That YOU MIGHT Have PEACE Through THE STORM

Isaiah 53:4-6
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
NKJV

Jesus paid a high price for us having died for our sins (iniquities) and such bruising that brought to us His peace.

The New Living Bible states this:

Isaiah 53:4-6

4 Yet it was our grief he bore, our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, for his own sins! 5 But he was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace; he was lashed-and we were healed! 6 We-every one of us-have strayed away like sheep! We, who left God's paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on him the guilt and sins of every one of us! 

TLB

Mark 14:34
34 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch."
NKJV

In Jesus' last hours before crucifixion, He intimated with His heart how His soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Thinking on His life, He carried much love, but got hatred, hardness of heart and much unbelief. He had sorrows that brought Him to prayer in those last hours of life. Yes sin brought sorrow to Him. He was impacted to such a degree that He was sweating drops of blood. Seeing those that He came to, reject Him, and experience such pain in knowing, those He came to save would reject Him even to His death.

Sorrows that weighed Him down, yes beaten for our sake's, that we would have peace. It is those who believe, who receive Him as Savior that will have this "kind of peace". "But how, Shelley? How could He have peace?"

John 14:25-31
25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
NKJV


Jesus had peace that only the Father could give Him. He speaks of peace that He would leave to us, not as the world gives, for that is chaos, but as the Lord gives us courage in our hearts. Then immediately we go into John 15 and He talks about abiding in the Father and in Him. He talks of the Holy Spirit. See below:

John 15:20-27

 20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'  

26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. 

NKJV

Jesus had the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit for He came upon Him when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. Jesus had experienced the hate of those who were reviling Him because He spoke of their sin. As Jesus is, was and is to come ........He bearing witness of truth from the beginning, we too, must bear truth. We are to abide in Him and the Father and hear the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives when saved.

Isaiah 52:13-14

13 See, my Servant shall prosper; he shall be highly exalted. 14 Yet many shall be amazed when they see him-yes, even far-off foreign nations and their kings; they shall stand dumbfounded, speechless in his presence. For they shall see and understand what they had not been told before. They shall see my Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there. So shall he cleanse many nations. 

TLB

In looking back to chapter 52, we find that the Savior, Jesus was beaten and bloodied, and so disfigured one would scarcely know Him as a person. No, you could not hang that picture of the crucified Savior on your dining room wall.

No, man had no peace till Jesus came. Now Israel could have experienced that peace many times, as they either collectively joined together in giving praise and honor to God, and obeying His commands. But on the whole, as for the man who lives on this earth, peace was left in the Garden of Eden. That relationship with the Father and His guidance was changed when Adam followed the LEADING OF HIS WIFE EVE! We must keep to the order God has planned for His children.
Where there is no order, then chaos ensues!

That peace was something that comes from God. And it was sent through His Son Jesus. We the wounded and the polluted by our sinful nature, were made "whole" complete with nothing missing, nothing broken in our lives when confessing Jesus as Lord of our lives!

He was the bruised, the oppressed, the One who was beaten beyond any recognition showed us how corrupt the flesh nature really was according to God and His standards. Every wound of my heart or yours was taken by Jesus. Every hurtful word or hateful abuse was first taken by the Lord. In all that battered, bloodied and disfigured body He carried the hurt that occurred in my heart and yours first.

That peace Jesus obtained was by violence. It was that violence that takes the life. Looking back to Noah and the flood, we see the rain becoming a flood that would take a violent force against any who remained within those flood-driven areas of the land. It was those who were in the Ark who remained dry within that Ark which rode upon the water of the flood, who would ultimately live to start again.

How could He, Jesus remain so faithful to God to do the thing needed for man-kind? He remained in God Himself. "Yeah, Shelley, but Jesus was God. Yes, but Jesus did not call down those legions of angels to assist Him, did He?"
He is the true Christian. And the way we should walk today is in those steps He took while He walked this earth. When we remain, abide in His teachings and His ways, we find that peace, which fights against any chaos in our lives, and keeps us secure in the shadow of the Almighty God!

Psalm 91:1-2

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High 

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress;

My God, in Him I will trust." 

NKJV

Abiding in Jesus, we find the same peace He held. He walked, not cutting Himself off from the synagogue or from those leaders who were there at that time, like the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus could face them, and walk away victorious because of His strengthening relationship with His Father God. The more time He spent in prayer and the Word, the more He gained the authority to speak peace into His situation. Jesus remained faithful to God and kept no sin in His heart. He was the ultimate sacrifice!

1 John 3:8

 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

NKJV

The more we learn how Jesus walked each time, the further into more peace and into that strength we move, and that peace can only come from God. It was not by separating Himself from that which He had to do.
Likewise we must not refuse to do that which seems hard, or anything the Lord would speak to us to do!  We must continue to walk with those God has placed around us, and speak to those we must speak to and with, we find, when a "storm" does come, it is one that we call that peace of God, to see the chaos removed. Jesus addressed each question and presented them with questions that ultimately pointed back to God the Father.

What authority do we carry when walking through this journey of life? What amount of authority can be seen when facing an enemy we have never met before? The only authority that counts is that which is from God, and remaining in Him, and staying away from sin will mark the path we walk, abiding in Him, and seeing those waves grow calm. It is staying away from sin, for any that darkens the doorway of our lives must be repented of and move on in God's Word and plan. In reflecting on God's plan, and the Redemption through His Son on the Cross, we each are brought back to this "one thing".  Do we really want more of the Jesus Who was the crucified for us or are we happy with the one who man depicts from the painting of the Cross on our living room wall? For many years, when our daughter was still young, we too, had the picture of the crucified Christ, the one with eyes looking to heaven and with the halo around his head. One could see this man's face, the wound on his side and the nails through hands and feet. But it was not till the 1990's that we actually heard how Jesus was crucified. I learned a lot about the weapons used in that day and yes of the cat o' nine tails. You know those leather strips held broken glass and metal pieces in their length and you had nine of them.  When I understood those passages, that though a man, no one could see His visage. NO one would know what He really looked like because of the massive damage done to His body and face. Yes, what Jesus did that day was to die for us, and in His resurrection from the Dead, we gained full legal rights that were PAID IN FULL! TODAY, we have rights to healing, to being whole in our bodies, to being whole in our minds and our emotions and to live in peace all of our days.

In the light of God's Word, is our decision today going to be one in the tradition of men or is it in an expectation of learning about what was gained for us at the Cross? Will we sincerely go by the Word of God and remind ourselves of the day at the Cross, the day at Calvary when everything became dark at noonday?
Many years ago, I went with my parents to Carlsbad Caverns. It was a length of hours to make this tour deep into those caverns made by all that rivers of water so many years ago. At one point, I believe it was the one cavern room called the Garden of the Gods that we gathered or huddled together, that the guide said the lights would be shut off. Our small group of about 35 people, experienced a depth of blackness that day I have never forgotten. The lights were off for only some twenty seconds, but that blackness certainly felt like it enveloped us all in one instant. No one moved from the place where they stood, and the coolness of that depth, deep in those caverns, certainly made one "feel so small and insignificant". I wondered if those who watched Jesus die on the Cross felt that darkness at midday. (or noonday) I wonder if they were enveloped in such darkness that their emotions took them to depths of such despair that all they had done to Him, all that they spoke to Him, and now standing so close and could not touch or speak a word!

Luke 23:44-46
44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' "
NKJV

Will we seek that which brings life or just continue to seek man and his mental knowledge. For the image of the man on the Cross in most cases, is one seen as from man's own mental image. But the image our Father wants us to recall is the one that depicts His Son WHO went to the Cross for a dying world! Our taking up the Cross daily is reminding ourselves that we too, must die to the things of the world and to have a walk that is in the image of Jesus Christ the victorious ONE!

Taking selfishness to the Cross, we are choosing to seek to find our place, and that peace in Him. Those fancy homes and cars and high-paying jobs certainly look good, and sound good but in the long run are like that which is built on the sand. In the end, all was just a fancy castle built out of sand and nothing more.

 Our identity is in Him and in Him alone! For it is truly how we are to live, move and have our being. (Acts 17:28)  Apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5) We are not to be those distracted, for surely in this world people will have tribulations and trials, but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For Jesus overcame the world. He deprived it of power to harm us. (John 16:33)

 Luke 1:76-79
76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people 
By the remission of their sins, 
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; 
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace."  
NKJV

Father God, we are not of the world according to John 17:11,14............we have come to the Kingdom of God, so we do not operate in this world's system. We neither talk or act like the world.
We know we can have tribulations but Jesus overcame the world. Today, we receive His strength, His peace and that power of the Holy Ghost to walk through with our heads held high. We will not be the cowering and wondering what we will do next, but our choice today is finding our place in YOU.  Today Holy Spirit guide us out of any stress related problems and into Your peace and joy. Help us to see the process and the time it will take us to gain that authority for we know we have it all now, but getting that past from our minds will take some work and much time. Your grace is sufficient.
We understand that an "excellent" life begins with that excellent thought life and attitudes. As all fruit has a root,  the root of our actions is our thoughts, words from thought, our emotions (moods) and those which can take root. Help us to get excited about taking part in dealing with that thought life, and to pay attention to that which comes out of our hearts. You our Father desire truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6). Help us to see that which is of benefit to us in this life walk.
Today, we pray to be those who will pay attention to that thought life, to our words, those moods and attitudes that are rooted in it. Holy Spirit we loose You into this situation of our thought life. Help us to have and keep that purposeful heart that maintains a godly attitude. Help us to speak only those godly words for life. "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8) Father YOU seek the pure in heart, and YOU are surely the expert in removing the worthless things while making sure the process is retaining the things of value. Our commitment is to face YOUR truth and allow change to come to us in Jesus' name. Amen.


Please join me in part 2: Deserts and Devils



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

WHEN GOD ASKS A QUESTION

When God asks us a question, how do we respond?

Matthew 16:13-18
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
NKJV

WHY was Jesus asking this question? Well, lets look at the passage before His asking the question.

Matthew 16:5-12

5 Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees." 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread." 8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? 9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? 10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? 11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?--but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 

NKJV

When Jesus asked them a question, it was concerning how they come to their answers, their thinking about what He was saying compared to that doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. When Jesus asked, He was finding out where they really stood relating to the Word of Truth that He was directing them to.
So if the Lord asks us a question: be certain to know that He is really asking if our going forward is based on His truth or of the doctrine of the world. It is not to be about that we just know it for that should already be a part of the foundation and it should not be about how we are feeling in regard to it, but are we without any doubt. Are we those certain ones that we are backed by the Word of God in stepping into that which God has for us to do? We can not do it just assuming it. We can not do it just because some pastor some years ago mentioned it, that we are the "called" to it and so just do it. NO!  We must certainly have a foundation built beneath us and that Cornerstone is Jesus Himself.

Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
NIV

As fellow citizens with God's people and members of His household, we are those who are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the Chief Cornerstone!

The anointing Jesus gives us by the Word of truth, is that which determines when the "bad report" or that "surprise report" comes to us. Then when a question comes, are we wrapped up ..........surrounded, fortified with His love and Word  OR are we, by the circumstance ready to throw in the towel like in a boxing match?  We certainly are to be trained and ready because the Word is alive in us, powered by the Holy Spirit to make those quick decisions and keep going forward from Step 1 Step 2 to Step 3 of God's plan.

Mark 2:23-28
23 Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" 25 But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: 26 how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" 27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."
NKJV

Take note that Jesus asked the Pharisees a question when He was presented with one as well?
Jesus was pointing to David who was avoiding King Saul, but kept his men fed, he looked for a place of security for them, and when Saul was breathing out his cruelties. Truly the Sabbath was created for man to.........relax from a week's long work, to remember all that God had done for them, and to rest with family and enjoy them!

 In reading this passage it is separated by Chapter 3 heading, but they started this one with And He entered..........so this is continued from that of Mark chapter 2!

Mark 3:1-6
3:1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." 4 Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
NKJV

Yes, a whole group of people were asked this question. They were that group of religious folk. 

"Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?"

It tells us that everyone remained silent.

Jesus spoke to the man with the withered hand...........and said, "Stretch out your hand." And as he did, his hand was restored as whole as the other.

From what we see in Chapter 2 of Mark, is that Jesus was pointing to that day of the Sabbath as the day which was made for man. In truth, the Sabbath was created after man was created. Man was made for God.

Luke 13:10-21
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day." 15 The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound--think of it--for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

18 Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."

20 And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."
NKJV

Notice in verse 12, when Jesus called the woman out, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity"......and then laid hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. God can do miracles on any day. Does not have to be always in church or within that moment of an immediate miracle, but can be done by giving people truth. Jesus was giving truth on the Sabbath and the woman was healed. But at verse 14, we find the ruler of the synagogue indignant. He was mad at Jesus for healing on the Sabbath and even told Jesus the LAW. But Jesus asked "does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from  the stall, lead it away to water it"? "SO ought not this woman be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"

The people rejoiced, and then Jesus went on to ask another question! "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?"  'It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

And verse 18:

18 Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."

When God asks us a question, it is not our answering by feelings, or how body feels today. It is not how our spouse is acting or not acting, but it is by being steadfast in the Word of God. It is as Jesus represented to the disciples and to us. Our lives are to be that continually flowing fountain of water springing up that brings to those around that water of life, that Word of God, and that people are being satisfied. Yes, those who have been held in bondage much too long, to a broken body, a broken heart, held by drugs and depression need a long cool drink of the living fountain of Water of the Word of God that gives life and peace! When asked a question today, hopefully our reply is found from that living water...........as we find in John 7, of that which comes from the Holy Spirit.

John 7:37-39
37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
NIV

When God asks us a question, do our words and worship exalt the Lord God or something else altogether? When we have the Holy Spirit residing in us, our words, yes our replies to any question will be words that worship as a witness of who we are following, who we listen to, what we read or keep our focus on, and who we will ultimately confess! Amen.

We are to reply to the One true God, and then follow Him, obedient to all He asks us!

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

How Truly Wonderful that Love Really Is!

What about that love we give to another? How do we express that God-kind of love to someone we do not know? People are always concerned about that first impression they make to others they are meeting for the first time. On the first meeting, many are at a loss of words to speak.
Was thinking about this over the weekend. We had some time with our grand-daughter one evening and wanted to encourage her that when God speaks through her to another, is to raise her chin high, look right into those people's eyes and keep a voice that is not child-like but one that is bold and confident in what they speak. And the last thing the Lord had me say was: " of all this, tell about how they are loved by God". "Tell them that God loves them!" Amen.

1 John 4:15-17
15 Anyone who believes and says that Jesus is the Son of God has God living in him, and he is living with God.

16 We know how much God loves us because we have felt his love and because we believe him when he tells us that he loves us dearly. God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is living in him. 17 And as we live with Christ, our love grows more perfect and complete; so we will not be ashamed and embarrassed at the day of judgment, but can face him with confidence and joy because he loves us and we love him too.
TLB

Our living with Christ causes our love to grow more perfectly and complete. We are not to be the ashamed and embarrassed...........not today or at the day of judgment!

Reflecting on our grand-daughter and her response was at first almost like she was wanting to cry.....then it was apparent that she acted like she was being scolded, but in giving her truth about relaying God's Word and love to others, it is of importance of giving that timely word from God to others at the moment it is needed, and she certainly lightened, and gave a smile at :" tell them that God loves them!"

She sat up in her chair. Not slouching down, but became upright, turn to place her feet on the floor and the preaching began!

Why? because she knows the love she has for her parents and they for her. She knows what that daily walk is like with them. She is told daily how they love her and how God loves her, too!  She knows it is a give and take relationship, not just a taking relationship. She is reflecting what her life is composed of right now. She emanates love for others.

Mark 12:28-34

28 One of the teachers of religion who was standing there listening to the discussion realized that Jesus had answered well. So he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 

29 Jesus replied, "The one that says, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only God. 30 And you must love him with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.' 

31 "The second is: 'You must love others as much as yourself.' No other commandments are greater than these." 

32 The teacher of religion replied, "Sir, you have spoken a true word in saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is far more important to love him with all my heart and understanding and strength, and to love others as myself, than to offer all kinds of sacrifices on the altar of the Temple." 

34 Realizing this man's understanding, Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And after that, no one dared ask him any more questions. 

TLB

No, we are not far from the kingdom when one understands the love of God and to carry that same love to the world. Jesus did indeed carry it and so much of God, who can fathom it all?

Proverbs 21:21

21 He who pursues righteousness and love 

finds life, prosperity and honor. 

NIV

The man, woman or child who pursues God and His righteousness will find His love a part of the package. When we truly know that God loved us first and gave His best for us.........then we will start that walk into a love that never fails, is always kind, is always forgiving. Love will always rejoice in truth as our grand-daughter did that evening. That love will always protect her, always help her to trust in God alone, and will cause her to persevere into the thing God has planned for her.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

NIV

She might have thought she was being scolded, rebuked, or even criticized, but when she allowed herself to hear every word...........she bumped into God and His love that enveloped her for she recognized His safety and protection.

No, this would certainly be a better place to be in this day and time, if people knew that God loved them more than their own biological parents do or did. Truly if people could be introduced into God's love, they would never want to leave His presence ever. They would not be out trying to get that 15-minutes of fame, but actually be giving God's love to others each and every day.

Lamentations 3:22-24

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, 

for his compassion 's never fail. 

23 They are new every morning; 

great is your faithfulness. 

24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; 

therefore I will wait for him." 

NIV

In closing:

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

NIV

What if any us could speak with God's love, not as a clanging cymbal, but true love that emanates from the Father? Yes, that evening I saw our grand-daughter emanate His love in such a precise manner that only her face could have shone. It was one full of light, full of love and full of joy. Let us continue to join in that walk with God our Father. May His will be done in our lives as it is in heaven. And may we have the Manna from heaven that will come to expand our knowledge of how truly wonderful that love really is. Amen!

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

ON YOUR MARK, SET, GO!

Exodus14:5-14
5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, "Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. 7 Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness. 9 So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.

10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. 11 Then they said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." 13 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."    NKJV


Now we know that the people were not really fleeing. We know them to being quick in obeying what they were told to do when leaving Pharaoh and Egypt. (God knew Pharaoh would change his mind)
And of course, those serving Pharaoh were probably really upset in that whatever duties those Hebrew people held while in captivity were going to go to those who remained who served Pharaoh.  Yes, trouble on the horizon!

Ever seen that today............? You know down-sizing in companies and those people remaining get NO increase in pay, but do twice or three times the work in a regular work day!
THEN  we see in verse 6 that Pharaoh is making haste to get his chariot to "go"! He has those six hundred choice chariots and the rest that are mediocre type chariots. You know we have the grand made ones..........extra parts, extra quality put into them, and then those lesser quality made chariots....those probably made with a cheaper grade of wood, made with parts that were left off or out of the whole concept because they were " cheap". HE PURSUED THEM HOPING TO OVERTAKE THEM! Yes, he changed his mind.
Now, let's think about those fine Arabian horses that pulled those fine chariots. We know the Arabian to be fast although not as fast as an American quarter horse. Those Arabians are accustomed to the heat. They were used for many centuries and for great distances. So you have a well-bred animal for the desert.
Then of all things........yes,......the Lord had them go by the way of the wilderness instead of going by the shortcut through the land of the Philistines.
Sometimes it requires some amount of days, weeks and months to get the past out of our daily thinking. Sometimes we need to meditate on "those miracles" and give testimony of the truth that God is for us. But sometimes, the present is so embedded into our thinking, we need some time and exercise in knowing Him as the God Who performs miracles, and displays them in His power among His redeemed.

Psalm 77:13-15
13 Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
NIV

Read below about the long way around in the wilderness:

Exodus 13:17-22
17 Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt." 18 So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you." 20 So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.   NKJV

So back to Pharaoh, fine chariots, and fine Arabians horses all on their way to bring you back to the brick making party with no straw.........and more work added..........that you have to look for your own straw! WOW!

Exodus 5:10-23

10 Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. 11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.'" 12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw." 14 The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten and were asked, "Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?" 

15 Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people." 

17 Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are--lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' 18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks." 

19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day." 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us." 

22 Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." NIV

Yes, there was some trouble on the horizon! It was a day of maybe terror would you say to those who would not trust in God? The people were telling Moses, "why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?' "Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians, for it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." (Exodus 14:11-14) Even though they saw the miracles.........they did not lean on God. They just thought of what they left behind.

Exodus 14:13-14
13 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."
NKJV

Holding our peace can be hard..........that loose lips and speaking against what God has said, but that world can have a hold on our thought life. But God is telling them to hold their peace, that God the LORD would fight for them.

Yes, when it is time to leave Egypt, that same thinking has to go as well. This Hebrew nation was reflecting on the years they had been held in captivity.........and they relived it in those moments that they saw those fine chariots and horses headed towards them. Those chariots would be on them quickly, indeed!
What frightens us from our past? What have we not let go, to revisit in the recesses of our minds?

Psalm 46:10-11
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. NKJV

In this day and time, it is in the Lord that we will find our answers. It is getting still before Him, and quieting all those voices that say anything different than what God has said about you or me. Silence those emotions that may speak loudly, why lament, God is on the scene. Are you saved or you just the wandering one? Those who know their God will do exploits!
They will walk when they must walk and they will run when they must run.

1 John 5:3-5
3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.   NIV

Overcoming this world and the things of straw or lack is only in this world. But the things of God are spiritual, the lasting for an eternity, where we saw Jesus turn water into wine. Allowing God into our circumstances, allows us to stop looking back at Egypt and lack and look to the resources of God Who is enough for us. It is the place where the healed come back to give praise, the lame jump for joy, the blind see again to follow Jesus ......the Way, the Truth and Life!
Be still and become acquainted with God and allow revelation of His word overtake your life, and you will see the enemy defeated time and again for the Lord came to set the captives free. AMEN!


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

NO PAUSE BUTTONS, PLEASE!!

WHO pushed the PAUSE button? Ever feel like life is on pause? Seriously, you are moving along, everything looks bright, prayer life is a good one, the Word is expanding in your life, and SUDDENLY, one day you discover you have not moved forward.
In looking over our lives, especially our children's we can see what needs to change. In their growing years, a mother can see the benefit of change needed for them at certain times of growth. The mother will tend to manipulate the child or children towards that which is nourishing food, something that teaches, something that helps the child see beyond their own lives, exercise like dance or some sport, and to see that the child or children are never alone. Yes, we always have time to play!
Even when the mother may be busy at home busy doing housecleaning, at work doing her job outside the home and or ministering to others, we tend to see the child is either in school, at home with Dad or the planned playdate with a young playmate for the child. All these things certainly add to producing a child who will one day be on their own..........so to speak. In their growing up, all hope and eyes are on them to being independent enough to work, pay their bills and continue to have a somewhat social life that is a healthy one. A parent hopes enough wisdom for life has been poured into them, so that they, the grown-up child has had adequate training in how to prepare meals, meet new people and continue to exercise.

I have learned over these many years, that life continues, like it or not! Seasons change, winter comes and leaves a mess that only Spring can clean up with those showers that also washes away the dust, bring life to those trees once again, and bring about festive colors that was just hidden under all that wet and sometimes snow. Cold weather certainly brings about a temperature drop that is noticed not only by the need to grab that coat before leaving the house, but is also known in those plants which were vibrant but a few short weeks ago, but now have surrendered to the frost that brought shock to their systems of growth.

Many people are ON PAUSE and do not know it. They somehow think that they can continue to do what they did like when they were in their teens or twenties. But alas, that is not so. The body certainly needs good food and exercise to be in health. Baseball somehow does not work in for us in the 20-30 year range. Although some use it as a hobby and use it as their social network. Yet, it is no longer school time, and Friday night football and eating cold pizza for breakfast. Yes, I personally know someone who would eat that for breakfast in her teen years.

Now some folks have the ability to keep social, but sometimes the job or even ministry can cause a delay, a big speed bump or that merry-go-round ride that never stops, never changes, but keeps moving you around in a circle. Sooner or later you find yourself alone and without any opportunities to make friends. Sometimes our age plays a role. Sometimes we think we cannot be around other people's children or give them some wisdom for life. But that is a lie of the enemy. Truly God wants us to minister to those who are family and those who are the family of God!

God desires us to continue to grow. He desires us to change and become all that He planned for us. In hearing some ask for prayer...........I am always, I guess taken off guard by those who say they "need a breakthrough". No, all you need is to get off the "merry go-round " and do the work, live the life, and enjoy the adventure that God presents to you.

Somehow men and women can find they look for that affirmation by those they work for instead of looking to God for that. They start looking for ways to make more money and look for extra hours at that place they have this new bold confidence in, but that is the wrong place and wrong thing to be confident in. Affirmation from strangers is dangerous! Testimony in the work place, where it is just you glorifying you is not good. And taking compliments from those who do it just to get-closer is dangerous as well!


Proverbs 3:21-26
21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble;
24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster 
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, 
26 for the LORD will be your confidence 
and will keep your foot from being snared.
NIV

The Lord wants to preserve us and will give us discernment by His Word. His Spirit of truth will lead us in truth..........and show anything which might be unsafe, deadly to us! We continue to walk in safety on our way..........not afraid, and able to sleep peacefully at night because we have His Word in our hearts. The LORD is to be our confidence, and not our singing, the neighbor next door, the woman down the street, or the "boss" at work!


Acknowledging God and His truth of bringing to us that which was lost in the garden of Eden, is a remembering God wants us to experience His kingdom that came through Jesus. Taking that daily bread, that Manna, brings wholeness to us. His kingdom is to come into every area of our lives,: physically, socially, financially, spiritually, and mentally.

Matthew 6:9-13 Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and power and glory forever. Amen. NKJV

God knew the intimacy He wanted with Adam. He formed him in the soil of the earth. Yes, just some dirt, and formed him.........then He breathed that God breath into Adam. God had to kneel down to reach those nostrils of Adam's. God had to look him over and prepare to bring life that would last an eternity. Now that is going.........long!
Genesis 2:7...And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

God wants to be in our business as He was in Adam's and then in Jesus' life. His teaching to us brings us to sobriety (self-control, common sense), temperance, honesty and industry........to work with our hands.....not to take from another's mouth.........not the bread of idleness or deceit. We are to have a bread that is truly gained. Its that trust in knowing God our Creator, God our Healer, God our Provider, and God our Strength. Press that button and take your life off of PAUSE.................and live today. Take back that which God expects you and I to do in this that Garden He has planned for us. Take each day and renew that desire back to God and understand completely that Jesus is our Bread of LIFE! Be restored to experience new foods that are life-giving, be open to relationships that encourage growth in God and His Word, be resilient and quick to ask for forgiveness of sins...........those that are ours and of those who may have trespassed against us.

As God breathed into Adam, that man was given life that IS, WAS AND IS TO COME! Remember each day, we have the opportunity to SEE THAT SAME breath life breathed into us that which requires His life. Whether it is in marriage, raising children, entering into what many call retirement or just finding those new friends and great new food for health, all should be about our relationship with God.

We are to live in eternity. A world without end......with Alpha and Omega........the Beginning and the End.....Who SEES All...........Knows All! It has been by His grace that we are the saved........having Jesus to rule over our hearts......to walk through this life remembering every thing He has done for us..........forgetting not to worship, committing to keep that communication open with Him who not only desired to walk with Adam, BUT who sent the Son of His love and to receive His family through the broken body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
NO PAUSE BUTTONS, PLEASE! Let's keep our focus on Him Who is the Great "I AM" in our midst. May we recall through Communion of that Blood shed for us and of that broken body reflecting on eternity. Surely we all have a past........soiled, bruised, battered, and sometimes looking worse because of the choices we made, but today we have the risen Savior. Today looks bright, even though it is pouring down rain here, yet OUR deliverer is STANDING BY...............He is on His Way..........Let's live the way He gave His life for us to live.................AMEN!


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

Who Are the OPPRESSED?

Galatians 6:7-10

 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.   NKJV

Sowing is God's idea. John 12:24-26
24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
NIV

Sowing a good seed, that is planted as in gardening, will die and bring up a crop....it produces many seeds. Here in this scripture, Jesus was telling them that we are to hate that which is of the flesh.........that life we know so "naturally", but that which is of the spirit will follow Jesus and will live where He does forever!

 And reading on that flesh nature, one would really not want to sow that which is just "trouble".
Romans 6:13-14
13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead ( flesh nature), and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
NKJV

Romans 8:12-13

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

NKJV

For whatever we sow to in the flesh, we will certainly reap. You allow someone to come out of a gas station or convenience store ahead of you who is on the main road, and do that several times...........you find you have a harvest coming to you when you find yourself coming out of a convenience store in 5 pm traffic and the line of cars is too many to count or even see to the end of the line..................and..........suddenly........... an opening appears, the man has paused the traffic, he waves you onto the main road in front of him, and "happy day" you are on your way home sooner than later. Doing good to others is something we need to keep watch over! That means even in situations of someone being ugly to you, calling you names or attacking your character. Jesus was attacked in the same way. The religious folks of that day certainly attacked Him, did they not?
Mark 3:4-6
4 Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. 

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. 
NIV

In writing this today I was shocked by watching a report from this state in which a police officer was being fired because of his handling of a situation involving an 16 year old (or 18 year old). (the news reports changes from channel to channel on the age) Some fifty percent thought he was being violent and the other fifty percent thought he handled it accurately as the teen......considered old enough in most states to know better was told she was leaving school because of bad attitude to teacher and Administrative person. (something about using her cell phone during class time) I could not fathom such behavior toward someone in authority. In the year I graduated from high school, you certainly did not talk back to the Superintendent nor did you speak ill to your teacher. Such behavior was brought up to the parents of the misbehaving student, male or female, and was going to be handled directly by expulsion from school and for some, that expulsion was forever. I would never had thought of doing such an act at school or anywhere else. First of all, I would not have been able to sit for a week, and I would have been made to apologize to those I spoke ill to. Oh, did I mention I would probably had my mouth washed out with lava soap?

I remember a couple different students in the school I attended who were singled out because of their behavior during class time and what was not acceptable,  they were told to get their things together including books and or coat/jacket..........and when that door opened to the hallway, "the" said student was leaving the classroom and the school! Finished, dealt with and the classroom was back to order and the teacher was teaching the class again without any interruptions. What I saw in those days that happened was a defiant student disregarding authority!

For some reason I had this thought as well. Maybe because October is the Halloween craze time! I thought of the Mary Shelley's book on Frankenstein. (you know they show it a lot, and make it available right now) The "thing" that man created was to live by applying electricity. This being created surely walked by that power......was made to live, but became violent because of loneliness. Because the being had no one like them to love them..........and then I thought of this teen........that one a "lonely one"......is there no love?

Immediately I wanted to pray for the entire group of people who were involved in something that cost a man his job............and the teacher and Administrative person to lose authority. This world has certainly turned upside down!

I kept thinking of the scripture of reaping the whirlwind.........Proverbs 1:20-33
20 Wisdom shouts in the streets for a hearing. 21 She calls out to the crowds along Main Street, and to the judges in their courts, and to everyone in all the land: 22 "You simpletons!" she cries. "How long will you go on being fools? How long will you scoff at wisdom and fight the facts? 23 Come here and listen to me! I'll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise. 24 I have called you so often, but still you won't come. I have pleaded, but all in vain. 25 For you have spurned my counsel and reproof. 26 Some day you'll be in trouble, and I'll laugh! Mock me, will you?-I'll mock you! 27 When a storm of terror surrounds you, and when you are engulfed by anguish and distress, 28 then I will not answer your cry for help. It will be too late though you search for me ever so anxiously.

29 "For you closed your eyes to the facts and did not choose to reverence and trust the Lord, 30 and you turned your back on me, spurning my advice. 31 That is why you must eat the bitter fruit of having your own way and experience the full terrors of the pathway you have chosen. 32 For you turned away from me-to death; your own complacency will kill you. Fools! 33 But all who listen to me shall live in peace and safety, unafraid."   TLB


Those who abide in the Lord (John 15), all who listen to the Wisdom of God shall live in peace and safety, unafraid.  My concern here and it goes back to sowing that seed to the "flesh" is that what happens say in a year or two...........what if that school has some  call out for help ........a call out to the police station, but they have none! What if a "shooter" shows up............and those who have spurned counsel and reproof to do their own thing........mock the police and others in authority. then....how long before the table is turned for that which is of the ""bitter fruit".........and trouble comes there, but there is no help for them because of what is going on across this country?  What if they "need" help from some kind of law enforcement and there are none to call on to give the needed "HELP"?

Yes, people have to be treated fairly and expect to be heard, but not at the expense of someone being hurt when being taken from a classroom and not at the expense of someone losing their job.
Scripture tells us in Proverbs 1.......that trouble will come.............to those who have turned away from the life in God to death in the pathway which reveals the flesh creature.........doing our own thing, something we choose because we "want" to do it!

From the blog: BUTTING AND DISTURBING: But God is to be our justice. Sometimes people just rise up to do some "unthinkable" things to get their say, their way and their voice heard for the 15 minutes or such, but we can call on God to hear us when we have some complaint. When we have something going on, then we must take it to God for the answer!

Proverbs 23:29-35....29 Who has woe?

Who has sorrow?

Who has contentions?

Who has complaints?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

30 Those who linger long at the wine.

Those who go in search of mixed wine.

31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,

When it sparkles in the cup,

When it swirls around smoothly;

32 At the last it bites like a serpent,

And stings like a viper.

33 Your eyes will see strange things,

And your heart will utter perverse things.

34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,

Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:

35"They have struck me, but I was not hurt;

They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.

When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink.?" NKJV

What terrible problems that come when we desire or want what we either should not have, or do not need. It is like becoming intoxicated with the thing "we so desire" to have or control, to have "my way" or add to our collection of things we think we need at the time! And being intoxicated with those desires, our want can cause us to start those quarrels that end nowhere, but in the place of many wounds JUST because "we want that thing"! In some respect, some will even go searching for those who will join in with them to agree for that "thing desired". And however good the appearance or the thing may sound at the time of our desire, one will certainly know after some time has gone by, that it can come back to bite you in a big way! 

What we sow to, we will reap!

Yes, seems things have turned chaotic. We certainly need His judgment today and the mercy that comes from and through the Cross of Jesus Christ. I am one person, but I am a praying person, who prays out to God to save our youth today, save them before it is too late, that their lives are not lost forever. I pray out that people who have a walk with God will turn their prayers from we four and no more, to prayers for God, His justice, safety for our youth, for millions not to be blinded by the avalanche that has covered this land.

This entire world is in danger. It is a world gazing upon man and not on God the Creator of the heavens and the earth. 

Again, I look back in the day and time I was raised in the south and attended school. As children, we were all expected to have respect for our parents, teachers, and especially those in authority. We were expected to obey the instructions given us. I certainly know as a youth growing up in the south that when I gave respect to others, I received respect back to me. I certainly saw it in giving it to the elder population in our community of which I lived. And certainly things have changed from my youth and my daughter's youth, with sex offenders and pedophile's making the nightly news. You have all kinds of predators today that did not either exist or just were not made known till now, either way, we need God's wisdom for these situations.

I believe that when we are raised in hearing the word of God, and that can start for any of us at any age, we are setting ourselves, our children and their children to rise above the "things" of the world and move through this life, this journey in victory.

But when we start telling God we do not want Him in our schools or we do not want prayer in the council meetings, we have a problem. Do we not see? Can we not fathom the chaos that will come to light when we continue to lift man's image and his mental knowledge............that he knows more..........than God does?

No, in watching the news today, we can certainly see man being served!
In Proverbs 21:16.........we are told "the man who strays away from common sense will end up dead"! And in Proverbs 21:23...."keep your mouth closed and you'll stay out of trouble".  TLB

God certainly sees.......He watches over the evil and the good. Finding the "good" in all this can seem complicated. The best thing here, is to stay close to God, follow His direction and trust that He is for you. In all that is in heaven, on earth and under the earth  ( Philippians 2:9-11)..........at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow............to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

In closing: Proverbs 15:26.....26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, But the words of the pure are pleasant. NKJV
Psalm 118:8-9
8 It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in men. 9 It is better to take refuge in him than in the mightiest king!
TLB

Those who follow after righteousness, those in right standing with God have pure words that are pleasant! (they are a joy to be around) They will encourage you, love God and always have a testimony of faith on the goodness of God in their lives!

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

Pollution!

James 1:19-27
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. 

26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. NIV

Interesting James wrote this to those who have the Word of God. (verse 21)

When our daughter was young as well as our grand-child, the two had something very common to most "kids". They both liked mud puddles to jump in. They both loved that one "special" one and where to find it as soon as the rain slowed enough to get outside. For our grandchild, it was only a few forty steps probably from their front door. Although a paved road, there was a radical dip in the road, and it held water every time it rained. We could get our rain jackets on, and the dog's leash for a walk in the rain. What a delight, and what laughter a child could exude in those first moments out the front door. Oh yes, the child was gracious to allow the dog that walk out to their perfect "potty" place, and we could certainly walk the block around, but that puddle was going to be dealt a blow, a stomp, and maybe both feet before heading back to that front door of the house. It hopefully would prove that a lot of stomping could rid that puddle of its rain, leaving the grit and debris behind.

In writing this today, I think of what we could get into that would pollute us.

Romans 12:2

 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.     NIV

Yes, it is God's will that we seek. Not our own way, but His which is one of wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:30
Weymouth New Testament: But you---and it is all God's doing---are in Christ Jesus: He has become for us a wisdom which is from God, consisting of righteousness and sanctification and deliverance.

Again we have James below: as we saw from the James 1 and this in James 4, we can see what sin can do and where it comes from. In this day of super-grace, my thoughts are what do those super-grace teachers do with the book of James. He surely spent much time writing on sin and that which pollutes man!
In verse 9 we are told to mourn and grieve because of sin. But when we humble ourselves before God, repent of pointing that finger to "Joe" on the I-5 corridor, we can move closer to God. I do not know about you, but I desire to be close to God and hear Him when He speaks to me!
James starts out in James 4 talking to those "adulterous" people. Yikes, adulterous people!

James 4:4-10

4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?  6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 

"God opposes the proud 

but gives grace to the humble."  

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.                 NIV

Any idea what the proud look like? It says that God opposes the proud, but will give grace to the humble. Well anything that comes from self-righteousness is being proud of our own accomplishments. It is a self-worship! It speaks " I did this with no help from anyone!" " I got this big house and fancy car without help." " I play this guitar with no help from anyone!" "I made my millions by "my own hand."
Yes, that pride thing is a really bad thing..............and then to have evil behavior and a perverse speech with it, too!

  Proverbs 8:13 tells us.....13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;

I hate pride and arrogance,  evil behavior and perverse speech.    NIV

The Living Bible states this: Proverbs 8:13

 13 If anyone respects and fears God, he will hate evil. For wisdom hates pride, arrogance, corruption, and deceit of every kind.    TLB

WISDOM hates pride, arrogance, corruption and deceit of every kind! So wisdom will not dwell with those things. Every decision where those things reside, will cause us to make very bad mistakes concerning our lives, our children's lives, those in the workplace and out on the roadway!

Psalm 4 teaches this from the Living Bible:    4 These wicked men, so proud and haughty, seem to think that God is dead. They wouldn't think of looking for him! 5 Yet there is success in everything they do, and their enemies fall before them. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. 6 They boast that neither God nor man can ever keep them down-somehow they'll find a way! 

7 Their mouths are full of profanity and lies and fraud. They are always boasting of their evil plans. 8 They lurk in dark alleys of the city and murder passersby. 9 Like lions they crouch silently, waiting to pounce upon the poor. Like hunters they catch their victims in their traps. 10 The unfortunate are overwhelmed by their superior strength and fall beneath their blows. 11 "God isn't watching," they say to themselves; "he'll never know!"   TLB

BUT God does know and He keeps watch on the evil and the good: Proverbs 15:3:    3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place,   Keeping watch on the evil and the good.     NKJV

1 John 2:15-17

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.                NIV

NO CONTAMINATION

Being without spot might seem hard! But in reading on in 1 John 2 we find some things to keep in mind. I have heard some say that they believe once saved, always saved. I do not believe this is true. I have seen people in the church, who loved the Lord and when that windfall come in, they traded His glory of that new home and new car...........to never return to worship Him in the corporate worship. I have seen those who just refused to do the word of God...........who started out strong or so it appeared and move farther away from Him. I believe we are to guard our eye gate, ear gate, and especially that mouth gate. For James even mentions the importance of guarding the tongue too!
James 3:5-6
 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.                  NIV

Remember, James wrote that it was the last hour. If it was the last hour when he lived, how much closer are we to THE coming of Jesus Christ now? Those that remain, who receive that implanted word that saves our souls is done for His glory and brings blessings to us. Those who remain the committed to God and His Word are knowing that Christ is near to His coming, indeed!

John said that the anointing from the Holy One causes us to reside in truth. It is in that "special" place, we recognize that which is the lie. Because no lie comes from the truth. We are to reside in truth.

Anyone today who denies that Jesus is the Christ, is the one who denies the Father and the Son. (John 2:20-25)

Eternal life is for those who have the Father and the Son. We are to guard that which remains in us.

There are too many today stepping aside and not giving the scripture about truth concerning those things that seem to plague the news. There are those who try to find a group of people who will agree with them about men with men and women with women. Yet I have not found that in the Bible. Those who participated in that were talked about as in Sodom and Gomorrah. Hailstones and fire rained down on those from what we find in the Old Testament..........Genesis 19:23-28

23 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah--from the LORD out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities--and also the vegetation in the land. 26 But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. 

27 Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD. 28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.              NIV

Now remember that God loves people. They are created in His image, but the sin He certainly hates. Read on: Proverbs 6:16-19
16 These six things the LORD hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.   NKJV

The Living Bible states this:  Proverbs 6:16

16 For there are six things the Lord hates-no, seven: haughtiness, lying, murdering, plotting evil, eagerness to do wrong, a false witness, sowing discord among brothers. TLB

haughtiness: self-importance, pride
lying: being untruthful about someone or something, giving false statements
murdering: without excuse or without justification
plotting evil: planning to hurt someone, devising something wicked against another
eagerness to do wrong: passionate for the wrong thing, intent of going against rules
false witness: a perjurer, a liar, a false testimony
sowing discord:planting those seeds of strife, disagreements, feuds

1 John 2:29.....

In the writing John has here, is that which is of God is the truth, He also states that when Jesus returns for His own, that we would not be ashamed at His coming. Our confidence is to be in God ......that He is righteous, and then we do right...........we have been born of Him. (verse 29)
Will any of us be ashamed at His return? Does He not see and know what we are doing?

I surely love what John wrote in 1 John 3. He speaks of the great love the Father has lavished on us to that we should be called the children of God. Amen.

The world does not know God, so the world will not know us. In His appearing for us, His own, we shall see Him as He is. And everyone of us.............who has this hope of His return, purifies ourselves, just as He is pure. But anyone who lives according to the world, and lives not according to His Word sins against God. For John goes on in 1 John 3:4.....of the lawlessness which is sin. For anyone who lives in Christ Jesus will not keep on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.

THEN John adds: do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one born of God will continue to sin. This clearly shows that which is a child of God and that which is the child of the devil. For anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

 Yes, it all comes back to love others. It is about loving everyone above ourselves. It is loving our neighbors, any person of any age and any color. We are to love our family members even we do not understand them. In truth, our lives should mirror that of God's Word. If it does not, then we must find out why it does not do that!

We are not to conform to the pattern of this world. Not sure anyone would remember paper dolls and their clothes. But they were precisely cut out........and you could dress the doll in whatever clothes you had at the time. They were printed out or stamped with cutters to give the outline of an outfit, a coat, a hat or even mittens, and boots or shoes. But there was no other lines. There could be no movement in arms, in the legs or even with the head. That is what  I think of as anything that pertains to the world. It will do anything for you, not take you anywhere except further into more sin. And that sin will hold you there! It will dress you, and keep you there. It will try to help you remember all the party times but not the tragic moments of those party times when making a wrong decision.

Transformation is key! Transformation applies to any job, any thing we work at, any thing that can be transformed as to.....our own lives, our families, our marriage, our job, a new God idea for creating something new as to the workplace, even a new God thing applying to ministry and prayer! It is finding out how God does things..........and............Transformation is.......a change, a conversion, revolutionary move, a turn around that moves us from mediocrity and the mundane to the living an adventurous life with God.  We are not to be conformed to the way the world does things, but become those empowered by God to bring and revolutionize in a dramatic and far-reaching way of touching people with God's love. Our minds are to be renewed to change and most people hate change. But we can see the rotation of the earth that brings on the 4 seasons. That spin on things brings changes like it or not.

There are certainly a lot of folks jumping in those mud puddles today, they are jumping into things that God hated, but He sent His son of Love to bring love to a dying people. We are to find that Love by looking into the perfect law of liberty. We are to submit to God, resist the devil and come near to God. For when we seek God with our whole hearts, He comes near to speak with us. We are to purify ourselves of the things of the world. Not be double-minded............walking both in the world and with God.....that does not and will not work.
Walking on that fence between the world and God is dangerous. A book still out that has lasted several years is a good one to read. It is " 23 Minutes in HELL" by Bill Wiese....It is one man's story about what he saw, heard and felt in that place of torment.
This being October and seeing how those "horror" flicks flood the viewing audience, especially on a few channels, I wonder what their thoughts, those who truly love the "horror" flick would think about hell knowing that hell is real and that it is forever. After reading through this book again, I am thankful for Jesus and that He wanted me and you to be with Him for an eternity..........in heaven and not in hell!

Our desire should be to leave the world behind. For everything in the world----the cravings of sinful man, the lust of the eyes, and the the boasting of what he has and does----comes not from the Father but of the world. THE MAN WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD LIVES FOREVER. AMEN.

We are not to change His Word, but follow it. We are to adhere to truth and leave the false. We are to abide in Him, and as we do.........we are transformed into the man and woman He planned for us to be!

People must know truth to not only survive but thrive in this world today! Our expectation, yes our hope, is in the One True God who made heaven and earth. Who gave us His Son, the Son of His love for us to have a life with HIM forever. I hope to see you there!..........in eternity with Him! Shelley

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

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