THE TRIED

BEING TRIED IS NOT THE EASIEST PART OF BEING A CHILD OF GOD.

WE ARE TRIED MANY TIMES BY THE USE OF FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, CHURCH MEMBERS, AND ENEMIES OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

WE ARE TRIED BY OUR OWN IMAGINATIONS GOING WILD.

WE ARE TRIED BY BY OUR REACTIONS TO CERTAIN SITUATIONS.

WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE BATTLEFIELD AS WE SERVE THE LORD. BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS, I SAMUEL 17:47b – THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S.

WE DON’T HAVE TO FIGHT OUR BATTLES.

TRIALS COME, MY FRIEND, THEY COME.

BUT WE SHOULD REMEMBER: TRIALS ARE LIKE A TUNNEL. THEY HAVE A BEGINNING AND AN END. WE CAN SEE LIGHT AT THE END OF A TUNNEL. BUT WHILE GOING THROUGH A TUNNEL, THERE IS DARKNESS BEFORE THE LIGHT.

BUT AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE THE SENSE THAT WE ARE STILL MOVENG FORWARD, NO MATTER HOW DARK IT MAY SEEM.

THIS IS LIKE THE TIMES WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF BEING TRIED. WE REALIZE HOW POWERFUL THE GRACE OF GOD REALLY IS: HOW HE IS IN CHARGE, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO STRENGTH OF OUR OWN.

OUR TRUST CANNOT BE THE FLESH; FLESH WON’T HELP: IT HAS TO BE GOD WHO IS CARRYING US THROUGH.

PSALM 66:8-12 –  O BLESS OUR GOD, YE HIS PEOPLE, AND MAKE THE VOICE OF HIS PRAISE BE HEARD:

WHICH HOLDETH OUR SOUL IN LIFE, AND SUFFERETH NOT OUR FEET TO BE MOVED.

FOR THOU O GOD, HAST PROVED US; HAS TRIED US AS SILVER IS TRIED

SILVER, ACCORDING TO ANCIENT METHODS, REQUIRED A PROLONGED PROCESS OF REFINING BEFORE IT COULD BE PRONOUNCED PURE.

SO YOU COULD SAY IT THIS WAY, “YOU, THROUGH A LONG PROCESS, HAVE PURIFIED US WITH FIRE.”

VERSES 11,12 – THOU BROUGHTEST US INTO THE NET; THOU LAIDEST AFFLICTION UPON OUR LOINS. THOU HAST CAUSED MEN TO RIDE OVER OUR HEADS; WE WENT THROUGH THE FIRE AND THROUGH  WATER: BUT THOU BROUGHTEST US OUT INTO A WEALTHY PLACE. 

THE MEANING IS, YOU CRUSHED US DOWN UNDER A HEAVY WEIGHT, OR LAID GREAT BURDENS ON OUR BACKS. MEN CAME AGAINST US TO HARM US, BUT IN THE END, YOU BROUGHT US OUT INTO WEALTH AND GREAT ABUNDANCE, A PLACE OF REFRESHMENT, A PLACE OF LIBERTY.

VERSES 16-20 – COME AND HEAR, ALL YE THAT FEAR GOD, AND I WILL DECLARE WHAT HE HATH DONE FOR MY SOUL. I CRIED UNTO HIM WITH MY MOUTH, AND HE WAS EXTOLLED (OR CELEBRATED) WITH MY TONGUE.  

IN ALL THESE VERSES, IT SEEMS THE PSALMIST HAS BEEN THROUGH A TERRIBLE TRIAL. HE BEGAN TO PRAISE GO WITH HIS MOUTH AND TELL OTHERS HOW GOD BROUGHT HIM OUT.

BUT GOD DID MORE THAN JUST BRING HIM OUT OF HIS TRIAL, HE MOVED HIM INTO A PLACE OF REFRESHMENT, A PLACE OF LIBERTY, A PLACE OF BLESSING.

HE WAS ELEVATED INTO ANOTHER LEVEL WITH GOD BY THE PASSING OF THIS GREAT TRIAL.

I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENS TO US AFTER WE HAVE BEEN TRIED.

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LISTEN

MANY OF US HAVE MUCH TO SAY; SOME MORE THAN OTHERS.

WE WANT TO BE HEARD.

LORD, HELP US TO LISTEN; HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SPEAKING TO US, AND REALLY HEAR WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY.

WHEN SOMEONE IS TRYING TO SHARE THEIR HEART WITH US, WE SOMETIMES RATTLE-ON, GIVING ADVICE, WHEN WE ARE NOT REALLY HEARING WHAT THEY ARE SAYING.

GUILTY? WELL, SO AM I.

WE WANT TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS FOR THEM.

IN COUNSELING, WE ARE TOLD NOT TO MAKE A QUICK JUDGMENT THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE DISCUSSES THEIR PROBLEMS WITH US. LET THEM HAVE TIME TO HEAR THEMSELVES SPEAK IT OUT.

SOMETIMES, WHAT THEY HEAR FROM THEIR OWN MOUTH SOUNDS SILLY TO THEM AFTER THEY PUT IT IN WORDS. OCCASIONALLY, THEY SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEM BY WHAT THEY HEAR.

WE ARE TO LISTEN, SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR HEART IN WHAT THEY ARE  REALLY WANTING TO SAY WITHOUT STATING IT.

SOMETIMES, IT IS SO HARD TO SPEAK IT OUT.

A LISTENING EAR IS OF GREATER IMPORTANCE THAN A THOUSAND WORDS UTTERED TO THE PERSON DESIRING COUNSELING.

IF WE LISTEN, WE WILL HEAR.

EVERONE NEEDS A LISTENING EAR AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE.

I BELIEVE IF PARENTS WOULD LISTEN INSTEAD OF LECTURING THEIR TEEN, THEY WOULD LEARN A GREAT DEAL FROM WHAT THEY ARE NOT SAYING. THEY WILL BEGIN TO OPEN-UP AND SHARE THEIR HEART, AND FEARS WITH YOU.

DON’T GET SO BUSY THAT YOU CAN’T HEAR THEM. IF THEY OPEN-UP TO YOU, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO GUIDE THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

TEENS REALLY DO WANT THEIR PARENT’S APPROVAL; AND EVEN IF THEY SAY THEY DON’T WANT ATTENTION, THEY ARE ACTUALLY SAYING TO YOU, “I WONT ASK FOR IT, BUT I WILL DO ANYTHING I HAVE TO DO TO GET IT!”

MOST PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT A MATTER; THEY JUST WANT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL SOMEONE WHO WILL LISTEN.

AT TIMES, THEY HAVE THEIR MINDS MADE UP PREVIOUSLY, ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO BEFORE THEY GET THERE, THEY JUST WANT TO SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE.

WHAT THEY ARE WANTING TO SAY, COMES OUT AFTER A WHILE, OR AFTER A FEW TIMES OF TALKING ABOUT IT. THEY START TO FEEL AT EASE WITH YOU AND SHARE WHAT IS ON THEIR HEART.

HAVING SOMEONE TO LISTEN IS OF GREAT VALUE TO A TROUBLED SOUL. IT COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE COMMITTING SUICIDE, AND NOT COMMITTING SUICIDE

WE JUST DON’T KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO LISTEN.

TRY THIS EXPERIMENT: WHILE CARRYING ON A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE; STOP TALKING, AND LISTEN.

THE WORD LISTEN IS USED ONLY ONCE IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, IN ISAIAH 49:1. IT IS A HEBREW WORD: SHAMA (SHAW-MAH’), WHICH MEANS TO HEAR INTELLIGENTLY, CAREFULLY, ATTENTIVELY. IT ALSO IMPLIES OBEDIENCE.

IN FIRST KINGS 8:30 – SOLOMON ASKED GOD, …AND HARKEN THOU TO THE SUPPLICATION OF THY SERVANT, AND THY PEOPLE, ISRAEL, WHEN THEY SHALL PRAY TOWARD THIS PLACE: AND HEAR THOU IN HEAVEN THY DWELLING PLACE: AND WHEN THOU HEAREST, FORGIVE. SOLOMON USED: HEARKEN, HEAR,HEAREST.

ALL THREE WORDS ARE DEFINED THE SAME AS THE WORD, LISTEN: TO HEAR CAREFULLY, INTELLIGENTLY, AND ATTENTIVELY. SO, LISTEN AND HEAR MEAN THE SAME IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE, AS WELL AS OUR MODERN LANGUAGE.

SO STOP TALKING, AND LISTEN, AND YOU WILL SEE GREAT RESULTS.

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DON’T BE CONTENT WITH LESS

Luke 11:13 – If ye then, being evil, know  how to give good gifts unto your children; How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask?

We are Gods children  if we have accepted Jesus as our saviour. We are told we can ask the Father for more of the Holy Spirit. More of the Holy Spirit in our lives, means His power and influence is greater in measure inside  us.

His desires begin to consume our thoughts and wishes.

The glory of His presence is changing us and filling us with a hunger for His Word and even a greater thirst for His Spirit.

As the Holy Spirit directs me to his Word, I begin to understand the Lord’s purpose for my life.

Great faith and peace overcome my thoughts.

The Love of God overwhelms me. 

It now becomes easy to love those with whom I have a problem loveing.

His presence fills me with love.

The Holy Spirit will give us revelation of all things paid for by Jesus Christ, and belongs to us.

The Holy Spirit will not only reveal those things to us; but will show us how to believe and receive. 

I Corinthians 2:9-10 – But as it is written, EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN, THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM. But God hath revealed them by His Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

The Holy Spirit will reveal to us the power, authority, and blessing we have in our spiritual birthright in Jesus.

The Holy Spirit can do so much and longs to do it for us.

I Corinthians 3:21b – For all things are yours.

Ephesians 3:20 – Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

That power is the Holy Spirit.

We must be full of Him for Him to work in us.

When we are full of the Holy Spirit, the power is flowing, our thinking is great, and our asking is greater.

God is bigger, our faith is bigger, our receiving is bigger.Our fruit grows big.

Be filled with the Spirit –

Ask – Seek – Knock 

 

 

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PRAY AND GO

Luke 10:2 – Therefore saith He (Jesus) unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers, into his harvest.

God’s  harvest is large, but the labourers are few. We pray for souls, but do we pray for labourers ? Prayer and harvest are inseparable.

God never lays people off. Gods servants have job security. His call is without repentance. Unemployment doesn’t exist in the kingdom of God.

The benefits are eternal.

The Lord’s kingdom never closes it’s doors.

The Lord never goes bankrupt. There is always work, but not enough who seek purpose for their gifts.

Some labourers take a vacation and never come back. Some labourers are hired but never go to work.

They are always saying, Someday I’ll work in God’s fields. But  they wait all their life and the hearse comes and carries them to the graveyard. 

The graveyard is full of buried purposes. The graveyard is full of buried dreams and visions. The graveyard is full of buried gifts. 

The reason many people never pray, Lord  send forth labourers into the harvest, is because they know God has a purpose for them and they know what it is. They bury their call, they bury their gift, their life is full of excuses.  Well, you may have raised your hand, but you are not excused.

God wants you doing something he has gifted and called you to do.

Roll up your sleeves and get to work, your past does’nt  disqualify you. Surrender your life to Jesus, He will forgive you, train you, and hire you. He will fill you with his Spirit, teach you his Word, and put you to work in His harvest.

He has an assignment for you. Sit under a pastor who is gifted by Jesus to train you. 

There is a cause, Jesus needs you. Progressively,  he will lead you into his purpose  for your life. The word of  God and prayer will become natural to you. The grace of God  will come into your life to fulfill the ministry he has called you to.

In 1975 God called me to preach. To tell you the truth, it filled me with fear. I told the Lord I couldn’t do it. But the Lord would wake me up and ask me How long before you preach my Word, I would cry and tell the Lord I want to but I can’t, Lord I’m shy. Actually I was full of fear. One a pastor preached on II Timothy 1:7  For God hath no given you a spirit of fear. I didn’t get rid of the fear but I told Jesus if you will help me I will preach Your Word. I claimed the Word, and preached with a shakey voice and shaking legs: with sweat running down my legs. I preached in the presence of fear and then one day I preached in the absence of fear.  No more fear for me. The word of God is stronger than fear. When we stand on Gods promises, our will to overcome kicks in and the devil has to loose us.

You may not be called to preach, but God has a purpose for your life. Surrender to Jesus and ask him to have His will in your life.  Seek Him with your whole heart and knock and He will open a wonderful door in His vineyard.            Blessings in your journey.

 

    

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FROM GOD TODAY

Come close to Me today and know I am here. Here to comfort and cause you to see Me as the Lord of your life and the world to come. You see Me in a large way, but much more is to be learned by My own. Today I will show you a place of peace like you have never experienced before.There is a rest that only My own can know. Just watch Me as you are revealed a peace that no one can deny is Me and My peace. Come bathe yourself in My presence and keep your thoughts pure. It is up to Me,  not you, to flow like a river of life along with Me and My heart of love. The river is flowing and lives are being changed. How you know you are there, is that your mind and spirit feel it. Way in front of you I am able to make the storms calm and those who trouble you change into those who see Me as I am. Tell the world the answer is not in what you do, but what I do. Come, allow Me to part the waters and give you a stream that leads to My glory. Come, draw yourself close to Me and sing the songs of worship.

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THE THREE I WILLS OF GOD

PSALMS  41:1-3

BLESSED IS HE THAT CONSIDERETH THE POOR: THE LORD WILL DELIVER HIM IN TIME OF TROUBLE.

THE LORD WILL PRESERVE HIM, AND KEEP HIM ALIVE: AND HE SHALL BE BLESSED UPON THE EARTH: AND THOU WILT NOT DELIVER HIM UNTO THE WILL OF HIS ENEMIES.

THE LORD WILL STRENGTHEN HIM UPON THE BED OF  LANGUISHING: THOU WILT MAKE ALL HIS BED IN HIS SICKNESS.

THREE TIMES THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THE LORD WILL, IF WE CONSIDER THE POOR, THE LORD WILL CONSIDER OUR NEEDS.

HE SAYS WE WILL BE BLESSED. BLESSED IS HE THAT CONSIDERETH THE POOR.

THE  CONTEXT OF THIS HEBREW WORD HERE IS  A PERSON WILL ENJOY THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD, AND THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL BLESSING IN THAT RELATIONSHIP. MY WIFE AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT BLESSING. ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD IS PRECIOUS BUT THERE ARE SPECIAL BLESSING IN HELPING THE POOR.

THE LORD ALSO SAID  HE WOULD DELIVER US IN  TIME OF TROUBLE.  THIS IS A PROMISE.  GOD SAID I WILL. GOD NEVER LIE’S  BUT ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD.

PROVERBS 19:17

HE THAT HATH PITY UPON THE POOR LENDETH UNTO THE LORD: AND THAT WHICH HE HATH GIVEN WILL HE PAY  HIM AGAIN.

GOD SAID I WILL PAY BACK TO THE PERSON THAT GIVES TO THE POOR. IF I NEED DELIVERANCE OR HEALING I DON’T NEED MONEY, I NEED SUPERNATURAL HELP.  SOME TIMES GOD GIVES US FINIANCES IF THATS  WHAT WE NEED.  HE  BLESSES US WITH MONEY OR FAVOUR.  GOD  NEVER FORGETS OUR ACTS OF LOVE TOWARDS THE POOR.

THE LORD ALSO SAID HE WOULD PRESERVE US AND KEEP US ALIVE. THE DEVIL WOULD LIKE TO KILL US, BUT GOD SAID I WILL KEEP THEM ALIVE. I BELIEVE THRE ARE SPECIAL ANGELS  ASSSIGNED TO THOSE WHO HELP THE POOR.

GOD SAID I WILL KEEP HIM ALIVE: HE  SHALL BE BLESSED UPON THE EARTH, AND HE WON’T BE DELIVERED UNTO THE WILL OF HIS ENEMIES. OUR ENEMY’S WILL IS TO HURT US, BUT GOD WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.

THE LORD PROMISES TO STRENGTH OUR PHYSICAL BODIES, AND IF SICKNESS COMES,  WE WILL MAKE OUR BED, PUT ON OUR CLOTHES AND WALK AWAY HEALED, CLAIMING THESE PROMISES.

PROVERBS 29:7

THE RIGHTEOUS CONSIDERETH THE CAUSE OF THE POOR: BUT THE WICKED REGARDETH NOT TO KNOW HIM.

WE  AS CHRISTIANS CAN’T HELP EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD, BUT THOSE THAT GOD HAS PUT ON OUR HEART. WE MUST BE LED BY THE LORD TO THOSE HE DESIRES US TO HELP. 

GALATIANS 2:10

ONLY THEY WOULD THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER THE POOR: THE SAME WHICH I ALSO WAS  FORWARD TO DO.          

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WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN

JOHN 3:36 – HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH EVERLASTING LIFE: AND HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE: BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM.

1. WE CANNOT BE SAVED WITHOUT FAITH IN JESUS.

2. WE ARE MADE RIGHTEOUSS BY FAITH.

3. WE CANNOT PLEASE GOD WITHOUT FAITH.

4. WE CANNOT OVERCOME THE WORLD WITHOUT FAITH.

5 WE CANNOT BE LIKE JESUS WITHOUT FAITH.

6. WE CANNOT BE VICTORIOUS IN WARFARE WITHOUT FAITH.

7. WE CANNOT PRAY WITH RESULTS WITHOUT FAITH.

8. WE CANNOT RECEIVE THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SRIRIT WITHOUT FAITH.

9. WE RECEIVE HEALING BY FAITH.

10. WE WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT THROUGH FAITH.

11. WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN.

XTRACTSLOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH. JESUS IS THE WORD MADE FLESH. HE IS THE FOUNDER OF OUR FAITH. FAITH IS HIDDEN IN THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE. TO THOSE WHO HAVE JESUS IN THEIR HEART, THE HOLY SPIRIT  EXTRACTS THAT FAITH FROM THE BIBLE AND PLACES IT IN OUR HEART. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A  PERSON TO  PRAY TO THE FATHER IN JESUS NAME AND READ THE BIBLE AND NOT BE FULL OF FAITH AND POWER. NATURAL FOOD PRODUCES  NATURAL STRENGTH AND ENERGY TO THE BODY. SPIRITUAL FOOD PRODUCES SPIRITUAL STRENGTH AND ENERGY TO STHE SPIRITUAL MAN. FAITH AND POWER COMES FROM EATING AT GOD’S TABLE OF PRAYER AND WORD.

JESUS IS THE ORINGINATOR OF FAITH. HE INITIATES FAITH IN THE HEART’S OF MAN. JESUS PERFECTS OUR FAITH, THE END RESULTS IS HIS CHARACTER, HIS INTEGRITY, HIS OBEDIENCE.

TRUE FAITH IS NOT A REBEL, BUT COMPLETE SURRENDER TO HEAVENS PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES. THY KINGDOM COME THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

WE ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, WE HAVE A JOB TO DO IT’S CALLED END TIME HARVEST.

WE BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS, WE HAVE A PURPOSE. THE  LEVEL OF WARFARE THAT IS TAKING PLACE AGAINEST CHRISTIANS IS PROOF JESUS IS COMING SOON. ARE WE TO HIDE IN A CAVE OR TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD. THE REASON THE FATHER SENT HIS SON IS BECAUSE HE LOVE’S EVERY SINNER. BUT THEY MUST HEAR THE GOSPEL AND EITHER ACCEPT IT OR REJECT IT. WE ARE THE END TIME  MESSENGERS.  WE ARE THE JUST THAT LIVE BY FAITH.WHAT A BLESSING TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AND HIS LOVE. WHAT A BLESSING TO SEE THE RESULTS OF FAITH, I HAVE SEEN HIS POWER IN OPERATION, BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN ANYTHING YET.    

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