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Psalm 91:1-4
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress:
my God; in Him will I trust.
Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,
and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with His feathers,
and under His wings shall thou trust :
His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Woman of God, do you feel alone today,
longing for a touch of God in your life?
Today is that day for you.
Today is the day that Lord hath made,
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
He desires that you rejoice and be glad.
No, you can’t change the things going on around you, but God can.
He can also give you the grace and joy you need for the day.
Beloved, begin your day in the secret place of the Almighty,
and you will definitely abide under His shadow.
You will never be alone again. You will never feel forsaken again.
Tell Him how you feel, turn your day over to Him: today and every day.
Don’t waste them with doubts and fears.
You who are not saved, pray this prayer with me and mean in from the heart.
“Jesus, come into my heart and save my soul. Forgive me of all my sins. I desire to serve you. I turn my life over to you. Thank you for saving me, and I ask You to deliver me from all unforgiveness of others and from every other stronghold in my life. I will never be alone again.”
“Thank You, Lord, for saving and delivering me. I am saved!”
If you prayed this prayer with me, I now ask you to take another step and write me at:
LMCI
PO Box 9315
Greenville, SC 29604
Email me: jeanette@lmcigreenville.org
I will write you back.
Welcome to the family of God. You too are now a woman of God.
When you write, I will send you a booklet on the next steps.
Now, let’s go on with our study of the Scriptures.
When we abide under the shadow of the Almighty, we will be able to say
… He is my refuge and my fortress… Nothing will ever come your way that God can’t take care of. He not only wants you to give your troubles to Him, He also wants you to leave them with Him, and not take them back.
God’s presence is the only refuge from trouble.
He alone has your answer.
…in Him will I trust or confide…
Tell Him your situation.
It’s good at times, to confide in people,
But sometimes, woman of God, they will “blab”,
but God will never “blab”.
You can trust Him to silently begin to solve your problems
and give you joy along the way, through them.
Verse 3 says, …Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler…
Do you know that the enemy of our souls, Satan, has a snare or trap for all of us.
As we abide under the shadow of the almighty, He will make us aware of the traps and snares Satan has planed for us, so we can avoid them.
I’ve been told that some of my listening audience is incarcerated.
Well, your body may be locked-up, but your spirit can be free and stay free.
Verse 3 says also …He shall deliver thee from the noisome pestilence…(raging epidemic).
SARS is the most feared epidemic in our society today.
We need not fear. We only need to ask God for protection.
The Prophets foretold the epidemics would come, and wars and rumors of wars.
I feel Jesus’ coming is so soon we can almost feel His breath surround us.
Have you ever watched a mother hen cover her chicks with her feathers?
It is a precious sight to see the little one’s run fast to get under her feathers. She does this when danger is near.
Verse 4 reads …He shall cover thee with His feathers…
Woman of God, when you see trouble coming, don’t run from God,
but run to God. Get snuggled-in under His feathers.
Also in verse 4 it says …and under His wings thou shalt trust…
There is no love greater than a protecting, saving love.
…Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).
We not only have protection from enemies, but so much more than that.
Picture to yourself what the shelter of the wing of the mother-bird is to her young, and it will tell you what the precious promise of our text means to the believer.
It means happy content and comfort.
The soul is happy in God.
Our life is hidden with God.
See how the young brood is hidden under their mother’s wing?
There is a nearness to the heart of God.
The young birds can feel the beat of their mother’s heart.
So the soul of the sheltered one beholds and feels the love of God.
Who can imitate it?
Only through God, can we really, really love.
This is not promised to everybody, but only to those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High.
Those who abide in and are ever trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our time has gone by so fast.
I really enjoy our time together.
Woman of God, Trusting is the key to peace with God. Anything else is far short of what we can have.
“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
And remember, Nothing is impossible with God!
In Mark 5:34, Jesus said unto the woman who had touched His garment, “Daughter thy faith has made thee whole of the plague.”
Jesus stood still to the cries of Bartimaeus. When noone seemed to care Jesus heard the cry of faith. Jesus asked the blindman, “What would you have Me to do unto you?’ Bartimaeus answered, “Lord, that I might receive my sight.” Jesus said, “Go your way, your faith has made you whole.” And immediately, he received his sight and followed Jesus.
Luke 18:1 – Men ought always to pray and not loose heart, or loose their faith.
Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please God. He will reward us with faith if we will seek Him. The Lord responds to faith. Faith releases God’s power.
Pastor Roy
Luke 17:1 – Then said He (Jesus) unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
A fact: It is impossible to live as a Christian and not be offended. The purpose for offences, is to stop God’s purpose.
People don’t mean to offend us; but sometimes they do so because they don’t understand what God is doing in our lives. Sometimes they offend us because they are jealous.
Different reasoning brings offences, but the purpose is to destroy God’s purpose.
Matthew 16:13-18 – When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Phillipi, He asked His disciples, saying,whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.
Peter received divine revelation of who Jesus was, but did not understand the purpose of Jesus.
When Jesus began to explain the purpose of God for His human life, Peter did not understand, which offended Jesus.
Peter, unknowingly, tried to stop the the purpose of the Father through Jesus.
Matthew 16:21-23 – From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee. But He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Personally, I believe that all offences come from the forces of the enemy to stop the purpose of God. People who understand who God is, don’t understand how God is working-out his purpose.
Children of God don’t get offended by lost people. Offences come from other Christians.
We loose the mind-set of God because we are not seeking God, and we get the mind-set of the flesh.
When we have been hurt, we want to retaliate. We get a mind-set (or savourest) the things of men and fall into the purposes of Satan. Then we become the offender, and our actions offend the other little sheep; and in the middle of our crusade to get revenge, we stop or hinder God’s purpose.
His kingdom must be more important than our pride.
I have been an offender, and I have been offended.
There is a cross I must pick up.
Peter wanted Jesus to be the Christ, but he did not want the suffering Christ. He wanted salvation without suffering.
We want salvation without suffering. We want salvation without denying our flesh.
For God’s purpose to come, we must sometimes suffer; and even though we have been offended, we must forgive the offender. If we don’t, we will stop or hinder God’s kingdom purpose and hurt innocent Christians who are bystanders.
Luke 17:1-5 – Then said He unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: bur woe unto him, through whom they come! It was better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him: and if he repent thou shalt forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and turn again to thee sayng, I repent: thou shalt forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
Faith produces obedience, when we choose to obey, the grace of God comes and we can pray with power. Forgiveness is a choice. We make a mental deicision to forgive hurts, trespasses. Jesus is teaching us in the next verse to speak to the very root of the problem, again forgiveness is not a feeling but a decision.
If we hold on to offences we either hinder or stop God’s purpose in our lives . We must speak to the tree of unforgiveness, this thing that is trying to grow in our lives.
Praying , and saying, Lord I choose not to receive this offence in my life, I Choose to forgive. I choose blessing and not curses. I refuse to loose my victory. I will not allow unforgiveness to hinder that powerful anointing for His purpose on by life. I will forgive them even if they never ask me to. I speak to every mountain of bitterness that has tried to attach itself to me, Go and be cast into the ocean of forgetfulness, I am free and blessed. Peace and joy will fill my life and the heavens are open to my prayers. Glory to God!
Child of God, please don’t take this as that I am judging, but as I am trying to help someone because I have fallen in this trap before myself.
MANY PEOPLE STRUGGLE FROM HEARING FROM GOD, AND TODAY I BELIEVE YOU WILL BE ENLIGHTENED ON THIS SUBJECT.
GENESIS 8:14 – IS ANYTHING TO HARD FOR THE LORD? AT THE TIME APPOINTED I WILL RETURN UNTO THEE, ACCORDING TO THE TIME OF LIFE, AND SARAH WILL HAVE A SON. GENESIS 21:1,2 – AND THE LORD VISITED SARAH AS HE SAID, AND THE LORD DID UNTO SARAH AS HE HAD SPOKEN. FOR SARAH HAD CONCEIVED AND BARE ABRAHAM A SON IN HIS OLD AGE, AT THE SET TIME OF WHICH GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM.
THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD “APPOINTED” IS, ASSIGNED OR ARRANGED.
HOW MANY OF US HAVE HEARD FROM THE LORD, AND BECAUSE IT DIDN’T HAPPEN WHEN WE THOUGHT IT SHOULD, WE SAID,”MAYBE THIS WAS IN MY MIND; MAYBE I DIDN’T REALLY HEAR FROM GOD.”
THIS IS WHEN DOUBT COMES IN AND FAITH GOES OUT.
II SAMUEL 17:14 —-HERE WE FIND ABSALOM, TRYING TO TAKE OVER DAVID’S KINGDOM; BUT DAVID WAS CHOSEN BY GOD AS KING. AND EVEN THOUGH DAVID IS RUNNING IN THE NATURAL, HE KNOWS HIS APPOINTMENT—-FOR THE LORD HAD APPOINTED TO DEFEAT THE GOOD COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, TO THE INTENT THAT THE LORD MIGHT BRING EVIL UPON ABSALOM.
15:31 – AND ONE TOLD DAVID, SAYING, AHITHOPHEL IS AMONG THE CONSPIRATORS WITH ABSALOM. AND DAVID SAID, O LORD, I PRAY THEE, TURN THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL INTO FOOLISHNESS.
DAVID HAD A REBEL SON, ABSALOM, WHOSE PLAN WAS TO TAKE OVER THE KINGDOM GIVEN TO HIM BY GOD. FOR THE PROMISED SEED TO COME : JESUS, WAS TO COME FROM THE LOINS OF DAVID.
ABSALOM TOOK COUNSEL FROM TWO MEN, BUT HE ACCEPTED THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, ONE OF DAVID’S COUNSELORS WHO JOINED IN THE CONSPIRACY WITH ABSALOM AGAINST DAVID, THE KING.
WHEN SOMEONE TOLD DAVID THAT AHITHOPHEL, HIS OWN ADVISOR, WAS BACKING ABSALOM, DAVID PRAYED, “O LORD, PLEASE MAKE AHITHOPHEL GIVE ABSALOM FOOLISH ADVICE.”
AS SOON AS HE HAD FINISHED PRAYING, AND HAD REACHED THE TOP OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, WHERE PEOPLE WORSHIPPED GOD, DAVID FOUND HUSHAI THE ARCHITE WAITING FOR HIM. BUT DAVID TOLD HIM, “IF YOU GO WITH ME, YOU WILL ONLY BE A BURDEN. RETURN TO JERUSALEM AND TELL ABSALOM, I WILL COUNSEL YOU AS I DID YOUR FATHER. THEN YOU CAN FRUSTRATE AND COUNTER AHITHOPHEL’S ADVICE. SEND WORD BACK TO ME WHAT IS GOING ON.”
SO WHEN DAVID’S FRIEND, HUSHAI, ARRIVED, HE WENT IMMEDIATELY TO SEE ABSALON.
ABSALOM ASKED HIM, “WHY AREN’T YOU WITH DAVID?” AND HE ANSWERED, “BECAUSE I WORK FOR THE MAN WHO IS CHOSEN BY THE LORD AND BY ISRAEL, AND ANY WAY, WHY SHOULDN’T I? I HELPED YOUR FATHER AND NOW I WILL HELP YOU!”
THEN ABSALOM TURNED TO AHITHOPHEL AND ASKED HIM, “WHAT SHALL I DO NEXT?” AHITHOPHEL TOLD HIM, “. GO SLEEP WITH YOUR FATHER’S WIVES, FOR HE HAS LEFT THEM HERE TO KEEP THE HOUSE. THEN ALL ISRAEL WILL KNOW THAT YOU HAVE INSULTED HIM BEYOND RECONCILATION, AND THEY WILL SUPPORT YOU.”
SO ABSALOM DID EVERYTHING AHITHOPHEL TOLD HIM, UNTIL ONE DAY AHITHOPHEL ASKED FOR TWELVE THOUSAND MEN TO GO AFTER DAVID AND KILL HIM WHILE HE WAS DISCOURAGED.”HE AND HIS TROOPS WILL BE THROWN INTO A PANIC AND EVERYONE WILL RUN AWAY,” HE SAID. BUT ABASOLOM ASKED HUSHAI HIS OPINION.
“WELL,” HUSHAI REPLIED, “THIS TIME I THINK AHITHOPHEL IS MISTAKEN. YOU KNOW YOUR FATHER AND HIS MEN; THEY ARE MIGHTY WARRIORS AND ARE PROBABLY AS UPSET AS A MOTHER BEAR WHO HAS BEEN ROBBED OF HER CUBS.
YOUR FATHER IS AN OLD SOLDIER AND ISN’T GOING TO SPEND THE NIGHT AMONG THE TROOPS. HE HAS PROBABLY ALREADY HIDDEN IN SOME PIT OR CAVE. WHEN HE COMES OUT AND ATTACKS AND SOME OF YOUR MEN FALL, THERE WILL BE PANIC AMONG YOUR TROOPS AND EVERYONE WILL START SHOUTING THAT YOUR MEN ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED. THEN, EVEN THE BRAVEST OF THEM WILL BE PARALIZED WITH FEAR, BECAUSE ALL ISRAEL KNOWS WHAT A MIGHTY MAN YOUR FATHER IS AND HOW COURAGOUS HIS SOLDIERS ARE.’
“I SUGGEST YOU MOBILIZE THE ENTIRE ARMY OF ISRAEL. AND I THINK YOU SHOULD PERSONALLY LEAD THE TROOPS. THEN, WHEN WE FIND HIM, WE CAN DESTROY HIS ENTIRE ARMY, SO THAT NO ONE IS LEFT ALIVE.”
THEN ABSALOM AND ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL SAID, HUSHAI’S IS BETTER THAN AHITHOPHEL’S.” FOR THE LORD HAD APPOINTED TO DEFEAT THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, WHICH REALLY WAS THE BETTER PLAN; SO HE COUD BRING DISASTER UPON ABSALOM. —-AND HE DID.
WHEN GOD GIVES US A WORD, THAT HE IS GOING TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE, IT IS BEST FOR US TO KEEP OUR MOUTHS SHUT UNTIL THE APPOINTED TIME, AS WAS IN THE LIFE OF ZACHARIAS AND ELIZABETH (LUKE 1). THE ANGEL TOLD HIM WHILE HE WAS DOING HIS SERVICE TO GOD IN THE TEMPLE, THAT HIS WIFE, ELIZABETH, WOULD HAVE A SON NAMED JOHN. BECAUSE OF ZACHARIAS’ UNBELIEF THE ANGEL STRUCK HIM DUMB UNTIL THE APPOINTED TIME.
WHEN GOD DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING, HE HAS A PURPOSE AND A PLAN HOW HE WANTS IT CARRIED-OUT.
THE BEST THING WE CAN DO, IS WAIT IT OUT UNTIL IT COMES TO PASS. IT IS VERY EASY FOR US TO GET INTO UNBELIEF. WHEN WE GET TIRED OF WAITING, WE CAN BRING AN ISHMAEL INTO OUR LIVES, AS DID ABRAHAM AND SARAH. THEN WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE ACTIONS THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
WHEN THE PROMISE DOES COME, WE FIND WE CAN ENJOY IT LIKE GOD PLANNED IN THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO ISHMAELS TO DEAL WITH.
WHEN WE BEGIN TO QUESTION GOD—-WE SHOULD BE SAYING, “GOD, I TRUST YOU WITH JUST THE RIGHT TIMING, AND I TRUST YOU WITH WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND ME.”
IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER, ESTHER’S UNCLE, MORDECAI HAD TOLD HER. “NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO ACT. NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO REVEAL YOURSELF.”
ESTHER 4:14 – FOR IF THOU ALTOGETHER HOLDEST THY PEACE AT THIS TIME, THEN SHALL THEIR ENLARGEMENT (OR HELP) AND DELIVERANCE COME FROM ANOTHER PLACE; BUT THOU AND THY FATHER’S HOUSE SHALL BE DESTROYED: AND WHO KNOWETH WHETHER THOU ART COME TO THE KINGDOM FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS?
BY MAKING HER MOVE AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, SHE DESTROYED ALL THE ENEMIES PLANS.
SLEEP IS IMPORTANT TO OUR DAILY HEALTH.
OUR BODIES CAN GO JUST SO MANY HOURS WITHOUT IT, THEN MAJOR PARTS OF OUR BODIES BEGIN TO BE FATIGUED AND OR EMOTIONS BECOME ALL OUT OF SORTS; WE CAN’T THINK CLEARLY, AND OTHERS AROUND US ARE AFFECTED.
IT WAS EASIER FOR US TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S REST WHEN OUR EMPLOYMENT WAS FARMING AND PHYSICAL LABOR; BUT NOW, WE ARE BOMBARDED WITH MUCH MENTAL STRESS: ON THE JOB AND AT HOME. WE HAVE MACHINERY AND ALL KINDS OF APPLIANCES NOW, THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE OUR WORK EASIER BUT WE JUST SEEM TO “ADD-IT-ON” INSTEAD OF REST WHILE WE CAN.
SOME YEARS BACK, I HAD AN ILLNESS, THAT REQUIRED MUCH REST AND SLEEP. I QUICKLY NOTICED HOW THE NAPS I WAS TAKING WERE HEALING. IWAS WEARING OUT MY BODY AND WAS ALL STRESSED-OUT.
SLEEP IS DEFINED AS A STATE OF COMPLETE OR PARTIAL UNCONSCIOUSNESS.
IN THE SCRIPTURES, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 21 REFERENCES, AND MAYBE MORE, REFERRING TO SLEEP OR THE LACK OF IT.
SLEEP IS DESCRIBED AS SLUMBER IN PROVERBS 6:4,10. PROVERBS 3:24, IT IS DESCRIBED AS SWEET – WHEN THOU LIEST DOWN, THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID: YEA, THOU SHALT LIE DOWN, AND THY SLEEP SHALL BE SWEET. HERE, IT SAYS…THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID…
SO WE MUST ASSUME, FEAR KEEPS SOME FROM HAVING SWEET SLEEP.
VERSE 25 – BE NOT AFFRAID OF SUDDEN FEAR , NEITHER OF THE DESOLATION OF THE WICKED, WHEN IT COMETH; AND VERSE 26 READS – FOR THE LORD SHALL BE THY CONFIDENCE, AND SHALL KEEP THY FOOT FROM BEING TAKEN.
MANY PEOPLE ARE PARALIZED WITH FEAR, AND FEAR BRINGS WITH IT TORMENT. WE ARE TOLD IN THE BIBLE, THAT FEAR IS A SPIRIT; IT IS A HARASSING DEMON THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM BEING AT PEACE SO THEY CAN’T ENJOY A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP.
SOMETIMES GOD USES THE LACK OF SLEEP FOR HIS PURPOSE: IN DANIEL 8:18, DANIEL WAS GIVEN A PROPHETIC VISION IN HIS SLEEP: – NOW AS HE WAS SPEAKING WITH ME, I WAS IN A DEEP SLEEP ON MY FACE TOWARD THE GROUND: BUT HE TOUCHED ME ND SET ME UPRIGHT ( OR MADE ME STAND UP).
IN DANIEL 2:1, WE SEE WHERE THE INABILITY TO SLEEP IS CAUSED BY WORRY – NEBUCHADNEZZAR DREAMED DREAMS…WHEREIN HIS SPIRIT WAS TROUBLED, AND SLEEP BROKE FROM HIM (HE COULD NOT SLEEP). WORRY CAN CAUSE ANY OF US TO HAVE INSOMNIA. IN ESTHER 6:1, THE KING COULD NOT SLEEP BECAUSE GOD WANTED HIM TO READ THE BOOK OF CHRONICLES.
INTERCESSORS AND MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL, CAN’T SLEEP BECAUSE GOD HAS A PURPOSE IN MIND: MOSTLY, SO THEY CAN PRAY AND INTERCEDE ABOUT SOMETHING OR FOR SOMEONE.
PETER WAS FAST ASLEEP IN A PRISON (DUNGEON). JAMES HAD ALREADY BEEN BEHEADED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE GOSPEL, AND PETER WAS NEXT IN LINE: ACTS 12:1-11 – NOW ABOUT THAT TIME HEROD THE KING, STRETCHED FORTH HIS HANDS TO VEX CERTAIN OF THE CHURCH. AND HE KILLED JAMES THE BROTHER OF JOHN WITH THE SWORD. AND BECAUSE HE SAW IT PLEASED THE JEWS, HE PROCEEDED FURTHER TO TAKE PETER ALSO. (THEN WERE THE DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD). AND WHEN HE HAD APPREHENDED HIM , HE PUT HIM IN PRISON, AND DELIVERED HIM TO FOUR QUATERNIONS OF SOLDIERS TO KEEP HIM; INTENDING AFTER EASTER (PASSOVER) TO BRING HIM FORTH TO THE PEOPLE. PETER THEREFORE WAS KEPT IN PRISON; BUT PRAYER WAS MADE WITHOUT CEASING OF THE CHURCH UNTO GOD FOR HIM. AND WHEN HEROD WOULD HAVE BROUGHT HIM FORTH, THE SAME NIGHT PETER WAS SLEEPING BETWEEN TWO SOLDIERS BOUND WITH TWO CHAINS: AND THE KEEPERS BEFORE THE DOOR KEPT THE PRISON.
AND BEHOLD, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME UPON HIM, AND A LIGHT SHINED IN THE PRISON: AND HE SMOTE PETER ON THE SIDE, AND RAISED HIM UP, SAYING, ARISE UP QUICKLY. AND HIS CHAINS FELL OFF FROM HIS HANDS. AND THE ANGEL SAID UNTO HIM, GIRD THYSELF, AND BIND ON THY SANDELS. AND SO HE DID. AND HE SAITH UNTO HIM, CAST THY GARMENT ABOUT THEE, AND FOLLOW ME. AND HE WENT OUT, AND FOLLOWED HIM; AND WIST NOT THAT IT WAS TRUE WHICH WAS DONE BY THE ANGEL; BUT THOUGHT HE SAW A VISION. WHEN THEY WERE PAST THE FIRST AND SECOND WARD THEY CAME UNTO THE IRON GATE THAT LEADETH INTO THE CITY; WHICH OPENED TO THEM OF HIS OWN ACCORD. AND THEY WENT OUT, AND PASSED ON THROUGH THE STREET; AND FORTHWITH THE ANGEL DEPARTED FROM HIM. AND WHEN PETER WAS COME TO HIMSELF, HE SAID, NOW I KNOW OF A SURETY, THAT THE LORD SENT HIS ANGEL, AND HATH DELIVERED ME OUT OF THE HAND OF HEROD, AND FROM ALL THE EXPECTATION OF THE JEWS.
THIS WAS A TRYING TIME IN OUR HISTORY WHERE THE CHURCH WAS GOING THROUGH HARASSMENT AND PERSECUTION. WE FIND PETER FAST ASLEEP IN A PRISON.
BECAUSE HEROD, THE KING, SAW HOW IT PLEASED THE JEWS TO WATCH JAMES BE KILLED BY THE SWORD, THAT HE DECIDED PETER WOULD BE NEXT: AFTER THE PASSOVER.
SOMETIMES WE FIND IT HARD TO SLEEP AFTER WE HAVE PASSED THROUGH A TRIAL DURING THE DAY OR WE ATE PIZZA LATE IN THE EVENING.
THIS STORY OF PETER AMAZES ME BECAUSE PETER KNEW WHAT WAS TO TAKE PLACE THE NEXT MORNING, YET WE FIND HIM THE NIGHT BEFORE WHE WAS TO BE EXECUTED, AN A DEEP SLEEP, CHAINED BETWEEN TWO SOLDIERS, AND GUARDED WELL.
HEROD’S GREAT DESIRE TO PLEASE THE PEOPLE BY GIFTS AND SHOWS OF BLOOD TO WIN THEIR FAVER, HAD BEEN FOILED. HE WAS PLANNING TO BRING PETER UP ONTO A STAGE OR SOME HIGH GROUND WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE COULD SEE HIM CONDEMNED WHICH WOULD BE AS GOOD THEM AS A GLADIATORIAL SLAUGHTER TO A ROMAN AUDIENCE.
THIS IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION WAS JUST THE RIGHT TIMING FOR A MIRACULOUS EVEN IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. WHEN THE BATTLE SEEMS THE HOTTEST, THE VICTORY IS USUALLY THE SWEETEST.
SUDDENLY, THE LIGHT SHOWN IN THE PRISON! THE ANGEL HAD TO AWAKE PETER OUT OF A VERY DEEP SLEEP AND RESCUE HIM AS THE SOLDIERS SLEPT ON DUTY. THIS, BY THE WAY, IS AN UNFORGIVABLE ACTION OF A SOLDIER. THIS WAS HIS DEATH WARRENT.
WHY DID PETER HAVE SUCH A CALM DEEP SLEEP ON THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS INTENDED DEATH? BECAUSE HE KNEW HE WAS IN THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD, AND KNEW IT EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A BATTLE GOING ON FOR HIS LIFE. PETER LIVED WHAT HE TAUGHT THE CHURCH.
WE LEARN SWEET SLEEP AND REST FROM THESE GREAT SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS; BUT THERE IS ONE MORE WAY WE LEARN: AND THAT IS THROUGH EXPERIENCING GOD’S PROMISES THROUGH OUR BEING TESTED.
LAST NIGHT I WAS STUNG IN THREE PLACES ON MY BODY BY A SCORPION IN BED DURING MY SLEEP. THE LAST TWO STINGS CAUSED ME TO JUMP OUT OF BED AND TURN ON THE LIGHT. THERE HE WAS, A BROWN SCORPION, READY TO STING AGAIN. MY HUSBAND SOON CAPTURED MY LITTLE ENEMY, AND I WENT BACK TO BED, AFTER CHECKING FOR MORE OF HIS LITTLE SCORPION FRIENDS. —-DID THIS KEEP ME AWAKE? NO! —-I WENT BACK TO SLEEP, LEAVING MYSELF IN THE HANDS OF THE ONE WHO IS FAITHFUL: MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
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.
