In the Everlasting Arms

Deuteronomy 33:26/7 “..“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds. The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you..”

   I know that those among you will question His ‘Everlasting arms’, because you’ll have neither seen let alone felt that peace or protection. If so answer me this easy problem then … 'If when watering your garden, suddenly the water stops flowing, what can cause this'? .. 'Could it be because there is a knot in the hose somewhere'?

   This is what happens to so many Christians today, because drop-by-drop we let our old lives, ways, sins come back into our ‘NEW’ lives in Christ. Thus over time Gods graces & love dry’s up and start to a wall of sin around again, stopping His ‘Everlasting arms’ to shield us and protect us.

There are two sides, to a Christian life …
1: The Active Side ...We are urged to a faithfulness in our daily lives, to activity, in all service, to victorious in all struggles, to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.
2: We are to simply trust ...We are to have trust & quietness & confidence, to repose God. It is well that we sometimes think of the latter aspect of our Christian faith. This is well presented to us in the Bible’s word, which says .. “underneath are the everlasting arms”

   The illustration I’m trying to project here, is that of a little child resting in His, the strong arms of the Father, who is able to with stand all storms and dangers. I also am reminded of John (the Apostle) laying across Christ Jesus’ bosom. At the 2 extremes of life, from a young child to an old person up in years, the promise then comes with a special assurance. IS 40:11 “..He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom.” .. is a word for the children .. IS 46:4 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you..” .. brings it blessed comfort to to the aged. Although we don’t recognise this, God first comes to us in our infancy in our Mothers womb, who bore us into her arms. Yet they only dim revealing of God for a time. They leave us after teaching us a little of God’s tenderness, but God Himself remains when they are gone, but His arms never release us.

After the death of a Dr Bushnell’s, a sheet with faded writing was found and it said …

My mothers loving instinct was from God,

and God was in her love to me first,

therefore, which love was deeper than hers,

and more protracted. She passed long

ago now, but God stays with me still,

and bracing me in my grey hairs as tenderly

and carefully as did in my infancy,

and giving me joy and the principal

glory of my life, that he lets me know

Him, and helps me, with real confidence

to call Him Father.

… this letter just out lines some what god does for His people. He tries to explain, by human acts, which are familiar to us. His wonderful care and kindness. One meaning is of protection, just as a Father put his arms about his child when ever there is danger.

Psalm 77:15 “..You have with Your arm redeemed Your people..”

   It is continually told in the scriptures that will always behave this way. When in fact the tell us of His eyes looking down to behold His people, that He never slumbers, nor takes his eye of the ball, (so’s to speak). Also hearing all of the suffering in the World. So many ask, “if this is so, why does God let it carry on”? I have a theory that might go to answer this question, just given to me from God …
… in that God asks us to have faith in Him, which we never fully do, because our society demands everything NOW. We don’t want to wait so we go about getting/sorting out our problems ourself, not letting God help us. Just like a car that we have faith in to deliver us from A to B. Even having reliable car, we would not push it everywhere, telling others that while it works fine, and is a reliable make, you don’t really have faith in it …
… the Bible tells us that God hears the groaning of the prisoner, wrongly jailed. God does comfort His people in their sorrows. God holds us in His arms just as a Father would a child, meaning that His guidance is personal and strong.

   For us to understand God’s will and actions from a human stand point, here are 5 actions that might, are called ‘Divine care’ …

1. Protection
2. Affection
3. Strength
4. Endurance
5. Underneath

A father will put His arms around his child when danger threatens them, so does God protect His children…
Psalm 77:15 “..You have with Your arm redeemed Your people..”
Isaiah 59:16  “..Therefore His own arm brought salvation..”
Isaiah 33:2  “..Be their arm every morning..”

# Life is full of peril #

   With the temptations of today they are at every turn. Enemies lurk in every shadow, ready to strike with strength and swiftness. When ever we think of death it is with sadness and fear and dread. Even with all the odds about -’life assurance funeral cover’. It has more perils than death.

It is easy and safe to die when one has lived well,

although it is hard to live with

We always forget, to be assured that life cannot

separate us from the love of God

Deuteronomy 33:27 “.. underneath are the everlasting arms..”

   As God embraces His children He does so with His arms, showing His love for them. His love is tender, close and intimate. He holds them in a place of affection. Just as our Earthly father does, where we feel safest all while we are hearing his heart beating.

   Our Mother would embrace her children, scooping them up to protect the, at any signs of danger, even covering them, putting her own body between them, so that she gets hurt and not them. Of cause a mother with holds back some for those times when her children need a special love for times of pain and suffering.

   As a side thought, the ‘ARM’ is seen as a symbol of strength. A mothers arm may look frail physically, but her love is what gives her arm it’s strength. Once her arms are folded about her weak and feeble child she is able to draw upon the power of the Universe, and nothing , and I mean NOTHING will be able to tear her child away from her.

Isaiah 40:29  “..He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength..”

# This is an Arm that can never be broken #

   A suggestion in the word ‘underneath’. Not only do the arms of God embrace the child, but they are ‘underneath ever underneath’. This means that we can’t sink, for these arms will ever be beneath us where ever we may be, we cannot sink below them or even fall out of His grasp.

   When death comes, and every Earthly thing has gone from beneath us, and we sink away into what seems darkness and the shadow of death, out of all human love, out of wrath and gladness, and sweet life into the gloom and strange mystery of death, still it will be only into “..the everlasting arms..” When Jesus said with His dying breath..
Luke 23:46  “..And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last..”
… He found the everlasting arms underneath Him when Jesus spirit left the torn body. When Stephen died he prayed “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”.

Dying for us Christians, is merely breathing the lifetime

into the embrace of God. We shall find the divinely arms

underneath us. Not even death can separate us from the

wonderfully everlasting love of God

   Divine care is full of inspiration and comfort. We are not saving ourselves, Jesus did that. A strong One, The Mighty God, who holds in His grasp. We are tossed like a leaf on life’s wild sea, driven at the mercy of the wind &waves. Our security does not depend upon our feeble wavering faith, but instead the omnipotence – the love – and the faithfulness of the unchanging, the eternal God. While we trust in Him we never can sink away in floods.

NO power in the Universe can snatch us out of His hands.

Nether death or life , or things present to come, can ever separate

us from His love, Praise to the Almighty God.

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Directional Faith

Deuteronomy 32:29/30 “..For they are a nation void of counsel, Nor is there any understanding in them. Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, That they would consider their latter end..“

There are 2 parts to this that need consideration . .
1). . Believe that we have a destiny and there is a point to our existence.
2). . There ought to be a sense of destiny burning deep within our spirit that we are determined to fulfil.
Lamentations 1:9  “..Her uncleanness is in her skirts, She did not consider her destiny, therefore her collapse was awesome; She had no comforter.."

   So having no direction causes a lack of energy for her life. This was the catalyst causing there to be . .

• No Ambition
• No Drive (no incentive)
• causing ultimately distraction

   You may wonder why we should rejoice, after all it was God that chose us. This is the destiny Jesus was referring to when He said . .
John 15:16  “..You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you..“

It has to be one of the greatest discoveries that we could ever make. You see we have been chosen by God almighty.
Psalm 33:12  “..Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord . .I know your reading this, but will you fully understand/grasp this next part The people He has chosen as His own inheritance..“

   Tell me you got that, we don’t have to go cap in hand. Why? Because He has chosen us. Yes we have to ask for forgiveness of our sins, but He wants us wort’s & all. This is not only true for the Missionary – Pastors – Evangelists or the full time workers in the Church. But, and note, also for every sinner & born again believer. For we did not choose God but He chose us. Here comes the icing on the cake . .
Exodus19:5  “..Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure
to Me above all..“

    Dose anyone still fill lost and unsure of how to find that compass of life? Eph 1:4/5 show who to find your way. .
Ephesians 1:4/5  “..Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will..”

   It is far beyond our ability to comprehend, but before this world was ever created we were already chosen by God to walk in a Pure, Holy and righteous way. Before we were ever conceived, long before we were part of our Church God had already prepared the area of ministry & service that He wanted us to be part of. .
Isaiah 48:21  “..He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow from the rock..“

   You may be wondering aimlessly at the moment. Whether ‘saved’ or ‘not’, God is trying to guide our path. See it’s not going to be a picnic. But, what we have to do is not ‘let go’ or ‘loose sight’ of God. We have to yearn for Him . . as a deer pants for water, with every ounce of our being.

   It’s a shame for which the time we live, that has developed us into one of a lazy apathy and half-heartedness, in where it is commonly said . .

• I can’t be bothered . .
• Get someone else to do it . .
• Complain when it has not been done to their liking . .
• Or . . any old thing will do . .

   In Church, we must have a different attitude/spirit. Other wise when this kind of apathy creeps into the Church, over time it will festers like a cancer. So we can never sit on out laurels. Timothy puts it like this . .
2 Timothy 2:11/12   “..For if we died with Him,We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him..“

   If we are to _ulfil our destiny before God, then we we need a spirit of excellence in all we do. It is when we are faithful in the small things that we grow and then the Lord will appoint us heirs over our destiny with Him.
Romans 8:17  “..f children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together..“

   So to Summarize . . . In this life we don’t get something for nothing. A long distance runner dose not turn up at a race, without first enduring a lot of practice. Hence as a Christian you don’t become saved and think that’s it! NO . . it is a way of life, a whole new life, one that is blessed by a personal knowing and a touch of Grace. We need to find out where we are going, how to get there. Most importantly when we make this decision we have to interface with the Holy Spirit not only into our thoughts, but the decisions we make so that they are right ones, also so that Christ Jesus can be glorified and His light shine brightly in us.

My closing thought . .

“God will often lead us through suffering before 

we reach Glory”

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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.

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The Sin of Being a Discourager

Numbers 32:9  “..For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them..”

   No one truly loves a party poo-per, these you will find them sat by them selves. May be I can try and shine some light on this subject, you see these types of people look upon the ‘dark-side-of-life’. (It may to no fault oif their own). Sadly they do find all the shadows in life, and persist walking in them. They can bring the brightest happiest of days, down to gloomy, and spread their own ‘discouragement’, like confetti at a wedding, thus making all life harder for those they can influence. One thing that we need to careful of is that they don;t steel away Gods light from your life. Thie would the greatest of sin’s surely? Don’t be like thoes children of Isreal did, all because of thoes discouraging gloom artists.

Numbers 32:7  “..Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them..”

   God tells us it’s a sin to discourage others. From your first of days till your last days at school. Some will go through a torturous time, with constant bullying; being told you’re usless; you’ll not amount to much; that they become so with drawn after 10 years or more of being put down & discouraged, their lives are now but a shadow of what they should have been.
   We all need to be strengthened and inspired for all of life’s experiences, never weakened and disheartened. If we meet others down cast and discouraged, it is our duty, as humans and friends, not to make their cares and trials seem as large as they can, but rather point out to them the bright light in their clouds, and put new hope & courage in their hearts.

So many people would say ‘I am your friend’, but never really understand what they are saying….

Friend… A person known well to others and regarded with liking (or highly

thought of) affection, staunchly loyal.They will tell you the truth, 

good or bad, an ally in a fight. Are you a friend to someone?

   It costs us nothing, that when we find others in sorrow, the worst thing to do is to tell them more sorrow. Instead we need to come along side them with love & encouragement.
1 Thessalonians 5:11  “..Therefore comfort each other and edify one another..”
Acts 11:23 “..When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord..”
Romans 1:12  “..I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me..”

   Next time we find others in the midst of difficulties and struggling ready to faint under it all, surly if we continue bemoan the severity and hardness of their battles, and then we leave them, as my wife has said on many occasions, it’s even worse than we found them, they will be even more crushed than if we had walked pass them. What we do need to do is to stimulate & encourage & inspire them to be brave and victorious in all they do.
   It is of vital importance that we learn this if you want to be helpers of others in their lives. Another foot note is that we just point out someone’s short comings and walk away. If this is you just stay at home, lock the door and throw away the key, because your worst to them than NO help at all. Again if all we have to offer is sadness to give out, we have no right to go among them. This is the truth, and some times the truth hurts.
   It is only when we have something that will bless them and lift their hearts and give them glimpses of bright and beautiful things to live for, that we are truly commanded to go forth with them.

“ A singer sang a song of tears, and the great World heard and

wept,for he sang the sorrows of floating years, and the 

hopes which the dead past kept, and souls in anguish their 

burdens bore, and the World was sadder than ever before.

A singer sang a song of cheer, and the great World heard 

and smiled, for he sang of love of a father dear, and souls

 that had forgotten to pray, looked up and went singing

 along their way.”

Let me ask this question … ‘Is it better that we should not sing of sadness if our song ends there’?

   Unfortunately there are so many sad notes swirling around in the Worlds air, making sad sad notes in our ears, continually. To be able to sing and hear only songs of hope ~ joy and good cheer. Jesus Christ had every right to sit on the Mount of Olives, because He could not get people to open their eyes to see of the impending doom coming over His people, whom He loved dearly. Jesus tried to avert this doom, because all the sin and disbelief was dragging them down. It is our mission, just as Jesus did to become preachers of hope. So our mission should we choose, must be to carry to everyone, to bring ‘good tidings’ and none of ill, but only joy.

# Give us your joys, your hope, your sunshine,

your life, your up lifting truths. We have too many

sorrows-tears-clouds, ill chains, and enough

doubts of our own. #

   This is our mission of Christianity in the World, it’s to help our fellow man to be victorious, to whisper hope where ever there is discouragement. It goes forth to break the yoke of bondage, and to captives to freedom.
1 John 4:4  “..You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world..”
   This is why it is so wonderful to have Jesus in our lives, spreading the news, the Good news. It follows that there can never be a loss in a Christians life, out of which a gain may NOT become a platform for a buried seed. There can never be a sorrow, out of which a blessing may not be born. There can never be discouragement which may NOT be made to yield some fruit of strength.

   Finally … if there for, we are true and loyal messengers of Christ, we can never be profits of gloom, discouragement and despair. We must be forever be heralds of hope. We must always be the bearer of good news. In Christ our Lord, there is always hope, with victory, a power to transmit loss into gain, and to breath life into death. We are living worthily, only when we are living victoriously with Christ within ourselves at every point, we are to be inspiring and helping others to live victoriously, and when our life is a song of hope and gladness, even though we sing out through tears & pain.

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The Man of Sorrows

Isaiah 53 3/6
3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

   The World in ‘every-age’ has had many a sorrow man, but there has only been one ‘Man of Sorrows’. The sorrows of the son of man were entirely unique and have been unparalleled.

His was a sorrow of a unique…
1: Humiliation
   It is something you do to another who has wronged you in some way, and made you look so Humiliated in front of those who thought goo d of you. Before you seek retribution, remember the saying “two wrongs don’t make a right”. This is something I had great difficulty grappling with when I was first saved. All that God is, poured Himself into Jesus Christ, instead all we do rebuke Him, humiliated Him, and beat him.

   Remember, ‘by the grace of God there goes us’. So due to social reteric, they put on us pressure to have the latest thing. You are humiliated if don’t have these. So much so that by accident or failure, then due over stretching financially, we are now reduced to poverty and shame. No one ever had as much to give up as Christ Jesus, when He emptied Himself, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death.

His was a sorrow of a unique…
2: Opposition
   We will ‘ALL’ have face in our life time opposition. Who we deal with it defines who we are. For Jesus’ the contradiction that He suffered at the hand of sinner against Himself was so unique. He was despised and rejected by men. Here is a man, whom scripture had foretold. What did they expect? God to appear in the sky above, and tell them on what exact date His son was coming, where & how? Oh hang on God did do this, in His scriptures. So why is it we still today NOT believe the scriptures? They were more just stories from hundreds of years ago, but are our road map for our lives now and life.
Ezekiel 39:8 “..Surely it is coming, and it shall be done,” says the Lord God. “This is the day of which I have spoken..”

# The temptation in the Wilderness #

   The rebuking of the wind; the same word used when dealing with ‘unclean souls’. The rebuking of Peter, and the ‘get thee behind me Satan’. He also went on to say ‘far be it from the Lord’ (referring to our Lords suffering death). Even when He (Jesus) was on the cross, they cried out and taunted him saying ‘come down, and we will believe thee’, I feel even if He had they would have just called it witchcraft, or magic.

His was a sorrow of a unique…
3 Anticipation
   It’s all enough to raise your blood pressure through the roof. How many times have we strained to say “It’s good for us that don’t know what is going to happen the next day ~ week ~ month or even year”. Or as to when this event is going to happen, because, if said to you next week on your way to work you will be die in a bad car crash, you would not leave your bed let alone thr house.

   Your nerves will become more and more jangled, the closer that date and time draws closer. You’ll think I’ll leave earlier, even go a different route to work, but your fate is sealed. But, these things are mercifully hidden, or else we would go mad with ‘anticipation’. But only Christ has fully seen what was ~ is ~ too happen. From a very young age, He came to minister to us, but not become just a seat warmer..

John 12:32/3 “..if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself. This He said, signifying by what death He would die..”

His was a sorrow of a unique…
4 Separation
   His very nature, as Holiness and Divinity had made Him separate from sinners, this was even though he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. No one could feel this more intensely as ‘The Son of Man’ who was also ‘The Son of God’.

1 Peter 4 1/5 “..Christ suffered for us in the flesh … should live the rest of his time in the flesh … enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles … they think it strange that you do not run with them..”

   As Christ suffered in the flesh, we are called by Christ to be separate from sinners. Being a Christian will cause you to stand alone at times in you community. Some of you will no doubt think impossible that Christians are still treated in this same deplorable way, yet they still are. I once heard the story of a group of Christians buried up to their heads and were told to denounce their beliefs and God, if not each would be beaten in front of the others, yet still NO-One turned and so were left there to dye.

His was a sorrow of a unique…
5 Relationship
V4 “.. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows..”
   Now only He could do this as a fond Mother, whom is very devoted, and carries the griefs and sorrows of her beloved suffering Children. The bond of a Mother and children is a special one, one when nurtured, builds a ‘relationship’ that can last a life time.

   Jesus Christ has the same devoted love and ‘relationship’ with us. Such love and devotion, even conquering death for us. Honestly, ‘who do you know would do this for you’? Let alone a total stranger. So intense was His love and sympathy for us as sinful man, that He could not refrain from bearing our griefs & sorrows. It was in this wholly devoted one act that Jehovah was pleased to lay .. (V6) “..the iniquity of us all..”. It was for us the He poured out His Holy, sorrowful, soul into death.

Lamentations 1:12 “..“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the Lord has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger..”

Our Divine Possessions

 

Our Divine Possessions

V1 Forgiveness V5 Assurance V7 Protection V7 Deliverance

V8 Guidance V9 Warning V11 Joy

V1 : Forgiveness
   When we fest up to God that you.ve messed up, no matter how bad God will forgive you, just don’t lie! When I was a kid there were times when I sought my earthly father’s forgiveness, these would have been better if I had not lied. The thing is when you lie, there will come a time when you are found out. So as to divert the wrath you need to tell another lie to cover up the original lie.

   Now because I answer to my Heavenly Father, so when I ask for forgiveness of my lie/sin He forgives...

Mathew 9:2 “. .Son be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven. .”
Luke 7:45/9 “. . You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. ”Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?. . “

   The one thing that can forgive all our sins is God’s love. He’ll forgive us because God’s love is how He truly forgives us . .with love. If you’re wondering about sin’s that were committed ‘before’ became a Christian, well they were forgiven and taken away. God dealt with them when you gave your heart to the Lord. That is also what you were baptised in the water. This signifies being washed clean, cleansed, made a new. When you have been out in the garden, you wash – why? Because you were sweaty and covered in mud. You would not sit down and have lunch covered in mud and smelling bad. You would have a shower and make yourself clean, then out on clean fresh clothes. This is what it means to be born again, cleansed of all sin!

   When we have that shower, we are in the belief that it will make us clean, spotless. This is faith, why because it makes us clean. We use soap with a fragrance, to show others, we come into contact with, we are clean without having to tell people that we have washed today. Just like having a shower we should outwardly show others that ‘ALL’ our sins have been forgiven for all eternity. Too many Christians have given their lives to Christ, become washed clean, then go back to their old lives and ways.

V5 : Assurance
   If Your working on a large and awkward job, we like to have that what we are doing is correct. Assurance could be from that the boat we are crossing on will NOT sink. This means we don’t have any fear in using it The same way that faith needs to be shown.

Colossians 2:2   “..that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and[a] of Christ..”

   Our Lord is telling us that, don’t be discouraged. That we are be ‘knit-together ‘, so we can have all the riches of full, not part or a little bit, but full assurance of understanding from God. Life could not possibly get any better than this.

Hebrews 10:22 “..let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water..“

   The Lord has given us faith, that we can have no fears, as we have a living God. Because of this we can stand assured in faith that it is not for yesterday, but in full knowledge that our faith is for Eternity. With our Lords forgiveness and blessed Assurance we stand tall knowing that we are under His protection. Being under our Lords protection we have assurance that

   With our Lords forgiveness and blessed assurance we can stand tall in the knowledge we are under His ‘Protection’. Being under our Lords protection, we have assurance that. .

Psalm 23:4   “..Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me..”

   Having this ‘protection’ we all should have more confidence in our daily lives. The best way we can have ‘full protection’ for God is to put on the full amour . .

Ephesians 6:13/18   “..Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil..”
Verse -14   "..having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness..”
Verse -15 “..shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace..”
Verse – 16  “..above all, taking the shield of faith..”
Verse – 17   “..take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..”
Verse – 18   “..praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance..”

   We should always remember that that if we discard just ‘one’ of these items, it render the rest ‘Void’. You would not go to war without your body armour, or, helmet, this would be just madness. You might as well paint a massive ‘bulls-eye’ on yourself.

   Have you had to ever make a snap judgement about a situation? Many would call this a ‘gut reaction/feeling that you should not go to a place, or, have a feeling about someone. At this moment we ask to be ‘Delivered’ from . .

V7 Deliverance
What does it mean to have Deliverance? Well, the best way is to let Daniel describe just what it means . .

• For your people and for your holy city,
• To finish the transgression,
• To make an end of sins,
• To make reconciliation for iniquity,
• To bring in everlasting righteousness,
• To seal up vision and prophecy,
• And to anoint the Most Holy.   

... I feel it could not be more clearly pointed out what it truly means to be Delivered Before we go much further I want to ask – ‘What you thought it might be like?’ Let me take you back to the time I gave my heart to Jesus. It was a Sunday evening, as I walked into the Church it felt like a heaviness had been lifted from me. Have you ever seen a shire at work with all those bridals, harnesses as well as the weight of whatever it had been pulling the day? Then to have all this taken off at the end of the day, you’ll see the shire horse buck – jump & and run around now it is free. Well that is how my spirit felt that Sunday evening back in 1998, just by walking into my Church.

   To have ‘Deliverance’ also means to be freed from your old sinful life. We have the most precious gift of all, we wont to tarnish it all? John tells it on a little more serious note, in a warning to the unbeliever of the consequence of NOT taking His deliverance . .
John 3:18   “..he who believes in Him is not condemned but he who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God..“

   Deliverance is truly the greatest gift of all, we have been pulled out of darkness into a light that is pure and has no shadows. Mathew here really spells out the dangers of IT NO receiving ‘deliverance’, and yet tells of the Security/Safety we have, how wondrous. Whilst we are being Delivered we God’s compos to safely guide us through life.

V8 Guidance
“..I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye..“

   Once saved by God’s mercy and now Delivered, we need to be shown how to believe, and what is expected of us. God dose this through His Love & Mercy. . .
Psalms 48:14  “..for this God is our god forever and ever ,He will be our guide even to the end..“
. . God will be with us till the end being a guide unto our feet. When being guided by someone else we will be quite, otherwise we will miss important information. So, when asking God for direction we need to be still and quite. If not our walk with God will come of the rails.

   From time to time there will one’s who feel they are the one to guide/lead. Some of these will be carful and a ‘hot-line’ to God. Hence these will guide us directly because they are being led by God. What we must be weary of is one’s who want to pretend to guide you only for personal gratification and NOT the Lords. These need to shown up before they do much harm.

   The only way to know we are being led by Jesus, is to pray and ask for guidance, for Him to shine a lamp unto your feet. This will come from knowing Jesus in a personal level and thus know when He is leading. This will by many hours of prayer and building up an connection . .
Isaiah 29:29  “..who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance..“
. . .we may well find the going tough at times as well as challenging. Always remember while these trials will test your faith, God only let the times come because He knew you could with stand these trials. Keep these words steadfast in your heart. . .

V8   “..I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guild you with my eye..”

God’s light is pure and darkness can’t with stand it. .
Luke 1 v79 “ . .to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. .”

Come Come Come into the light let the Lord God be the lamp unto your feet. Once we are being guided by God, Having a close relationship we will know/hear God’s Warning.

V9 Warning
   Warnings come in many guises. Whilst growing up we are told by our earthly parents not to this or that because we get hurt. Whilst grieving there are traffic lights which stop us with a red light, everyone who was taught to drive knows to stop a red light. Or, become badly hurt or even dead. The same applies to walking on the pavement, that when we need to cross the road we need to wait for the green man to be lit, then we know it is safe to cross the road.

   All around us there are many ‘Warnings’ to many to list in their forms, examples like . .

• Road signs
• The markings on the road,
• the warning the comes on the PC to tell us when we are being attacked by a virus

. . these were but a few of them. A small observation, over the next 24hrs try and see how ‘various forms’ of Warnings you can find or come across in your normal day.

Ezekiel 33 v5  “..he heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning, his blood shall be upon himself. But who takes warning save his life..“

The Message bible spells it so clear anyone can understands. .
Ezekiel 33 v1-6  “..God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, ‘If I bring war on this land and the people take one of their citizens and make him their watchman, and if the watchman sees war coming and blows the trumpet, warning the people, then if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet and ignores it and war he ignored it—it’s his own fault. If he had listened, he would have saved his life. ‘But if the watchman sees war coming and doesn’t blow the trumpet, warning the people, and war comes and takes anyone off, I’ll hold the watchman responsible for the bloodshed of any unwarned sinner..“

   God tells us clearly we need to be walking with Him. If we do this then we will not only hear/see God’s Warnings for our lives we will be able to correct the waywardness.

V11 Joy
   With the way the world is hit hard by Counties going through times. The average Joe Bloggs is struggling with the price of everything, causing them to struggle. So where are they to find joy? When being able to do all the things in their spare time they used to once be able to do!

   You may not have the disposable income you had. May you will stand outside the supermarket as I did and wonder ‘how am I going to afford to eat this month’? I hear you saying this is all we and good, waffling dose not feed my family for the following month let alone pay bills and put fuel in the car to get to work.

   I hear you, it was the month of my Baptism, I had to drive my parents in a round trip of 500 miles, and feed them. That month I sat in the congregation down to my last pound. I prayed to God I will give Him my last pound and prayed for His provision. Well, God is good, I had fuel and food to bring my parents to my baptism as well as for work for next 3 months. I saw my bank manager, he cleared the 185.00 I owed the bank, and he also gave me a clean slate as well. This gave me time to sort out my finances. Who says God does not bring them JOY

Pslam 132:15/16
(The Message) “ . . I’ll shower blessings on the pilgrims who come here, and give supper to those who arrive hungry; I’ll dress my priests in salvation clothes; the holy people will sing their hearts out. . “
(The King James)” . .I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. . “

   It dose not matter how it is said the with faith that god will meet our need’s. This small 5 letter word, will bring JOY beyond measure . .

Gen 22:14  “ . .Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of God, he sees to it.”
. . so do we believe in the flesh or the spirit that will bring JOY beyond measure?

Pslam 16:11 “ . . in your _ulfil_e there is fullness of JOY . .”
Isaiah 12:3   “ . . Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. .”

   I we just are willing to step out in faith our needs will be met with His fullness and JOY. I know it may be the hardest thing is believing that once again JOY will return.

Summary

   Today All these gifts from God, we call this ‘hind site’, can it be? Or, should we call this God’s multifaceted ‘Grace’. Yet we still underestimate the influence it can have, if, we just open up.

   Instead saying ‘woe-is-me’, say ‘how rich am I’. Yes we all go through times when we really can’t see all that we have because the devil the devil is stood right in front of our faces. It’s time not just to ‘claim’ our Divine Possessions, but to own them. The moments we open up our hearts and invite Jesus we have had all of those possessions. Some have not realised it and some have forgot. Not sure what is worse to forget or not to know? At least if you never realised you had had these wonderful gifts you might be forgiven. To have this wealth, and still decide to struggle, then that is just plain sad.

   Daniel lays out so clearly our deliverance so why hesitate? In our bank you may only have a few pounds left, but, in our heavenly bank account it will always have a wealth beyond measure, it will never be ‘over-drawn’. Infact the more we tap into it the wealthier we become. These possessions are just sitting there waiting for us to tap into.

   I’m almost unable to imagine what my life was like before I asked God into my life. So ask the mirror next time you see your reflection . . .
Can I live without God’s - Forgiveness
Can I live without God’s - Assurance

Can I live without God’s - Protection
Can I live without God’s - Deliverance
Can I live without God’s - Guidance
Can I live without God’s - Warning
Can I live without God’s - Joy
. . . We can have all these things, as they are God’s blessings. I leave you with this last Question ; “Which Bank account would you like to have”?

     We thank the Lord our God for His living word, that guids us, for His Forgiveness, for His Assurance, for His  Protection, for His Deliverance, Warning in times of trouble, and the Joy He brings to us with His graces.  Amen

With Standing Mental Attacks 52:161217

52:161217

With Standing Mental Attacks

(Training your mind to receive the finished works of grace)

To Train :- To bring under control something

that’s out of control and wild.

   Why as Christians is it important to have control over our mind, this is our gateway to all that Jesus has and is going to give you. We must guard our mind as this is our arena of faith.

Stop the press – hold the phones

# Important fact revealed #

   At some point in our growth as a Christian, ‘the penny will drop’ and you’ll figure our .. the only .. weapon the devil has is .. suggestion .. and nothing else, because Jesus stripped him of everything else. He has no weapons of mass destruction.

   He will sow tiny seeds of .. suggestion .. and then sit back and laugh as we self destruct. Then what do we do is give him (the devil) the glory, for doing NOTHING. Next time you go into a tail spin, just imagine him sat in the corner laughing at you loudly, don’t let him see you cry, NO. Instead, smile and praise Jesus Christ. Just like a bully, when he can see he can’t get to you he (the devil) will on.

# Be strong Jesus Christ is with us #

   To win this battle we need to give it a lot attention .. Psalms 5:1 “..Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation..” .. What are we giving our attention to? .. Why are we led away so easily? Here below are some tips I hope are of use for you ..

• Become constantly aware of what you are thinking,
• Constantly check out what you are thinking,
• Always beware of of what’s going through your mind

   Our minds are a fertile ground that is always receptive of suggestions from the devil. The devil never pinned Adam & Eve down or had them beaten into submission.

NO

   The devil was, and still is, sneaky; under handed and very crafty. He got them thinking and obsessing about the wrong things, until he had them thinking only of this one tree in the garden...

# You cannot be tempted with everything you don’t think about #

...If the devil is going to tempt you, he is going to have you thinking about it.

The Testament
Will have you thinking on the following things that are good ..

• Think on the things that are lovely
• Think on things that are of good reported

… Think only of the things of good report and virtue and those things Jesus Has promised. If your wondering look at...
Psalm 103:2/4 

“..Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies..”
… because of the volatile society we live in, it says ‘it’s OK to let your mind wonder’

# Exercise #
   Try this ...Turn off your TV (television) Radio – Stereo - I Pod/Mobile phone. Now come to state of prayer then see how long it takes before some thought other than what your praying on pops up??

   Who can truly say. ‘what is it the devil knows about the power he truly has? When in fact he has none. The devil would have all us believers to think that we have all non believers think that the Bible really says, ‘God only helps those who help themselves’. Really. WRONG It was former USA Benjamin Franklin that once said: “You should always be aware of who is leading you, and who is not”. The only way is to be in your Bible, so you know when exactly when the leader is about to send them out to do something and NOT God.

   We need to know the goodness & graces of god are blocked, and why this has happened? Well it is because we don’t have held aloft our shield of Faith. I hear you ask ‘why do we need these’? These are used to stop the fiery-dart... Ephesians 6:16 “..above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one..” … How can we recognise these attacks? They come in forms and guises - suggestions and come from places you’ll never had thought possible…
Philippians 4:13 "..I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.."
...every time the devil whispers in your ear .. ‘your good’ or ‘you can’t do that idiot’. You hold aloft your shield and say back to him, “..taking the "shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one..”

   It’s sad to say too many of us, instead of holding aloft our “shield of faith”, we have it ‘metaphorically’ we have it leaning against our leg, or worst of all have it leaning against the wall in the corner. Now the shield is wondering you know how to use it at all. This is why we get covered in “the fiery darts of the wicked one”. It’s time to start to learn how to use it effectively/properly/fully in our lives.

Fear ~ Is just an accusation, told to us from an early age, which would have us believing may be a false hood.
Fear-not
Deuteronomy 3:22 “..I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..”
2 Kings 17:35 “..I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..”
Number 21:34 “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand..”
Hebrews 13:6 “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

   God has been stood here for a long time, just waiting for us waiting for us throw the accuser out of the way so His glory can come into our lives and shine. We ‘ALL’ need to ready to respond to the devil, like this …
Example . . .
When he says your to weak, you say..
1 Corinthians 12:10 “..Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong..”

When he says your defeated, you say..
1 Corinthians 12:1054/55 “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

   You really can’t let what the devil says, or does, you have to send a flood in to flush out his bad & rotten seeds. Other wise they spread out and infect everything. Remember these thing I have told you … and you can start to batting all the rotten seeds out of the park. All you need to do these things, is in you hand called the Bible, it has all you need.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, the God of Abraham ~ Isaac & Jacob, thank you for showing us how powerful your word is to defeat the devil, whilst making us stronger to win. Thankyou for your teaching, as we know your word does not return void. Let your blessings flow through your word to all who read this message.  Amen