" has come upon us. If that is not happening in your services, then run, don't walk till you find His presence and abide in Him. For He is not far from any of us...........

Acts 17:26-28

 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'   NIV

If we are the saved, then we abide in Him to hear Him speak. We abide in Him to teach with a freshness.........that gently breeze of the Holy Spirit and proclaim His goodness. 

Acts 19:11-18

11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.  NKJV

It is evident that rumors held this together. For we see Paul working the unusual because he had a relationship with God. Diseases would leave and evil spirits would exit men. But it tells us in this passage that there were those who would "try to exorcise" in the name of Jesus. The Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits. And they said this: : 'we exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.'  YIKES!

Now that is stupid!

Then we find there were these 7 sons of Sceva. And he, Sceva was a Jewish chief priest. And the person they chose evidently had a particularly powerful demon for the demon within this person wrestled them, tore their clothes off them, and prevailed over them, and these 7 sons fled naked.

Now we know demons have no power over those who are the truly saved. And they are those who know what authority of which they walk. Jesus gave that to us. See Luke 10:19.

Luke 10:19-20

 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."   NKJV

The spirits are subject to us! But our services are anything but setting captives free. It is let's have some food here and party like it is 1999.  Now many came after seeing this thing. For in verse 17 it became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus. Fear fell on them! And the name of Jesus was magnified. I wonder who was there speaking over these people after these events.

It certainly turned out well. For now there was the evidence that what Paul did and spoke in His name. And God's word prevailed and not the other way round. No, God was shown to be real!

If we do not depart from sin and try this in a service, then disaster will ensue! These who failed kept their own ways and doing, they kept their sin and it almost killed them!

Proverbs 1:28-32

28 "Then they will call to me but I will not answer;

they will look for me but will not find me. 

29 Since they hated knowledge 

and did not choose to fear the LORD, 

30 since they would not accept my advice 

and spurned my rebuke, 

31 they will eat the fruit of their ways 

and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 

32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,

and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 

33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety 

and be at ease, without fear of harm."    NIV

In verse 32 in the Amplified reads this way: For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the careless ease of [self-confident] fools shall destroy them.
And verse 33 reads this way: But whoso hearkens to me [Wisdom] shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.

In closing:
Some people just go looking for disaster. They see someone do something in Jesus' name and think they can do it, even though they have to prayer time with Him and have not read the Word of God in months. Those who choose God will walk in power. They will have His knowledge and do exploits for Him. They will follow Him no matter what, and as they listen to Him, He will cause them to live in safety, in ease and without fear of harm. Those who choose the rumors, that confusion of man will follow after disaster and fall into pits. Let's not be careless in the things of God!
Let's be counted with the wise who have the fear of the Lord. That is to hate: evil, pride, arrogance and the evil way.  (evil way is the perverted and twisted speech)

Proverbs 8:13

13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;

Pride and arrogance and the evil way

And the perverse mouth I hate.  NKJV

THOSE IN THE POWER OF GOD: ARE THE FAITHFUL, THEY ARE THE ANOINTED WHO KNOW WHAT AUTHORITY THEY WALK IN AND THEY TRUST HIM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY FORWARD!

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TREMBLE!

Jeremiah 33:9

9 And [Jerusalem] shall be to Me a name of joy, praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth that hear of all the good I do for it, and they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace, prosperity, security and stability I provide for it.

 Psalm 105:1-4

Oh, give thanks to the LORD!

Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!

2 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;

Talk of all His wondrous works!

3 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

4 Seek the LORD and His strength;

Seek His face evermore!  NKJV

Jesus spoke of His desire that we would all be in unity. And what does the scripture say that He prayed? 

John 17:20-26

20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."  NKJV

Unity….Faith……Glory…..Jesus said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word (message) 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in M, and I in YOU; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them. That they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

I take you back to the moment when Jesus rode into Jerusalem. People were laying palm leaves and their outer garments or tunics on the pathway……….and was being laid down toward Antonia Fortress. But Jesus had to have gotten off the donkey………pushed through and broke the line right in front of the temple and went in to do some things.

Matthew 21:6-17

6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

"Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

"Hosanna in the highest!"

10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"

11 The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'"

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.

16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.

"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "'From the lips of children and infants

you have ordained praise'?"

17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night. NIV

What will we recognize in another person? Will jealousy reveal its ugly head or will people see Jesus in us? Over the weekend we had were invited out to this new restaurant we had not been to before. It was great food, a really awesome atmosphere and the time flew by so quickly. In the upstairs dining area there was one wall of all different kinds and styles of mirrors. Some had gold frames, some were of black frames, and some were antique-like frames. It was done so well and the decorating style had a wonderful appeal for the eyes to take in for that size of wall. With all the different sized mirrors, the arrangement of them certainly made the room look bigger. And I thought of Jesus and how He reflected God to those around Him.

In the amount of time of Jesus’ life and His ministry to those around Him, the children certainly had praise in their mouths. I could see those money-changers being driven out. Jesus was re-directing them from the money venture that they had imposed in that place. In Jesus, we saw how zealous He was that the temple would become what it was always to be……….a House of Prayer and a place where even the children would raise their voices in praise to God. The children had to have danced around Jesus when He was disturbing those upright tables and bringing all that money to the floor of the Temple. Jesus was there to show the way. As Jesus was spoken of by the prophets, Jesus was now speaking His language toward that which revered God, lifted His Holy Name, and brought glory to HIM.

For people were all watching and saw what might have seemed like a great disturbance at the same time many were trying to direct Jesus to Antonio Fortress. The city was full of people for the Passover that was about to begin.  Jesus was pointing the way to God and how God was to be given all the praise for who He was. He was pointing to JUSTICE AND GOVERNMENT THAT was of God Himself! Jesus was pointing to prayer/relationship.........not taking over a government that was representing man. 

Our assignment is to recognize and know Jesus has come, tell others about Him, give them the salvation message and show them His love. We are to direct them, not to the hurts from the world but the power of God that supersedes every name in the earth, (on it and in it)

Ministry is that which points every person back to Jesus, the plan of Redemption, and once obtaining Salvation, to walk as He, Jesus, Who was, is, and is to come and always will be Holy!

Jesus did not command people by rules or regulations. He came to set people free from religiosity. You know that which is, children hidden in the back rooms, dim lights, slow music to begin worship……….okay, enough worship, let’s talk money………announcements. Message and done. Oh, did we have time for prayer tonight?

We were told in Jeremiah 33:3 amp…that we are to call to God and He would answer us and show us great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which we do not know or recognize, have knowledge of and understand.

In my estimation of the passage, it is for us to call to God……Jeremiah 33:2-9

2 "The Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth-Jehovah is his name-says this: 3'Ask me and I will tell you some remarkable secrets about what is going to happen here. 4 For though you have torn down the houses of this city, and the king's palace too, for materials to strengthen the walls against the siege weapons of the enemy, 5 yet the Babylonians will enter, and the men of this city are already as good as dead, for I have determined to destroy them in my furious anger. I have abandoned them because of all their wickedness, and I will not pity them when they cry for help.'

6 "Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem's damage and give her prosperity and peace. 7 I will rebuild the cities of both Judah and Israel and restore their fortunes. 8 And I will cleanse away all their sins against me and pardon them. 9 Then this city will be an honor to me, and it will give me joy and be a source of praise and glory to me before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see the good I do for my people and will tremble with awe! TLB

In spending time over this passage……one thing was evident and that was that God Himself wanted to show the people what trouble they were in and how the whole of what they had done to themselves would play out.

In the course of this reading, we know the prophet Jeremiah was to call upon God in prayer as we all are called to pray!  In this we have the Holy God, His character, we have His covenant, and we have His glory. In the crucifixion of Jesus we saw the crown of thorns that surrounded His head…..His whole thinking process that represented man in his sickness, his disease, his lack of strength because of hurtful experiences or painful memories of things past.

I do not know about you, but I want to know my future. And I can declare all those promises but they will not supersede my prayer time with God.
2 Peter 1:3-4
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. NIV

 It is that abide word again. It is that declaring those promises to Him, but also communicating….”Father, this is my heart today!”

So when we ask God……our Father will show us what things we have gotten ourselves into that will probably one day be a message to others……”Don’t do what I did”……”but seek God with all your hearts”.

In the Amplified, verse 6 and following reads this way: (Jeremiah 33:6) Behold, [in the future restored Jerusalem] I will lay upon it health and healing, and I will cure them and will reveal to them the abundance of peace (prosperity, security, stability) and truth. 7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to be reverse and will rebuild them as they were at the first. 8 And I will cleanse them from all the guilt and iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will forgive all their guilt and iniquities by which they have sinned and rebelled against Me. 9 And [Jerusalem] shall be to Me a name of joy, praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth that hear of all the good I do for it, and they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace, prosperity, security and stability I provide for it.

In short, yes a timely word indeed to what was about to transpire in the seeing of those who had fallen away. For those who had come from the “old man” to become the new man in Christ experience this. For calling on God and His holiness (righteousness) we take hold of that new covenant man, and experience health and healing. In each of our lives, our serving becomes that when we partake of His broken body and shed Blood. In that we experience His prosperity, His security and the truth (revelation knowledge). From verse 7 the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to be reversed. We as individuals will praise God for His goodness, no longer held in captivity.

“JUDAH”- was considered the noble one. What occurred before Joseph in Egypt, Judah was the one that truth would be revealed. Judah did not desire harm on another as we look back at Genesis 37:26-28

26 So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. NKJV

As we read throughout Genesis and of Jacob’s family, who had become Israel…….yes that name change, remember?

Jacob’s oldest son Reuben gave up his birthright to lead the family by engaging in incest. (Remember what we had read on Esau and Jacob? The birthright was to be given Esau, but he lost it because his need for a bowl of lentil soup. (Genesis 25:31-34)  31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." 32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" 33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.  So Esau despised his birthright.  NIV

Genesis 27:36

36 Esau said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing!" Then he asked, "Haven't you reserved any blessing for me?" NIV

Simeon and Levi committed murder. So it was in Judah to receive that blessing from the father. Judah was one who was seen as the “lion”…..and the image of that was painted for us in……Revelation 5:5

5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."NIV

In Moses' dying blessing (Deuteronomy 33:7) he prays: "Hear Lord the voice of Judah (in prayer) and bring him (marching at the head of the tribes back again victorious) unto his people."

As do each of us have a place in the body of Christ, those of the spiritual reside in the place of praise to our God, we have the place of authority and royal priesthood. As that of Israel…….we are those united as one family in God. When we recognize His voice, obey His commands, we know He is delighted that we are following in the way we are to go. (Psalm 37:23) God does not kill, steal or destroy. Anything or anyone declaring these things are not of God, but of the devil. It is in our recognizing Him, and telling others about Him, that they hear that spiritual joy in our voices. We dance like David danced, and we will never back down when giving truth of Jesus Christ the Lord of glory. We have the opportunity to have a birthright in God through Jesus………and have the blessing too!

When we are in unity…….that harmony……..we co-operate with God and receive His instructions for our lives. And as we keep leaning on…….our trust growing in Him, we grow in faith!

9 And [Jerusalem] shall be to Me a name of joy, praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth that hear of all the good I do for it, and they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace, prosperity, security and stability I provide for it.

And that holy house……that noble sanctuary is to God a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth that hear of all the good that God does for it………..and we His people shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace, prosperity, security and stability God our Father provides for it.  Amen.

And this he [Moses] said of Judah: “hear O Lord, the voice of Judah (prayer), and bring him to his people! With his hands he contended for himself; but may You be a help against his enemies.”

Father, may our voices be heard as one in unity……..not of noise, or of confusion. But no matter whether we are yellow, black, white, red……..we all matter in Your sight. We desire to be that one with Jesus…..abiding in that place of “fearing You in all Your glory and holiness” and trembling because of Your great good to us. May our eyes always be opened to see You in our lives and may we never act like the “lost”. May we hold You in high esteem because You are God. That we hold our gaze upon You who is awesome in splendor,  power and might. We desire to be prayer warriors who tremble in Your presence………and seek Your plan, seeing our place and stand to defend with the Word of God that prevails. May we ever be mindful, if God be for us, who can (possibly) stand against us? He Who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all---how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? God, You are our JUSTICE. In Jesus name we stand as One. Amen.

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

A TESTING OF FAITH!

Matthew 15:21-28..................21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." 24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" 26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." 27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.     NKJV

Ever cry out to God, but He does not answer you? This woman came to Him and cried out telling Him that her daughter is severely demon-possessed. 

Do we cry out and hear nothing? It could be God is testing our faith! What do you believe and where does your "trust" lie?

She heard HIM speak to His disciples........" I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

She then spoke, "Lord, help me!"

Lord help me, the one who is crying out for an answer to the situation! LORD! HELP!

John 1:11-13...........11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. NKJV

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." 24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Ever been dismissed by someone, when you tried to get an answer?  I remember needing some help with a computer once on the job. I could not find anyone who seemed available that could take a moment to help me. It was about 8:10 am, and I needed to check-in. That meant I had to get the computer going since it had the database on it which I needed. Without it on, we could make "no sales" and I could not check-in. Then I saw a man who was over the "supervisors" and he was talking with the owner of company. I walked over, but not to intrude, I waited to ask a question. I can wait a long time!  As soon as they saw me, the man over the supervisor's listened and dismissed me. Yes, it was pretty fast and he moved on with his conversation. I thought surely one of them might come to see why the computer was not coming on. (Yes, I had checked all the cords, and all the plug-ins, and it was time to check-in for work.) I opted to go to main computer by the front door and check-in for work.
I left the computer guessing to another person who would be in about 9 am. And I went and did my job. I blessed those I came in contact with and moved on, AND with a thankful heart.

Let's think about this Gentile woman and the moment she had come on the scene. She asked for help!

A MIRACLE ON THE HORIZON APPEARS! Or does it?
Do we stand fast to see that of which we ask to occur in our lives? Think about what had just transpired in Jesus' life. Was He deterred in anyway to stop what He was doing? He just kept going to those who would receive! Read below:

Matthew 15:1-20..............15:1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." 3 He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  5 But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"-- 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 

8'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,

And honor Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me. 

9 And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' " 

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" 13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." 15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." 16 So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."     NKJV

Yes, this is where Jesus just came from. He had an encounter with the scribes and Pharisees. And He saw the Pharisees offended by His sayings. Jesus told them, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Jesus went on to tell the disciples of the evil which proceeds from the heart and named them. Wash your hands as much as you like, but that is not what defiles a man!

Then He has this woman coming to Him who is so ripe to receive, so ready to give Him an answer for anything He asks or speaks.

STEPPING FORWARD!
Do we as parents readily push forward, stepping out to help our children? When they cry, do we not come to their aide? Was there a dividing line coming?
The woman spoke, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
She knows the children's bread was that of the Jews and to eat at the Master's table. Although she knew Him to be sent for Israel, still she heard and saw the mercy and kindness He expressed to those He came in contact with on His walk through Canaan. She was saying, " I know I am not a Jew and of YOUR house, but I believe, and trust YOU can do something for my daughter."
She had an unwavering faith that Jesus could do that for which she asked. She called Him Lord, and worshiped Him. She expressed a like precious faith. Even in the discouragements of not being a Jew and of the house of Israel, yet she did not relent. She did not give up!
Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.  

Will we continue to step forward and believe? Will our hearts betray us, let us down? This woman sought something for her daughter. She did not care if she was compared to the "dogs". She sought out Jesus, the Lord, and His goodness. She sought a miracle for her daughter. For whatever remained, even that of crumbs under the table, was enough for this woman. What He had hoped to see in the scribes and Pharisees, and did not find, He certainly found it in this woman, a Gentile.
Can we move beyond having hurtful feelings and do what the Lord asked? Can we move beyond and see other's healed or come to Jesus? Can we show we have a real desire for that which Jesus died to give us?

Father, Jesus said in Matthew 15:13...that "every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. He was talking about the blind leading the blind. We desire to not be those who are blind. We desire that Christ dwells in our hearts through faith and that we are rooted and grounded in love. (Eph.3:17) We come to the Master's table, to receive that good thing.
We seek to make YOU Lord over our hearts. We truly desire to stay in the light of God and His knowledge. 
Father, we see from the Canaanite woman, a woman who did not buckle down to fear. She did not fall into the fear factor and rely on her five senses. We do not know what she was thinking other than what she spoke. But ONE thing was evident, and that was she wanted her daughter delivered from evil. She chose to pursue Jesus and in making that "right decision" she was brought to healing.
Today, we desire to be men and women who will have that same courage to pray and keep praying.......keep asking, and speak YOUR truth. And as we do, we expect that light to shine and bring us into YOUR glorious presence. We desire to willing submit to Your authority and rule. 
Put a longing in our hearts to talk with YOU and to hear YOUR voice. Your Word says, the just shall live by faith...Romans 1:17. We pray to have faith-filled lives. May we live each day with a leading by the Holy Spirit. We desire to not walk in doubt and fear of what may happen, but we choose to seek YOUR voice and plan for us.

Quiet those voices from the outside that represent the world and five senses. We receive today that we are the accepted in Jesus, and we are free! Holy Spirit we loose You now into our lives and our homes. Have Your way today in us........in Jesus' name. Amen.

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