"The Lord maketh rich, and He adds no sorrow with it." The blessing of the Lord is not all about money, but Jehovah Jireh - God provides for His children. How much is a blessing worth? Esau did not value it very highly, but Jacob did. The blessing of God adds value to life, it increases meaning and purpose in the life of the one who is blessed, and their is no sorrow in His embrace. The Words HE speaks are light and life, they yield grace and glory to all who receive them. Who is given this power to bless and to curse?
I'm glad you asked! To the Sons and Daughters of Zion, to those who believe on His name, to the Sons of the Most High and to their offspring, to the women of God who proclaim His word. In His Kingdom, the woman is not left behind, but is elevated. She walks along side her husband. God is her husband, and He is Lord over all things.
The blessings of God lie before us, and the mystery is hidden before our very eyes until He opens them. Once our eyes are opened by the spirit of God, then we see clearly into the Kingdom through His eyes of love. Choices - it is all about choices. In Him, we live and move and have our being. Sometimes we are called out from among them, but we are not "Lone Rangers" in His Kingdom.
The blessings proceed from His lips, from His Word - the Living Word, proceed the rivers of blessing, the water of life. These springs are a wellspring of life which gush forth from the innermost being. The confidence of the believer is not in their flesh, but in Him. He came in the flesh, and He comes into our hearts, and fills us with His goodness via His Word. The light removes the darkness. The light or the Sun (Son) removes the fog. He lights our path before us and in His temple we cry "Glory!"
He is THE Way, THE truth, and THE Life - no man (or woman - implied) comes to the Father except through His blood. It is by the blood and by the water that we are cleansed, they are spirit and they are life. We cannot only drink His blood, we must eat His flesh too. This communion comes through the Father, by the Spirit. It is a great mystery, but we are married to Him. He is our husband. This can be difficult for men, but we are the "Bride of Christ." In Him is male and female, not just male. In Him, in "our image" is life. It takes two to create life. There are three in one, for God is One. In Him there is unity in diversity. This paradox is difficult. Many things of God are difficult, but not impossible for the mind to conceive, but God can make one to understand His ways. Some things do not make sense in the natural, and that is why some have difficulty coming to Him. Sometimes the mind wants to "figure out God" but God is not a man. One may not understand the ways of God except by the spirit of God. Some things must be accepted because "He said so." His Word rules over all and above all. His Word is the light of Heaven. The Heavens are telling of the glory of the LORD!"
Back to the blessing, His blessing gives life. Children are a "gift from God." Some people do not consider or treat their children as a blessing because they get their eyes away from God. Love is a ruler that measures the things and nature of God. God is love. Love is a blessing. When you are loved, you know it. There are no "questions" in love, there is no fear in love, for in love there is total acceptance. When one knows they are accepted by the Father, then there is peace and rest. The struggles come when we are deceived, when we are not sure, when we do not know. In Him, there is a "knowing." When you know that you have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry "Abba" Father, then YOU KNOW! When you know, then you are blessed. Faith of the Father is a blessing. He is our portion, and we are His portion. In Him we are blessed and there is no fear in His arms of love. Revive us O Lord according to THY WORD!
A Prayer: "Lord Jesus, come into my heart and change me for your glory. Reveal to me the love of the Father. I am tired of stumbling and not knowing you as I should. Lord Jesus, I come to You, the maker of Heaven and Earth. Forgive me of all of my sins and make me a blessing. I want to be all that YOU desire. I commit all of my ways unto YOU, to YOU, and for YOU, because YOU are my King and my God. Fill me with the knowledge of YOU and of all of your ways. This one thing I desire, that I may Know YOU, the Living God, and the power of YOUR resurrection. By faith in Your beloved Son, I thank You that Jesus died for my sins. I receive YOU as the Lord and ruler of my life. By simple child-like faith, I put all of my hopes, dreams, plans, and aspirations into Your hands. I commit to you my life, my love, and my all. Bless me Lord according to Your Word, for Your glory I pray. I ask these things in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Amen!"
If you prayed that prayer, let a Godly Pastor know. If you get a negative response, he is not a Godly Pastor. Go somewhere else, and let God lead you. He is a loving God. He wants the best for you and He will encourage you, not tear you down (see John 3:17). Let me know if I can help. God bless you in Jesus' name!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
A few thoughts on the death of Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts passed away yesterday, and now He is in a better place. He was a man of God, a man of faith. He was used by God to bring healing to the sick. It was a different time then, than it is now. He operated and conducted services in a tent, no air conditioning. Before he began his healing ministry, he was healed of polio. You cannot minister to others in areas in which you have no knowledge, and he had "been there."
I never met the man, but I have seen his television shows. My father knew of his wife's father in North Carolina. If I recall correctly, he was an old bicycle preacher. For those who do not know, or have not heard, this meant basically that he ran the entire time he was preaching. These old preachers would preach and run around the building. It looked like they were riding a bicycle, so they were called bicycle preachers. It was a supernatural phenomenon, no man could do this is his own strength. It was the spirit of Elijah, the same spirit that gave Elijah the strength and power to outrun the Kings chariots.
Oral Roberts used a term called "Seed Faith." By Faith you would sow a seed, and you would believe God for the miracle. He started his show saying "Something good is going to happen to you today!" Faith is expectant. Faith believes all things, hopes all things, trusts all things, endures all things - for the glory of the Father. The love of God knows no boundaries, it is limitless! God is faithful!
Why was this man influential in my life? Why do I write about him now? All I can tell you is "I don't know." Sometimes there is a spirit connection that goes beyond the natural physical plane that we walk on in this earth. Sometimes the words of a man can be deposited deep within you, the words of God pours forth from his lips, and in God's timing HE brings them forth. That is seed faith! Sometimes it lies dormant within an individual for years, but God is never late. At just the right time, at just the right moment, God brings it forth. Some people call it a divine delay. Regardless of what it is called, if something is hidden deep in the recesses of your heart, God knows how to bring them forth. He knows when, He knows how, and He knows where to release them.
What have you gone through in this life, that will give you a "Ministry?" It is usually the thing that makes you the maddest. It is the thing that makes you "incensed with fire" and brings out all of your passion. Sometimes, it can be more than one thing, but usually it is one thing. If you know nothing of rape, you cannot truly understand a woman who has "been there." If you have never lost a child in death, you cannot relate to one who has "been there." God allows us to go through things so that we may have the fire to pursue it to the end. One of God's names is Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is there -- He's been there! Before all things were, there was God. Nothing surprises Him.
Oral Roberts was not a perfect man, but he was a man of God and called by God. We can all find fault. It is easy to judge when one sits on the sidelines, but when you are in the game it is entirely different. The people who would criticize Oral Roberts do not have a clue. I salute Oral Roberts and his accomplishments, but all the glory, honor, and praise go to Jesus. Yet, at the same time, we are the hands and feet of God at His footstool. We are the lips of God. "Who will hear unless there is a preacher?" Oral Roberts was a preacher and I believe he was a good one. He carried with him a spirit of excellence. I pray that there will be a healing in the church at this hour of his departure. There will be a release in the spirit, and I pray that I will receive from the Lord and from his (Oral Roberts') spirit. May the parabolic blessing of the Lord shine forth in this hour! "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." Let the radiance of Thy presence come as a typhoon of the spirit, in waves, in multiplied waves of refreshing. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." Oral Roberts was a Saint!
I never met the man, but I have seen his television shows. My father knew of his wife's father in North Carolina. If I recall correctly, he was an old bicycle preacher. For those who do not know, or have not heard, this meant basically that he ran the entire time he was preaching. These old preachers would preach and run around the building. It looked like they were riding a bicycle, so they were called bicycle preachers. It was a supernatural phenomenon, no man could do this is his own strength. It was the spirit of Elijah, the same spirit that gave Elijah the strength and power to outrun the Kings chariots.
Oral Roberts used a term called "Seed Faith." By Faith you would sow a seed, and you would believe God for the miracle. He started his show saying "Something good is going to happen to you today!" Faith is expectant. Faith believes all things, hopes all things, trusts all things, endures all things - for the glory of the Father. The love of God knows no boundaries, it is limitless! God is faithful!
Why was this man influential in my life? Why do I write about him now? All I can tell you is "I don't know." Sometimes there is a spirit connection that goes beyond the natural physical plane that we walk on in this earth. Sometimes the words of a man can be deposited deep within you, the words of God pours forth from his lips, and in God's timing HE brings them forth. That is seed faith! Sometimes it lies dormant within an individual for years, but God is never late. At just the right time, at just the right moment, God brings it forth. Some people call it a divine delay. Regardless of what it is called, if something is hidden deep in the recesses of your heart, God knows how to bring them forth. He knows when, He knows how, and He knows where to release them.
What have you gone through in this life, that will give you a "Ministry?" It is usually the thing that makes you the maddest. It is the thing that makes you "incensed with fire" and brings out all of your passion. Sometimes, it can be more than one thing, but usually it is one thing. If you know nothing of rape, you cannot truly understand a woman who has "been there." If you have never lost a child in death, you cannot relate to one who has "been there." God allows us to go through things so that we may have the fire to pursue it to the end. One of God's names is Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is there -- He's been there! Before all things were, there was God. Nothing surprises Him.
Oral Roberts was not a perfect man, but he was a man of God and called by God. We can all find fault. It is easy to judge when one sits on the sidelines, but when you are in the game it is entirely different. The people who would criticize Oral Roberts do not have a clue. I salute Oral Roberts and his accomplishments, but all the glory, honor, and praise go to Jesus. Yet, at the same time, we are the hands and feet of God at His footstool. We are the lips of God. "Who will hear unless there is a preacher?" Oral Roberts was a preacher and I believe he was a good one. He carried with him a spirit of excellence. I pray that there will be a healing in the church at this hour of his departure. There will be a release in the spirit, and I pray that I will receive from the Lord and from his (Oral Roberts') spirit. May the parabolic blessing of the Lord shine forth in this hour! "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." Let the radiance of Thy presence come as a typhoon of the spirit, in waves, in multiplied waves of refreshing. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." Oral Roberts was a Saint!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Ascribe to the Lord
"Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name." (Psalms 29: 2a) What does the word "ascribe" mean? What is this "glory" we are commanded to give Him? What is His name? Let's say for a moment that we do not assume to know any of these. Let us say that we are like a little child and we are "tabula rasa" - a blank slate. Let us look into these little words and see what we can glean from them.
"Ascribe" means to attribute or to impute as to a cause or source, to charge, to declare or consider as belonging to; assign as an attribute _syn. "Attribute." Scribe comes from the Latin "ascribere" which means "to write." We are to write down these attributes of the Lord. When someone writes something down on paper, it helps to ingrain or imprint it into their mind. Once it is written down, it is eternally sealed, because it can be seen for ages to come, even after one is dead. My Pastor encourages his congregation to "journal" which is ascribing to the Lord the glory due to His name. Ascribing or Journalling does several things: it helps one remember what is important, it brings back memories and shows the faithfulness of God in tough times, it is a "constant" reminder of God's character: His faithfulness, His goodness, and His love. Girls usually are good about keeping diaries of personal "stuff" involved in day to day activities, and usually about relationships that are important to them. Shouldn't our relationship to God be important enough to us that we should writes it down, or make a note of it? "This do in remembrance of Me" was written on the communion table at my church. The same could be said of ascribing to the Lord, or journalling. One of the main things that journalling does for an individual is that it helps to produce consistency. People tend to be "spasmodic." Staying the course can be difficult. Like Marriage, a great mystery indeed, when the going gets tough one must remember the good times and the "Covenant" or the vow that was made to one another.
What is the "glory due to His name?" The Bible, or the Word of God must be the sourcebook when it comes to ascribing (the best Journal ever written), or knowing what is the glory due to the NAME (Ha'Shem) of the Lord. What is glory? "Glory" means "distinguished honor or praise; exalted reputation. something bringing Praise or renown; an object (or person) of special distinction." The word "honor" means "to speak well of." God is the Most High God. His name is higher than every name ever formed. In the West we know HIM as Jesus Christ. Jesus is a Greek name, yet Jesus was Jewish (at least on this Earth). In Hebrew, Jesus would be Yeshua Ha'Messhiach. "Ha'Messhiach" would be the "Messiah," or Christ - the anointed one, the smeared one, the one who brings at-one-ment (atonement), and Yeshua is Jesus in Hebrew.
The Jews believe that when the atonement occurs, that is the moment where they are "ONE" with God. Thus they have at-one-ment with God. First the natural, then the Spiritual. Jesus, or Yeshua is God. Why would I say such a thing. I didn't say it - HE did (but I stand in agreement with His declaration!)!!! There is more to this story, there is another name the Jews call God and it is YHVH (or we might say Yahweh), but it is the ineffable or unspeakable name of God. This is the name where one stands before God and sees Him and is left totally speechless - you cannot talk because of His reverence - His Holiness. In this moment one is left "speechless" (ineffable).
On the cross, Jesus or Yeshua, had a sign placed over His head. The first words spoken of Jesus by John the Baptist was "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!" What did he mean when he said that? The Jews knew what it meant. In the Passover each year, a little lamb would be brought in the house after spring cleaning prior to the week of Passover. During the week of Passover, the family was "locked in the house with God." This cute little lamb was cuddled and snuggled, fed and loved by the family. However, on Friday the animal was killed for their sins. Then they had to eat his flesh, and they drank wine with the meal. This communion was only for the Jewish family, no outsiders could attend. The lamb was the substitute sacrifice for them. As the years went by, the family probably did not want to get as close, since they knew what was coming next. When John the Baptist declared or ascribed that this man named Jesus would be the lamb of God which would take away their sins, many of them had forgotten. On the cross, the government declared that Jesus or Yeshua was God - the ineffable one.
How? I'm glad you asked! Over the head of Jesus was written a sign that read "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." In Hebrew this would read "Yeshua Ha'Netzeret V'mlech Ha'Yehudim" and that incensed the Jews. They saw it and said "NO!" They said "Change it to say that 'He said' He was the King of the Jews!" Why? Do you ever wonder why? By taking the first letter of each of these words we get Y-H-V-H or YHVH, the tetragrammaton of Yahweh, the ineffable NAME OF GOD. Yeshua is Jesus. Ha'Netzeret is of Nazareth (Nazareth means "the branch"). V'mlech means "the King, Lord, or overseer of the people. Ha'Yehudim is of Judah or Yehuda, Jesus or Yeshua was of the tribe of Judah. Judah means Praise. When we understand who Jesus really is, we stand before Him speechless because we realize that He took "my place" and yours. In Heaven, He has been given a name that is above every name and we haven't heard that yet. God is our Father, or ABBA. Because of what Jesus or Yeshua did on the cross, we can now approach the Father as ABBA - Daddy God. God is our Father. We are Sons and Daughters of the Most High God if we accept His at-one-ment, His atoning sacrifice. To be like Him, we must die. He must increase and we must decrease. Hopefully I have answered the three questions. They are three in one, for one, and to one. I have just ascribed to the Lord the glory due to His name. Praise His Holy Name!!!
"Ascribe" means to attribute or to impute as to a cause or source, to charge, to declare or consider as belonging to; assign as an attribute _syn. "Attribute." Scribe comes from the Latin "ascribere" which means "to write." We are to write down these attributes of the Lord. When someone writes something down on paper, it helps to ingrain or imprint it into their mind. Once it is written down, it is eternally sealed, because it can be seen for ages to come, even after one is dead. My Pastor encourages his congregation to "journal" which is ascribing to the Lord the glory due to His name. Ascribing or Journalling does several things: it helps one remember what is important, it brings back memories and shows the faithfulness of God in tough times, it is a "constant" reminder of God's character: His faithfulness, His goodness, and His love. Girls usually are good about keeping diaries of personal "stuff" involved in day to day activities, and usually about relationships that are important to them. Shouldn't our relationship to God be important enough to us that we should writes it down, or make a note of it? "This do in remembrance of Me" was written on the communion table at my church. The same could be said of ascribing to the Lord, or journalling. One of the main things that journalling does for an individual is that it helps to produce consistency. People tend to be "spasmodic." Staying the course can be difficult. Like Marriage, a great mystery indeed, when the going gets tough one must remember the good times and the "Covenant" or the vow that was made to one another.
What is the "glory due to His name?" The Bible, or the Word of God must be the sourcebook when it comes to ascribing (the best Journal ever written), or knowing what is the glory due to the NAME (Ha'Shem) of the Lord. What is glory? "Glory" means "distinguished honor or praise; exalted reputation. something bringing Praise or renown; an object (or person) of special distinction." The word "honor" means "to speak well of." God is the Most High God. His name is higher than every name ever formed. In the West we know HIM as Jesus Christ. Jesus is a Greek name, yet Jesus was Jewish (at least on this Earth). In Hebrew, Jesus would be Yeshua Ha'Messhiach. "Ha'Messhiach" would be the "Messiah," or Christ - the anointed one, the smeared one, the one who brings at-one-ment (atonement), and Yeshua is Jesus in Hebrew.
The Jews believe that when the atonement occurs, that is the moment where they are "ONE" with God. Thus they have at-one-ment with God. First the natural, then the Spiritual. Jesus, or Yeshua is God. Why would I say such a thing. I didn't say it - HE did (but I stand in agreement with His declaration!)!!! There is more to this story, there is another name the Jews call God and it is YHVH (or we might say Yahweh), but it is the ineffable or unspeakable name of God. This is the name where one stands before God and sees Him and is left totally speechless - you cannot talk because of His reverence - His Holiness. In this moment one is left "speechless" (ineffable).
On the cross, Jesus or Yeshua, had a sign placed over His head. The first words spoken of Jesus by John the Baptist was "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!" What did he mean when he said that? The Jews knew what it meant. In the Passover each year, a little lamb would be brought in the house after spring cleaning prior to the week of Passover. During the week of Passover, the family was "locked in the house with God." This cute little lamb was cuddled and snuggled, fed and loved by the family. However, on Friday the animal was killed for their sins. Then they had to eat his flesh, and they drank wine with the meal. This communion was only for the Jewish family, no outsiders could attend. The lamb was the substitute sacrifice for them. As the years went by, the family probably did not want to get as close, since they knew what was coming next. When John the Baptist declared or ascribed that this man named Jesus would be the lamb of God which would take away their sins, many of them had forgotten. On the cross, the government declared that Jesus or Yeshua was God - the ineffable one.
How? I'm glad you asked! Over the head of Jesus was written a sign that read "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." In Hebrew this would read "Yeshua Ha'Netzeret V'mlech Ha'Yehudim" and that incensed the Jews. They saw it and said "NO!" They said "Change it to say that 'He said' He was the King of the Jews!" Why? Do you ever wonder why? By taking the first letter of each of these words we get Y-H-V-H or YHVH, the tetragrammaton of Yahweh, the ineffable NAME OF GOD. Yeshua is Jesus. Ha'Netzeret is of Nazareth (Nazareth means "the branch"). V'mlech means "the King, Lord, or overseer of the people. Ha'Yehudim is of Judah or Yehuda, Jesus or Yeshua was of the tribe of Judah. Judah means Praise. When we understand who Jesus really is, we stand before Him speechless because we realize that He took "my place" and yours. In Heaven, He has been given a name that is above every name and we haven't heard that yet. God is our Father, or ABBA. Because of what Jesus or Yeshua did on the cross, we can now approach the Father as ABBA - Daddy God. God is our Father. We are Sons and Daughters of the Most High God if we accept His at-one-ment, His atoning sacrifice. To be like Him, we must die. He must increase and we must decrease. Hopefully I have answered the three questions. They are three in one, for one, and to one. I have just ascribed to the Lord the glory due to His name. Praise His Holy Name!!!
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