Don't Live Like a Refugee

Voice of Prayer: Storms come, but do not be defined by them.

Was thinking of this title for about two weeks. I then remembered the lyrics of an "old" Tom Petty song that was done some decades ago, and asked the Lord what I should write about.

Now from that song, he mentions being burned by other lovers and in respect, the world can provide many lover's, but to whom will we trust our hearts to?
Being held for a ransom, literally tied up into something of the world is a "really bad place" to be. Yet there are many who are not saved today. They have not turned to hear His voice, the Lord of glory, but have continued to walk and hold onto abandonment, brokenness and pain.

Refugee: one who flees for safety, either from war, forced out by hurricanes and tornadoes.
The Collins Dictionary gives this meaning: REFUGEES are people who have been forced to leave their homes or their country, either because there is war, because of political or religious beliefs or because of natural disasters.

Bad things can occur. We live an world with an evil ruler (satan), yet our hearts are to be set on Jesus Christ the Lord of glory. Understanding that He is to leads us, yet I wonder how many are still placed in harm's way. More bad can come upon the world when sin is prevailing. 

Scripture tells us in Matthew 5:44-45..."love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. 45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes the sun rise on the evil and o the good; and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

We may not want to think about that sin thing! But when a nation turns from the things God they move into harm's way.  I remember this family who moved out of harm's way in the Texas area. They moved many miles due north of them to be doing "what the Lord asked them to do". 
So today they are high and yes dry. They have their home and safety as well.

But even if you are in the as we say "bad zone", the Lord has a way out. Being Christian should not be one who just functions within a "church building". They should not to consider that they are cutting edge when they remain closed up like Jericho behind closed doors. (The difference, the world is going to get them, instead the Lord has come  live within us and show us to take the land for His own glory.) If God is truly in us and with us we should be taking the land for His glory.

Recently I had written on standing like Esther. We should stand in the face of any real situation that can kill, yet when we know God is with us, we stand victoriously just like Esther and she did it through prayer. In Scripture we find others as well who took the "hard " road if you will allow it. They took what is known as a non-antagonistic stance toward the world. In Daniel and Joseph, we saw relationship precedes any ministry.
You cannot lead anyone you cannot influence. If we are cut-outs that just fit within the building...then we will be of no value where it counts. It is a real service to speak prophetically to your congregation but what about speaking that in the marketplace?

There has been many violent storms come through the coast lands as well as many fires inland of this great country. Yet are we speaking of God 's goodness and are we going into all the world or is is just about "that" Saturday night service or Sunday morning service.

In Dr. Bernard's Greek translations he introduced three such words for "world".
One is found in Matthew 13:22. Within this speaking of Jesus, "the cares of this world (aion) refers us to the period of time, to a generation that is in human history.

A second one is found Matthew 24:14. Again in Jesus' speaking, it is, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world (oikuomene) as a witness to all the nations." Oikuomene means land, territories and geographical nations.

Then Dr. Bernard gave alos a third meaning for world that is found in Mark 16:15. Again within Jesus' speaking,  "Go into all the world (kosmos) and preach the gospel to every creature." This use of kosmos by Christ is very interesting indeed.  Within this meaning we find it means to penetrate every social order, arrangement or culture—the way human society is organized. Yes, we are to penetrate the culture with God's word.

Have had many a talk with my husband and son-on-law as well about how to penetrate the culture as it is. If you have been in church for any length of time you will find it is divided into what is known as the the society in seven pillars.

They are : (1) religion, (2) family, (3) business, (4) education, (5) government, (6) arts, and (7) media. The latter five of business, education, government, arts and media make up what is called the "marketplace."

In understanding we are given the command to "go", then we also understand that Jesus gave us that to "preach" but also to engage.

(In a recent teaching from Life Giving Wells, the Lord gave me the teaching for "God Devised Glorification". Within that teaching we are to engage, not remain within "four walls".

Whether you have been abused by a hurricane, hit by a fast moving tornado or seen raging fires within your community, state or country, still the mandate still holds. We are to engage and in that point to engage that social order within any territory and yes the marketplace we must prove to be the relevant.

I have seen people in the last ten years to stop their teachings and pull up couches to just "chat it up" about some distant memory of God from their youth or early years of ministry but mention nothing of His majesty and glory that prevails when we come on a bent knee to pray in Jesus' name and to live like He purposed: not as a refugee from the area of 'hard knocks', volatile situations but to live for His glory in His peace and His victory. AND that is for today, to live for Him, and expect Him to prevail for us.

There are many people misplaced, and some without anything much to return to but ashes. Do not allow the devil to tell you are finished! Do not allow him to lie to you! It is not over! Get up, dust off and heed God!


And for those who have been through it already, what about our taking part in prayer for those affected, and what about some support from our check-book for those affected, and what about food from our own pantry to support another,  and from the prayer room of our house? 
No we cannot be in all places like God, but when we pray, we live outside of the box. When we pray we seek the face of God and see things change for the glory of God and for the safety of His people things happen, the environment is changed and life appears again.

Living out the Pharisaical route should not be considered among us. 

I remember reading once of Pastor Kong Hee wrote and preached that people of the church were not to live like they are carving out a Christian ghetto for themselves. He wrote they who do live that way, live in legalism and continue to make man-made rules. He said in that environment, members of the Christian faith would be taught to see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. 

Yes, each one of them within that congregation would remain unexposed to the world around them and remain also very innocent to those things as he related.

Ours is to live a life unhindered. If we truly live within Jesus's teachings, adhere to that truth only and do as He does we would be outside of the walls more often. God truly wants to keep us safe and if we obey Him, then we should be found with Him in truth, love, peace, holding onto faith that we are purposed to live for Him. Whatever the occurrence in your life, yet God is alive and He hears us when we really seek Him in prayer.

We are not to live as "refugees". We are to live for God to see His glory come and fill this earth, not just within four-walls of a church building. Today, I pray that you would know when God is speaking. And it will not be from the lazy boy recliner of life. We must be immersed in Him, His word, and be those who will pray those truths out. May the Father of Light reveal to you what is on your pathway, and may you heed those detours and obey to move ahead when the going is clear, yet remember He said I will never leave you nor will I ever forsake you. Where ever you may be at this moment and whatever condition, obey the Lord's leading and go in His peace. Live life to the full, and fear not. Remember, " seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  ( Luke 12:31-32) Amen.

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Greater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciSWjqC6fWQ

You can also visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer 

for more teaching at:  http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

God Devised Glorification

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw-ubNvAOdY&t=2s

Also visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching:

http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

Standing Before the Lord

Jeremiah 15:19-21
19 Therefore thus says the LORD:

"If you return,
Then I will bring you back;
You shall stand before Me;
If you take out the precious from the vile,
You shall be as My mouth.
Let them return to you,
But you must not return to them.
20 And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall;
And they will fight against you,
But they shall not prevail against you;
For I am with you to save you
And deliver you," says the LORD.
21 "I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked,
And I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible."
NKJV

Could you imagine being a mouthpiece for God? What about in this day and time, to speak truth that the Lord desires to deliver? Have you considered being a mouthpiece for God?

IN verse 19 of Jeremiah 15, the Amplified Bible states this:

Therefore thus says the Lord [to Jeremiah]: If you return [and give up this mistaken tone of distrust and despair], then I will give you again a settled place of quiet and safety, and you will be My minister; and if you separate the precious from the vile [cleansing your own heart from unworthy and unwarranted suspicions concerning God's faithfulness], you shall be My mouthpiece.[But do not yield to them.] Let them return to you-----not you [to the people].

Interesting to note here, is that the Lord told the prophet to reveal to the people to return back to stand before Him. And they had to take disparaging words (criticizing) out of their speaking. In looking that word up (disparaging) I also saw it had a disrespectful attitude toward another and came out sounding like arrogance and or low estimation.

The second thing I noted here, was the Lord told those in hearing this not to return to the people.

How many times do we love to "return to the people" , those who look like us, sound like us.........and make us feel most comfortable with all the time?

I then was reminded of this from verse 17....of 2 Corinthians 6.

2 Corinthians 6:11-18

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange-I speak as to my children-open wide your hearts also. 

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."  

17 "Therefore come out from them 

and be separate, 

      says the Lord. 

Touch no unclean thing, 

and I will receive you."  

18 "I will be a Father to you, 

and you will be my sons and daughters, 

  says the Lord Almighty."   NIV

We must stand for truth and honor.

The Amplified Bible states this:

Verse 11-18 Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians [we are hiding nothing, keeping nothing back], and our heart is expanded wide [for you]! 12 There is no lack of room for you in [our hearts], but you lack room in your own affections [for us]. 13 By way of return the, do this for me-----I speak as to children-----open wide your hearts also [to us]. 14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can can light have fellowship with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

16 What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with  and among them, and I will be their God and they shall be My people. 

17 So come out from among [unbeliever's], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor. 18 And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

A crowd should be forming, but it is for the "believer". And our walk with God should be noticed. If we truly walk in His power and His anointing of the Holy Spirit, the "people" should be coming to join us and not us running to join up with them.

Leaving the crowd to form another may seem less likely to happen to some. But if our hearts are set on God and His plan, we cannot help but see the lost come to salvation to where we stand with God. In standing for truth and honor, we stay before our God. We take our stand to not run with "a crowd" but make sure the line starts for a crowd where we are gathered in His Name.

Our trust is to be in Him. Our speaking is to lift His holy Name, and speak of His goodness. But do we see it today?

God must be our Father. Jesus must be our "Savior". And the Holy Spirit ,must be our Comfort and our Guide.

The world did not die for me. And the crowds of people who wander search for life. But it is not found in other people, fancy automobiles, fancy homes, ornate jewelry or in entertainment. Only one thing occurs each time, and that is to remove, to subtract, yes divide a person. The world can and will separate you from good health, separate you from your money, your job, your family and even your life.

We must want to have a desire to know the Father, stand before Him, and give a report of faith that He is good. To be that son or daughter and to have His favor is far BETTER for us!

1 Peter 3:17-18

17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,  NKJV

May the line form where you stand. May God be in the midst and may your foundation be established in truth and in honor. Amen.

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Notice:

The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching published: 
Hearing and Obeying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIiZSDh_2Fk

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

Who Has the LAST WORD in My Life?

In any given situation, who has the last word in my life? In the blog title: HIGH RISK! you can certainly see how quickly things change, and how if we should respond when we do have the Word of God in us!
What determines how we will react to the "bad report" or even a really BAD REPORT?
I believe most people think that "bad things" happen to other people! I believe most go through life thinking that the bad will not touch them, because they have Jesus. But in truth, rain falls on the just as well as the unjust. (verse 45)


Matthew 5:43-48
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.    NKJV

Was thinking about this very thing in the last week. I thought of the infusions I have had and hopefully done with them, and how getting back to exercise is foremost in my thinking. I have always loved working out, either by skating long hours, running,  or going on those 6 mile walks. And of the latest report from the Dr. was that she was glad to see my weight coming to normal and exercising to keep my immune system in proper working order. 

In thinking about this, I got to thinking how I had already had implemented a program of exercise many years ago into my life. You can certainly ask our daughter or even my husband. I always sought strength in my body and that included being able to get the heart to work like it should and keep my body healthy.

Implementing a change of eating right foods starts before we have that "illness" that brings you either to your knees or to the bed. Eating right foods, exercising, and drinking those 6-8 glasses of water begin when we desire change for health and not for sickness. Years ago, after the birth of our first grand-child, our daughter and son-in-law gave us this wonderful Image.....treadmill. It is for that 10,000 steps program. I use it now everyday. But did not use it regularly at the beginning, as I could not figure out why some days I had strength, and other days I had fatigue. Of course, today we know why, but then I was puzzled about it, because I surely liked getting the amount of exercise I needed everyday to stay in optimum  health.

It was a choice!

I then thought of those who say "they will give a million dollars into some ministry" when they win the lottery! Well, if you do not give now into any ministry, how will that change when you get that million dollars?  Because if you choose to hear what happens to those who gain those "millions" you will find that most of them are: either dead today because of someone gaining their trust to get at those millions or said winner could not balance a check-book at the beginning of said win of millions, so they could not keep up with what they had .............AND SPENT IT ALL! (and one could go through all those millions when they have someone helping them to spend it on "nothing" that brings life........but death!)

And then too, you find all those "relatives" who show up that you did not know you even had at the time of said win.

Yes, it is a choice!

In that place within walking distance of the hospital in the city, there is a place many people go to get their infusions. Many though are there for that chemo thing.  Those going through the hour to several hours of infusions take time for those sick with something they cannot see. I was there, but not for any chemo anything. But I saw them, talked to some, and especially the nurses. It is a place I believe many people did not plan on visiting ever in their lives. They are different ethnicity, certainly speak a different language, and some need interpreters. They are of many different age groups!   Some were just quiet, some were very vocal, and some......well, they had a joy that comes only from the Lord. One, we saw, was a man taking calls from his church and was about the bulletin for the church that had to be ready for a service. This man was probably seventy, acted like he was thirty..........and had this chemo therapy..........got on his way to do what needed to be done. I really believe he was the "pastor". He had joy in his heart, was always kind with every word he spoke and with every movement of his body...........he glowed with life. I expect him to have a long life filled with the presence of God in everything he does for His kingdom that has come.

We should certainly hate sickness and know that God did not bring cancer on anyone. We should also know that God is aware of our every circumstance. He is also aware how we will act in and through a really BAD CIRCUMSTANCE. Yes, rain will fall on the just (the righteous) and the unjust (the wicked).........but we choose how we will stand, fall or just give in to being sick.  We choose today how we will act tomorrow. I want to be found with those who have faith to put trust in life everlasting........in Jesus who came to give to us abundantly above what we can ask or think.

From the blog: High Risk!

In receiving Jesus, we are regenerated into life and out of death. As we put on the "New Man" and being renewed in our minds to God's Word and His ways and thoughts, we come out of the grave of death, and defeat and move into the realm of Victory and are people who live by faith with trust in our God!
It is taking God's Word on healing, and raise the standard of our health. When we have sought out His word on healing as for salvation, our condition changes. WE reach forward by faith to receive what we are expecting!
It is a daily walk and receiving that Word that will build us up to receive that which we are expecting.

David said of the Lord; “My times are in Your hand;” (Psalm 31: 15). “Times” here means in the Hebrew; event, experiences, fortunes, occurrences, occasions, permanency, continuing future, ancient (used of past time), forever (used of future time; used of continuous existence)..forever (used of God's existence)

We are a mist, a moment in time, and all of our times are in His hand. All of my future and all of your future conditions, any occurrences are known to Him. It is so vital to stay close to the Creator, the one true God!


Who has the last Word in my life? Well, the Father Who created me and I have what Jesus died to give me on the Cross. And with the Holy Spirit I rise out of the tomb to live the life Jesus died for. I am regenerated into life. They get the LAST WORD IN MY LIFE!  and not me..........

If we will heed His instructions and follow His plan for our lives, we cannot miss the mark. We can be the victorious, and see our lives healthier and whole. Making those needed changes can add years to our lives and help us live in His glory! PLEASE ............stand with me today and believe for the best in your life, and in your body. Those changes are important and they can be done to ensure you finish that race He has for you to run. Amen!


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