Tag: pray

Articles, Roy Porter, Roy Porter, Services

YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER

| Roy

ACTS 1:8 – BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME BOTH IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA, AND IN SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH.

THE NEW BIRTH IS A WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

JESUS SAID IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN – JOHN 14:17 –  EVEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH; WHOM THE WORLD CANNOT RECEIVE, BECAUSE IT SEETH HIM NOT, NEITHER KNOWETH HIM: BUT YE KNOW HIM: FOR HE DWELLETH WITH YOU, AND SHALL BE IN YOU.

THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS WITH THE DISCIPLES, BUT AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS, HE CAME INSIDE THEM, AND AT PENTECOST HE CAME UPON THEM WITH POWER.

THE BIBLE TEACHES US, AT THE NEW BIRTH, THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN US. WE CAN SEEK THE LORD AND AND GET FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT WE CAN GO A STEP FURTHER AND BE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

POWER FROM ON HIGH.

WE DON’T CHOOSE OUR MINISTRY, BUT WE DO CHOOSE THE LEVEL OF ANOINTING WE WALK IN.

IN THE BOOK OF LUKE, CHAPTER ELEVEN, VERSE THIRTEEN, JESUS TAUGHT US TO ASK FOR MORE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE CAN HAVE ALL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WE DESIRE. IF WE WILL ASK, SEEK AND KNOCK. PENTECOST WILL COME UPON YOU WITH POWER. JESUS SAID IF ANY MAN THIRST LET HIM COME UNTO HIM AND DRINK, AND OUT OF YOU INNERMOST BEING WILL FLOW A RIVER OF POWER AND BLESSING.

Share
Articles, Roy Porter

THE WICKED JUDGE/THE FAITHFILLED WOMAN

| Roy

LUKE 18:1-8   AND HE SPAKE A PARABLE UNTO THEM TO THIS END, THAT MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY, AND NOT TO FAINT.

SAYING, THERE WAS IN A CITY A JUDGE, WHICH FEARED NOT GOD, NEITHER REGARDED MAN:

AND THERE WAS A WIDOW IN THAT CITY; AND SHE CAME UNTO HIM,SAYING, AVENGE ME OF MINE ADVERSARY.

AND HE WOULD NOT FOR A WHILE: BUT AFTERWARD HE SAID WITHIN HIMSELF, THOUGH I FEAR NOT GOD, NOR REGARD MAN:

YET BECAUSE THIS WIDOW TROUBLETH ME, I WILL AVENGE HER, LEST BY HER CONTINUAL COMING SHE WEARY ME.

AND THE LORD SAID, HEAR WHAT THE UNJUST JUDGE SAITH.

AND SHALL NOT GOD AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT, WHICH CRY DAY AND NIGHT UNTO HIM, THOUGH HE BEAR LONG WITH THEM?

I TELL YOU THAT HE WILL AVENGE THEM SPEEDILY. NEVERTHELESS WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMETH, SHALL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH.

WE CAN SEE SEE THE CHARACTERICS OF THIS WOMAN OF FAITH, THAT REWARDS HER WITH WHAT SHE DESIRES.

SHE PRAYS WITH FAITH AND COURAGE AND DOESNT FAINT.

FAINT, GREEK WORD EKKAKEO – SHE DOESNT TURN OUT TO BE A COWARD, SHE DOESNT LOSE HER COURAGE,SHE DIDNT FAINT, WHEN SHE KEPT HEARING NO, NO, NO, NO.

THE TRAIL DIDNT STOP HER, EVERY ONE KNEW THE REPUTATION OF THIS JUDGE, BUT SHE DIDNT GROW WEARY.

SHE WAS BOLD IN HER ASKING, ASKING, ASKING AND ASKING.

SHE KNEW IN THE PROCESS, SHE WOULD FIND A YES IN ALL THOSE NO’S.

SHE KNEW THIS WAS A WICKED JUDGE, BUT HER WILL WAS STRONGER THAT HIS.

SHE MADE THE ONE THAT WAS TRYING TO WEAR HER DOWN, SUBMIT TO HER REQUEST.

NOW JESUS SAID YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS NOT LIKE THIS WICKED JUDGE, HE IS JUST AND WILL AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT, THOUGH HE BEAR LONG WITH THEM WHICH CRY DAY AND NIGHT, WHEN HE BRINGS JUSTICE TO THEIR CRY IT WILL BE SPEEDILY.

ELECT MEANS CHOSEN, A COVENANT PEOPLE, A PEOPLE WHO BY CHOICE ACCEPTED MY COVENANT. KINGDOM CHILDREN, MY PEOPLE, WITH LEGAL RIGHTS TO MY PROMISES.

IN THIS PARABLE, JESUS PICTURES A WIDOW WOMAN WHO PRESENTED A LEGAL CASE TO THIS JUDGE.

FOR JUSTICE TO BE DONE, IT MUST BE ON LEGAL TERMS OR LEGAL GROUND. COVENANT PROMISES MUST BE FOUND, AND PRESENTED TO THE JUDGE.

1 JOHN 5:14,15  AND THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE IN HIM, THAT, IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, HE HEARETH US.

AND WE KNOW THAT HE HEAR US, WHATSOEVER WE ASK, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE PETITIONS THAT WE DESIRED OF HIM.

HIS WILL IS HIS WORD, CONFIRMED TO US BY REVELATION, BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE LOGOS MADE RHEMA

WE MEDIATE, WE RELEASE OUR FAITH, WE BELIEVE, WE CONTINUE TO PRAY THE WORD.

THIS WOMAN KNEW HER GIVEN RIGHTS.

THIS WOMAN HAD PATIENCE.

THIS WOMAN HAD THE COURAGE TO NEVER QUIT.

THIS WOMAN KNEW THERE WAS A YES AND AMEN FOR HER.

THIS WOMAN WAS FAITH DRIVEN.

THE LORD SEARCHES THE EARTH TO FIND FAITH.

IF THOU CANST BELIEVE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM THAT BELIEVETH.

 

Share
Articles, Jeanette Porter

BITTERNESS

| Jeanette

PROVERBS 14:10 – THE HEART KNOWETH HIS OWN BITTERNESS; AND A STRANGER DOTH NOT INTERMEDDLE WITH HIS JOY.

BITTERNESS IS DEFINED AS ANGER, DISCONTENTMENT, HEAVINESS, CHAFE. CHAFE MEANS ANNOYED, IRRITATED.

EPHESIANS 4:31,32 – LET ALL BITTERNESS, AND WRATH, AND ANGER, AND CLAMOR, AND EVIL SPEAKING, BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU, WITH ALL MALICE: AND BE YE KIND ONE TO ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS GOD FOR CHRIST’S SAKE HATH FORGIVEN YOU.

SO IT SEEMS, IN THESE VERSES, BITTERNESS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH UNFORGIVENESS.

IT IS STANGE TO ME THAT A WOMAN LIKE HANNAH COULD BE STRUGGLING WITH BITTERNESS:

I SAMUEL 1:10 – AND SHE WAS IN BITTERNESS OF SOUL, AND PRAYED UNTO THE LORD, AND WEPT SORE.

IF YOU RUN A WORD SEARCH, YOU WILL FIND THIS BITTERNESS IN HANNAH WAS THE SAME KIND OF BITTERNESS SCORNED IN EPHESIANS 4:31.

TO FIND OUT WHY HANNAH WAS BITTER, WE HAVE TO READ I SAMUEL 1:2-8 – AND HE (ELKANAH)  HAD TWO WIVES; THE NAME OF THE ONE WAS HANNAH, AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER WAS PENINNAH: AND PENINNAH HAD CHILDREN BUT HANNAH HAD NO CHILDREN. 

AND THIS MAN WENT UP OUT OF HIS CITY YEARLY TO WORSHIP AND TO SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD OF HOSTS IN SHILOH.

AND WHEN THE TIME WAS THAT  ELKANAH, OFFERED (WENT TO WORSHIP), HE GAVE PENINNAH HIS WIFE, AND TO ALL HER SONS AND DAUGHTERS, PORTIONS:

BUT TO HANNAH HE GAVE A WORTHY PORTION (WE COULD SAY A DOUBLE PORTION); FOR HE LOVED HANNAH: BUT THE LORD HAD SHUT UP HER WOMB.

AND HER ADVERSARY ALSO PROVOKED HER SORE (TORMENTED HER), FOR TO MAKE HER FRET, BECAUSE THE LORD HAD SHUT UP HER WOMB.

AND SHE DID SO YEAR BY YEAR, WHEN SHE WENT UP TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, SO SHE (PENINNAH PROVOKED HER); THEREFORE SHE WEPT AND DID NOT EAT.

THEN ELKANAH HER HUSBAND SAID TO HER, HANNAH, WHY WEEPEST THOU? AND WHY EATEST THOU NOT? AND WHY IS THY HEART GRIEVED? AM I NOT BETTER TO THEE THAN TEN SONS?

NEITHER OUR JOYS NOR OUR SORROWS CAN BE WHOLLY SHARED WITH ANOTHER; NO PERSON STANDS IN SUCH INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH US, OR CAN PUT THEMSELVES SO ENTIRELY IN OUR PLACE, AS WE FEEL WHAT WE FEEL.

THERE ARE MANY DARK SPOTS, MANY GRIEFS, OF WHICH OUR BEST FRIENDS KNOW NOTHING; THE SKELETON IS LOCKED IN THE CUPBOARD, SO-TO-SPEAK, AND NO ONE HAS THE KEY BUT WE ALONE.

BUT WE CAN TURN WTH CONFIDENCE TO JESUS WHO KNOWS US BEST, WHO WEPT HUMAN TEARS, AND BORE OUR SORROWS, AND WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE.

HE HAS TAKEN HIS HUMAN EXPERIENCE WITH HIM TO HEVEN. AND WHEN WE TAKE OUR FEELINGS AND HURTS TO THE LORD, AND BEGIN TO FORGIVE AND SURRENDER THAT THING THAT HAS WORKED ITSELF FROM UNFORGIVENESS TO BITTERNESS OF HEART, WHOLLY TO THE LORD, WE FIND JOY THAT, ALSO, NO ONE ELSE CAN SHARE.

HE IS NOT A STRANGER TO “GRIEF TURNED TO JOY.”

THERE IS A SAYING, “NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES SO WELL AS HE THAT WEARS IT;” AND ANOTHER, “TO EVERYONE, HIS OWN CROSS SEEMS HEAVIEST.”

WHEN A PERSON’S MIND IS SENSITIVE IT IS EASILY DEPRESSED BY GRIEF; BUT WHEN IT IS ELATED BY JOY, IT SHOULD RECEIVE IT’S PLEASURE AND RELIEF WITHOUT ARROGANCE AND RUDENESS.

IN CHAPTER I OF Ist SAMUEL, WE FIND HANNAH PRAYING, AND VOWING TO TH LORD IF HE WOULD GIVE HER A SON, SHE WOULD GIVE THE CHILD TO THE LORD ALL HIS LIFE. SHE WAS PRAYING, WITH ONLY HER LIPS MOVING, BUT HER VOICE WAS NOT HEARD.

ELI, WHO THOUGHT SHE WAS INTOXICATED, TOLD HER TO QUIT DRINKING, BUT SHE ANSWERED THAT SHE HAD NEVER DRANK WINE NOR STRONG DRINK; THAT SHE WAS SORROWFUL IN SPIRIT.

SHE TOLD HIM SHE WAS NOT A WICKED WOMAN, BUT THAT SHE WAS POURING OUT HER SOUL BEFORE THE LORD.

ELI RESPONDE BY SAYING, “GO IN PEACE, AND MAY THE LORD OF ISRAEL GRANT YOUR PETITION WHICH YOU HAVE ASKED OF HIM.”

VERSE 20 – HANNAH BECAME PREGNANT AND IN DUE TIME BORE A SON AND NAMED HIM SAMUEL (HEARD OF THE LORD), BECAUSE, SHE SAID, I HAVE ASKED HIM OF THE LORD.

WHEN BITTERNESS SETS IN, IT IS SEEN AS A VIOLATION TO THE WAYS OF GOD, FOR GOD HAD A PLAN AND PURPOSE. 

WHEN IN HER TROUBLE, HANNAH WAS LED TO PRAY FERVENTLY, AND HER PRAYER WAS ANSWERED: GRIEF AND SORROW AND BITTERNESS GAVE PLACE TO REJOICING. THE FAMILY WAS BENEFITTED; AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD WERE GREATLY BLESSED. 

SO IN HIS WONDERFUL WORKING, GOD “TURNED THE CURSE INTO BLESSING”!!

    *Part II coming soon.

 

Share
Articles, Jeanette Porter

WHAT IS YOUR FUTURE?

| Jeanette

Today our message from God is:  

 

WHAT IS YOUR FUTURE?

 

This is the question of the ages.

Our Scripture reading for today is:

       Deuteromony 18:9-14 ,Isaiah 41:21-23,17,18

Future is defined this way = That which is beyond the present.

Many spend millions to find out their future.

Physic hot-lines and fortune tellers are paid thousands upon thousands of dollars each year.

 

Are you seeking to know your future?

Well, believe me, I know Who holds my future.

If these fortune tellers and these Physics know all the answers, why are they still working the phones, and live in houses of menial costs?

 

Have you ever asked yourself this question?

One of the most sought-out physics  gives their report every year of what is going to happen the next year.

Why do they keep missing it, and people still inquire of them?

Good question.

A famous President’s wife consulted a physic for her husband while he was still in the White House.  It was said, after he was shot, she sought the help of a physic before accepting any outside appearances.

The Scriptures are completely against any use of physic powers.

I talked to a palm reader one day and she was so deceived: she told me her powers came from God, and she wanted to help people.

I was not able to get her to understand, God would never give powers to anyone, that would go against His precious Word.

 

The Bible calls them Sorcerers which is defined as supposed possessors of supernatural powers.

They used, what the Bible calls, Divination, which is defined as an attempt to foretell the future by occult (or secret) means.

Divination is an abomination (evil practice) to God.  Look at Deuteronomy 18:9-14 —-When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of these nations.

      There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination (or fortune telling or channeling [interpretation of omens] , or an observer of times (which includes Horoscopes and also, I believe, Almanacs), or an enchanter (magician, wizard, witch ), or a witch (sorceress or enchantress),

      Or a charmer (conjurer or shaman [medicine man, witch doctor]) or a consulter with familiar spirits (these are generational demons, that follow a family from generation to generation, and can give information to the one practicing such powers, so that they can fool the one who is desiring to hear from their dead loved one.  They think they are actually  speaking to their loved one.  To me, this is the sickest of all deceptions of this line, because the people seeking to hear from their loved ones are experiencing grief and loss, and are so venerable to these deceptions.), or a wizard (a seer, diviner, charmer, and the list goes on),  or a necromancer (one who inquires of the dead).

      For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them  doth drive them out from before thee.

     Thou shalt be perfect (entirely obedient, upright, sincere) with the Lord, thy God.  

 

This also includes all secret orders, which are occults. If you don’t believe me look up occult in the dictionary     

 

I want you to know, we can put our future into the hands of our heavenly Father, who knows our past, present and future.  He wipes away all our past when we come to Him, and can reveal to us His future plans that always come to pass.  Only God knows the future.  Listen to this word from the Bible:

Isaiah 41:21-24 —-Produce your cause, saith the Lord; (or Set forth your plans) bring  forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.

      Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the former (or past) things what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end (or the present)of them; or declare us things for to come.

      Show us the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.

      Behold, ye are of nothing (or of no account), and your work of naught (or amounts to nothing): an abomination (detestable) is he that chooseth you.

God is saying, “Let your idols come and show what they can do.  Let them try to tell us what occurred in years gone by, or what the future holds.  If you are gods, tell what will happen in the days ahead!  Or do some mighty miracle that makes us stand amazed.

But no!  You are less than nothing, and can do nothing at all.  Anyone who chooses you needs to have his head examined!”

 

God is unhappy to say the least with His people who have gotten off into idolatry. He was mimicking their idol gods to their face.

Many cultures worship and look to for their future to idol gods that cannot speak or hear. It is sad when people, intelligent people, follow after a deaf and dumb idol god, which is a waste of their time.

They should turn to the risen Lord, Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, and is God, who came in the flesh and died on Calvary for all sinners, who are into any of these occults and witchcraft, thinking themselves so smart, they loose sight of the truth.

Jesus said in John 14:6 —-…I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father,but by Me.

 

Jehovah God is the only True and Living God, who knows and reveals the future.

You might ask, “Has God, the True and Living God, ever told you the future?

Well, I’m glad you asked that question. “Yes, more than once”.

 

I want to share with you one of them:

We go on missions trips twice a year, to different countries.  Most of our trips are to the Dominican Republic.

On one of these trips we became burdened about an Orphanage in San Juan de la Maguana.  There was no water there but a polluted river a few miles up the road from the orphanage.  Most of the time they had to carry containers, on the back of a small truck, to the town of San Juan to get water.  By the time they got back, much of the water was spilled because of the bumpy roads and holes in the road. We began to pray for good water for these children.  You see, they live in the desert area.

One day, as I was praying with a friend at my home, God gave me a verse of Scripture.  I cried as I read it.  I knew that I knew it was God speaking to me.  The Scripture is also found in Isaiah 41. Read it with me. Verses 17 and 18 —-When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

      I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of  water.

 

I shared this with my husband, and he agreed, this was  from God.

We knew we had to drill a well for those orphans.

Later, a couple of godly men we know well, said, Roy it’s time we raised money for that well.

We, along with many of our friends raised  $10,000.00 and shortly after, made our plane reservations to go.  There was one American driller on the Island, who agreed to stop what he was doing in the Capitol and come to San Juan.  God is a God of humor, because He sent with the driller a  geologist  form Purdue University, who was visiting  on the Island.

Before we left home, the Lord spoke to my husband and said, “Don’t speak anything negative about that well, speak positive.”

My husband explained this to the whole group that was going, and all agreed.

 

You should have seen the children, when those big trucks drove up on the grounds.  They were so excited, we had to draw an imaginary line for them not to cross for their own safety. You know how children are.

 

The Geologist told my husband, “You won’ find any water here, the soil is not right”.

Roy told the man to drill anyway, we’ve heard from God, you will find water.

We had hired three men in town who just happened to be walking down the street with picks in their hands. Believe me I have been saved since I was five years old, and I know there are no coincidences in the lives of a Christian, especially those on a mission.

They diggers began to dig a long ditch that would lead from the orphanage to the location where they were drilling.

The well driller told my husband, “You’ll have a nice ditch, but you won’t find any water.”

They drilled 277 feet and the driller told the group to give up.  It was costing $25.00 a foot to drill and they had already gone down farther than they should and ran out of drill rod.

My husband knew what God said, so he asked the man if he had anymore drill rod on the island.  He said, “In Puerta Plata’.

Roy said, “Go get it.” When they came back with the rod our trip schedule was coming close to the end and we were all keeping our mouths shut to keep from saying any thing negative.  My stomach was hurting and I think my husband was close to getting sick. You see, if we didn’t get water, we were going to have to go home and face the people who worked so hard to raise the money, those who gave, and not to mention those, over sixty, little boys.

 

Before they began to drill again, they said they would have to clean out the hole.

I know nothing about drilling a well, so I asked the driller if the water would spew-up like a fountain, like those oil wells in the movies?

He said, “No. That’s only in the movies”.

 

I got out of the way, by this time, the children and others, formed a big circle of prayer and asked God to put water in the hole.

Many of the surrounding villagers heard what was going on, and you know how news travels, so they were gathered around to watch.

 

When they put the thing in with a light on it, they found out the hole had caved-in.  They went down to clean it out, and at about 37 feet, the water began to spew-out, Just like the movies.

I was so excited!

Everyone was cheering and praising God.

And the droller and the Geologist, who was examining soil every so many feet and showing us it was impossible for water to there, were so amazed.

One of them, who was a backslider, said he was going back to Church.  God made a believer out of them.

The word got around the San Juan area, that a group of crazy evangelicals had found water in the desert. 

But we know who holds the future, and we know who holds our hand.

As the old song goes, something like this:

Many things about tomorrow,

I don’t seem to understand.

I just know who holds the future,

And I know, Who holds my hand.

 

Tell me, how can a person, who has seen many miracles, ever fall into the trap of the devil, and get involved in things are not even real?

Every other power, but God’s, is false, and will lead you into a place were there is no peace, and nothing but bondage and a future you will wish you never experienced.

 

Come to Jesus, Repeat this prayer with me.  Mean it in your heart:

Jesus, come into my heart, save my soul. I‘m sorry I had it my way. Please forgive me of my sins.

Now, I want it Your way.  I believe Jesus is the Son of God.  I believe He died for my sins, and rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of God. I accept You, Lord, as my Lord and Savior.

Thank You for saving me.

Now, for those who were involved in demonic practices, repeat this prayer:

Jesus, I denounce all witchcraft in my life. Deliver me from every stronghold. I apply the blood of Jesus over me and my family.

Satan, you have no part of me. I belong to God from this day forth. I speak this with my mouth, and I believe it in my heart.

I love You Jesus.

Now, it is very important for you to get in a Bible believing Church.

Don’t look for a perfect one, you won’t find it.

Read your Bible everyday and make Jesus your best friend.

Talk to God in the name of Jesus.

He will hear You.

 

 

     

 

    

 

Share
Articles, Jeanette Porter

THE FORCES OF EVIL/HOW THEY WORK

| Jeanette

 

Evil began with Satan.  With Adam, sin entered into the world.

Most Christians know this,
but there are things we must understand about our enemy, that keeps us from
being the best we can for God.

Satan uses demons, and shows
up himself, at times,  as we are in the
process of developing  in our
relationship with God.

I don’t mean he can be
everywhere at all times like God, but his demons are dispatched by him to
follow us around, to see if we will open the door for them to enter.

By this, I mean when we get
in the flesh, or look back to the world, we can take a back-step into what we
used to be before salvation, and be tempted to turn back to our old carnal
ways.

 

Why do you think God’s
ministers backslide?

Most of the time, it is
because they get so involved in God’s work,

they don’t make time to
spend with the God they serve.

 

Why do you think so many of
these occult religions get as far as they do?
They pray many times a day to their false god, which opens the door for
Satan to increase their growth, and spread their doctrines of error.

Evil will continue until the
end of the Church age, then it will become more furious during Jacob’s: The
Great Tribulation period of seven years, and will appear again, for a short
time,  at the end of the millennial reign
of Christ.

We as Christians, should
guard against, or be watchmen, confronting
evil.

Surprisingly enough,  sometimes, we as Christians, can be
influenced by Satan, to do his work.

How?

Hearts of
unbelief –  Hebrews 3:12,13 —-Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of
unbelief, in departing from the Living God.

But exhort one another daily, while
it is called today; lest any of

you be hardened through the deceitfulness
of sin.

 

Some begin to wander off
from the work of God, and God Himself, when the fiery trials come.  They might get criticized for they way we do
things, and become despondent and loose
their vision, instead of turning it over to God.

Fear could arise, and they
might never start what God has called them to do.  I have even seen people who are called to do
something, but try to influence someone else to do it, so they can be a part of
it, and they won’t have that responsibility on themselves.  It never works, and the other person becomes
troubled and out of place, and ultimately out of the will of God.  It won’t stand the test.

 

On the other hand, in the
body of Christ, we are commissioned to submit to authority.  A person who is called to do a work,  has authority over others under them.  From the pastor, all the way down, we have to
submit to someone.

Every ministry that is
involved with a Church, has the responsibility of answering to the
leadership.  If we can’t learn to follow,
we will never be successful  leaders.

Moses had a problem like
this, but God quickly handled the problem; but people’s lives were lost in the
process. (Numbers 16:1-3) – Look at verse 3 —-And they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron, and said
unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy,
every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up
yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?

Or, “Moses and Aaron, What
right do you have to put yourselves forward, claiming that we must obey you,
and acting as though you were greater than anyone else among all these people
of the Lord?

 

Now, look at verse 28,31-33
—-And Moses said, hereby ye shall know
that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of
my own mind.

And it came to pass, as he had made an
end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under
them:

And the earth opened her mouth, and
swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained (or related) unto Korah, and all
their goods.

They, and all that appertained unto
them,  went down alive into the pit, and
the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

And Verse 34 states, All of
the people fled at their screams, fearing that the earth would swallow them up
too.  

 

Have you noticed when people
come against leadership, how their whole family is affected?

They pray and pray, their
loved ones come to Church, get saved, and are growing in the Lord. (which, by
the way in itself, makes Satan and his demons mad) Soon they see
something they question about what the leadership is doing; they call a
family meeting, discuss it, and soon their family drops out of
Church, backslides, and they blame the Church?  I’ve seen this over and over again. —-
Korah and his house were destroyed, as well as those who conspired with them.

The leaders are
responsible for the decisions they make.

It is not up to us to
straighten them out verbally, we are to pray for them.

Also, if you are not wearing
their shoes you have no right to judge them.

God called them to that
position.  Most of the time, they are
following the leadership of the Lord, and they could know something you
don’t know.  

 

When we serve the Lord with
all our hearts, the trials will come to try to stop God’s work.  I have found, through experience, this is
when God is getting ready to do something great in that work.

Stay where you are, pray,
AND DON’T GIVE UP ON THE BRINK OF A MIRACLE.

We can be used unknowingly
in Satan’s plan: which is always trying to stop the work of God.

You wonder why you pray,
pray, pray, and can’t get peace?

Maybe you need to repent and
ask your family to forgive you for getting out of your place. We are not God,
we can’t control people.

 

You might ask me how I know
all this.

Well I’m sorry to say, I was
involved in something like this myself on two occasions of my life.  When I understood, I repented.

But that didn’t keep me from
reaping what I sowed.

People of God, it is important
to me, to instruct you in how  not
to fall into this trap of Satan.

There are no “Lone Rangers”
in the body of Christ, everyone is connected to someone.

 

We should be on guard and
stay out of things that could cause us to be influenced.  How do the forces of evil influence us?

In our
thought life —- 1 Corinthians 13:4,5
—- Charity suffereth long, and is kind;
charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not

easily provoked, thinketh no evil (or we could say, is not ready to

suspect evil).

We see here,
devices that Satan uses, that could cause us to think evil of someone:

1- Lack of
love

2- Lack of
patience

3- Lack of
kindness

4- Envy   (or
jealousy or rivalry)

5- The pushing
of self forward

6- Pride

7-
Inappropriate behavior

8-
Self-seeking

9-
Being easily provoked

10- I call these The Nine Rotten Fruit of Evil.

All of which,
manifest in someone who is ready to think or suspect evil of others.

Believe me,
these are things that should not, but do, operate at times in the body
of Christ.

We are told in
Romans 12:21 to …Be not overcome of evil,
but overcome (or Conquer) evil with
good.

In the very
next chapter, Chapter 13 we are instructed to honor authority.

These are
things the devil doesn’t want us to know that keeps us from being the best
followers of Christ we can be.

 

Evil Forces
Influence Us Through Our Companionships 1 Corinthians
15:33 —-Be not deceived: evil
communications (or companionships)corrupt
good manners.

Have you ever
noticed how, when you get around some people, even in the body of Christ, there
is a spirit of criticism that enters the conversation?

Before we know
it, we enter into the gossip without even meaning too; and we feel so
convicted afterwards; and wonder how we allowed ourselves to get involved.

 

In Proverbs
6:16-19, we are introduced to seven things that are an abomination unto the
Lord, which is called Seven Deadly Sins.

Let’s read it
—-These six things doth the Lord hate;
yea, seven are an abomination unto Him:

a proud
look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart
that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in

running to mischief,

a false
witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord

among the brethren.

Wow! God hates them, and they are an abomination (or loathsome
and wickedness) to him.

The sowing of
discord among the brethren causes more trouble in the Church than sinners or
demons on the outside.

The Church of
Jesus Christ needs revival, and a time of repentance.

 

This evil is
what the world and the Church are guilty of.
We see every day where there is a misuse of money in both.

Does the Word
say money is evil?

No.  Look at 1 Timothy 6:10 —-For the love of money is the root of all evil:  which while some coveted after (or were
greedy about), they have erred (or
turned away) from the faith, and pierced
themselves (to torture one’s soul)
through with many sorrows.

It is the love
of money; that-is the putting of money before God.

God calls
evil, putting money and what you want, before Him and His work.  He calls the love of money the root of all
evil.

Think about
it, what seems to be number one on the mind of the world, and also, I’m ashamed
to say, on the mind of much of the Church?
MONEY!

Money is not evil;
it is used by God to do good for His children and those in need.

It takes
money, to send the Gospel around the world.

It takes money
to live.

But, Church,
our dependency is to be focused on God.
He is the supernatural God who supplies all our needs and also gives us
the desires of our hearts.  Our money may
fail, but God will never fail us.

The apostle
Paul does not condemn the possession of riches: they are only evil where they
are badly used. Neither does he speak against rich men: for he would condemn
such men as Abraham, and Joseph of Armethea who used their wealth
righteously.  He condemns the haste to be
rich.

The rich must
not put their trust in their wealth, but put their trust in God, and their
focus on the treasures that have eternal value.

There is much
more I could go into about The Forces of Evil and How They Work, but time won’t
permit today.

We will stay
away from the evil one, if we set ourselves to live in the Word, and God’s
Spirit. ——–   Until next week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share
Articles, Jeanette Porter

HOW TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD

| Jeanette

Most of us know we can’t hide from God, because He sees and knows all.

He continues to deal with those who run from Him, because it’s not His
will that any should perish.  He will continually, draw them to Himself, but we do
have a will of our own. He will draw us but His desire is, that we come to Him freely. This is why
He gave us a choice.

When we do come to Him, and receive Him as our personal Savior, He then, deals with
us: first, as babies, on milk; and then expects us to grow-up.

When we raise our children, we expect things out of them, but we do have to teach them.  If they don’t grow up properly, we begin to have trouble with them and they can cause us much heart ache.

Well, God has guidelines and rules, similar to the rules we enforce on our children.

We offer our children many advantages.  Most of the time they don’t see that until they grow-up.  This is the samewith God and His children.

Some of our advantages of being God’s children are:

1-
His giving of His only begotten Son’s life for our Eternal life

2-
A personal relationship with Him where we can communicate through prayer, and see our prayers answered

3-
The precious promises in His Word

4-
The way to live a victorious life here

5-
Healing and deliverance

6-
The fruit of the Spirit

7-
We can operate in His gifts

8-
Heaven, when we leave here

9-
We will rule and reign with Him in the future Millennial Reign of Christ

And much, much more.

But, we have a part to play in this, which is the difference in having the favor of God, that
we all want, or we could receive the judgment side of God which brings with it much trouble.

We are always telling our children, when we send them out to play, “Stay out of trouble.”  You got it! —– With God It’s the same. We know if we break the rules, we are in trouble.

Today we are going to learn:
How to stay out of trouble with God:

Many of us have tried to make a deal with God. We say “If You will do this, I will do that.”

This is not how God operates. We have His Word: if we will do this, He will do that.  We’re always trying to ‘get the cart before the horse’ (so to speak).

WE CAN STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD BY BEING OBEDIENT: Our relationship with
God, and our anointing has much to do with our obedience to Him.

Acts 5:29,32
– Then Peter and the other Apostles answered and said,  We ought to obey
God rather than men.

And we are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him.

John 15:10 —- If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.

And

1 John 3:22 —- And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Matthew 7:21 —- Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.

God Word is very clear about how to follow His will—we must trust and obey.

One of my most quoted Scriptures is found in Proverbs 3:5,6 —-
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own
understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He
shall direct thy paths.

We are instructed to trust and obey and leave the rest to Him.

He can cause circumstances around us to change.  All He wants usto do, after trusting and being obedient, is to do good when it is in our power to do so; but the most important of all requirements, is to spend
time with Him each day.

SEEKING THE LORD CAN KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD:

This is where we get direction, and are refreshed by His presence.

How can we know what He desires of us, unless we have a relationship with Him?

Seeking Him, by spending time with Him, and praising and worshipping Him, brings relationship.

It can keep us out of trouble, even though, most of our trouble, is brought-on by our decision
to ‘do it our way’.

Acts 17:27 — That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far away from every one of us.

2 Chronicles 15:2 — The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you.

Lamentations 3:25 — The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.

And

Ezra 8:22 — The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath is against all that forsake Him.

WE CAN STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD IF WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT AND NOT THE FLESH:

Romans 8:12,13 —- Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Or we could say, we are not obligated to our carnal or old sinful nature, to do what it begs us to do.

Verse 13 — For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body (that is die to self), ye shall live.

Let’s explain it this way.  If you keep on following theold sinful nature, you are lost and you will perish, but
if through the power of the Holy Spirit you crush it and it’s evil deeds, you shall live.

You might say, ”This is hard to do”.  Well, — I can tell you, it can be done, with the help of Jesus Christ.  Ask the Lord to help you.

Look at Titus 2:11,12 —- For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

WE CAN STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD IF WE TAKE THE WALK OF LOVE:

1-

Brotherly love

2-
Loving God

Let’s start with brotherly love:

There are probably many words that are the opposite to the word love, but the most prominent is hate.

There are others that could describe the lack of brotherly love, like despise, judgmental, unforgiveness,
and the list goes on.  I ‘m sure you could think of others right-off, and you would be right, but this will do for
now.

1 John 2:10, describes those
who love their brother (talking about other believers), as abiding in the
light. — He that loveth his brother
abith in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling (or error) in him.

1 John 4: 7,8 —- Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love.

E M Bounds, on prayer, says,
“By prayer, the ability is secured to feel the law of love, to speak according to the law of love, and to do everything in harmony with the law of love.”

We need divine aid to act brotherly.

Jesus, our perfect example, was and is a devoted friend.  He gave His life willingly that we might live.  He
gave us Eternal life.

We need to judge our love walk.

JUDGING OURSELVES CAN KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE WITH GOD:

Corinthians 11:30,31,32 —- For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (or are dead).

For if we judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

But  when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be
condemned with the world.

To judge self, is when  the believer sees self as God sees him.  He will renounce or forsake self.
It is replacing the self life with the Christ life.

To judge self is to deny self.  This is more than self-denial.  Self-denial is denying one’s self of the gratification or enjoyment of the flesh.  If we practice self-denial only, it is treating the symptom and not the cause.
But when we judge self, we are attacking the cause.

*To judge self, is to lose the self-life and find the Christ-life:

Galatians 2:20 — I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

*To judge self, is to no longer be self-conscious, but to become Christ conscious:

Matthew 28:20 — Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:and, lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. Amen.

*To judge self, is to no longer be self controlled, but become Christ controlled:

Acts 9:6 — And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me do?
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told
thee what thou must do.

*To judge self, is to no longer practice self-esteem, but to esteem others better than self:

Philippians 2:3 — Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

*To judge self, is to become selfless or unselfish.

We are to search-out our lives, to see if there be any wicked way in us, and get rid of it, by askingGod to cleanse or take it out of us, so we can stay out of trouble with God and be a part of that Church without spot or wrinkle.

Share
Articles, Jeanette Porter

THE LIFE GIVER

| Jeanette

 Nowhere in the Bible do we find where Jesus came to bring death. Everywhere He went, He brought life. He is the access to the Father, the only access. He raised the dead.  He gave eternal life through His death. 

In John 10:9-11 Jesus said,  –

      I am the door; (or I am the access to the Father) by Me if any man enter in, He shall be saved and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  

      The thief cometh not, but for to steal and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

      I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.

Jesus is the door to the sheepfold.

He is the way of life. 

Who would shut-up the way of life, to live the way of the world?

We are in this world, but not of this world.

By Him, we have eternal life, but we can also move about on this earth, living in two worlds (heaven and earth), freely, with His guidance, without fear of the enemy.

Why?  Because He watches over us.

He is our Shepherd; the Good Shepherd.  He watches  over us individually, with tender care, and self sacrificing love.

The Shepherd died, that we might live.

 

 Also, our Shepherd knows when it is time for us to go home to heaven.

At that time, He will call us.  But before that, He will prepare us for our journey.

Many are afraid of death.  They walk around in fear of the unknown.

We, as children of God, are to have life each day and not dread and fear of death.

For, Jesus came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly:  More than we can possibly use.  Abundant supply.

Those who receive life from Him, have within them, continual sources of life for others.

We witness: they get saved: they witness: others get saved; and it goes on…

Those in their graves, who are dead in Christ, will know life again. This is our Blessed Hope.

1 Thessalonians 5:14, 16-18 —-For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (or die) in Jesus will God bring with Him.   

       For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

      Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

      Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 Part of our abundant life in Him, is to know these things, this great promise of being able to be with our loved ones, when the end of this age comes, who died in-Christ.

Every day, I go to Greenville from my house, I have to pass by my Daddy’s grave.  I have the peace of knowing his soul and spirit are not in that grave, but are with Jesus.  Only his body is left there, but it will be resurrected on that day of the Rapture, and if I am passing by that way  at the time his body leaves that grave, I can watch it come up and meet the Lord in the air with My Daddy.

To me, it’s as though he is on a trip and will soon return to me.

Woman of God, it is an abundant life when we know that we know we are ready to meet the Lord, should He come today.

Sinner, don’t be left behind. Trust Him today to care for you as your good shepherd.

Jesus loves you; He gave His life for you.  You are not really living until you put your life in His hands.  I’ve heard people say, “I’m not ready, I am still young.  I want to live my life they way I choose.”

What are you giving up to invite Him into you life?  I’ll tell you.  You are giving up eternal torment and destruction for eternal life;  You are giving up hell for heaven; you are giving up the lordship of Satan, for the Lordship of Jesus Christ;  you are giving up no peace for the “Prince of Peace.

Some women tell me they are afraid their boyfriend or husband will get mad or even leave them if they ask Jesus into  their lives.  Would you sell your soul to the devil for someone who wants you to go to hell, and to be eternally separated from God?  He doesn’t love you, he loves himself, he loves the sin you share with him.  He is just like the devil, when he gets through with you, he will laugh at you.   This might seem harsh , but believe me, I have seen too much of it.

We can decide to serve God and live according to His standards, or we can set our own standards and live outside His blessings.

The choice is ours.

Proverbs 8:36 —But he that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul: all that hate Me love death.

Romans 6:23 —For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is coming a time when all this will be played back in your mind computer.  You will remember when you were witnessed to about your soul’s destination.  Their is only one way you can be born again, saved from destruction:

For you who did not pray that prayer with me,

Invite Jesus into your heart now,  don’t live another day without Him, there is no promise of another chance.

God is righteous and demands full obedience from His creation.  He will not tolerate unrighteousness, and designed hell to eternally house those who are not willing to submit their lives to Him.

There is no other way to the Father but through Jesus.

Jesus said in John 14:6 … I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh to the Father, but by Me.

Jesus is Life.  He is still giving life.

      John 3:16 — For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Think about it.  Everlasting life.

Look at verse 17,18 —-For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

      He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God

Pray this prayer with me, and receive Jesus, by faith, as your Lord and savior:

Jesus, come into my life, and save me.  I am sorry for my sin, I repent of my sin. I am tired of trying to live my life, my way. I give my life to You.

Deliver me from every stronghold of bondage. In Jesus name I pray.

Thank You for saving me.

bondage, 

We have already seen where Jesus Christ is life, conqueror over death, and the only way to the Father.

There are also special promises from God for those who serve Him:

      Eternal life

      Peace

      Joy

      Abundant life

      Heaven

      Escape from hell

There is a great contrast between heaven and hell, and both are real places: one to joy and one to darkness with no hope.

Choose the life giver.

 

Share
Articles, Jeanette Porter

JEALOUSY AND RIVALRY

| Jeanette

JEALOUSY AND RIVALRY

I would like to thank my heavenly Father for making this ministry possible, and giving me the grace to follow Him. 
Our Scripture reading is found in Genesis Chapter 37, and Ephesians 5:28-33.

When we think of jealousy and rivalry, our minds go back to times in our lives when we have seen this in action.  Could be, our actions, or the actions of others around us, or it could be what we hear from the media; but wherever we hear it, or experience it, we know it is rampant on this globe.

It is very important we know what the Bible has to say about it, so we can avoid it.

Jealousy means:  Possessiveness, resentfulness, morbid suspicion, mistrust, and flaming anger.
Rivalry means: Competition, opposing, striving to win, struggle to surpass, contest, battle of wills.

Wow!

You might say, “I read in the Bible where it says, God is a jealous God.”
You’re right.  We are going there first.
Exodus 20:5,6 —-Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them (referring to idols),nor serve them: For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third  and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
      and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.
God said it. I am a jealous God.
God will not give His glory to another.
He will not tolerate a rival near His throne.
He is not jealous as the Greeks thought;  of mere success, or greatness; but He is very jealous of His own honor, and will not have the respect and reverence which is due to Him, given to other beings or objects.

What about family ?
There has always been jealousy and rivalry in the family:
Marital
Siblings
Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law
and so on —-

There has always been jealousy and rivalry in the Church family
And jealousy and rivalry in the work place.
But God wants us to get above that and come out to freedom from this torment, because …jealousy has torment… attached to it.

Let’s look at a family situation in Genesis 37:4,11,18,28,31-32,35, where jealousy between brothers causes much pain to the family.
Our story begins when Joseph was only seventeen years old.
He was shepherding the flock with his brothers, and brought his father a bad report on them. (verse 2)
Jacob loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age and made him a coat of many colors. (verse 3)
4-  And when his brethren saw that their father loved him  more than all his brethren, they hated him and could not speak peaecably to him.
5-  And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren (brothers): and they hated him yet the more.
He had dreamed they had bowed down in respect to him. (verse 7)
This caused them to hate him more. (verse 8)
In verse 9 and 10, he dreamed another dream, and told it to his brothers and his father. But his father rebuked him and said to him, What is the meaning of this dream that you have dreamed?  Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow down ourselves to the earth and do homage to you?
 Verse 11 —- Joseph’s brothers envied him ; but his father observed the saying (his father took notice of the saying and pondered over it) 
Although Joseph was seemingly trying to do the right thing, and his brothers were doing evil things, it seems to me these kinds of dreams should have been kept in his heart, and not shared with his brothers.
We see here to, his father did correct him when he needed it.
In our day and time we would call this a dysfunctional family, because the other brothers were the sons of two other wives. (verse 2)
Joseph was their half brother.

One day, when the brothers were feeding and shepherding their father’s flock; Israel told Joseph, “Go see whether or not everything is all right with your brothers and with the flock, and report back to me”. (14)
     18 – And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
And they said to each other, “Here comes this dreamer, and master of dreams.  Let us kill him and throw his body in some pit ; then we will say to our father, some wild beast has devoured him; and we will see what will become of his dreams!” (verses 19,20)

Reuben heard it and said, let’s not kill him, for Rueben’s plan was to rescue him, and take him back to his father.  Reuben said, “Shed no blood.”  So they took him and stripped him of his coat of many colors and cast him in a well-like pit with no water; and sat down to lunch. (verses 21-25)
25-  When they looked up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, going on their way down to Egypt.
26-  And Judah said to his brothers, What do we gain if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?”
27-  Let us sell him to the Ishmaelites.  And they sold him for twenty pieces of silver, which is a sermon of it’s own, because Jesus was betrayed and sold-out for twenty pieces of silver: —- but let’s go on.
28-  And They took Joseph into Egypt.
29-  Then Reuben , who had not been there when the brothers plotted to sell the lad, returned ; and behold, Joseph was not in the pit.
31,32- They killed an animal, dipped it in the blood and sent it to their father.
34-  And Jacob tore his clothes, would not eat, and went into mourning.
35-  His sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said “I will go to my grave to mourning for my son.”
And his father wept for him.
36-  And the Midianites, and Ishmaelites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh.
39:2- But the Lord was with Joseph. 
As the story goes on we see Joseph being put down and then being lifted up to the number one place next to Pharaoh.

God had given to him the gift of interpreting dreams, and used this gift to lift him up to this great position to eventually help his family in a time of famine, to keep them alive, and because his family had to come to Egypt where they could buy food, they in due time, did bow before Joseph, because reigned next to Pharaoh.
H
In this story, we see sibling rivalry in the worst degree.  Jealousy and rivalry which led to hate and anger and a conspiracy to do harm followed by lies to cover-up. After which, grief filled the family.

Many do not actually carry-out what they think to do to their siblings, but to hate them shows what is in their heart.

Christians struggle with jealousy at times, which brings on curses and severe problems to come upon them, if not dealt with.
I can think of other accounts of jealousy that arises in families, such as one family member is more prosperous than the other.

A Mother-in-law may be jealous of her Daughter-in-law, or the other way around. Sometimes they may see each other as rivals for his attention.
I tell you, this should not be going on in the life of a Christian..  It is walking in the flesh.  This brings so much trouble into the family that does not need to be there.  Get over it!  It grieves your relationship with God.
Woman of God, understand this: the love the son has for his mother, is different from the love he has for his wife.  To try to cause division between either of these two relationships will backfire on you.
Listen to this Scripture in Ephesians 5:28-33 —-So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
      For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: (or just like the Lord does the Church).
      For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.
      For this cause (or this reason) shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
      This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.
      Nevertheless let everyone of you in particular (or personally) so love his wife even as himself and the wife see that she reverence (or honor) her husband.
Mother-in-laws sometimes think their son or daughter could have done much better in choosing their spouse: but many times they are looking at the faults of the in-law, and they fail to see their child’s imperfections.
There should be a love bond between in-laws because of the marriage bond of their child to the one they choose. 
God If that child of yours is so perfect and intelligent and such a magnificent Christian, why do you think they made such a bad choice?
Think about it!
I tell you, if more time was spent trying to understand, and praying for that child’s spouse, there would be more peace and harmony in their lives, as well as your relationship with your child; not to mention the relationship between you and God.
If there is no harmony in the family, the children pick-up on it and become like you.
I am sorry to say, jealousy and rivalry are rampant in the Body of Christ as well as in family life.
This shouldn’t be.  Allow the Holy Spirit to convict you and change you into that person that overlooks the faults of others.

Pray this prayer with me: Father, I want to be like Jesus. Help me to deal with any jealousy or rivalry in my life.  I repent of it. I know it hurts my relationship with You. Please forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness.  Bring harmony in every area of my life. In Jesus Name I pray.  Amen.
   

 

     

 

Share