Take Heed What you Hear!

In these days of high technology, including the Internet and social networking, mp3 players, cell phones, ipods etc., communication is coming at us from all directions. Much of the information coming into our eyes and ears is the propaganda of the world system. The orderly arrangement of this world system is designed to distract us and seduce us away from Christ, piercing our lives with much pain. The Word of God regarding His Kingdom instructs us to take heed to what we hear (Matt 4:24). Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17); fear comes by hearing the word of the world. When we hear the Word of Christ it produces faith, and faith activates the miraculous power of God (Gal 3:5). In 2009, let’s unplug from the world and plug into the voice of the Lord.

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Tags: Faith, Hearing, Word of God

The Bible Through the Eyes of a Child

My wife forwarded to me an email she received of the Bible seen through the eyes of a child.

A child was asked to write a book report on the entire Bible. This is amazing and brought tears of laughter to my eyes.

I wonder how often we take for granted that children understand what we are teaching???

Through the eyes of a child: The Children’s Bible in a Nutshell

In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas. The Bible says, ‘The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that.

Anyway, God said, ‘Give me a light!’ and someone did. Then God made the world. He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren’t embarrassed because mirrors hadn’t been invented yet.

Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden. Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn’t have cars.

Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel.

Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methuselah, who lived to be like a million or something. One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy,but one of his kids was kind of a Ham. Noah built a large boat and put his family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would
have to take a rain check.

After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob was more famous than his brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud
sports coat.

Another important Bible guy is Moses – whose real name was Charlton Heston.  Moses led the Israel Lights out of Egypt and away from the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharaoh’s people. These plagues
included frogs, mice, lice, bowels, and no cable. 

God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti. Then he gave them His Top Ten Commandments. These include: don’t lie, cheat, smoke, dance, or covet your neighbor’s stuff.

Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more:

Humor thy father and thy mother.

One of Moses’ best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town.

 

After Joshua came David. He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn’t sound very wise to me.

After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed up on the shore. There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don’t have to worry about them.

After the Old Testament came the New Testament. Jesus is the star of The New. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. (I wish I had been born in a barn too, because my mom is always saying to me, ‘Close the door! Were you born in a barn?’ It would be nice to say, ‘As a matter of fact, I was.’) ..

During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Democrats.

Jesus also had twelve opossums. The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him.

Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to some Germans on the Mount. But the Democrats and all those guys put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot. Pilot didn’t stick up for Jesus.  He just washed his hands instead.

Anyways, Jesus died for our sins, then came back to life again.

He went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the Aluminum. His return is foretold in the book of Revolution.

THE END — but my teacher says it’s the Beginning.

Now I don’t understand that . . . ..

Let us all become as little children, have faith in what Jesus instructs us and enter into His joyous kingdom now!

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Tags: Faith, Kingdom of God, Little Child

Resting in His Love

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 KJV

What a powerful promise of God; that the Lord your God in the midst of you is mighty and that He will save and that the Lord rejoices over us with joy. When I came to the phrase “he will rest in his love” I was not sure if it the Lord will rest in His own love or if the He was rejoicing over would rest in His love. Here is a comparison of this phrase in several translations.

• With his love, he will calm all your fears. NLT
• He will be silent in His love. Literal
• [He] renews you with His love. GW
• He will quiet you with His love. NIV
• He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]. Amp
• He will refresh your life with His love. CEV

After looking at various these translations it produced within me such a thankfulness for the blessing. Not only will the Lord Himself rest in silent satisfaction, making no mention of past sins or even recalling them because the redemptive power of His blood; but also we as the recipient would be renewed, refreshed and quieted through the effect of His love.

The last verse of this chapter states that the Lord would cause the captivity to be turned back and in some translations it states that He would restore our fortunes right before our eyes. (Zeph 3:20)

In the New Testament the Word of God promises us that nothing will separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:35). It also promises us that “The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties.” (Rom 8:37 GW)  Let us all learn to rest in and be refreshed by the love of God.

Healing in His Wings

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. Mal 4:2

Whatever is the ailment of our lives; whether it be a physical ailment, or mental discouragement or depression, or spiritual oppression, Christ is the cure and provides the medicine to make our lives whole. In Isaiah 53:4-5 it states, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” Jesus Christ paid the full price for our redemption, for our entire wholeness and health.

The Hebrew word for the English word “wings” in Malachi 4:2 includes the meaning: edges, the extremities, or the wings of a garment. It is what the woman with the issue of blood reached out for when she said if I can just touch his garment, I shall be whole (Mat 9:21).

The following is a music video by Michael W. Smith called Healing Rain posted by JesusFirstTV on YouTube.

Whatever is the ailment of your life, turn to the Lord, reach out and touch Him and you shall be made whole.

Covenant Wealth Defined

The dictionary defines wealth as an abundance of valuable material possessions or resources; an abundant supply.  In the world’s eyes wealth is typically associated with possessions or resources which translates to large sums of money.  But is the world’s definition of wealth the same as God’s definition of wealth. 

In 1 Timothy 6:17 the Apostle Paul instructs Timothy to warn or charge those that are rich in this world not to be proud.  Those that are proud about the riches they have accumulated don’t realize that it is the Lord that gives the power to get wealth.  According to Proverbs 10:22 it says it’s the blessing of the Lord that makes you wealthy.  Wealth outside of God’s blessing can create great sorrow or grief in your life.

In Deuteronomy 8:18 where it tells us it is the Lord who gives the power to get wealth, the word “wealth” is from the hebrew word chayil.  Chayil is defined as a force (whether of men, means or other resources) and this force is manifested as an army, as wealth, as virtue or valor, or as strength.  God’s definition of wealth is a force or an influence that can accomplish His will, establishing His covenant in the earth.  Covenant wealth is God’s force or influence that establishes His kingdom in the earth.

God in these last days is assembling an army under His rule and influence who truly understand His definition of wealth and are willing to be good stewards of its use.  He is raising up an army of “entrepreneurs” who are trained up into His way of thinking, His mindset.

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth,that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

Deuteronomy 8:18

The Hand of the Diligent

A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. 

Proverbs 10:4 

The Hebrew word for diligent is defined: to be incisive.  Incisive is a word which means impressively direct and decisive.  To be successful at life or business, one has to become decisive.  Indecision stems many times from the fear of making a mistake or failing.  Indecision “paralyzes” a person from advancing and going forward. 

Diligent also carries a connotation of a dug trench, gold that is mined or a threshing instrument.  The ground may contain gold or silver, but it does not profit anyone, until it is mined.  The fields may be full of grain, ready for harvest, but it does not profit anyone, until it harvested and threshed.  Enjoying the harvest requires making a decision, having hands willing and eager to apply themselves to the harvest.   

Diligent also implies determination.  To have determination is the act of deciding definitely and firmly. It is the firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end.  In life, we must make quality decisions, settle it with finality and live with the results.  A double-minded person gets no where in life. 

We all face what appears to be a mountain of obstacles at times.  How valuable it is to have people around, who encourage us to overcome; whether it is a coach, a mentor, a friend or an associate of like mind. 

God has created all of us with a purpose.  No one in Christ Jesus is a failure, but has the nature of an over-comer.  Make the decision today that you were created for success.  Associate yourself with people who are encouragers.  If you are not sure how to perform a task, find someone who can impart the wisdom or the skill needed to do that task. 

In hard work there is always something gained, but idle talk leads only to poverty.

Proverbs 14:23

As a man thinks in his heart

As a man thinks in his heart « Devoted to the Word