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Tarfoot · 05-03-21, 16:05

The Exceeding Danger of Unbelief

“And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.…. Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:18-19,12).

Hebrews warns the New Testament church to heed Israel’s example. Consider what happened to the unbelieving generation who were turned back into the wilderness. God told them pointedly that his hand would be against them. From then on, all they would know is distress and leanness of soul. They wouldn’t see his glory. Instead, they would become focused on their own problems and consumed by their own lusts.

That’s exactly what happens with all unbelieving people: They end up consumed with their own welfare. They have no vision, no sense of God’s presence, and no prayer life. They no longer care about their neighbors, or a lost world, or eventually even their friends. Instead, the entire focus of their lives is on their problems, their troubles, their illnesses. They go from one crisis to another, shut up in their own pain and suffering. And their days are filled with confusion, strife, envy and division.

For thirty-eight years, Moses watched as, one by one, every Israelite in the unbelieving generation died. As he looked back on those who wasted their lives away in the wilderness, he saw that everything God had warned about had happened. “The hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them until they were consumed” (see Deuteronomy 2). God suspended his eternal purpose for Israel for all those years.

Likewise today, some Christians are content to merely exist until they die. They don’t want to risk anything, to believe God, to grow or mature. They refuse to believe his Word, and have become hardened in their unbelief. Now they’re just living to die.

Beloved, you will only see His glory when you walk in obedience. Choose that path and find life everlasting! AMEN

Tarfoot · 06-03-21, 15:53

Putting Our Hand in His
Jim Cymbala

We helped raise our granddaughter so she was often with us, and one time we were walking through Queens. She was about five or six and a bit ahead of us. Then some junior hoodlums turned the corner ahead of us, and they were trying to look hard, and their jeans are falling off their backends. They’re cursing, shoving each other and yelling, “You got nothing. Let me see what you got.”

The moment my granddaughter sees them, she comes a little closer to me. We’re walking closer and closer to this group of wannabe gangsters, and they're all trying to act so tough even though they’re practically kids themselves, but my granddaughter doesn’t know that. She gets closer and closer to me. One of these kids pushes another, and he falls off the curb.

Suddenly, her little hand reaches out, searching for mine, her whole body rigid and tense. The moment I took her hand — it’s a moment caught so clearly in my memory — her whole body relaxed.

I can’t remember any of the Christmas presents or things she’s gotten me over the years, but I will never forget that moment because trust is precious.

This is what God wants from us. He invites us to trust him, at all times but especially when something frightens us. “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthews 6:26, ESV).

So how do we grow in faith? Faith comes by hearing a promise and a truth. The Word of God has power to create faith. When scripture says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1), we must notice that it’s in present tense. It’s moment by moment.

Faith means to trust; but even more than that, it means to rely and to lean on something. In the Old Testament, David describes faith as “I will run to him and find protection under his wings.” We are all in a school of faith, and God wants to develop faith in you and me. This is part of why he allows troubles in our lives or the answer to prayers is delayed, so we learn to trust him. Us trusting and relying on him means more than anything else in this world.

Ladybbird · 10-03-21, 03:08

Tarfoot our world is in turmoil ATM for many reasons.

Repetition of history...

But mankind never learns.. & Sadly many are unable to read this or respond

However no EVIL LEADER / POLITICAN / DICTATOR can escape their FINAL JUDGEMENT Day before they meet the GREAT POWER above all of us... no matter which faith we follow

Some poignant words from a man who knew he was dying...

Blessings to you and to others that are suffering.

i was blessed to experience The White Light & warmth of The Holy Spirit more than once in my life

George Harrison - My Sweet Lord

Tarfoot · 10-03-21, 15:30

The Healing Balm of Refreshment

“The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me…and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus” (2 Timothy 1:16-18).

Onesiphorus was one of Paul’s spiritual sons and he loved Paul so deeply and unconditionally that he sought him out in his sufferings. Once, when Paul was jailed, Onesiphorus went through the city looking for him until he found him. His motivation was simply, “My brother is hurting. He has suffered the terrors of shipwreck, and now he’s being buffeted by Satan. I have to encourage him.”

The ministry of refreshing clearly includes seeking out those who are hurting. We hear a lot of talk about power in the church these days: power to heal the sick, power to win the lost, power to overcome sin. But I say there is great, healing power that flows out of a refreshed and renewed person. Depression, mental anguish or a troubled spirit can cause all kinds of physical sickness, but a spirit that’s refreshed and encouraged—one that’s made to feel accepted, loved and needed—is the healing balm needed most.

We find this ministry of refreshing in the Old Testament as well. When David was being hunted down by King Saul, he was exhausted and hurting, forced to run day and night. During that time, he felt rejected by God’s leaders and God’s people. Then, at a crucial moment, David’s friend Jonathan came to him: “Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, ‘Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that’” (1 Samuel 23:16-17).

That was all David needed to hear and immediately his spirit was refreshed to go on. We see this example time after time in Scripture: God sends not an angel or a vision, but a fellow believer to refresh his beloved ones.

Tarfoot · 11-03-21, 15:51

What Baffles the Angels?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek” (Matthew 6:31-32).

Jesus tells us that worry—about the future of our family, about jobs, about how we are to survive—is a heathen’s way of life. Jesus is talking here about those who have no heavenly Father. They do not know God as he wants to be known, as a caring, providing, loving Father in heaven.

“Do not worry about tomorrow” (v. 34). In these plain words, Jesus commands us, “Do not give a thought, do not give a worry, about what might or might not happen tomorrow. You can’t change anything. And you can’t help by worrying. When you do, you’re only doing as the heathen do.” Then Jesus says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (v. 33). In other words, you are to go on loving Jesus. You are to move on, casting all your cares on him. You are to go on resting in his faithfulness. Your heavenly Father will see to it that you are supplied with all the essential things of life.

I wonder if the angels are baffled by all the worrying and anxiousness of those who claim to trust in God. To them it must seem so degrading, so insulting to the Lord, that we worry as if we had no caring Father in heaven. What perplexing questions the angels must ask among themselves: “Have they no Father who is in heaven? Do they not believe he loves them? Did he not tell them he knows all about their needs? Do they not believe that he who feeds the birds and the whole animal kingdom will feed and clothe them? How can they fret and worry if they know he owns all power, all wealth, and can supply the needs of all creation? Would they accuse their heavenly Father of neglect, as if he was not true to his word?”

You have a heavenly Father. Trust him! AMEN

Tarfoot · 13-03-21, 16:05

Strengthened in the Fire

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13, ESV).

It was the apostle Paul who penned those words to exhort the believers in Ephesus. Another translation says it this way: “Then after the battle you will still be standing firm” (NLT). Of course, there would not be much weight to Paul’s words had he himself not gone through the fire and ultimately been able to stand.

From the very onset of his ministry, the apostle Paul was entrusted with great suffering and trials. Shortly after the Lord stopped Paul on the road to Damascus, our Savior appeared in a vision to a man named Ananias and told him to pray for Paul. “He is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:15-16).

Paul clearly understood that he was appointed by God to be his witness, thus he embraced the suffering that accompanied this call. In fact, he even went so far as to regard suffering as “fellowship.” Notice what he said to the Philippian church: “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).

It is tragic that this truth about suffering in the Christian life is largely neglected in much of today’s theology. I find it appalling that there are even places where people completely discount Paul’s life and the things he had to go through. Instead, they use the words of Paul to somehow convince people that suffering and trials should not be part of the Christian experience. It is almost inconceivable, especially as we see in the scriptures that Paul certainly did not try to hide his trials from the early church. Paul was constantly delivered into places in which he could not have survived in his own strength. He experienced suffering and trials to such a degree that without the infusion of Christ’s life within, he could not have endured in his own human ability.

Paul possessed an inner core, however, that proves to us today that ordinary people are able to withstand all the adversity and opposition they encounter by the life of Christ within them.

Suffering is part of the Christian life, and our faith becomes deeper each time we are tested, thanks be to God! AMEN

Ladybbird · 19-03-21, 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarfoot

What Baffles the Angels?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek” (Matthew 6:31-32).

Jesus tells us that worry—about the future of our family, about jobs, about how we are to survive—is a heathen’s way of life. Jesus is talking here about those who have no heavenly Father. They do not know God as he wants to be known, as a caring, providing, loving Father in heaven.

“Do not worry about tomorrow” (v. 34). In these plain words, Jesus commands us, “Do not give a thought, do not give a worry, about what might or might not happen tomorrow. You can’t change anything. And you can’t help by worrying. When you do, you’re only doing as the heathen do.” Then Jesus says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (v. 33). In other words, you are to go on loving Jesus. You are to move on, casting all your cares on him. You are to go on resting in his faithfulness. Your heavenly Father will see to it that you are supplied with all the essential things of life.

I wonder if the angels are baffled by all the worrying and anxiousness of those who claim to trust in God. To them it must seem so degrading, so insulting to the Lord, that we worry as if we had no caring Father in heaven. What perplexing questions the angels must ask among themselves: “Have they no Father who is in heaven? Do they not believe he loves them? Did he not tell them he knows all about their needs? Do they not believe that he who feeds the birds and the whole animal kingdom will feed and clothe them? How can they fret and worry if they know he owns all power, all wealth, and can supply the needs of all creation? Would they accuse their heavenly Father of neglect, as if he was not true to his word?”

You have a heavenly Father. Trust him! AMEN

The GOOD Angels from ABOVE are NEVER Baffled Tarfoot..

It is the BAD Angels from BELOW that are causing so much EVIL/UNREST in our world today

Blessings as always..

Tarfoot · 20-03-21, 14:39

Good News and Bad News

Anyone ever say to you, “I’ve got good news and bad news… Which one do you want hear first?”

I always say I want to hear the bad news first because I want to end on a good note. The bad news is we don’t know how to pray. Even the ‘best’ prayer warriors aren’t good enough. As for the rest of us, we may think, “I don’t have a good healing prayer. I don’t know how to pray for the Muslim nation.” If you’ve thought that, you’re certainly not alone. I’ve sat in prayer meetings, praying that they don’t ask me to pray! The Apostle Paul even said this, “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought…” (Romans 8:26, ESV).

The good news is that the Holy Spirit, God in us, helps us to pray. You could be saved 10 minutes and still be powerful in prayer, because it’s not up to you.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20)

Paul is saying, “This is not dependent on you. You don’t have to be eloquent or speak in Old King James. You can pray — say something, say anything — and God will get it right for you.”

We’re thinking, “If I don’t pray the right thing or mess up somehow, then nothing’s going to happen.” Nothing could be further from the truth. God goes beyond our simple words. God goes beyond your ask. He goes beyond the words that we don’t even know how to say. Even if our prayers don’t make the grade, God pushes them far beyond anything we would’ve thought to ask. God takes what we say, makes it right and then puts power behind it, which takes so much of the pressure off of us.

We pray, “Help,” and God thinks, “I know how to interpret that for them.”

Tarfoot · 24-03-21, 15:53

I Saw Jesus and Was Terrified | This Is What He Showed Me

Tarfoot · 25-03-21, 14:37

Hearts Set on Jesus’ Return

In Matthew 24 Jesus uses a parable to teach about being ready for his return:

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:44-51).

Note that Jesus is speaking about servants here, meaning believers. One servant is called faithful and the other evil. What makes the latter evil in God’s eyes? According to Jesus, it’s something he “says in his heart” (24:48). This servant doesn’t voice such a thought and he doesn’t preach it. But he thinks it. He has sold his heart on the demonic lie, “The Lord delays his coming.” Notice he doesn’t say, “The Lord isn’t coming,” but “he delays his coming.” In other words, “Jesus won’t come suddenly or unexpectedly. He won’t return in my generation.”

This “evil servant” is clearly a type of believer, perhaps even one in ministry. He was commanded to “watch” and “be ready” (Matthew 24:44). Yet this man eases his conscience by accepting Satan’s lie.

Jesus shows us the fruit of this kind of thinking. If a servant is convinced that the Lord has delayed his coming, then he sees no need for right living. He isn’t compelled to make peace with his fellow servants. He doesn’t see the need to preserve unity in his home, at work, in church. He could smite his fellow servants, accuse them, hold grudges, destroy their reputations. As Peter says, this servant is driven by his lusts. He wants to live in two worlds, indulging in evil living while believing he’s safe from righteous judgment.

Tarfoot · 27-03-21, 14:22

Overthrowing Two Lies of the Enemy

One of your biggest responsibilities is towards your family. God calls you to grow personally because it is impossible to help your children grow if, as parents, you are not growing.

Right from the start, we have tendency to favor or to neglect certain areas of knowledge according to our backgrounds, personalities and lives. We must, therefore, ask God to help us find and maintain a balanced personality, in order to guide our family members in their growth.

However, I would like to point out two terrible lies that the enemy of our souls uses to suffocate us and curb our growth as well as that of our family.

Together, we have to expose and overthrow them in order to free ourselves and keep hope in our family. The first one is “It’s too late” where you end convincing yourself that nothing can change in a particular situation. It is a danger, a temptation and a lie that drives us to give up in our relationships and spirituality.

The second lie is “I don't need to change.” It takes root in our pride and convinces us that it is up to others to change.

I cannot help my spouse to grow if I don’t grow myself. With Jesus, I am called to grow in four spheres:

In wisdom, whether intellectually, according to my education, my knowledge and learning, my maturity.
In stature, either by adopting good habits in life or physically in a healthy lifestyle.
In favor with all men, my social development in terms of interpersonal skills.
In favor before God, spiritually by nurturing our personal knowledge of God, the Word, his nature, his promises and his plans.

Today, your family needs to hear you say, "Lord, keep changing me. I confess my pride to you. I still need to change. I stand humbly before you and ask you to mold me into the image of your son, Jesus. I want to grow in you and be used by you to inspire and help each member of my family grow in you.”

Tarfoot · 31-03-21, 14:49

Heaven in our Souls

I sought the Lord in prayer and I asked him, “What is the most important aspect of your making us your temple?” Here’s what came to me: access with boldness and confidence.

Paul says of Christ, “in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Ephesians 3:12).

In the Jewish temple, there was very little access to God. In fact, such access was available only to the high priest, and then only once a year. When the time came, the priest entered God’s presence in the temple with fear and trembling. He knew he could be struck down for approaching the mercy seat with unforgiven sin in his heart.

Today God has emerged from that small, restricted room. And he has come directly to us in all our disgrace and corruption. He tells us, “I’ve come to live in you. You don’t have to hide your filth and despair from me. I’ve chosen you because I want you and I’m about to turn your body into my home, my dwelling place, my residence.

“I’ll send my Holy Spirit, who will sanctify you. He’s going to clean and sweep out every room, to prepare your heart as my bride, but that’s not all. I’m going to seat you right next to me and I’ll urge you to come boldly to my throne, with confidence. You see, I want you to ask me for power, grace, strength, everything you need. I’ve brought heaven down into your souls, so you can have access to it all. You’re rich, yet you don’t even realize it. You’re an heir to all my glory.”

The sole reason your body is holy is because the Holy Ghost lives there. And it’s kept holy only by his continual presence and power. You can’t do it. You’d become a nervous wreck just trying to guard all the entrances. You’d get discouraged when you failed to keep out all the dust and filth that blows in. You’d get weary by running from room to room, sweeping and polishing, trying to make things look good.

Every Christian ought to rejoice in this fact: God is in you! And he is with you always, so who can be against you?

Tarfoot · 01-04-21, 14:32

God Uses People

God uses people to refresh other people. He so loves this kind of ministry that he moved the prophet Malachi to speak of it as a most-needed work in the last days. Malachi described how, in his day, God’s people built each other up through one-on-one edification: “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another” (Malachi 3:16).

When did this happen, exactly? Malachi’s words came during a time of rampant ungodliness, when the “devourer” had destroyed much fruit in the land. God’s people had grown weary and started to doubt that walking with the Lord was worth it. They thought, “We’re told it pays to serve the Lord, obey his Word and carry his burdens. But as we look around at the proud and the compromisers, they’re the ones who seem happy. They’re pursuing prosperity, living carelessly, enjoying life to the fullest.”

I’m convinced Malachi’s word about this ministry is a mirror image of the present day. He has given us a picture of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days, as God’s people stop gossiping and complaining and instead minister refreshing. It’s happening by phone, by letter, by e-mail, and face to face. And God is so pleased with this ministry, we’re told he writes everything down. Every kind word spoken, every call made, every letter written, every effort to comfort the downcast is recorded in a “book of remembrance.” And the Bible says each of us whose deeds are written down will be precious to him: “’They shall be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘on the day that I make them My jewels’” (Malachi 3:17).

Be a Titus to someone who’s downcast in spirit. Pray to have the spirit of Onesiphorus, who sought out the hurting to bring them to healing. Think of it: You’ve been given all the power of heaven to refresh a hurting believer, someone who needs the consolation that God has given uniquely to you. Yes, there are people who need you and the Lord intends your past consolations to bring refreshing to them. Call that someone today and say, “Brother, sister, I want to pray for and encourage you. I’ve got a good word for you.”

Tarfoot · 05-04-21, 16:50

In the Middle of Corrupt Culture

The early church found itself in very similar circumstances that we find ourselves in today. They were living under the authoritarian rule of Rome with its most ungodly, pagan culture. Violence was publicly glorified. They were faced with sexual immorality that surpassed even the vile degradations that we see in our own culture today.

In our own culture in the last twenty years, it has been horrifying to see perversion after perversion not only propagated but also accepted as the norm. In the future, we may be marked for having a church membership or even attending church. In the future, it may cost us to be a Christian. What will we do then?

If you were to read Romans chapters one, two and three, you would be reading the newspapers of today. We don’t need to get anxious, though, or fearful or throw our hands up in despair. We must remember that in the middle of a perverse culture and a suffering church, Jesus is not overwhelmed. He is not finished, and he still has work he is doing. He will raise up a prevailing church to witness about his glory. He will fill his followers with the Spirit, power and boldness to speak out.

Those who have a hunger to see God move, those who see what is happening out in the world and weep, to them God will give a holy cry. He will put a holy prayer in their hearts. God will give them an anointing to minister to his saints and to a dying world.

Tarfoot · 06-04-21, 14:35

Boldness in Praying God’s Promises

The Bible tells us that the Lord is no respecter of persons. And because he doesn’t show favoritism—because his promises never change from generation to generation—we can ask him to show us the same mercies he has shown his people through history. Even King Manasseh who sinned worse than any king before him yet when he repented, was restored (see 2 King 21:1-18).

So, dear saint, when you fear you may have sinned too often against the Lord’s mercy…when you think you’ve crossed a line, and God has given up on you…when you’re discouraged, cast down by failure or by unChrist-like behavior…when you wonder if God is putting you on a shelf, or withholding his love from you because of past sins—if you truly have a repentant heart, then lay hold of this truth: GOD CHANGES NOT.

Bind God to his Word. Write down every remembrance you have of what he has done for you in past years. Then go to Scripture and find other instances of his “mercy precedents” with his people. Bring these lists before the Lord and remind him: “God, you cannot deny your own Word. You are the same yesterday, today and forever.”

Today we have something that the Old Testament saints could only dream of. And that is God’s own Son seated at the right hand of the Father-Judge. We know the Son, because he is our blood-covenant brother, by adoption. And we are able to claim our blood-tie to him whenever we stand before the Judge and bind him to his own arguments: “Father, I have nothing to bring you but your own Word. You promised that I would be complete in Christ, that you would keep me from falling, and Jesus would be my intercessor. You promised you would open your ears to my petition and supply all my needs. Oh, Lord, have mercy and grace on me now, in my hour of need. Amen!”

I truly believe that God is wonderfully blessed when we approach his throne with this kind of boldness, binding him to his own Word. It’s as if he says to us, “Finally, you got it. You bless me!”

Tarfoot · 09-04-21, 14:49

Bound to the Living Word

The Lord rules over all of creation with majesty and power. His laws govern the whole universe—all of nature, every nation and all the affairs of men. He rules over the seas, the planets, the heavenly bodies and all their movements. The Bible tells us: “He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations” (Psalm 66:7).

This Psalm was written by David, who is testifying, in essence: “Lord, your testimonies—your laws, decrees and words—are irrevocable. They are utterly reliable.” The author of Hebrews echoes this, declaring that God’s Living Word is eternal and unchangeable: “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Think about it: There are laws operating in the universe that govern how things work, without exception. Consider the laws that rule the movements of the sun, moon, stars and earth. These heavenly bodies were all put into place when God spoke a word, and since that time they have been ruled by laws that God also spoke into being.

We’re told throughout the New Testament that this great God is our Father and that he takes pity on his children. Hebrews tells us the Lord is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, and that he hears our every cry and bottles every tear. Yet we’re also told that he is the righteous King who judges by his law. And his Word is his constitution, containing all of his legal decrees, by which he rules justly. Everything in existence is judged by his immutable Word.

Simply put, we can hold the Bible in our hands and know, “This book tells me who God is. It describes his attributes, nature, promises and judgments. It is his rule of law, from his own mouth, by which he rules and reigns. And it is a Word to which he has bound himself.”

Every earthly judge is bound to determine the case before him according to the established law. God rules and judges everything before him according to the eternal law—that is, his own established Word. When the Lord makes a ruling, he speaks by his living Word, a Word to which he has bound himself.

Tarfoot · 15-04-21, 16:46

Abiding with the Holy Spirit

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.” (Psalm 46:1-7, 9).

What a marvelous word. I’ve read this passage over and over, dozens of times, and I’m still overwhelmed by it. God’s Word to us here is so powerful, so immovable, he tells us, “Never again do you need to fear. It doesn’t matter if the whole world is in turmoil. The earth may quake, the oceans may swell, the mountains may crumble into the sea. Things may be in complete chaos, a total uproar all around you.

Right now, the whole world is in a fearful time. Nations are trembling over terrorism, knowing no region is immune to the threats. Personal troubles and sufferings are mounting. Yet, in the midst of it all, Psalm 46 echoes to God’s people the world over: “I am in your midst. I am with you through it all. My people will not be destroyed or moved. I’m going to be an ever-present help to my church.”

God knows we all face deep needs; we all encounter turmoil, temptations, times of confusion that cause our souls to quake. His message for us in Psalm 46 is meant for just such times. He is saying that if we give in to fear, becoming downcast and full of despair, we’re living absolutely contrary to his reality in our lives.

It’s vital that you grasp what the Lord is telling us in this Psalm. Our God is available to us at any time, day or night. He’s continually at our right hand, willing to speak to us and to guide us. And he’s made this possible by giving us his Holy Spirit to abide in us. The Bible tells us that Christ himself is in us, and we are in him.

Tarfoot · 16-04-21, 14:53

Lord Jesus, Come Quickly

Here is the cry of the apostle John in the Bible’s final book: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20, NKJV). It may seem strange that John would pray for this, though, knowing that Jesus himself told his followers, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14)? Can we have any impact on when Jesus returns?

When was the last time you prayed, “Lord Jesus, come quickly, come soon”? Personally, I can’t remember praying this prayer. I never knew I could hasten Christ’s coming by allowing myself to long for this and pray these words.

Yet Peter gives us proof of this incredible truth: “Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” (2 Peter 3:12). In Greek, the phrase “hasting…the coming of (that) day” means “to speed up, to urge on.” Peter says our expectant prayers are hastening, speeding up, urging the Father to send back his Son quickly.

The Lord’s merciful patience dictates the timing of his return. So, does this mean we shouldn’t pray for his coming? Not at all. Christ himself tells us, “For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days” (Mark 13:19-20). Imagine what might happen if, all over the world, Christ’s bride were to wake up and pray in the Spirit, “Jesus, come.”

So, where do we hear this cry of the Spirit today? It comes through those who live and walk in the Spirit, their bodies the temple of the Holy Ghost, who are filled with a longing to be with the Lord. The Spirit cries in and through them, “Hasten, Lord, come.” Come Lord Jesus come.....AMEN

Tarfoot · 17-04-21, 15:11

Forgiving Our Worst Enemies

By Tim Dilena

C.S. Lewis wrote these words: “Forgiveness is a lovely idea until you have to forgive someone.” Nothing could be truer, right?

Corrie ten Boom has one of the most amazing stories about forgiveness. Her book The Hiding Place is about how her family housed Jews running from the Nazis in Amsterdam. The Nazis eventually caught up with them and put her whole family in the concentration camps. Every one of them died, except Corrie. She went on for 30 more years to preach the gospel.

One day, Corrie said, she was preaching in Munich, Germany decades after the days of the concentration camp. At the church where she was preaching, she saw a familiar face. It was a guard who had routinely mocked her and put her in a shower nearly every day, pretending that he was going to exterminate her, and who was responsible for her sister Betsie’s death. He was sitting there in front of her.

Now, suddenly, forgiveness is not so lovely of an idea, is it?

She recognized the guard, but he didn’t recognize her. After the service, the ex-guard came up and said, “Fraulein, I heard you mention Ravensbrück. I was a guard there. But since those days, I've become a Christian. I know that God forgives me, but would you forgive me?”

She said, “I stood there paralyzed. This man was a monster. He’d killed my family, and he’d killed my sister.” She said that as she sat there, this was her prayer: “Forgive me, Father, for the inability to forgive.” Then she said that the power of the Holy Spirit surged through her. She felt her hand go out, clasp his and heard herself say to this man, "You are forgiven."

Later, she said, "That day, not only was the man set free, but I was set free.”

When you forgive, you're not changing the past, but you are changing your own future. This is what the gospel is all about. That's the glory of what we believe; the way Christianity conquers its enemies is by forgiving its enemies.

“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:11-13, ESV).

Tarfoot · 22-04-21, 22:04

Delight Yourself in the Lord

Our peace and contentment always depend upon our resignation into God’s hands, no matter what our circumstance. The psalmist writes, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

If you’ve fully resigned yourself into God’s hands, then you’re able to endure any and all hardships. Your Father’s desire is for you to be able to go about your daily business without fear or anxiety, totally trusting in his care. And your resignation to him has a very practical effect in your life. The more resigned you are to God’s care and keeping, the more indifferent you’ll be to the conditions around you.

If you are resigned to him, you won’t constantly be trying to figure out the next step. You won’t be scared by the frightful news swirling around you. You won’t be overwhelmed as you think about the days ahead because you’ve entrusted your life, family and future into your Lord’s safe and loving hands.

How worried or concerned do you think sheep are as they follow their shepherd? They are not worried at all, because they’re totally resigned to his leading them. Likewise, we are the sheep of Christ, who is our great Shepherd. So, why should we ever be concerned, disquieted or worried about our lives and futures? He knows perfectly how to protect and preserve his flock because he leads us in love!

In my own life, I’ve had to learn to trust God one problem at a time. Think about it: How can I say I trust God with everything, if I haven’t proven I can trust him with just one thing? Merely saying the words, “I trust the Lord completely,” isn’t sufficient. I have to prove this over and over again in my life, in many areas and in everyday things.

Many people living today have said, “I resign, I commit, I trust,” only after they say there was no other way out of their situation. But true resignation, the kind that pleases God, is done freely and willingly, prior to our coming to wit’s end. We are to act in agreement with the Lord, as Abraham did, giving God his life as a blank check, and letting the Lord fill it all in.

Tarfoot · 23-04-21, 17:47

One Path to the Throne

You can’t weep your way into this heavenly place. You can’t study or work or will your way in. No, the only way to the throne-life is by way of a living sacrifice: “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
Paul is speaking from experience. Here is a man who was rejected, tempted, persecuted, beaten, jailed, shipwrecked, stoned. Paul also had all the cares of the church laid on him. Now he’s saying to us, “Do you want to know how I came to be content in whatever condition I was placed, how I came to find true rest in Christ? Here is the path, the secret to appropriating your heavenly position: Present your body as a living sacrifice to the Lord.”
The Greek root for “living” here suggests “lifelong.” Paul is talking about a binding commitment, a sacrifice that’s made once in a lifetime. Yet, don’t misunderstand; this isn’t a sacrifice that has to do with propitiation for sin. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the only worthy propitiation: “Now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26).
The sacrifice Paul describes is one that God takes great pleasure in, precisely because it involves the heart. What is this sacrifice? It is one of death to our will, of laying aside our self-sufficiency and abandoning our ambitions.
When Paul exhorts, “Present your body,” he’s saying, “Draw near to the Lord.” Yet, what does this mean, exactly? It means drawing near to God for the purpose of offering our entire selves to him. It means coming to him not in our own sufficiency, but as a resurrected child, as holy in Jesus’ righteousness, as being accepted by the Father through our position in Christ. The moment you resign your will to him, the sacrifice has been made. It happens when you give up the struggle of trying to please God on your own. This act of faith is the “reasonable service” Paul refers to. It’s all about trusting him with our will, believing he’ll provide all the blessings we need.

Tarfoot · 26-04-21, 14:36

Uncovering Christ’s Strength

One of the Bible’s most powerful and yet also misused promises is “I can do all things through him [Christ] who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, ESV).
This is not meant for the football player to put on their eye black and say, “I can smash the other team.” It is not meant for the MMA fighter to put on his robe that he wears up to the cage, saying, “I can do all things with Christ. I can beat up this other guy.”
That’s not what this scripture means, not even in the slightest. Paul is talking about suffering, endurance and knowing how to live without. The book of Acts tells us that the Philippian church was living in extreme poverty, and there was a certain point in their poverty where they couldn’t give money to Paul who was in prison. Now when you’re in a prison in Rome, they don’t feed you. You have to have friends who bring you food. The Philippians were Paul’s main resource, but they didn’t have money to give, so there was a season when he was going without.
That’s when he said, “You know, even when I’m abased like this, even when I have nothing, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
You may have this verse on your refrigerator, talking about your diet. Sure, that might help, but this promise is about much more. When your life feels like it’s falling apart, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you with a peace that surpasses all understanding (see Philippians 4:7).
This strength, this peace is what allows us to deal with the great difficulties in our lives. Maybe you’re facing a bitter spouse or prodigal child who’s breaking your heart. The ability to keep pressing in can only be done with the power of the Lord.

Tarfoot · 01-05-21, 14:21

Living on the Battlefield

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil…. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one”.

Paul is giving this teaching about the battle that we’re in and what we need to be victorious in it, what we need to pick up or put on. Notice, you can’t just acknowledge that there’s armor. Scripture doesn’t say “study the armor of God.” It says, “Put on the armor of God!”
This is one of the problems for many Christians today. We’re into a type of mental positivism and false triumphalism where it’s hard for us to talk about what really goes on in life. We’re all involved in warfare. Paul was involved in this struggle, and he’s one of the greatest Christians we’ve ever heard of. So if one of the greatest Christians talks about our struggle against the demonic forces that are arrayed under Satan, we should pay attention.
Our minds are where the warfare is, temptations to sin, to quit, whispers of despair, taking our eyes off of Christ.
If you hear anyone talking spiritual smack — “I’ve got to a place where I’m not even tempted by the enemy. I just have victory every place where I put my foot down.” — don’t ever believe them. We’re all in a battle. We’re all tempted. We all fight off discouragement. We all have to ask God for grace every single day. We need mercy because we all mess up.
Don’t tell me that’s not real because the battlefield is littered with people who were once preaching the gospel! Forget simply being a Christian. These were preachers and church leaders, and now they’re in rehab somewhere or have created great scandals and a mess in their church and city.
Some people lose out in this battle. They don’t put on the full armor. Somewhere the enemy got entrance. The arrow sticks. We must not lose sight of the battle we’re in right now, each day. We must encourage each other with these passages and help one another fight effectively as war rages on around us.

Tarfoot · 03-05-21, 15:06

A Land of Pleading Hearts

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7, ESV).
No one wants to just go through the motions. Don’t you want to be a man or woman who clearly has the touch of God on your life? Wouldn’t you want people to look at you and think, “What is it about that person? There’s a holy anointing on them. There’s a touch of God on their life.”
I believe God wants to raise up people and say, “Ah, there’s a vessel right there that I can work through. There’s a heart, there’s a mouth, there’s a voice that I can speak through in these dark days.” He wants people through whom he can stretch out his hand to heal and give signs and wonders. As the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord sets up a counterpoint. That’s what he wants to do in your life.
If you’re living in a generation that is raging against the Holy One, then you’re going to need a pleading in your heart saying, “Come, Lord Jesus, come! Come, Holy Spirit in your fullness and your power, come to your church and revive us. Awaken us.”
We need the Holy Spirit to shake this place once again and put us through the refiner’s fire, burning off the dross so that we might come out as pure gold. We want to come out of hard times and oppression on fire for God.
I pray that once again the Holy Spirit would capture our hearts. Lord, stretch out your hand on our lives. Lord, put the touch on our country. Oh God, that’s our cry. I ask that our prayer lives would once more be on fire and that we would become almost obsessed with seeking the Lord’s face. We need to ask our Lord to rid us of backsliding and a coldness of heart, an unwillingness to be corrected. He must heal us so that we can come into the fullness of the anointing he has for us.

Tarfoot · 10-05-21, 14:38

Having a Fervent Spirit

I heard a bestselling author talk about how one of the great problems we face in America today and the modern church is busyness, and I believe it. It’s so common to talk to people and hear them say, “Oh, I’m so busy. I have so much going on in my life.”
If your life is helter-skelter, falling apart at the seams, and there’s no margin, it’s probably because you’re not living in obedience to what God has for you. You’re doing more than that, and that’s why so many people feel overwhelmed. However, there’s a whole group of people on the other side of the spectrum that the church doesn’t talk too much about, and that’s the lazy ones.
Now they often still say they’re busy, but they spend four, five, six hours a day watching the television or in front of some kind of screen being entertained.
Some entertainment is good and can be fun. I enjoy movies as much as anyone. There’s nothing wrong with entertainment in and of itself. This is not to say that you shouldn’t play sports or watch films. This is dealing with an attitude of the heart. When entertainment becomes such a large portion of your life, when it rules and dictates your choices, when it becomes your priority, it points to a deep heart-sin.
The Bible talks in the Old Testament about the sins that God hates, and one is sloth. When we sit on the sidelines and say, “Well, I was hurt in the past or a dream fell through, so I’m not going to engage anymore. I tried and failed, so I’m done. I’m just going to go to work, get home and then chill. Nobody bother me.” That’s a slothful spirit that allows a life be drowned in entertainment.
The opposite is someone who turns away from a slothful heart and has a servant’s heart. Then we rely on God’s strength to accomplish his purposes and live fully. Paul tells us in the Bible that the marks of a true Christian are these: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:9-11, ESV, my emphasis). Let’s obey that command with all of our hearts today!

Tarfoot · 11-05-21, 14:37

Conquering the Darkness

Only one thing conquers and dispels darkness, and that is light. Isaiah declared, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light”. Likewise, John stated, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” .
Jesus Christ is the light of the world, and when he revealed himself in his resurrected body to his disciples, he promised to clothe them with power. This promise is for us today as well. Our God has sent us his Holy Ghost, whose power is greater than all the powers of hell: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” .
In Revelation, we read of hell spewing forth locusts and scorpions that have great power. We read of a dragon, beasts, horned creatures, as well as the coming Antichrist. Yet, we don’t know the meaning of all these creatures. That is, we don’t have to. We don’t need to worry about the Antichrist or the mark of the beast.
There is living in us the Spirit of Almighty God and his Christ. Paul declares that the power of the Holy Spirit is working in us. In other words, the Holy Ghost is alive in us at this very moment.
So, how does the Spirit work in us in the midst of hard times? His power is released only as we receive him as our burden bearer. The Holy Spirit was given to us for this very reason, to bear our cares and worries. How can we say we’ve received him if we haven’t turned over our burdens to him?
The Holy Spirit isn’t shut up in glory but is here, abiding in us. He’s waiting to take control of every situation in our lives, including our afflictions. So if we continue in fear — despairing, questioning, going deeper into anxiety — then we haven’t received him as our comforter, helper, guide, rescuer and strength.
The witness to the world is the Christian who has cast his every burden on the Holy Spirit. This believer sees overwhelming problems all around, and yet he has the joy of the Lord. He trusts God’s Spirit for his comfort, and for guidance out of his affliction. He has a powerful testimony to a lost world because he embodies joy despite being surrounded by darkness. His life tells the world, “This person has seen the light.”

Tarfoot · 12-05-21, 13:15

A Remedy for Soul Sickness

I want to talk to you about “soul sickness.” This is caused by a flood of troubles coming upon you. King David cried, “Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, Where the floods overflow me. I am weary with my crying”.
Troubles came at David so powerfully that he thought he would collapse. He prayed, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body!” .
Some people right now are facing a flood of fears. Multitudes of elderly people are living on starvation means. Parents grieve over children who are drawn away by drug and alcohol-addicted friends. Couples have mounting mortgage payments, troubled marriages, bills piling up. The root cause of soul sickness is when your troubles go on and on, when events get worse, when your soul cries out to God for help, and there seems to be no answer. Soul sickness is to know the Lord, to love him, to pray and even to shed tears, and still he does not seem to be there.
David said his troubles became so overwhelming and his soul was so cast down that “I cannot even speak.” In other words, “I have cried so much there are no tears left. All I can see now is despair in the days ahead.” If you relate to this at all, I have hopeful news for you. Here are simple biblical truths that can heal your soul sickness:

Keep praying, even when the situation worsens. God is going to answer in his time, in ways you could not imagine. The hardest part of faith is the last half hour just before the answer comes.
Do not get mad at God! All unbelief and impatience imply that the Lord has picked you out of the masses in the world and made you the object of cruelty and harassment. God forbid! If he were to shut his ear to your cries, he would be a fraud; and he is not. He is your almighty, loving, forgiving Father.

Shake off fear because it’s a torment. Instead, rest in his promises. All things do work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose. Look up. God will never fail you! AMEN

Tarfoot · 15-05-21, 13:15

Not Having Monkey Hands

Tim Dilena

They say that the hardest animal in the world to catch is the ring-tailed monkey. It's incredibly difficult for outsiders to catch, but not for the locals. This very rare animal has a love for certain melon seeds, so what the locals do is hollow out a tiny hole in a tree, just big enough for the monkey to stick its hand through, and then they throw the seeds in the hole.
The monkey comes along, sticks its hand into the hole, grabs the seeds, but then it can’t pull its hand back out. Even when its captors come up, it will still hold on to the seeds. All it needs to do is let go to slide its hand out, but it won’t. Those seeds are what send these monkeys into captivity.
A bit like these monkeys, we live in a culture that will not let a grudge go. People will hold on to something for years, even decades. When we do that, we find ourselves being brought into captivity.
I once sat in a funeral and watched somebody pull out a letter that was the reason they were offended at someone. It had been in their pocket for 40 years. This letter was so old that it had creases all over and was falling apart, and they were trying to show me what this one person had written to them 40 years ago. I wanted to say, "Seriously, you held on to this thing for that long? Let go of it, monkey hands. Just let it go.” But this is what we do.
The number one marriage counseling issue that I have dealt with for the last 35 years has not been finances or intimacy; it has been people not knowing how to resolve a conflict. That’s the number one thing. Bigger and bigger problems begin to grow off of not knowing how to resolve an issue. All of a sudden, people have a broken relationship on their hands, and they don't know how to reconcile it.
Being offended is a choice. You don't get a choice in what people are going to do to you, but you do have a choice in whether or not you're going to be offended. Forgiving others is part of God's curriculum. It is teaching us the true value of what God does when he forgives us.
“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26, ESV).

Tarfoot · 20-05-21, 13:31

Don’t Settle for Crumbs

The gospel of Matthew tells a story that might disturb some believers: The Gentile woman with the demon-possessed daughter.This woman seeks Jesus so persistently the disciples say, “Lord, send her away. Get rid of her. She won’t stop bothering us.” Note Jesus’ response to the woman’s pleas: “He answered her not a word” . Evidently, Christ ignored the whole situation. Why would he do this? Jesus knew this woman’s story would be told to every future generation, and he wanted to reveal a truth to all who would read it. So he tested the woman’s faith by saying, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” . Christ was saying, “I came for the salvation of the Jews. Why should I waste their gospel on a Gentile?”
Now this statement would have sent most of us on our way, but this woman didn’t budge. I ask you, how often do you give up on prayer? How many times have you grown weary and reasoned, “I’ve sought the Lord. I prayed and asked. I just don’t get any results”?
Consider how this woman responded. She didn’t reply with a complaint or an accusing finger, saying, “Why are you denying me, Jesus?” No, scripture says just the opposite. “Then she came and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me’” .
What follows next is hard to read. Once again, Jesus rebuffed the woman. Only this time his reply was even harsher. He told her, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” . Once again, he was testing her.
Now the mother answered him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” . What an incredible reply. This determined woman was not going to relent in her pursuit of Jesus, and the Lord commended her for it. Jesus said to her, “’O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour” .
Beloved, we are not to settle for crumbs. We have been promised all the grace and mercy we need for our crises. That includes every crisis involving our families, saved or unsaved. We’ve been invited to come boldly to Christ’s throne with confidence.

Tarfoot · 24-05-21, 13:28

When the World Rages

In the days of the early church, this is what the body of believers said, “They lifted their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord…who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed”’” (Acts 4:24-26, ESV).
The church back then wasn’t talking about people who just feel a little bit disgruntled around the Christian philosophy and the Christian worldview. We’re beginning to see a similar move toward rage and intense antagonism toward the Christian faith today.
However, these individuals are plotting in vain. That gives us hope, doesn’t it? This is part of what the Lord is saying in Isaiah, “Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 54:16-17).
The plots of man, the disruptions, the fierceness that might come against us even in the last days, these plots are in vain. Our enemy is forging these torments in a fiery furnace, but the Bible tells us that the devil and the people he drives plot in vain; their weapons will have no effect.
When you’re being tested, when you’re being tried, when the enemy comes in like a flood, what happens? When people or the devil comes against you, they’re really coming against the Lord himself and against his anointed. God raises up a standard against this attack for his own glory and as a testament to his goodness in the lives of his children!
He’s anointed you. If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, you were given an anointing. You were given grace. You were given power.

Tarfoot · 27-05-21, 13:30

God’s Fire Still Burns

Sadly, much of Christ’s body today resembles a modern-day Valley of Dry Bones. It is a wilderness filled with the bleached skeletons of fallen Christians. Ministers and other devoted believers have flamed out because of a besetting sin. Now they are filled with shame, hiding out in caves of their own making. Like Jeremiah, they have convinced themselves, “I will not make mention of [the Lord], nor speak anymore in His name”.
God is still asking the same question he asked Ezekiel: “Can these dry bones live again?” The answer to this question is an absolute “Yes!” How? It happens by the renewing of our faith in God’s Word.
The Word of the Lord is a consuming fire. Indeed, it’s the only true light that we have during our dark nights of despair. It’s our only defense against the enemy’s lies when he whispers, “It’s all over. You’ve lost the fire, and you’re never going to get it back.”
The only thing that will bring us out of our darkness is faith, and faith comes by hearing God’s Word. We simply have to cling to the Word that has been implanted in us. The Lord has promised, “I will not let you go down; therefore, you have no reason to despair. There’s no cause for quitting. Rest in my Word.”
You may think, “But this dark night is worse than anything I’ve ever known. I’ve heard a thousand sermons on God’s Word, but none of it seems of any value to me now.” Don’t fret; God’s fire still burns in you, even if you can’t see it. You’re to pour onto that fire the fuel of faith. You do this by trusting the Lord. When you do, you’ll see all your doubts and lusts consumed.
God’s Spirit is breathing life again into every set of dry bones. He’s reminding them of the Word he implanted in them. Those who once lay dead are being revived, and they’re crying as Jeremiah did, “God’s fire has been shut up in me for too long. I simply can’t hold it any longer. I can feel the Lord’s power raising me up. He’s putting life in me, and I’m going to speak the Word he gave me. I’m going to proclaim his mercy and healing power.”

Tarfoot · 31-05-21, 13:28

Filling the Tank to the Top

Gary Wilkerson

Years ago, I experienced a severe back injury. I used to do long-distance bike riding; but after the injury, I was unable to move like I had been before. I gained probably 20-25 pounds. That shocked me a bit, so I started working on getting my health back, exercising and trying to eat right. A serious problem is I hate vegetables. They’re awful, but I try to eat my greens.
I have another problem too. Every time I start to lose weight, there’s a number that’s not as low as my original goal, but it’s where I begin to get satisfied. At first, losing weight is no problem, but then I hit that number like a roadblock. I can’t seem to get under it, and then my brain starts telling me, “Hey, you’re looking pretty good!” That last hurdle is the hardest part because I become satisfied with ‘good enough.’
This mentality is so dangerous for us because it leaves us without the fullness of what we desire. What’s worse, many of us have this in the church.
We get a word on Sunday, or we hear an online sermon that blesses us, or we have lunch with a Christian friend who inspires our heart, and that’s good enough for us. We’re satisfied. Do any of you fill your car’s gas tank only three-quarters of the way? Or maybe you only fill it halfway? Who puts just a quarter of a tank of gas in the car? The Holy Spirit wants to fill us with life and life abundant, but many of us get a touch of the Spirit, and then we’re satisfied. We think, “Good enough.”
Let me tell you, half-fillings of the Spirit, yesterday’s fullness and partial measures of outpouring are insufficient in these wicked days. You will be beaten down and defeated. You will be overrun if you only take half measures.
What God has available for you is far beyond what you’ve ever dreamed, thought or imagined. The fullness of God is what he is holding for you so that you can truly experience the things of Jesus Christ. God wants to raise up a generation of his people who are full of his presence, those who will take a stand against the darkness and hear Christ say, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV).

Tarfoot · 01-06-21, 13:21

A Friend of God

Consider the way God himself described his relationship with Abraham: “Abraham my friend” (Isaiah 41:8, NKJV). Likewise, the New Testament tells us, “Abraham believed God…and he was called the friend of God” (James 2:23).
What an incredible commendation, to be called the friend of God. Most Christians have sung the well-known hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” These biblical passages bring home that truth with power. To have the Creator of the universe call a man his friend seems beyond human comprehension, yet it happened with Abraham. It’s a sign of this man’s great intimacy with God.
The Hebrew word that Isaiah uses for friend here signifies affection and closeness. The closer we grow to Christ, the greater our desire becomes to live wholly in his presence. Moreover, we begin to see more clearly that Jesus is our only true foundation.
The Bible tells us Abraham “waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). To Abraham, nothing in this life was permanent. Scripture says the world was “a strange place” to him. It was no place to put down roots. The heavenly country Abraham yearned for isn’t a place on earth. Rather, it is being home with the Father. You see, the Hebrew word for the phrase “heavenly country” is pater. It comes from a root word meaning Father. So, the heavenly country Abraham sought was, literally, a place with the Father.
Yet Abraham was no mystic. He was not an ascetic who put on holy airs and lived in a spiritual haze. This man lived an earthly life, heavily involved in the world’s affairs. After all, he was the owner of thousands of head of livestock, and he had enough servants to form a small militia. Abraham had to be a busy man, directing his servants and buying and selling his cattle, sheep and goats.
Yet somehow, despite his many business affairs and responsibilities, Abraham found time for intimacy with the Lord.

Tarfoot · 05-06-21, 13:24

Choose to Be in or Out

Carter Conlon

“Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40, KJV).
Crisis moments require us to be courageous enough to deal with the issues of our day and, more importantly, those that lie within our own hearts. It is time for an appraisal. Not of our assets, not of our property. We need to probe deeper. It is time for us to stop and seriously consider where we are headed. Are you and I prepared for what is coming? Do we have resident within us what we need to face the coming days?
I fear that many Christians are largely unaware of the depth of the great trials that will one day face the church and, sadly, possess little inner resource to meet them.
We profess our devotion to Christ without much difficulty when the sun is out, the paycheck is in the mailbox, and there is still food on the table. Yet it is when we strike the iceberg that, in the same manner as the RMS Titanic, suddenly the flaws in our hearts and motives will be unveiled.
That is when it will become evident if our security is truly rooted in Christ alone. We will discover whether or not our hearts will prove to be steadfast, with the express purpose of living for the glory of God and the souls of men.
If we expect to be found unshakable in the days to come, I can only arrive at this one conclusion: an immediate and deliberate decision must be made in our hearts to go the full journey with Christ. Following Christ in this way was never promised to be an easy path; in fact, I daresay that the half-hearted simply will not make it.
This is precisely why it is imperative that we take the time to search our hearts now. We must face that most critical of choices: are we all in, or are we out?

Tarfoot · 07-06-21, 13:29

Neither Hot nor Cold

You may notice in your own life when the Holy Spirit wants to bring you a greater measure of himself, a greater baptism of his power, that you often find these times accompanied by tears. Don’t ever be ashamed of tears. Don’t ever be ashamed to cry. Don’t ever try to remove yourself from the emotions that come when God begins to move in your life. He wants to move not only your mind but also your heart and bring you to a place of tears as well.
This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:17-18, ESV). The Holy Spirit was in Paul and his prayers for the church, but what was he talking about here? Why does he emphasize, “I’m going to tell you now, weeping, that some are enemies of the cross”?
The reason he’s telling them so emphatically is not because somebody out there in the wide world is an enemy of the cross, but rather the devil is trying to work inside the body of Christ, in the church itself, to get us to be enemies of the cross.
Does this mean you could suddenly become an atheist? No.
Being lukewarm, however, becomes a lifestyle all too easily. Remember what John writes in Revelation? “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-17). This is what I believe that Paul alluding to in Philippians.
Could you continue to live in apathy and not be concerned about it? Could you continue to be in the compromise of sinful living and your heart isn’t broken over it?
Oh, church, it's time we get on our faces before the Lord and cry out for his mercy on us and this generation. “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence” (Hebrews 5:7). We need to pray for passion, holy grief and fervency in these final days.

Tarfoot · 09-06-21, 13:20

A Pleasing Walk

The Apostle Paul taught the Colossian church, “For this reason we…do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” .
What is required for a pleasing walk? Paul tells us, “As the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” .
In other words, we are to ask ourselves, “Am I becoming more like Christ? Am I growing more patient or more quick-tempered? Kinder and gentler, or meaner and more argumentative? More tender and forgiving, or more bitter, holding onto grudges? Do I ‘bear with others’? Do I put up with the weaknesses and faults of those near to me, or do I always have to be right?”
Paul is suggesting that, in light of a coming day of judgment, it doesn’t matter what works you accomplish or what charitable deeds you do. No matter how kind you are to strangers, no matter how many souls you bring to Christ, this question remains: Are you still becoming more loving, patient, forgiving and forbearing?
Examining your walk with Christ means looking not so much at what you are doing as at what you are becoming. Such a walk cannot be achieved by human effort alone. It won’t happen by self-determination and saying, “I am going to become that kind of believer.” Instead, it happens by the work of the Holy Spirit, through faith in his Word.
First, we read these words and believe them to be God’s call to us. Then we examine ourselves and ask the Spirit to show us who we truly are, measuring ourselves by his Word. Finally, we ask the Holy Spirit to help us change.

Tarfoot · 10-06-21, 13:37

On Their Feet and Ready

“Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul” .Satan envies and fears most those who have been with God in prayer and are determined to stand up and fight in faith. Satan fears even a small army of those who are girded up in faith for a fight. He cowers before those who are up on their feet and ready to resist.
Because he fears you, his design is to neutralize your fighting spirit.
The devil does this by trying to flood your mind with defeating, distracting, hellish thoughts that breed mistrust and questions about God’s power. He’ll scream into your mind and spirit, “It’s no use fighting any more. You are too weak from your personal struggles. The powers of hell are just too big to overcome, so you might as well relax. You don’t need to be so intense about the battle anymore.”
This is all a distraction! Satan’s entire strategy is to get you to take your eyes off the victory of the cross. He wants to turn your focus onto your weaknesses, your sins, your shortcomings. He wants to make you believe you aren’t strong enough to go on. Your strength, however, is not the point; Jesus’ strength is!
The fact is we’re all going to be in a fight until we either die or Jesus comes back. We may be given seasons of calm and reprieve, but as long as we are on this earth, we are engaged in spiritual warfare. There is simply no end to these battles. That’s why Paul says Jesus has given us weapons that are for pulling down strongholds. We have been equipped with weapons that Satan cannot withstand: prayer, fasting and faith.
The time has come for us to get our focus unstuck from our current afflictions. We must take our eyes off our trials and fix them on the captain of this war. Jesus holds the key to all victory, and he has promised us, “I have supplied you with every weapon needed for battle. I am ready and willing to give you strength in times of weakness.”

Tarfoot · 19-06-21, 17:56

The Duality of Our Emotions

Claude Houde
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time for war and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, ESV).
A healthy Christian family is where each member is free and encouraged to fully experience their emotions. Indeed, our responsibility as Christian parents goes far beyond feeding and clothing our children before going to school or church. We need to teach them to manage all their emotions in a healthy and biblical way.
It starts with our own learning as the adults. Managing your emotions means being able to recognize them, understand them, identify them, name them and express them in order to channel them appropriately. We must continually learn not to suppress or deny our emotions, but also to not let them dominate or define us.
What we are unable to express or what we repress will imprint on us and eventually depress us. Managing emotions is a huge challenge for everyone. Indeed, our human nature is rich in a panoply of emotions and feelings that intermingle every day and throughout the seasons of our lives. The Bible does not deny the ugliness, intensity, beauty or duality of our emotions.
If you have never prayed this way for yourself, your spouse or your family, I invite you to do it simply and sincerely: “Lord, I recognize all the harmful feelings and emotions that are in me. I don't deny them. Help me identify them. I give them to you. Come and extend your thoughts, your fruit into my heart by the Holy Spirit. Come revive this gift in me. Help me live with a measure of love, peace, patience, kindness, joy, self-control and gentleness that will spread an atmosphere of healing in my heart and within my family. In the name of Jesus. Amen!”
This week, don’t forget that the most intense, beautiful life emotionally and spiritually in your relationships is living as a child of God who fully experiences all the emotions that God has created.

Tarfoot · 22-06-21, 14:03

A Light Not Meant to Be Hidden

Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14, NKJV). His statement here is about much more than just doing ministry. It extends beyond teaching, preaching or passing out tracts. Christ tells us very plainly, “You are the light.” He’s saying, “You are not just a reflection. You’re not a mere conduit. You are a light, and the intensity of your light depends upon the intensity of your walk with me.”
Do you see what the Lord is implying here? The world recognizes those who walk closely with him. Your neighbors or coworkers may not know about your daily communion with Christ, your faith in him, your utter dependence upon him. They do, however, see the light that shines from you because of the life you have with him.
So who exactly are these lights set on a hill? Where do we see them?
They are people not usually found in the limelight. They aren’t among the self-centered, self-promoting people who live for recognition in this world. They are not among those self-important church cliques who pretend to be holy but gossip, murmur and complain.
Through the years, I’ve seen many believers who appear godly but in truth are spiritually lazy. They tell others about their failings and weaknesses, thinking this makes them humble, yet they are quick to judge others. They don’t possess the true, loving, servant-like spirit of Christ. On the contrary, the “light” they have is actually darkness. Jesus says, “If your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). Where there is no true transformation from Christ, there can be no light for others. As long as you allow nothing to hinder your life in Christ, though, your light will continue to shine in the darkness.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). Jesus is saying, “I have put you on display to the world. People are looking at you because I’ve made you a spectacle. You’re a light that is not meant to be hidden.”
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The reason that we are to let our light shine forth to the world is that God may receive glory.

Tarfoot · 25-06-21, 14:41

Confession that Brings Healing

The apostle Paul declares, “But what does it [scripture] say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on him will not be put to shame’” (Romans 10:8-11, NKJV).
Simply put, we are brought to salvation through our open confession of repentance. Jesus states, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). He also says repentance is how we are healed and restored: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32).
This is good news. Jesus is telling us, “In my church, everyone is healed through repentance. It doesn’t matter who you are — the physically broken, the mentally ill, the spiritually sick — because everyone must come to me the same way. All find healing through repentance.”
What is the central message of Christ’s gospel? He makes it plain throughout the four gospels. “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15). This was Jesus’ first recorded message, and he preached repentance!
To some Christians, this may sound like overbearing language. They may respond, “Okay, but how strongly did Jesus preach repentance?” Luke answers that in his gospel. Jesus told his listeners, “But unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5).
How many churches don’t open their altars for heart-smitten people to come forward and repent? How many pastors have stopped giving invitations for this all-important spiritual work?
We must not lose all sense of our need to confess sin!

Tarfoot · 26-06-21, 13:21

Facing Down the Lions

Jim Cymbala

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (1 Peter 5:7-9, ESV).
Weakness will get you sympathy on earth, but it does nothing with Satan. He has no sympathy and no mercy. If you walk around complaining, “Oh, I’m so weak, and I haven’t read the Bible for days, and I never spend time alone with God,” you might as well be whistling for Satan to come and get you.
There’s a reason scripture refers to the devil as a roaring lion. Predators look for weakness. Lionesses lie in the high grass, studying their prey for hours, and you know what they’re looking for? Who’s weak!
Zoologists don’t even know how lions can tell if a prey animal is diseased, but they know. They can sense it somehow. They know disease like they’re veterinarians. Once they begin their run and the whole herd is going crazy, another animal can come up right in the lion’s grill, and often the lion won’t even look at it or attack it. That lion is going after one animal: the weak one.
If I’m in a spiritual coma because I haven’t picked up my Bible in months, what do you think the devil’s going to do? Be afraid of me because I had an experience with God three years ago?
We have to wake up! We must start seeking God. This is the only way we can resist the enemy and become, as Peter puts it, “firm in your faith.” In spiritual warfare, the only thing that wins is the power of God, as scripture promises us, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
If you’re feeling weak, go to your Bible. Get down on your knees. Seek God’s face. Our enemy is pitiless, but our heavenly Father gives us strength in his name.

Tarfoot · 03-07-21, 14:10

Samson’s Call and Commission

Keith Holloway

Everyone knows Samson in the Book of Judges for his feats of strength, but I’ve noticed some things about Samson that we tend to overlook.
His whole life from womb to tomb was to be committed to Christ, to God and his service. He was not to cut his hair; he was not to drink anything alcoholic; he was not to touch any dead bodies. These were signs of a separateness, a holiness. Not only was he given a call, but Judges 13:5 gives us a peek into the purpose of his life.
“For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5, ESV).
Samson would grow up and begin delivering God’s people out of the hands of their enemies. What a wonderful promise! He was given a call and commission directly from God, and I think that’s very important.
So many of us today think, “I’m just a normal person with no special skills or abilities. I have to wonder what my purpose in life is.” Many people go through life without realizing that, in the scriptures, everyone whom God has set apart for himself and destined for salvation is born with a call of God on their lives.
Paul writes, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). We are meant to be doing the work that God has put us on earth to do, and the importance of this is emphasized in another of Paul’s letters. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
You have a holy calling. Do you know what that is?
If your answer is “No, I don’t”, I strongly encourage you to ask the Lord to show it to you. We all have a similar call and commission as Samson. It doesn’t matter what your age, gender, income, education level or location is. All of us have been commissioned to save lives out of the hands of the enemy. Our lives are not to be lived for ourselves!

Tarfoot · 05-07-21, 13:39

The Danger of an Easy Life

Gary Wilkerson

I’ve been in 60 different nations around the world, and many of those countries are places where you will suffer just for being a Christian.
For instance, in Turkey or Jordan, kids from Christian homes are treated like outcasts at school. They’re called all sorts of names. They’re given poor grades. Their reports are diminished simply because they call on the name of Christ. There’s tremendous persecution. In most of the world, persecution for being a Christian is the norm. Right now, somebody is dying for their faith in some part of the world. In the U.S., on the other hand, we’ve had religious safety and freedom.
I was talking to a pastor — he’s actually the head of a denomination in Jordan — and I mentioned, “How hard it must be for you and your two boys who have grown up in these Muslim centers. With the persecution you’ve personally received and your children have received, it must be so hard for you to stand up and be a Christian in a culture like this.”
He responded, “It’s easy to stand up in a culture like this. Where it’s hard is in America. I would rather my children know that it’s a fight living for Christ. I would rather my children grow up in an Islamic state like this than in America where they would be bombarded by secular agendas to pull us away from God and Jesus Christ.”
Church, we must not allow ourselves to be seduced away from God by the apparent ease of being a Christian in our culture. The greatest tragedy of all will be when the church stops shining its light, when it stops seeing Jesus as high and lifted up, when it stops exalting God as holy, pure, true, righteous and just.
As scripture exhorts us, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:10-12, ESV).
Our greatest hope is truly being a faithful church to the Word of God, true to his Word and consistently bringing honest, full revelations about God.

Tarfoot · 10-07-21, 13:22

At the Core of Hardship

Carter Conlon
Contrary to much of modern-day theology, God never promised us a life without trials and suffering, but rather one in which we would be refined and carefully molded into His image. He never intended for us to settle for the narrow life of living solely for ourselves with affections set on the things of this world, but rather to live with hands outstretched and hearts touched by the infirmities of others.
There are some people who have such an aversion to the idea of hardship that they immediately shut down at the mere mention of it. If they don’t hear a message that makes them happy and assures them that everything is going to be fine, they quickly leave in search of a place where they will hear some good news.
What this displays is an inherent lack of understanding of the ways of God. People ultimately do themselves a great disservice when they pursue God in this way because, in reality, this is good news.
At the core of hardship is the mercy of God.
God is always faithful to strengthen and strategically prepare his people for whatever they will have to face. However, this means that we must be careful to incline our ears to what he is saying. The people who constantly search for a more palatable message will ultimately be excluded from partaking in God’s strength in the days ahead. The Lord imparts this divine strength to believers who are not afraid to listen to what the Holy Spirit is speaking and are therefore able to discern the times.
In this context, I urge you to open your heart, to recognize the fleeting nature of our lives, and to understand that the Lord is issuing a great mercy call to his people, if only they will listen. Only then will we be able to live in a manner that glorifies God and is merciful to others, regardless of the hardships we may face.

Tarfoot · 15-07-21, 17:23

Can We Thrive without God’s Law?

Most of America knows that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the Ten Commandments are no longer required to be displayed in any government courthouse. This landmark decision has been covered exhaustively by the media, but what does the ruling mean?
A courthouse is where laws are enforced. The Ten Commandments represent God’s moral law, which never shifts or changes. It is as fixed as the law of gravity. If you defy that law, it’s like stepping off a high building. You can deny that the law affects you, but there are consequences to be paid. The Ten Commandments are eternal laws designed by God to keep society from destroying itself.
Despite this, many sand-blasting companies have ground away those Commandments, as well as God’s name, wherever they were engraved in courthouse marble or concrete.
What a telling picture of the state of our society. These unchangeable laws were originally engraved in stone by the finger of God. Now they are being erased from stone by the law of man.
Some Christians are saying, “What’s the big deal? We are not under the law. Why should this be an issue?” No, we are not under the Hebrew law, meaning the 613 additional commandments added by Jewish rabbis. But every Christian is under the authority of God’s moral law, which is summed up in the Ten Commandments.
Other believers claim, “We don’t need these displays of the Commandments. All that’s really necessary is for us to have them written in our hearts.” That’s not what God’s Word says. Consider the very visible presence God intended for the Commandments as they were delivered to his people.
“These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
If you don’t want God in your midst, he doesn’t simply go away. The Bible offers warning after warning on this matter. Why did God judge Noah’s generation by sending a flood? It all happened because of lawlessness.
We must pray for people to turn back to the Lord and honor his law once more. AMEN

Tarfoot · 16-07-21, 13:29

Testing the Limits of Grace

“Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents” (1 Corinthians 10:8-9, NKJV).
What does Paul mean here when he speaks of “tempting Christ”? Simply put, tempting the Lord means putting him to the test. We tempt him whenever we ask, “Just how merciful will God be to me if I move forward into this sin? How long can I indulge my sin before his anger is stirred? I know God is merciful, and this is an era of grace with no condemnation toward sinners. How could he possibly judge me, when I’m his child?”
Multitudes of Christians casually ask the same question today as they toy with a wicked temptation. They want to see how close they can get to hellfire without facing the consequences of sin. All the while, such believers are casting off conviction from God’s Word. They’re tempting Christ.
Any time we go against truth that God’s Spirit has made clear to us, we’re casting off Paul’s warning: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Ask yourself if you are testing the limits of God’s precious gift of grace. Are you asking Christ to indulge your sin in the face of your outright rebellion? You may say to yourself, “I’m a New Testament believer. I’m covered under the blood of Jesus. God won’t judge me.” By continuing in your sin, you are treating Jesus’ great sacrifice for you with utter disregard. Your present willful sin is putting him to open shame, not just in the world’s eyes, but before all of heaven and hell (see Hebrews 6:6).
Paul describes a way of escape from all temptation: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Dear believer, don’t flirt with sin and tempt God. Our escape is a growing knowledge and experience of the holy fear of God.

Tarfoot · 20-07-21, 13:43

He Who Watches Sparrows

“Therefore whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33, NKJV).
The Greek word for confess in this passage means covenant, assent or agreement. Jesus is speaking of an agreement we have with him. Our part is to confess him, or represent him, in our daily lives. We are to live by his promises of protection and personal care for us, and we are to testify of his marvelous blessings by how we live.
Confessing Christ means more than believing in his divinity. The Bible says even demons believe this and tremble at the knowledge (see James 2:19). So what does Jesus mean when he says we are to confess him before men?
What had Christ just told his listeners before the passage in verses 32 and 33? He had said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will” (Matthew 10:29). Jesus was telling them, “Think of the millions of birds throughout the earth. Now think of all the birds that have existed since Creation. To this day, not one bird has died or been snared without your heavenly Father knowing it.”
He then pointed out, “The very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30). Christ was emphasizing, “God is so great, he’s beyond your ability to comprehend. You’ll never be able to grasp how detailed his care for you is.”
Jesus concluded by saying, “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31), then he sums everything up by saying, “Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). He is saying, “Think about what I’ve just revealed to you about the Father’s all-seeing, all-knowing care. You’re to confess this truth to the whole world. You’re to live, breathe and testify, ‘God cares for me.’”
Believe in the Father’s love for you, and accept his intimate care for you. Lay down all your fears and doubts. Confess to everyone, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches over me.” Live before men with the faith that God hasn’t overlooked you.

Tarfoot · 20-07-21, 15:13

Christians SILENCED & Imprisoned - ACLJ's Fight at Home and Abroad

Tarfoot · 23-07-21, 13:51

Walking as a New Man or Woman

You know the story. A young man took his portion of his father’s inheritance and squandered it on riotous living. He ended up broken, ruined in health and spirit. At his lowest point, he decided to return to his father. Scripture tells us, “He arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20, NKJV).
Note that nothing hindered this father’s forgiveness of his son. There was nothing this boy had to do, not even confess his sins, because the father had already made provision for reconciliation. Indeed, the father ran to his son and embraced him as soon as he saw the boy coming up the road.
Forgiveness is never a problem for any loving father. Likewise, it’s never a problem with our heavenly Father when he sees a repentant child.
With that in mind, forgiveness is not the main issue in this parable. In fact, Jesus makes it clear that it wasn’t enough for this prodigal merely to be forgiven. There needed to be restoration. The father didn’t embrace his son to forgive him and then let him go his way. No, that father yearned for his child’s company and communion. Even though the prodigal was forgiven and in favor once more, he still wasn’t settled in his father’s house. Only then would the father be satisfied, his joy fulfilled when his son was brought into his company. That is the issue in this parable.
Here the story gets very interesting. Note how the father responds to his son. He utters not a single word of reproof. There is no reference to the prodigal’s rebellion, foolishness, profligate living and spiritual bankruptcy. In fact, the father didn’t even acknowledge his son’s attempts to stay outside. Why?
In the father’s eyes, the old boy was dead. That son was out of his thoughts completely. This son who had returned home was a new man, and his past would never be brought up. The father was saying, “As far as I’m concerned, the old you is gone. Now, walk with me as a new man.”
This is the same invitation our heavenly Father gives us. The sin problem is settled. We are invited to come boldly into his presence and partake in his mercy.

Tarfoot · 24-07-21, 14:13

Choosing the Better Fruit

By Claude Houde
In the book of Galatians, the apostle Paul draws up an unfiltered, precise and realistic list of numerous negative emotions and thoughts that we struggle with on a daily basis: impurity, anger, jealousy, envy, grudges, pity, shame, insecurity, pride, egocentricity, deceitfulness, laziness, despair, hatred, wickedness, hypocrisy, etc. We clearly see how our nature manifests itself in immorality and idolatry.
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21, ESV)
Understand that the apostle Paul’s words were radically politically incorrect in the eyes and ears of the religious legalists of his day who hypocritically claimed to live above all sin.
It’s as if he’s telling them but also us today, “Don't be hypocrites. These emotions, thoughts and bad actions are present in all of us. They are very real temptations on our doorstep every day. Let us not deny their existence and their impact on our relationship dynamics. On the contrary, let's recognize them, identify them and resist them by placing them daily in God’s hands.”
In the remainder of his letter, Paul uncovers the emotions and thoughts that God wants and can create or restore in us by his Spirit: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). The fruit of a relationship with God produces an obvious work in us, which results in a wide range of strong but healthy emotions.
God did not give us a spirit of wickedness, fear, resentment or anger. He gave us a spirit of love, peace, forgiveness, hope and consolation. The fruit of the spirit of God in us is a gift that he desires to rekindle every day. To that end, Paul commanded believers to put certain practices in place to help these spiritual fruits grow: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
Our lives can be a pleasing offering to God through the constant renewing of our hearts and thoughts.

05-03-21, 16:05	#1001
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You The Exceeding Danger of Unbelief “And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.…. Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:18-19,12). Hebrews warns the New Testament church to heed Israel’s example. Consider what happened to the unbelieving generation who were turned back into the wilderness. God told them pointedly that his hand would be against them. From then on, all they would know is distress and leanness of soul. They wouldn’t see his glory. Instead, they would become focused on their own problems and consumed by their own lusts. That’s exactly what happens with all unbelieving people: They end up consumed with their own welfare. They have no vision, no sense of God’s presence, and no prayer life. They no longer care about their neighbors, or a lost world, or eventually even their friends. Instead, the entire focus of their lives is on their problems, their troubles, their illnesses. They go from one crisis to another, shut up in their own pain and suffering. And their days are filled with confusion, strife, envy and division. For thirty-eight years, Moses watched as, one by one, every Israelite in the unbelieving generation died. As he looked back on those who wasted their lives away in the wilderness, he saw that everything God had warned about had happened. “The hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them until they were consumed” (see Deuteronomy 2). God suspended his eternal purpose for Israel for all those years. Likewise today, some Christians are content to merely exist until they die. They don’t want to risk anything, to believe God, to grow or mature. They refuse to believe his Word, and have become hardened in their unbelief. Now they’re just living to die. Beloved, you will only see His glory when you walk in obedience. Choose that path and find life everlasting! AMEN __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

06-03-21, 15:53	#1002
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Putting Our Hand in His Jim Cymbala We helped raise our granddaughter so she was often with us, and one time we were walking through Queens. She was about five or six and a bit ahead of us. Then some junior hoodlums turned the corner ahead of us, and they were trying to look hard, and their jeans are falling off their backends. They’re cursing, shoving each other and yelling, “You got nothing. Let me see what you got.” The moment my granddaughter sees them, she comes a little closer to me. We’re walking closer and closer to this group of wannabe gangsters, and they're all trying to act so tough even though they’re practically kids themselves, but my granddaughter doesn’t know that. She gets closer and closer to me. One of these kids pushes another, and he falls off the curb. Suddenly, her little hand reaches out, searching for mine, her whole body rigid and tense. The moment I took her hand — it’s a moment caught so clearly in my memory — her whole body relaxed. I can’t remember any of the Christmas presents or things she’s gotten me over the years, but I will never forget that moment because trust is precious. This is what God wants from us. He invites us to trust him, at all times but especially when something frightens us. “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthews 6:26, ESV). So how do we grow in faith? Faith comes by hearing a promise and a truth. The Word of God has power to create faith. When scripture says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1), we must notice that it’s in present tense. It’s moment by moment. Faith means to trust; but even more than that, it means to rely and to lean on something. In the Old Testament, David describes faith as “I will run to him and find protection under his wings.” We are all in a school of faith, and God wants to develop faith in you and me. This is part of why he allows troubles in our lives or the answer to prayers is delayed, so we learn to trust him. Us trusting and relying on him means more than anything else in this world. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

10-03-21, 03:08	#1003
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,596 Thanks: 27,633 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Tarfoot our world is in turmoil ATM for many reasons. Repetition of history... But mankind never learns.. & Sadly many are unable to read this or respond However no EVIL LEADER / POLITICAN / DICTATOR can escape their FINAL JUDGEMENT Day before they meet the GREAT POWER above all of us... no matter which faith we follow Some poignant words from a man who knew he was dying... Blessings to you and to others that are suffering. i was blessed to experience The White Light & warmth of The Holy Spirit more than once in my life George Harrison - My Sweet Lord

10-03-21, 15:30	#1004
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You The Healing Balm of Refreshment “The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me…and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus” (2 Timothy 1:16-18). Onesiphorus was one of Paul’s spiritual sons and he loved Paul so deeply and unconditionally that he sought him out in his sufferings. Once, when Paul was jailed, Onesiphorus went through the city looking for him until he found him. His motivation was simply, “My brother is hurting. He has suffered the terrors of shipwreck, and now he’s being buffeted by Satan. I have to encourage him.” The ministry of refreshing clearly includes seeking out those who are hurting. We hear a lot of talk about power in the church these days: power to heal the sick, power to win the lost, power to overcome sin. But I say there is great, healing power that flows out of a refreshed and renewed person. Depression, mental anguish or a troubled spirit can cause all kinds of physical sickness, but a spirit that’s refreshed and encouraged—one that’s made to feel accepted, loved and needed—is the healing balm needed most. We find this ministry of refreshing in the Old Testament as well. When David was being hunted down by King Saul, he was exhausted and hurting, forced to run day and night. During that time, he felt rejected by God’s leaders and God’s people. Then, at a crucial moment, David’s friend Jonathan came to him: “Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, ‘Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that’” (1 Samuel 23:16-17). That was all David needed to hear and immediately his spirit was refreshed to go on. We see this example time after time in Scripture: God sends not an angel or a vision, but a fellow believer to refresh his beloved ones. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

11-03-21, 15:51	#1005
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You What Baffles the Angels? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek” (Matthew 6:31-32). Jesus tells us that worry—about the future of our family, about jobs, about how we are to survive—is a heathen’s way of life. Jesus is talking here about those who have no heavenly Father. They do not know God as he wants to be known, as a caring, providing, loving Father in heaven. “Do not worry about tomorrow” (v. 34). In these plain words, Jesus commands us, “Do not give a thought, do not give a worry, about what might or might not happen tomorrow. You can’t change anything. And you can’t help by worrying. When you do, you’re only doing as the heathen do.” Then Jesus says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (v. 33). In other words, you are to go on loving Jesus. You are to move on, casting all your cares on him. You are to go on resting in his faithfulness. Your heavenly Father will see to it that you are supplied with all the essential things of life. I wonder if the angels are baffled by all the worrying and anxiousness of those who claim to trust in God. To them it must seem so degrading, so insulting to the Lord, that we worry as if we had no caring Father in heaven. What perplexing questions the angels must ask among themselves: “Have they no Father who is in heaven? Do they not believe he loves them? Did he not tell them he knows all about their needs? Do they not believe that he who feeds the birds and the whole animal kingdom will feed and clothe them? How can they fret and worry if they know he owns all power, all wealth, and can supply the needs of all creation? Would they accuse their heavenly Father of neglect, as if he was not true to his word?” You have a heavenly Father. Trust him! AMEN __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

13-03-21, 16:05	#1006
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Strengthened in the Fire “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13, ESV). It was the apostle Paul who penned those words to exhort the believers in Ephesus. Another translation says it this way: “Then after the battle you will still be standing firm” (NLT). Of course, there would not be much weight to Paul’s words had he himself not gone through the fire and ultimately been able to stand. From the very onset of his ministry, the apostle Paul was entrusted with great suffering and trials. Shortly after the Lord stopped Paul on the road to Damascus, our Savior appeared in a vision to a man named Ananias and told him to pray for Paul. “He is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:15-16). Paul clearly understood that he was appointed by God to be his witness, thus he embraced the suffering that accompanied this call. In fact, he even went so far as to regard suffering as “fellowship.” Notice what he said to the Philippian church: “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10). It is tragic that this truth about suffering in the Christian life is largely neglected in much of today’s theology. I find it appalling that there are even places where people completely discount Paul’s life and the things he had to go through. Instead, they use the words of Paul to somehow convince people that suffering and trials should not be part of the Christian experience. It is almost inconceivable, especially as we see in the scriptures that Paul certainly did not try to hide his trials from the early church. Paul was constantly delivered into places in which he could not have survived in his own strength. He experienced suffering and trials to such a degree that without the infusion of Christ’s life within, he could not have endured in his own human ability. Paul possessed an inner core, however, that proves to us today that ordinary people are able to withstand all the adversity and opposition they encounter by the life of Christ within them. Suffering is part of the Christian life, and our faith becomes deeper each time we are tested, thanks be to God! AMEN __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

20-03-21, 14:39	#1008
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Good News and Bad News Anyone ever say to you, “I’ve got good news and bad news… Which one do you want hear first?” I always say I want to hear the bad news first because I want to end on a good note. The bad news is we don’t know how to pray. Even the ‘best’ prayer warriors aren’t good enough. As for the rest of us, we may think, “I don’t have a good healing prayer. I don’t know how to pray for the Muslim nation.” If you’ve thought that, you’re certainly not alone. I’ve sat in prayer meetings, praying that they don’t ask me to pray! The Apostle Paul even said this, “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought…” (Romans 8:26, ESV). The good news is that the Holy Spirit, God in us, helps us to pray. You could be saved 10 minutes and still be powerful in prayer, because it’s not up to you. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20) Paul is saying, “This is not dependent on you. You don’t have to be eloquent or speak in Old King James. You can pray — say something, say anything — and God will get it right for you.” We’re thinking, “If I don’t pray the right thing or mess up somehow, then nothing’s going to happen.” Nothing could be further from the truth. God goes beyond our simple words. God goes beyond your ask. He goes beyond the words that we don’t even know how to say. Even if our prayers don’t make the grade, God pushes them far beyond anything we would’ve thought to ask. God takes what we say, makes it right and then puts power behind it, which takes so much of the pressure off of us. We pray, “Help,” and God thinks, “I know how to interpret that for them.” __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

24-03-21, 15:53	#1009
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You I Saw Jesus and Was Terrified \| This Is What He Showed Me __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

25-03-21, 14:37	#1010
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Hearts Set on Jesus’ Return In Matthew 24 Jesus uses a parable to teach about being ready for his return: “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:44-51). Note that Jesus is speaking about servants here, meaning believers. One servant is called faithful and the other evil. What makes the latter evil in God’s eyes? According to Jesus, it’s something he “says in his heart” (24:48). This servant doesn’t voice such a thought and he doesn’t preach it. But he thinks it. He has sold his heart on the demonic lie, “The Lord delays his coming.” Notice he doesn’t say, “The Lord isn’t coming,” but “he delays his coming.” In other words, “Jesus won’t come suddenly or unexpectedly. He won’t return in my generation.” This “evil servant” is clearly a type of believer, perhaps even one in ministry. He was commanded to “watch” and “be ready” (Matthew 24:44). Yet this man eases his conscience by accepting Satan’s lie. Jesus shows us the fruit of this kind of thinking. If a servant is convinced that the Lord has delayed his coming, then he sees no need for right living. He isn’t compelled to make peace with his fellow servants. He doesn’t see the need to preserve unity in his home, at work, in church. He could smite his fellow servants, accuse them, hold grudges, destroy their reputations. As Peter says, this servant is driven by his lusts. He wants to live in two worlds, indulging in evil living while believing he’s safe from righteous judgment. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

27-03-21, 14:22	#1011
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Overthrowing Two Lies of the Enemy One of your biggest responsibilities is towards your family. God calls you to grow personally because it is impossible to help your children grow if, as parents, you are not growing. Right from the start, we have tendency to favor or to neglect certain areas of knowledge according to our backgrounds, personalities and lives. We must, therefore, ask God to help us find and maintain a balanced personality, in order to guide our family members in their growth. However, I would like to point out two terrible lies that the enemy of our souls uses to suffocate us and curb our growth as well as that of our family. Together, we have to expose and overthrow them in order to free ourselves and keep hope in our family. The first one is “It’s too late” where you end convincing yourself that nothing can change in a particular situation. It is a danger, a temptation and a lie that drives us to give up in our relationships and spirituality. The second lie is “I don't need to change.” It takes root in our pride and convinces us that it is up to others to change. I cannot help my spouse to grow if I don’t grow myself. With Jesus, I am called to grow in four spheres: In wisdom, whether intellectually, according to my education, my knowledge and learning, my maturity. In stature, either by adopting good habits in life or physically in a healthy lifestyle. In favor with all men, my social development in terms of interpersonal skills. In favor before God, spiritually by nurturing our personal knowledge of God, the Word, his nature, his promises and his plans. Today, your family needs to hear you say, "Lord, keep changing me. I confess my pride to you. I still need to change. I stand humbly before you and ask you to mold me into the image of your son, Jesus. I want to grow in you and be used by you to inspire and help each member of my family grow in you.” __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

31-03-21, 14:49	#1012
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Heaven in our Souls I sought the Lord in prayer and I asked him, “What is the most important aspect of your making us your temple?” Here’s what came to me: access with boldness and confidence. Paul says of Christ, “in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Ephesians 3:12). In the Jewish temple, there was very little access to God. In fact, such access was available only to the high priest, and then only once a year. When the time came, the priest entered God’s presence in the temple with fear and trembling. He knew he could be struck down for approaching the mercy seat with unforgiven sin in his heart. Today God has emerged from that small, restricted room. And he has come directly to us in all our disgrace and corruption. He tells us, “I’ve come to live in you. You don’t have to hide your filth and despair from me. I’ve chosen you because I want you and I’m about to turn your body into my home, my dwelling place, my residence. “I’ll send my Holy Spirit, who will sanctify you. He’s going to clean and sweep out every room, to prepare your heart as my bride, but that’s not all. I’m going to seat you right next to me and I’ll urge you to come boldly to my throne, with confidence. You see, I want you to ask me for power, grace, strength, everything you need. I’ve brought heaven down into your souls, so you can have access to it all. You’re rich, yet you don’t even realize it. You’re an heir to all my glory.” The sole reason your body is holy is because the Holy Ghost lives there. And it’s kept holy only by his continual presence and power. You can’t do it. You’d become a nervous wreck just trying to guard all the entrances. You’d get discouraged when you failed to keep out all the dust and filth that blows in. You’d get weary by running from room to room, sweeping and polishing, trying to make things look good. Every Christian ought to rejoice in this fact: God is in you! And he is with you always, so who can be against you? __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

01-04-21, 14:32	#1013
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You God Uses People God uses people to refresh other people. He so loves this kind of ministry that he moved the prophet Malachi to speak of it as a most-needed work in the last days. Malachi described how, in his day, God’s people built each other up through one-on-one edification: “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another” (Malachi 3:16). When did this happen, exactly? Malachi’s words came during a time of rampant ungodliness, when the “devourer” had destroyed much fruit in the land. God’s people had grown weary and started to doubt that walking with the Lord was worth it. They thought, “We’re told it pays to serve the Lord, obey his Word and carry his burdens. But as we look around at the proud and the compromisers, they’re the ones who seem happy. They’re pursuing prosperity, living carelessly, enjoying life to the fullest.” I’m convinced Malachi’s word about this ministry is a mirror image of the present day. He has given us a picture of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days, as God’s people stop gossiping and complaining and instead minister refreshing. It’s happening by phone, by letter, by e-mail, and face to face. And God is so pleased with this ministry, we’re told he writes everything down. Every kind word spoken, every call made, every letter written, every effort to comfort the downcast is recorded in a “book of remembrance.” And the Bible says each of us whose deeds are written down will be precious to him: “’They shall be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘on the day that I make them My jewels’” (Malachi 3:17). Be a Titus to someone who’s downcast in spirit. Pray to have the spirit of Onesiphorus, who sought out the hurting to bring them to healing. Think of it: You’ve been given all the power of heaven to refresh a hurting believer, someone who needs the consolation that God has given uniquely to you. Yes, there are people who need you and the Lord intends your past consolations to bring refreshing to them. Call that someone today and say, “Brother, sister, I want to pray for and encourage you. I’ve got a good word for you.” __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

05-04-21, 16:50	#1014
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You In the Middle of Corrupt Culture The early church found itself in very similar circumstances that we find ourselves in today. They were living under the authoritarian rule of Rome with its most ungodly, pagan culture. Violence was publicly glorified. They were faced with sexual immorality that surpassed even the vile degradations that we see in our own culture today. In our own culture in the last twenty years, it has been horrifying to see perversion after perversion not only propagated but also accepted as the norm. In the future, we may be marked for having a church membership or even attending church. In the future, it may cost us to be a Christian. What will we do then? If you were to read Romans chapters one, two and three, you would be reading the newspapers of today. We don’t need to get anxious, though, or fearful or throw our hands up in despair. We must remember that in the middle of a perverse culture and a suffering church, Jesus is not overwhelmed. He is not finished, and he still has work he is doing. He will raise up a prevailing church to witness about his glory. He will fill his followers with the Spirit, power and boldness to speak out. Those who have a hunger to see God move, those who see what is happening out in the world and weep, to them God will give a holy cry. He will put a holy prayer in their hearts. God will give them an anointing to minister to his saints and to a dying world. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

06-04-21, 14:35	#1015
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Boldness in Praying God’s Promises The Bible tells us that the Lord is no respecter of persons. And because he doesn’t show favoritism—because his promises never change from generation to generation—we can ask him to show us the same mercies he has shown his people through history. Even King Manasseh who sinned worse than any king before him yet when he repented, was restored (see 2 King 21:1-18). So, dear saint, when you fear you may have sinned too often against the Lord’s mercy…when you think you’ve crossed a line, and God has given up on you…when you’re discouraged, cast down by failure or by unChrist-like behavior…when you wonder if God is putting you on a shelf, or withholding his love from you because of past sins—if you truly have a repentant heart, then lay hold of this truth: GOD CHANGES NOT. Bind God to his Word. Write down every remembrance you have of what he has done for you in past years. Then go to Scripture and find other instances of his “mercy precedents” with his people. Bring these lists before the Lord and remind him: “God, you cannot deny your own Word. You are the same yesterday, today and forever.” Today we have something that the Old Testament saints could only dream of. And that is God’s own Son seated at the right hand of the Father-Judge. We know the Son, because he is our blood-covenant brother, by adoption. And we are able to claim our blood-tie to him whenever we stand before the Judge and bind him to his own arguments: “Father, I have nothing to bring you but your own Word. You promised that I would be complete in Christ, that you would keep me from falling, and Jesus would be my intercessor. You promised you would open your ears to my petition and supply all my needs. Oh, Lord, have mercy and grace on me now, in my hour of need. Amen!” I truly believe that God is wonderfully blessed when we approach his throne with this kind of boldness, binding him to his own Word. It’s as if he says to us, “Finally, you got it. You bless me!” __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

09-04-21, 14:49	#1016
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Bound to the Living Word The Lord rules over all of creation with majesty and power. His laws govern the whole universe—all of nature, every nation and all the affairs of men. He rules over the seas, the planets, the heavenly bodies and all their movements. The Bible tells us: “He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations” (Psalm 66:7). This Psalm was written by David, who is testifying, in essence: “Lord, your testimonies—your laws, decrees and words—are irrevocable. They are utterly reliable.” The author of Hebrews echoes this, declaring that God’s Living Word is eternal and unchangeable: “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Think about it: There are laws operating in the universe that govern how things work, without exception. Consider the laws that rule the movements of the sun, moon, stars and earth. These heavenly bodies were all put into place when God spoke a word, and since that time they have been ruled by laws that God also spoke into being. We’re told throughout the New Testament that this great God is our Father and that he takes pity on his children. Hebrews tells us the Lord is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, and that he hears our every cry and bottles every tear. Yet we’re also told that he is the righteous King who judges by his law. And his Word is his constitution, containing all of his legal decrees, by which he rules justly. Everything in existence is judged by his immutable Word. Simply put, we can hold the Bible in our hands and know, “This book tells me who God is. It describes his attributes, nature, promises and judgments. It is his rule of law, from his own mouth, by which he rules and reigns. And it is a Word to which he has bound himself.” Every earthly judge is bound to determine the case before him according to the established law. God rules and judges everything before him according to the eternal law—that is, his own established Word. When the Lord makes a ruling, he speaks by his living Word, a Word to which he has bound himself. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

15-04-21, 16:46	#1017
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Abiding with the Holy Spirit “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.” (Psalm 46:1-7, 9). What a marvelous word. I’ve read this passage over and over, dozens of times, and I’m still overwhelmed by it. God’s Word to us here is so powerful, so immovable, he tells us, “Never again do you need to fear. It doesn’t matter if the whole world is in turmoil. The earth may quake, the oceans may swell, the mountains may crumble into the sea. Things may be in complete chaos, a total uproar all around you. Right now, the whole world is in a fearful time. Nations are trembling over terrorism, knowing no region is immune to the threats. Personal troubles and sufferings are mounting. Yet, in the midst of it all, Psalm 46 echoes to God’s people the world over: “I am in your midst. I am with you through it all. My people will not be destroyed or moved. I’m going to be an ever-present help to my church.” God knows we all face deep needs; we all encounter turmoil, temptations, times of confusion that cause our souls to quake. His message for us in Psalm 46 is meant for just such times. He is saying that if we give in to fear, becoming downcast and full of despair, we’re living absolutely contrary to his reality in our lives. It’s vital that you grasp what the Lord is telling us in this Psalm. Our God is available to us at any time, day or night. He’s continually at our right hand, willing to speak to us and to guide us. And he’s made this possible by giving us his Holy Spirit to abide in us. The Bible tells us that Christ himself is in us, and we are in him. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

16-04-21, 14:53	#1018
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Lord Jesus, Come Quickly Here is the cry of the apostle John in the Bible’s final book: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20, NKJV). It may seem strange that John would pray for this, though, knowing that Jesus himself told his followers, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14)? Can we have any impact on when Jesus returns? When was the last time you prayed, “Lord Jesus, come quickly, come soon”? Personally, I can’t remember praying this prayer. I never knew I could hasten Christ’s coming by allowing myself to long for this and pray these words. Yet Peter gives us proof of this incredible truth: “Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” (2 Peter 3:12). In Greek, the phrase “hasting…the coming of (that) day” means “to speed up, to urge on.” Peter says our expectant prayers are hastening, speeding up, urging the Father to send back his Son quickly. The Lord’s merciful patience dictates the timing of his return. So, does this mean we shouldn’t pray for his coming? Not at all. Christ himself tells us, “For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days” (Mark 13:19-20). Imagine what might happen if, all over the world, Christ’s bride were to wake up and pray in the Spirit, “Jesus, come.” So, where do we hear this cry of the Spirit today? It comes through those who live and walk in the Spirit, their bodies the temple of the Holy Ghost, who are filled with a longing to be with the Lord. The Spirit cries in and through them, “Hasten, Lord, come.” Come Lord Jesus come.....AMEN __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

17-04-21, 15:11	#1019
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Forgiving Our Worst Enemies By Tim Dilena C.S. Lewis wrote these words: “Forgiveness is a lovely idea until you have to forgive someone.” Nothing could be truer, right? Corrie ten Boom has one of the most amazing stories about forgiveness. Her book The Hiding Place is about how her family housed Jews running from the Nazis in Amsterdam. The Nazis eventually caught up with them and put her whole family in the concentration camps. Every one of them died, except Corrie. She went on for 30 more years to preach the gospel. One day, Corrie said, she was preaching in Munich, Germany decades after the days of the concentration camp. At the church where she was preaching, she saw a familiar face. It was a guard who had routinely mocked her and put her in a shower nearly every day, pretending that he was going to exterminate her, and who was responsible for her sister Betsie’s death. He was sitting there in front of her. Now, suddenly, forgiveness is not so lovely of an idea, is it? She recognized the guard, but he didn’t recognize her. After the service, the ex-guard came up and said, “Fraulein, I heard you mention Ravensbrück. I was a guard there. But since those days, I've become a Christian. I know that God forgives me, but would you forgive me?” She said, “I stood there paralyzed. This man was a monster. He’d killed my family, and he’d killed my sister.” She said that as she sat there, this was her prayer: “Forgive me, Father, for the inability to forgive.” Then she said that the power of the Holy Spirit surged through her. She felt her hand go out, clasp his and heard herself say to this man, "You are forgiven." Later, she said, "That day, not only was the man set free, but I was set free.” When you forgive, you're not changing the past, but you are changing your own future. This is what the gospel is all about. That's the glory of what we believe; the way Christianity conquers its enemies is by forgiving its enemies. “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:11-13, ESV). __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

22-04-21, 22:04	#1020
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Delight Yourself in the Lord Our peace and contentment always depend upon our resignation into God’s hands, no matter what our circumstance. The psalmist writes, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). If you’ve fully resigned yourself into God’s hands, then you’re able to endure any and all hardships. Your Father’s desire is for you to be able to go about your daily business without fear or anxiety, totally trusting in his care. And your resignation to him has a very practical effect in your life. The more resigned you are to God’s care and keeping, the more indifferent you’ll be to the conditions around you. If you are resigned to him, you won’t constantly be trying to figure out the next step. You won’t be scared by the frightful news swirling around you. You won’t be overwhelmed as you think about the days ahead because you’ve entrusted your life, family and future into your Lord’s safe and loving hands. How worried or concerned do you think sheep are as they follow their shepherd? They are not worried at all, because they’re totally resigned to his leading them. Likewise, we are the sheep of Christ, who is our great Shepherd. So, why should we ever be concerned, disquieted or worried about our lives and futures? He knows perfectly how to protect and preserve his flock because he leads us in love! In my own life, I’ve had to learn to trust God one problem at a time. Think about it: How can I say I trust God with everything, if I haven’t proven I can trust him with just one thing? Merely saying the words, “I trust the Lord completely,” isn’t sufficient. I have to prove this over and over again in my life, in many areas and in everyday things. Many people living today have said, “I resign, I commit, I trust,” only after they say there was no other way out of their situation. But true resignation, the kind that pleases God, is done freely and willingly, prior to our coming to wit’s end. We are to act in agreement with the Lord, as Abraham did, giving God his life as a blank check, and letting the Lord fill it all in. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

23-04-21, 17:47	#1021
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You One Path to the Throne You can’t weep your way into this heavenly place. You can’t study or work or will your way in. No, the only way to the throne-life is by way of a living sacrifice: “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Paul is speaking from experience. Here is a man who was rejected, tempted, persecuted, beaten, jailed, shipwrecked, stoned. Paul also had all the cares of the church laid on him. Now he’s saying to us, “Do you want to know how I came to be content in whatever condition I was placed, how I came to find true rest in Christ? Here is the path, the secret to appropriating your heavenly position: Present your body as a living sacrifice to the Lord.” The Greek root for “living” here suggests “lifelong.” Paul is talking about a binding commitment, a sacrifice that’s made once in a lifetime. Yet, don’t misunderstand; this isn’t a sacrifice that has to do with propitiation for sin. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the only worthy propitiation: “Now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26). The sacrifice Paul describes is one that God takes great pleasure in, precisely because it involves the heart. What is this sacrifice? It is one of death to our will, of laying aside our self-sufficiency and abandoning our ambitions. When Paul exhorts, “Present your body,” he’s saying, “Draw near to the Lord.” Yet, what does this mean, exactly? It means drawing near to God for the purpose of offering our entire selves to him. It means coming to him not in our own sufficiency, but as a resurrected child, as holy in Jesus’ righteousness, as being accepted by the Father through our position in Christ. The moment you resign your will to him, the sacrifice has been made. It happens when you give up the struggle of trying to please God on your own. This act of faith is the “reasonable service” Paul refers to. It’s all about trusting him with our will, believing he’ll provide all the blessings we need. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

26-04-21, 14:36	#1022
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Uncovering Christ’s Strength One of the Bible’s most powerful and yet also misused promises is “I can do all things through him [Christ] who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, ESV). This is not meant for the football player to put on their eye black and say, “I can smash the other team.” It is not meant for the MMA fighter to put on his robe that he wears up to the cage, saying, “I can do all things with Christ. I can beat up this other guy.” That’s not what this scripture means, not even in the slightest. Paul is talking about suffering, endurance and knowing how to live without. The book of Acts tells us that the Philippian church was living in extreme poverty, and there was a certain point in their poverty where they couldn’t give money to Paul who was in prison. Now when you’re in a prison in Rome, they don’t feed you. You have to have friends who bring you food. The Philippians were Paul’s main resource, but they didn’t have money to give, so there was a season when he was going without. That’s when he said, “You know, even when I’m abased like this, even when I have nothing, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” You may have this verse on your refrigerator, talking about your diet. Sure, that might help, but this promise is about much more. When your life feels like it’s falling apart, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you with a peace that surpasses all understanding (see Philippians 4:7). This strength, this peace is what allows us to deal with the great difficulties in our lives. Maybe you’re facing a bitter spouse or prodigal child who’s breaking your heart. The ability to keep pressing in can only be done with the power of the Lord. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

01-05-21, 14:21	#1023
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Living on the Battlefield “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil…. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one”. Paul is giving this teaching about the battle that we’re in and what we need to be victorious in it, what we need to pick up or put on. Notice, you can’t just acknowledge that there’s armor. Scripture doesn’t say “study the armor of God.” It says, “Put on the armor of God!” This is one of the problems for many Christians today. We’re into a type of mental positivism and false triumphalism where it’s hard for us to talk about what really goes on in life. We’re all involved in warfare. Paul was involved in this struggle, and he’s one of the greatest Christians we’ve ever heard of. So if one of the greatest Christians talks about our struggle against the demonic forces that are arrayed under Satan, we should pay attention. Our minds are where the warfare is, temptations to sin, to quit, whispers of despair, taking our eyes off of Christ. If you hear anyone talking spiritual smack — “I’ve got to a place where I’m not even tempted by the enemy. I just have victory every place where I put my foot down.” — don’t ever believe them. We’re all in a battle. We’re all tempted. We all fight off discouragement. We all have to ask God for grace every single day. We need mercy because we all mess up. Don’t tell me that’s not real because the battlefield is littered with people who were once preaching the gospel! Forget simply being a Christian. These were preachers and church leaders, and now they’re in rehab somewhere or have created great scandals and a mess in their church and city. Some people lose out in this battle. They don’t put on the full armor. Somewhere the enemy got entrance. The arrow sticks. We must not lose sight of the battle we’re in right now, each day. We must encourage each other with these passages and help one another fight effectively as war rages on around us. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

03-05-21, 15:06	#1024
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You A Land of Pleading Hearts “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7, ESV). No one wants to just go through the motions. Don’t you want to be a man or woman who clearly has the touch of God on your life? Wouldn’t you want people to look at you and think, “What is it about that person? There’s a holy anointing on them. There’s a touch of God on their life.” I believe God wants to raise up people and say, “Ah, there’s a vessel right there that I can work through. There’s a heart, there’s a mouth, there’s a voice that I can speak through in these dark days.” He wants people through whom he can stretch out his hand to heal and give signs and wonders. As the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord sets up a counterpoint. That’s what he wants to do in your life. If you’re living in a generation that is raging against the Holy One, then you’re going to need a pleading in your heart saying, “Come, Lord Jesus, come! Come, Holy Spirit in your fullness and your power, come to your church and revive us. Awaken us.” We need the Holy Spirit to shake this place once again and put us through the refiner’s fire, burning off the dross so that we might come out as pure gold. We want to come out of hard times and oppression on fire for God. I pray that once again the Holy Spirit would capture our hearts. Lord, stretch out your hand on our lives. Lord, put the touch on our country. Oh God, that’s our cry. I ask that our prayer lives would once more be on fire and that we would become almost obsessed with seeking the Lord’s face. We need to ask our Lord to rid us of backsliding and a coldness of heart, an unwillingness to be corrected. He must heal us so that we can come into the fullness of the anointing he has for us. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

10-05-21, 14:38	#1025
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Having a Fervent Spirit I heard a bestselling author talk about how one of the great problems we face in America today and the modern church is busyness, and I believe it. It’s so common to talk to people and hear them say, “Oh, I’m so busy. I have so much going on in my life.” If your life is helter-skelter, falling apart at the seams, and there’s no margin, it’s probably because you’re not living in obedience to what God has for you. You’re doing more than that, and that’s why so many people feel overwhelmed. However, there’s a whole group of people on the other side of the spectrum that the church doesn’t talk too much about, and that’s the lazy ones. Now they often still say they’re busy, but they spend four, five, six hours a day watching the television or in front of some kind of screen being entertained. Some entertainment is good and can be fun. I enjoy movies as much as anyone. There’s nothing wrong with entertainment in and of itself. This is not to say that you shouldn’t play sports or watch films. This is dealing with an attitude of the heart. When entertainment becomes such a large portion of your life, when it rules and dictates your choices, when it becomes your priority, it points to a deep heart-sin. The Bible talks in the Old Testament about the sins that God hates, and one is sloth. When we sit on the sidelines and say, “Well, I was hurt in the past or a dream fell through, so I’m not going to engage anymore. I tried and failed, so I’m done. I’m just going to go to work, get home and then chill. Nobody bother me.” That’s a slothful spirit that allows a life be drowned in entertainment. The opposite is someone who turns away from a slothful heart and has a servant’s heart. Then we rely on God’s strength to accomplish his purposes and live fully. Paul tells us in the Bible that the marks of a true Christian are these: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:9-11, ESV, my emphasis). Let’s obey that command with all of our hearts today! __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

11-05-21, 14:37	#1026
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Conquering the Darkness Only one thing conquers and dispels darkness, and that is light. Isaiah declared, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light”. Likewise, John stated, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” . Jesus Christ is the light of the world, and when he revealed himself in his resurrected body to his disciples, he promised to clothe them with power. This promise is for us today as well. Our God has sent us his Holy Ghost, whose power is greater than all the powers of hell: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” . In Revelation, we read of hell spewing forth locusts and scorpions that have great power. We read of a dragon, beasts, horned creatures, as well as the coming Antichrist. Yet, we don’t know the meaning of all these creatures. That is, we don’t have to. We don’t need to worry about the Antichrist or the mark of the beast. There is living in us the Spirit of Almighty God and his Christ. Paul declares that the power of the Holy Spirit is working in us. In other words, the Holy Ghost is alive in us at this very moment. So, how does the Spirit work in us in the midst of hard times? His power is released only as we receive him as our burden bearer. The Holy Spirit was given to us for this very reason, to bear our cares and worries. How can we say we’ve received him if we haven’t turned over our burdens to him? The Holy Spirit isn’t shut up in glory but is here, abiding in us. He’s waiting to take control of every situation in our lives, including our afflictions. So if we continue in fear — despairing, questioning, going deeper into anxiety — then we haven’t received him as our comforter, helper, guide, rescuer and strength. The witness to the world is the Christian who has cast his every burden on the Holy Spirit. This believer sees overwhelming problems all around, and yet he has the joy of the Lord. He trusts God’s Spirit for his comfort, and for guidance out of his affliction. He has a powerful testimony to a lost world because he embodies joy despite being surrounded by darkness. His life tells the world, “This person has seen the light.” __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

12-05-21, 13:15	#1027
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You A Remedy for Soul Sickness I want to talk to you about “soul sickness.” This is caused by a flood of troubles coming upon you. King David cried, “Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, Where the floods overflow me. I am weary with my crying”. Troubles came at David so powerfully that he thought he would collapse. He prayed, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body!” . Some people right now are facing a flood of fears. Multitudes of elderly people are living on starvation means. Parents grieve over children who are drawn away by drug and alcohol-addicted friends. Couples have mounting mortgage payments, troubled marriages, bills piling up. The root cause of soul sickness is when your troubles go on and on, when events get worse, when your soul cries out to God for help, and there seems to be no answer. Soul sickness is to know the Lord, to love him, to pray and even to shed tears, and still he does not seem to be there. David said his troubles became so overwhelming and his soul was so cast down that “I cannot even speak.” In other words, “I have cried so much there are no tears left. All I can see now is despair in the days ahead.” If you relate to this at all, I have hopeful news for you. Here are simple biblical truths that can heal your soul sickness: Keep praying, even when the situation worsens. God is going to answer in his time, in ways you could not imagine. The hardest part of faith is the last half hour just before the answer comes. Do not get mad at God! All unbelief and impatience imply that the Lord has picked you out of the masses in the world and made you the object of cruelty and harassment. God forbid! If he were to shut his ear to your cries, he would be a fraud; and he is not. He is your almighty, loving, forgiving Father. Shake off fear because it’s a torment. Instead, rest in his promises. All things do work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose. Look up. God will never fail you! AMEN __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

15-05-21, 13:15	#1028
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Not Having Monkey Hands Tim Dilena They say that the hardest animal in the world to catch is the ring-tailed monkey. It's incredibly difficult for outsiders to catch, but not for the locals. This very rare animal has a love for certain melon seeds, so what the locals do is hollow out a tiny hole in a tree, just big enough for the monkey to stick its hand through, and then they throw the seeds in the hole. The monkey comes along, sticks its hand into the hole, grabs the seeds, but then it can’t pull its hand back out. Even when its captors come up, it will still hold on to the seeds. All it needs to do is let go to slide its hand out, but it won’t. Those seeds are what send these monkeys into captivity. A bit like these monkeys, we live in a culture that will not let a grudge go. People will hold on to something for years, even decades. When we do that, we find ourselves being brought into captivity. I once sat in a funeral and watched somebody pull out a letter that was the reason they were offended at someone. It had been in their pocket for 40 years. This letter was so old that it had creases all over and was falling apart, and they were trying to show me what this one person had written to them 40 years ago. I wanted to say, "Seriously, you held on to this thing for that long? Let go of it, monkey hands. Just let it go.” But this is what we do. The number one marriage counseling issue that I have dealt with for the last 35 years has not been finances or intimacy; it has been people not knowing how to resolve a conflict. That’s the number one thing. Bigger and bigger problems begin to grow off of not knowing how to resolve an issue. All of a sudden, people have a broken relationship on their hands, and they don't know how to reconcile it. Being offended is a choice. You don't get a choice in what people are going to do to you, but you do have a choice in whether or not you're going to be offended. Forgiving others is part of God's curriculum. It is teaching us the true value of what God does when he forgives us. “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26, ESV). __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

20-05-21, 13:31	#1029
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Don’t Settle for Crumbs The gospel of Matthew tells a story that might disturb some believers: The Gentile woman with the demon-possessed daughter.This woman seeks Jesus so persistently the disciples say, “Lord, send her away. Get rid of her. She won’t stop bothering us.” Note Jesus’ response to the woman’s pleas: “He answered her not a word” . Evidently, Christ ignored the whole situation. Why would he do this? Jesus knew this woman’s story would be told to every future generation, and he wanted to reveal a truth to all who would read it. So he tested the woman’s faith by saying, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” . Christ was saying, “I came for the salvation of the Jews. Why should I waste their gospel on a Gentile?” Now this statement would have sent most of us on our way, but this woman didn’t budge. I ask you, how often do you give up on prayer? How many times have you grown weary and reasoned, “I’ve sought the Lord. I prayed and asked. I just don’t get any results”? Consider how this woman responded. She didn’t reply with a complaint or an accusing finger, saying, “Why are you denying me, Jesus?” No, scripture says just the opposite. “Then she came and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me’” . What follows next is hard to read. Once again, Jesus rebuffed the woman. Only this time his reply was even harsher. He told her, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” . Once again, he was testing her. Now the mother answered him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” . What an incredible reply. This determined woman was not going to relent in her pursuit of Jesus, and the Lord commended her for it. Jesus said to her, “’O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour” . Beloved, we are not to settle for crumbs. We have been promised all the grace and mercy we need for our crises. That includes every crisis involving our families, saved or unsaved. We’ve been invited to come boldly to Christ’s throne with confidence. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

24-05-21, 13:28	#1030
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You When the World Rages In the days of the early church, this is what the body of believers said, “They lifted their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord…who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed”’” (Acts 4:24-26, ESV). The church back then wasn’t talking about people who just feel a little bit disgruntled around the Christian philosophy and the Christian worldview. We’re beginning to see a similar move toward rage and intense antagonism toward the Christian faith today. However, these individuals are plotting in vain. That gives us hope, doesn’t it? This is part of what the Lord is saying in Isaiah, “Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 54:16-17). The plots of man, the disruptions, the fierceness that might come against us even in the last days, these plots are in vain. Our enemy is forging these torments in a fiery furnace, but the Bible tells us that the devil and the people he drives plot in vain; their weapons will have no effect. When you’re being tested, when you’re being tried, when the enemy comes in like a flood, what happens? When people or the devil comes against you, they’re really coming against the Lord himself and against his anointed. God raises up a standard against this attack for his own glory and as a testament to his goodness in the lives of his children! He’s anointed you. If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, you were given an anointing. You were given grace. You were given power. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

27-05-21, 13:30	#1031
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You God’s Fire Still Burns Sadly, much of Christ’s body today resembles a modern-day Valley of Dry Bones. It is a wilderness filled with the bleached skeletons of fallen Christians. Ministers and other devoted believers have flamed out because of a besetting sin. Now they are filled with shame, hiding out in caves of their own making. Like Jeremiah, they have convinced themselves, “I will not make mention of [the Lord], nor speak anymore in His name”. God is still asking the same question he asked Ezekiel: “Can these dry bones live again?” The answer to this question is an absolute “Yes!” How? It happens by the renewing of our faith in God’s Word. The Word of the Lord is a consuming fire. Indeed, it’s the only true light that we have during our dark nights of despair. It’s our only defense against the enemy’s lies when he whispers, “It’s all over. You’ve lost the fire, and you’re never going to get it back.” The only thing that will bring us out of our darkness is faith, and faith comes by hearing God’s Word. We simply have to cling to the Word that has been implanted in us. The Lord has promised, “I will not let you go down; therefore, you have no reason to despair. There’s no cause for quitting. Rest in my Word.” You may think, “But this dark night is worse than anything I’ve ever known. I’ve heard a thousand sermons on God’s Word, but none of it seems of any value to me now.” Don’t fret; God’s fire still burns in you, even if you can’t see it. You’re to pour onto that fire the fuel of faith. You do this by trusting the Lord. When you do, you’ll see all your doubts and lusts consumed. God’s Spirit is breathing life again into every set of dry bones. He’s reminding them of the Word he implanted in them. Those who once lay dead are being revived, and they’re crying as Jeremiah did, “God’s fire has been shut up in me for too long. I simply can’t hold it any longer. I can feel the Lord’s power raising me up. He’s putting life in me, and I’m going to speak the Word he gave me. I’m going to proclaim his mercy and healing power.” __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

31-05-21, 13:28	#1032
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Filling the Tank to the Top Gary Wilkerson Years ago, I experienced a severe back injury. I used to do long-distance bike riding; but after the injury, I was unable to move like I had been before. I gained probably 20-25 pounds. That shocked me a bit, so I started working on getting my health back, exercising and trying to eat right. A serious problem is I hate vegetables. They’re awful, but I try to eat my greens. I have another problem too. Every time I start to lose weight, there’s a number that’s not as low as my original goal, but it’s where I begin to get satisfied. At first, losing weight is no problem, but then I hit that number like a roadblock. I can’t seem to get under it, and then my brain starts telling me, “Hey, you’re looking pretty good!” That last hurdle is the hardest part because I become satisfied with ‘good enough.’ This mentality is so dangerous for us because it leaves us without the fullness of what we desire. What’s worse, many of us have this in the church. We get a word on Sunday, or we hear an online sermon that blesses us, or we have lunch with a Christian friend who inspires our heart, and that’s good enough for us. We’re satisfied. Do any of you fill your car’s gas tank only three-quarters of the way? Or maybe you only fill it halfway? Who puts just a quarter of a tank of gas in the car? The Holy Spirit wants to fill us with life and life abundant, but many of us get a touch of the Spirit, and then we’re satisfied. We think, “Good enough.” Let me tell you, half-fillings of the Spirit, yesterday’s fullness and partial measures of outpouring are insufficient in these wicked days. You will be beaten down and defeated. You will be overrun if you only take half measures. What God has available for you is far beyond what you’ve ever dreamed, thought or imagined. The fullness of God is what he is holding for you so that you can truly experience the things of Jesus Christ. God wants to raise up a generation of his people who are full of his presence, those who will take a stand against the darkness and hear Christ say, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV). __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

01-06-21, 13:21	#1033
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You A Friend of God Consider the way God himself described his relationship with Abraham: “Abraham my friend” (Isaiah 41:8, NKJV). Likewise, the New Testament tells us, “Abraham believed God…and he was called the friend of God” (James 2:23). What an incredible commendation, to be called the friend of God. Most Christians have sung the well-known hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” These biblical passages bring home that truth with power. To have the Creator of the universe call a man his friend seems beyond human comprehension, yet it happened with Abraham. It’s a sign of this man’s great intimacy with God. The Hebrew word that Isaiah uses for friend here signifies affection and closeness. The closer we grow to Christ, the greater our desire becomes to live wholly in his presence. Moreover, we begin to see more clearly that Jesus is our only true foundation. The Bible tells us Abraham “waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). To Abraham, nothing in this life was permanent. Scripture says the world was “a strange place” to him. It was no place to put down roots. The heavenly country Abraham yearned for isn’t a place on earth. Rather, it is being home with the Father. You see, the Hebrew word for the phrase “heavenly country” is pater. It comes from a root word meaning Father. So, the heavenly country Abraham sought was, literally, a place with the Father. Yet Abraham was no mystic. He was not an ascetic who put on holy airs and lived in a spiritual haze. This man lived an earthly life, heavily involved in the world’s affairs. After all, he was the owner of thousands of head of livestock, and he had enough servants to form a small militia. Abraham had to be a busy man, directing his servants and buying and selling his cattle, sheep and goats. Yet somehow, despite his many business affairs and responsibilities, Abraham found time for intimacy with the Lord. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

05-06-21, 13:24	#1034
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Choose to Be in or Out Carter Conlon “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40, KJV). Crisis moments require us to be courageous enough to deal with the issues of our day and, more importantly, those that lie within our own hearts. It is time for an appraisal. Not of our assets, not of our property. We need to probe deeper. It is time for us to stop and seriously consider where we are headed. Are you and I prepared for what is coming? Do we have resident within us what we need to face the coming days? I fear that many Christians are largely unaware of the depth of the great trials that will one day face the church and, sadly, possess little inner resource to meet them. We profess our devotion to Christ without much difficulty when the sun is out, the paycheck is in the mailbox, and there is still food on the table. Yet it is when we strike the iceberg that, in the same manner as the RMS Titanic, suddenly the flaws in our hearts and motives will be unveiled. That is when it will become evident if our security is truly rooted in Christ alone. We will discover whether or not our hearts will prove to be steadfast, with the express purpose of living for the glory of God and the souls of men. If we expect to be found unshakable in the days to come, I can only arrive at this one conclusion: an immediate and deliberate decision must be made in our hearts to go the full journey with Christ. Following Christ in this way was never promised to be an easy path; in fact, I daresay that the half-hearted simply will not make it. This is precisely why it is imperative that we take the time to search our hearts now. We must face that most critical of choices: are we all in, or are we out? __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

07-06-21, 13:29	#1035
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You Neither Hot nor Cold You may notice in your own life when the Holy Spirit wants to bring you a greater measure of himself, a greater baptism of his power, that you often find these times accompanied by tears. Don’t ever be ashamed of tears. Don’t ever be ashamed to cry. Don’t ever try to remove yourself from the emotions that come when God begins to move in your life. He wants to move not only your mind but also your heart and bring you to a place of tears as well. This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:17-18, ESV). The Holy Spirit was in Paul and his prayers for the church, but what was he talking about here? Why does he emphasize, “I’m going to tell you now, weeping, that some are enemies of the cross”? The reason he’s telling them so emphatically is not because somebody out there in the wide world is an enemy of the cross, but rather the devil is trying to work inside the body of Christ, in the church itself, to get us to be enemies of the cross. Does this mean you could suddenly become an atheist? No. Being lukewarm, however, becomes a lifestyle all too easily. Remember what John writes in Revelation? “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-17). This is what I believe that Paul alluding to in Philippians. Could you continue to live in apathy and not be concerned about it? Could you continue to be in the compromise of sinful living and your heart isn’t broken over it? Oh, church, it's time we get on our faces before the Lord and cry out for his mercy on us and this generation. “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence” (Hebrews 5:7). We need to pray for passion, holy grief and fervency in these final days. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

09-06-21, 13:20	#1036
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,913 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	re: Power of Prayer >No Matter Which Faith YouFollow=GOD is With You A Pleasing Walk The Apostle Paul taught the Colossian church, “For this reason we…do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” . What is required for a pleasing walk? Paul tells us, “As the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” . In other words, we are to ask ourselves, “Am I becoming more like Christ? Am I growing more patient or more quick-tempered? Kinder and gentler, or meaner and more argumentative? More tender and forgiving, or more bitter, holding onto grudges? Do I ‘bear with others’? Do I put up with the weaknesses and faults of those near to me, or do I always have to be right?” Paul is suggesting that, in light of a coming day of judgment, it doesn’t matter what works you accomplish or what charitable deeds you do. No matter how kind you are to strangers, no matter how many souls you bring to Christ, this question remains: Are you still becoming more loving, patient, forgiving and forbearing? Examining your walk with Christ means looking not so much at what you are doing as at what you are becoming. Such a walk cannot be achieved by human effort alone. It won’t happen by self-determination and saying, “I am going to become that kind of believer.” Instead, it happens by the work of the Holy Spirit, through faith in his Word. First, we read these words and believe them to be God’s call to us. Then we examine ourselves and ask the Spirit to show us who we truly are, measuring ourselves by his Word. Finally, we ask the Holy Spirit to help us change. __________________ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4