Matthew 6:33 King James Version (KJV) “33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Psalm 27 reminds us that we are to seek God’s face, not merely His benefits.    I stress not merely as there are many scriptures that remind us not to forget His benefits like Psalm 103, Isaiah 53, and every verse regarding the Lord’s Supper.   We are to be mindful of these as well, but foremost, our hearts must be for a relationship with our Lord and a desire for His Kingdom.

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,  3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;  7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.  10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:  11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.”

Hebrews 6 KJV “13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.  15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.  17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:  19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;  20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”

There is so much here.    Perhaps most of us have seen one of those circular life donuts…  the ones you see on ships or at the beach that have a lifeline attached.   When someone is in trouble The central imagery that stands out to me is the anchor for our souls.      Jesus was able to walk as He walked as He 100% without any doubt believed every promise and word of God to be true.   He simply walked as His Father told Him to walk and therefore arrived/entered the promised destination.   He certainly had to patiently, with great forbearance endure to receive the fulfillment.    This need for patient endurance repeats itself over and over again through scripture.  No one who gained the Kingdom, did so without having to endure through a testing or wilderness time that require these two things.

Here is the imagery I see in these verses and how these images paint a picture in my mind of how we go from being “adrift” to “entering into rest” and enjoying/living fully/expressing fully the Kingdom of God.

Our destination:  The Secret place, the Abiding place, the place of constant and inimate communion with our Lord:  His Rest.    First, keen awareness and constant mindfulness that our sights are set on seeking the fullness of the Kingdom and God’s righteousness.  As 2 Peter tells us these are within the veil, and that we are to follow the forerunner, our Lord Jesus Christ, and take up residence and be seated as He is seated next to the Father, in a position rest.   

 

Hebrews 4 KJV “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.  3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter   Into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.  4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.  5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.  6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:  7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.  8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.  9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.  10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.  11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

The Steadfast Anchor:     Our faith in God’s promises is the anchor.    

The lifeline that connects us to the anchor:   The promises of God.

Aimlessly Adrift:  Our present state of being when we catch our first glimpse of the Kingdom.

Being aware of the reality of these things can change everything on our perspective and give us a tried and true path to redemption and restoration of the fullness of our lives and bodies.

The image in my own minds eye.    The Lord is really the centre of all things.  He sits on His throne, the Lord Jesus Christ by His side also on His throne….   He is surrounded by the praise of the saints and angels,  the glorious city of Zion surrounds Him, the fullness of the  Kingdom of the Son permeates every aspect and is expressed completely in every detail.  . Around all of this is a veil, completely impenetrable and impassable and imperceptible to the casual passerby.    Now even though it is in the midst of all things, is is unperceived and to the ignorant, completely undetected.    To the throne of God I can see affixed thousands of cords ( cords woven together made of unbreakable 3 unbreakable strands of God’s Word and God’s oath and the yes and amen of Christ and His blood).  Zoom out and I can see the image of a wheel… the hub is the throne of God…  these cords radiate ourwards and cross right through the veil, remember thousands of them, each one of them a precious lifeline cast into the fallen world to lead His precious ones home to the very throne room of mercy, grace and LOVE.   Each one able to pierce the darkest darkness and the most hopeless pits of despair.

When I was sick and struggling, I bumped into the one given in Proverbs 4:20-23.   Faith anchored me to that promise.   

So why the need for patient endurance?   Going back to the original image…   Picture everything within the veil as being pure/blameless/holy and 100% submitted to God’s will and purposes.    Jesus came saying repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.   It is impossible to take up residence in Zion until self-will, self-centredness, self gratification, and sin  have completely died in us and through us.     Scripture tells us that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus.  Yes, even Jesus had to deny Himself…  “Not my will but yours” in the garden before His crucifixion.   As long as we allow any of things things to cling to us, we will remain outside the Kingdom in some measure, yes, praise God rooted to the Kingdom through His Promise and His oath, but still outside of the fullness of the Kingdom.  Galatians 5:19-23 confirms this rather starkly.

Habakkuk 1:13 King James Version (KJV) “13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?”

Faith empowers me to grab hold of the promise and start following the Cord  (I picture hand over hand pulling) towards the hubs.   Keep in mind that every promise ends in the exact same place and every bit of energy and time I invest in following that promise draws me closer to the Promiser.     As I am faithful with the one promise, I am drawn in towards the hub of that wheel.   the tighter in I get the more promises I can grasp…  Anyone seated on the throne has access to the fulfillment of all of the promises.

Ephesians 2 Berean Study Bible “…5made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.…”

The obstacles in my path:

1. As long as I am not 100% subject to God, I will be in some measure subject to the beggarly elements of this world, the elements of self, sickness, death, sin, and every other things that thrives in the absence of total submission to God.  The lusts of the flesh and the deceitfulness of sin make all of these things seem appealing.    The moment I grasp hold of that promise, the enemy ramps up his attempts to get me to let go (see the post on exposing the deceiver)  This means it is absolutely in everyone’s interest for us to get through the veil as early as we can in our walk.

2. Doubt and unbelief.   These perpetually cause me to question both the promise and the promiser.   If I doubt either one of these, it severs compromises my anchor (faith) and often causes me to let go of God’s promise and instead grasp at the seemingly easier and more sure to my senses of human effort and human solutions.  This is why it is so hard to grasp the promise of God in one hand and the promises and methods of man in the other.    This brings us to the place of being double minded.   It may be possible, I know for me I tend to get sucked into man’s solutions very quickly and find myself having let go of God’s promises in some measure when I focus on what I can do in the natural or with human help for any length of time.   It takes two hands (hand over hand), singularity of mind, to make progress along the lifeline to happen in some cases.   There are certainly exceptions.    We have these retractable cords on certain appliances at home.  If you pull on them the right way, they go wizing back into their casing.    It is marvelous when this happens with a promise of God.   We grasp it and find ourselves sucked right into the full promise almost instantly.    Absolutely we want this every time but this would nullify the Word which says that to obtain all the promises we required of absolute necessity patience and endurance.

3.Fear.  Yes, fear will attack the character and nature of God and try to cause us to panic and start grasping vainly in the air for anything that promises us any sense of security or control.   It will have us beating at the air, spinning our wheels and in torment.   Faith is systematic, faith is fully assure, faith is pinpoint in its precision, faith is enduring, faith demands the fulfillment, faith cannot waver, faith is patient and enduring and can handle the turbulence knowing that the life line is proven and sure and cannot be broken and that the one holding the other end is 100% faithful and good.

As we get a hold of this big picture, of the thief who wants us to let go so that we are permanently trapped in his domain, and under his influence.   All the elements we have been talking about start to come into clearer focus.      These precious promises and life lines are all around us if we have the ability to perceive them and the understanding to know their fundamental value and worth.   Find your promise… find your life line and then follow it through the veil of holiness and blamelessness into the fullness of the Kingdom and of abiding in the presence of God.

Now keep in mind, that God in His infinite wisdom appointed elders (spiritually mature ones) to cover, to oversee, to minister to, to raise up, to equip etc the flock.   Healing of the sick falls into this category.  God’s best is for the elders (as biblically definined) minister healing to the sick.   Absolutely we can obtain healing through the promises…

If you haven’t yet, please read the post on why so few are healed.  This post is not intended to put any pressure on the sick.  I believe firmly that the biblical model is for the sick to be ministered to.  To put this additional burden on the sick is a crushing burden.   Ideally, the sick are ministered to and healed via those with gifts and maturity and once well are then trained and equipped for the work of the ministry so in time they too can minister to the sick with annointing and power.

https://healinganddiscipleship.com/2019/04/23/why-are-so-few-healed-today/

 

 

 

 

 

We have walked through the loss/early translation of a child in the womb to the Kingdom of God three times now.    The first time was relatively devastating, so for those who are in that place, I can absolutely still relate.  Since then I have spent many hours at the Father’s knee and in the Word, which I can report, praise God, has absolutely changed everything.   Our most recent loss happened just this past month.   I will not share details as I do not want to stir up difficult memories etc.   But I will share about my experience of God’s faithfulness through this time.

This will be more of  a testimony of my own experience, not so much as a how to or this is definitively what scripture says on the matter.   The details and situations and personalities etc involved in each individual and the preciousness and heart investment that we have in our children is so intense and yet so variable that to suggest that to suggest in any way that there is some easy way to wash away the pain and sting of loss would be callous and no doubt hurtful to many.   That is not my intention at all in sharing. My hope is to navigate through this testimony with tenderness, love and compassion.

I unexpectedly have found myself in a place of absolute joy and peace, of wonder and awe at His Goodness and amazement of how time and time again He reveals Himself in my darkest hours and reveals how the brightness and goodness of Him and His Kingdom can prevail and consume the sorrow and grief.  I am well spiritually, mentally and physically, miraculously so.

The back story… From the moment our youngest daughter was born, I have had the sense that God has one more for us.   Every thought I had to start redistributing our baby items was immediately followed by the thought… “I have one more for you”.   My track record of hearing is not perfect, but in this matter it would be hard to miss.    In my present understanding, I believe that it is impossible to conceive a child that God has not first created in His own heart.   This works well as my husband simply loves children and would have as many as came as long as we gave ourselves some space between each, so he is delighted by the thought of another.     I simply pray and seek His will and then do my part in the natural to see what I hear fulfilled.   This simplicity is the hallmark of what I wish my whole walk with the Lord could be.

Also for the last 2 years, I have felt directed to read Psalm 87 over and over again.    I have been puzzled and baffled by why the Lord would direct me there so I kind of just chuckled each time and committed it to Him and asked Him to reveal to me why this Psalm.

So it was with great joy that we received the news of another pregnancy confirmed.   And on the morning we discovered the pregnancy was threatened, it was this verse that came to mind instantly.   I have meditated on this verse and rolled it through my mind so many times since.    And in it I have discovered the fullness of joy and peace for all three of my Zion babies.    I have 7 children….  3 of them got to skip the pains and suffering of this present world and were able to go right from the warmth and nurture of the womb to the city of our God.   I have spent time and plan to spend even more pondering that even the gates of this holy city are more beloved by God than all of the dwellings of Jacob… There is simply no place on earth that is comparable to the glory, splendour, perfection, peace and love that permeate Zion.     Three precious children who will never experience the sting of my shortfalls and sin, never have to deal with pain and sickness and who will never have to question the Father’s love for them.    I am in AWE of His goodness.

On that morning, three giants loomed up in front of me.    Fear, doubt and shame.   The first two did not surprise me.  The third took me totally off guard.     Fear of death was undone by the revelation of the “alternative” birth location awaiting my precious child.  To think of that birth certificate (record of birth more rightly) recording that this one was born in Zion, the city of our God makes me laugh out loud for joy.      The realizaion that the worst case scenario was not in fact death, as truly death has lost it’s sting and power and has been reduced in capacity to merely expedite the translation process from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of the Son.     As this reality sunk in, doubt had no leg to stand on….

So what remained was shame….   What would “they” say?    There was a chorus of different they’s bombarding my thoughts endlessly.    So thankful that we had just talked about the verse in the Bible that shares that Jesus simply “pushed aside” the shame of what He was walking through and refused to receive it’s assignments and pain.    I found my heart drawn continually to the revelation that my audience was One only, and for Him I am to live and breath and praise.

And so I praised and thanked Him.   I thanked Him that in a fallen world, my body is so incredible that it knows what to do to carry a child to term and then birth them but also is wired and designed to handle when this is not possible.  I thanked Him for His goodness in giving me the verses that brought back joy and hope and peace.  I thanked Him for Jesus.  For the wonder of His creation.  I took a walk and stared at the sky and the trees and every bit of His handiwork I could set my eyes on and thanked Him for the magnificent details.    I thanked Him for the dear and precious friends He has surrounded me with.  For the financial provision to seek out whatever help we need through this season etc…

Perhaps you have heard the song “I’ll Raise and Hallelujiah” by Bethel…   This song came flooding into my life during this season.   It was and is the song track to this chapter in my life.

Psalm 87 Kvving James Version (KJV)  “87 His foundation is in the holy mountains.  2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.  3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.  4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.  5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.  6 The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.”

I am personally blessed beyond measure and in awe of God’s faithfulness and grace, and overwhelmed with His joy in this area of our lives.  I felt led to Psalm 87 when we found out that this pregnancy was being threatened and the reality of Zion’s Babies sunk in so deep that now there is great joy at the knowledge of three precious ones dwelling with the Father in a place that far exceeds in beauty and wonder every possible home on earth.

We will not be jumping through any hoops to make things happen but we are both praying about and listening to the Lord about how to better care for ourselves.    As a family, we are so thankful for your gracious responses, loving care and ongoing prayer support.

I believe that we will have our “handful” yet and that a precious, vigorous, little blessing will come on the scene sometime in the near future.  I don’t think those promptings to not purge the baby things was for naught.   For the moment we are taking a small pause to build up the storehouses both spiritually and naturally.

One of the hardest things has been knowing who to share the details of our journey with simply because it is a road rarely travelled.    The moment a pregnancy is confirmed of course, our own hearts have fallen completely in love with our child.    Culturally, we tend to encourage silence and for family’s who experience the loss of a child in early pregnancy to mourn silently and to carry the burden and fears of early pregnancy privately.   Many have open heart wounds from these kinds of losses and have lost hope that even these can be healed.   I believe that Christ came to heal the broken hearted and that there must therefore be someway of removing these elements that force those suffering into silent and persisting pain.    I question if this really lines up with the scriptural mandate to pray for those who are at risk and walking through challenging times.

Psalm 87 has blessed me immensely.    It has come to the place where it just pops to my heart and joy overwhelms me of the knowing that even the consolation promise is beyond wonderful for a mama’s heart to imagine.     There is no death, therefore no sting of death, only total pre-translation to the Kingdom.  It is from overflow not effort that I can sing praises to the Lord.  I personally receive great joy in simply doing the best I can to do all I am prompted to do.   from a Kingdom perspective, the promise 100% sure.

There are losses to grieve of course.  The facts that God’s purposes and plans for each child will not be fulfilled and of course the personal delight and joy I would feel in holding and raising these children  would be foremost on my own heart.  But I do not linger on these things as they are beyond my ability to change.  It reminds me so much of when David prayed and fasted earnestly so long as his child lived but then immediately cleaned up and went right to praising God when the matter was established and beyond his capacity to change.

One of my children that is here was conceived two months after the Zion birth of another.    I know 100% had the one who was born there had been full term here, my precious child here would simply not exist.    I strongly doubt that I would ever have taken on the task for raising and caring for 7 and yet 7 now exist, eternal souls, 3 safely settled with the Father…   God’s goodness defies all my understanding every single time.

Philippians 3:13-14 King James Version (KJV)  “13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Whenever and wherever there is a promise from God, there is a thief who is desperate to derail and neutralize it’s fulfillment.    Thank God that He who is in us is far greater than He who is in the world.     For every family willing to have the support, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have whole communities praying for these precious ones the moment we learn of a family who is expecting to be expecting?

AND  we are in no way discouraged or derailed from believing what God’s Word says about pregnancy and childbirth.    We have each  been having many talks with God on this subject.   His Promises on this are 100%.  Exodus 23 says plainly that none shall miscarry.  Scripture says nothing shall by any means harm us and that great shalom is poured out on our children.  That God watches over the vineyard and keeps it from all harm etc… We are delivered from the Kingdom of darkness, from the beggarly elements of this world and death has truly lost its power here.  The truth is the promises have gotten so big in my our hearts that anything else is beyond possibility.   So we will keep our eyes fixed there and walk as He leads us to walk knowing that He who has promised is as has always been faithful.   We believe  God’s report.

I will create another separate post with the promises I know  and to serve as a signpost and encouragement for those who are expecting to be expecting or are expecting presently.

Do let me know if I have failed to communicate any part of this post with sensitivity and love.

With much love and in Christ,

Lisa

Colossians 3:2-4 King James Version (KJV)  “2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  ”

Hebrews 11:5 King James Version (KJV) “5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

Philippians 1:22-24 King James Version (KJV)” 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.”

2 Peter 1:13-15 New International Version (NIV) “13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.”

2 Corinthians 5:7-9 King James Version (KJV) “7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)  8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.  9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.”

The central thing is to live to please Him.   Which for those of us here means living for His glory in spite of and in the midst of and overcoming all things in Christ for his glory.    The more I meditate on these verses, the more I can understand how the disciples out of obedience served out the full number of their days here but also longed for their home coming and putting off the tent (their physical bodies) to be fully present with the Lord.

Philippians 3:20-21 New Living Translation (NLT) “20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.”

 

 

2 Peter 1KJV ” ³ According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  ⁴ Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Do note the preciousness of God’s promises.   Why are they so precious?  Through the promises, we are able to become partakers of the divine nature and escap the corruption in the world.

Mark 4 KJV “⁹ And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.  ¹⁰ And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.  ¹¹ And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:  ¹² That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.  ¹³ And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?   ¹⁴ The sower soweth the word.  ¹⁵ And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.  ¹⁶ And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;   ¹⁷ And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.  ¹⁸ And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,  ¹⁹ And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.  ²⁰ And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.  ²¹ And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?  ²² For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.  ²³ If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.  ²⁴ And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.”

Wherever there is a treasure of great worth, scripturally we are warned that are is a deceiver and thief looking for an opportunity to steal it.   The two verses below illustrate that the Word of God itself and specifically the promises in the Word are a great treasure indeed.   Mark 4 warns us that Satan is indeed waiting to snatch away the Word from our hearts before it can truly take root as He understands It’s (His, Jesus’) power to set us free and bring us into our full inheritance.

What is motivating Satan to do so?     First, he has been covetting what God gave to Adam and Eve from the very beginning.   Scripture tells us that Satan longed to be like the Most High…   And the God created Adam and Eve and as a free gift gave them dominion over all the earth.    What Satan gained at the Fall was the dominion of the Earth.   Scripture plainly calls Satan the god of this world.   Anyone who discover who they are in Christ is freed from His dominion and rule.  But it is far worse for him… Not only are they delivered from him, but they have dominion over him and have the power cast him out and to come against all of his works.    Basically, those who believe and receive and act on God’s promises and receive their inheritance also walk according to His ways… Including going about doing good and destroying all the works of the devil.      Every promise he can block, every disciple he can lead astray, every word he can subvert, every command he can undermine is in his interest to do.

In simple terms, wherever there is a promise of God, there is a desperate and cunning thief bent on stealing it motivated by hate and self-preservation.

2 Corinthians 4:4 King James Version (KJV)  “4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Hebrews 11:4-6 King James Version (KJV)
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.  5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.  6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

1 John 3:8 King James Version (KJV)
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Colossians 1:12-14 King James Version (KJV)
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

This is so so so encouraging when you consider that it was through a similar translation into relationship and right standing with God that Enoch did not “see death.”

Hebrews 11:4-6 King James Version (KJV)
“4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.  5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.  6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Therefore, since we are warned of this “roaring lion” who is looking for his next victim, we must be vigilant, prepared at all times to submit to God, and resist the devil…  Guard the seeds that have been sown in your life.    Pray vigilantly for the seeds sown in others.  Knowing in absolute confidence that He who is in us is the greater, and that in our submission to God, the devil will surely flee from us.

1 Peter 5:6-9 King James Version (KJV)
“6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:  7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

James 4:6-8 King James Version (KJV)
“6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

There are some topics, like pro-life vs pro-choice, evolution vs creation etc. that came up this week. In order to act in gentleness and love towards all, we must prayerfully navigate through these waters and also respect that not all people in the room hold the same view of these things. Understanding the position of the leadership of the church is also an essential part of this equation, so we must at all times strive to remain in a spirit of unity and brotherly love.

If these come up in the group meeting time again, I will be encouraging people to post here. The goal is not to avoid or silence anyone who is passionate or to deny that scripture has much to say on these things, but to provide a more appropriate forum for discussion. We are all doing the best we can with the information we have. There is a reason why some of these topics have such a huge capacity to offend or stir up overwhelming emotions in some.     

A verse to consider.    Absolutely there is a time and a place to seek out unity on a matter especially when we are personally convinced of it’s biblical mandate.  When, how and to whom we present are all essential considerations.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 Amplified Bible (AMP)

²⁴ The servant of the Lord must not participate in quarrels, but must be kind to everyone [even-tempered, preserving peace, and he must be], skilled in teaching, patient and tolerant when wronged. ²⁵ He must correct those who are in opposition with courtesy and gentleness in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and be led to the knowledge of the truth [accurately understanding and welcoming it], ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Philippians 2:3

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.

Our goal is to encourage everyone to study the Word for themselves and to, over time, as the Lord leads, let Him be Lord of every area of our lives. This is a lifelong process that is unique to each person. The things that one person may have studied in depth and are passionate about may never reach the top of another person’s pile. God is working on each of us in different areas and in different ways so there is really no room for comparison.

I cannot strongly encourage us enough to stay away from statements like “All Christians must/should/ought to _____________________”   when discussing areas of applied theology like the ones listed above.   

Although it is good to be passionate about things that we believe God has convicted us about, we must do all things in the context of loving relationships.   Therefore, our present knowledge and  understanding ought to always be expressed in meekness  and gentleness, and as mentioned, in the appropriate time and place – leaving room for those who don’t hold the same beliefs/understandings/convictions to, by the grace of God, and in His timing for them, increase their knowledge, grow, and learn. Each of us must remain humble at all times, leaving room for God to show us where our own knowledge and understading may be lacking.

1 Corinthians 13:2 English Standard Version (ESV) “2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

My hope in creating this post is to 

Understanding what the Bible says about our words and thoughts, blessings and curses and our ability (empowered by Him and His Word) to train are minds overtime to edit what we think about and say.

 

To Pray:

Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Easy doable first step for anyone wanting to line up with God’s Word on this topic.   Pray this Psalm every morning and night and ask Him sincerely to renew your thinking and words.

Simple powerful prayer to pray….   Redeeming ALL of our thoughts and Words for the sake of the Lord and the Kingdom is a foundational principle and KEY to living the victorious Christian Life.

1.____Our Spoken Words are Powerful and can be used for good or evil__

Ephesians 4:15 “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.”

Main point:    A body can never act in unity if all of its parts are doing their own thing.   Kingdom Key:  We must in all things submit to God as Lord and head of our lives.                   The Most Common obstacle:  Self wants to be in charge.   We like to be in charge of our lives, our schedules and our resources and we enjoy using them (at least many of us do) to serve ourselves instead of being focussed on the Kingdom.

The Kingdom can only flow in a body of believers that has fully submitted to the Lord.   We can all readily understand how are physical bodies simply could not function if we had more than one head involved or worse yet, if each of our body parts was self-directed and their was no coordination between the parts.   My hand would be doing one thing, my feet going in differerent directions etc.. that would be bad enough.  But my internal organs would simply fail to function and life would cease before it started as it is the precise coordination of these things that allows for life.  Kingdom life is the same.. It cannot exist and thrive where the body parts aren’t tuned into and obeying what the head is saying.

Proverbs 10:11 “The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain”

Kingdom Key:   Words are immensely powerful, godly words produce abundant life,

In our discussion time, the question was raise, what does it mean to be godly?      This ties back into the above comments.  To be godly is to be tuned into all the time and to obey every instruction that comes from the head.  The body part cannot miss godliness if it is tuned into and acting only on the instructions of the Head (Christ)

Proverbs 12:6 “The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives.”

wicked vs godly….   murderous amush vs saving lives.

Proverbs 12:18 “Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. “

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H4832&t=KJV

מַרְפֵּא marpêʼ, mar-pay’; from H7495; properly, curative, i.e. literally (concretely) a medicine, or (abstractly) a cure; figuratively (concretely) deliverance, or (abstractly) placidity:—(in-)cure(-able), healing(-lth), remedy, sound, wholesome, yielding.

Our Words can cut or they can heal….  as we get hold of these things, we find our speech transforming.  Sarcasm and other mocking tones and words fall away as we begin to get a hold of how restorative our words can actually be.

Proverbs 16:24  “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

Same Hebrew word Marpay behind healthy for the body.

Proverbs 18:4 “Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.”

This imagery is so powerful… above we are told like a fountain (endless supply) and it was mentioned in our group time that this imagery is one of joy (bubbling brook).

2 Peter 1:19 “Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.”

the Bible is full of wise words and the words of the godly, but ones that have been tried and tested and purified to express the exact will of God.   The Word of God is an infinite source of wisdom and wise words that we can encourage one another with during every stage of our walk.   Yes, truly a gifts of knowledge or wisdom, the ability to hear the fresh mana from being able to rightly discern and hear the voice of the Lord today is awesome and to be desired.  But the words in scripture are available to all of us and can be spoken often amongst us to encourage us and bless us each one as we grow.

2.________________________________________________________________

Ephesians 4:29 “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

Our part:  we are admonished not to use foul or abusive language.    Understanding the above verses motivates me to desire intensively for all my words to be good and helpful.

Easy doable application:   start small, set apart a window of time each day whether 5 minutes, 1 hour etc and monitor every word that you speak with this goal in mind, that they would be good and helpful to those who hear.

Ephesians 5:6 “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

There are many deception voices in among the body of Christ. 

1. The truth with a twist of a lie hidden in.   Going back, we talked about how the Word is powerful and works because in part of its purity.   If a taint is added, and the Word is changed, it is no longer the Word but a different tainted thing that lacks many of the attributes the original pure Word has.   It is not life giving, it is not Kingdom establishing, it does not uphold the biblical principles and often causes confusion, brings in justification of sin and lawlessness etc.  Galatians talks about how they had zero tolerance for anyone teaching a different/false gospel among them.    They guarded their ears from being exposed to these corrupted and false teachings as they understood the biblical principal that a little yeast spoils the whole lump.    
2. Very often this involves picking and choosing the parts of scripture that are appealing and full of promises and blessings but then omitting the parts that require sacrifice, self-denial, responsibilty, and cost.    Preaching a partial truth is a form of deceit and is a snare that is easily fallen into.   
3. Fear of man often keeps us from confronting in love those who are walking after their own appetites or who have been led astray by temptation.    More often than not, the number of false witnesses and those willing to back the worlds or human perspective on a situation, far outnumber those who are willing to take all their direction directly from the Word  of the Lord.   Just as only Joshua and Caleb believed God’s report over man, we must guard our hearts from seeking out the other ten spies who will lead us astray and away from God’s will and Word.

Proverbs 15:4 “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”

This might be my own personal scripture of the year.   This reminder that a gentle words are a tree of life echoes the verse in 2 Timothy.   Perhaps this is an excellent back pocket verse for helping us deal with impatience, frustration, anger, self etc when dealing with the people that seem to break our peace and joy often.   

2 Timothy 2:24-25 King James Version (KJV) “24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;”

It is all of these elements together that seem to be effective and yet even when they are all there, it is still not assured that those who hear will come to repentance and to the acknowledging of the truth.   In a way, this is spelling out that in God’s way of thinking, we are to treat no one like a lost cause, and to recognize that it is not God they are opposing not us they are opposing but it is themselves that they are opposing by their actions.   It helps me to understand how God approaches me and can look on me with compassion in the areas that I am still ensnared and opposing myself and His Kingdom due to my inability to acknowledge the truth.

Proverbs 18:14 “The human spirit can endure a sick body,but who can bear a crushed spirit?”

Why is deceit the number one tactic of the enemy?    Because deceit has the power to crush a spirit and to murder hope.   A couple of things that stand out to me in this.   There is a very good possibility that depression and other forms of hopelessness are commonly rooted in the person suffering having a crushed spirit which literally saps the will to live.    This would be a valuable clue as to how to pray for and help those struggling with these kinds of tormenting thoughts and pressures.    If so, then the root cause it that somewhere in the heart of one suffering in this way is a lie, a seed of deceit that has taken root and has displaced a life and hope giving truth of the Word.   

If the lie can be uprooted and replaced with the truth, than healing would be sure to follow.   This is supported by the verse that says the perfect love of God casts out all fear….  and the torment that fear brings .

1 John 4:18 King James Version (KJV) “18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Proverbs 4:20-24 warns us to guard our heart above all things because out of it are the issues of life.     Paul confirms this when he told them that their blood would not be on him as he shared with them the full message from God and had left nothing out.

Acts 20:25-28 King James Version (KJV)  25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.  26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.  28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

3.________________________________________________________________

Colossians 3:1-2 “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”

Our part is significant here.  We might assume that are thinking and our actions will be automatically renewed when we receive Jesus.   The reality is, in many, or even most, possibly in some way all, the promises hang on us hearing and acting on our part.   SET YOUR SIGHTS… this means we must do this.  God will not do it for us.   We have to respond to and do something to accomplish our part.   If we are able, then of course, simply acting immediately on His commands is ideal.   If we are not able, then we must run back to God and ask Him to help us to even our part and to change our desires and abilities so that we can be enabled to do what we are called to.

The only way we have to become familiar with the things of heaven is through the study of the Word.  The Word tells us the ways of the Kingdom, the will of God and the realities of our new lives as citizens of the Kingdom, heirs to the promises, adopted children of God and new creations in Christ.  It is through the daily washing of the Word and the renewing of our mind via meditating on the Word that we begin to at first catch glimpses of, and eventually are thinking becomes completely renewed by and rewired by the realities of the heaven.  Praise God, their are testimonies of those who had this happen almost instantaneously…  Oh how I long for that to happen in my own mind.   But for many, it is a process, one of choosing immersion in the Word and in His ways.

There is an expression “You are what you eat”.    Most of us kind of get it that if all we eat is junk food and sugar, that our bodies will not thrive.    Secretly many of us have been planning to revitalize our lifestyles and sincerely take up exercise, sleeping the right number of hours, eating the right kind of foods because we believe that good health is in some ways a byproduct of the right kind of habits and diet. 

The reality is, our mental/soul health mirrors all of these elements.    Sleeping could be compared to time spent abiding in God’s presence and REST, the place where we can with confidence cast all of our cares and worries on Him.   A diet devoid of junk food and sugar could be compared with feasting daily on the Word of God and total avoidance of the things of darkness, of wordliness, etc.  Exercise could be likened to taking all of what we learn past the place head knowledge to a place of action, first in small ways, but as our faith muscles grow stronger, in greater and more intensive ways.     

It is hard on the flesh to deny self and do what is truly best for the flesh (as opposed to what feels good to it).    The motivation often comes when living with the negative side effects become more inconvenient than the effort it takes to change.  Knowledge can help motivate us long before that time and to get healthy and stay healthy long before we hit that other place.  I encourage you therefore to always keep your eyes on the conditionals in the Bible.  What are the negative consequences that will surely come from not lining up?  What are the wonderful blessings that will come if we do?  Let us therefore choose to stir up our thinking on the things of heaven and train our selves now to longer fixate on the things of the earth.

Hebrews 12:2 “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

Over and over we will see this need to abide in, keep are eyes on, to follow, to focus on the heavenly perspective etc.       Basically we are being told to keep things in a Kingdom perspective as our human perspective will inevitably fall short and mislead us.  Jesus knew the cross was the only means to the end He had come to accomplish and there was no way to bypass the pain and shame of it.    He Himself kept His eyes on the joy that would come from His great sacrifice.      To endure the moment, we too must look ahead and see what the Kingdom gain will be.

Disregarding shame is one of the hardest things for any human being to do.   When someone is “mistreating us” or speaking harsh words or casting judgements, looks, tone etc our way, we have this powerful reaction to these things spurred on by a deep sense of entitlement and indignation that anyone would dare to treat us that way.   This is in stark contrast to Jesus who was treated in the most humiliating and shameful way and yet He simply pushed the shame of it aside and endured the pain of it.    These are in fact some our greatest opportunities to reveal the Kingdom to someone who is hard hearted or hurting and unable to to stop themselves from the cutting remarks and cruel words and looks.   For someone to respond in meekness, in love, so secure in who they are that they have no need to defend themselves against such things but trust the Lord to be their redeemer even in times as this WOW.  This reactiveness and defensiveness has to die for the Kingdom to be fully expressed in and through our lives.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 King James Version (KJV) 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive (fight); but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

Jesus understood that those in opposition to Him were really in opposition to themselves and that the only chance they stood was for Him to reveal the Kingdom realities to them by how He lived even in the midst of persecutions.    This is my present verse that I am meditating on and looking to the Lord to transform me in.

Philippians 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

How do we endure?  Just as Jesus did.   We fix our thoughts (by meditating often and intentionally on the things listed in this verse) and rehearse in our mind what will be accomplished as we line up with the Word.   

 

4.________________________________________________________________

Ephesians 4:23 “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”

How do we let the Spirit do this.  We ask for His help and tune our ear to His promptings.   When we fall short, we eat our humble pie and ask forgiveness from God and man.  We spend daily time in the Word and meditating on the Word.   We surround ourselves with others who are accountable to the Lord and seek out their encouragement and prayers.   We decide in our hearts to submit fully to God in all areas so when the correction comes, we can receive it as a blessing instead as an offense.  Pride flares and pricks at correction.  Meekness is a trait required to be renewed.

James 3:2-12 K“For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.  Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.  Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.  Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.  See how great a forest a little fire kindles!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.  But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.  Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.  Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.”

KEY TO THE KINGDOM:  Our Words absolutely direct the course of our lives, be it for good or evil so taming our tongue is essential.

Kingdom wise, the battle for our tongue, our words is rather epic in scale.   If we have got self-control over our tongue, the rest of the ship etc will line up as our tongue is the director of our lives.    Letting the Lord renew our thoughts and words is absolutely essential for the Kingdom to be expressed in and through us.     Victory is rooted here which is why it is so very difficult to overcome.  The enemy knows this and therefore does all to use our thinking and our words against us.

 

Romans 12:2” Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Our lives can be so pre-occupied, so deeply running on autopilot of customs, routines, habits etc that we can forget that the rails on which we are running may or may not be helpful to the Kingdom.   To make room for God to renew our thinking and transform us we need to:

1. Set apart daily time to read the Word and pray (talk to God, and especially listen to God)
2. consider our ways and compare them with scripture.   Since we have a new identity, a new citizenship and and are part of a different Kingdom, it follows that are customs and habits will change.   When I lived in France, everything changed.  We shopped daily at the farmers market for our fruits and vegetables etc as we had a tiny little fridge and freezer.  Our routines were different because their routines were different. We ate our meals at different times.   We had to speak and change the way we acted (to my chagrin, what is considered normal courtesy and interaction here, communicates some entirely different to the French male population) as the memos our actions conveyed were perceived differently in that culture.   Kingdom wise for me, I have been systematically taking everything that we do, our use of time, our use of our resources, what we celebrate and  how we celebrate, our prioirities, the contents of our home, the traditions that were passed down to me etc and holding it up next to scripture and seeing if it belongs in the Kingdom or must be purged to make room for the Kingdom.  Very often there is a worldly substitute taking up mental or physical space in our time and energies that needs to be removed to make room for the Kingdom blessings and realities to be established in our hearts and homes.    Very often their are “giants” (things like fear of man, fear of death, unbelief, fear of sickness, gluttony, self-centredness, worldliness, pride etc )that need to be overcome and totally driven out before Kingdom peace and reign can rule in our lives.    Basically, the Kingdom will simply not come to those who are unwilling to conform to it’s ways. (Galatians 5:19-26)

Galatians 5:19-26 KJV “¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, ²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, ²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. ²⁴And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. ²⁵If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Romans 8:26 “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

I find this to be immensely encouraging.  During our chat, it was shared that some feel this refers to praying in tongues…  and others believe it is when we are so overcome with emotion that up out of our bellies come tears and sorrow on such a deep level that no words are adequate to express it.   It is so encouraging to know that in our weakness the Holy Spirit is right there makeig intercession for us through our pain and weakness.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4726&t=KJV

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.  We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

 

5.________________________________________________________________

Acts 7:38 “And there Moses received life-giving words to pass on to us.”

 

1 Thessalonians 4:18 “So encourage each other with these words.”

 

 

6.________________________________________________________________

Luke 10:17 “When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”

 

 

Luke 4:36 “Amazed, the people exclaimed, “What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!”

 

Proverbs 6:2 KJV“Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.“

 

 

7.________________________________________________________________

 Luke 6:43-45 ““A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes.  A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”

 

 

Psalm 55:10 “Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city.”

 

Proverbs 25:28 “A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.”

 

1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

 

Proverbs 4:23 English Standard Version (ESV) “23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,    for from it flow the springs of life.”

 

8.________________________________________________________________

Exodus 4:10-12 “But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”  Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

 

Luke 21:15 “for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!”

 

 

9.________________________________________________________________

Matthew 12:36” And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.”

 

Psalm 50:19-22 “Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. You sit around and slander your brother— your own mother’s son. While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you. Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you.”

 

 

10.________________________________________________________________

Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue,  And those who love it will eat its fruit. “

 

Romans 8:5-6 “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.  So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”

 

 

 

11.________________________________________________________________

1 Corinthians 14:9  “It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.”

 

1 Corinthians 14:15 “Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand.”

 

 

Reminders:

Proverbs 23:12 “Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge.”

 

 

Common Blocks:

Be Mindful of Mental strongholds

• Mindsets, habits, cultural customs, family traditions, family traits etc, repeated patterns (ie reacting a certain way to a certain person, thing etc), automatic pilot

1.________________________________________________________________

John 13:2 “ So[it was] during supper, Satan having already put the thought of betraying Jesus in the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son” [The Amplified Bible]

 

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 King James Version (KJV)  “4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”

 

2.________________________________________________________________

Deuteronomy 6:16 “You must not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained at Massah.”

 

Exodus 17:1-7 “At the Lord’s command, the whole community of Israel left the wilderness of Sin and moved from place to place. Eventually they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink. So once more the people complained against Moses. “Give us water to drink!” they demanded.    “Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?”  But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”  Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? They are ready to stone me!”  The Lord said to Moses, “Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you.  I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.   Moses named the place Massah (which means “test”) and Meribah (which means “arguing”) because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord here with us or not?”

 

 

Ephesians 5:11-12 “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.  It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.”

 

 

 

Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”

 

 

Jeremiah 3:14-15 “And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.”

 

 

 

Luke 12:1-3 “Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy.  The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.  Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!”

 

 

 

Proverbs 17:19 “Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.”

 

 

 

Proverbs 25:23 “As surely as a north wind brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger!”

 

 

Proverbs 26:20 “Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.”

 

 

Psalm 64:1-8 “O God, listen to my complaint. Protect my life from my enemies’ threats. Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers. They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly. They encourage each other to do evil and plan how to set their traps in secret. “Who will ever notice?” they ask. As they plot their crimes, they say, “We have devised the perfect plan!”  Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.  But God himself will shoot them with his arrows, suddenly striking them down. Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.”

 

 

Psalm 101:5 “I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbours. I will not endure conceit and pride.”

 

 

Psalm 102:5 “Because of my groaning, I am reduced to skin and bones.”

 

 

Psalm 106:24-26 “The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe his promise to care for them. Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord. Therefore, he solemnly swore that he would kill them in the wilderness, that he would scatter their descendants among the nations, exiling them to distant lands.”

 

Romans 1:29 “Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarrelling, deception, malicious behaviour, and gossip.”

 

 

Titus 3:1-2 “Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.  They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarrelling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.”

 

 

Titus 3:9-11”Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.”

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:1-11 “I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground.  In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses.  All of them ate the same spiritual food,  and all of them drank the same spiritual water.  For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did,  or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.”  And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.  Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death.  These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.”

 

 

3.________________________________________________________________

Luke 12:11-12 “And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say,  for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”

 

 

Luke 12:25-26 ” Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”

 

 

Matthew 6:25-28 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life”

 

 

Matthew 6:34”Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

 

 

       Lamentations 3:23 “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”

 

 

Proverbs 12:25 “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”

 

 

1 Peter 3:4 “But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.”

 

 

4. _____________________________________________________________________

Matthew 12:36 KJV “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”

 

 

James 1:19-21 King James Version (KJV)  “19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.  21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. “

 

 

Take Home Suggestions:

• Wind yourself up with Thankfulness every morning (thank God for 5-10 things) and at confess to God, ask for forgiveness and accept forgiveness for the things that popped out of your mouth that shouldn’t have each day. Pray for his help in the areas that you are having a hard time changing.   Then move on.  He will be faithful to your efforts and over time you will see things change.
• Start being aware of what you are inputting, which magazines you read, shows you watch on TV etc…. ask God to reveal to you if something is a bad influence and start (at your own pace) being more selective about what you are inputting.

 

 

There are so many parallels to be drawn between the state of Jerusalem at the time Nehemiah was called to restore it and to the present day state of the church.    The people are not generally living in joy and peace and more often then we would hope, many would define their lives from a perspective of struggle and challenge.     Nehemiah was called to help Jerusalem to rebuild and to restore it to God’s plan.     There is much we can learn from the book of Nehemiah as we rededicate our lives and commit to restoring the walls and gates and Temple to the glorious, impenetrable state the Lord intended.

I will be doing a series on these three elements:  Restoring the wall/hedge around our lives.   Replacing the gates that have been burned down, and rededicating and purifying the Temple.

Let’s start with the gates.  What purpose does a gate in a fortified city serve?   The gate keeps the unwanted elements out and allows the wanted elements in.  Even if the walls are completely intact, a fortified city remains constantly vulnerable to attack if there are no “doors” to shut in the gates.   The verse below tells us that Jerusalem was vulnerable because her gates were burned and her walls broken down.   Therefore a two part repair process was essential.

Nehemiah 1:2-11 King James Version (KJV)

^“2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.  ³ And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.   ⁴ And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,  ⁵ And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:  ⁶ Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.  ⁷ We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.  ⁸ Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:  ⁹ But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.  ¹⁰ Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.  ¹¹ O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.”

 

Scripture admonishes us to guard our hears above all things.   What are the gates that allow things into our hearts?

Proverbs 4 KJV “²⁰ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  ²¹ Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  ²² For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. ²³ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

 

Matthew 6:22 King James Version (KJV)

²² The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

 

Psalm 1:1 King James Version (KJV)“1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

 

The two main gates to our hearts are our eyes and ears.    But our senses in general are the way that are minds/hearts gather information from the world.     We are called to be gatekeepers.   Once we realize that our bodies are actually now the Holy of Holies, litertally the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, how seriously should we be taking our role as the gatekeepers who decide what to let in and what to deny.

2 Kings 23:3-5 King James Version (KJV)  “3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.   4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.  5 And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.”

Josiah, a powerful type and shadow for us to consider while seeking to understand what it takes to truly repent and be restored to the Kingdom of God, ordered the gatekeepers to clean house as soon as he discovered that the Temple was desecrated and profaned by the forbidden.

1 Corinthians 14:20 AMP “Brothers and sisters, do not be children [immature, childlike] in your thinking; be infants in [matters of] evil [completely innocent and inexperienced], but in your minds be mature [adults].”

Habakkuk 1:13 King James Version (KJV) “13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?”

Matthew 6:33 King James Version (KJV) “33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 King James Version (KJV) “11 Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.”

Everything related to the Kingdom of God hangs on us dwelling in His Presence, or more accurate, Him dwelling in us.   Habakkuk tells us that God is too pure to look on sin.   If we read about the Old Testament descriptions of the Temple, we will quickly discovered the sacredness and holiness of the place.  We can be so thankful that we are no longer called to the complex ceremonies and precision that was required to even enter into His presence.   That said, we must not lose track of maintaining reverential fear of the Lord at any time.   God is Holy and has not changed at all.

1 Corinthians 3:15-17 King James Version (KJV) “15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.  16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

It is therefore absolutely essential for us to take up our role as “the keepers of the door”.  What does this involve practically speaking.    Two main things:

First, making sure the gates are doing what they are meant to.   Keeping out all of the things that would allow darkness, evil and the things of darkness into the citadel.  The enemy within is a far greater threat than the enemy without.

Matthew 15:19 King James Version (KJV) “19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:”

Mark 7:20-23 King James Version (KJV) “20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.  21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

We can easily deceive ourselves into believing that we can “eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” and not be affected…    What we listen to and see and experience through our senses impacts the state of our hearts immensely.    A gatekeeper does not have control over what tries to get in, a gatekeeper does have control over what he opens the gate to.   If we are walking down the road and our eyes chance upon something we know we ought not to see, then we can avert our gaze.  We are firmly closing the gate.   If we are on the internet and there are certain ads popping up when we are on certain sites, we can choose immediately to stop using the offending sites.  If we are having a conversation with someone who starts to grumble, complain or talk about anything that does not belong in our heart, we can gently interrupt and choose to change the topic or leave the conversation altogether if necessary to guard our heart.     If our tongue tempts us to gluttony via the enticing things calling out to it, we can cry out to God for the fruit of His Spirit, self-control and use it as a training ground to crucify our flesh and guard our heart from being controlled by the appetites of the flesh.

The second part, which is equally as important for those of us like Josiah who are discovering God’s Word once the enemy has already taken up residence within the walls, is to remove the defiling items.   This is the beginning of the process of taking back the land little by little.   We cannot do everything in one day.   So we start small and let God direct our paths daily.   It might start with something relatively simple like praying about some of the most obvious offenders.   Both the radio, tv, cable, and newspapers etc are all windows through which things can readily creep into our hearts.

Exodus 23:29-30 King James Version (KJV)

²⁹ I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.  ³⁰ By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.”

Which takes us right back to the beginning when God commanded us to have dominion and subdue the earth…

Genesis 1:27-29 King James Version (KJV) “27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

Practically speaking, cleaning our homes and our hearts is what naturally follows…   We can ask ourselves, what objects, pastimes, other elements of our life are encouraging us to use our time, energy and resources for things that are unfruitful to the Kingdom and/or the things that scripture forbids us from taking part in.   He is so faithful to show us if we seek what He says in His Word and then purge whatever He calls us to purge.  I could make a list of things that we have purged or are in the process of purging but I truly believe He will walk you through your own journey with Him at a pace you can handle and all the while motivating you at a heart level to do it because of your own convictions and not due to the convictions of another.

Every year the Lord reveals to us new things that have started creeping in or old things we never even thought about.  As a wonderful side bonus, this ongoing purge is simplifying my life across the board which means more rest, less clutter and an increasing sense of calm and serenity as there are less things competing for my time and thoughts.

 

I love meditating on what it must have been like in Eden.  No clothes to fuss with, no houses to maintain, no stuff to own (or to own you), no dishes, no “what’s for dinner” and no endless bills to pay.

God never ever asks us to give up something without having an even better something in mind to give us in return.

Blessings as you pray about it, seek Him, and consider what it might mean in your own life to rebuild your own gates for His Kingdom and glory.

As always, be Berean and abundantly blessed in the Lord.

For years I have struggled with understanding how the Law and the Promises/New Covenant of God work together.  It is something I have prayed about, studied out and yet only this year, after spending some significant time in Galatians am I really starting to understand how they fit together.     The Law, we are told is like a guardian/ a tutor to keep the people while they are subject to sin and flesh.    The New Covenant for those, who like Abraham, have believed and are walking by faith and not by sight.    The reality is, that many of us are somewhere on the road in between these two covenants.     As long as part of us is walking after the flesh and still in bondage to “the beggarly elements” of this world, the Law can bring us great wisdom and guidance.   Understanding the difference between these two covenants is essential in understanding what Jesus has done, how this has impacted our identity, how to see His Kingdom come here on Earth as it is in Heaven and being set truly free from all the dominion of darkness.  I am going to hone-in on how these impact health and healing, more specifically exploring how medicine and healing via the Word and faith fit together as I think this is a question on the hearts of many.

I will likely be editting this post several times as I find it a bit of a struggle to put all of these things into words so thank you so much for your forbearance and grace.

Due to the delay (can feel like an eternity) from the time God plants a truth/promise in our hearts, to the time the reality of what His promises is fulfilled, very often, we attempt to “help” Him out to bring things about more quickly.     Time and again the Bible stories warn us not to turn to our own methods first, but to rely on God first for every need, to seek Him and His will first. Yet, over and over in the Bible we see people trying to fulfill God’s promises under their own power.

Let’s explore the parallels between these two covenants/two sons/between divine provision, the chid of the promise, Isaac and the child of human effort, Ishmael, and by extension divine healing and medicine.    Do keep in mind as you read through that God blessed both Isaac and Ishmael and that I believe that both are an expression of God’s goodness and faithfulness.

I have done a side by side chart to help compare the two agreements/two sons.

 

Galatians 4″ ²¹ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?  ²² For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. ²³ But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. ²⁴ Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.  ²⁵ For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.  ²⁶ But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.   ²⁷ For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.   ²⁸ Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.  ²⁹ But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.  ³⁰ Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.  ³¹ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.”

 

NLT vs 29 “²⁹ But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit.”

 

Genesis 17:19-21 King James Version (KJV)  “19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.   20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.   21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.”

 

Exodus 15:26 King James Version (KJV) “26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

 

Isaiah 53 King James Version (KJV)  “53 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?   2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.   3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.   4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.   5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with 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 hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Son of the Promise:                                                                  Son of the Flesh:

Isaac (type and shadow of Jesus)                    Ishmael (type and shadow of human effort                                                                                            attempting to fulfill divine promise)

Healing Via the Word and Faith                  Healing via Modern Medicine/human effort              burden of healing on God                        burden of healing on man’s intellect/ability

Inheritance comes through heir                                       Cannot inherit

Heir to the Promises made to Abraham             Blessed but in a covenant with lesser                                                                                                                            promises

 

Conceived and birthed according                         Birthed and conceived via the impatience              God’s timing and promises                                   and tendency of man to force the                                                                                                                   fulfillment by human                                                                                                                              effort  (see v29 NLT)

End result: True Salavation and Freedom            Initial and/or limited success but unable                                                                                                       to fully break the bondage

“Who the Son Sets Free is free indeed”                       Strings/ongoing bondage/subject                                John 8:36                                                    to the elemental forces of this world           Not subject to the elemental forces

Able to overcome the impossible                         Confined to natural laws                            (eg resurrect the dead after 4 days,                                                                                                     create new body parts miraculously etc.)

Healthy and Restored to Whole                          Some success, often requires ongoing                                                                                                   treatments, often incurs potential side                                                                                        effects, cannot resolve underlying                                                                                                               aknesses in DNA, environment etc

Cost:  Free /Believing                                  Varying degrees of human cost involved                                                                                       Money, time for treatments, uncomfortable painful                                                                          Test, potential hospitalization and exposure                                                                             To radiation, chemo, and other known to be harmful                                                                               Treatments and or tests required to obtain info

 

Longterm results:  Blessing goes to 1000             Longterm: Unresolved genetic mutation  Radiant health, Generations, healed DNA        passed on for many generations, reduced     etc. Increased faith and assurance in all of     efficacy of treatments over time in drugs   God’s promises like sins being forgiven          and increased risks of undesirable side     Assurance of the reality of salvation (Matt 9)    effects, limited options…  removing                                                                                                  damaged organs surgically leaves people,                                                                                          limited antibiotic options, leads to                                                                                                                 creating superbugs

Promises to deliver health, vigor and vitality      Assumes old age will mean a measure of  throughout old age until death                              degeneration, weakness and other age                                                                                                                 related conditions

No drug or treatment counterindications                      A large variety counterindications          so this can be combined with any                       possible therefore correct dosing and  other treatment and by anyone of any                       assessment  of  individual situations              age  and/or health status  success                                          essential

The challenge:  Requires either equipped mature       There are already many qualified elders/believer and/or great personal                                 doctors and nurses available to   revelation and understanding of the Word                  via medicine now so this option is     which are not presently widely available                 therefore essential when the divine                                                                                           healing is  not available and/or happening                                                                                            rarely.   But also becomes unnecessary                                                                                                     once divine healing has occurred                                                                                                        and divine health  established

Biblical Reason:  The true fulfillment can only      Biblical Reason:  Human effort cannot                  come through the freeborn son                         fulfill a divine covenantal promise

 

Summary:   Ishmael represents us taking a covenantal promise from God and trying to bring the results to pass by our own human effort.    Initially, we may seem to be getting the results we hoped for.  I am sure that is how Sarah and Abraham felt when Hagar conceived.  But they did not see Islam in that baby.   And they quickly realized they missed it when God told them the son he meant would come by His means.   It is very easy for us to try to help God along but very often our efforts birth an Ishmael.   God sees the big picture and knows the long term ramifications of our choices.

We recently talked about John the Baptist and how he understood that as Jesus increased and became more pre-eminent, he himself would have to decrease.  John 3:30.    As we walk more and more with Jesus and the reality of Him and His Kingdom dawn in our hearts, we rely more and more on God and his provision in all areas of our lives and less and less on our human effort and understanding.  This is the normal Christian life, a progression from relying on the flesh predominantly to relying on the Spirit.   For the Kingdom to fully come, the flesh must give way to the Spirit.

 

I will add a note here to say that I do not advocate going often treatments or meds until you have confirmation of healing.  Even Jesus sent the leper to the established authorities to confirm their healing before going public.  See Luke 17:14.    Once you are healed, and the doctors have confirmed this, of course the other treatments are simply redundant and should be stopped accordingly (weaning off is sometimes necessary for example).    There are no paint by numbers in the Kingdom, formulas always fall short, the keys are to be wise and attentive to the Lord and His instructions  and to seek out godly counsel if confusion jumps in to the picture.

 

God promised to bless all that Abraham set his hands to so Ishmael was blessed by God.    I believe truly there is a divine blessing on “Modern Medicines”, nurses, doctors etc.     However, I do think there are biblically established boundaries that man simply cannot overcome by effort and smarts.

 

God sent Jesus to heal “make whole and restore to perfect health”.     He is the only one appointed by God for this true redemption, by this I mean total restoration of our spirit, our mind and our bodies.     Therefore, we need to look to Jesus as the source of true freedom and wholeness.     YES Modern Medicine has a significant place, especially to those who do not know the Lord and have no access to Him.     The blessings of God is very evident as there is most decidedly a measure of success and in eliminating some conditions,  mediating the  symptoms/discomforts of others, and helping people to  survive through places of crisis and is well known for buying time for people towards the end of their lives.  However, it often comes with long term costs or ongoing strings such as heavy financial burdens, long term or life long dependence on medicines, inconvenient or even painful treatments, fear, stress, loss of body parts too damaged for medicine to help at this time,  antibiotic resistant superbugs,  etc..    Thank God for those called to practice and serve others via medicine.   We can call these precious ones gifts from God.    When we put these things in scriptural perspective, we can be more thankful for the help we receive through the son of Hagar, we can be more understanding that there is a reason why medicine is not commonly the miracle cure we were hoping for.    We can be more thankful for those who dedicate their lives to serving in this way without being tempted to accuse them when they cannot deliver what we are hoping for.   Most importantly, we can put the full burden of our need for our bodies to be completely made whole and redeemed on the One who has been covenantely appointed to do this work in our flesh.  Without keeping these things in order we can easily lose sight of the One who wants to and can make us whole and just as easily begin to grumble, complain against, feel frustration with and even accuse those who are working so hard to help us through human means.

 

The spirit behind Ishmael, behind the son of the bondwoman understands this reality very well.   This is why the persecution naturally flows from the one who has no inheritance against the one who has the inheritance.  The verses above say that this spiritual force behind it will cause ongoing persecution to flow against the Son of the Promise.    It is a sibling rivalry of sorts, a theme we see all through scripture.    In some case, ending in death as with Cain and Able…   The unfavored son literally tries to kill the favored one.    Or ideally, each one accepting their place as what happened with Esau and Jacob.   This is my personal hope that in keeping these two elements in godly order, the two brothers can live and work together.

 

We also have to be aware that this is why it is so easy for us to put our full hope in medicine and lose track of the Son as the central place in which we put our hope.   No, I am not discouraging anyone from getting help from medicine, but to always seek Jesus too and keep Him pre-eminently in your heart and thoughts as our only source of complete healing and restoration.

 

We all understand that no one other than God can forgive our sins, no one other than God can resurrect our dead spirit, but most of us still struggle with the biblical fact that only God is really capable of restoring people to perfect health and wholeness.  The measure of success we may sometimes get steals us from us the motivation to seek the Lord Jehovah Rapha for the full restoration of our health.    Thank God that we can benefit from both sons but, let us give to the rightful heir the pre-eminence and put our expectations in each according to what they are able to provide. “Seek God first, and His righteousness”…, “…and all these things will be added unto you.”

 

Above all, seek relationship with your Abba Father.  Yes He delights in our wellbeing  (Psalm 35:27) but of course the big prize, the central thing remains KNOWING Him.     Let us never forget His benefits (Psalm 103:1-4) but more importantly let us learn to be like Mary and delight above all things in simply sitting in His presence, attentive to all that He will share with us.

 

This is an incomplete list of the things that you may bump into or may attempt to bump into you as you pursue God and some scriptural references to explain these briefly.  We have discussed several if not all of these in our group times briefly but I thought a summary might be helpful.  I will try to add to this list as we go and hit any other things that would try to prevent us from truly entering and living according to the Kingdom.

Before I jump in though.. just a reminder

1 John 4:4 King James Version (KJV)  “4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Galatians 4:8-9 New English Translation (NET Bible) ” 8 Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all. 9 But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?”

Colossians 1:12-14 King James Version (KJV) “12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

Jude 1:24 – 25″Jude 24-25 King James Version (KJV) “24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

1. Sin
2. The Appetites of the Flesh (vs 19)
3. The cares and pleasures of the World / general busy-ness (vs 19)
4. Satan- the adversary and
5. Bad Company/Scoffers/Legalism
6.  accuser or the brethren (see vs 15 below)
7. Traditions of man that displace the Word of God instead of glorifying it
8. Grumbling and Complaining
9. Relying on our own understanding / our rational/academic mind
10. Persecution or hardship – see vs 17 (also see Job for examples of good responses to perspecution (the beginning and the end) and bad (the middle)
11. Hardness of heart – comes when we grieve
12. Envy and Jealousy / Comparison

Mark 4:10-20 King James Version (KJV)” 10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.  11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:  12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.  13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?   14 The sower soweth the word.   15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.   16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;  17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.  18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,  19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.  20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”

1. Sin

Hebrews 12:1 NKJV “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

Habakkuk 1:13 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)  “13 Your eyes are too pure to look upon wickedness,  and the sight of evil you cannot endure.  Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked devour those more just than themselves?”

Isaiah 59:2  KJV “2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

2.  The appetites of the flesh

Romans 6-9 outlines how the flesh wars against the spirit and can keep us from doing what the Father wills.

Romans 8:4-9 King James Version (KJV) “4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

Galatians 5:24-25 King James Version (KJV) “24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ”

3. The Cares and Pre-Occupations with the world (mentioned in the parable)

James 1:11 English Standard Version (ESV) “11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.”

Titus 2:11-14 King James Version (KJV) “11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

1 John 2:15 American Standard Version (ASV) “15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

James 4:3-5 Contemporary English Version (CEV)”3 Yet even when you do pray, your prayers are not answered, because you pray just for selfish reasons. 4 You people aren’t faithful to God! Don’t you know that if you love the world, you are God’s enemies? And if you decide to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you doubt the Scriptures that say, “God truly cares about the Spirit he has put in us”?”

4. Satan / Demonic interference

1 Peter 5:8 King James Version (KJV)  “8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

John 10:10 King James Version (KJV) “10 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.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 New Living Translation (NLT)  “3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

There is an intelligent and conscious attack on our faith and on the Word of God that is happening all the time.   We need not fear the things that God has publicly shamed and disarmed but we need to know that Satan and his demons are still in the world and still stirring up division, strife, emnity, confusion, despair and fear wherever we tolerate their presence

Ephesians 4:26-27 King James Version (KJV) “26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:  27 Neither give place to the devil.”

James 4:7 King James Version (KJV) “7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Revelation 12:10 King James Version (KJV) “10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

John 8:44 New Century Version (NCV)  “44 You belong to your father the devil, and you want to do what he wants. He was a murderer from the beginning and was against the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he shows what he is really like, because he is a liar and the father of lies.”

5.Bad Company/Scoffers/Legalism/Hypocricy

1 Corinthians 15:33 English Standard Version (ESV) “33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Matthew 15:13-14 King James Version (KJV) “13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.  14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

Matthew 23:1-4 King James Version (KJV)  23 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,  2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:  3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.  4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”

A link to view many verses about the dangers of listening to the hypocrits https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?qs_version=KJV&quicksearch=hypocr&begin=47&end=73

Luke 12:1 New International Version (NIV) “12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”

6.Traditions of man that displace the Word of

Matthew 15:2-4 New Living Translation (NLT)  2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”  3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’”

Mark 7:13 “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”

7.Grumbling and Complaining (block us from the Kingdom)

Jude 15-17 King James Version (KJV) ” To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.  16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.  17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

Galatians 5 ESVUK “16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”

8.Relying on our own understanding / our rational/academic mind

Proverbs 3:5 King James Version (KJV) “5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

1 Corinthians 1:21-23 King James Version (KJV) “21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;”

God’s wisdom is foolishness to the analytical mind.

1 Corinthians 14:14 King James Version (KJV)  “14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.”

 

9. Persecution –

following Jesus brings many blessings but with these, guaranteed persecutions.  Remember from the parable of the sower, many fall away when the tribulations and persecutions come against them if they are unprepared.

Galatians 4:29 King James Version (KJV) “29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.”

Those who are not submitted to God as Lord but prefer to continue serving their own flesh and appetites will persecute those who choose to fully submit to the Lord… This is true within the church and outside of the church.

Mark 10:29-31 King James Version (KJV) “9 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,  30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.  31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.”

2 Timothy 3:12 King James Version (KJV) “12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”.

10. Hardness of Heart –

Often comes via willfull disobedience or denying the Truth and instead relying on our own understanding

i) via rebellion and disobedience

Isaiah 63:9-10 King James Version (KJV) “9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.  10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.”

Ephesians 4:29-32 King James Version (KJV) “29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:   32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

1 Samuel 16:13-15 King James Version (KJV) “13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.  14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.  15 And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.”

Please look into the why of why the Spirit departed from Saul.   Saul partially obeyed God and specifically broke his commands as he allowed his own understanding and reasoning to explain away and justify doing so.
1 Timothy 1:19 New Living Translation (NLT) “19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.”

1 Timothy 4:1-6 King James Version (KJV)  “4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;  3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.  4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:  5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.  6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”

11.  Envy and Jealousy / Comparison

James 3:15-17 King James Version (KJV) “15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.  17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

Matthew 27 Berean Study Bible “17So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over. 19While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”

12. Fear of the Supernatural, the gifts of the Spirit, the Counterfeits and the Power of the Kingdom

We are in a war…. Like it or not, we have a devious and subtle enemy whose main tactic is to disarm us via deception.     Actually, he needs to disarm us to have any chance of defeating us as scripture records he was publicly shamed and disarmed by Christ [Colossians 2:15].   Could you imagine what would happen to our society if we decided to burn every monetary bill (including the legit ones) as a means of removing the false ones from circulation.      What scripture calls us to do is learn to differentiate between the false and the real and only heed the real.       

Psalm 18:34 King James Version (KJV)  “34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.”

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 King James Version (KJV) ” 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

Ephesians 6 KJV “11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;  19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,  20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

I was reminded this week of the warfare that comes against the gifts of the Spirit via the many counterfeits and false teachers etc that abound.    The thing is, that Corinthians makes it very clear that all of these gifts are necessary for equipping the believers

1 Corinthians 4:19-21 King James Version (KJV) “19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.  20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?”

Mark 16:16-20 King James Version (KJV)”16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;  18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.  20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”

Yes absolutely there is a counterfeit version of this, yes absolutely there are people who get out of balance and perpetually seek for the signs and miss God…. These things in no way change the biblical fact that signs (both new and known) follow the preaching of the Word.   The enemy loves to discredit and disarm those operating in spiritual gifts as these are essential to the operation of the Kingdom.  

1 Corinthians 12 King James Version (KJV)  “12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.   2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.  3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.   4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.   7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.   8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;   9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;   10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:    11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.   12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.   13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.   14 For the body is not one member, but many.   5 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?   16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?   17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?   18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?   20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.   21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.    22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:   23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.   24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.   25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.   27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.   28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.   29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?   30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?   31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”

Scripture refers to these supernatural elements of the Kingdom as gifts from God, distributed at His will for the good of all, and states that each one has different gifts so that the whole body will benefit.   We are also warned that when one body part suffers, the whole suffers…  When we silence the gifts of the Spirit we are quenching God and literally harming the larger body of Christ.    Ephesians 6 says our weapons of warfare are for disarming things of spiritual nature.   God has provided spiritual weapons for the task.  We could consider it insane to send soldiers bare handed with no training into a warzone…. Is it wise therefore to leave God’s bereft of the gifts God has given us for the good of all?   The end  of Matthew specifically commissioned the disciples to teach the believers to observe all that he taught them to do (see Matthew below).     Mark 16 (above) says all believers can operate in certain giftings, not all giftings but some are available to all.  So these are things that all can do, not saying what all will do.

Ephesians 4:10-12 King James Version (KJV)  “10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)  11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”

Matthew 28:”18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Note here that Matthew is saying that the apostles were to teach them to obey/do ALL things whatsoever that He commanded them to do.  We have to read the gospels understanding that any assignment given to the apostles has been given to us as well.

Matthew 10:7-8 King James Version (KJV)  “7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”

I believe right here we see the true Great Commission that the disciples were to pass onto all believers…   I see these as a package deal.  Jesus equipped His disciples in all of these things and then sent them out.   How can we hope to represent the Kingdom without having freely received all so that we can in turn freely give all that we are called to give?

2 Timothy 3:2-5 King James Version (KJV)  “2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

In the forefront of my mind, I try to always remember that Satan defeated Adam in the garden by getting him to take his mind off of what God said and listen to his own reasoning instead.  Adam had dominion over every thing that crawled including the serpent but he was undone by the appetites of the flesh, the desire for being like God (especially in wisdom) and by the cunning lies spoken by the serpent.  In contrast, it is equally etched on my mind that Jesus completely disarmed the snake and booted him out of the situation after their exchange exerting His dominion by standing immovably on exactly what God said and not giving the slightest room for the serpent to twist it.

 

Ezekiel 34 King James Version (KJV) 34 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,  2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?  3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.  4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.   5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.  6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.  7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;  8 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;  10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.   11 For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.  12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.   13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.   14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.   16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.   17 And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.  18 Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?   19 And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.  20 Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.   21 Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;  22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.   23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.   24 And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.   25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.   26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.  27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.  28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.  29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.  30 Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God. 31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.”

I love this verse as it reminds me of how much our God, the Good Shepherd longs to strengthen those who were formerly sick and restore them to safe pastures.   Without the gifts of the Spirit, and the supernatural elements of the Kingdom at work, how can we in our human effort accomplish these mighty and beyond natural feats?  Do take note of the rebuke that came against the shepherds who failed to do these things for their sheep.  Our natural selves were not made for the Kingdom life (scripture records that self resists the Spirit and vice versa) so they squirm and get uncomfortable when the announcement of the Kingdom arriving comes…   Instinctively self knows that it must die for the Kingdom to fully come and express itself in and through us.  If we are mindful of this, we can do as Paul did and discipline ourselves in the skill of dying to self daily and crucifying our flesh driven selves.   

 

 

I was asked this week to try to incorporate a broader foundation and perspective this week.   As we go through the 14 to 15 different topics, we will certainly cover an immense amount of terrain.   With this encouragement, I will especially try to highlight the 6 specific things the scriptures refer to as the doctrine of Christ.  Perhaps we can treat this as a bit of a group treasure hunt, and as we read verses in general, we can try to spot where these things pop up as we go.   The word refers to the principles taught here as “the foundation from which we can go on to perfection”.   So just a moment to encourage you all to keep an eye out for them in your own personal study times as well and do share what you find.  Blessings.

Hebrews 6 King James Version (KJV) “6 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of

1.repentance from dead works, and

2 of faith toward God,

3.Of the doctrine of baptisms,

4.and of laying on of hands,

5. and of resurrection of the dead,

6.and of eternal judgment.:”

 

 

Just a reminder that this is our Second Last Week in This Session.

The next Session will be about the Power of Our Words and Thoughts.    The scriptures we will be studying transformed my own life radically, and are absolutely essential for anyone who feels called to follow Jesus and be equipped to serve powerfully and effectively in His Kingdom.

I have updated a couple of posts this week.  I still have others to catch up on.

For those looking for practical application, this post is one that some may find helpful, it is a play by play of how I personally resist symptoms of sickness and very often see them disappear within moments or hours of praying.

https://healinganddiscipleship.com/2019/10/09/practically-speaking-an-example-of-resisting-a-physical-symptom-play-by-play/

During our break time, I plan to dig in more deeply to the book of Galatians and Jeremiah.   I will be sharing my commentary on Galatians via this post https://healinganddiscipleship.com/?s=galatians

…specifically in the comments at the bottom.  I would be delighted to hear your commentaries and be blessed by what the Lord reveals to you if you are willing to jump in with commentary as well.  Simply cut and paste the verse you are commenting on and then highlight, underline, comment on what you see…  very much an extension of what we do as a group.    During our study, we tend to zoom in on certain trees in the forest.  Doing a whole book study I think balances this out.  Basically helping to zoom out and look a the forest as a whole and therefore better understand the individual trees within it.

We will be starting our next session on November the 5th.   At this time, it seems like most are attending on Tuesday mornings.  It is my heart to accomodate as many as feel strongly called as I can.   If the Tuesday morning session (9:30 to 11:30)  does not work for you, please call me or email me.    I am willing to do a second session if there is enough interest and we can find another window that works.    If not, I am considering opening up a separate Bible Study time from my home that focuses on one book at a time (like the study of Galatians)…   If you are interested, do let me know.

Blessings as you seek Him and grow in wisdom and understanding of Our Awesome God and His glorious Kingdom !