Romans 16:19-20 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
Is this conditional? Why? Why would there be conditions? Because of choice, no conditions, no choice. Choice is proof of true love and true loyalty. There is condition because of choice. Do you realize God our Father loves us purely even if we do NOT choose to love Him in return? He gave us that freewill choice. So, even if we choose to not ever be with Him, work with Him or live without Him in hell, he still loves us? Yes! Knowing that men would reject His blood sacrifice, He died anyway. There is NO condition on that love, but there is condition on whether we can be where He is or not. Whether we cab inherit His blessings or not. That has more to do with response-ability than love. Love gives, does the receiver respond to what is given? Do they take ownership and responsibility? Maybe or maybe not, BUT the love still gave, no matter the response. God IS love, He doesn’t just DO love. Love GIVES therefore, God GAVE man his own free will. Now man can respond to that gift favorably or not, THAT is up to man. I love when we read the word and God tells us what would be the best way to respond and be responsible. He lays it all out, explains it, hesitates a very brief moment to see if there’s a response and then very quickly adds- "AND THIS is the best thing to do or the best answer to give! Oh, and also, here’s what you’ll get as a benefit and a blessing if you choose this way or this choice, but if you decide to take another route you can, but, I just want to tell you ahead what will happen down that pathway." What an awesome gentleman, He covers all of the bases, gives us wisdom to know what’s best and right and tells us the whole story before we even get started! Remember we lie in a battle zone, one of God’s enemy against God and all that represents and chooses God, so if we choose what is not God’s way, God wants us to know His enemy is around that corner waiting to pounce. Proverbs is an example to me of the words that show the way to eternal life and it’s way of living/walking. It is full of very practical things to take ahold of and do. Remember we are blessed in what we do, and if we hear only and do not do what we’ve heard from God’s word, we walk right into deception (James 1-3)
Proverbs 4:1-27
A Father's Wise Advice
1My children, F6 listen to me. Listen to your father's instruction. Pay attention and grow wise, 2for I am giving you good guidance. Don't turn away from my teaching. 3For I, too, was once my father's son, tenderly loved by my mother as an only child.
4My father told me,
"Take my words to heart.
Follow my instructions and you will live.
5Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment.
Don't forget or turn away from my words.
6Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
7Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, get good judgment.
8If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you.
Embrace her and she will honor you.
9She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown."
10My child, F7 listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. 11I will teach you wisdom's ways and lead you in straight paths. 12If you live a life guided by wisdom, you won't limp or stumble as you run. 13Carry out my instructions; don't forsake them. Guard them, for they will lead you to a fulfilled life.
14Do not do as the wicked do or follow the path of evildoers. 15Avoid their haunts. Turn away and go somewhere else, 16for evil people cannot sleep until they have done their evil deed for the day. They cannot rest unless they have caused someone to stumble. 17They eat wickedness and drink violence!
18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19But the way of the wicked is like complete darkness. Those who follow it have no idea what they are stumbling over.
20Pay attention, my child, to what I say. Listen carefully. 21Don't lose sight of my words. Let them penetrate deep within your heart, 22for they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning.
23Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. F8
24Avoid all perverse talk; stay far from corrupt speech.
25Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. 26Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe. 27Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
FOOTNOTES:F6: Hebrew My sons. F7: Hebrew My son; also in 4:20. F8: Hebrew for from it flow the springs of life.
~Lena's Journalin'~
Are you a child, a father, a mother, a son? Think of your relationship with God, Where are you in relationship with Him right now? A new child barely born, or a child growing and in training for adulthood? Have you grown into a son who obeys and desires to hear words from His Father or mother? Or are you yourself a teacher, a father figure to others? These are the growth stages in the spirit as in the natural. God expects us to grow and finds joy in our stages of growth. It is not wrong to be a child when we are newborn in Christ, yet if we are of a teen age and we are still nursing the breast it would be quite odd, and even awkward. He loves when we are where we are at, and he also loves when we go on to the next stage and His heart is filled with another kind of joy when we come to a place where we see Him face to face. Where we look at Him at eye level and think as He thinks, desire what He desires, do as He does. It isn’t that He does not want us at any other stage than this one, it is just that He is given by us a certain fulfillment of His own desire when we reach and walk in this stage. There is so much joy in having a newborn baby, it is inexpressible joy, Then to watch a young toddler begin to walk and run and talk, it is fulfilling. All of the steps and stages have their joyful purposes and even a parent walking through the steps with their child is an awesome learning and growing experience. It is something else when the child grows into a man and experiences the work of the father, hands on; joins with the father’s work! That is when the child sees eye to eye with the father (or mother), that is when they really know them in a very intimate heart to heart, mind to mind, eye to eye way. What deeper fellowship is there than two walking together at that same level, agreed?
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Rom 16:19-20 & Psalm 90
Romans 16:19-20 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
Isn’t it cool how Paul starts with compliments and praise before giving even an exhortation? I had heard before that it takes 9 words of praise to bring someone back up after every criticism. Yesterday, I heard that it actually takes 1,000 words of affirmation for every harsh word. WOW. There is something to lace our conversation with as Paul shows us here. He’s not even being critical or harsh, but he’s bringing an instruction for life change. Many people do not like change, so he in wisdom offers it as a package sandwiched with love and a promise!
Psalm 90 : 1-17
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
1 Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!
2 Before the mountains were created, before you made the earth and the world, you are God, without beginning or end.
3 You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust!"
4 For you, a thousand years are as yesterday! They are like a few hours! or like grass that springs up in the morning.
5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear
6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 You spread out our sins before you— our secret sins—and you see them all.
9 We live our lives beneath your wrath. We end our lives with a groan.
10 Seventy years are given to us! Some may even reach eighty. But even the best of these years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we are gone.
11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
12 Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.
13 O LORD, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good.
16 Let us see your miracles again; let our children see your glory at work.
17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Natural time fades and passes away so so quickly in light of eternity. Any promise I’ve waited for is not long, no matter the years, yet when it is fulfilled time has passed in barely a wink. What he is speaking of here is the use of the time given us for the purposes given us. WHAT are we spending it on? So one has 70 or 80 or even if another had up to 120, what are we doing with it? It was given us by God for God’s use and how much of it do we spend on with or for God? REALLY, Be honest now. If we gave Him 30 out of the 80, it would barely be enough. I believe when we enter eternity we will instantaneously see what everything we wondered about was about. We will instantly know why we were here, we will instantly feel the compassion for any we did not bless. Even if we ourselves reach eternity and are with God, rather than separated from Him, we will find ourselves somewhat dissatisfied in what we should have seen or known and did not do while we had the time here to do it. What better than to see it now and DO something about it, something great like living for and with God now!
I really believe we will see Him as He is, the Savior of the whole earth, the King of our hearts, the Lord of ALL, we will stand in instant amazement of how any human could deny Him or refrain from doing His will. The fear- honor and respect of God will be upon us oh so clearly and we’ll know who he is. What great joy to know Him now in even a measure of that. If we know Him now and serve Him now and lie with and for Him now, we will merely cross over to the other side to continue our fellowship with Him. Any thought, any thing we tried to hide here will be openly displayed there, and truly, you must know in the deepest parts of your being, that not one thought or anything is hidden from Him now. It is childish to think that is we hide it it is not there. Let’s willingly bring out in the open what only God can change or heal or lift off of us for forever. Let’s deal with it now so that there is no regret at all then.
Begin eternity, TODAY.
Isn’t it cool how Paul starts with compliments and praise before giving even an exhortation? I had heard before that it takes 9 words of praise to bring someone back up after every criticism. Yesterday, I heard that it actually takes 1,000 words of affirmation for every harsh word. WOW. There is something to lace our conversation with as Paul shows us here. He’s not even being critical or harsh, but he’s bringing an instruction for life change. Many people do not like change, so he in wisdom offers it as a package sandwiched with love and a promise!
Psalm 90 : 1-17
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
1 Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!
2 Before the mountains were created, before you made the earth and the world, you are God, without beginning or end.
3 You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust!"
4 For you, a thousand years are as yesterday! They are like a few hours! or like grass that springs up in the morning.
5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear
6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 You spread out our sins before you— our secret sins—and you see them all.
9 We live our lives beneath your wrath. We end our lives with a groan.
10 Seventy years are given to us! Some may even reach eighty. But even the best of these years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we are gone.
11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
12 Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.
13 O LORD, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good.
16 Let us see your miracles again; let our children see your glory at work.
17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Natural time fades and passes away so so quickly in light of eternity. Any promise I’ve waited for is not long, no matter the years, yet when it is fulfilled time has passed in barely a wink. What he is speaking of here is the use of the time given us for the purposes given us. WHAT are we spending it on? So one has 70 or 80 or even if another had up to 120, what are we doing with it? It was given us by God for God’s use and how much of it do we spend on with or for God? REALLY, Be honest now. If we gave Him 30 out of the 80, it would barely be enough. I believe when we enter eternity we will instantaneously see what everything we wondered about was about. We will instantly know why we were here, we will instantly feel the compassion for any we did not bless. Even if we ourselves reach eternity and are with God, rather than separated from Him, we will find ourselves somewhat dissatisfied in what we should have seen or known and did not do while we had the time here to do it. What better than to see it now and DO something about it, something great like living for and with God now!
I really believe we will see Him as He is, the Savior of the whole earth, the King of our hearts, the Lord of ALL, we will stand in instant amazement of how any human could deny Him or refrain from doing His will. The fear- honor and respect of God will be upon us oh so clearly and we’ll know who he is. What great joy to know Him now in even a measure of that. If we know Him now and serve Him now and lie with and for Him now, we will merely cross over to the other side to continue our fellowship with Him. Any thought, any thing we tried to hide here will be openly displayed there, and truly, you must know in the deepest parts of your being, that not one thought or anything is hidden from Him now. It is childish to think that is we hide it it is not there. Let’s willingly bring out in the open what only God can change or heal or lift off of us for forever. Let’s deal with it now so that there is no regret at all then.
Begin eternity, TODAY.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Rom 16 & James 1 & 3 ( oops James 1 did not go through yesterday)
Yesterday-
Romans 16:19-20 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet
Let’s make a quality decision of our strong wills to obey God enough that others will notice, enough that they’d talk about it, enough that we’d SEE God crush and bruise satan underneath our heals. WHAT does THAT make you think of ?????(Hint: Genesis 3) BE on GOD’s SIDE !!!! Do IT, DECIDE YES LORD!!! TODAY…….
James 1
Greetings from James
1This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is written to Jewish Christians scattered among the nations. F1 Greetings!
Faith and Endurance
2Dear brothers and sisters, F2 whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. 3For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.
5If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. 6But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.
9Christians who are F3 poor should be glad, for God has honored them. 10And those who are rich should be glad, for God has humbled them. They will fade away like a flower in the field. 11The hot sun rises and dries up the grass; the flower withers, and its beauty fades away. So also, wealthy people will fade away with all of their achievements.
12God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. 14Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. 15These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. 16So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.
17Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. F4 Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. 18In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.
Listening and Doing
19My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20Your anger can never make things right in God's sight.
21So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls.
22And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law—the law that sets you free—and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.
FOOTNOTES:F1: Greek To the twelve tribes in the dispersion. F2: Greek brothers; also in 1:16, 19. F3: Greek The brother who is. F4: Greek from above, from the Father of lights. Lena’s Journalin’
Have faith and be ready to allow your faith to be tried and tested and proven, realize that if your faith is tested it will be proven genuine and worthy of value to you and to others and to God. Be clear about who your enemy is, what his character is like in contrast to what your Father God’s is like. God and satan are not the same. Don’t blame God for His enemy’s deeds. Everything God gives is good and perfect. Satan is good with masks and acting out things, even religious deeds, But God is looking for a great people, who refuse to just put on a show or nod their heads "yes" all the while not intending to do what they say they will at all. PLEASE, I beg you, think about what you say before you say it, THEN be willing to say yes and amen to all God has and is asking of you. THEN live it no matter how hard it is. Today -
Romans 16:19-20 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
Wisdom is knowledge and understanding applied. Being Wise- or knowing and understanding that which is truly good. God is good, so I must know and understand God to truly know what is good and be wise concerning good.
James 3:1-18
Controlling the Tongue
1Dear brothers and sisters, F11 not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness.
2We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. 3We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. 5So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty pool.
True Wisdom Comes from God
13If you are wise and understand God's ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don't brag about the good you do, then you will be truly wise! 14But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your hearts, don't brag about being wise. That is the worst kind of lie. 15For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and motivated by the Devil. 16For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil.
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere. 18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.
FOOTNOTES:F11: Greek brothers; also in 3:10.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Wisdom must be in demonstration, because it is an accomplishing word. It’s action must be lied and these are how…some good all day work for us to put into conscious practice.The wisdom from above speaks by action and it’s actions are as follows:
Pure, (cleansed by Jesus’ blood)
peace loving, (desiring what God desires-oneness where division could exist, a return to harmony and unity of His spirit with man’s spirit)
always gentle and willing to yield to others, (gentleness replaces harshness or hardness, yielding opposes stubbornness)
full of mercy and of good deeds, (mercy gives to those who are not in anyway deserving, or who could ever be deserving) ( giving as though they are deserving, even when their motive is wrong is an example of a good deed)
shows no partiality, (partiality happens when I give because you deserve it, because you’ve earned it, and I withhold – even love- from one who will never be able to give me anything in return or reward back))
is always sincere, (sincere is real, meaning it from the heart, not a put on act, but a heartfelt gift)
plants seeds of peace, (offensive, rather than defensive moves of love. Col 3:23 because we love God we choose to demonstrate it to people, we love Him so much we have to express and show it to people, by quenching the violence of the fire of anger, bitterness, selfish ambition, impatience. I chose your life over mine, I chose to keep you in peace even if your peace means my discomfort for a time. I chose not to press you even if I feel pressed. I choose to allow you to think me wrong. Jesus did, he did not say a word to prove he was "right" except, "I love You".
reapers of harvests of goodness. (what I have sown in offensive purposeful action of wisdom and love has shown brightly in my life It speaks of Him, for me)
That’s a ton of "homework", and just to let ya know, we cannot do it on our own! It was not meant to be accomplished alone. It was meant to be accomplished, through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)
Romans 16:19-20 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet
Let’s make a quality decision of our strong wills to obey God enough that others will notice, enough that they’d talk about it, enough that we’d SEE God crush and bruise satan underneath our heals. WHAT does THAT make you think of ?????(Hint: Genesis 3) BE on GOD’s SIDE !!!! Do IT, DECIDE YES LORD!!! TODAY…….
James 1
Greetings from James
1This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is written to Jewish Christians scattered among the nations. F1 Greetings!
Faith and Endurance
2Dear brothers and sisters, F2 whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. 3For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.
5If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. 6But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.
9Christians who are F3 poor should be glad, for God has honored them. 10And those who are rich should be glad, for God has humbled them. They will fade away like a flower in the field. 11The hot sun rises and dries up the grass; the flower withers, and its beauty fades away. So also, wealthy people will fade away with all of their achievements.
12God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. 14Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. 15These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. 16So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.
17Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. F4 Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. 18In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.
Listening and Doing
19My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20Your anger can never make things right in God's sight.
21So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls.
22And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law—the law that sets you free—and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.
FOOTNOTES:F1: Greek To the twelve tribes in the dispersion. F2: Greek brothers; also in 1:16, 19. F3: Greek The brother who is. F4: Greek from above, from the Father of lights. Lena’s Journalin’
Have faith and be ready to allow your faith to be tried and tested and proven, realize that if your faith is tested it will be proven genuine and worthy of value to you and to others and to God. Be clear about who your enemy is, what his character is like in contrast to what your Father God’s is like. God and satan are not the same. Don’t blame God for His enemy’s deeds. Everything God gives is good and perfect. Satan is good with masks and acting out things, even religious deeds, But God is looking for a great people, who refuse to just put on a show or nod their heads "yes" all the while not intending to do what they say they will at all. PLEASE, I beg you, think about what you say before you say it, THEN be willing to say yes and amen to all God has and is asking of you. THEN live it no matter how hard it is. Today -
Romans 16:19-20 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
Wisdom is knowledge and understanding applied. Being Wise- or knowing and understanding that which is truly good. God is good, so I must know and understand God to truly know what is good and be wise concerning good.
James 3:1-18
Controlling the Tongue
1Dear brothers and sisters, F11 not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness.
2We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. 3We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. 5So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty pool.
True Wisdom Comes from God
13If you are wise and understand God's ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don't brag about the good you do, then you will be truly wise! 14But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your hearts, don't brag about being wise. That is the worst kind of lie. 15For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and motivated by the Devil. 16For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil.
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere. 18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.
FOOTNOTES:F11: Greek brothers; also in 3:10.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Wisdom must be in demonstration, because it is an accomplishing word. It’s action must be lied and these are how…some good all day work for us to put into conscious practice.The wisdom from above speaks by action and it’s actions are as follows:
Pure, (cleansed by Jesus’ blood)
peace loving, (desiring what God desires-oneness where division could exist, a return to harmony and unity of His spirit with man’s spirit)
always gentle and willing to yield to others, (gentleness replaces harshness or hardness, yielding opposes stubbornness)
full of mercy and of good deeds, (mercy gives to those who are not in anyway deserving, or who could ever be deserving) ( giving as though they are deserving, even when their motive is wrong is an example of a good deed)
shows no partiality, (partiality happens when I give because you deserve it, because you’ve earned it, and I withhold – even love- from one who will never be able to give me anything in return or reward back))
is always sincere, (sincere is real, meaning it from the heart, not a put on act, but a heartfelt gift)
plants seeds of peace, (offensive, rather than defensive moves of love. Col 3:23 because we love God we choose to demonstrate it to people, we love Him so much we have to express and show it to people, by quenching the violence of the fire of anger, bitterness, selfish ambition, impatience. I chose your life over mine, I chose to keep you in peace even if your peace means my discomfort for a time. I chose not to press you even if I feel pressed. I choose to allow you to think me wrong. Jesus did, he did not say a word to prove he was "right" except, "I love You".
reapers of harvests of goodness. (what I have sown in offensive purposeful action of wisdom and love has shown brightly in my life It speaks of Him, for me)
That’s a ton of "homework", and just to let ya know, we cannot do it on our own! It was not meant to be accomplished alone. It was meant to be accomplished, through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Acts 6
Romans 16:19-20 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
One mans’ obedience reached to all, that man was Jesus. Now Paul says, that your obedience has also reached to all. If one man’s disobedience effected all men (Adam) ,can one person’s obedience effect all men? Of course. Can my simple obedience reach men? Of course. What are we waiting for? If obedience makes a difference, why would we disobey, when we know to obey? We want to make a difference in this world. Jesus made a difference from Adam who was 4,000 years before Him. Jesus’ obedient act has resounded in effect over the earth for 2000+ years now. Why has it resounded in effect that long? Because other men have taken His life and lived it, have accepted His message and walked it out and have valued it enough to obey it. Our life and the one decision we make to love and serve Him, will effect many, many people. Also, this eternal, spiritual life is the only thing that will make any real difference in anyone’s life. The things we search for are meant to lead us into eternal peace and life. We think we need a relationship, and we do, but unless we get one with God first and then get one in Christ, we will never find fulfillment in that relationship. We think we need a career, and we do, but without seeking God’s kingdom first any career will only give us temporary provision and fulfillment. There is only one person who can Love us, tell us who we are and fulfill us, That person is found in Christ, the Father God and the Holy Spirit, all 3 are meant to be known by each living person. We can travel everywhere, work a successful job, have a nice family, great house and the car of our dreams, but all of that will suddenly mean 0 when we stand before God, At that time we will know that one man obeyed for us and we did not do the same for others. We can serve Him and have all of the above named "things" and stand before Him complete and fulfilled, because we fulfilled others, by saving them, and doing God’s will. Talk about hapiness!
Acts 6 :1-15
Seven Men Chosen to Serve
1But as the believers F23 rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke Greek complained against those who spoke Hebrew, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. 2So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. "We apostles should spend our time preaching and teaching the word of God, not administering a food program," they said. 3"Now look around among yourselves, brothers, and select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this business. 4Then we can spend our time in prayer and preaching and teaching the word."
5This idea pleased the whole group, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had now become a Christian). 6These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.
7God's message was preached in ever-widening circles. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
Stephen Is Arrested
8Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10None of them was able to stand against the wisdom and Spirit by which Stephen spoke.
11So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, "We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God." 12Naturally, this roused the crowds, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. F24 13The lying witnesses said, "This man is always speaking against the Temple and against the law of Moses. 14We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us." 15At this point everyone in the council stared at Stephen because his face became as bright as an angel's.
FOOTNOTES:F23: Greek disciples; also in 6:2, 7. F24: Greek Sanhedrin; also in 6:15.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Rapid multiplication will happen when other things are in place. It is not something one makes happen, except for the fact of being in place. When people get in line with God’s will and say yes to the Lord, a principle moves the circumstances. It becomes as a whirlwind of obedient effect. The whirlwind works for God’s purpose to move other things out of the way. Things that were immovable on our own, now move like butter on hot toast. We try and try to make things happen for ourselves, but when we get in line with God’s will and do as He pleases, our stuff just happens. The 12 were mobilized. Jesus was gone. When He was there they learned of Him, watched Him and practiced what He taught, seeing it in action. They were not ready for Him to go, or so they thought, but when He left, they saw what He’d been training them to do. Revelation came in a real and hands on way. They got in line with God’s will and the earth started to move, it moved so much that 3,000 people got saved in one day! That was only the beginning as we see the further we read into Acts. I think it so cool here how even those who may not have been in "a 12" yet, were serving actively in the House of the Lord. They were still in the center of helping with what God was doing at that time where they were in the earth. Those who served in a practical way, were BIG in God, they loved Him with ALL of their hearts and they served Him faithfully and were preachers of the good news wherever they were and even filled with the Holy Spirit and purpose of God, They were "right there" in the oneness of the purpose of God. They were not on the outskirts waiting for "their time". They were an active part where they were at. Some people who are interested in the corporate church ladder stuff, may have thought or voiced something like, "Oh Stephen is JUST a deacon, he serves food to the homeless, and he makes sure the food is given out at the food pantry". We’ll some of that was true, he was a deacon and he served food and orchestrated those who handed out food, BUT at the same time he did not lack in his relationship with God and he has no less reason to be in right standing and in fellowship with His Father and with His Father’s body the church than if he were one of the "12". That is evidenced because those whom he serve with and whom he encountered in the area he served in saw and heard the wisdom of God come forth from him in a mighty concentrated way. That does not just happen on it’s own and through practical service. Practical service can even bring you down and such spirit life out of you, if you do not maintain and encourage personal spiritual growth and fellowship in your life. Stephen read the word, prayed, fasted, was a part of his fellowship, hung around Christians who were stronger than he, etc. He was a man who was willing to give his life for the gospel message and did physically give his life for the message of Christ. He could not and would not have done that without being passionate for God, passionate for Jesus, passionate for God’s spirit life, passionate for whom God was passionate for, and for the vision God had set him to work in. Passion takes us where we need to go, and God told us to GO. How do we ignite this passion? By doing. By being around other impassioned people. By staying in the word and prayer and fellowship of the word. There is no other way. Grab hold of the passion of God’s spirit and don’t let anything cause you to let go! I’ve been impassioned by His spirit for 25 years now, yeah there have been a few sink holes trying to get me off track, but they cannot have me, I’ve given my life to God!
One mans’ obedience reached to all, that man was Jesus. Now Paul says, that your obedience has also reached to all. If one man’s disobedience effected all men (Adam) ,can one person’s obedience effect all men? Of course. Can my simple obedience reach men? Of course. What are we waiting for? If obedience makes a difference, why would we disobey, when we know to obey? We want to make a difference in this world. Jesus made a difference from Adam who was 4,000 years before Him. Jesus’ obedient act has resounded in effect over the earth for 2000+ years now. Why has it resounded in effect that long? Because other men have taken His life and lived it, have accepted His message and walked it out and have valued it enough to obey it. Our life and the one decision we make to love and serve Him, will effect many, many people. Also, this eternal, spiritual life is the only thing that will make any real difference in anyone’s life. The things we search for are meant to lead us into eternal peace and life. We think we need a relationship, and we do, but unless we get one with God first and then get one in Christ, we will never find fulfillment in that relationship. We think we need a career, and we do, but without seeking God’s kingdom first any career will only give us temporary provision and fulfillment. There is only one person who can Love us, tell us who we are and fulfill us, That person is found in Christ, the Father God and the Holy Spirit, all 3 are meant to be known by each living person. We can travel everywhere, work a successful job, have a nice family, great house and the car of our dreams, but all of that will suddenly mean 0 when we stand before God, At that time we will know that one man obeyed for us and we did not do the same for others. We can serve Him and have all of the above named "things" and stand before Him complete and fulfilled, because we fulfilled others, by saving them, and doing God’s will. Talk about hapiness!
Acts 6 :1-15
Seven Men Chosen to Serve
1But as the believers F23 rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke Greek complained against those who spoke Hebrew, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. 2So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. "We apostles should spend our time preaching and teaching the word of God, not administering a food program," they said. 3"Now look around among yourselves, brothers, and select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this business. 4Then we can spend our time in prayer and preaching and teaching the word."
5This idea pleased the whole group, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had now become a Christian). 6These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.
7God's message was preached in ever-widening circles. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
Stephen Is Arrested
8Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10None of them was able to stand against the wisdom and Spirit by which Stephen spoke.
11So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, "We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God." 12Naturally, this roused the crowds, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. F24 13The lying witnesses said, "This man is always speaking against the Temple and against the law of Moses. 14We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us." 15At this point everyone in the council stared at Stephen because his face became as bright as an angel's.
FOOTNOTES:F23: Greek disciples; also in 6:2, 7. F24: Greek Sanhedrin; also in 6:15.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Rapid multiplication will happen when other things are in place. It is not something one makes happen, except for the fact of being in place. When people get in line with God’s will and say yes to the Lord, a principle moves the circumstances. It becomes as a whirlwind of obedient effect. The whirlwind works for God’s purpose to move other things out of the way. Things that were immovable on our own, now move like butter on hot toast. We try and try to make things happen for ourselves, but when we get in line with God’s will and do as He pleases, our stuff just happens. The 12 were mobilized. Jesus was gone. When He was there they learned of Him, watched Him and practiced what He taught, seeing it in action. They were not ready for Him to go, or so they thought, but when He left, they saw what He’d been training them to do. Revelation came in a real and hands on way. They got in line with God’s will and the earth started to move, it moved so much that 3,000 people got saved in one day! That was only the beginning as we see the further we read into Acts. I think it so cool here how even those who may not have been in "a 12" yet, were serving actively in the House of the Lord. They were still in the center of helping with what God was doing at that time where they were in the earth. Those who served in a practical way, were BIG in God, they loved Him with ALL of their hearts and they served Him faithfully and were preachers of the good news wherever they were and even filled with the Holy Spirit and purpose of God, They were "right there" in the oneness of the purpose of God. They were not on the outskirts waiting for "their time". They were an active part where they were at. Some people who are interested in the corporate church ladder stuff, may have thought or voiced something like, "Oh Stephen is JUST a deacon, he serves food to the homeless, and he makes sure the food is given out at the food pantry". We’ll some of that was true, he was a deacon and he served food and orchestrated those who handed out food, BUT at the same time he did not lack in his relationship with God and he has no less reason to be in right standing and in fellowship with His Father and with His Father’s body the church than if he were one of the "12". That is evidenced because those whom he serve with and whom he encountered in the area he served in saw and heard the wisdom of God come forth from him in a mighty concentrated way. That does not just happen on it’s own and through practical service. Practical service can even bring you down and such spirit life out of you, if you do not maintain and encourage personal spiritual growth and fellowship in your life. Stephen read the word, prayed, fasted, was a part of his fellowship, hung around Christians who were stronger than he, etc. He was a man who was willing to give his life for the gospel message and did physically give his life for the message of Christ. He could not and would not have done that without being passionate for God, passionate for Jesus, passionate for God’s spirit life, passionate for whom God was passionate for, and for the vision God had set him to work in. Passion takes us where we need to go, and God told us to GO. How do we ignite this passion? By doing. By being around other impassioned people. By staying in the word and prayer and fellowship of the word. There is no other way. Grab hold of the passion of God’s spirit and don’t let anything cause you to let go! I’ve been impassioned by His spirit for 25 years now, yeah there have been a few sink holes trying to get me off track, but they cannot have me, I’ve given my life to God!
Friday, September 23, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Luke 1
Luke 1:1-80
Luke Writes To Theophilus
1Many people have written about the things that have happened among us. 2Those who saw everything from the first and helped teach the Good News have passed these things on to us. 3Dear Theophilus, I have looked with care into these things from the beginning. I have decided it would be good to write them to you one after the other the way they happened. 4Then you can be sure you know the truth about the things you have been taught..
An Angel Tells Of The Birth Of John The Baptist
5When Herod was king of the country of Judea, there was a Jewish religious leader named Zacharias. He worked for Abijah. His wife was of the family group of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. 6They were right with God and obeyed the Jewish Law and did what the Lord said to do. 7They had no children because Elizabeth was not able to have a child. Both of them were older people.
8Zacharias was doing his work as a religious leader for God. 9The religious leaders were given certain kinds of work to do. Zacharias was chosen to go to the house of God to burn special perfume. 10Many people stood outside praying during the time the special perfume was burning.
11Zacharias saw an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar where the special perfume was burning. 12When he saw the angel, Zacharias was troubled and afraid. 13The angel said to him, "Zacharias, do not be afraid. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a son. You are to name him John. 14You will be glad and have much joy. Many people will be happy because he is born. 15He will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or any strong drink. Even from his birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16Many of the Jews will be turned to the Lord their God by him. 17He will be the one to go in the spirit and power of Elijah before Christ comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children. He will teach those who do not obey to be right with God. He will get people ready for the Lord." (Malachi 4:5-6)
Zacharias Does Not Believe The Angel
18Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I know this for sure? I am old and my wife is old also." 19The angel said to him, "My name is Gabriel. I stand near God. He sent me to talk to you and bring to you this good news. 20See! You will not be able to talk until the day this happens. It is because you did not believe my words. What I said will happen at the right time."
21The people outside were waiting. They were surprised and wondered why Zacharias stayed so long in the house of God. 22When he came out, he could not talk to them. They knew he had seen something special from God while he was in the house of God. He tried to talk to them with his hands but could say nothing. 23When his days of working in the house of God were over, he went to his home.
The Lord Did What He Promised
24Some time later Elizabeth knew she was to become a mother. She kept herself hidden for five months. She said, 25"This is what the Lord has done for me. He has looked on me and has taken away my shame from among men."
Gabriel Speaks To Mary
26Six months after Elizabeth knew she was to become a mother, Gabriel was sent from God to Nazareth. Nazareth was a town in the country of Galilee. 27He went to a woman who had never had a man. Her name was Mary. She was promised in marriage to a man named Joseph. Joseph was of the family of David. 28The angel came to her and said, "You are honored very much. You are a favored woman. The Lord is with you. *You are chosen from among many women."
29When she saw the angel, she was troubled at his words. She thought about what had been said. 30The angel said to her, "Mary, do not be afraid. You have found favor with God. 31See! You are to become a mother and have a Son. You are to give Him the name Jesus. 32He will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the place where His early father David sat. 33He will be King over the family of Jacob forever and His nation will have no end."
34Mary said to the angel, "How will this happen? I have never had a man." 35The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you. The power of the Most High will cover you. The holy Child you give birth to will be called the Son of God.
36"See, your cousin Elizabeth, as old as she is, is going to give birth to a child. She was not able to have children before, but now she is in her sixth month. 37For God can do all things." 38Then Mary said, "I am willing to be used of the Lord. Let it happen to me as you have said." Then the angel went away from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39At once Mary went from there to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40She went to the house of Zacharias to see Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary speak, the baby moved in her body. At the same time Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Elizabeth spoke in a loud voice, "You are honored among women! Your Child is honored! 43Why has this happened to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? 44As soon as I heard your voice, the baby in my body moved for joy. 45You are happy because you believed. Everything will happen as the Lord told you it would happen."
Mary's Song Of Thanks
46Then Mary said, "My heart sings with thanks for my Lord. 47And my spirit is happy in God, the One Who saves from the punishment of sin. 48The Lord has looked on me, His servant-girl and one who is not important. But from now on all people will honor me. 49He Who is powerful has done great things for me. His name is holy. 50The loving-kindness of the Lord is given to the people of all times who honor Him. 51He has done powerful works with His arm. He has divided from each other those who have pride in their hearts. 52He has taken rulers down from their thrones. He has put those who are in a place that is not important to a place that is important. 53He has filled those who are hungry with good things. He has sent the rich people away with nothing. 54He has helped Israel His servant. This was done to remember His loving-kindness. 55He promised He would do this to our early fathers and to Abraham and to his family forever." 56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went to her own home.
The Birth Of John The Baptist
57When the time came, Elizabeth gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and family heard how the Lord had shown loving-kindness to her. They were happy for her. 59On the eighth day they did the religious act of the Jews on the child. They named him Zacharias, after his father. 60But his mother said, "No! His name is John." 61They said to her, "No one in your family has that name."
62Then they talked to his father with their hands to find out what he would name the child. 63He asked for something to write on. He wrote, "His name is John." They were all surprised and wondered about it. 64Zacharias was able to talk from that time on and he gave thanks to God.
65All those who lived near them were afraid. The news of what had happened was told through all the hill country of Judea. 66And all who heard those words remembered them and said, "What is this child going to be?" For the hand of the Lord was on him.
Zacharias' Song Of Thanks To God
67Zacharias, the father of John, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He told what was going to happen, saying, 68"Let us thank the Lord God of Israel. He has bought His people and made them free. 69He has raised up from the family of David One Who saves people from the punishment of their sins. 70His holy early preachers told us this long ago. 71God told us that we should be saved from those who hate us and from all those who work against us. 72He would show loving-kindness to our early fathers. He would remember His holy promise. 73God promised this to our early father Abraham. 74He promised that we would be saved from those who hate us and that we might worship Him without being afraid. 75We can be holy and right with God all the days of our life.
76"And you, my son, will be the one who speaks for the Most High. For you will go before the Lord to make the way ready for Him. 77You will tell His people how to be saved from the punishment of sin by being forgiven of their sins. 78Because the heart of our God is full of loving-kindness for us, a light from heaven will shine on us. 79It will give light to those who live in darkness and are under the shadow of death. It will lead our feet in the way of peace."
80The child grew and became strong in spirit. He lived in a desert until the day he started to preach to the Jews.
Lena’s Journalin’
Why do we write? Why does God write? Why are things written? I’ll let ya think about it for awhile……Ok, awhile is up! :-) Is the reason things are written – effective? So effective that even God uses it as a tool to speak to humans? Then maybe it is a tool we can also effectively use to bring things to people’s recall, to their attention, to their rehearsal, to our own recall and reference
Sons get people ready for the Father. Sons prepare the way. Sons bring joy, Sons are great in the sight of God & Fathers, Sons make others "happy", Sons turn people’s hearts towards God, Sons turn disobedience to obedience. Am I a "Son", or only a person, a human, a child? Who I am is voiced in what I’m doing, how I’m thinking is expressed in my daily actions. We are not one day a Son and the next a child. We are either a Son or not yet a Son. Yet is a word that is not complete, until a decision is made to complete it.
If we do not really know and recognize our father yet, we can have one of His messengers standing erectly with authority before us and not get the message or who the messenger is at all. Ever have God staring you right in the face and not see Him? Do not disregard the messenger from God, remember God even used a borrow. What would happen if each time we disregard the words sent to us by God in various forms came and when we do not heed or listen we lose speech for a period? How do we know that that is not really what happens to us? Every act of disobedience to or refusal to regard the voice of God in whatever form, makes it harder and harder to have a close relationship with God. Do NOT allow stubbornness to keep you from obeying the still small (almost unrecognizable) voice. Gabriel was quite recognizable, but Zach was not able to recognize him as being from God. Why? Hardness of heart and stubbornness exercised regularly can be a reason. God can stand in front of us, and we don’t see him, because the blindness of stubbornness or of pre-conceived notions of how He should speak allude us. It’s like putting our hands over God’s mouth, or our hands over our ears. Zach could not speak, even for God after that Encounter. Has your tongue been loosed to speak for God or is it all bound up? Those are symptoms of greater issues. Be loosed in Jesus’ name, Into obedience.
All of us, as Mary was , are favored and chosen by God to carry God’s message of life to our world, we can choose to either accept or decline His offer for us to house His spirit. He gave us the freewill of our decisions. We can even not allow God’s work in our own lives, as we all know, we wer stubborn against the work of God’s spirit in us. We’ve got to let that old nature view and that old natural way of responding die, in fact we need to crucify it on purpose, because it is standing in the way of God’s will in the earth. It stands in the way of our participation in His plan for the whole earth. We are a big part of His plan for the whole earth.
Have you ever born witness between God in someone and God in yourself? That’s what was happening here, There was the spirit of one standing face to face, the potential for greatness, for God’s great work being birthed into the world and carried on for generations to come. We who carry the gospel message in us and are released from stubborn resistance to God and released by His obedience working in us, our wills to do His good pleasure, that same will should bear witness with the wills of those who also carry the same spirit of Christ. Is Joy leaping inside of your spirit whenever the word comes to you, from others who also have the word?
Worship and the ability to wholeheartedly enter into it, is directly related to revelation of Christ inside of us. Mary believed God and he took His place inside of her being, she was overwhelmingly elated, overjoyed and the expression came forth. It wasn’t just because she was an emotional woman, she represented male and female, the church of the Lord Jesus, the very place God wanted to make His house on earth. The elation and the expression of it was a direct response to the revelation and indwelling of Him. It was a promise received by faith and manifested inwardly, the expression could NOT in nay way stay inward! There’s just No way! It gave birth. When it comes forth what will it be called by others? When anything comes out of you, it does not so much matter what you think it is, but others will call it what they see it as. Is there a confirming voice in your life of the promises birthed? Are you listening? They asked him, will the promise carry the name of your 1st father, or of the heavenly Father? Natural fathering, natural training or that of the spiritual nature of the Father of all spiritual life? Of old familiar ways or of new days ahead, not yet seen or known?
One sure sign of being filled up and overflowing with God’s Holy Spirit is the ability to speak where one could not before speak! God gave us a message, a life applying and copying message, to speak and live. We cannot with the power of God in us be silent, either in worship or in witness. We cannot be silent, we’ve got to lift our voices and be heard. While we still can. Faith is what God is looking for us to speak. As in Genesis, God said, God saw….Worship Him with your tongue, with what your life is saying- SPEAK, BE LOOSED Oh Tongue of God! Hark the herald angles sing!
Luke Writes To Theophilus
1Many people have written about the things that have happened among us. 2Those who saw everything from the first and helped teach the Good News have passed these things on to us. 3Dear Theophilus, I have looked with care into these things from the beginning. I have decided it would be good to write them to you one after the other the way they happened. 4Then you can be sure you know the truth about the things you have been taught..
An Angel Tells Of The Birth Of John The Baptist
5When Herod was king of the country of Judea, there was a Jewish religious leader named Zacharias. He worked for Abijah. His wife was of the family group of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. 6They were right with God and obeyed the Jewish Law and did what the Lord said to do. 7They had no children because Elizabeth was not able to have a child. Both of them were older people.
8Zacharias was doing his work as a religious leader for God. 9The religious leaders were given certain kinds of work to do. Zacharias was chosen to go to the house of God to burn special perfume. 10Many people stood outside praying during the time the special perfume was burning.
11Zacharias saw an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar where the special perfume was burning. 12When he saw the angel, Zacharias was troubled and afraid. 13The angel said to him, "Zacharias, do not be afraid. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a son. You are to name him John. 14You will be glad and have much joy. Many people will be happy because he is born. 15He will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or any strong drink. Even from his birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16Many of the Jews will be turned to the Lord their God by him. 17He will be the one to go in the spirit and power of Elijah before Christ comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children. He will teach those who do not obey to be right with God. He will get people ready for the Lord." (Malachi 4:5-6)
Zacharias Does Not Believe The Angel
18Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I know this for sure? I am old and my wife is old also." 19The angel said to him, "My name is Gabriel. I stand near God. He sent me to talk to you and bring to you this good news. 20See! You will not be able to talk until the day this happens. It is because you did not believe my words. What I said will happen at the right time."
21The people outside were waiting. They were surprised and wondered why Zacharias stayed so long in the house of God. 22When he came out, he could not talk to them. They knew he had seen something special from God while he was in the house of God. He tried to talk to them with his hands but could say nothing. 23When his days of working in the house of God were over, he went to his home.
The Lord Did What He Promised
24Some time later Elizabeth knew she was to become a mother. She kept herself hidden for five months. She said, 25"This is what the Lord has done for me. He has looked on me and has taken away my shame from among men."
Gabriel Speaks To Mary
26Six months after Elizabeth knew she was to become a mother, Gabriel was sent from God to Nazareth. Nazareth was a town in the country of Galilee. 27He went to a woman who had never had a man. Her name was Mary. She was promised in marriage to a man named Joseph. Joseph was of the family of David. 28The angel came to her and said, "You are honored very much. You are a favored woman. The Lord is with you. *You are chosen from among many women."
29When she saw the angel, she was troubled at his words. She thought about what had been said. 30The angel said to her, "Mary, do not be afraid. You have found favor with God. 31See! You are to become a mother and have a Son. You are to give Him the name Jesus. 32He will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the place where His early father David sat. 33He will be King over the family of Jacob forever and His nation will have no end."
34Mary said to the angel, "How will this happen? I have never had a man." 35The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you. The power of the Most High will cover you. The holy Child you give birth to will be called the Son of God.
36"See, your cousin Elizabeth, as old as she is, is going to give birth to a child. She was not able to have children before, but now she is in her sixth month. 37For God can do all things." 38Then Mary said, "I am willing to be used of the Lord. Let it happen to me as you have said." Then the angel went away from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39At once Mary went from there to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40She went to the house of Zacharias to see Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary speak, the baby moved in her body. At the same time Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Elizabeth spoke in a loud voice, "You are honored among women! Your Child is honored! 43Why has this happened to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? 44As soon as I heard your voice, the baby in my body moved for joy. 45You are happy because you believed. Everything will happen as the Lord told you it would happen."
Mary's Song Of Thanks
46Then Mary said, "My heart sings with thanks for my Lord. 47And my spirit is happy in God, the One Who saves from the punishment of sin. 48The Lord has looked on me, His servant-girl and one who is not important. But from now on all people will honor me. 49He Who is powerful has done great things for me. His name is holy. 50The loving-kindness of the Lord is given to the people of all times who honor Him. 51He has done powerful works with His arm. He has divided from each other those who have pride in their hearts. 52He has taken rulers down from their thrones. He has put those who are in a place that is not important to a place that is important. 53He has filled those who are hungry with good things. He has sent the rich people away with nothing. 54He has helped Israel His servant. This was done to remember His loving-kindness. 55He promised He would do this to our early fathers and to Abraham and to his family forever." 56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went to her own home.
The Birth Of John The Baptist
57When the time came, Elizabeth gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and family heard how the Lord had shown loving-kindness to her. They were happy for her. 59On the eighth day they did the religious act of the Jews on the child. They named him Zacharias, after his father. 60But his mother said, "No! His name is John." 61They said to her, "No one in your family has that name."
62Then they talked to his father with their hands to find out what he would name the child. 63He asked for something to write on. He wrote, "His name is John." They were all surprised and wondered about it. 64Zacharias was able to talk from that time on and he gave thanks to God.
65All those who lived near them were afraid. The news of what had happened was told through all the hill country of Judea. 66And all who heard those words remembered them and said, "What is this child going to be?" For the hand of the Lord was on him.
Zacharias' Song Of Thanks To God
67Zacharias, the father of John, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He told what was going to happen, saying, 68"Let us thank the Lord God of Israel. He has bought His people and made them free. 69He has raised up from the family of David One Who saves people from the punishment of their sins. 70His holy early preachers told us this long ago. 71God told us that we should be saved from those who hate us and from all those who work against us. 72He would show loving-kindness to our early fathers. He would remember His holy promise. 73God promised this to our early father Abraham. 74He promised that we would be saved from those who hate us and that we might worship Him without being afraid. 75We can be holy and right with God all the days of our life.
76"And you, my son, will be the one who speaks for the Most High. For you will go before the Lord to make the way ready for Him. 77You will tell His people how to be saved from the punishment of sin by being forgiven of their sins. 78Because the heart of our God is full of loving-kindness for us, a light from heaven will shine on us. 79It will give light to those who live in darkness and are under the shadow of death. It will lead our feet in the way of peace."
80The child grew and became strong in spirit. He lived in a desert until the day he started to preach to the Jews.
Lena’s Journalin’
Why do we write? Why does God write? Why are things written? I’ll let ya think about it for awhile……Ok, awhile is up! :-) Is the reason things are written – effective? So effective that even God uses it as a tool to speak to humans? Then maybe it is a tool we can also effectively use to bring things to people’s recall, to their attention, to their rehearsal, to our own recall and reference
Sons get people ready for the Father. Sons prepare the way. Sons bring joy, Sons are great in the sight of God & Fathers, Sons make others "happy", Sons turn people’s hearts towards God, Sons turn disobedience to obedience. Am I a "Son", or only a person, a human, a child? Who I am is voiced in what I’m doing, how I’m thinking is expressed in my daily actions. We are not one day a Son and the next a child. We are either a Son or not yet a Son. Yet is a word that is not complete, until a decision is made to complete it.
If we do not really know and recognize our father yet, we can have one of His messengers standing erectly with authority before us and not get the message or who the messenger is at all. Ever have God staring you right in the face and not see Him? Do not disregard the messenger from God, remember God even used a borrow. What would happen if each time we disregard the words sent to us by God in various forms came and when we do not heed or listen we lose speech for a period? How do we know that that is not really what happens to us? Every act of disobedience to or refusal to regard the voice of God in whatever form, makes it harder and harder to have a close relationship with God. Do NOT allow stubbornness to keep you from obeying the still small (almost unrecognizable) voice. Gabriel was quite recognizable, but Zach was not able to recognize him as being from God. Why? Hardness of heart and stubbornness exercised regularly can be a reason. God can stand in front of us, and we don’t see him, because the blindness of stubbornness or of pre-conceived notions of how He should speak allude us. It’s like putting our hands over God’s mouth, or our hands over our ears. Zach could not speak, even for God after that Encounter. Has your tongue been loosed to speak for God or is it all bound up? Those are symptoms of greater issues. Be loosed in Jesus’ name, Into obedience.
All of us, as Mary was , are favored and chosen by God to carry God’s message of life to our world, we can choose to either accept or decline His offer for us to house His spirit. He gave us the freewill of our decisions. We can even not allow God’s work in our own lives, as we all know, we wer stubborn against the work of God’s spirit in us. We’ve got to let that old nature view and that old natural way of responding die, in fact we need to crucify it on purpose, because it is standing in the way of God’s will in the earth. It stands in the way of our participation in His plan for the whole earth. We are a big part of His plan for the whole earth.
Have you ever born witness between God in someone and God in yourself? That’s what was happening here, There was the spirit of one standing face to face, the potential for greatness, for God’s great work being birthed into the world and carried on for generations to come. We who carry the gospel message in us and are released from stubborn resistance to God and released by His obedience working in us, our wills to do His good pleasure, that same will should bear witness with the wills of those who also carry the same spirit of Christ. Is Joy leaping inside of your spirit whenever the word comes to you, from others who also have the word?
Worship and the ability to wholeheartedly enter into it, is directly related to revelation of Christ inside of us. Mary believed God and he took His place inside of her being, she was overwhelmingly elated, overjoyed and the expression came forth. It wasn’t just because she was an emotional woman, she represented male and female, the church of the Lord Jesus, the very place God wanted to make His house on earth. The elation and the expression of it was a direct response to the revelation and indwelling of Him. It was a promise received by faith and manifested inwardly, the expression could NOT in nay way stay inward! There’s just No way! It gave birth. When it comes forth what will it be called by others? When anything comes out of you, it does not so much matter what you think it is, but others will call it what they see it as. Is there a confirming voice in your life of the promises birthed? Are you listening? They asked him, will the promise carry the name of your 1st father, or of the heavenly Father? Natural fathering, natural training or that of the spiritual nature of the Father of all spiritual life? Of old familiar ways or of new days ahead, not yet seen or known?
One sure sign of being filled up and overflowing with God’s Holy Spirit is the ability to speak where one could not before speak! God gave us a message, a life applying and copying message, to speak and live. We cannot with the power of God in us be silent, either in worship or in witness. We cannot be silent, we’ve got to lift our voices and be heard. While we still can. Faith is what God is looking for us to speak. As in Genesis, God said, God saw….Worship Him with your tongue, with what your life is saying- SPEAK, BE LOOSED Oh Tongue of God! Hark the herald angles sing!
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Col 4
Romans 16:19-20
For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet
Colossians 4:1-18
1You slave owners must be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven.
The word "slave is defined here as: one who gives himself up to another's will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests. WOW, doesn’t that sound like all of us who have truly "given our lives" to Christ? Doesn’t it sound like the goal of each disciple, to yield (now define THAT word- yield) themselves wholly to God’s work and will in the earth. Doesn’t that bring your thoughts to Christ Jesus in the garden, who prayed- Not My will But You will be accomplished? So we serve men here and are discipled by others who are in Christ, but really in doing this action of faith we are serving our true and highest Master in heaven, God & Christ Jesus, who is our Lord.
An Encouragement for Prayer
2Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3Don't forget to pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to preach about his secret plan—that Christ is also for you Gentiles. That is why I am here in chains. 4Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
5Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.
Paul's Final Instructions and Greetings
7Tychicus, a much loved brother, will tell you how I am getting along. He is a faithful helper who serves the Lord with me. 8I have sent him on this special trip to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. 9I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and much loved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will give you all the latest news.
10Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas's cousin. And as you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. 11Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish Christians among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!
12Epaphras, from your city, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident of the whole will of God. 13I can assure you that he has agonized for you and also for the Christians in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14Dear Doctor Luke sends his greetings, and so does Demas. 15Please give my greetings to our Christian brothers and sisters F12 at Laodicea, and to Nympha and those who meet in her house.
16After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them. 17And say to Archippus, "Be sure to carry out the work the Lord gave you."
18Here is my greeting in my own handwriting—PAUL. Remember my chains. May the grace of God be with you.
FOOTNOTES:F12: Greek brothers.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Yes, EVERYthing is about "outreach"! Let’s say "outreach" means "opportunity", then yes, everything is an opportunity. Oh God let me seize every opportunity that You give me today and better yet, let everyone whom I speak with and disciple take opportunity to be Christ in our day, to share their faith in an eternal life impounding way. This is imperative.
There is something so burning in my heart right now, it is conviction, it is an intercessory cry. Why do we pray, or intercede or why would we obey any of God’s commands and be commissioned in this earth by God? To Win Souls and make disciples, and grow people up into the fullness of the stature of Christ to do the same in this world that will die without the good news being spread. If any of you read my e-mail from two days ago, with the report from Bethany (where our daughter is going to school), you’ll see what I’m speaking of. I’ve pondered it ever since. There was a small Baptist Church in Baton Rouge or Baker, LA about 40 years ago, that was a Baptist church as Baptist churches are. Baker was hardly a spot on the road map of LA, but there was a man there who loved God enough to say so and put his love and words into action. God filled him with the Holy Spirit and moved him wherever God wanted him to be in that vicinity. The church became "Charismatic" ( please don’t fault it for that, it was/is part of the journey to take it to where it is today) The man raised up a family by example, the man is 80 + years old now, is still on staff, is still passionate for God and behind him are His wife, and His sons and His daughters and sons in laws and their sons and daughters etc. The man made disciples of his won family and his family are making disciples of a city, a county (or Parish as LA calls them) and into the Nation and world. About 10 years ago they got a hold of a revelation for making more families of disciples, just as Jesus did with His. They began to see that the word of winning and discipling the world works just as is does with discipling a family, there is more to disciple than one man or one family can handle, so it is/was imperative to pass this vision on to others. There were/are bumps in every road, but God is faithful to prepare a people who would say yes, and get ready and make ready a people prepared for the coming of the Lord. This readying in Baton Rouge/Baker has been happening for some 40 years and in a concentrated way for some 10 years, raising up every believer who would as a leader. I bet when they endeavor to do so there has been resistance of every kind, both naturally and spiritually speaking. I bet there were a lot of potential disciples who did not like "The way" Bethany (no longer Baptist Bethany only, but House of God – World Prayer Center Bethany) wanted to accomplish or set this goal in order. I bet people still resist it and so do "birds of the air". But GOD, is doing a work that man alone could never do. The population 3-4 weeks ago was some 450,000 people, now it is close to 1 million people, the traffic is horrendous. A tragedy brought them to a city of refuge, and why was/is it a city of refuge? Because disciples have been set in place, immovable off of a vision they see for the world, now their world. GOD has made a people prepared for the coming of the Lord. Those who chose to be slaves to "the vision", have found themselves doing what the name of a Bethany conference was about 2 years ago, "Every Believer a Multitude". Their disciples are now living out what they have sung for years now- -"We will take this whole city, we will bring them to their knees, it is not time for silence, lift your hands and pull them down, and Oh you can’t stop us now, and No you can’t hold us down, each day our voice shall be heard and in the end- We Win!"….OK, that brings me here, last night I was speaking these things to Pastor Rick, who said that Kenneth Hagin before he passed on, was praying and prophecying in a meeting, he had his eyes closed and began to laugh as he was seeing into the future. He saw disaster after disaster (nothing to laugh at) happening in 2005. He said that at the end (in 2006), He saw the greatest revival ever. Do we believe God for that? Do we want that? What are we doing about that in our own home Parish? Our own home? Our city? Interceding? For what? Revival means people getting saved, delivered, healed and discipled. There reason it is a greater revival than ever before is the people will be discipled and raised up as leaders themselves rather than one man taking the show! Is our city or town ready for the coming or influx of 550,000 evacuees? Are you? Are we? The call for preparation has gone out. What if you don’t want to be prepared in the manner that it has been called to you to do so? Does it offend you so much that you have not been prepared, because you refuse to "do it that way"? Dear God help us I pray! What hold you back from being the one to send His Son to our world? Is it requirements placed on you in your church that are ridiculous or too hard? Is it difference of opinion? Or offenses between brethren in your churches fellowship?
Lay it down! Cast it aside cast down imaginations and opinions and press on. I have an answer just as Paul did. I.send - Charity & Robbie, I send- Laura & Bev & Laura, I send Melinda & Cindy, Maria & I go, etc, etc. I’m a vessel to help them get in the strategic places God has set them in in our community to GO make a people prepared for the coming of the Lord, Do we believe Hes’ coming? Then we must act like it in faith Go. Do "whatever it takes" ( in submission) to become a disciple and prepared one, a people ready. Fulfill the ridiculous requirement, the way man has set it up for you now, you’ll at least be in place when all hell breaks loose! If you can submit to man now, you will submit to God, when your city is tightly squeezed by an enemy force and people are crying out for who you are and what you have. Get ready Get ready Get Ready for Revival in this Nation as just as our forefathers cried out for.
For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet
Colossians 4:1-18
1You slave owners must be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven.
The word "slave is defined here as: one who gives himself up to another's will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests. WOW, doesn’t that sound like all of us who have truly "given our lives" to Christ? Doesn’t it sound like the goal of each disciple, to yield (now define THAT word- yield) themselves wholly to God’s work and will in the earth. Doesn’t that bring your thoughts to Christ Jesus in the garden, who prayed- Not My will But You will be accomplished? So we serve men here and are discipled by others who are in Christ, but really in doing this action of faith we are serving our true and highest Master in heaven, God & Christ Jesus, who is our Lord.
An Encouragement for Prayer
2Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3Don't forget to pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to preach about his secret plan—that Christ is also for you Gentiles. That is why I am here in chains. 4Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
5Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.
Paul's Final Instructions and Greetings
7Tychicus, a much loved brother, will tell you how I am getting along. He is a faithful helper who serves the Lord with me. 8I have sent him on this special trip to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. 9I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and much loved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will give you all the latest news.
10Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas's cousin. And as you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. 11Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish Christians among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!
12Epaphras, from your city, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident of the whole will of God. 13I can assure you that he has agonized for you and also for the Christians in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14Dear Doctor Luke sends his greetings, and so does Demas. 15Please give my greetings to our Christian brothers and sisters F12 at Laodicea, and to Nympha and those who meet in her house.
16After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them. 17And say to Archippus, "Be sure to carry out the work the Lord gave you."
18Here is my greeting in my own handwriting—PAUL. Remember my chains. May the grace of God be with you.
FOOTNOTES:F12: Greek brothers.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Yes, EVERYthing is about "outreach"! Let’s say "outreach" means "opportunity", then yes, everything is an opportunity. Oh God let me seize every opportunity that You give me today and better yet, let everyone whom I speak with and disciple take opportunity to be Christ in our day, to share their faith in an eternal life impounding way. This is imperative.
There is something so burning in my heart right now, it is conviction, it is an intercessory cry. Why do we pray, or intercede or why would we obey any of God’s commands and be commissioned in this earth by God? To Win Souls and make disciples, and grow people up into the fullness of the stature of Christ to do the same in this world that will die without the good news being spread. If any of you read my e-mail from two days ago, with the report from Bethany (where our daughter is going to school), you’ll see what I’m speaking of. I’ve pondered it ever since. There was a small Baptist Church in Baton Rouge or Baker, LA about 40 years ago, that was a Baptist church as Baptist churches are. Baker was hardly a spot on the road map of LA, but there was a man there who loved God enough to say so and put his love and words into action. God filled him with the Holy Spirit and moved him wherever God wanted him to be in that vicinity. The church became "Charismatic" ( please don’t fault it for that, it was/is part of the journey to take it to where it is today) The man raised up a family by example, the man is 80 + years old now, is still on staff, is still passionate for God and behind him are His wife, and His sons and His daughters and sons in laws and their sons and daughters etc. The man made disciples of his won family and his family are making disciples of a city, a county (or Parish as LA calls them) and into the Nation and world. About 10 years ago they got a hold of a revelation for making more families of disciples, just as Jesus did with His. They began to see that the word of winning and discipling the world works just as is does with discipling a family, there is more to disciple than one man or one family can handle, so it is/was imperative to pass this vision on to others. There were/are bumps in every road, but God is faithful to prepare a people who would say yes, and get ready and make ready a people prepared for the coming of the Lord. This readying in Baton Rouge/Baker has been happening for some 40 years and in a concentrated way for some 10 years, raising up every believer who would as a leader. I bet when they endeavor to do so there has been resistance of every kind, both naturally and spiritually speaking. I bet there were a lot of potential disciples who did not like "The way" Bethany (no longer Baptist Bethany only, but House of God – World Prayer Center Bethany) wanted to accomplish or set this goal in order. I bet people still resist it and so do "birds of the air". But GOD, is doing a work that man alone could never do. The population 3-4 weeks ago was some 450,000 people, now it is close to 1 million people, the traffic is horrendous. A tragedy brought them to a city of refuge, and why was/is it a city of refuge? Because disciples have been set in place, immovable off of a vision they see for the world, now their world. GOD has made a people prepared for the coming of the Lord. Those who chose to be slaves to "the vision", have found themselves doing what the name of a Bethany conference was about 2 years ago, "Every Believer a Multitude". Their disciples are now living out what they have sung for years now- -"We will take this whole city, we will bring them to their knees, it is not time for silence, lift your hands and pull them down, and Oh you can’t stop us now, and No you can’t hold us down, each day our voice shall be heard and in the end- We Win!"….OK, that brings me here, last night I was speaking these things to Pastor Rick, who said that Kenneth Hagin before he passed on, was praying and prophecying in a meeting, he had his eyes closed and began to laugh as he was seeing into the future. He saw disaster after disaster (nothing to laugh at) happening in 2005. He said that at the end (in 2006), He saw the greatest revival ever. Do we believe God for that? Do we want that? What are we doing about that in our own home Parish? Our own home? Our city? Interceding? For what? Revival means people getting saved, delivered, healed and discipled. There reason it is a greater revival than ever before is the people will be discipled and raised up as leaders themselves rather than one man taking the show! Is our city or town ready for the coming or influx of 550,000 evacuees? Are you? Are we? The call for preparation has gone out. What if you don’t want to be prepared in the manner that it has been called to you to do so? Does it offend you so much that you have not been prepared, because you refuse to "do it that way"? Dear God help us I pray! What hold you back from being the one to send His Son to our world? Is it requirements placed on you in your church that are ridiculous or too hard? Is it difference of opinion? Or offenses between brethren in your churches fellowship?
Lay it down! Cast it aside cast down imaginations and opinions and press on. I have an answer just as Paul did. I.send - Charity & Robbie, I send- Laura & Bev & Laura, I send Melinda & Cindy, Maria & I go, etc, etc. I’m a vessel to help them get in the strategic places God has set them in in our community to GO make a people prepared for the coming of the Lord, Do we believe Hes’ coming? Then we must act like it in faith Go. Do "whatever it takes" ( in submission) to become a disciple and prepared one, a people ready. Fulfill the ridiculous requirement, the way man has set it up for you now, you’ll at least be in place when all hell breaks loose! If you can submit to man now, you will submit to God, when your city is tightly squeezed by an enemy force and people are crying out for who you are and what you have. Get ready Get ready Get Ready for Revival in this Nation as just as our forefathers cried out for.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Col 3
Romans 16:19-20 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
Col 3: 1-25
Living the New Life
1Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. 2Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. 3For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4And when Christ, who is your F9 real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
5So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. 6God's terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. 7You used to do them when your life was still part of this world. 8But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds. 10In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you. 11In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, F10 circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, F11 slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
12Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
16Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Instructions for Christian Households
18You wives must submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. 19And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly.
20You children must always obey your parents, for this is what pleases the Lord. 21Fathers, don't aggravate your children. If you do, they will become discouraged and quit trying.
22You slaves must obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Obey them willingly because of your reverent fear of the Lord. 23Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ. 25But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites who can get away with evil.
FOOTNOTES:F9: Some manuscripts read our. F10: Greek Greek. F11: Greek Barbarian, Scythian.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
So tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness & patience are not who or what we are (naturally speaking), but what we wear? & what we put on like a coat? & We must, make allowances for others weaknesses, like excusing and forgiving them for being unlike what we now see and know ourselves to have attained to this point? Love is a covering? Love is a cord for being bound in eternal relationships? YES.
Live peace, that means it is active in me, it is purposeful, like on purpose, a choice I make, for peace.
Thanks is something I either give or withhold. The Word of God tells me to go ahead and release it, regularly, even if one does not deserve it, God does. Let it resound for Him, for who He is no matter what others are acting like.
Everything I say, either in secret or out in the open represents Him. We teach our children that all that is hidden will be made manifest. All that is done behind closed doors will be evidenced, we can be sure our sins will find us out. So even the words I speak behind people’s backs and in my secret place, like driving away in my car, or turning my back and uttering words, will have an effect on the atmosphere around me? Those words shape my attitudes and responses as a kingdom ambassador? YES.
So in ALL we do, do it with a whole heart of thanksgiving as though all we do serve our Master and King, the Lord Jesus? Even the most practical thing we do, such as changing a diaper or making a bed or driving our children to school, being at work, or studying for tests, cleaning, relating with unlovely or happy people, etc? Do ALL to the glory of God the Father, as a representative of Him? YES
The point here is that some-ONE is Always watching us, Our Father God!
Do we believe that? If we do we will respond to that belief, respond to that faith, with our lives in action.
Col 3: 1-25
Living the New Life
1Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. 2Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. 3For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4And when Christ, who is your F9 real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
5So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. 6God's terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. 7You used to do them when your life was still part of this world. 8But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds. 10In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you. 11In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, F10 circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, F11 slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
12Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
16Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Instructions for Christian Households
18You wives must submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. 19And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly.
20You children must always obey your parents, for this is what pleases the Lord. 21Fathers, don't aggravate your children. If you do, they will become discouraged and quit trying.
22You slaves must obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Obey them willingly because of your reverent fear of the Lord. 23Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ. 25But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites who can get away with evil.
FOOTNOTES:F9: Some manuscripts read our. F10: Greek Greek. F11: Greek Barbarian, Scythian.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
So tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness & patience are not who or what we are (naturally speaking), but what we wear? & what we put on like a coat? & We must, make allowances for others weaknesses, like excusing and forgiving them for being unlike what we now see and know ourselves to have attained to this point? Love is a covering? Love is a cord for being bound in eternal relationships? YES.
Live peace, that means it is active in me, it is purposeful, like on purpose, a choice I make, for peace.
Thanks is something I either give or withhold. The Word of God tells me to go ahead and release it, regularly, even if one does not deserve it, God does. Let it resound for Him, for who He is no matter what others are acting like.
Everything I say, either in secret or out in the open represents Him. We teach our children that all that is hidden will be made manifest. All that is done behind closed doors will be evidenced, we can be sure our sins will find us out. So even the words I speak behind people’s backs and in my secret place, like driving away in my car, or turning my back and uttering words, will have an effect on the atmosphere around me? Those words shape my attitudes and responses as a kingdom ambassador? YES.
So in ALL we do, do it with a whole heart of thanksgiving as though all we do serve our Master and King, the Lord Jesus? Even the most practical thing we do, such as changing a diaper or making a bed or driving our children to school, being at work, or studying for tests, cleaning, relating with unlovely or happy people, etc? Do ALL to the glory of God the Father, as a representative of Him? YES
The point here is that some-ONE is Always watching us, Our Father God!
Do we believe that? If we do we will respond to that belief, respond to that faith, with our lives in action.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Col 2
Col 2:1-23
1I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other friends who have never known me personally. 2My goal is that they will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God's secret plan, which is Christ himself. 3In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4I am telling you this so that no one will be able to deceive you with persuasive arguments. 5For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I am very happy because you are living as you should and because of your strong faith in Christ.
Freedom from Rules and New Life in Christ
6And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. 7Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
8Don't let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, F7 and not from Christ. 9For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body, F8 10and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.
11When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
13You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. 14He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross. 15In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.
16So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself. 18Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on self-denial. And don't let anyone say you must worship angels, even though they say they have had visions about this. These people claim to be so humble, but their sinful minds have made them proud. 19But they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For we are joined together in his body by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God.
20You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, 21"Don't handle, don't eat, don't touch." 22Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. 23These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires.
FOOTNOTES:F7: Or from the basic principles of this world; also in 2:20. F8: Greek in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Lena’s Journalin’~
How would you know if you were being led astray? Astray from what? Or whom? The answer is, your faith in Christ. How would you know if you were deferred from that faith? Only by knowing Him, Christ, which is the Word of God made flesh (John 1). How do we know enough about Him, or know Him personally enough to know whether we are led astray from His knowledge? By knowing God’s word. He and His word are one. The sinful, flesh fed, and worldly desire seeking nature must die! It must be separated from our everyday lies. It must be separated from us to such an extent that we can tell the difference and know the difference and loathe the difference. If we say we are Christ’s, why do we feed on other sources? Why do we entertain other guests? Why do we listen to other voices? Why do we practice worldly ways and thinking? Why do we fight God? That enemy needs to be recognized and crucified.
When we read, do not let anyone condemn you for…we can let pride rise up and rebellion show its face and say- "Yeah, don’ let…any one judge us..." This IS NOT what this is saying. If our sinful nature is cut away then we are already liberated, and there is no cause to "judge", there is no occasion for anyone to stumble over our lives. Holiness, or doing the word of God in living it in a personal way, leaves no room for judgements, period. Our obedience in contrast to our enemy’s disobedience, gains us the automatic victory, and shows that our enemy has NOTHING on us at all. Do you see, how mere obedient action, sets the enemy aflame, consumes his plight against us? He has nothing in us, when we do not even give him the time of day. It is not religious acts that make us right with God, it is love for and action of faith taken in believing in God’s Son. One who knows Him and believes that He is, obeys Him, and that obedience, and the pursuit of further obedience and the seeking of the knowledge of further obedience paves his roadway clear of harm.
So lets’ touch on a religious root here. It means NOTHING to God or to God’s enemy- who by the way can see right through our motives, to see a person doing good works. Works that make us look like we are good, by doing something good, thinking that by doing something nice and good, we’ll be somehow good, or it will be accounted to us as though we are good, because we were willing at least to do the good thing. God looks on the heart- period. Even the enemy has been familiar with religious works for generations of time and has seen people feel they are satisfying God to do works, even the enemy can sense phoneiness. The good works, without true faith and motivation of love for God, will be burned up with fire. It is LOVE that will never fail and will endure everything. Only Love can and will do that. Faith work by Love, there are good works to be done, to be accomplished, but these will only stand through the test of love, with faith as a partner teammate.
1I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other friends who have never known me personally. 2My goal is that they will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God's secret plan, which is Christ himself. 3In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4I am telling you this so that no one will be able to deceive you with persuasive arguments. 5For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I am very happy because you are living as you should and because of your strong faith in Christ.
Freedom from Rules and New Life in Christ
6And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. 7Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
8Don't let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, F7 and not from Christ. 9For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body, F8 10and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.
11When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
13You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. 14He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross. 15In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.
16So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself. 18Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on self-denial. And don't let anyone say you must worship angels, even though they say they have had visions about this. These people claim to be so humble, but their sinful minds have made them proud. 19But they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For we are joined together in his body by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God.
20You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, 21"Don't handle, don't eat, don't touch." 22Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. 23These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires.
FOOTNOTES:F7: Or from the basic principles of this world; also in 2:20. F8: Greek in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Lena’s Journalin’~
How would you know if you were being led astray? Astray from what? Or whom? The answer is, your faith in Christ. How would you know if you were deferred from that faith? Only by knowing Him, Christ, which is the Word of God made flesh (John 1). How do we know enough about Him, or know Him personally enough to know whether we are led astray from His knowledge? By knowing God’s word. He and His word are one. The sinful, flesh fed, and worldly desire seeking nature must die! It must be separated from our everyday lies. It must be separated from us to such an extent that we can tell the difference and know the difference and loathe the difference. If we say we are Christ’s, why do we feed on other sources? Why do we entertain other guests? Why do we listen to other voices? Why do we practice worldly ways and thinking? Why do we fight God? That enemy needs to be recognized and crucified.
When we read, do not let anyone condemn you for…we can let pride rise up and rebellion show its face and say- "Yeah, don’ let…any one judge us..." This IS NOT what this is saying. If our sinful nature is cut away then we are already liberated, and there is no cause to "judge", there is no occasion for anyone to stumble over our lives. Holiness, or doing the word of God in living it in a personal way, leaves no room for judgements, period. Our obedience in contrast to our enemy’s disobedience, gains us the automatic victory, and shows that our enemy has NOTHING on us at all. Do you see, how mere obedient action, sets the enemy aflame, consumes his plight against us? He has nothing in us, when we do not even give him the time of day. It is not religious acts that make us right with God, it is love for and action of faith taken in believing in God’s Son. One who knows Him and believes that He is, obeys Him, and that obedience, and the pursuit of further obedience and the seeking of the knowledge of further obedience paves his roadway clear of harm.
So lets’ touch on a religious root here. It means NOTHING to God or to God’s enemy- who by the way can see right through our motives, to see a person doing good works. Works that make us look like we are good, by doing something good, thinking that by doing something nice and good, we’ll be somehow good, or it will be accounted to us as though we are good, because we were willing at least to do the good thing. God looks on the heart- period. Even the enemy has been familiar with religious works for generations of time and has seen people feel they are satisfying God to do works, even the enemy can sense phoneiness. The good works, without true faith and motivation of love for God, will be burned up with fire. It is LOVE that will never fail and will endure everything. Only Love can and will do that. Faith work by Love, there are good works to be done, to be accomplished, but these will only stand through the test of love, with faith as a partner teammate.
Monday, September 19, 2005
A Bethany Report- Where Our Jazzy is at
A Passage written by Pastor Stockstill of Baton Rouge, LA to conferencees, for conference that was scheduled for October 2005...
A Church Full of Pastors
Thursday, October 6, 2005 to Saturday, October 8, 2005 Conference rescheduled for March 2-4, 2006Baton Rouge, Louisiana
September 12, 2005
Dear Leader:
Re: “Church Full of Pastors” Conference Rescheduled to
March 2-4, 2006
As you know, in the last two weeks our nation has witnessed the worst natural tragedy in American history. At this writing, New Orleans is still 50 percent under water. One and a half million people have been scattered, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, are feared dead.We here at Bethany have been involved since the first moment of the disaster. We opened our south campus Center of Hope to the first evacuees. Then we turned our entire north campus into a massive shelter to feed, clothe, and minister to 800 people, at a daily cost of $10,000. These evacuees are sleeping, showering, and eating in every nook and cranny we can find. Now the South Center of Hope has become a refuge to 200 state troopers and paramilitary men and women who stay there each night.All hotels in Baton Rouge have been taken over by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). As a result, all our reservations for the 4,000 registered delegates for the scheduled October conference were automatically cancelled. Furthermore, the traffic in Baton Rouge has increased 50 percent as the city’s population has swollen from 450,000 to between 800,000 and 1 million. Our entire church staff is working with the relief effort on a round-the-clock basis.In light of these factors, we have reached a strategic decision to postpone our “Church Full of Pastors” International Conference until March 2–4, 2006. Our local convention bureau feels confident that Baton Rouge will be back to normal by the end of this year, and thus we should have no problem with the March date for the conference.In order for us to have an accurate count of people planning to attend the rescheduled conference, you will need to register again. You can do so at achurchfullofpastors.com or at bccn.com, or by calling BCCN at (225) 771-1600. Registration will continue to be free up through January 31, 2006. Flight reservations can generally be changed up to a year after making them, so if you had already scheduled a flight for the October conference, please change your flight to the new dates. We are, of course, very sorry for this development. No one could have anticipated the monstrous devastation that struck New Orleans. I will say, however, that of those staying in our shelter, 750 people were saved at our first “town meeting.” We are taking all of them through the first part of the Journey (formerly Pre-Encounter) and then holding a mass Encounter for them! They will also be trained with the new materials of the Discovery classes (formerly School of Leaders), which will be coming out in OctoberI anticipate the March conference will have far more in attendance than the one we had scheduled for October. God is moving mightily in our midst and forming strategic alliances. This past week in Baton Rouge, we have connected personally with Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, Rod Parsley, and Rick Warren and have told all about the multiplication vision. President Bush, his wife, our governor, her husband, and our mayor were all here for two hours in our north shelter on Labor Day. It was quite a historic day. God is moving rapidly to build unity, focus, and revival.I love each one of you and thank you for supporting us in this effort. If the Lord leads you to contribute to the 52 shelters we are directly helping to supply, you can send your donation to Lifelinefoundation.com, a separate Bethany ministry exclusively designated for Katrina relief.If you have questions about the new materials soon to be released, please contact Carl Everett or any of the BCCN staff. They will assist you to immediately begin discipling others or will help with any needs you have leading up to the massive conference in March. May Jesus Himself receive all glory for the rescue, relief, and rebuilding efforts being done here and in New Orleans.
Your fellow laborer,
Larry Stockstill Senior Pastor
Bethany World Prayer Center
A Church Full of Pastors
Thursday, October 6, 2005 to Saturday, October 8, 2005 Conference rescheduled for March 2-4, 2006Baton Rouge, Louisiana
September 12, 2005
Dear Leader:
Re: “Church Full of Pastors” Conference Rescheduled to
March 2-4, 2006
As you know, in the last two weeks our nation has witnessed the worst natural tragedy in American history. At this writing, New Orleans is still 50 percent under water. One and a half million people have been scattered, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, are feared dead.We here at Bethany have been involved since the first moment of the disaster. We opened our south campus Center of Hope to the first evacuees. Then we turned our entire north campus into a massive shelter to feed, clothe, and minister to 800 people, at a daily cost of $10,000. These evacuees are sleeping, showering, and eating in every nook and cranny we can find. Now the South Center of Hope has become a refuge to 200 state troopers and paramilitary men and women who stay there each night.All hotels in Baton Rouge have been taken over by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). As a result, all our reservations for the 4,000 registered delegates for the scheduled October conference were automatically cancelled. Furthermore, the traffic in Baton Rouge has increased 50 percent as the city’s population has swollen from 450,000 to between 800,000 and 1 million. Our entire church staff is working with the relief effort on a round-the-clock basis.In light of these factors, we have reached a strategic decision to postpone our “Church Full of Pastors” International Conference until March 2–4, 2006. Our local convention bureau feels confident that Baton Rouge will be back to normal by the end of this year, and thus we should have no problem with the March date for the conference.In order for us to have an accurate count of people planning to attend the rescheduled conference, you will need to register again. You can do so at achurchfullofpastors.com or at bccn.com, or by calling BCCN at (225) 771-1600. Registration will continue to be free up through January 31, 2006. Flight reservations can generally be changed up to a year after making them, so if you had already scheduled a flight for the October conference, please change your flight to the new dates. We are, of course, very sorry for this development. No one could have anticipated the monstrous devastation that struck New Orleans. I will say, however, that of those staying in our shelter, 750 people were saved at our first “town meeting.” We are taking all of them through the first part of the Journey (formerly Pre-Encounter) and then holding a mass Encounter for them! They will also be trained with the new materials of the Discovery classes (formerly School of Leaders), which will be coming out in OctoberI anticipate the March conference will have far more in attendance than the one we had scheduled for October. God is moving mightily in our midst and forming strategic alliances. This past week in Baton Rouge, we have connected personally with Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, Rod Parsley, and Rick Warren and have told all about the multiplication vision. President Bush, his wife, our governor, her husband, and our mayor were all here for two hours in our north shelter on Labor Day. It was quite a historic day. God is moving rapidly to build unity, focus, and revival.I love each one of you and thank you for supporting us in this effort. If the Lord leads you to contribute to the 52 shelters we are directly helping to supply, you can send your donation to Lifelinefoundation.com, a separate Bethany ministry exclusively designated for Katrina relief.If you have questions about the new materials soon to be released, please contact Carl Everett or any of the BCCN staff. They will assist you to immediately begin discipling others or will help with any needs you have leading up to the massive conference in March. May Jesus Himself receive all glory for the rescue, relief, and rebuilding efforts being done here and in New Orleans.
Your fellow laborer,
Larry Stockstill Senior Pastor
Bethany World Prayer Center
Today Our Daily Bread Eph 3
Ephesians 3:1-21
God's Secret Plan Revealed
1I, Paul, am a prisoner of Christ Jesus because of my preaching to you Gentiles. 2As you already know, God has given me this special ministry of announcing his favor to you Gentiles. 3As I briefly mentioned earlier in this letter, God himself revealed his secret plan to me. 4As you read what I have written, you will understand what I know about this plan regarding Christ. 5God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now he has revealed it by the Holy Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets.
6And this is the secret plan: The Gentiles have an equal share with the Jews in all the riches inherited by God's children. Both groups have believed the Good News, and both are part of the same body and enjoy together the promise of blessings through Christ Jesus. 7By God's special favor and mighty power, I have been given the wonderful privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
8Just think! Though I did nothing to deserve it, and though I am the least deserving Christian there is, I was chosen for this special joy of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9I was chosen to explain to everyone this plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
10God's purpose was to show his wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. They will see this when Jews and Gentiles are joined together in his church. 11This was his plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
12Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God's presence, assured of his glad welcome. 13So please don't despair because of what they are doing to me here. It is for you that I am suffering, so you should feel honored and encouraged.
Paul's Prayer for Spiritual Empowering
14When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, F4 15the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. 17And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. 18And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. 19May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. 21May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.
FOOTNOTES:F4: Some manuscripts read the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
We have got to stop separating ourselves from others, as though we are more worthy of God’s promises and love than they are, or as though their sins cause them to be lower than we are. Jesus died for ALL people. Prejudices separate us from even the potential of sharing the love of God with people. The walls of pre-judging others must fall down for the gospel to have its purposeful effect. Why would anyone in any condition be exempt from His promise of salvation other than to outright deny Him, as in the rebellion of satan himself? Even when humans say with their mouths, that they do not believe in God or whatever they speak. Many times they do not know or recognize the condition of their own hearts and it is just ignorant mumbo jumbo. The comments are rather cries of desperation to see if he’d know them even if they reject Him. His cry is to know them, for them to really know Him and that some miraculous day they’d also make His name known in the earth where He’s set them to be on earth. Are you at all willing to risk your own comfort for the gospel sake? Can you step out in faith for the unlovely or undeserving? Dear God, GIVE us a heart of flesh, just like yours, that above all we’d desire Your kingdom to come, above all other desire, goals and plans, we’d have to see Your kingdom come! The kingdom is within us and can be within all who believe. Contrary to some opinions, this revelation and passion is not Lena’s new fad or a passing call or dream to fulfill my ministry on earth. This call is for all who believe in Him and receive Him, all who would be His disciples. It is our life we now live, in Christ. Looking at vs 10, it IS the reason we were born. We were not born to ride, or sail or paint or sing etc, we were born to Love, because Love conquers all. Love goes and saves, Love disarms the enemies of God! It takes down strongholds that have come against God’s covenant nature from before humans existed. Do you know God created us, humans, to bring back the peace of the atmospheric realm? God set us here to orchestrate oneness in rebellion? If you did not know that, please be informed today. It is God’s plan, it is true, You are God’s plan for more than just the earth, but the whole universe ( remember uni = One, verse = Word), to bring back One word, God’s word, rather than the words of rebellion satan spoke in God’s face and set into motion a rebellion that continues to spread lest we Go and bring the message of peace, the message of Good News to any and all who will hear it.
God's Secret Plan Revealed
1I, Paul, am a prisoner of Christ Jesus because of my preaching to you Gentiles. 2As you already know, God has given me this special ministry of announcing his favor to you Gentiles. 3As I briefly mentioned earlier in this letter, God himself revealed his secret plan to me. 4As you read what I have written, you will understand what I know about this plan regarding Christ. 5God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now he has revealed it by the Holy Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets.
6And this is the secret plan: The Gentiles have an equal share with the Jews in all the riches inherited by God's children. Both groups have believed the Good News, and both are part of the same body and enjoy together the promise of blessings through Christ Jesus. 7By God's special favor and mighty power, I have been given the wonderful privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
8Just think! Though I did nothing to deserve it, and though I am the least deserving Christian there is, I was chosen for this special joy of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9I was chosen to explain to everyone this plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
10God's purpose was to show his wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. They will see this when Jews and Gentiles are joined together in his church. 11This was his plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
12Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God's presence, assured of his glad welcome. 13So please don't despair because of what they are doing to me here. It is for you that I am suffering, so you should feel honored and encouraged.
Paul's Prayer for Spiritual Empowering
14When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, F4 15the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. 17And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. 18And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. 19May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. 21May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.
FOOTNOTES:F4: Some manuscripts read the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
We have got to stop separating ourselves from others, as though we are more worthy of God’s promises and love than they are, or as though their sins cause them to be lower than we are. Jesus died for ALL people. Prejudices separate us from even the potential of sharing the love of God with people. The walls of pre-judging others must fall down for the gospel to have its purposeful effect. Why would anyone in any condition be exempt from His promise of salvation other than to outright deny Him, as in the rebellion of satan himself? Even when humans say with their mouths, that they do not believe in God or whatever they speak. Many times they do not know or recognize the condition of their own hearts and it is just ignorant mumbo jumbo. The comments are rather cries of desperation to see if he’d know them even if they reject Him. His cry is to know them, for them to really know Him and that some miraculous day they’d also make His name known in the earth where He’s set them to be on earth. Are you at all willing to risk your own comfort for the gospel sake? Can you step out in faith for the unlovely or undeserving? Dear God, GIVE us a heart of flesh, just like yours, that above all we’d desire Your kingdom to come, above all other desire, goals and plans, we’d have to see Your kingdom come! The kingdom is within us and can be within all who believe. Contrary to some opinions, this revelation and passion is not Lena’s new fad or a passing call or dream to fulfill my ministry on earth. This call is for all who believe in Him and receive Him, all who would be His disciples. It is our life we now live, in Christ. Looking at vs 10, it IS the reason we were born. We were not born to ride, or sail or paint or sing etc, we were born to Love, because Love conquers all. Love goes and saves, Love disarms the enemies of God! It takes down strongholds that have come against God’s covenant nature from before humans existed. Do you know God created us, humans, to bring back the peace of the atmospheric realm? God set us here to orchestrate oneness in rebellion? If you did not know that, please be informed today. It is God’s plan, it is true, You are God’s plan for more than just the earth, but the whole universe ( remember uni = One, verse = Word), to bring back One word, God’s word, rather than the words of rebellion satan spoke in God’s face and set into motion a rebellion that continues to spread lest we Go and bring the message of peace, the message of Good News to any and all who will hear it.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Eph 1
Eph 1:1-23
1I, Paul, am under God's plan as an apostle, a special agent of Christ Jesus, writing to you faithful Christians in Ephesus. 2I greet you with the grace and peace poured into our lives by God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ.
The God of Glory
3How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. 4Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. 5Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) 6He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
7Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people--free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! 8He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, 9letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, 10a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.
11It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, 12part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
13It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free--signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. 14This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.
15That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the Christians, 16I couldn't stop thanking God for you--every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. 17But I do more than thank. I ask--ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory--to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, 18your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians, 19oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him--endless energy, boundless strength!
20All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, 21in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. 22He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. 23The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.
~ Lena’s Journalin~
How does it feel when you know you’ve blown it, made multiple mistakes and know you have to own up to them? Not the greatest feeling, huh? How about the feeling when you know you were due to have to take a beating or punishment, but did not at all have to pay any of its penalty? Whew! What a relief! What freedom! This is the type of freedom a person experiences whenever he realizes the magnitude of the debt owed him for sin and the severe penalty due each of us, but that through the willingly offered shed blood of Christ’s free will sacrifice and our acceptance of it and our participation in His life as we walk out the rest of our days on earth, we can be freed completely of this penalty. That person is truly thankful. It takes revelation to be this thankful! It also takes revelation to go beyond this feeling of thankfulness and hae greater than just an extreme desire to re-pay Christ or respond to Christ with actions of Love, but to go steps further and lie everyday for Christ’s will rather than whatever plans and dreams we thought we were here for. Gal 2:20 comes right to mind for me. I could lie my life and all of the rest of my days here for me and what I enjoy and desire etc, but what a loss I’d experience and what regret I’d have living for such mere purpose, when I could fulfill the purpose of God right here, right now. My heart is as Paul’s in some prospectus, I plead with you, not to waste another moment figuring out who you are and who you were meant to be here and what you are supposed to do etc. God is showing you, he’s setting you up, He’s placing you on the earth as game players set up chess pieces, really. He’s orchestrating your life around His will and plan and He does not want anymore time spend for any other kingdom except His. Can we lie as dual citizens in His kingdom?, NO, we cannot. We are in the world, but not at all of it. That is NOT dualistic citizenship. If we try to be a part of the world and a part of what God is doing we miss all of what God is doing! We cannot sere two masters, we cannot love God and money, we cannot. We are either for Him or against Him, He is asking us to make it very clear to Him, and to God’s enemies who’s "side" we are on. Ya, know we can play the game of religion, but the only one fooled is us and maybe a few other people. In the spirit world there is no fooling, all is open and exposed unto the light. Evil spirits know who’s we are and belong to and serve, and angels and God’s spirit knows who we belong to and whom we serve.
1I, Paul, am under God's plan as an apostle, a special agent of Christ Jesus, writing to you faithful Christians in Ephesus. 2I greet you with the grace and peace poured into our lives by God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ.
The God of Glory
3How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. 4Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. 5Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) 6He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
7Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people--free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! 8He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, 9letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, 10a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.
11It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, 12part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
13It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free--signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. 14This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.
15That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the Christians, 16I couldn't stop thanking God for you--every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. 17But I do more than thank. I ask--ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory--to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, 18your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians, 19oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him--endless energy, boundless strength!
20All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, 21in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. 22He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. 23The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.
~ Lena’s Journalin~
How does it feel when you know you’ve blown it, made multiple mistakes and know you have to own up to them? Not the greatest feeling, huh? How about the feeling when you know you were due to have to take a beating or punishment, but did not at all have to pay any of its penalty? Whew! What a relief! What freedom! This is the type of freedom a person experiences whenever he realizes the magnitude of the debt owed him for sin and the severe penalty due each of us, but that through the willingly offered shed blood of Christ’s free will sacrifice and our acceptance of it and our participation in His life as we walk out the rest of our days on earth, we can be freed completely of this penalty. That person is truly thankful. It takes revelation to be this thankful! It also takes revelation to go beyond this feeling of thankfulness and hae greater than just an extreme desire to re-pay Christ or respond to Christ with actions of Love, but to go steps further and lie everyday for Christ’s will rather than whatever plans and dreams we thought we were here for. Gal 2:20 comes right to mind for me. I could lie my life and all of the rest of my days here for me and what I enjoy and desire etc, but what a loss I’d experience and what regret I’d have living for such mere purpose, when I could fulfill the purpose of God right here, right now. My heart is as Paul’s in some prospectus, I plead with you, not to waste another moment figuring out who you are and who you were meant to be here and what you are supposed to do etc. God is showing you, he’s setting you up, He’s placing you on the earth as game players set up chess pieces, really. He’s orchestrating your life around His will and plan and He does not want anymore time spend for any other kingdom except His. Can we lie as dual citizens in His kingdom?, NO, we cannot. We are in the world, but not at all of it. That is NOT dualistic citizenship. If we try to be a part of the world and a part of what God is doing we miss all of what God is doing! We cannot sere two masters, we cannot love God and money, we cannot. We are either for Him or against Him, He is asking us to make it very clear to Him, and to God’s enemies who’s "side" we are on. Ya, know we can play the game of religion, but the only one fooled is us and maybe a few other people. In the spirit world there is no fooling, all is open and exposed unto the light. Evil spirits know who’s we are and belong to and serve, and angels and God’s spirit knows who we belong to and whom we serve.
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