3.00 in the morning

I fought it this morning. I woke up at three this morning knowing it was the Lord ….. I lay in bed. 3.30 I lost that battle and got up and went and set at my computer and still fought it. I DID NOT WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU THIS MORNING!!!. I uploaded more pictures to my website still fighting that pull I was feeling in my gut. I hear John 17 so I read, but it was John 18 that nailed me where Jesus says Shall I not drink from this cup of suffering the Father has given me? Now I know the Lord did not break my leg, but I also know that He could have immediately healed me right then and there if He had wanted too. So I just have to wonder what exactly was or is going on. So I chewed on that for a minute or two and then this one came to me. Hebrew 12:3-5
When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either. The Message. Can I tell you …. I don't really believe in the last 7 ½ weeks that I have gone over the story of Jesus in my mind once. Many people have asked me this question to the point where I am sick of hearing it. What do you think the Lord is trying to show you? My response has been "Hell I don't know" and I probably won't know for a couple of months or maybe even years, but I am sure I will see it sometime. It has been really hard the last couple of weeks to understand just exactly what is happening? I have lost a bathroom remodel and a kitchen remodel because my leg was broken. The kitchen remodel was my job, but they decided without talking to me that I could not do the job and I am a general contractor. So they hired someone else. They approached me first and didn't even give me a chance. That hurt deeply. I have also been working on a $41000, 00 addition estimate I got it all done and when I am ready to present the numbers (and it is looking really good that I am going to get this job) She has a stroke and they find out she has leukemia and now they are giving her less than a year to live. So that job is dead at least for now. So …. What is God trying to show me? Hmmm

So I ask, Lord I just bleed all over the place how can I end this? Immediately these passages come to me. Proverbs 3:5-7
Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil.AMP

 

A Great Reply

A great reply to my post

Great questions to ask. I would guess that many of us are like you - I know I am. Here is what Daddy is telling me. #1 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial... you know the verse. #2 and I'm not sure I like this but He said it so I know it is true. How deep do my roots go? When the winds blow hard, am I uprooted or will I bend but not be uprooted? How will I know if I see Him as a Sugar Daddy if I don't ever experience tough times? Ouch, that hurts for me because I have two times of the year for contracts and I am in the middle of one of them. Yesterday, I find out a contract I have had since 2002 was beat by 40%. That stinks - who is my provider? Is Daddy good in my mind as long as all my contracts come back or as long I am healthy? Daddy, I confess that I have not trusted in you but have trusted in myself. I repent of my sin and ask you to forgive me. I thank you that you are a good Daddy and that you don't always give me what I want , but you always give me what I need ( even if it is a little kick in the pants ) . Kee, thanks for being open and honest - you inspire me. Thank you for being my friend! Iron sharpens Iron. Blessings, Chuck

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Philippians 4

Hello everyone, it has been five weeks and a couple of days since I broke my leg. I have at least two more full weeks on crutches or more. It all depends on what the doctor says and how it heals. I have been fairly busy the last two weeks with a couple of big remodel estimates I am putting together. I am writing because I have noticed something. My relationship with the Lord the day before I broke my leg was about a nine. I was spending time in the word and praying and doing what I felt the Lord was having me do. I was Excited about getting up in the morning to see what he has for me. I have noticed … especially the last couple of weeks that I have no fire …. No desire. I get up in the morning and have to make myself get in the word or pray. You would think with all this time I have had that I would be getting closer or hearing better, that has not been the case in fact it has been the opposite So the question I have for myself is this. Does my walk and how close I am to the Lord in direct relation to my circumstances in my life. That is how it appears right at this moment. I really hate to think that my walk with the Lord has anything to do with my circumstances. AS I have typed this He brought this passage to me.

11 Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be l content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am. 12 I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. 13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]

Philippians 4

Roman’s and Ephesians

Romans 6:23 (NIV) ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life In Christ Jesus our Lord. I am driving down the road yesterday with a good friend of mine and we are having good conversation. Out of the blue I dropped an f bomb …… just one. I was floored and embarrassed. I don't talk that way. I have heard the phrase "out of the mouth the heart speaks" Yeah……. That tasted real good. I have found myself lately dropping a few S!&* bombs in casual conversation with other believers …. Men I respect. Of course I would never curse in front of someone who didn't know me. (I wouldn't want to damage my witness would I?) Even in my men's group we will have some curse words fly around casually. Really makes me wonder about the other sin in my life. I would never say the Lord's name in vain, but in a way isn't that what we are doing when we curse? Are we thinking ……. Oh that curse word was just a little sin. What does the word say? ^8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 john 1.8 NKJ How many times did you sin yesterday? Better yet ….. how many times have you sinned today before you read this devo? Did you curse yesterday? Did you think bad things about the person who cut you off or the person who wouldn't let you in? Were you prideful? Were you judgmental? This is just a small list of what I did yesterday that I didn't confess and get prayed over to be healed. I am sure if I asked the Holy Spirit I would have more revealed to me. Here is the good news. Ephesians 2 4-6 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, NASB

Forgiveness

Who have you not forgiven today? Stop right now and ask Holy Spirit, is there anyone who I hold unforgiveness towards? What name comes to mind right now? That is the name that causes great pain, hurt, anger, resentment, hatred or all of the above in your heart. You may even say "Lord I forgave that person a long time ago" Maybe you cannot even say this person's name. I would venture to say that if the Lord brought that name up that you have not forgiven that person yet, because if you had then the Lord would not have brought that name up ……. Right? So praise God that He did bring a name up and Praise God that He didn't bring a name up.

25 "And whenever you stand praying, qif you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 4But rif you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." Mark 11:25-26 NJKV Matthew 18:34-35 (NKJV)34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother 7his trespasses."

Here is the part that really gets me. If you do not forgive …… You will be turned over to the tormentors. So how does that taste?

Mark 11:25 (NLT)25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.*" 21 Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone* who sins against me? Seven times?" 22 "No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven!* 18:21-22 NLT That is 490 times if you did that in one day, you would forgive that person every 2.9 minutes over twenty four hours. In one year you would have to forgive that person 1.3 times per day. So forgiveness is a process. Some can forgive immediately and some it takes a while, but you must do it.

Eyes open to the spirit

Decided to read Oswald today, it seems to me that there is a re-accruing theme, and I need to take notice. As I think back over the last three and a half weeks, I have tried to focus on the Lord, but my focus has been elsewhere. I have said it before … going through the motions …. Punching my ticket. You know what I mean. I prayed for 10 minutes and I read for 10 minutes and then I can say I did my quiet time. Have you been there? That always seems to happen when you don't have any vision and no enthusiasm. This is something I have definitely been lacking in. I wake up in the morning and sometimes wonder when I say "yes" do I really mean it? My prayer…. "Ask God to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the Risen Christ, and it will be impossible for drudgery to damp you." 2 Corinthians 6:3-4 (NLT)³ We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. ⁴ In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind.

It takes Almighty grace to take the next step when there is no vision and no spectator - the next step in devotion, the next step in your study, in your reading, in your kitchen; the next step in your duty, when there is no vision from God, no enthusiasm and no spectator. It takes far more of the grace of God, far more conscious drawing upon God to take that step, than it does to preach the Gospel.

Every Christian has to partake of what was the essence of the Incarnation; he must bring the thing down into flesh and blood actualities and work it out through the finger tips. We flag when there is no vision, no uplift, but just the common round, the trivial task. The thing that tells in the long run for God and for men is the steady persevering work in the unseen, and the only way to keep the life uncrushed is to live looking to God. Ask God to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the Risen Christ, and it will be impossible for drudgery to damp you. Continually get away from pettiness and paltriness of mind and thought out into the thirteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel. Oswald Chambers

Count it all joy

So with the Spirit's work: if it were not on many occasions surrounded with tempestuous waters, we should not know that it was true and strong; if the winds did not blow upon it, we should not know how firm and secure it was. The master works of God are those men who stand in the midst of difficulties, steadfast, unmovable, -- Spurgeon it has been an interesting ride …. A sort of test you might say, James says to count it all joy…. He does not say count part of it all joy!

He who would glorify his God must set his account upon meeting with many trials. No man can be illustrious before the Lord unless his conflicts are many. If then, yours be a much tried path, rejoice in it, because you will the better show forth the all sufficient grace of God. As for his failing you, never dream of it--hate the thought. The God, who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end. Spurgeon This is what spoke to me Friday. This the first time I had read in this devo in over a year just nailed me.

"Lovest thou Me?" Then - "Feed My sheep." There is no choice of service, only absolute loyalty to Our Lord's commission; loyalty to what you discern when you are in closest contact with God. Oswald Chambers This is what spoke to me Saturday. As I think about this statement it has dawned on me that He has been speaking ….. I have chosen not to listen or told myself that it was me. I know better than that. I know the Lord's voice …… His whisper. You have to stop for a moment and just listen. I would be lying if I said, I haven't had a "whoa as me attitude. " It is getting better though. Could it be a good thing that I broke my leg? That is a tough one. Could it be a good thing that you lost your job? Or can't find work? Only time will tell. Time to make a choice

James 1:2-4 (NKJV)² My brethren, ^bcount it all joy ^cwhen you fall into various trials, ^3
dknowing that the testing of your faith produces ¹patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be ²perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Psalm 5

It has been three weeks since I broke my leg. My life, my daily routine has been completely shaken up and I don't like it. Yesterday, I was complaining to the lord about all of this mess and I hear "what if you had lost your leg completely then how would you be?" The first thing that came to mind was I would be pissed and then thinking about all of the things I wouldn't get to do. That really put things in perspective. I really have it pretty good compared to a lot of people who are suffering through whatever circumstance they are in. I have to say that right now I feel somewhat disconnected from the Lord. Every day I pray, but I feel my heart is not in it. I spend time in the word but feel disconnected from Him. I know that He says "draw near to me and I will draw near to you." This is absolutely true; I think I am just going through the motions. (I really hate that phrase) Below is a quote that really resonated in my spirit this morning along with the passage from Psalm 5:2-3 (NLT)

²      Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,

for I pray to no one but you.

³      Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.

Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

God wants us to stop understanding in the way we have understood and get into the place He wants us to get into, i.e., He wants us to know how to rely on Him. Oswald Chambers

So as I was writing this, I hear this passage in my mind "you were running the race so well, who stopped you? Here is what it says in Galatians 5:7-8 (AMP)
7 You were running the race nobly. Who has interfered in (hindered and stopped you from) your heeding and following the Truth? 8 This [evil] persuasion is not from Him Who called you [Who invited you to freedom in Christ]. Now that I am processing everything that I have written, have realized that when I journal it slows me down long enough to hear what He is showing me. Thank You Jesus!

Have you slowed down long enough to listen to what He is saying to you? Are you journaling?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trust

How many times do we forget what the Lord has spoken to us? I mean …… do you have an anxiety about what is going on in your life right now…… in the present, because you have forgotten the word He spoke to you in the past. He spoke to you in the past and you received peace and then life went on. Now … days or even months have gone by and the heat has been turned up and the Lord feels distant, almost like your prayers are not being answered, but they are … just not the way you want them to be answered. So here is what I say to that. I want you to be sure that the Lord will speak to you again at the right time and at the right place and you will hear Him clearly exactly what you need to hear and you will have peace again. Walk in what you know and in who you are ….. A Son of the most high God

Love is Patient

Well, this has been a long week and I have not been a good patient. Scripture says, 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. I have failed in the underlined areas …. Mainly with my wife. I want to be easy to live with not hard. Having surgery is one thing, at least I could walk. With a broken leg …….. That is a whole new ball game ……… everything has changed. My office is my couch, thank goodness I have a laptop. For the most part, my lifestyle has changed my character has been tested and it has not been pretty. I have to scratch my leg with a coat hanger. This morning was the first time I woke and said yes! My devo took me to Isaiah 60 20 Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. So it ends today and I make the best for what I have. Great friends and most important a Loving wife …. My Kelly. I thought today was the 19th only to figure out after my devo and writing that it was the 18th, but the Holy Spirit spoke to me anyway, Oswald Chambers day 19. Below just laid my wide open I did the emphasis

"Arise, shine." Isaiah 60:1

We have to take the first step as though there were no God. It is no use to wait for God to help us, He will not; but immediately we arise we find He is there. Whenever God inspires, the initiative is a moral one. We must do the thing and not lie like a log. If we will arise and shine, drudgery becomes divinely transfigured.

Drudgery is one of the finest touchstones of character there is. Drudgery is work that is very far removed from anything to do with the ideal - the utterly mean grubby things; and when we come in contact with them we know instantly whether or not we are spiritually real. Read John 13. We see there the Incarnate God doing the most desperate piece of drudgery, washing fishermen's feet, and He says - "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet." It requires the inspiration of God to go through drudgery with the light of God upon it. Some people do a certain thing and the way in which they do it hallows that thing for ever afterwards. It may be the most commonplace thing, but after we have seen them do it, it becomes different. When the Lord does a thing through us, He always transfigures it. Our Lord took on Him our human flesh and transfigured it, and it has become for every saint the temple of the Holy Ghost.

Exodus 14

I want to thank everyone for their calls and prayers over my ankle. It has been good as of late to have been in the word and in prayer on a fairly regular basis. Since I had the accident the other day I can still come to Him and not feel like I come to Him only when things are bad. So before I started my devo this morning I confessed to the Lord that I had fear that my ankle was broken. But I was going to stand on your promise that you are the great Healer and stand in agreement with every one that had been praying for me. This is the scripture that started off my devo this morning.

Exodus 14:13-14 But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. "The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent."NASB95

It is very interesting that I have ten jobs working, what I mean is I have ten jobs that I will be doing. I can't help but wonder if this forces me into more of a general contracting mode than being a worker man. General contacting is what I want to do. So here is my question for you? How is your relationship with the Lord? Do you come to Him on a regular basis or only when things are bad?

Who do you Love

I am reading a new book by the same Author Dr. James B Richards. He wrote "How to Stop the Pain" that I read back during the summer. This book is just as good. "We Still Kiss" is the name. I have been stuck on chapter five for three days now. It is titled "You can't give away what you don't have. I really don't know where to start …. So I will just say this. When you wake up in the morning do you make it a point to show love to everyone you come in contact with? Even that person at work that you cannot stand. You know the one. He got the promotion that you didn't think he deserved; you know what I am talking about. I could go on but you get the picture. Personally I have never actually thought about purposing in my heart to love someone that I didn't like. Quote from book: If you are inwardly experiencing something that makes you critical and faultfinding, it is not God and it is not love. If you are experiencing God, you will experience emotions of being love and accepted. When you are experiencing love, it is easy to give it to others. You are sharing with them from the overflow of your personal experience. The way you relate to the people around you is simply a reflection of what you are currently experiencing in your own heart.

1 John 4.12 when we love each other God lives in us, and his love with in us grows ever stronger. LB

You have to make a decision to know God's love, once you do that then you can give away what you have. Here is the truth …. You can't give away what you don't have. You don't have the luxury when you are a follower of Jesus to pick and choose who you are going to love, that includes yourself.

Blessing Your Spirit

This is the first devotion out of the book Blessing your Spirit by Arthur Blank and Sylvia Gunther.
I read it three years ago but felt it was time to read it again. Every devo is in the format below. The devo is 40 days

Psalm 139:16 ……………..Every day of my life was recorded in your book. …………NLT. This is what really struck me this morning as I read 139, this half a verse "my life was, it does not say my life is" It is talking past tense here. So read the devo this morning, put in your name and pray it out loud over your self

[Fill in your name],
I call your spirit to attention in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Listen with your spirit to God's Word for you. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be". - Psalm 139:13-16

Your Father made you special. You are a very special person, created and crafted and designed by God your Father. Before the foundation of the world, your Father planned for you. You are no accident. You did not have to exist, but your Father willed you into existence.

He chose the day and the time you would start your life. He chose your parents and wove you together in your mother´s womb. He planned your birth order and put you in your family. He chose every one of your 23 pair of chromosomes. He chose every one of your 10,00 plus genes. He chose every part of your spiritual heritage. Some parts are not so beautiful, and some parts are absolutely gorgeous. Yet your Father wove it all together an gave you everything you need in the package of your life to be an overcomer, a victor, to take the negative parts of you heritage and triumph over them, to walk in the beauty of all that God has placed within you. Your Father made you beautiful and beloved.

I bless you, because you are fearfully and wonderfully made. God invested an incredible amount of effort and concentration in designing you. You are unique, one of a kind. There in nobody else like you. God has thought extensively about you. Every detail of your body, every organ, and every cell is the result of God´s thoughts. Every facet of your personality is the result of His kind intention. You are beautiful, and you are beloved. God has blessed you with His love. God smiled on the day He created you. He had been waiting for millennia for the particular point in time when you were conceived. He had great joy in His heart when His plans actually came together. H nurtures your spirit; He watches over you. Your world needs you. You bring something to your family that no other person has. They need the gifts you bring. Your family would not be complete without you. Others in your circle need the deposit that God has placed in your life.

Your Father wrote your days in His book. He has already read the final chapter, although we have not had that privilege. Your life is not a random thing. He is looking forward to the chapters of the story He has already written. He designed your spiritual heritage. Your generational blessing go back a thousand generations. There is a spiritual treasure chest of generational blessings with your name on it. Those are being released to you incrementally over the course of your life at the appointed, appropriate time. All this is God´s master plan. God has foreseen your pain. He promises that because of His love, His power, and His blessing upon you, He causes pain and negative things to be transformed into good things before the end of the story of your life. We don´t know everything about who you are loved, you are a blessing to your family, and you are a life-giver in the world. You are special, and we celebrate God´s miraculous design of who you are. I bless you in the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

*****

This is an excerpt from the book Blessing Your Spirit

by Sylvia Gunter and Arthur Burk.

Clear Creek Home Improvements

Clear Creek Home Improvements

Phil 2.13

My devotion took me to Philippians 2 this morning and several things stuck out this morning, Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. NLT
This may sound weird, but last week the Lord showed me that I need to love my self, be okay with who I am and how he made me. Part of that is I have always not liked pictures of myself all the way back to my childhood. Yesterday I started a business Facebook page, I felt I needed to post a picture of myself (which I never had done before) on my profile. That was a big step in seeing me the way other people see me. Seeing myself the way God sees me and being okay with that.

So here are my questions for you, are you allowing God to work in you so you can do what pleases Him? Or are you doing it your way and feeling frustrated, are you okay with who you are? Did you say YES! This morning. I leave you with this prayer to pray over yourself from the book Blessing Your Spirit

You were designed by your Father to face problems and solve them, not just to escape them. The problems God has designed for you to solve will bring the greatest treasures in your life. I will be remembered for the problems I solved not the problems I created. I bless you with wisdom and pure joy when you face different kinds of problems. Whatever problem you face, I bless you with rejoicing in the situation, instead of complaining and turning back. I bless you with the faith to look at the problems through your Fathers eyes and realize that every problem that comes your way, brings you an opportunity to experience His faithfulness. I bless you with the joy of discovering the wisdom of God and the mind of Christ to solve your problems. I bless you in the name of Jesus.

The Quote

I heard a quote one day.

I woke up this morning with it on my mind.

 

The more you focus on who you are not;

The less you become who you are.

 

I think for me the more I focus on the one issue(I have other issues) that I have (lust and what comes with it) the bigger the issue it becomes.

What is it for You? I wrote this last week.

So here is the question … are you down in the pit or are you drawing near? Are you Passionate about Jesus or are you passionate about your misery?

 

 

Galatians 2:20

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.NASB95

Say Yes

Today I say "YES" Do you say yes? During my time this morning I was directed to Isaiah 42 and I asked "what do You have for me this morning" More confirmation is what I received...) The Lord likes to think big)... Isaiah 42:6 "I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, NASB95 A light to the nations? That is big …. My thought was a light to my friends and new friends and then I hear "why not the nations? Get out of the box!)
Isaiah 42:7
To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison.NASB95
This is what I do, to help men and women get free.
Isaiah 42:8
"I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.NASB95 There is the gold and silver … the images, brought up last week again. Isaiah 42:9 "Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."NASB95 New things … I like it and I believe it! Pray this passage over yourself today and say YES! Replace the you with your name.

Isaiah 42:6-9
"I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison. "I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images. "Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."NASB95

Be Blessed today and be Free

Kevin

 

 

 

364 days ago

I was going through my blogs this morning when I read what I had posted 364 days ago. It was an eye opener. The Lord gave me a word this day and I did not follow through. The word fell on rock and the wind blew it away. Interesting what I wrote this morning and then I read this.

 

1/31/2010 I broke my fast last night, the Lord never gave me a set time to fast, but I got peace last night when I realized what was going on … a redirection. Here is what I know; the fast has reset my direction and my priorities. No diet …. Just eat right and exercise. No fast food that is the killer. Walk or ride a bike every day and lose 50 pounds. The lord has shown me that as the leader of my home that my wife will not follow suit until I get disciplined myself. My body is a temple and I am not doing a very good job at taking care of it. If I was a car I have not changed the oil in a year and have been filling up my tank with regular instead of premium.

Now to my time with the Lord this morning. I read in Oswald who took me to Romans 1, nothing jumped out at me so I continued to read on into chpt 2 Romans 2:5 but because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, NASB95

What is stubbornness? I would think that it is rebellion. 1 Samuel 15:23
for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king."NKJV Personally I do not want to walk in this. This was a major thumping for me as far as my eating goes, my lack of exercise, and my judgment of people. The whole morning was a major eye opener. The biggest thing by far is how I lead my wife spiritually and physically. Praying with her when the Lord says, instead of not doing it. Ministering to her the way I minister to men. Giving her the voice that I give men who are in need of ministry. That was what the Lord showed me two years ago when I when on Bushido. My life scripture was and still is James 1:26-27
if anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart; this person's religious service is worthless (futile, barren). External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world. AMP

To sum this up in the words of Richard Henderson and I quote "If you minister to men and women and not your family then what you are doing is making your wife and children the widow and orphan's in your own home" when I asked my wife is that was me she looked at me and said "Yep, that is pretty much you most of the time" I will never forget that. I still struggle in that area but not near as much. I am trying to find a balance. Now to the rest of the story. The passage below nailed me as well and to sum it up. I need to practice what I preach and now that I am a co – leader of a men's group at church this is more important than ever.

Romans 2:17-24
You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God's law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God's law gives you complete knowledge and truth. Well then, if you teach others, why don't you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, "The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you." NLT

James 3:1
NOT MANY [of you] should become teachers (self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation].AMP

 

Thanks for reading

Kevin

1 Samuel 3.10

1 Samuel 3:10 And the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel answered, Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.AMP A couple of things to note here, the Lord had been calling Samuel but Samuel did not know it was the Lord. He thought it was Eli. So it makes me wonder how many times does the Lord call us and we think it is someone else or maybe our own inner voice? I think deep down (now this is my opinion) we know it is the Lord speaking to us. How simple is it when you are fixing to do something and you hear a gentle whisper in your mind and it says "don't do that" So then what do you do? You have a choice you can click the mouse or not click, eat when you're not hungry or not, lie or not lie, you get the point, or better yet the Lord tells you to do something and you don't. I am writing this because this is right where I am right now. Ever since I wrote that prayer last Monday I have been hearing the Lord through scripture and through my morning devo's and today is not any different. Today's devo is about Eli and Samuel and it was just more confirmation. What I mean is …. What I am hearing, I know it is Him and so in this last week there has been no Eli in my life. Below is the devotion from Oswald Chambers

The dilemma of obedience

And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 1 Samuel 3:15.

God seldom speaks to us in startling ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand, and we say, 'I wonder if that is God's voice?' Isaiah said that the Lord spake to him "with a strong hand," that is, by the pressure of circumstances. Nothing touches our lives but it is God Himself speaking. Do we discern His hand or only mere occurrence?

Get into the habit of saying, "Speak, Lord," and life will become a romance. Every time circumstances press, say, "Speak, Lord"; make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline, it is meant to get me to the place of saying, "Speak, Lord." Recall the time when God did speak to you. Have you forgotten what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thess. 5:23? As we listen, our ear gets acute, and, like Jesus, we shall hear God all the time.

Shall I tell my 'Eli' what God has shown to me? That is where the dilemma of obedience comes in. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences—I must shield 'Eli', the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli; he had to decide that for himself. God's call to you may hurt your 'Eli'; but if you try to prevent the suffering in another life, it will prove an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own peril that you prevent the cutting off of the right hand or the plucking out of the eye.

Never ask the advice of another about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will nearly always side with Satan: "Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood."

Favor

Woke up last night around 12.30 with those images of silver and gold floating around in my mind. It was not good. So I got up and prayed and took those thoughts …. Images captive. In my drug using days I would have said I had a using dream. Those were not good either. So I got out some journaling I did four years ago and I read. It was an eye opener and it is so simple, but we/I make it so hard sometimes

Obedience triggers the Fear of the Lord Obedience triggers Favor

I just had to sit there and pause. In fact after I was through pausing, I continued to read, but I could not get that out of my mind! I must have gone back to it seven or eight times. It was my handwriting but it was the Lord speaking. You want favor? You know what to do. Romans 6:17-18 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. NASB95

Psalm 119:58-59 I sought Your favor with all my heart; Be gracious to me according to Your word. I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies. NASB95