REVELATION

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 PRPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM.

BUT GOD HATH REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT; FOR THE SPIRIT SEARCHETH ALL THINGS, YEA, THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD.

THE BIBLE SAYS THE NATURAL MAN CANNOT RECEIVE  THE THINGS OF GOD . IF A PERSON RECEIVES JESUS INTO THEIR HEART BY FAITH, THEY  CAN BE LED BY GOD THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD, AND THE INNER VOICE OF GOD.  AS A CHRISTIAIN  GOD PUTS WITHIN MY SPIRIT A HUNGER AND THIRST FOR HIM. AS I AM FILLED WITH HIS SPIRIT EVERDAY HE REVEALS THE PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE. I HAVE A PURPOSE; A DETERMINED END.  OUR GREATEST DESIRE AS A CHRISTIAN  IS TO KNOW GOD AND LOVE HIM. HE DIED FOR US ON THE CROSS. WE MUST DIE DAILY FOR HIM, TO OUR OWN DESIRES,  AND JESUS WILL GIVE US HIS DESIRES. WE CAN DO ANY THING OR HAVE ANYTHING THAT IS HIS WILL.

PERSONALLY I DESIRE A HARVEST LIKE JONAH.

PERSONALLY I WANT MORE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

PERSONALLY I WANT TO SEE THE SICK HEALED.

PERSONALLY I  WANT MY NEEDS MET.

HERE WE HAVE SOME DESIRES THAT ARE GOD’S WILL FOR US. THE HOLY SPIRIT  HAS SAID, YES AND AMEN. GOD WANTS TO BLESS US  WITH REVELATION AND POWER . WE CHRISTIANS HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST.

EPHESIANS  3:20

NOW UNTO HIM THAT IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE CAN ASK  OR THINK,  ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US.

THAT POWER OF GOD IS WORKING IN US,  TO DO MIGHTY THINGS IN US ,THROUGH US, AND FOR US. GOD HAS PREPARED THINGS FOR US THAT IS BIGGER THAN US. ONLY THROUGH OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM CAN WE EVEN HAVE THE FAITH TO ASK HIM FOR THESE THINGS.

MY FAITH HAS GROWN SO MUCH AND HAS BEEN STRETCHED. SOMETIMES I GO THROUGH DRY SPELLS WHERE  I DON,T FEEL GODS PRESENCE, MY PRAYERS SEEM TO NOT GO ABOVE TTHE CEILING, BUT I HAVE LEARNED THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. FEELING IS WONDERFUL  BUT  WE DON’T LIVE BY FEELING, BUT BY FAITH. GOD IS STILL THE SAME IF WE FEEL HIM OR NOT, HIS PROMISES ARE STILL YES AND AMEN. THE FEELING WILL R ETURN, BUT FAITH WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.           

BUT GOD HATH REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT.

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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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WAIT

THERE IS MUCH ABOUT “WAITING” IN THE SCRIPTURES.—-MOSTLY ABOUT WAITING ON GOD. OUR MANNER OR METHOD OF WAITING IS AS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW AS THE BLESSINGS ATTACHED. TOGETHER WE WILL STUDY SOME OF THESE. THE TITLE OF TODAY’S MESSAGE IS “WAIT”.

OUR SCRIPTURE READING IS FOUND IN ISAIAH 40:29-31, AND VARIOUS VERSES OF THE PSALMS.

WHEN WE THINK OF WAITING, IN THE NATURAL, IT “GOES-AGAINST-THE-GRAIN”. NONE OF US LIKE THAT WORD. WE ARE SO USED TO FAST FOODS AND QUICK SERVICES. —-WE MOVE QUICKER AND FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE, BUT WE STILL DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME! SO, SOMETHING IS WRONG. WHAT IS IT?

IS IT JUST THE WAY IT IS? OR IS IT OUR FAULT?

IF YOU’RE LIKE ME (AND I ASSUME MOST ARE), IF YOU HAVE ANY  EXTRA TIME AT ALL, YOU FEEL GUILTY NOT TO USE IT FOR SOMETHING WORTHWHILE, SO YOU FIND SOMETHING TO DO. BUT  IT’S NOT JUST THE NATURAL MAN THAT SUFFERS IN THIS BUSY LIFE. IT’S OUR RELATIONSHIPS: WITH GOD; WITH FAMILY; AND WITH FRIENDS.

WHEN WE GROW OLDER AND WEAR-OUT OUR BODIES IN THIS FAST “GET-IT-DONE” SOCIETY, WE WILL HAVE TO SIT A LOT, AND DO SOMETHING WITH OUR HANDS: BECAUSE WE HAVE ABUSED OUR BODIES WITH “GET IT DONE! GET IT DONE! GET IT DONE NOW! ALL OF IT!”

DON’T GET ME WRONG, I KNOW SOME ARE SLOTHFUL AND NEVER GET ANYTHING FINISHED. I KNOW THERE HAS TO BE A BALANCE. BUT MY MESSAGE TODAY IN NOT JUST CONCERNING TAKING SOME TIME TO REST OUR BODIES AND MINDS, BUT WAITING ON GOD: RESTING IN HIM.

ISAIAH 40:31 – THOSE THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH; THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES, THEY SHALL RUN AND NOT BE WEARY; AND THEY SHALL WALK AND NOT FAINT.

IF THERE’S A WAY TO RUN AND NOT BE WEARY,WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT. WELL LOOK AT THE PRECEEDING VERSES (29,30) – HE (GOD) GIVES POWER TO THE FAINT; AND THEM THAT HAVE NO MIGHT HE INCREASETH STRENGTH. EVEN THE YOUTHS SHALL FAINT AND BE WEARY, AND THE YOUNG MEN SHALL UTTERLY FALL.

SO IT IS, THAT GOD IS WHERE WE GET OUR STRENGTH.

LIFTING WEIGHTS AND EXERCISING IS GOOD TO STRENGTHEN OUR MUSCLES, BOT ONLY GOD CAN GIVE US STRENGTH IN OUR BODIES, AND PEACE OF MIND, AT THE SAME TIME. THE LACK OF PEACE AND HOPE, CAN MAKE THE STRONGEST WEARY.

MANY HAVE GREAT PLANS, IMPORTANT PLANS, BUT IF THEY DON’T WAIT ON GOD TO LEAD, THAY JUST RUN IN CIRCLES AND NEVER GET ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED.

ISAIAH 40:31 (AMPLIFIED) –  BUT THOSE WHO WAIT FOR THE LORD (WHO EXPECT, LOOK FOR, AND HOPE IN HIM)  SHALL CHANGE AND RENEW THEIR STRENGTH AND POWER; THEY SHALL LIFT THEIR WINGS AND MOUNT UP (CLOSE TO GOD)  AS EAGLES  (MOUNT UP TO THE SUN); WALK AND NOT FAINT OR BECOME TIRED.

THIS IS A VERY FAMILIAR VERSE WITH MOST PEOPLE, BUT DO WE REALLY COMPREHEND IT’S CONTENT, –IT’S MEANING?

THE LORD’S STRENGTH IS A STRENGTH UNFAILING. HE GIVES POWER TO THE FAINT—-HE INCREASES STRENGTH.  HE WHO IS NEVER WEARY STRENGTHENS THOSE WHO ARE TIRED, AND UPON HIM, THAT IS OF NO MIGHT, HE LAVISHES POWER.

THOUGH AGE AND VIGOR BE AT THEIR PRIME, EVEN YOUTHS AND YOUNG MEN FALL (V.30). NATURAL STRENGTH AT IT’S BEST CAN BE EXAUSTED, BUT NOT THE SUPERNATURAL. THEREFORE, THOSE THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD IN THE EXPECTANCY OF FAITH, RISE ABOVE THE MUNDANE; THE EARTHLY; AND FIND GRACE FOR DOGGED PERSISTENCE.

“FOR THE FAITHFUL, THERE IS NO FAILURE; AND FAITH KNOWS NO WEARINESS.”

IN VERSES 28-29, WE HAVE THE PROMISE OF “STRENGTH FOR HOLY LIVING”. GOD PROVIDES STRENGTH; STRENGTH IS RENEWED BY WAITING ON THE LORD; AND GOD ADJUSTS THE SUPPLY OF STRENGTH TO THE PRESENT NEED.

ISAIAH 64:4 –  FOR SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD MEN HAVE NOT HEARD, NOR PERCEIVED BY THE EAR, NEITHER HATH THE EYE SEEN, O GOD, BESIDE THEE, WHAT HE HATH PREPARED FOR HIM THAT WAITETH FOR HIM.

 HE HAS TO BE WAITED FOR. IT IS QUITE TRUE OF HIM THAT HE IS ALWAYS WORKING FOR US; BUT IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT HE IS OFTEN A LONG TIME IN THE WORKING OUT OF HIS PURPOSES.—-BUT HARDLY NEVER HAPPENS OVER-NIGHT.

THEN, BECAUSE MAN CANNOT GET WHAT THEY WANT DONE QUICKLY, THEY FOOLISHLY BEGIN TO THINK GOD CANNOT OR WILL NOT DO IT FOR THEM, THEY FAIL TO SEE GOD’S GOODNESS. SO THE POINT OF IMPRESSION MAY BE: THAT IN ALL THE REVIEWS WE CAN TAKE OF THE PAST: —-GOD HAS SURELY BROUGHT TO PASS GOOD THINGS; EVEN IF IT HAS BEEN LONG IN THE WORKING, IT IS A MATTER OF TRUSTING HIM,  TO DO WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO.

THAT IS HARD FOR US TO COMPREHEND, BECAUSE PEOPLE AROUND US, HAVE PROMISED US THINGS THAT NEVER COME TO PASS, EVEN THOUGH WE WAITED AND WAITED FOR THEM.

ONE SAD EXAMPLE IS, AND ORPHAN WHOSE PARENTS PROMISED TO COME SEE THEM AND TAKE THEM OFF FOR THE DAY. – I KNOW A LITTLE GIRL WHO SAT ALL DAY ON THE ORPHANAGE STEPS, WITH HER LITTLE PURSE, WAITING FOR THAT PARENT WHO NEVER CAME.

IT IS SO EASY FOR US TO THINK ON A REALM LIKE THIS, THAT WAS A NEGATIVE REALITY—-BUT WE HAVE PROMISES FROM OUR GOD THAT HAVE ALREADY COME TO PASS FOR US; BU WE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE MANIFESTATION.

WHAT A LONG TIME OF WAITING AND PREPARATION BEFORE GOD MANIFESTED HIS SON; BUT …IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME…JESUS CAME, TO SAVE THE WORLD.

WE ARE NOW, WAITNG FOR HIS RETURN. WHILE WE ARE WAITING, LET US ALL REMEMBER, THAT WHEN WE SEE JESUS EARTH’S TRIALS WILL SEEM SO SMALL. ONE GLIMPSE OF HIS DEAR FACE, ALL GLORY WILL ERASE. IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL, WHEN WE SEE CHRIST.  

LUKE 12:36,37 – AND YE YOURSELVES LIKE UNTO MEN THAT WAIT FOR THEIR LORD, WHEN HE WILL RETURN FROM THE WEDDING; THAT WHEN HE COMETH AND KNOCKETH, THEY MAY OPEN UNTO HIM IMMEDIATELY.

      BLESSED ARE THOSE SERVANTS, WHOM THE LORD WHEN HE COMETH SHALL FIND WATCHING: VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT HE WILL GIRD HIMSELF, AND MAKE THEM TO SIT DOWN TO MEAT, AND WILL COME FORTH AND SERVE THEM.

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