Whilst I was waiting

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Whilst I was waiting

Psalm 40: 1-5 “..I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered..”

   Sadly we all to often these words ‘Your God must be very cruel, to let this person suffer this way’. I then would reply our God Almighty has a reason for keeping us around’. It may not be the answer they want, but I want you think of this way …
Genesis 3 : 1-8 ‘The Temptation of man’
… I’ll not show this chapter because it is a lot. It tells of the conception of Adam & Eve, how God gave them all they needed to eat, with exception of one tree. They had free will to as they pleased, but we know man can’t help themselves to do wrong. So you see it’s not a cruel God it’s man and his free will.

   This kind of conversation happens more than you think. I actually have a confession here. I do have to wonder myself from time to time, and more so when our Heavenly Almighty father is not forth coming to help comfort with a reply.

    In life it seems that we are always waiting, waiting for that special person to come along, waiting for the perfect job to come along, or tell you that your hired. When waiting it seem like an eternity, (as the old saying goes ‘ a watched kettle never boils’). These feeling often end up with impatience, and if unchecked these feelings will send you to being out of control with Anger/Frustration. These feelings if not sorted out will stop you from sleeping.

    We all are waiting for something, today what is that you are waiting for? Might it be one of these …

• Something exciting, like the birth of your first baby being born..
• It might be those all important test results..

   I know some of you might not want to praise the Lord, when you can’t see what to be joyful about, and not want to be joyful at all. OK, lets say your anticipating that holiday you have paid for since last year. Give praise for your job, and thus the means to pay for it as many are not able to do this. If you take time to stop and think there are many many things to give thanks for, green lights – when you to get somewhere in a hurry, you partner wishing you to have a good day at work, am I sinking in yet?

   On the other hand you could be waiting for your exam results? You could be waiting for a partner – to share your life with. NOW is the time to praise the Lord. Those of you that know how I met my wife. (One of these days I’ll share how we met & my testimony).
Psalm 27: 13/14 “..I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord..”

I hears a prayer that goes like this…

“It is hard to wait Lord, sometimes waiting takes a big toll on me, 

and in the midst of waiting and yearning I forget to praise you, 

help me to remember you whether I’m waiting for something 

potentially painful. Teach me patience and the gift of 

resting in your goodness as I fix my eyes on you”

   I’m sure that ‘discouragement’ is not discriminating, or does not matter which Country you come from, some seem to suffer more that others. For when evening falls across the land and a hush comes over the night. When getting ready for bed, which we all have our rituals, like washing your face; cleaning your teeth; letting the dog out; making sure the doors and windows are locked; even alarm set. ‘Discouragement’ comes in many guises, it could be a fit (like Epilepsy), that has been going on for years, it may also be born out of tense family feuding, or a physical ailment (of which I bear witness as I have a broken spine), or it could be a career that has left you some what down. May be your discouragement comes from a recent moment that has left you feeling discouraged and deflated.

   Oh dear, we have all felt the discouragement at one time or another. The question is what are we going to with it? It’s all to easy to to wallow in discouragement and turn your face away from hope. This sort of apathy is not of the Lords thinking. However it does deliver you straight into the devils hands, now the devil is laughing as your 100% focus is on the problem, instead of on our Saviour. Instead of wasting time & energy on things we need to worry about.
Psalm 31:9/10 “..Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! For my life is spent with grief..”

   I know many of you have felt this way, with many of you going through these times right now. If you are, before we go any further, stand up (come on don’t be shy), now shake your arms, now shake your legs, OK now your body, now sit and continue reading*. Having shaken off your old feeling, it’s time for a new feeling a new attitude. Now to help[ with reading the following I want you to stand again, then read the following Psalm ...
Psalm 31:14/17 “..But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me. Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake. Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You..

   Our enemies are wanting us to give up the fight, and for us to look down cast at the days to come ...1 Peter 5:8 .. “..Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour..” … The devil is sleeked, and wants nothing more for us than to trip us up and lying face flat down in the earth. He will use every trick up his sleeve to keep us there. It is time to put on those work books because no matter how discouraged we may feel there is always new hope for a better hope for tomorrow.

   In Romans 5:5 it clearly says that this hope does not disappoint us, God’s love has already been poured out in to our hearts .. Romans 5:5 “..Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us..”

   You may not feel a lot of love right now. You may not even see any victory a head of you, you don’t even know how you can change thongs. Because of this you may not have any thing planned out yet. Even not sure what it is you can do to turn things around. The thing is you don’t need things figured out yet, just lean on the only One who is the author of your unique life’s story. He will how ever use this disappointment your feeling, and turn them around for good. Always remember when your down, the good times are just around the next corner.

   When hope is your heart and the unfailing love of God is on your side, you can over come every obstacle in your path, for God is with you where ever you go. I read this next statement along time ago, but concludes this sermon perfectly …

“You may feel an over whelming sense of God’s hope permeating 

in your spirit tonight , as you approach the Lords throne, 

you may see God for He is - king over your life - and worship 

Him in gladness for He is doing a good work in you”

53:110219

Tongues
For Personal Edification

1: Speaking . . . As the Holy spirit
1Corinthians 12:28 “..And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues..”

1 Corinthians 14:1-4+ “..Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men..”

   Spiritual gifts, such speaking in tongues was primary for private times with God. However when speaking in Church, they would usually be followed by these being interpreted, or translated, either literally or by Chapter & verse.

   The speaking with tongues is normally unintelligible unless an interpreting was to immediately follow.(14:2-9-11-16), and so be of no use to the congregation of the Church. That is unless that which is spoken was interpreted as in (14:6-9 &17).

2: Speaking . . . Specific fulfilment of Prophecies of Isaiah & Jesus Christ
Isaiah 28:11 “..For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people..”

   You must be careful when speaking in tongues in public. As it would be easy to make up, just just to make yourself look ‘BIG’, to others whom you wish to impress, self gratifying.
14:21 “..In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord..”

   Not, anyone, can speak in tongues, I know some of you believers strongly feel that the … “stammering lips” is just pure baby ‘gobbledygook’, and how on Earth can this be translated. This gift is so precious only God can tell you one on one in your own home alone, as the message can personal.

   I have witnessed the good and bad. Clearly giving a ‘false-witness’ can and is very dangerous. This ‘false-witness’ is the worst, as it can send a fellow Christian down the wrong path. With every prophesy you must seek confirmation from God via His Word.

3 Speaking . . .Proof of the Resurrection & Glorification
Acts 2:26 “..Therefore my heartActs 2:26d, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope..”

“My heart rejoiced”.  When our heart sings, our whole body sings. When we have a spring in our step, you’ll find people coming up to asking ‘can I have what your on’? Also you’ll find people becoming attracted to you, because of this new found confidence, Now with God in your heart & life, nothing will be impossible to do.

   You may not what your infectious attitude will be to someone you meet briefly, say on a train – bus or just a que in a shop. They may be feeling rock bottom, and just bring a smile to them and make this stranger feeling better. So always be mindful of your attitude toward others as it can break them just as quick as it can lift them.

4: Speaking . . . with Tongues is an evidence of the baptism, or in the filling of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:4 “.. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance..”

   It is a wondrous gift and experience. So it saddens me to say that in some Church’s it is frowned upon, some even go as far as to itr’s ‘demonic’? OK, STOP, to those individuals who say that that they can fake it, I say to those who are spoiling one of Gods most precious gifts, S T O P, because they might as well use pages of the Holy Bible to wipe their behinds with it, God knows who you are, and judge you time.

Acts 10:44-8 “..While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days..”

   It is shown in the Old Testament that only those who were ‘seen to have been called’ even anointed to rejoice the Holy Spirit. Come forward to the teaching of the New Covenant, that everyone can receive the Holy Spirit and speak in Tongues.

5: Speaking . . .Spiritual gift for self-Gratifacation
1 Corinthians 14:4 “..He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church..”
Jude v20   “..But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit..”

   We should completely misunderstand prophecy, should we suppose it’s essence to lie in the prediction of the future. This is not wholly excluded, but it can have a very modest part as with the more important elements found in 1 Corinthians 14. According 14:3 prophecy produces edification – comfort – consolation ... 

“.But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.”
… according to V24 it can penetrate so deeply as to lay bare the secrets of strangers, and constrain their inner termoils.

V24/5  “..But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed..”

6: Speaking . . .is a spiritual gift for spiritual edification of the churches
   When moving beyond one’s complete fullness and moving within His Holy Spirit, then you’ll fully understand it’s impact through the life and witness of the church. I can personally say that speaking in tongues is a wonderful feeling. I have heard it said that, because ‘Non-believers’ feel we speak a whole load of ‘made up mumbo-jumbo’, because they can’t say we were speaking ‘German-French-Spanish-Russian’ etc.
1 Corinthians 12:10  “..to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues..”

   Speaking in tongues & interpretations, there of, are gifts of God grace. In the Bible we are shown clearly the teaching of both ‘public & private’, also the exercises and benefits of the gift of speaking in tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:4&5 “..There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord..”

7: Speaking . . .is a gift for communicating with god in private
   With such a wondrous gift we make sure NOT to abuse Gods good graces. Be it in your private time of worship, or in public. This can be abused especially those in public whom had at one time had Gods gift, but have no longer Gods graces, and not for some time, so they abuse a once glorious gift.

1 Corinthians 13:2/8  “..And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away..”

   Please be warned, as quick as God bestows His gifts, He can take them away. Speaking from having seen this, it’s truly sad. So don’t squander boast or be flippant with Gods gifts.

The whys and where for of speaking

tongues

1 Corinthians 14:21/2  “..In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord. Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe..”
   It was so easily put by Paul, so you see tongues come as a form of confirmation. However the sincere spirit-filled believer will not be preoccupied with this God given gifts for He sees it as, but one of many gifts.

   Finally we must bear in mind that the author & dispenser, or, the one who speaks in tongues and the one who interprets the message. The spirit works only to edify, but only occurs when God is in Church, and thus all things are as the spirit moves freely among the worshipers.

Prayer, May be some of the Rules of. ..../

Prayer,

May be some of the Rules of. .

   Most everything in life is governed by it’s own set of rules. For example, I would not use the rules for ‘Ice-Hockey’ to play Football/Soccer. It would be impossible to the same for ‘Prayer’, without them we might as well talk to the fridge.

   Whether kneeling or standing, the individual either lifted up their hands. . .

Ø Psalm 28:3  Do not take me away with the wicked And with the workers of iniquity, Who speak peace to their neighbours, But evil is in their hearts.

Ø   113:7  He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,

Ø Lamintation 2:19  “Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him For the life of your young children, Who faint from hunger at the head of every street.”

Ø    3:47  Fear and a snare have come upon us,  Desolation and destruction.

. . .or spread them out. . .

Ø Exodus 9: ²⁷ And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked.

Ø Isaiah 1: If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land

Ø 1Kings 8 ; ²² Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven;

Ø Ezekiel 9; ³ Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side;

. . .Originally, no doubt, to the Alter, but afterwards to Heaven. There were indeed expectations to this, (as) when to express deep contrition a man would smile his hands on his breast. No matter to the consequence. Daniel prayed 3 times a day, even though if caught he would have put to death.

  Through prayer (which is the only way) we can communicate with God. There are different types of prayer. . .

o   Prayer of Faith – is the payer of petition, or, to change things,  “. .who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear. .” (Hebrews 5: 7)

o   Prayer of Consecration – is the prayer Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.  “. .Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. .”  (Luke 22 : 42)

   There are in fact many different types of Prayer, here are just some examples. .

1.     Commitment .. 1 Peter 5:7

2.   Worship          .. Acts 13 : ¼ - Luke 24 : 52/3

3.   Agreement      .. Mathew 18 : 15/20

4.   United Prayer ..Acts 4 : 23/31

5.    Intercessory    .. Romans 8: 26/27 – Ephesians 6: 18

   So, how is it that we can achieve such prayers, and many others? Well may be we need to Persist in prayer.

Well may be we need to Dwell in prayer.

Well may be we need to Reside in prayer.

   Because the devil convinces us that, God won’t our answer prayers, so we just don’t even bother to pray. How many victories were never won , because we failed to go to God for help in our time of need. Realise that it is not God won’t even bother, but rather that ‘WE DON’T EVEN BOTHER GOING TO HIM’.

   There is this 2 lettered word ‘IF’. It is such a small and insignificant word, but don’t be fooled it actually has the power to undermine the best of prayers. It carries such a punch that it can ‘make’ or ‘break’ your prayer life, and with your connection with God.

    A most important note here is the one He gave to His disciples is a short specimen of a fitting prayer, to show that He Himself of prayer… “..So He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven’..” (Luke 11 : 2)… Prayer was not an occasional thing to be used under pressure of urgent need, Or, when you have exhausted everything else before hand. Today it would be like having a mobile-phone permanently connected to God.

   This World of ours is far more populated than in Jesus time. I bet your wondering how on Earth, you can be heard above all the others praying praying and seeking God at the same time, Let alone God knowing what it is your praying for? You God today needs ne telephone – Voice mail – e-mail, because God truly knows every hair on your head, and your voice is as unique as your finger prints.

   We can see now that our prayers should be like breathing you can’t live without it. One type of prayer is that of Faith, this prayer is one that can change things, a prayer of Faith should never contain the ‘IF’ word.

# Big revelation coming#

   Jesus has given you the authority to use His name. .“. .And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. .”  John 14:14  …When you have the authority to use His name, it is as if Jesus is there in person. That exactly what happened in . .Acts 3:6 

“. .Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. .” . .the man had been in the same place for a very long time, on hearing the command rose up and was able to seize his bed, and was able to walk and dance.

   When you actually see this, and only then, you will truly grasp the fullness of the power of Jesus Christ’ name, and remove the ‘IF’ then your life will take on new meaning. When all is said and done, where does it leave us, once we realize the full power that is in our Saviours name, your life will change forever, and thus becoming more Spiritual led. 

“. .He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. .”  (John 7:38  )

   To receive such a blessing, God needs to see, that when we pray we revenge and authority, God will guide you and place on your heart what He needs you pray for. In Acts 12:5 . . .  “. . Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. .” . . .we can see what can be achieved when with reverence and authority we pray. With such force was the prayer realized that the prison physically shook to its foundations, that the prison doors burst open . .”. .The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. .” (James 5:16) . . . so when praying always make sure that your prayers come from the heart, and NOT the head.

   Always remember to never underestimate the power of prayer. It is truly full of promise, that it has the true power to heal the sick, and can set those free under bondage. The power of prayer, it can part the Sea, the only boundaries of our prayers are our Faith and how much we believe we can make a difference.

   God’s word always returns to Him fulfilled, but never let our failures keep you from wondrous thrown of Grace. So arise and seize the moment and discover the awesomeness that can be available in prayer.