ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS USE OF SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES - PART 2

Hopefully, you remember the question I left you with in the SORROW Blog Part 1? “Could it be that Sorrow/Grief actually began when we were born?" How so, you might rightfully ask?

Let's consider what took place in the Garden of Eden in Genesis, Chapter 3 - "The Temptation and the Fall of Man"!

Hopefully, you are very much aware of what took place concerning Adam and Eve and their rebellion against God. God said to Eve in Genesis 3:16:

"I will greatly multiply your SORROW and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you."

And we know how the deceiver has used the "rule over you" declaration to create rebellion is so many women, tragically!

Could we declare that we witness another powerful work of Satan? Then in verse 17, God said, "Because you heeded the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat of it" and God continues with the "thou shall nots" from this time forth! Then in verses 23-24, God sent them out of the garden! Thus the battle between good and evil begins with the concept of sorrow being injected into the lives of mankind and tragically, we believers suffer sorrow/grief and will continue to until the Lord returns because of Adam and Eve's disobedience - for God says what He means and means what He says!

We can well declare that sorrow/grief indeed steals our peace and our joy and consequently so keeps us from being still and hearing His still small voice declaring "this is the way, walk ye in it" (Isaiah 30:21). Question. . .is there anything whatsoever in your life, past/present or in the days to come, that is keeping you from hearing the Lover of your soul as He declares "this is the way, walk ye in it"?

This blog might not find you in sorrow/grief at this moment but consider that you could well be friends with someone who is going through sorrow/grief, and hopefully there would be wisdom in this blog that would assist you in ministering to them.

Please keep in mind that sorrow/grief can also be the consequence(s) of our disobedience concerning the ways of God. Again, consider Genesis 3, for as just stated, this is the very beginning of sorrow/grief not only for mankind, but also for the Triune God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit because of Adam and Eve's disobedience! And as we well know, the Father had to send His only son Jesus to the cross to set man free - those who will surrender their lives to become the sheep in the pasture of the Lord our Shepherd.

Some time ago, I was found myself in sorrow/grief and was sitting before the Lord and the Holy Spirt spoke to me "do you trust Me?", as related to that which I was dealing with, and then He said, "now you have an inkling of how I 'grieve' over My children."  And the thus the question becomes "Am I grieving my Lord God Almighty"?  I want to close with the encouraging scripture in James 1:2-7:

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let that man suppose that he will receive anything of the Lord." 

Thus, I encourage you to inquire of the Lord regarding His wisdom concerning the question "Am I grieving You, Lord, and if so, how am I grieving You"? (Biblical quotes are courtesy of the "New Spirit-Filled Life Bible", NKJV.) 

To be continued in Blog 3

Be glorified, O Lord, be glorified!

Where Is Your Focus When You First Wake Up In The Morning?

                                           
           

As the photo illustrates, I am taking a short “side rail” from Sorrow blog 2 in order to focus on extremely powerful strategies related to one’s “focus” or more simply put, what comes to my mind (first thoughts) as soon as I open my eyes in the morning? Am I going to walk in the flesh or in the Spirit of the Lord….we do have a choice! I truly felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to share such crucial thoughts with you concerning this incredible topic!

Obviously, this ties nicely with the “Sorrow” blog, which is still in progress, for if sorrow is the first thought that comes to mind as one awakens, his/her state of mind is indeed focused on sorrow, grief, anger, revenge, unforgiveness, lack of confidence, despair, unconfessed sin, and fear, etc. which can well set the stage for the day’s thinking and action, and could well end in a day of defeat/discouragement resulting in continued sorrow or the other negative thoughts/feelings. Keep in mind what is written in 2 Cor. 6:10,12 in the Messianic Jewish Family Bible – Tree of Life Version “as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing yet possessing everything” and “you are restricted in your own feelings.”

Thus, how do we overcome such negative and destructive thinking?  First and foremost, we as believers MUST begin the day focusing on our Triune God (the Father, Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit), biblical scriptural truths and Godly promises such as written in Psalm 34:4-6 “I sought the Lord, and He heard me….and saved him out of all his troubles”. The Lord God Almighty promises His children as written in Heb. 13:5,6 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said “I will never leave you nor forsake you. So, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” May I challenge you to purchase a PROMISES book which lists God’s scriptural promises by subject…“Fear, despair, hopelessness, encouragement”, etc.

We are told in Philippians 4:6,7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made to known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

It is crucial that we seriously consider that “the battle begins in the mind” which means we are in spiritual warfare in our minds, and as the scripture declares, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for bringing down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:3-5) Thus it is imperative especially, that we not allow our minds to reminisce in the past. Always keep in mind that satan and his cohorts are always looking for open doors in our lives for the sole purpose of harassing/destroying God’s beloved…not only satan, but the world, our flesh, and the church! I must qualify the “church” as that which is the “under the control of men/women often described tragically as the dead church” as opposed to God’s Church where the Holy Spirit is most welcomed, and the Triune God is given full reign!

Always remember that the mind is NOT BORN AGAIN…. again, therein lies the battle…flesh against the Spirit of God!  Whom are you going to let win?

In closing, please keep in mind what James, the brother of Jesus declared in chapter 1:22-25 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”  Amen?   

And when you awaken each morning, begin with a positive declaration “This is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps.118:24) Also a song.

                                        

          

ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS USE OF "SORROW" IN OUR LIVES

SORROW -  "A DEEP DISTRESS/SADNESS OR REGRET; A CAUSE OF GRIEF"*

SADLY, SORROW/GRIEF IS A REALITY. THERE ISN'T A PERSON ALIVE WHO HAS NOT SUFFERED SORROW/GRIEF OF ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER FROM TIME TO TIME. 

IS IT POSSIBLE THE TRIUNE GOD (GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT) IS ABLE TO USE SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR

LIVES FOR OUR WELL BEING - SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY ULTIMATELY LEADING US TO VICTORIOUS LIVING?   PLEASE KEEP IN MIND AS WE WALK THROUGH SUCH DIFFICULT/CHALLENGING TIMES, THE COMFORTING PRAISE SONG...."HE MAKES ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME, IN HIS TIME...."!  I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU AS A START, TO CONSIDER THE POWERFUL SCRIPTURAL STRATEGIES IN 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-19...

              "REJOICE ALWAYS, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, IN EVERYTHING (ITALICS MINE) GIVE
               THANKS, FOR THIS (CORRECTLY TRANSLATED "THAT WHICH I AM GOING THRU") IS THE 
               WILL OF GOD FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS". DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT."

ALWAYS REMEMBER, THERE ARE NO OOPS IN GOD'S KINGDOM, FOR HE ALLOWS, (NOT CAUSING) "THIS" IN OUR LIVES,  ".....ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL" IN OUR LIVES (EPH. 1:5) AND THAT "NOTHING TOUCHES US THAT HASN'T TOUCHED HIM FIRST"! "BLESSED ASSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE...." AS THE HYMN DECLARES!

THUS, NO MATTER WHAT IS "SWIRLING AROUND OUR HEADS", HE HAS IT ALL UNDER CONTROL....THAT IS, IF WE LET HIM...AND JUST HOW CRUCIAL IS "LETTING HIM HAVE HIS WAY IN OUR LIVES" FOR HE WILL NEVER FORCE US, THUS OUR FREE WILL TOO OFTEN PLAYS AN INCREDIBLE GOOD OR BAD PLACE IN OUR LIVES!

HOW IS IT THAT THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY ALLOWS SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES AND THEN USES SORROW FOR OUR OWN GOOD?  HOW CAN SUCH A STATEMENT BE MADE, YOU ASK? I CAN HEAR READERS NOW EXCLAIMING "BUT...BUT....BUT... WHY WOULD A LOVING GOD ALLOW SUCH PAIN IN OUR LIVES....WHY?"

A CRUCIAL QUESTION UPON WHICH TO DWELL..."WHERE IN THE MIDST OF SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES IS OUR HOPE, COMFORT, PEACE, JOY AND VICTORY?" 
CONSIDER GALATIANS 5:22 "BUT THE FRUIT OF THE (HOLY) SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONG SUFFERING, KINDNESS,GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS,, SELF CONTROL." MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ AS WELL, VERSES 23-25.        

THIS COULD WELL BE THE TIME TO CONSIDER SORROWS/GRIEFS OF THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE, AND ASK, "WHERE AM I CONCERNING THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THOSE OF THE FUTURE?" 

THE SORROWS THAT ARE OF THE PAST, ARE JUST THAT, OF THE PAST - NO LONGER! HOWEVER, IF WE LINGER/FOCUS ON THOSE OF THE PAST, AND AS WELL,THE SORROWS/GRIEFS OF THE FUTURE, FOR WE ARE TOLD "TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR THE MORROW". (MATTHEW 6:34) LET ALONE FOCUS ON THE "WHAT IF" TRAP, FOR WE CERTAINLY WILL PAY A HEAVY PRICE IN THAT WE QUICKLY LOSE OUR ASSURANCE AND SOLACE OF FAITH, HOPE, PEACE, OUR JOY AND AS WELL, WE ARE UNABLE TO "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD." (PSALM 46:10) AND IN ADDITION, HEARING THAT STILL SMALL VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT "DECLARING "THIS IS THE WAY, WALK IN IT" AS THE SCRIPTURES TELL US (ISAIAH 30:21) ... INSTEAD, OUR "BATTER" INGREDIENTS OF WORRY, FRET, DISCOURAGEMENT, DREAD, AND DEPRESSION IN OUR LIVES MAKE UP THE PAST/PRESENT/FUTURE RECIPES IN OUR LIVES... THAT LEAVES US WITH SORROWS/GRIEFS OF THE PRESENT. 

CRITICAL QUESTION  - IS SORROW/GRIEF HOLDING YOU CAPTIVE AND TO WHAT EXTENT?

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES AS TO ACTIONS I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU  TO TAKE NOW, IF YOU ARE INDEED BEING HELD CAPTIVE BY SORROW/GRIEF AND WANT TO BE SET FREE FROM SUCH BONDAGES:

                 1.  THE BATTLE BEGINS IN THE MIND WHICH IS FLESH AND NOT BORN AGAIN, 
                          FOR WE READ IN  ROMANS 12:2 "AND NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, 
                          BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, (ITALICS MINE) THAT YOU                                      MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD". 
                          (THIS WILL BE DISCUSSED FURTHER IN THE NEXT SORROW/GRIEF BLOG.)

                     2.   APPROPRIATE FOCUS - "YOU WILL KEEP HIM  IN PERFECT PEACE,WHOSE MIND
                           IS STAYED ON YOU, BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU. TRUST IN THE LORD FOREVER,
                           FOR IN YAH, THE LORD, IS EVERLASTING STRENGTH".(ISAIAH 26:3,4)

                      3.  "AND BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF THE MIND..." (EPHESIANS 4:23)
             
                      4.  "LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU WHICH WAS IN CHRIST JESUS..." (PHILIPPIANS 2:5)

                      5.  "FOR THOUGH WE WALK IN THE FLESH, WE DO NOT WAR ACCORDING TO THE 
                            FLESH.  FOR THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL BUT MIGHTY
                            IN GOD FOR PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS, CASTING DOWN ARGUMENTS
                            AND EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE 
                            OF GOD, BRINGING EVERY THOUGHT  (ITALICS MINE) INTO CAPTIVITY TO THE OBEDIENCE 
                            OF CHRIST." (2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-5...)

THE QUESTION MUST BE ADDRESSED - "HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY MIND IS INDEED
KEEPING ME IN BONDAGE, AND JUST WHO/WHAT IN MY MIND, IS KEEPING ME IN SUCH BONDAGE...THE WORLD, MY FLESH, SATAN OR THE CHURCH (THE SMALL C WHICH IS THE CHURCH UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF MAN, NOT THE TRIUNE GOD)?" THESE 4 POSSIBLE AGENTS WILL BE THE TOPIC OF ANOTHER BLOG. IN THE MEANTIME, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOU SEEK THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT AND INCLUDE IT AMONG THE OTHER GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO ACTION, AS FOUND IN 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-11.

IF THERE ARE THOSE OF YOU CHRISTIANS READING THIS BLOG WHO HAVE NEVER ASKED THE HOLY SPIRIT TO "FILL/BAPTIZE" YOU, PLEASE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY THE FOLLOWING: "GRACIOUS TRIUNE GOD, AS I READ IN MATTHEW 4:16,17 WHERE JESUS WAS BAPTIZED IN WATER BY JOHN THE BAPTIST AND BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ORDER FOR HIM TO BE EMPOWERED FOR BEGINNING HIS MINISTRY, I COME TO YOU NOW, HOLY SPIRIT AND ASK THAT YOU FILL/BAPTIZE ME WITH YOUR SPIRIT SO THAT I TOO WILL BE EMPOWERED TO BE THAT MAN OR WOMAN OF GOD THAT YOU SO DESIRE ALL YOUR SAINTS TO BE. I SO DESIRE TO BE "GIFTED" AS OFFERED IN 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-11 AND IN ADDITION TO HAVE THE "FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT" IN GALATIANS 5:22-25 OPERATING IN MY LIFE.  I THANK YOU, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, THAT I AM WELCOME TO ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO MY LIFE FROM THIS DAY FORTH! IT IS IN THAT NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES, JESUS THE CHRIST, THAT I BRING THIS PRAYER BEFORE YOU. AMEN AND AMEN."

IN ADDITION, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SPEND TIME READING ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ACTION AS REVEALED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS WHICH WAS THE
BEGINNING OF THE TRIUNE GOD'S CHURCH WHICH TRAGICALLY DID NOT TAKE LONG TO BECOME MAN'S CHURCH BEING CONTAMINATED BY THE DESTROYER SATAN!

I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR HIS WISDOM CONCERNING WHO/WHAT IS HOLDING YOU IN BONDAGE, FOR IT IS WRITTEN:

                          -  "IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVES TO
                                     ALL LIBERALLY AND WITHOUT REPROACH, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO 
                                     HIM. (JAMES 1:5)
                                     " ....YET YOU HAVE NOT HAVE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT ASK." (JAMES 4:2)
                          -  "AND WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK FOR IN PRAYER; BELIEVING, YOU
                                     WILL RECIEVE. (MATTHEW 21:22)
                               -    "SO I SAY UNTO YOU, ASK, AND IT WILL  BE GIVEN TO YOU, SEEK AND
                                     YOU WILL FIND, KNOCK AND IT WILL BE OPENED TO YOU." (LUKE 11:9)

"THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG IS TO REVEAL THE INCREDIBLE COMPLICATIONS OF THE FLESH - INDUCED (I.E. ALLOWING THE FLESH TO CONTROL OUR THINKING AND OUR ACTIONS) WHICH OFTEN ARE THE TORMENTING WORKS OF SATAN AND HIS MINIONS! -WE MUST ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE PROMISE OF THE LORD, "THERE IS ALWAYS FAITH/HOPE/COMFORT", THANKFULLY, AND THE WAY OUT, AS WE ARE PROMISED IN HEBREWS 13:5 "I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU."  IT IS PROCLAIMED IN ROMANS 8 BELOW..IF WE KEEP OUR FOCUS UPON THE TRIUNE GOD...…

               ROMANS 8:34,37  "WHO (CHRIST) IS EVEN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, WHO MAKES
               INTERCESSION FOR US." VS. 37: "YET IN ALL THESE THINGS, WE ARE MORE THAN  
                                             CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US."

                OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE VARYING DEGREES OF SORROW/GRIEF:

                                               TEMPORARY OR LONG LASTING  

IT IS THE LONG LASTING SORROW WE MUST CONFRONT, FOR SURELY THE LORD WILL GIVE US GRACE TO WITHSTAND THE TEMPORARY SORROW - NOT THAT HE DOESN'T GIVE US GRACE AT ALL TIMES! HOWEVER, LONG LASTING SORROWS/GRIEFS ARE SO MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND SO DESTRUCTIVE, BUT THANKFULLY, WE ARE OVER COMERS AS PROMISED IN ROMANS 8:38 AND ELSEWHERE IN THE SCRIPTURES. HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE THE CHOICE TO CARRY THE HEAVY BURDENS OF OUR SORROWS/GRIEFS AND REAP THE CONSEQUENCES! AGAIN, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROMISES CONCERNING THE ABOVE STATEMENT....

                        "CAST YOUR BURDEN ON THE LORD, AND HE WILL SUSTAIN YOU; HE 
                          SHALL NEVER PERMIT THE RIGHTEOUS TO BE MOVED" ( PS. 55:22)

                              "COME UNTO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND
                               I WILL GIVE YOU REST. TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME,
                               FOR I AM GENTLE AND LOWLY IN HEART, AND YOU WILL FIND REST
                               FOR YOUR SOULS. FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT."                                                                                                            (MATTHEW 11: 28-30)

 I WILL CONCLUDE THIS BLOG WITH THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

"COULD IT BE THAT SORROW/GRIEF ACTUALLY BEGAN WHEN WE WERE BORN?"   HOW SO, YOU MIGHT WELL ASK......?

                                                        TO BE CONTINUED........

                                          BE GLORIFIED, O LORD, BE GLORIFIED

DISCLOSURE - THE REASON ALL CAPS ARE USED IS BECAUSE IT ENHANCES THE ABILITY TO READ THE BLOG WITHOUT STRAIN.

SCRIPTURES IN THIS BLOG ARE FROM THE NEW SPIRIT-FILLED BIBLE NKJV - JACK HAYFORD, EDITOR

* MERRIAM WEBSTER DESK DICTIONARY

                                  

                                  ....

SEVEN COMMANDS REVEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT ENABLING CHRISTIANS TO WALK IN PEACE

ON APRIL 24, 2018, WHILE MY WIFE AND I WERE SITTING QUITELY IN WORSHIP, THE HOLY SPIRIT, AS HE OFTEN DOES AND SUCH A BLESSING, SHARED 7 COMMANDS (NOT SUGGESTIONS) THAT IF WE WOULD FOLLOW ON A DAILY BASIS WOULD ENABLE US TO WALK IN HIS PEACE AT ALL TIMES!  THERE IS A CONDITION, HOWEVER, AS THERE ARE IN GOD'S COMMANDS, AND THAT IS THE "HUGE LITTLE" WORD IF! FOR EXAMPLE, IN JOHN 15:7 (WOULD YOU BELIEVE, NUMERAL 7 AGAIN) "IF YOU WILL ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YOU WILL ASK WHAT YOU DESIRE, AND IT SHALL BE DONE FOR YOU."

NOTICE THERE ARE 7 COMMANDS....AND WHAT DOES THE NUMERAL 7 SIGNIFY IN SCRIPTURE?  COMPLETION! CONSIDER GENESIS 2:2 "AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD ENDED (COMPLETED) HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD DONE, AND HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL THE WORK WHICH HE HAD DONE."
  THIS IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND EXAMINE THE "CONFUSION" CONCEPT OF WORK! SOME OF YOU MIGHT DECLARE...."BUT THESE ARE WORKS" WHICH WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT ARE NO NOs!! THANKFULLY HOWEVER, THESE ARE CRUCIAL WORKS, TO BE SURE. LET'S VISIT THIS CRITICAL AND TO SOME A MOST CONFUSING TOPIC....I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ WHAT IS WRITTEN IN JAMES 2:14-26 CONCERNING "WORKS". VERSE 14 IS THE BEGINNING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKS:  "WHAT DOES IT PROFIT, MY BRETHERN, IF SOMEONE SAYS HE HAS FAITH BUT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS? CAN FAITH SAVE HIM?" ALSO IN JOHN 4:34 (JESUS TALKING) "....MY FOOD IS DO THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME, AND TO FINISH HIS WORK".  IN JOHN 9:4, AGAIN JESUS SPEAKING: "I MUST WORK THE WORKS OF HIM WHO SENT ME WHILE IT IS DAY; THE NIGHT IS COMING WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK." 
AND "THE MIRACULOUS ACOMMOMPLISHMENTS AND DEEDS OF JESUS ARE WORKS OF GOD IMPLYING POWER AND MIGHT" (NEW SPIRIT FILLED NKJV WORD WEALTH 9:4)  WORKS OF THE SPIRIT!

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF "WORKS" - GALATIONS 2:16: "KNOWING THAT A MAN IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW, BUT BY THE FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST...FOR BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW, NO FLESH SHALL BE JUSTIFIED." PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THE WORKS OF THE LAW (OLD TESTAMENT) HAVE BEEN SUPERCEDED BY THE COVENENT OF GRACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THANKFULLY!
ONE LAST COMMENT IS FOUND IN "TRUTH IN ACTION - (GALATIONS 3:1-11) AGAIN IN THE NEW SPIRIT FILLED NKJV BIBLE: "UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS JUST AS IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH W0RKS (ITALICS BY THE AUTHOR) AS IT WAS TO EARN IT IN THE FIRST PLACE."

TO SUMMARIZE WORKS (OT) AND WORKS(NT)...IF A CHILD OF GOD IS PERFORMING WORKS IN THE FLESH THINKING HE IS EARNING "BROWNIE POINTS" IN GOD'S EYES, HE/SHE IS IN SERIOUS ERROR/DANGER.  HOWEVER, IF HE/SHE IS PERFORMING WORKS ACCORDING TO GOD'S DIRECTIONS AS JESUS DID, HE/SHE IS FOUND IN GOD'S EYES AS OBEDIENT.."FOR THE SON OF MAN WILL COME IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH HIS ANGELS, AND THEN HE WILL REWARD EACH ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS." (MATT. 16:27) FLESH WORKS OR SPIRIT WORKS!

NOW TO THE PROPHETIC WORD THE HOLY SPIRIT SHARED WITH US CONCERNING EXPERIENCING GOD'S PEACE ON A DAILY BASIS:

1. "SURRENDER YOUR EARTHLY CARES TO ME

2. WORSHIP ME KNOWING THAT I CARE FOR YOU

3. EXALT MY NAME

4. RECOGNIZE MY POWER

5. RECEIVE MY LOVE

6. FOCUS ON ME, NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, ALLOWING ME TO TAKE CARE OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND

7. REST IN MY PRESENCE AND IN MY CARE KNOWING THAT YOU ARE LOVED."

IF THERE ARE ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO IS PART OF THE TRIUNE GOD (THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT, KNOWN AS THE TRIUNE GOD - ELOHIM), MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ MATTHEW 3:13-17; 4:1-11, THE BOOK OF ACTS, AND 1 CORINTHIANS 13,14. IN ORDER FOR A BELIEVER TO BE EMPOWERED TO TRULY FUNCTION IN THE FULLNESS OF THE GIFTS/FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE/SHE MUST BE BAPTIZED "IN THE HOLY SPIRIT" AS JESUS WAS IN MATT. 3:16! KEEP IN MIND FOR "AS HE WAS, SO MUST WE BE"! OTHERWISE IF A BELIEVER HAS NOT BEEN BAPTIZED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE/SHE IS NOT EMPOWERED TO FULLY FUNCTION AS A CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD.  TAKE PETER FOR EXAMPLE IN ACTS 2:1-21.  I HAVE HEARD SO MANY BELIEVERS TRAGICALLY DECLARE, "WELL, IF THE LORD GOD WANTS ME TO BE FILLED (BAPTIZED) IN/WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE WILL HAVE TO DO IT! SORRY SAINTS, THAT IS NOT WHAT THE SCRIPTURES DECLARE, AS WITH OUR BEING BORN AGAIN...WE MUST ASK TO BE BORN AGAIN AS IN JOHN 3:16 TO BEGIN WITH. THUS WE MUST ASK TO BE FILLED/BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLYSPIRIT!  FOR AS THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES...."WE HAVE NOT BECAUSE WE ASK NOT."JAMES 4:2

                                       BE GLORIFIED ALMIGHT GOD, BE GLORIFIED

SPIRITUAL WARFARE - EMERGENCY ACTION NEEDED TODAY REGARDING HURRICANE IRMA

                                       AS THE TITLE OF THIS BLOG STATES, THERE IS IMMEDIATE
SPIRITUAL WARFARE NEEDED T0 BE TAKEN BY THE BODY OF CHRIST!

IT HAS BEEN DECLARED BY METEOROLOGISTS THAT THE POWERFUL AND DEADLY HURRICANE 5 STATUS IRMA IS FAST APPROACHING THE COAST OF FLORIDA AND ITS DIRECTION
AT THIS MOMENT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED -
REGARDLESS, IT HAS BEEN DECLARED DEADLY!  INCREDIBLE THAT THIS NATION IS STILL IN THE MIDST OF THE ATTACK BY
HURRICANE HARVEY, AND HERE COMES ANOTHER ATTACK!

REMEMBER, IT DECLARES IN EPHESIANS 6:12 "FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AGAINST SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES."
                 .
WHAT ARE WE AS BELIEVERS TO DO  IN ORDER TO DECIMATE THIS HORRIFIC HURRICANE IS THE THRUST OF THIS BLOG!

I REFER YOU TO MATTHEW 11:12 WHICH DECLARES "AND FROM THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST UNTIL NOW THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE, AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE" MEANING THAT SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY BY GOD ALMIGHTY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SPEAK TO THE "STORMS" IN OUR LIVES, VIOLENTLY, NOT WIMPISHLY!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN LOYAL FOLLOWERS OF MY BLOGS, YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT IN MAY OF 2015, I POSTED A BLOG DEALING WITH SPIRITUAL WARFARE, ESPECIALLY FOCUSING ON MARK 4:35-41WHICH DEALS WITH THE WIND AND THE WAVES OBEYING JESUS!

                                     "ON THE SAME DAY, WHEN EVENING HAD COME, HE SAID 
                                              TO THEM, 'LET'S CROSS OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE.' NOW
                                              WHEN THEY HAD LEFT THE MULTITUDE, THEY TOOK HIM
                                              ALONG IN THE BOAT AS HE WAS. AND OTHER LITTLE BOATS
                                              WERE ALSO WITH HIM. AND A GREAT WINDSTORM 
                                              AROSE AND THE WAVES BEAT INTO THE BOAT, SO THAT IT
                                              WAS ALREADY FILLING. BUT HE WAS IN THE STERN,
                                              ASLEEP ON A PILLOW. AND THEY AWOKE HIM AND SAID TO
                                              HIM, 'TEACHER, DO YOU NOT CARE THAT WE ARE PERIS-
                                              ING'? THEN HE AROSE AND REBUKED THE WIND, AND
                                              SAID TO THE SEA, 'PEACE BE STILL!' AND THE WIND CEASED
                                              AND THERE WAS A GREAT CALM. BUT HE SAID TO THEM, 
                                              'WHY ARE YOU SO FEARFUL? HOW IS IT THAT YOU HAVE NO 
                                              FAITH?' AND THEY FEARED EXCEEDINGLY AND SAID TO 
                                              ONE ANOTHER, 'WHO CAN THIS BE THAT EVEN THE WIND
                                              AND THE SEA OBEY HIM!"

SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ME, YOU ASK? AGAIN, CONSIDER THE STATEMENT I MADE ABOVE, THAT WE SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVERS HAVE THE SAME AUTHORITY/POWER THAT JESUS AS MAN HAD IN THE BOAT!

WE MUST KEEP IN MIND WHAT IT DECLARES IN JAMES 1:22 " BUT BE DOERS OF THE WORD, NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES."

AGAIN,  HOW DOES THIS AFFECT ME...I AM NOT JESUS! AH, BUT IF WE ARE BELIEVERS, JESUS ABIDES WITHIN US AND AS HE WAS EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SPEAK TO THE STORM, WE TOO  ARE EMPOWERED TO WIELD THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT AGAINST ANY/ALL ENEMIES AS FOUND IN EPHESIANS 6:16 WHICH STATES THAT WE ARE TO TAKE "THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD....". AND THE MEANING OF "WORD OF GOD" IN THIS SCRIPTURE IS THE "RHEMA" WORD OF GOD WHICH IS THE "SPOKEN (POWER) WORD OF GOD AND NOT THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD, WHICH IS THE LOGOS.

DR. BOB, ARE YOU SERIOUS?  INDEED, I AM!  LET ME SHARE A PERSONAL EVENT CONCERNING TAKING MY AUTHORITY OVER 5 TORNADOES!  SOME OF YOU MIGHT REMEMBER MY SHARING THIS IN AN EARLIER BLOG: SEVERAL YEARS AGO, MY WIFE AND I WERE VISITING OUR DAUGHTER AND FAMILY IN A KANSAS CITY, KANSAS SUBURB. IT WAS LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND IT BECAME UNUSUALLY DARK! ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A NEWS FLASH ON THE TELEVISION ANNOUNCING THAT FIVE TORNADOES WERE HEADING OUR WAY. OBVIOUSLY, THAT WAS AN ATTENTION GETTER, TO BE SURE! IT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO DINNER TIME, AND OUR SON-IN-LAW HAD ORDERED "TAKE OUT" AND ASKED ME WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT OUR GOING TO PICK IT UP!  I WAS TRULY DUMBFOUNDED BY HIS QUESTION, THINKING "THERE IS NO WAY WE NEED TO VENTURE OUT IN THE MIDST OF WHAT WAS HEADING OUR WAY!" THEN I HEARD MYSELF DECLARING "YES, LET'S GO FOR IT"!!  OUT WE WENT AND NOT LONG AFTER WE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, I SAID TO MY SON-IN-LAW, "THIS IS GOING TO SOUND VERY STRANGE TO YOU, BUT I AM GOING TO PRAY AGAINST THESE FIVE TORNADOES HEADING STRAIGHT FOR US AND I AM GOING TO USE A WORD IN MY PRAYER THAT IS NOT A WORD I USE VERY OFTEN, IF AT ALL, AND THE WORD IS "DISSIPATE".  I RELATED TO HIM, THE STORY OF JESUS IN THE BOAT WITH HIS DISCIPLES AND HIS DECLARING TO THE STORM "PEACE BE STILL" AND THE STORM CEASED! I PRAYED OUT LOUD, TAKING MY AUTHORITY OVER THE STORM AND DECLARED "PEACE BE STILL" TO THE STORM!  WE CONTINUED ON, ARRIVING AT THE RESTAURANT. WE HAD TO GO INTO THE BAR AREA WHERE THE "TAKE OUT" WAS LOCATED...AS WE WALKED IN, THERE WERE SEVERAL TELEVISION MONITORS ABOVE THE BAR AND WE SAW/HEARD A METEOROLOGIST DECLARING: "FOLKS, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT THE FIVE TORNADOES HAVE DISSIPATED AND ARE NO LONGER A DANGER!"  ONE COULD HEAR SUCH A SIGH OF RELIEF FROM THOSE SEATED AT THE BAR. OBVIOUSLY, WE DROVE HOME MUCH RELIEVED, AND I WITNESSED THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING THROUGH ME, AS HE WILL WORK THROUGH YOU!

I AM COMING TO THE PART WHERE YOU BECOME A PARTICIPANT IN TAKING AUTHORITY AS A CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD  EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PRAY AGAINST HURRICANE IRMA. KEEP IN MIND WHAT JESUS DECLARES IN MATTHEW 18:19 "AGAIN I SAY TO YOU THAT IF TWO OF YOU AGREE ON EARTH CONCERNING ANYTHING THAT THEY ASK, IT WILL BE DONE FOR THEM BY MY FATHER IN HEAVEN."

EPHESIANS 6 IS OUR FOUNDATION FOR TAKING SUCH AUTHORITY AGAINST HURRICANE IRMA, AND IT IS WORTH REPEATING THAT WHICH IS FOUND IN VERSE 7 "...AND TAKE THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT (OUR WEAPON WITH WHICH WE DO SPIRITUAL WARFARE) WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD, AND IN THIS VERSE THE MEANING OF WORD IN THE GREEK IS RHEMA, I.E. THE SPOKEN /ACTION WORD OF GOD...JESUS SPOKE THE RHEMA WORD "PEACE BE STILL TO THE STORM"! THEN THERE IS THE WORD OR LOGOS WHICH IS THE WRITTEN WORD IN THE SCRIPTURES - FROM THE LOGOS, WE FIND THE RHEMA WORD...FOR WITHOUT THE LOGOS, THERE IS NO RHEMA WORD!

TO CONCLUDE, I AM WRITING OUT A PRAYER THAT I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US IN ONE ACCORD TO PRAY OUT LOUD AGAINST HURRICANE IRMA:

                         "HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU IN THAT POWERFUL
                         NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES, JESUS THE CHRIST, THANKING
                         YOU FOR THE AUTHORITY/POWER GIVEN TO US BY YOU HOLY                                            SPIRIT IN TAKING OUR DOMINION RIGHTS IN COMING AGAINST
                         HURRICANE IRMA. WE SPEAK 'PEACE BE STILL' TO YOU, IRMA
                         AND COMMAND YOU TO 'CEASE AND DESIST AND DISSIPATE AND
                         BE OF NO ACCOUNT' IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR
                         AND LORD. AMEN AND AMEN."

SAINTS, IN ADDITION, WE ARE TOLD IN SCRIPTURE THAT "IF YOU HAVE THE FAITH AS A MUSTARD SEED, YOU WILL SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE AND IT WILL MOVE AND NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU"...THUS WE ARE SPEAKING TO THAT MOUNTAIN 'HURRICANE IRMA' AND COMMAND IT TO BE CAST INTO THE SEA TO BE REMEMBERED NO MORE!  MATTHEW 17:20

                                   BE GLORIFIED ALMIGHTY GOD, BE GLORIFIED


                     

                                               
                            
                                              
                                              

HOUSTON, TEXAS - WHAT THE ENEMY MEANS FOR EVIL, GOD WILL TURN TO GOOD

AS WE WERE HAVING OUR MORNING PRAYER YESTERDAY (AUGUST 28, 2017)       FOCUSING ON THE TRAGEDY TAKING PLACE IN THE HOUSTON, TEXAS AREA

CONCERNING THE NEWS DEALING WITH THE INCREDIBLE DANGEROUS STORMS RESULTING IN SEVERE DESTRUCTION, DISMAY, DEATHS, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY BLESSED WITH THE STRONG PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND WERE LED TO THE SCRIPTURE IN GENESIS 50:20 WHERE JOSEPH WAS TALKING WITH HIS BROTHERS CONCERNING HIS RESTORING THEM - "BUT AS FOR YOU, YOU MEANT EVIL AGAINST ME; BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD, IN ORDER TO BRING IT ABOUT AS IT IS THIS DAY, TO SAVE MANY PEOPLE ALIVE."  

CONSIDER THIS...THE MOST POWERFUL WEATHER DISASTER LIKE NEVER BEFORE IS HAPPENING IN TEXAS AS THIS IS BEING WRITTEN WHICH THE ENEMY (SATAN) MEANS FOR EVIL, BUT GOD CAN TURN TO GOOD...WE FOUND OURSELVES PRAYING FOR A POWERFUL HOLY SPIRIT-LED REVIVAL TO SWEEP ACROSS TEXAS AND THE NATION, "LIKE NEVER BEFORE"! 

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG IS THAT WE SO ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO JOIN US BEGINNING NOW AND THE DAYS AHEAD TO PRAY FOR SUCH A POWERFUL HOLY SPIRIT REVIVAL TO COME TO BE AND THAT THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS AND THE COUNTRY WOULD WITNESS "LIKE NEVER BEFORE" SUCH A MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND AS A RESULT, MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE WOULD BE INTRODUCED TO THEIR SAVIOR AND LORD JESUS AND BECOME FOLLOWERS OF HIM AND BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT! 

THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT ASKED TO BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, PLEASE GIVE MUCH THOUGHT TO THE SCRIPTURE - (PAUL TALKING) "HE SAID TO THEM, 'DID YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN YOU BELIEVED?'" SO THEY SAID TO HIM, 'WE HAVE NOT SO MUCH AS HEARD WHETHER THERE IS A HOLY SPIRIT'.....AND WHEN PAUL LAID HANDS ON THEM, THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON THEM, AND THEY SPOKE WITH TONGUES AND PROPHESIED.'" (ACTS 19:2,6)

A QUICK HISTORY OF REVIVALS IN THE UNITED STATES.  THERE WAS THE WELCH REVIVAL (1904-05) AT BETHEL BIBLE COLLEGE IN TOPEKA, KANSAS. THEN CAME THE AZUSA STREET REVIVAL IN LOS ANGELES, CA WHICH BEGAN ON APRIL 9, 1906-1915. THEN THERE WAS THE REVIVAL IN 1975.  MY WIFE AND I BECAME CHRISTIANS DURING THIS REVIVAL, PRAISE GOD!

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND JOHN 15:1,4,5 "I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER; 4: ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU.  AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, UNLESS IT ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME; 5: I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. HE WHO ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; FOR WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING." IT IS CRITICAL TO ADD FOR WITHOUT YOU I WILL DO NOTHING.

AS RELATES TO THE REQUEST TO PRAY FOR A MIGHTY MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ACROSS TEXAS AND THE NATION, CONSIDER GOD'S PROMISE IN JAMES 5:16B "THE EFFECTIVE FERVENT PRAYERS OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILS MUCH".  PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN MADE RIGHTEOUS BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, THUS WE QUALIFY, THANKFULLY!  ALSO, THE WORD "EFFECTIVE" RELATES TO THE "ACTIVE OPERATION OR WORKING OF POWER AND ITS EFFECTUAL RESULTS". (WORD WEALTH - THE NKJV SPIRIT-FILLED BIBLE). THUS LET OUR PRAYERS BE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE OF OUR FERVENCY...AMEN? 

LASTLY, CONSIDER THE SCRIPTURES WHICH DECLARE:

           - "AND WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK IN PRAYER, BELIEVING, YOU WILL                              RECEIVE." (MATTHEW 21:22)

           - "SO I SAY TO YOU, ASK, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK, AND YOU                          WILL FIND; KNOCK, AND IT WILL BE OPENED FOR YOU;.....FOR EVERYONE                      WHO ASKS RECEIVES AND HE WHO SEEKS FINDS, AND TO HIM WHO                                  KNOCKS IT WILL BE OPENED." (LUKE 11: 9,10)

           - "BUT EVEN NOW I KNOW THAT WHATEVER YOU ASK OF GOD, GOD WILL GIVE               YOU." (JOHN 11:22)

           - "IF YOU ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME, I WILL DO IT" (JOHN 14:14)

IT IS MOST APPROPRIATE TO CLOSE WITH PSALM 5:1-3 "GIVE EAR TO MY WORDS, O LORD, CONSIDER MY MEDITATION. GIVE HEED TO THE VOICE OF MY CRY, MY KING AND MY GOD, FOR TO YOU I WILL PRAY. MY VOICE YOU WILL HEAR IN THE MORNING, O LORD; IN THE MORNING I WILL DIRECT IT TO YOU, AND I WILL LOOK UP."

THUS LET'S PRAY AND BELIEVE JEHOVAH JIREH (GOD OUR PROVIDER) TO HEAR AND ANSWER THE FERVENT PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE CONCERNING A MIGHTY MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ACROSS TEXAS AND AMERICA...AMEN?

"SPEAK TO YOUR MOUNTAIN" - A CRITICAL SPIRITUAL WARFARE STRATEGY

 THIS BLOG HAS ITS FOUNDATION IN MATTHEW 17:14 AS WE READ ABOUT THE DISCIPLES TRYING TO HEAL AN EPILEPTIC YOUNG LAD BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FATHER FINALLY TOOK HIS SON TO JESUS WHO CHASTISED THE DISCIPLES BY DECLARING "O FAITHLESS AND PERVERSE GENERATION, HOW LONG SHALL I BEAR WITH YOU? BRING THE HIM HERE TO ME (VERSE 17)

THEN THE DISCIPLES ASKED JESUS WHY THEY COULDN'T CAST OUT THE DEMON HARASSING THE BOY.  THIS BRINGS US TO THE VERY CRUX OF THE LESSON JESUS WAS TRYING TO TEACH THEM AND THANKFULLY, US ..... "SO JESUS SAID TO THEM, 'BECAUSE OF YOUR UNBELIEF; FOR ASSUREDLY I SAY TO YOU, IF YOU HAVE THE FAITH AS A MUSTARD SEED, YOU WILL SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, 'MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE,' AND IT WILL MOVE' AND NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU. (VERSE 20) THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES "AND IT WILL MOVE"... FOR GOD'S WORD DOES NOT RETURN TO HIM VOID...WE CAN STAND ON THIS PROMISE.   

                  "SO SHALL MY WORD BE THAT WHICH GOES FORTH FROM MY MOUTH; IT SHALL NOT                                                  RETURN TO ME VOID, BUT IT SHALL ACCOMPLISH WHAT I PLEASE, AND IT SHALL                                                        PROSPER IN THE THINGS FOR WHICH I SENT IT." (ISAIAH 55:11)

 PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT EACH OF US HAS BEEN GIVEN "FAITH AS A MUSTARD SEED"! AND AS WE MATURE AS CHRISTIANS, THANKFULLY OUR FAITH MATURES AS WELL. 

MANY YEARS AGO, I HEARD PROCLAIMED, WHICH COULD WELL BE WHERE JESUS CAME UP WITH HIS ANALOGY IN MATTHEW 17, CONCERNING "SPEAKING TO THE MOUNTAIN"....IN THE DAYS OF KING HEROD, IT HAS BEEN TOLD THAT HE WAS OFTEN "MOVING MOUNTAINS" WITH JEWISH SLAVE LABOR IN ORDER TO RAISE, LOWER, OR REMOVE A MOUNTAIN FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER! COULD IT BE THAT ONE DAY, JESUS WAS LOOKING OUT OVER THE HORIZON, AND OBSERVED THE JEWISH SLAVES "MOVING" A MOUNTAIN?  CONSIDER THIS...IF MAN COULD MOVE A MOUNTAIN, WHY CAN'T OUR POWERFUL HEAVENLY FATHER MOVE WHATEVER MOUNTAIN(S) THAT EXIST IN OUR LIVES?  THANKFULLY, HE CAN AND WILL FOR US, HIS CHILDREN, AS WE READ IN MATTHEW 17:20!  BUT WE MUST CONSIDER THAT CRITICAL WORD "IF" WE HAVE FAITH AS A MUSTARD SEED AND ACT ON THAT MUSTARD SEED FAITH!

IT MUST BE CONSIDERED AT THIS JUNCTURE THAT "ONE MUST TRULY DESIRE TO SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAIN!!" AND NOT ONLY DESIRE TO SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAIN
BUT AS IS STATED IN MATTHEW 11:12 "....AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE" MEANING THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN! IN OTHER WORDS, WE MUST BE FORCEFUL AND ADAMANT AS WE SPEAK/DECLARE TO THE MOUNTAIN BELIEVING THAT IT WILL MOVE,

CONSIDER THE MOUNTAIN IMAGE ABOVE.... I CAME ACROSS THE EXCEPTIONAL PHOTO SHOWN ABOVE.  IT MUST BE CONSIDERED THAT THERE ARE UNSEEN MOUNTAIN RANGES IN THE BACKGROUND OF THIS PHOTO, THUS THE MESSAGE HERE IS THAT EACH OF US HAS A MOUNTAIN(S) (STRUGGLES/SUFFERINGS) IN OUR LIVES, AND IT IS MOST WISE THAT WE TACKLE ONE MOUNTAIN AT A TIME, IF POSSIBLE! THANKFULLY THE LORD GOD DOESN'T CAUSE, BUT ALLOWS SUCH CHALLENGES (MOUNTAINS) IN OUR LIVES FOR OUR  SPIRITUAL BENEFIT/GROWTH, THANKFULLY! I CAN HEAR MANY DECLARING AT THIS POINT "BUT, BUT, BUT...WHY WOULD A LOVING GOD ALLOW SUCH SUFFERINGS/STRUGGLES (MOUNTAINS) TO COME INTO MY LIFE"?   KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR SAVIOR AND LORD JESUS SUFFERED/STRUGGLED WHILE ON THIS EARTH! THUS AS HE DID, SO SHALL WE WHO ARE HIS CHILDREN! AND THROUGH ALL THE SUFFERINGS/STRUGGLES WE HAVE AND WILL EXPERIENCE, IT CRUCIAL THAT WE KEEP BEFORE US THE TRUTH "HE HAS GIVEN US HIS VERY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES"! (2 PETER 1:1-4) AND WE CAN REST ASSURED THAT HE NEVER EVER BREAKS HIS PROMISES, PRAISE GOD "FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW", AMEN?

REMEMBER, SATAN CAN DO NOTHING TO US (KEEPING IN MIND JOB'S CHALLENGES IN JOB1: 6-8) WITHOUT GOD ALLOWING IT, "FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE" (PHILIPPIANS 2:13), PERFECTING/MATURING US!  REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE NO OOPS IN HIS KINGDOM! AGAIN, IF WE TRIED TO ADDRESS ALL THESE MOUNTAINS AT ONE TIME, WE WOULD BECOME A "BASKET CASE", WOULD WE NOT? JESUS DID NOT TELL US TO SPEAK TO THE "MOUNTAINS BUT TO A PENDING MOUNTAIN", THUS...ONE MOUNTAIN AT A TIME, AGAIN, ONE MOUNTAIN AT A TIME  BELIEVING THAT THE MOUNTAIN WILL MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE! THIS IS A PROMISE FROM THE LORD!

IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF FAITH, FOR THIS CONCEPT IS SO FOUNDATIONAL/CRUCIAL FOR US CHRISTIANS AND FOR UNDERSTANDING WHAT JESUS IS DECLARING IN MATTHEW 17:20.  I AM SURE YOU HAVE HEARD MANY PULPIT MESSAGES CONCERNING "FAITH"! KEEP IN MIND WHAT HEBREWS 11:6 DECLARES: "BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, FOR HE WHO COMES TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM." OUR LORD GOD ALMIGHTY DEALT TO EACH ONE A MEASURE OF FAITH". (ROMANS 12:3) AGAIN, ANOTHER PROMISE!

LET'S CONSIDER HEBREWS 11 (THE FAITH CHAPTER), WHICH DEALS WITH FAITH TESTIMONIES.  VERSE 1 IS ONE OF MY FOUNDATIONAL SCRIPTURES WHICH IS THE SPIRITUAL "PEG ON WHICH I HANG MY HAT " - "NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN".  IF WE LOOK AT THINGS SEEN, WE CAN BE SO DEFEATED IMMEDIATELY AND TRAGICALLY, OUR LOOKING AT THINGS SEEN PLAYS RIGHT INTO SATAN'S HANDS!  PRAISE GOD FOR HIS REASSURING INSTRUCTIONAL AND COMFORTING WORDS IN THE SCRIPTURES.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, THAT AS WE SPEAK TO OUR MOUNTAIN(S), THEY ARE NOT MOVED IN A DAY!  HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT TOOK THE JEWISH SLAVES TO MOVE A MOUNTAIN AND BY HAND? SUCH AS IT IS WITH OUR MOUNTAIN(S) THAT WE "SPEAK TO"...WE CANNOT AND MUST NOT EXPECT OUR "MOUNTAIN(S)" TO MOVE IMMEDIATELY, ALTHOUGH, ".....NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU"(GOD), AS IT IS DECLARED IN JEREMIAH 32:17 AMEN?

WITH ALL THIS BEING SAID, WHAT IS/ARE THE MOUNTAIN(S) (STRUGGLES/SUFFERINGS) IN YOUR LIFE?  LET ME RECOMMEND THAT YOU MAKE A LIST EXPECTING BY FAITH, AND CROSS OFF EACH MOUNTAIN AS YOU EXPERIENCE VICTORY!   THEN THANK HIM FOR DOING SO... FOR IT IS FOR HIS HONOR, GLORY, AND PRAISE!  AMEN?

BE ENCOURAGED, SAINTS AND BE LIKE THE BEREANS "TO FIND OUT WHETHER THESE WERE SO". (ACTS 17:11)  KEEPING IN MIND JAMES 1:22-25." BUT BE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES...."AMEN?

                     AS ALWAYS, YOUR COMMENTS ARE VERY MUCH WELCOMED.