Which Standard of Love

Voice of Prayer

1 John 3:16-17 NKJV By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,  how does the love of God abide in him?

Christ Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. In that love of God we are the saved, and when our hearts submit before Him for His guidance, we have a new walk of life. In that we walk from the "me, myself and I" sort of person and move into that of loving our neighbor as ourselves!

1 John 3:1-3 NKJV Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

One might admit a truth on Sunday morning, that they would rather be at home watching "their favorite" team play than to be at church to receive God's word and love. You can see this on Sundays and when watching to see when the local big teams are playing, that you could set your clock or watch by the amount of men and women on the golf course.
Now if the Seattle Seahawks are playing in the morning hour, forget the golf thing. The course will be empty. But see a scheduled, say, Cowboys and Seahawks in the afternoon say 2pm and you will see those golfers on the course no later than 7:30 am.
Now exercise is totally important and if your Physician has placed you on a regimen of exercise and lots of fresh air. For it is paramount to be healthy in this day and time.
But in respect to this word, would chasing that game that of loving the world's goods? And yet if someone needs Jesus, do we forget so quickly about the neighbor?

Now your mission field may be the football stadium or even the golf course, but how many have you brought to Jesus thus far?

And I am certain many will say, "Well, now Shelley I have a life you know." " And I am all about others knowing Jesus, but I just have to relax for me and in my own time!"

 I am certain you do have a life. I just ask what manner of love do we give to another? I ask myself this too! For us to be called the children of God, a sacrifice was given, and it took time and someone's life. Yet when the "big" game comes on,  does it come to this:"don't bother me"!
Yikes!

Heard of a neighbor being ill the other day. Had not seen her in about three weeks and she usually lets us know how it is going for her. She can call or send a text. She had gone back to school to finish a course, but needed to go back to the state she filed for her license to practice her new education. So we knew she would most likely be home being her creative self, yet we had heard nothing. After finding out the news about her, not specifically sent to me but then knowing we could do something,  I did call my husband and asked if he might run an errand for us.
I told him my thoughts of the "sick" person and how we might could help. So he left work and took care of the deed to be done.

Did not need to pray hours over it, did not have to ask anyone other that knowing our Father in heaven did the same for us. No, no one had to die in this situation other than delaying our own meal and our time of the evening comfort in the easy chair. But what do we do when someone is in need? Or will we do anything.
Just met with a friend this last weekend. She and her family housed people in their home for periods of time. Most awesome family indeed and not sure how they do it, but  they do it and has been on-going for years. The Lord blesses them greatly in this only "the anointed" for this activity could do. She always gives us the account of each and how God brought it to them through it for His glory. Surely love her stories and testimonies of God's goodness and His love to them and through them.


Knowing that both love and righteousness are evident of our salvation, then doing for the individual should be evident in our action toward others. Loving Jesus and giving much thanks for Him seems to give us an edge in participating with God and His kingdom that has come. In the love of God is light, and we should be seeing clearly when in action for another in their need.

In this coming new year, may we be the one who says "Holy Spirit, I want to know you, really know you. Help me to know the scriptures as I read them. Help with insight needed for me and also for my family. Give me insight into how I can grow in my understanding of that Word of God. Help me to be grounded in Your truth so I can notice the "false teachers, the false prophets" and to stay away from them. Enable me Holy Spirit to know God more. Teach me the truthful ways in worship, in prayer and to learn to love more my fellow neighbor." Thank You Holy Spirit for revealing Jesus to me in the new year!"

May you and I hold tightly to that which we have seen and learned of Jesus Christ. May we hold to truth and a love that is everlasting.
In the standard of love from God, we can walk through this life engaging others by a love that never fails. In His glory, others will see that glory. But you can only carry that which you have prepared in relationship with Him. For God to display His glory on us, we must be the vessel willing to carry it forward for others. If we have a vessel not prepared, then that glory would kill that very person wanting to do so. It would be the same with the 10 Virgins: 5 prepared, 5 did not prepare.

The Bible gives us examples of those who sat passively waiting. In the scripture text in the parables of the 10 virgins, (Matthew 25:1-13) emphasized the importance of staying spiritually prepared. We each are to keep our lamp filled with oil that represents the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are to be filled to the brim with His presence. We are to keep watch, and to pray the word of God into our families, our communities, our churches, pray for the those in the Northwest and to pray for our government.

 In John 15:5-8 states, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch & is withered; & they gather them & throw them into the fire, & they are burned. 7  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you desire, & it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.  (NKJV)

For whatever thing we pray for, God is in our midst. Abiding in HIM, is allowing His word access into our lives, into our community, our church and into the leaders of this great country we live.

If I do not pray, there is NO FUTURE!

We should not be complacent in praying!

• Prayer brings communication with God who brings ADVENTURES into our lives
• Prayer causes us to turn outward as we pray for others
• Prayer always causes us to stay close to our Father
• Prayer teaches us to be RECEIVERS and not beggars

Keep watching! " Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming----in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning----lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

Participate in God's love with a high standard of His love, for His glory to appear and people will know us as God's children! There will be only be two avenues at the end, those who are prepared and those who are not! You choose!

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FLINCH

THE meaning of Flinch: to jerk with nervous movement
to  shudder
In the Strong's concordance: sug...(soog)....means to backslide, backslider, turn away, turn aside, move away from............and the primitive root is; properly, to flinch........to go back......and as they put it in translation is "to retreat." In the Exhaustive Concordance......is to apostatize........to abandon, turn away from God
In the Englishman's Concordance is listed as :(5472) and has 14 occurrences. (Psalm 53:3, Psalm 78:57, Zephaniah 1:6,  and of course Proverbs 14:14.

So looking into this word, finding "Flinch", I thought of the card game. It was in 1963 that the card game was brought back ....by Hasbro. And it was a game indeed of twists and turns, when playing with people who desired to win and do it quickly. It is numerical, it is played in sequence and it is never over quickly. Just go ask anyone who has ever played it!

Proverbs 14:14 says this:
Amplified Bible.
The backslider in heart [from God and from fearing God] shall be satisfied with [the fruit of ] his ways, and a good man shall be satisfied with [ the fruit of ] his ways [ with the holy thoughts and actions which his heart prompts and in which he delights].

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. 5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
NKJV

If we continually walk into the love of God and into the patience of Christ, I believe there would be no backsliding, no Flinch ever, in knowing God and His love. Ah, but the optimum word here is perseverance as Christ had in His walk.

In referring to the game Flinch, the object was to get rid of all one's cards. Each player was to receive 10 cards faced down, and that was their stockpile. The dealer then would deal out five more cards and they were the "hand" cards. Each player viewed their hand cards......then another group of cards was dealt out in "five's". The player then turns over his/her top card.......places it in the middle of table....and must be a number "1" and so forth around the table. If the 1st player played a card other than a "1" like maybe a "2"....it is placed in the middle........face up for all to see. Then everyone plays their turn, but ultimately a "1" must be played at the beginning.

 Then next player goes........and has to place a "2" on the "1" on the table. If the card not used and is placed with face up, then it should be used as the game continues, and if the owner of the card fails to recognize it's time of use, the other's will yell "Flinch".

Yes, it was about order, maintaining cards in the Stockpile, in your hand and what others were putting down. There was a lot of talking, lot of sweating, and some nervousness. One would speculate they would win with no doubt.  I remember playing it a few times and then I was done with it! No one should get so worked up over a card game, right?

Monopoly was not even a thought I would consider ever. If I had to play with my Mom, she always wanted Park Place and Marvin Gardens. She had such strategy and usually had the "get out of jail" card always in hand! She was a real champion in playing that game for certain.

Our knowing God is a lot like that. In respect to having Jesus as our Lord, we are given His Word and His thoughts. But do we heed them. In playing any action type card game, even like Yatzee, one needs the full attention on the card game at hand. Any player can change the whole game and move in a total different direction!

So, we must know that what we do in accordance with other believer's will certainly change for the "good" when we are all going the same direction, right? If our heart's thoughts are of the.... good man shall be satisfied with [the fruit of ] his ways [ with the holy thoughts and actions which his heart prompts and in which he delights].

Can you imagine being prompted by your heart that is good and which we can delight for the "good"?

In seeing the power of God's Word in our lives it can keep us on the straight and narrow road (pathway) we are to walk.  So, our focus is to be on God and hold in that position. It is about knowing that God's Word will run swiftly and be glorified, when we look with the eyes of faith.

For we see from Proverbs 14:14, that of the one who flinches and moves away from God....is abandoning God. He no longer holds God in reverence. No not a good place to be in when knowing someone like Him and of His love and mercy that gives comfort and then move away from Him.

2 Corinthians 4:11-18

11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you. 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.   NKJV
In 2 Corinthians we are told not to lose heart. If we have "believed" we are to tell others, remain in the Word, and other's often of God's faithfulness. But if we ourselves do not walk in faithfulness to another, how can anyone know what it looks like, right?

In seeing the power of God's Word in our lives can keep us on the straight and narrow road (pathway) we are to walk.  So, our focus is to be on God and hold in that position. It is about knowing that God's Word will and look at that which concerns those "later days" which seem to be occurring right now. In Jude 3-4 we are told about apostasy.

Yes, Apostasy is mentioned in the Bible, and it is recognized as that which leaves the doctrine of truth and follows heretical teachings, and abandons their faith in Christ.

Jude 3-4

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.  NKJV

Certain men who have crept in, are those who will lead others into apostasy and away from God and abandon Jesus, the Savior.

These are cunning men, much like a lawyer would be in a court of law. An attorney is one appointed for another pertaining to legal matters and/or business matters.
Another definition I saw was this: one legally qualified and licensed to represent a person in a legal matter that pertains either to a transaction or lawsuit.
But this person works against God in the area of God's Word. He twists it to suit his own lust and ambition. This person views he has his license to practice in God's name. But he holds none of God's thoughts or purposes.

Paul referred to those cunning men who crept in......according to 2 Corinthians 11.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.  NKJV

So Paul gives a clue into what one will look like. We see then, a person who is like satan, transformed but still creeping around and into places, to give their thinking of the ungodly under the guise of a righteous person. Paul is teaching that Apostates will still look good on the outside. They are not wearing some devil suit! Titus wrote this:

Titus 1:15-16

15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. 

NKJV

And the Amplified says this: Titus 15-16.....To the pure [ in heart and conscience] all things are pure, but to the defiled and corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are defiled and polluted. 16 They profess to know God [ recognize, perceive, and be acquainted with Him], but deny and disown and renounce Him by what they do; they are detestable 

and loathsome, unbelieving and disobedient and disloyal and rebellious, and [they are] unfit and worthless for good work (deed or enterprise) of any kind.

Continuing with Jude:

Jude 8-15
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

From verse 8, the apostates are the "rebellious" and ignorant about God, from verse 10 they have corrupted speech and critical overtones.

12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."  NKJV

Jude 16-19
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
NKJV

From verse 16, they are the grumblers, the complainers, walking to their own lusts. they speak with arrogant words, verse 18 Mock God, verse 19 worldly minded and they DO NOT HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT!

Some speaking in arrogance are of a haughty spirit, they are the self-important, and puffed-up!

1 John 2:18-20

 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.   NKJV

John told us this in 1 John 2:18-20 "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." 

But we have an anointing from the Holy Spirit.

We should be coming out against apostasy! The Lord gave me this so directly to write about and I am determined to pray that all apostasy will not advance toward the "saints of God". We must pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are to be the willing, to stand against such grumblers, complainers who will mock God at any turn. The Bible is straightforward in truth...........and if we will not stand against apostasy, what does that make us? For many saints could be in the pathway of that which creeps in silently, like a snake, and sounds good, but is the twisted and becomes the perverse, making demands in their own natural way of thinking and doing which has nothing to do with God!

Galatians 6:7
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
NIV

Unlike the card game, the Word of God always directs us to His plan of redemption for all. It is in and by His love for mankind. That card game goes back into the box as does the Monopoly game. When every opportunity is played and time has come and gone, all goes back in the box. It is played in our efforts and our own plans. If Jesus lingers on His return, we will all enter a box. We will be put away. Like that game, anything of skill or strategy goes into a box and will be forgotten till time to play again, if that time arises to do so. How we acted and what we regarded as truth will determine our outcome.

We are to ask the Holy Spirit's guidance and direction in every step, in every day  calling on His wisdom so that we continue to move and have our being in Him. For if it is not in Him, then you or I are ruling our own life! If Jesus is Lord, then we will know His hands formed us in those moments of hearing His Word. We when recognized the refreshing and the being filled by Him. We will know His hands that walked us through torment and trials.  For after all the refreshing and the molding of His hands in who we are becoming, we will inevitably go through the fire. We will know His hands that delivered us and will take us to glory. We will know His hands that hung His body for all to see, and in that pain, through bloody, torture and inhuman arrogance against His person, mankind was saved. And it is in His hands that He will continue to lead us home.
Psalms 111:7
7 The works of His hands are truth and justice;
All His precepts are sure.    NAS

In reading any documents, any writings on the Word of God, anything that has to have your signature on it, always pray first for the Lord to lead you away from the "false". Ask Him to lead you by His Holy Spirit and to reveal anything that has been twisted and given as lies against Jesus and His Father, our God of heaven. Ask Him to show you what lies are against His holy Word of truth!
Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. Amen.

Keep awake and watch, for our Lord's return is growing near.


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WHEN GOD PREACHED HIS NAME!

Matthew 5:8-10
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
NKJV

Was meditating early this morning on what the Word will do for us. I was reflecting on the early days of our hiking experiences in being long on walking and sight-seeing in the forest and short on remembering to bring enough water or that snack for the child. It is always looking over the next horizon to get another look of maybe a place no man has walked or even cared about viewing. So many hike just to exercise today. But there was a day when people just wanted to explore and view nature in the moment of life and existence. 

The hallmark for some today is just to walk downtown Seattle and leave some gum on a wall. Saw recently that they had to hot pressure wash the wall for days to get all the decades of gum off, and yet they will allow more people to place their gum on that wall. What is the reason for that? If you know, please leave a comment. I truly welcome knowing why they do that. 

But back to the hiking in the Rocky Mountains, I remember finding water in a nearby stream. Had no objection in thought of taking a sip or two from it. I mean this place was some 50-75 miles out in the Rockies. It was called the long scenic hike. I thought what if we took but a small sip. We were thirsty, you know! But today, no thanks!

Oh my, you read all that is exploded into the atmosphere, and then droughts in some areas of the country, all I can only see is that wildlife huddling up along a dense thicket near a cool, running stream of water. I am sure they keep watch if it is drying up and considering moving on to another watering hole.   Of course, my thoughts I consider today is what is going on in and around the wildlife and what said wildlife might be depositing in the water. And I drank from that back to nature stream so many years ago! Yuck! In the 1980's they talked of the Giardia in that water. And today there are other things as well, like if you are visiting Hawaii, do not drink from their streams either. They have parasites!

 What do we consider safe? What do we look at that we are content with or satisfied with to stay with and continue doing? 

From Matthew 5 and verse 8 we find that the pure in heart, shall see God! I was brought back to the scripture of Moses fleeing into the wilderness when he jumped the gun so to speak, killed an Egyptian and fled for his life to live alone. Being raised an Egyptian, he was raised by all their standards of life and culture. In Exodus 2:11 we see Moses grown up and he goes out to see how his brethren are doing. 

Exodus 2:11-15

11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion?" 14 Then he said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" So Moses feared and said, "Surely this thing is known!" 15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. 

NKJV

Yes, an unexpected hike out to the wilderness, but he found a well! Good deal, right? He has now moved from his biological family and from the adoptive family as well. He has moved from almost being destroyed as a child, to being hunted as a fugitive for doing what he thought was right in his own eyes, to living now among a new people. But that which God had placed in him was all the while still in effect and work in Moses. Read below.

Exodus 2:16-22

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came to Reuel their father, he said, "How is it that you have come so soon today?" 19 And they said, "An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock." 20 So he said to his daughters, "And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread." 21 Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. 22 And she bore him a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land." 

NKJV

Then Moses was content to live with the man. In retrospect, was Moses already running from God? He could not live as the prince in Egypt.  We are told in Exodus 2 and verses 11-12 that he had gone to see the Hebrews of which that was his birthright. He looked on their burdens that they were in bondage to at the time. Yet, what was in his heart was not the way he actually dressed. Moses did not look like a Hebrew. Moses was dressed in that which looked like an Egyptian.  Verse 19 states................" the Egyptian delivered us from the hand of shepherds" and he drew water for them and for their flock. Moses had come to the rescue.

At this time, it was thought that there was little justice as those who delved into idolatry reveled in getting their own way. So too, at the well, those shepherds or those watering cattle probably came and anyone who might have been ahead of them OR first in line, were certainly driven away. The men or women who so produced the labor to get water into the troughs were used by those stronger and more able to use force. Yes, Moses now had another thought to contemplate. He had now had power over those who terrorized at the well! Though this stranger had come, shown up at a time when these daughters of Reuel certainly needed help, they tell their father everything when he questions them. It is then the father then asks his daughters where he the stranger was at? At the father's request Moses is welcomed to come and eat bread!

Exodus 3:1-12

3:1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." 4 So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." 6 Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. 

7 And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" 12 So He said, "I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain." 

NKJV

Yes, a lot going on here. Moses has left the good life or what looked probably like the good life to some with servants, killed a man, ran to the wilderness, and now is tending sheep for his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. My thought here is when if ever, did they know Moses to be a Hebrew? It is certain God commanded him to go to Pharaoh, to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. I wonder when did Moses change his clothing, his make-up and the hair-style. For the daughters of  Reuel (Jethro the Midianite), surely saw an EGYPTIAN.
The time in that wilderness area, probably caused him to change his clothes and hair, and become what God planned from the beginning.

We must remember that Moses was brought up to lead, and knew all the ins and outs of that government at the time. He had to face Pharaoh. He had " a mountain" before him.

Moses met destiny in the wilderness. He was called to lead a people who did not want to be led. They loved their meat, hated the wilderness and complained a lot!

Can you imagine leading someone who does not want to go? Can you imagine a million people all wanting to have their voice heard, and do not want to follow any one leader, but that which suits their own fancy?

Imagine now, a moment when you have followed God, obeyed His instructions and set to stay close to Him and hear like in verse 17 below: "Yes, I will do what you have asked, for you have certainly found favor with me, and you are my friend."

The turning point for Moses, is that moment when he saw God.

Exodus 33:12-23

12 Moses talked there with the Lord and said to him, "You have been telling me, 'Take these people to the Promised Land,' but you haven't told me whom you will send with me. You say you are my friend, and that I have found favor before you; 13 please, if this is really so, guide me clearly along the way you want me to travel so that I will understand you and walk acceptably before you. For don't forget that this nation is your people." 

14 And the Lord replied, "I myself will go with you and give you success." 

15 For Moses had said, "If you aren't going with us, don't let us move a step from this place. 16 If you don't go with us, who will ever know that I and my people have found favor with you, and that we are different from any other people upon the face of the earth?" 

17 And the Lord had replied to Moses, "Yes, I will do what you have asked, for you have certainly found favor with me, and you are my friend."  

18 Then Moses asked to see God's glory. 

19 The Lord replied, "I will make my goodness pass before you, and I will announce to you the meaning of my name Jehovah, the Lord. I show kindness and mercy to anyone I want to. 20 But you may not see the glory of my face, for man may not see me and live. 21 However, stand here on this rock beside me. 22 And when my glory goes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed. 23 Then I will remove my hand, and you shall see my back but not my face." 

TLB

Exodus 34:1-9

34:1 The LORD said to Moses, "Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. 3 No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain." 

4 So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." 

8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. 9 "O Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes," he said, "then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance." 

NIV

In Exodus 33 and verse 17: God calls Moses His friend!

In Exodus 33 and verse 19, Moses saw the glory. He was held back in the cleft of the rock and he saw God move before him. God preached to Moses that day and in that moment. God gave Moses a teaching on His name Jehovah. The Lord who showed kindness and mercy was giving Moses a download of the meaning of His name. It was the Great "I Am". In Exodus 34, we see where Moses obeyed God and chiseled out the two stone tablets. In obeying, he Moses, was to present himself to God the next morning. Moses carried the two stone tablets. The LORD God came down in the cloud and stood there with Moses. And He God passed before Moses proclaiming the LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. God also proclaimed that He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for their sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. Moses at once, bowed and worshiped. He had a teaching on God the LORD. And he replies with: "O Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as YOUR inheritance."

Moses found in all this that God was whatever Moses needed for himself and the people. Moses found that when God called him, He had provided the avenue that was the richness of God in mercy, truth and love.  For whatever streams we finding drinking from today, we surely need to find that which flows from the Love of God that is rich in His love and is compassionate. We may truly fall, but we are the forgiven. We may truly slip today in something, but God is abounding in faithfulness to His Word.

Matthew 5:8-10

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
NKJV

As the pure we are those sanctified in the Word of God. And we hold it in our hearts. They will see God. Not those who spent money to view pornography for 2 1/2 hours, but those who cover their eyes of that which is depravity. Those who see God are those who listen and obey His directions. Those pure in heart, hold that Word and grow by it. When Moses saw the burning bush and it was not consumed, he turned to get a better look. And God spoke to Moses speaking, "Moses, Moses, take your sandals off, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your father---the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." 

We then see Moses hide his face for fear of looking upon God. What expressive, and alive power Moses must have started to view and he became frightened. He became aware of himself and probably felt insignificant, yet God called him HIS friend!

Moses now humbled before God, the once Prince in the land of Egypt, now the sheepherder, was being called to lead a multitude. He was being called back to the front. Taking off his shoes, he was removing all that had gone before, all that defiled, and became the reverent when God spoke to him. Humility truly is a gift given from God Himself. For we certainly have nothing good that dwells within us. (Romans 7:18) In letting his past go, and humbling himself to obey, he was ready to receive straight from the Father of Lights, Whom from every good gift flows. The lower, or more humble Moses went, the more powerful the flow of God's presence through Moses and all that he did for God. One surely knew that God was with him.

The pure become the peacemakers before man. They can snuff out that which conflicts with God and truth every time they see it appear on the scene. They are qualified to stop any conflict or contention with dead, never to rear its ugly head again. For those persecuted like Moses from the very beginning of his birth, was going to see God face to face. He was going to behold His glory, and learn more from God than he ever could have learned in Pharaoh's court in several life times.

Moses lived most of his life in the wilderness. From birth, it looked like the devil was trying to kill him! Taken from his family to live in a palace and learn the ways of the Egyptians was a "big cost" to the family who cherished him. As it was, in Pharaoh's court, Moses was taught early by his mother who would nurse him and speak to him about God. Moses was the protected and served God's purposes!

What is your purpose? Where does your destiny with God reside? It will start in your heart where His peace resides, where you hear God preach about His name!

Father, You are the mysterious, the mighty, the Great "I am"! Lord God, it is in Jesus' name, I pray for us to have the ability to move in revelation and understanding of Your ways and purposes. I pray that none of us would be "satisfied with just our peeps, those things on T.V. or at the movies. I pray that we would be those who cry out for the Spirit of Truth. Lord, I pray that we be those who desire to communicate, who seek to touch hearts and lives with Your Word. May we be those who continually go to the Word and stir the fire in us, to pray for others, tells others of our Savior Jesus Christ and commit to make the difference. I not only pray for myself, but any who read this, that the spirit of blindness to be broken off our lives.  Help us to see what we need to see. Open YOUR Word to us continually Lord and may we experience that power everyday of our lives.

Help us to see when YOU are moving through a new pathway and that we will be receptive and quick to move to do "that thing YOU ask us to do!"  Lord, today we repent of doing things our way. We seek the path unhindered and unencumbered. We seek to hear YOU as YOU direct through those You send on our pathway.
Help us not to get in the pit of confusion, that according to Psalm 40:2 that is a place of "noise, uproar, tumult" as of waters, as of men and of war!
That Lord is the place of the dead who reside in graves and the place of destruction. No Lord, we pray to be out of pits and that of miry clay. We are those who have our feet upon the Rock of A firm standing.

Lord, we believe us to be those who walk on solid ground and directed by YOU to the place YOU have prepared for us. As we walk with YOU, our steps are ordered. We stand firm in our trust regarding our safety. You our Redeemer have ended our sorrows and moved of us out of the "danger zone". We pass on today expecting to take firm hold of instruction and to not let go.

According to .....Proverbs 4:13-19.........that we will not choose the path of wicked and will not walk the way of evil.
We avoid it and will not travel on it. Our path is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter to full light of the perfect day. We move to Your light and expect Your peace as we move forward to be  the communicators and the peacemakers for the Kingdom of God that has come. Amen.


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

Watch and Pray!

Beginning this year of 2014, I had gotten the word of the importance of praying and the scripture was found in Matthew 26:36-46.....36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there." 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." 39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand." (NKJV)

I had taken this scripture to the Prayer Meeting that I lead at the House in Vancouver at the first of the year.  I sensed by the Holy Spirit's leading of the importance of praying, but also to being spiritually aware that it was more about being watchful to the degree of being fully awake to do something specific.


In growing up in the south, one grows accustomed to watching the skies especially in the hot, summer months. Although tornadoes could occur early in April, one usually did not watch consistently till May came. The weather man was our best friend at that time. We became very knowledgeable of what to look for in the sky and where to look. If anything even appeared black and ominous in the southwest sky, my hands would become sweaty and my heart would begin this loud beating that I could feel all the way down to my feet. Even now, I feel anxious thinking about those days.
Watching and praying should give us that earnest desire to seek prayer, not only for ourselves but also for others. The Bible gives us examples of those who sat passively waiting. In the scripture text in the parables of the 10 virgins, (Matthew 25:1-13) emphasized the importance of staying spiritually prepared. We each are to keep our lamp filled with oil that represents the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are to be filled to the brim with His presence. We are to keep watch, and to pray the word of God into our families, our communities, our churches, pray for the those in the Northwest and to pray for our government.

We knew not the hour the tornado might appear! Sometimes it did, but many times the storm turned another direction, or it just fizzled out.
My point is, we should not take any thing for granted. This world is on a collision course with destiny and the devil. One thing that is certain, is that we win! Yes, those who follow and stay in His presence, are those who are abiding in that secret place of the Almighty God. Our prayer should be our lifestyle and be a part of us that is always evident, always noticeable as a part of who we are created  to be in this life. In John 15:5-8 states, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch & is withered; & they gather them & throw them into the fire, & they are burned. 7  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you desire, & it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.  (NKJV)

For whatever thing we pray for, God is in our midst. Abiding in HIM, is allowing His word access into our lives, into our community, our church and into the leaders of this great country we live.
If I do not pray, there is NO FUTURE!
We should not be complacent in praying!

• Prayer brings communication with God who brings ADVENTURES into our lives
• Prayer causes us to turn outward as we pray for others
• Prayer always causes us to stay close to our Father
• Prayer teaches us to be RECEIVERS and not beggars

Keep watching! " Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming----in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning----lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

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