Said and Done (Finished, Complete)

What the Lord has been saying—

And, when all is said and done, here is the last word: worship in reverence the one True God, and keep His commands, for this is what God expects of every person.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Remember when Jesus’ disciples (apprentices) asked him what they must DO?

“So what should we do if we want to do God’s work?”

Jesus answered,

“The work you can do for God starts with believing in the One He has sent.”  John 6:28-29

I pray with great faith for you, because I’m fully convinced that the One who began this glorious work  in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you and will put His finishing touches to it until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ!  Philippians 1:6

True love for God means obeying His commands,

and His commands don’t weigh us down as heavy burdens.  1 John 5:3

How Star Trek Next Generation’s Captain Piccard and the “Resistance if futile, you will be assimilated” threats of the Borg teach about the essential Truth in God’s commands–

God’s command regenerates our true, real, abundant Life as we Rest in His Son and obey His Word (command).

“Surrender your anxiety!
Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God.
I am the God above all the nations,
and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth.”   Psalm 46:10

God’s commands are not complicated, they are simple enough for even a child shall lead.

God’s command penetrate the corruption and holy control, alt, + delete the enemy’s viral attacks on your body, soul, and spirit as you are being re-boot (regenerated) in Christ.

But even though he was a wonderful Son, he learned to listen and obey through all his sufferings.  Hebrews 5:8

Within the past 18 hours, the Spirit of the Living God, that same Holy Spirit that regenerated Jesus Christ, God’s Son from the dead was speaking all these words as one into my spirit…that, in Genesis, the work of Creation was declared finished.  Jesus was the already slain from before the foundation of the earth were laid out by God in creation.  The Cross was foreseen as a “Well done, finished work” in Christ.  Our work is to simply believe and obey His Son who was sent to heal and deliver from the curse of sin and death that we may be regenerated to the completed, finished work of God through faith in Who He is and His Word sent.   

First Scripture that I read this morning, “Be still, AND know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10.

That was where the Lord had me pray during the night before dawn!

This one Word is our said for today!  It ties to others which as I am led to share–

From that verse Psalm 46:10, there was a reflection

from a lady named Hannah Whitall Smith***:

“Learn to LIVE in REST.  In the calmness of spirit it will GIVE, your soul will REFLECT,

as in a mirror, the beauty of the Lord;

and the tumult of men’s lives will be calmed in your presence,

as your tumults have been calmed in His presence.”

Yesterday towards evening it kept returning to me that we are like the disciples

who worked in the sea and thought they knew more about their work than Jesus.

Jesus was in so at Rest in the Father’s work that he slept as they crossed over.  Nothing

that the Adversary, the devil could muster up to strike fear or panic could divert Jesus

from finishing the Father’s work.

Jesus already told his disciples that they were crossing over to the other side.

AND THE LEGION OF DEMONS KNEW IT AND BELIEVED IT!!!

Why should we fear when we have His Word?  The demons were afraid!

This is what Jesus’ disciples said,

 “What’s going on here? Wind and sea come to heel at his command!”

That demon-infected one man’s corrupted work was to obstruct any from passing that way.  In fact, the moment the boat touched shore and Jesus’ feet touched land,

the LEGION of demons knew it was time to vacate the premises as their host was about to be healed and delivered that he might finish the work that God created for him in Christ Jesus.  That one man preached the Word of God to the region of Decapolis–

that was a league of ‘ten cities’ of business.

From the regeneration of that one life, many lives were healed and delivered from

the curse of sin and death by the Word of God sent in the person of Jesus Christ.

Now where do we see that number 10 again?  IN THE WORD OF GOD!!!

 (Dan 2:31-35, 40-45; 7:7-8, 19-24 ; Rev 13:1-2; 17:3, 7, 12-16 ).

Satan knows what’s coming and hence, his panic attacks are intensifying

as he seeks to obstruct or divert the plan of God.  In Revelation 12, we see the End and how our Adversary (Satan) is watching on the sea shore (earth).

Remember, Satan fell to the earth–read Revelation 12.

But there are 10 days of TESTING too!!!  Daniel 1:12 and Revelation 2:10 tell us this.

These all reference BEING FAITHFUL.

God is FAITHFUL and when Jesus returns will He find faith

(those remaining faithful to Him).

THE WHOLE WORLD WILL BE GIVEN TIME TO REPENT

AND ENTER IN TO THE REST OF GOD

(THE FINISHED WORK OF GOD’S WORD, HIS SON, JESUS THE CHRIST).

The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

In  Revelation 2:21, Revelation 9:20

we see God gives TIME to repent (return, regenerate in Christ Jesus, His finished work)

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you?

Does this mean nothing to you?

Can’t you see that His kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

Let us pray this way, that we are turn (repent) and rest, obedient to His command to be re-set into His image of how He created and designed to BE in His Word sent–

Christ Jesus before the foundations of the earth laid and before corruption through the Adversary (Satan) sought to destroy that beautiful image (blueprint/design) and, that,all the negative sinful fearful worrisome “stuff” is deleted as we are reboot in Christ’s image, the Finished work of God.

I denounce the works of Satan that they are aborted and

I declare the FINISHED work of Jesus Christ

and He finishes what He starts.  Amen

So we conclude that there is still a full and complete “rest” waiting for believers to experience.  Hebrews 4:9

 

***”In 1870 Hannah Whitall Smith wrote what has become a classic of joyous Christianity, The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life.

The title barely hints at the depths of that perceptive book.

It is no shallow “four easy steps to successful living.”

Studiously, the writer defines the shape of a full and ABUNDANT LIFE hid in God. Then she carefully reveals the difficulties to this way

and finally charts the results of a LIFE ABANDONED TO GOD.

What is the Christian’s secret to a happy life?

It is best summed up by her chapter entitled “The Joy of Obedience.”

Joy comes through OBEDIENCE to Christ, and joy results from OBEDIENCE to Christ. Without OBEDIENCE joy is hollow and artificial.”

~Foster, Richard J. Celebration Of Discipline, p.192. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988

Warnings against…

UNFAITHFULNESS

Do two people walk hand in hand
if they aren’t going to the same place? Amos 3:3

The fact is, God, the Master, does nothing
without first telling His prophets the whole story. Amos 3:7

Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;
I’m fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me? Hebrews 13:6

So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It’s as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.
2 Timothy 1:13-14

Wickedness in the World

“Noah lived in the midst of a WICKED people. In the midst of WICKEDNESS,
he was able to keep CLOSE FELLOWSHIP with God. It is not the environment but the heart that determines one’s walk with the Lord.” Millie Stamm

Here is the account of Noah and his descendants. Noah was a good man, a right-living man, the best man of his generation; and he walked closely with God. Genesis 6:9

If you walk in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit,
He will surely guide.

How can a young person live a clean life?
By carefully reading the map of Your Word.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of You;
don’t let me miss the road signs You’ve posted.
I’ve banked Your promises in the vault of my heart
so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed, God;
train me in Your ways of wise living. Psalm 119

Make this your common practice:
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again. James 5:16-18

Father, You placed me right here, right now, to walk by faith in Your unfailing love that nothing can ever block. I stand in the power of faith in Your unfailing love and speak Your love out against the spirit of fear, that they rise and walk in Jesus’ name!

This is the confidence You instill in Your children that faith WORKS by love and Your love is shed abroad in our hearts by Your Holy Spirit. We love because You first loved us. So we know and rely on Your love and where You love takes up residence, there is no room for fear.

Father, we speak Your love into every fearful heart today and ask that You gift them with faith to walk through life knowing that You are in control and that, Your Word heals and delivers from the curse of sin and death, In the power of Your anointed One, Jesus the Messiah, Amen.

The devil wants to tie you up and trap you in the paralysis of doubt and fear.

Don’t let him! This is nothing new! 

Remember an entire generation never stepped into the land promised by God for that reason.

Remember when the religious leaders ordered Jesus to silence His worship and praise? He replied that even if these kept silent that the rocks would cry out in praise of their Creator!

Do you realize that we are in the midst of an age-long spiritual battle, one that has already been won? Whose side are you on? God is on your side, going before, coming alongside, and walking behind you IF you choose to hold fast to His faithful love and truth.

Remember when many followers abandoned Jesus and he asked his disciplined ones if they were planning to cut and run too?

Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:68

Romans 8:28 – The incredible reality of this well-known verse
Do you really believe that all things work together for good to those who love God? … It’s also written, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4. This isn’t possible without believing in Romans 8:28.
Nothing exists apart from the permissive will of God

Everything was created through Him;
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without Him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out. John 1:3-5

So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are His lovers who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose. Romans 8:28

Jesus already told us, in John 16:33, ” I have told you these things so that you will be whole and at peace. In this world, you will be plagued with times of trouble, but you need not fear; I have triumphed over this corrupt world order.”

“Like Me, they are not products of the corrupt world order”  John 17:16

Jesus invests His authority in us to walk in it.
Remember, in Acts chapter 5, Peter was walking in such closeness to the presence of the Risen Lord, that even his shadow and handkerchief were healing lives touched by a life lived in the presence of God so intimately.

Now is the time to rise and walk in the Name of Jesus the Messiah.
We are not called to run away like Jonah
but to go as ones sent on God’s holy assignment to administer His truth in the power of His unfailing love to a dying world.
The real enemy is not sickness or even death on the PHYSICAL level
but the corruption that is a byproduct of choosing our own ways over God’s perfect will chosen in Love for us.

The Lord will never lead you into temptation—

Any temptation you face will be nothing new. But God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can handle. But He always provides a way of escape so that you will be able to endure and keep moving forward. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Now you understand that I have imparted to you all my authority to trample over his kingdom. You will trample upon every demon before you and overcome every power Satan possesses. Absolutely nothing will be able to harm you as you walk in this authority.

There’s more to come:
We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!
Romans 5:3-5

Beautiful Beginnings

The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor,

heal the heartbroken, Announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners.

God sent me to announce the year of his grace— a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies—

and to comfort all who mourn, To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,

give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes, Messages of joy instead of news of doom,

a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.

Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness” planted by God to display his glory.

They’ll rebuild the old ruins, raise a new city out of the wreckage.

They’ll start over on the ruined cities, take the rubble left behind and make it new.

You’ll hire outsiders to herd your flocks and foreigners to work your fields,

But you’ll have the title “Priests of God,” honored as ministers of our God.

You’ll feast on the bounty of nations, you’ll bask in their glory.

Because you got a double dose of trouble and more than your share of contempt,

Your inheritance in the land will be doubled and your joy go on forever.

Open the gates that a righteous nation may enter–one that remains faithful.

You’ll want to sing out that day,  Give thanks to the Eternal; call on His name. 

Spread the news throughout the world of what He has done and how great is His name!

He sends out his orders throughout the world;
his words run as swift messengers, bringing them to pass.

For the Lord God is brighter than the brilliance of a sunrise!
Wrapping himself around me like a shield,
he is so generous with his gifts of grace and glory.
Those who walk along his paths with integrity
will never lack one thing they need, for he provides it all!

Love Lines

Lord, I have chosen You alone as my inheritance.  You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion.
I leave my destiny and its timing in Your hands.  

My boundary lines fall in pleasant places

  You have gifted me with abundance and a rich legacy.  (Psalm 16:5-6)

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

 “I thought to Myself how much I wanted to welcome you home as children
        and bless you with a good land and a future to be envied by all the world.
    I hoped for the day when you would call Me ‘My Father,’
        and no longer pull away from Me and My ways.”  (Jeremiah 3:19)

“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you. Everything the Father has is also mine. That is why I’ve said, ‘He takes from me and delivers to you.’ (John 16:12-15)

And God? Compassionate!  Forgave the sin! Didn’t destroy!
Over and over He reined in His anger, restrained His considerable wrath.
He knew what they were made of;  He knew there wasn’t much to them,
How often in the desert they had spurned Him, tried His patience in those wilderness years.
Time and again they pushed Him to the limit, provoked Israel’s Holy God.
How quickly they forgot what He’d done, forgot their day of rescue from the enemy,
When He did miracles in Egypt, wonders on the plain of Zoan.
He turned the River and its streams to blood—not a drop of water fit to drink.
He sent flies, which ate them alive, and frogs, which bedeviled them.
He turned their harvest over to caterpillars, everything they had worked for to the locusts.
He flattened their grapevines with hail; a killing frost ruined their orchards.
He pounded their cattle with hail, let thunderbolts loose on their herds.
His anger flared, a wild firestorm of havoc,
An advance guard of disease-carrying angels to clear the ground, preparing the way before Him.
He didn’t spare those people, He let the plague rage through their lives.
He killed all the Egyptian firstborns, lusty infants, offspring of Ham’s virility.
Then he led His people out like sheep, took His flock safely through the wilderness.
He took good care of them; they had nothing to fear.
    The Sea took care of their enemies for good.
He brought them into His holy land,  this mountain He claimed for His own.
He scattered everyone who got in their way; He staked out an inheritance for them—
    the tribes of Israel all had their own places.  (Psalm 78:38-55)

Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who can’t come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. But I also know that you are trying to kill me because my message hasn’t yet penetrated your thick skulls. I’m talking about things I have seen while keeping company with the Father, and you just go on doing what you have heard from your father.” (John 8:36-38)

Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything.

It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.  (1 Corinthians 13:7-8a)

All gifts except love will be superseded one day

For if there are prophecies they will be fulfilled and done with, if there are “tongues” the need for them will disappear,

if there is knowledge it will be swallowed up in truth.

For our knowledge is always incomplete and our prophecy is always incomplete,

and when the complete comes, that is the end of the incomplete.  (1 Corinthians 13:8b-10)

Then he told me, “These are those who come from the great tribulation, and they’ve washed their robes, scrubbed them clean in the blood of the Lamb. That’s why they’re standing before God’s Throne. They serve him day and night in his Temple. The One on the Throne will pitch his tent there for them: no more hunger, no more thirst, no more scorching heat. The Lamb on the Throne will shepherd them, will lead them to spring waters of Life. And God will wipe every last tear from their eyes.”
(Revelation 7:14-17)

If we are God’s children, that means we are His heirs along with the Anointed, set to inherit everything that is His.

If we share His sufferings, we know that we will ultimately share in His glory.  (Romans 8:17)

We may feel alone, but we aren’t. We are surrounded by an army of witnesses.

They have run the race of faith and finished well. It is now our turn.

Now stay focused on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith.

He endured the cross and ignored the shame of that death because He focused on the joy that was set before Him;

and now He is seated beside God on the throne, a place of honor.  (Hebrews 12:2)

War broke out in Heaven. Michael and his Angels fought the Dragon. The Dragon and his Angels fought back, but were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of Heaven, not a sign of them left. The great Dragon—ancient Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray—thrown out, and all his Angels thrown out with him, thrown down to earth. Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying,
Salvation and power are established!
Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah!
The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out,
who accused them day and night before God.
They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb
and the bold word of their witness.
They weren’t in love with themselves;
they were willing to die for Christ.
So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live there,
but doom to earth and sea,
For the Devil’s come down on you with both feet;
he’s had a great fall;
He’s wild and raging with anger;
he hasn’t much time and he knows it. (Revelation 12:7-12)

“The one who conquers through faithfulness even unto death I will place next to Me on My throne,

just as I Myself conquered and took a place of honor with My Father on His throne.  (Revelation 3:21)

Yes and Amen!

I am Here am I

 

 

 “And neither will I walk off and leave you. That would be a sin against God! I’m staying right here at my post praying for you and teaching you the good and right way to live. But I beg of you, fear Godand worship him honestly and heartily. You’ve seen how greatly he has worked among you! Be warned: If you live badly, both you and your king will be thrown out.”

For God is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.

1 Samuel 12:23-25 The Message

God can’t stomach liars;
he loves the company of those who keep their word.

 

The God Who Forms Light and Darkness

God’s Message to his anointed,
    to Cyrus, whom he took by the hand
To give the task of taming the nations,
    of terrifying their kings—
He gave him free rein,
    no restrictions:
“I’ll go ahead of you,
    clearing and paving the road.
I’ll break down bronze city gates,
    smash padlocks, kick down barred entrances.
I’ll lead you to buried treasures,
    secret caches of valuables—
Confirmations that it is, in fact, I, God,
    the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.
It’s because of my dear servant Jacob,
    Israel my chosen,
That I’ve singled you out, called you by name,
    and given you this privileged work.
    And you don’t even know me!
I am God, the only God there is.
    Besides me there are no real gods.
I’m the one who armed you for this work,
    though you don’t even know me,
So that everyone, from east to west, will know
    that I have no god-rivals.
    I am God, the only God there is.
I form light and create darkness,
    I make harmonies and create discords.
    I, God, do all these things.

Isaiah 45:3-7 The Message 

Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.
Teach me your way, Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.

 

 “Yes,” said Jesus, “and you won’t regret it. No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children—whatever—will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!”

Luke 18:29-30 The Message 

May each day begin and end with Your blessing, Amen.

5777: God is Crowning Your Vav with His Glory and Government!

Lamplighter Ministries

THIS WEEKEND—GLORY TRAIN NASHVILLE WITH JAMES GOLL!
7pm Friday, 9:30 am Saturday. On the weekend entering Rosh Hashanah, lets see His Throne of Glory established! Worship by Jamie and Jonathan Fitt of PTOD with special guest James Nesbit and others. 

Nashville—Awakening to a Train Whistle
Greetings from Music City. I awoke early this morning to the sound of a distant train whistle, the words of Bob Jones tumbling through my mind. “Any time you hear a train whistle just say this in your thinking, “I’m on that train, I’m on God’s glory train! My future is in His glory train and that’s where I’ll abide with Him!”

Bob’s word continues with an amazing promise that has defined our faith for every city. But it seems especially strong for Nashville, in a way I simply cannot explain. I guess it’s just now time.

“And all of my time down here…

View original post 2,159 more words

5777: God is Crowning Your Vav with His Glory and Government!

an even higher vision. Yeshua, vaved to a cross that was violently pegged into His covenant land. Yeshua, resurrected and crowned. Redeeming the nations with His covenant love and governmental authority. Yeshua, whose Throne is again being staked into the very ground of Jerusalem.This time to be seen as Israel’s Messiah. For Israel and the nations, truly A VAV THAT IS CROWNED.A Throne of Glory.Tears are filling my eyes and heart again. You cannot make this up. And from Washington to Washington to Jerusalem, Thrones of Glory are blossoming as your VAVs of covenant are crowned.Truly, NO KING BUT JESUS!

Source: 5777: God is Crowning Your Vav with His Glory and Government!

Don’t give Trump so much credit, America

Friends and fellow Americans, “Your success as a family… our success as a nation… depends not on what happens inside the White House, but on what happens inside your house.” I pray these wise words of Barbara Bush should resonate with us, our nation has always and will always depend on the moral fiber of our families, nothing more, nothing less. God bless, America, and America, bless God!

Source: Don’t give Trump so much credit, America

Making Something Out of Nothing

Job: I was naked, with nothing, when I came from my mother’s womb;
        and naked, with nothing, I will return to the earth.
    The Eternal has given, and He has taken away.
        May the name of the Eternal One be blessed.  (Job 1:21)

Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking.

    The Voice was and is God.
This celestial Word remained ever present with the Creator;
His speech shaped the entire cosmos.
Immersed in the practice of creating,
    all things that exist were birthed in Him.  (John 1:1-3)

God created everything out of nothing

God Confronts Job

Have You Gotten to the Bottom of Things?

And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:

 “Why do you confuse the issue?
    Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about?
Pull yourself together, Job!
    Up on your feet! Stand tall!
I have some questions for you,
    and I want some straight answers.
Where were you when I created the earth?
    Tell me, since you know so much!
Who decided on its size? Certainly you’ll know that!
    Who came up with the blueprints and measurements?
How was its foundation poured,
    and who set the cornerstone,
While the morning stars sang in chorus
    and all the angels shouted praise?
And who took charge of the ocean
    when it gushed forth like a baby from the womb?
That was me! I wrapped it in soft clouds,
    and tucked it in safely at night.
Then I made a playpen for it,
    a strong playpen so it couldn’t run loose,
And said, ‘Stay here, this is your place.
    Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.’  (Job 38:2-11)

It’s God’s Spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty One, that makes wise human insight possible. The experts have no corner on wisdom; getting old doesn’t guarantee good sense.

God takes away our fear through the faith that He gives us.

How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,

And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

(Psalm 40:4)
He who gives attention to the word will find good,

And blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.  (Proverbs 16:20)

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD.

(Jeremiah 17:7)

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

(Psalm 119:103)

God’s Fulfilling Love

In this way, love is made perfect among us,

so that we should have boldness on the Day of Judgment.

For just as He is, so also are we in this world. 

There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.

For fear has to do with punishment,

and the one who fears has not been made perfect in love.  (1 John 4:17-18)

Look! He is coming with the clouds, in glory. He will capture every eye, Even of those who pierced Him through. All the nations of the earth will be pierced with grief when He appears. Yes, may all this be done according to His plan. Amen.

The Wind Ran Out of Breath

Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.”

They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it.

And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping!

They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”

Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!”

The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass.

Jesus reprimanded the disciples:

“Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?”  (Mark 4:35-40)

“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.

But Jesus rebuked the demon. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!”

Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without harming him.

The followers came to Jesus when He was alone.

They said, “Why were we not able to put the demon out?”

Jesus said to them, “Because you have so little faith.

For sure, I tell you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to over there,’ and it would move over.

You will be able to do anything. 

*But this kind of demon does not go out but by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better.”  (Matthew 17:19-21)

*by nothing but by prayer and fasting…Jesus (quoting Deuteronomy):

^“It is written, “Man does not live by bread alone.

Rather, he lives on every word that comes from the mouth of the Eternal One.”

(Matthew 4:4)

 

God, the Eternal One, who made the starry skies, stretched them tight above and around; Who cast the shimmering globe of earth and filled it with life; who gives breath and animates the people; Who walks and talks with life-giving spirit has this to say: Eternal One: I am the Eternal One. By righteousness I have called you. I will take you by the hand and keep you safe. You are given as a covenant between Me and the people: a light for the nations, a shining beacon to the world. You will open blind eyes so they will see again. You will lead prisoners, blinking, out from caverns of captivity, from cells pitch black with despair.

And I pledge that I will pour out a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy

on the family of David and the citizens of Jerusalem.

As a result, they will look upon Me whom they pierced,

they will grieve over Him as one grieves for an only child,

and they will moan and weep for Him as one weeps for a firstborn son. 

On that day, the grieving in Jerusalem will be as great as the pagans’ grieving ritual honoring Hadadrimmon on the plain of Megiddo each year.

We call Abraham “father” not because he got God’s attention by living like a saint,

but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody.

Isn’t that what we’ve always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham,

“I set you up as father of many peoples”?

Abraham was first named “father”

and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do:

raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing.

When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway,

deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do

but on what God said he would do.

And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples.

God himself said to him, “You’re going to have a big family, Abraham!”  (Romans 4:17-18)

Jesus (quoting Deuteronomy): ^“It is written, “Man does not live by bread alone.

Rather, he lives on every word that comes from the mouth of the Eternal One.”

(Matthew 4:4)

But if your eye is clouded or evil, then your body will be filled with evil and dark clouds. And the darkness that takes over the body of a child of God who has gone astray—that is the deepest, darkest darkness there is.

True Wisdom Comes from God

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life,

doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart,

don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.

For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom.

Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition,

there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure.

It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others.

It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace

and reap a harvest of righteousness.  (James 3:13-18)

But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame will not be debilitated, but rather healed. Pursue peace with all men, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.  (Romans 6:22)

So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.  (Romans 14:19)

Remember, man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds

out of the mouth of God…DEMONSTRATE Your ways, O Eternal One.
    Teach me to understand so I can follow.
EASE me down the path of Your truth.
    FEED me Your word
    because You are the True God who has saved me.
    I wait all day long, hoping, trusting in You.  (Matthew 4:4, Psalm 25:4-5)

Make me hear of Your faithful love in the morning,
    for I trust in You.
Teach me how I should walk,
    for I offer my soul up to You.  (Psalm 143:8)

He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—

to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

 

Jesus, Son of David, Have Mercy on Me

Lord, I will persistently carry out my spiritual exercises every day. I want to always strive for peace and maturity in Christ Jesus, Amen.

 

For the worship leader. A prayer of David to the tune “Silent Dove in the Distance,” when the Philistine oppressors seized him in Gath.

Psalm 56 brings to mind the time when David fled from Saul and sought help from the Philistines, his former enemies (1 Samuel 21:10-15)

In his time of panic and fear,

David found courage in trusting God to do

what could not be done by human power and ingenuity alone.

Show mercy to me, O God, because people are crushing me—
    grinding me down like dirt underfoot—all day long.
    No matter what I do, I can’t get myself out from under them.
My enemies are crushing me, yes all day long, O Highest of High,
    for many come proud and raise their hands against me.
When struck by fear,
    I let go, depending securely upon You alone.
In God—whose word I praise—
    in God I place my trust. I shall not let fear come in,
    for what can measly men do to me?
All day long they warp my words;
    all their thoughts against me are mangled by evil.
They conspire, then lurk about.
    They eye my every move,
Waiting to steal my very life.
Because they are wicked through and through, drag them out.
    In Your just anger, O God, cast them down!

 You have taken note of my journey through life,
    caught each of my tears in Your bottle.
    But God, are they not also blots on Your book?
Then my enemies shall turn back and scatter
    on the day I call out to You.
    This I know for certain: God is on my side.
 In God whose word I praise
    and in the Eternal whose word I praise—
 In God I have placed my trust. I shall not let fear come in,
    for what can measly men do to me?

 I am bound by Your promise, O God.
    My life is my offering of thanksgiving to You,
 For You have saved my soul from the darkness of death,
    steadied my feet from stumbling
So I might continue to walk before God,
    embraced in the light of the living.

After God moved Saul aside, He made David king in his place.

If You do, I promise to teach rebels Your ways and help sinners find their way back to You. Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By THIS, I will know that God is for me.

God had this to say about David:

“I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after My own heart.

He’s the kind of king who will rule in ways that please Me.”  (Acts 13:22)

In his time of panic and fear, David found courage in trusting God to do

what could not be done by human power and ingenuity alone.

Even when you think you have good intentions, He knows your real motives. Whatever you do, do it as service to Him, and He will guarantee your success.

All the ways of a man are pure in his OWN eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits.

Commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established.  (Proverbs 16:2-3)

After the Fall, God chose a New Way to let His children help Him rule the earth.

It is THROUGH intercessory prayer.

We must never forget that God is Sovereign; but all through the Bible, we find Promises

that when we pray, He will act.

In prayer, we move the Hand that moves everything in the world.

The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

 I will use these weapons against every rebel who remains

after I have first used them on you yourselves and you surrender to Christ.The trouble with you is that you look at me and I seem weak and powerless,

but you don’t look beneath the surface.

Yet if anyone can claim the power and authority of Christ, I certainly can. 

I may seem to be boasting more than I should about my authority over you—

authority to help you, not to hurt you—but I shall make good every claim.

(2 Corinthians 10:6-8)

 Last of all I want to remind you that your strength

must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you.

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe

against all strategies and tricks of Satan.

For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,

but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world,

those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world;

and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.

May God give peace to you, my Christian brothers, and love, with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God’s grace and blessing be upon all who sincerely love our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Just as the Eternal makes a covenant with David, so He will not remove David’s offspring from the Jerusalem throne, as long as David’s sons follow the Lord.

So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks,

and when it is all over, you will still be standing up.

But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God’s approval. Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God. 

In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. 

And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—

which is the Word of God.

Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes.

Plead with Him, reminding Him of your needs,

and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere. 

Pray for me, too, and ask God to give me the right words

as I boldly tell others about the Lord.  (Ephesians 6:10-19)