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Tarfoot · 27-10-22, 15:46

The Same Faith

Jesus said, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32, NKJV). God wants to give me a kingdom? Where is it?
“The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). It is something you possess in your inner man. It is a liberated life!
Scripture also says, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:9-10).
You may wonder, “What does it mean to enter this promised rest? What should it look like in my life?” I pray that God will remove the scales from our eyes and allow us to grasp this. Simply put, entering into his promised rest means fully trusting that Christ has done all the work of salvation for you. You’re to rest in his saving grace by faith alone.
This is what Jesus means when he urges, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). It means the end of all your fleshly striving, all your human efforts to obtain peace. It means relying totally on Jesus’ work for you.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood. It takes place in the spiritual realm. The Old Testament makes this crystal clear. Time after time, Israel made empty, futile promises to God. “We want to serve you, Lord. We’ll do whatever you command us.” History proves they had neither the heart nor the ability to follow through on their word. God had to strip them of all faith in themselves. Everything we need is to come from our precious Lord’s presence.
Paul states, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). This speaks of uninterrupted fellowship. Through the victory of the cross, our Lord has made himself available to us every hour of the day or night. We have to make a decision. “I want Christ in my life. I want to be set free from all flesh. I’m going to move forward into his presence and claim my possession. I want Jesus to be my only source of satisfaction.”

Tarfoot · 31-10-22, 21:53

Out of the Darkness into the Light

What is it going to take to get us out of our miserable lives of guilt and depression? Aren't you tired of living a life of fear and mental torture? Haven't you yet learned there is a better way? What will it take to make us see that a far more glorious life awaits us?
Do you want this glorious, liberated life? Paul said, "Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light" (Colossians 1:12, NKJV). Do you now believe it is your inheritance? Do you now believe God wants desperately for you to have it? Accept it by faith, and move into it! Claim it as your own. “The just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11). You simply put your faith in what God said he would do for you. This liberated life of righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Ghost is a gift. You can't work for it.
The greatest joy of all is knowing you are no longer "guilty" before God. It is the joy of knowing your faith makes you right before him.
"Blessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried. Blessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him” (Romans 4:7-8, AMPC).
Abraham became the father of nations simply because he took God at his Word. He could have doubted and lost everything. “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to perform. …Now it was not written for his sake alone…but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:20-24, NKJV).
God forgives us in order to save us; we must believe that he will keep us. The faith that brought Christ into our lives keeps us from falling.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).

Tarfoot · 05-11-22, 20:56

Be Ye Holy

Three months after Israel left Egypt, they arrived at the base of Mt. Sinai and set up camp. Moses climbed the rugged mountain to commune with the Lord and God called to him saying, “I am going to come to you in the form of a dark cloud so the people can hear when I talk to you. Then they will always believe you. Go down and get them ready for my visit. Sanctify them.”
On the morning of the third day, an awesome thunder and lightning storm descended on Mt. Sinai. As a cloud covered the mountain and Jehovah descended in fire, the earth shook with a violent earthquake. A trumpet sounded loud and long, Moses spoke, and God answered. His message that day to Moses and the children of Israel was clear: “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...” (Exodus 19:6).
Just as he did that day on Mt. Sinai, God promised to speak once more. A prophecy recorded in Hebrews says, “See that you do not refuse him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven...'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.'” (Hebrews 12:25-26). Today God is speaking from heaven with the same powerful message that he spoke in Moses’ day: “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16).
How do we stay holy in this wicked age? Who can keep himself from being contaminated by it all? No one — in his own strength, that is. Only God has the power to keep us holy, to present us to himself a holy people without spot or wrinkle.
The God who gives us his holiness has the power to keep us in it! The safest place on earth is at the foot of the cross, humbled before God’s throne. The more wicked the times, the more we need to stay yielded to him! AMEN

Tarfoot · 07-11-22, 00:50

Bible Prophecy Update – November 6th, 2022

by Pastor J D Farag

This is a very good video to watch so please take the time to listen starting at the 31 minute mark. God bless and love to ya all.

Code: [Check Download Links]

https://www.jdfarag.org/bible-prophecy?sapurl=LytkNmtjL2xiL21pLytoZzRxd3JkP2VtYmVkPXRydWUmcmVjZW50Um91dGU9YXBwLndlYi1hcHAubGlicmFyeS5tZWRpYS1zZXJpZXMmcmVjZW50Um91dGVTbHVnPSUyQjgyeXhwOGY=

Tarfoot · 08-11-22, 15:26

Boldness to Enter God’s Presence

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us, through the veil. …Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” (Hebrews 10:19-20, 22, NKJV).There are two sides to Christ’s work at Calvary. One is to the benefit of man, and the other is to the benefit of God.
We are well acquainted with the benefit on the human side. The cross of Christ has provided us with forgiveness of our sins. We are given the power of victory over bondage and dominion over sin. We are supplied with mercy and grace, and we are given the promise of eternal life. The cross has given us the means of escape from the terrors of sin and hell.
I thank God for this benefit of the cross and for the wonderful relief it brings. I rejoice that it is preached in churches all over the world, yet there is another aspect of the cross, one that benefits God.
We understand very little about the delight of the Father that was made possible by the cross. Many Christians have learned to come boldly before God for forgiveness, for supply of needs or for answers to prayer. Yet they lack boldness to come before him with the intent of simply communing with him, an aspect that is just as crucial in their walk with the Lord. He is delighted when a prodigal comes home or when his people just want to spend time with him in worship and meditation. His delight brings us liberty, rest, peace and joy.
The most glorious moment in history was when the temple veil was rent in two on the day that Christ died. It was at this moment that the benefit to God burst forth. In the instant that the temple veil separating man from God’s holy presence was torn asunder, something incredible happened. From that point on, not only was man able to enter into the Lord’s presence, but God could come out to man.

Tarfoot · 09-11-22, 17:31

The Hope of Restoration

The days of the Gentiles are almost over. God has given us plenty of warning that the Spirit will not forever strive with the rebellious. But before this generation comes under the retribution of almighty God, a great restoration is prophesied.
“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:25 NKJV).
The psalmist David said the righteous shall “be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit...whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3). However, that promise is only to those who refuse to walk in the way of sinners and are devoted students of God's Word. “The ungodly are not so,” said David (v. 4). They become weak and withered, blown about by every wind of doctrine. The compromisers are like withered trees, diseased and corrupted with every kind of worm.
This is a picture of many professing Christians in God's house today. They neglect their Bible reading; they become too preoccupied to pray and build themselves up in the faith; they become cozy with the ungodly and take their seat among the scornful.
An army of cankerworms has been eating away at the lives of these backslidden Christians. Outwardly they appear as trees planted by the water, but inwardly they are corrupted, weak and diseased. They are drying up spiritually and no longer bear fruit. Sin is eating away deep within those who have strayed from the presence of the Lord.
God has told us how he is going to bring about this great restoration. First, he will pour out his Holy Spirit in abundant ways that will bring health and strength back to all the trees in his forest. The worm of sin will begin to lose its power as God's people get back to Bible reading. A powerful revelation of the Lord's new covenant will make God's people as bold as lions. Yes, believe it! A revival of spiritual strength and divine health is going to be poured out from on high.

Tarfoot · 14-11-22, 15:09

Healing for Hidden Hurts

It’s interesting that every sin in the Bible is a relational sin, even the Ten Commandments. The first four deal with our relationship with God: "Have no other gods before me. Don't take my name in vain." The other six address our relationships with other people. Throughout scripture, every sin that's mentioned — greed, pride, lust, anger, strife — is relational.
When we don’t understand and follow the ways God wants us to view our relationships with him and others, we know something is missing. There is a hollowness, a separation from God, because sin is following our own ideas and not his plan.
We seem to always measure fulfillment by external circumstances. If our lives fall short of those expectations, and it almost always does, we feel that emptiness. For some, life may be especially traumatic. A person may have come from an abusive situation in childhood, or experienced divorce or addiction. Wherever that disappointment with life comes from, we feel it keenly at our core. Let's say somebody grows up without a sense of being loved. Their father never once said to them, “I love you,” and they were never held or hugged. They feel that constant ache and longing.
For some, the measurement might be money or admiration. “Once I make my first million, or get to this place on the corporate ladder, everybody will love me.” A guy who feels insecure about his masculinity might chase women. If it doesn’t work out, we feel like a failure.
Here is the problem. Out of that pain comes a sense that there is something wrong with us. “I am incomplete. I am defective because...” We start blaming ourselves. We say, “The reason my father rejected me, or my mother left me, or my marriage fell apart is that I am insignificant, unworthy, unlovable. I'm not smart enough. I'm not good looking enough.”
We build what I call false constructs. We’re building our whole life based on our wounds. You could call it “wound speak.” Our wounds have a subconscious voice, and they tell us, "Go get this, get that." It's very subtle but very powerful. God’s plan is that we measure our worth by his love and grace. He paid the ultimate price to silence that wounded voice, to wipe away our past through forgiveness, and to redeem us into wholeness in him. His voice is the only one that matters. Listen to His voice.

Tarfoot · 17-11-22, 23:42

The Last Outpouring

I do not believe we have yet seen the glory and fullness of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Joel. What we have seen are just a few sprinkles! The power and love of the Holy Spirit have brought many together throughout the world, yet it is just a foretaste. God has much more in store for us.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit will not be just a renewal of love and praise; it will be a restoration of holiness unto the Lord. God will permit nothing to hinder what he plans to do, and his intent is to raise up a standard against the enemy when he comes in “like a flood” (see Isaiah 59:19). What is that standard? It is a holy people who are pure, undefiled and delivered from the corruption of the world. We will not have the fullness of the Spirit's outpouring, and we will not be able to stand against the enemy, until God’s people separate themselves completely from the world.
Tragically, too many people have an initial encounter with God but do not try to live a holy life afterward. They may speak with tongues, but then they live like the devil. Sin is not uprooted from their hearts, and all they receive is an experience of ecstasy. You are not truly baptized with the Holy Spirit until every hidden part of your soul has been exposed, and every sin confessed and forsaken.
We must emphasize separation and purity of heart. The purpose of the Spirit's coming is to sanctify and prepare a people for the Lord's return, a people without spot or wrinkle. He will “convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8, NKJV). This is the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s work: renewal and sanctification!
God wants us to be led by the Spirit into a deeper, more mature life that is consecrated to him. When we seek this sanctified life, we will be mightily used by God to shine forth as lights to this wicked and perverse generation.

Ladybbird · 20-11-22, 12:34

WORCESTER CATHEDRAL ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

The St. Philip's Boys Choir

Tarfoot · 22-11-22, 02:12

God Is Able to See You Through

The most important question facing God's people in these last days is “Do you believe God is able to see you through? Do you believe he can do all that is necessary to answer your prayers and meet your needs?”
Jesus asked these same questions when he was on the earth. In Matthew 9, before healing two blind men who begged him for mercy, he tested their faith. “‘Do you believe I am able to do this?’ They said to him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then he touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you.’ And their eyes were opened…” (Matthew 9:28-30 NKJV).
Today, he reminds us that our faith and trust in him turn the tide. “Do you believe I can direct and guide you and am still at work on your behalf? Or do you harbor secret thoughts that I have forsaken you and let you down?”
God is not primarily interested in us doing some great work for him. Rather, he wants us to simply trust him. He desires full dependence on him.
God doesn’t want our possessions either. He is not after your house, your land, your car, or any other worldly belongings. He wants your trust! He wants you to be firmly established in your confidence in him. An American soldier in Germany once wrote to me. He offered me his coin collection because he felt it was an idol in his life, and he thought getting rid of it would free him. I wrote him back and said, “God wants more than your coin collection. He wants your trust.”
We keep wanting to do things, to give up things, to sacrifice, work and suffer, when all the while what God desires most is our obedience and trust. His Word is clear that he will be pleased with nothing short of our faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
God has not forsaken you. Your prayers have been heard, and he will work things out according to his perfect will. Have faith and hold on! God will never let us down. I myself can't count the number of times I've let my God and Father down. Yet He is always willing to forgive. Thanks be to God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and yes our Holy Spirit. AMEN

Tarfoot · 26-11-22, 14:55

God Who Redeems Our Past

Claude Houde

Whatever the circumstances of your life, God is able to change them for his glory. This biblical principle is not just a theory for me. I have met many people who were transformed by God despite horrors in their past. I know a young man from the poorest neighborhood of Montreal particularly well who experienced this magnificent and radical transformation.
Most of the men in his family were violent alcoholics. His father was depressed, perpetually out of work and showed all the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Night after night, this boy protected his little brother from his father's violence. As a teenager, however, he became what he had always hated. Alcohol, drugs, anger, delinquency, lies and violence were his lot. Until he was seventeen, he was completely out of control, disappointing and hurting everyone who came into contact with him. How many mornings had he woken up in a filthy Montreal ditch after spending the night drinking and fighting? More than he could count.
One evening, a policeman told his mother, “Don't worry, Madame. One day you won't have him on your hands anymore. Cases like him end up in prison or the cemetery.”
I was that boy (Claude Houde). My circumstances predisposed me to reproduce the evil that had made me suffer so much. However, God in his grace came to find me. He took my heart, broken by beatings and rage, and changed it into his image. Our God transforms lives!
Years later, I still consider myself very imperfect, but scripture promises, “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, ESV). God made me a faithful husband, a committed dad, a love-struck grandpa and a man of God devoted to his service. God transforms circumstances and hearts.
Do not limit yourself to what you once were. Do not limit your children to who they are today. God is greater than all of that. Your family has no pain that the Lord cannot heal. Declare this truth in your heart for your spouse, your family, your children and your future. If it is true that all our traumas are relational, then so are our healings. In our relationship with God and his people, let us be renewed. What might have been for our harm, God can and will ultimately turn into good.

Tarfoot · 29-11-22, 23:45

"In that day you will say: "I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation." With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: "Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you." Isaiah 12:1-6

When we read Isaiah 12, we see that our focus in the midst of trials ought to be on God. Isn't it telling that when we get our eyes off ourselves and look to God, we begin to see a way through whatever circumstances we face? I recently visited with a friend who had to have a foot amputated because of a health issue. While going through this season, he has not taken on an attitude of self-pity but instead has found it in his heart to give praise to God. He has begun using his recovery and physical therapy sessions as an opportunity to love and share Jesus with those helping him and others he has met in the medical facilities. My friend is living out his trust in the Lord.

Today, whatever you are facing, I urge you to trust God. Amid news that comes out of the US Capitol, the White House, or your State Capitol that goes against the very heart of God, we can continue to trust God. May you take time to worship and praise God today. May your eyes remain fixed upon Him because He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Here is a part of a hymn written by Fanny Crosby that I trust will encourage you today:

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! Hail Him! Highest archangels in glory;
Strength and honor give to His holy Name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children,
In His arms He carries them all day long.

May you have a blessed week and remember to:

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tarfoot · 30-11-22, 15:46

God’s Promised Rest

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.For he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:9-10 NKJV). You may wonder, “What does it mean to enter this promised rest? What should it look like in my life?” Simply put, entering his promised rest means fully trusting that Christ has done all the work of salvation for you. You're to rest in his saving grace by faith alone. I pray that God will remove the scales from our eyes and allow us to truly understand this.
When Jesus urges, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28), he invites us to stop all fleshly striving and human efforts to obtain peace. He wants us to totally rely on him and his work for us.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood; it takes place in the spiritual realm. The Old Testament makes this crystal clear. Time after time, Israel made empty, futile promises to God: “We want to serve you, Lord. We'll do whatever you command us to do.” History proves they had neither the heart nor the ability to follow through on their word. God had to strip them of all faith in themselves.
Everything we need comes from our precious Lord. Paul states, “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us;for in him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’” (Acts 17:26-28). This speaks of uninterrupted fellowship. Through the victory of the cross, our Lord has made himself available to us every hour of the day and night.
We have to make a decision and say, “I want Christ in my life. I want to be set free from all flesh. I am therefore going to move forward into his presence and claim my possession. I want Jesus to be my all, my only source of satisfaction.” AMEN

Tarfoot · 02-12-22, 21:00

A New Creature in Christ

God’s Word boldly declares, ”I am crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV), and “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
You may say, “I know I’m in Christ by faith. I realize I am a new creature, but I still struggle terribly with a habit. It makes me so discouraged.” Satan would love to convince you that God has given up on you. He wants you to think God sees you as dirty, filthy with sin. It's all a lie. What you're experiencing is the flesh battling against the Spirit in you. This battle is common to all believers, and when you're in the middle of it, Satan wants to convince you that the “old man” is still in control.
Here is the truth. No matter what your condition, God does not waver in his love for you. He never stopped loving Adam's race, despite all its wickedness, idolatry and lustful ways. He has preserved us throughout history to the last days when he stepped in with his rescue plan. God made it possible at the cross to redeem every one of us, Adam and all his descendants.
We must stand firm in the knowledge that our standing with God is based on one thing: we are victorious because of the cross. This victory doesn't come through any good thing you or I do. As Paul says, “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Romans 8:8-10).
Our victory comes solely through repentance, faith, belief and trust in God's care for us. Our part is to stand firmly on the position he has graciously given us in Christ. His Word assures us, “You may fail at times. But when I look at you, I see only my Son, Jesus. You're going to come through this battle victorious, with no guilt and no condemnation.”

Tarfoot · 08-12-22, 20:15

God's Gift to His Son

I can scarcely take it in when I read these words, “And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one: I in them, and you in me; that they may be made perfect in one…” (John 17:22-23, NKJV).
Think of it. We have our Lord's word, confessed before his own Father, that he has given himself to us as fully and completely as his Father gave himself to him. He has given us the same intimate love his Father gave him, and that is his glory manifested in us. We have been brought into the same kind of special love relationship he shares with the Father; even more, he opens up the circle of love between them and brings us into it. We are made partakers of a glory beyond comprehension. How incredible that Christ should bring us to the Father and plead, "That they may be one with us!" We share completely in the fullness of God's love for his Son by being in Christ.
In a true sense, it may be said that God so loved his Son that he gave him the world. Did you not know we are God's gift to his Son, a gift of love? “They were yours; you gave them all to me.” Yet Christ was so in oneness with the Father that he brings the gift back to him and says, “All mine are thine, and thine are mine...” (see John 17:10).
Is it not comforting to know we are the object of such a love between Father and Son? What an honor to have Christ place us in the palm of his great and loving hand, for him to present us to the Father and say, “Behold, Father! They are ours! They all belong to us! They are the object of our love! I will love them, Father! You will love them! We will make our abode in them and show them how much they are loved.”
As we grasp this, we will be able to say confidently, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Tarfoot · 21-12-22, 00:41

The Power of Humility

John the Baptist's definition of his ministry was blunt and simple: “I am ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness’” (John 1:23 NKJV).
Who was John the Baptist? The scriptures says that this most blessed of all prophets was the greatest “among them that are born of women” and a revered preacher of righteousness. Crowds flocked to hear John's scorching messages. Many were baptized and became his disciples. Even royalty came under his mighty influence. Some thought he was Christ; others considered him to be Elijah raised from the dead.
However, this fearless man of God refused to be exalted or promoted. He was emptied of self, and he continually withdrew from center stage. In his own eyes, he wasn’t even worthy to be called a man of God. He was simply a wilderness voice, modest, retiring and unconcerned about honor or usefulness. He didn't care about having a ministry or being “mightily used of God.” In fact, he considered himself unworthy to even touch Jesus’ shoes. His entire life was devoted to “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).
What a powerful rebuke to us in this age of self-occupation, promotion of personalities, influence-grabbing, ego-tripping and seeking of honors. John could have had it all, yet he cried, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). The secret of John's happiness was that his joy was not in his ministry or work, not in his personal usefulness or widespread influence. His pure joy was to stand in the presence of the Lord, hear his voice and rejoice in it. His joy was in seeing others, his own disciples included, flocking to Jesus, the Lamb of God.
The greatest fulfillment a child of God can know is to lose self and all desire to be somebody, and simply rejoice in being a son or daughter who lives in the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being totally occupied with Christ is what satisfies the heart.
May we, like John, understand that our worth comes from Christ alone. May our souls find their sustenance and joy in him, the author and finisher of our faith.

Tarfoot · 23-12-22, 15:13

The Unrelenting Love of God

Let’s talk about the word “unrelenting.” It means undiminished in intensity or effort, unyielding, uncompromising, incapable of being changed or persuaded by arguments. Unrelenting, constant, sustained, never-ending — what a marvelous description of God’s love! Nothing can hinder or diminish his loving pursuit of both sinners and saints. The Psalmist put it perfectly: “You have hedged me behind and before, and laid your hand upon me…Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend into heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there” (Psalm 139:5, 7-8 NKJV).
David is speaking of life’s highs and lows. “Sometimes I feel so blessed and filled with joy. At other times, I feel condemned and unworthy; but no matter how I feel or where I am, Lord, you are with me. You never accept my arguments about how unworthy I am. Even when I am disobedient, you never stop loving me. Your love for me is relentless!”
Consider the testimony of the apostle Paul. Here was a man bent on destroying God's church. Paul had a fierce hatred for Christians. He breathed out threats of slaughter against everyone who followed Jesus. He even sought the high priest's authorization to hunt down believers so he could charge into their homes and drag them off to prison.
God’s fervent love for Paul never wavered, even during those hate-filled years. In a letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, “But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He was saying, “Even though I wasn't conscious of it, God was pursuing me. He kept coming until he caught up with me and literally knocked me off my high horse. That’s the unrelenting love of God.”
Throughout the rest of his life, Paul’s confidence in God’s faithfulness only grew. “For I am persuaded,” he wrote, “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Ladybbird · 24-12-22, 05:41

Christmas Carols at St PAULS Cathedral 2022

Tarfoot · 31-12-22, 15:38

What Holds Us Down

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV).
The Lord desires to bestow his favor and blessing upon you to lift you above what limits you, so that you become the person he sees in you. There is a call that only you can fulfill on this earth, in your generation and within your family. To achieve this, the Lord is ready to pour on you a special grace and his strength on a daily basis.
However, another force acts in us and opposes this process. It is our pride. God's favor is blocked by your pride, for God resists the proud as the Bible tells us. The expression ‘resist’ comes from the Greek word antitassomai and means to line up in battle against or oppose someone. In other words, when we choose to stand in our pride, we are literally going to war with God. When we choose pride, we reproduce on a small scale, Satan's rebellion against God.
The secret thoughts of pride that led Lucifer to his downfall are revealed in Isaiah 14:12-14: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God… I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”
To choose pride is to elevate our own ‘thrones,’ rights, opinions, plans, desires and decisions above those of our husband or wife, our children or grandchildren, above even God. Therefore, we abort the divine process of elevation that he intended to accomplish in us. Dear friend, I plead with all my heart and might, stop choosing pride, stubbornness, arrogance, harshness, coldness, self-centered bitterness and unforgiveness. Stop denying your part, blaming others, wallowing in self-pity, elevating your suffering or disappointment above God's promises and infinite redemptive ability.
Choose instead to walk in humility before God. Choose to be honest about your sins with yourself, God and other people. Choose to have the courage to ask for forgiveness. Recognize your need for God to break that pride that has kept you limited for too long. God desires to lift you up.

Tarfoot · 04-01-23, 19:36

Acknowledging Our Helplessness

One of the most important verses in scripture is in the apostle Peter’s first letter. He speaks of the necessity of having our faith tested. “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,” (1 Peter 1:7 NKJV).
This passage suggests that God is saying, “Your faith is more precious to me than all the wealth of this world, which will one day disappear. When the enemy sends all manner of evil against you, I want you to be able to stand strong with unshakable faith. I will keep you through every dark day. Your part is to simply have faith in me. I will keep you by my power.”
God wants to help us stand strong, but he also wants us to move ahead. The apostle Paul writes, “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). Why would he be interested in keeping us mired in temptation and affliction? He doesn’t get any glory from testing his children. His glory comes from the results.
The children of Israel were brought to the Red Sea for a reason. God had led them to the very brink of destruction. They were surrounded by mountains on two sides, a sea on the third, and an approaching enemy on the fourth. Why? Because he wanted his people to acknowledge their helplessness. He wanted to hear them say, “We remember how God delivered us from the plagues, and how he brought us out of terrible affliction where we made bricks without straw and had no rest. God delivered us then, and he will do it again!”
Our Lord wants to hear the same from us. He will protect us from every enemy that comes against us. When we are trapped and helpless, let's rejoice in his faithfulness. He is God, and he will keep his promises!

Tarfoot · 05-01-23, 22:35

Right Song, Wrong Side

When the children of Israel went through times of testing, were they really supposed to express gratitude and thanksgiving in the middle of them? When they were surrounded and in a hopeless situation, did God really expect them to have that kind of reaction?
Yes, absolutely! That was the secret to getting out of their difficulty. You see, God wants something from all of us in our times of trouble. He wants us to offer him a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
I believe James discovered this secret when he admonished, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” (James 1:2 NKJV). He was saying, “Don’t give up. Make an altar in your heart and offer up joyous thanksgiving even as you are going through the storm.”
Of course, the children of Israel did offer the Lord praise and thanksgiving, but they did it on the wrong side of the Red Sea. Yes, they rejoiced all night, but God had no pleasure in it. Anyone can shout in gratitude after a victory. The question God put to Israel was, “Will you praise me before I send help, while you’re still in the battle?”
I believe if Israel had rejoiced on the “trial side” of the Red Sea, they wouldn’t have had to be tested again at the waters of Marah. Had they passed the Red Sea test, the waters at Marah wouldn’t have tasted bitter, but sweet. And Israel would have seen water springing up everywhere in the desert, rather than having to go thirsty.
May God help us to sing the right song on the testing side of trials. May we understand how much delight a song of thanksgiving brings to the heart of our heavenly Father.
Are you going through a difficult time right now? Then sing! Praise! Say to the Lord, “I praise you because I know you can do it. You delivered me before, and you can deliver me now. I rest in joy.”

Tarfoot · 10-01-23, 16:16

Read once and then read again and again if needed....

Acceptance through Christ

For anyone to enjoy settled peace, he must cease from self and harken to God’s Word and rest without a single question on its pure, precious and everlasting record. God’s Word never changes. I change; my frame, my feelings, my experience, my circumstances change continually, but God’s Word is the same yesterday and today and forever.
It is a grand and essential point for the soul to apprehend that Christ is the only definition of the believer’s place before God. This gives immense power, liberty and blessing. “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17 NKJV). This is something perfectly wonderful!
Let us ponder it; let us think of a poor wretched, guilty slave of sin, a bondslave of Satan, a votary of the world, exposed to an eternal hell. Such an one is taken up by sovereign grace and delivered completely from the grasp of Satan. He is freed from the dominion of sin, the power of this present evil. He is pardoned, washed, justified, brought nigh to God, accepted in Christ and perfectly and forever identified with him so that the Holy Ghost can say, “As Christ is, so is he in this world!”
All this seems too good to be true. Most assuredly, it is too good for us to get, but blessed be the God of all grace and blessed be the Christ of God, it is not too good for him to give. God gives like himself. He will be God in spite of our unworthiness and Satan’s opposition. He will act in a way worthy of himself and worthy of the Son of his love.

Tarfoot · 12-01-23, 15:39

As He Desires to Be Known

Jesus said, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9 NKJV). We must see Jesus not as man teaches, but as the Spirit reveals him to us, as God wants us to know and see him! We are to get God’s vision and testimony of Christ, then we will know God as he desires to be known!
Here is how I believe God wants us to see his Son: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).
Jesus was a gift! God wrapped all his resources up in Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Christ is God’s good and perfect gift to us, come down from the Father. Do you see Jesus as God’s perfect gift to you? Do you see him as all you need to live joyfully, victoriously, righteously, full of peace and rest?
Ages ago, before you were created, God saw what your hurts and needs would be. He knew ahead of time what you would need to solve all your problems. He did not wrap up his answers and send them to you as a rule book or as an army of “answer men.” No, he gave us all one solution to all our crises and needs: one man, one Way, one answer to everything we need in Jesus Christ.
God says to you, “I don’t want you to live for tomorrow. You’ll only look back and see that today could have been your very best time. Jesus can’t be any better or stronger to you than he is right now. Why won’t you let me be God to you today?”

Tarfoot · 14-01-23, 15:22

An Experience Versus an Encounter

John Bailey

People who are spiritual leaders can look and act in very different ways because God made his people with enormous variety — we’re called the body of Christ for a good reason — but they will all share certain qualities. All spiritual leaders also have the same starting point, and this is key because the starting point is where those qualities are planted.
Let’s start with a familiar story. It’s the beginning of Paul’s journey with Christ. “Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’” (Acts 9:3-6, ESV).
Some people have an experience with Jesus, and others have an encounter with Christ. What’s the difference? People who experience Jesus are the ones who take a selfie with the Savior. People who encounter Jesus fall to their knees, and their lives are never the same afterward. Paul’s response to Christ is the essence of an encounter. He didn’t ask Jesus, “What’s my calling? How do I achieve this dream I have? What’s my next step?”
Paul, and every spiritual leader throughout history, asks, “Who are you, Lord?”
Brothers and sisters, we have to grasp the significance of this. We must capture this in our hearts. How often do we go to the Lord and pray, “Show me what it is that you want me to do. Help me be obedient to my calling.” Nothing wrong with those prayers. Jesus promised Paul that he would tell him what he was meant to do. We jump to that step too quickly, though. We need to start with “Who are you, Lord?” God’s presence will change us and give us the strength to do things that we could never do on our own.

Tarfoot · 16-01-23, 15:19

How to Navigate Doubt

Does doubt make us stronger? Is it ‘Christian’ to have doubts? There is very little I don’t doubt. Throughout my life and its many twists and turns, I have often been filled with doubts. The good news is that doubt isn’t going to rob you of the goodness of God. He won’t withhold himself from you just because your faith is mixed in with questions and uncertainties. Jesus still healed the child of the father who cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (see Mark 9:17-27).
God is a holy God, and we should always approach him with reverence; but doubt is not irreverence, and God understands our questions. He doesn’t diminish his relationship with us or his miracle-working power in us if our faith is sometimes mixed with doubt.
Believe it or not, doubt can promote a greater revelation of God within us. We can see more of God’s glory when we are willing to wrestle with our conflicts and get to the other side of our questions with a more solid faith and deeper knowledge of him.
There are three steps to working through doubt. First, approach your doubt with an honest heart. If we say, “I want truth and life,” we will find truth and life. If we’re trying to simply prove a point or avoid obedience to God, we aren’t being honest.
Next, take time to meditate and study the scriptures. We live such busy lives that many of us are holding on to doubts that we have simply ignored for years. We don’t take the time to quietly contemplate and enter those doubts. I use a notepad and write down things that I'm wrestling with. I reach for my Bible and seek out the harmony of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
Finally, find a good Christian friend to talk to. If you're in a church environment where you can't express your doubts, you need to find a person of faith who will listen with an open heart. Even pastors face doubts, and they especially need a trustworthy friend or counselor.
Don’t be afraid to take your questions to God. He loves your honesty, and he has provided a clear path from doubt to faith. It’s a lifelong process of meditation, searching the scriptures and seeking God; but it will always yield a stronger, more robust relationship with him. If you're like me, you’ll enjoy the journey.

Tarfoot · 19-01-23, 15:08

Knowing God Begins with Jesus

You cannot know God in fullness until you see Christ as God wants you to see him. Jesus said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9 NKJV). We must see Jesus, not as man teaches, but as the Spirit reveals him to us, as God wants us to see and know him.
There are many volumes in my library about Jesus, written by good men. Yet, I believe many of these men have never seen Jesus as God would have us see him. We are to get God’s vision and testimony of Christ, then we will know God as he desires to be known. Here is how I believe God wants us to see his Son: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).
Jesus was a gift! God wrapped all his resources up in Jesus, and “He gave His only begotten Son” (see John 3:16). Do you see Jesus as God’s perfect gift to you? Do you see him as all you need to live joyfully, victoriously, righteously, and full of peace and rest?
God gave Israel many wonderful gifts in the wilderness: A cloud to shelter them from the desert sun, fire at night to assure and lead them, water out of a rock, a branch to heal bitter waters and a brass serpent to heal the snake bitten. Yet all of these good things were only shadows.
Who was the rock from which water came? Who was the fire? The manna? The brass serpent? Everything God did for Israel was through Jesus Christ. That’s right—Jesus was every one of those gifts. “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).
Today we have much more than the shadow. We have the actual substance, Christ himself! And he lives in us. AMEN

Tarfoot · 21-01-23, 23:27

Secure in Your Father’s Love

Jesus said that when the prodigal son came home, he was welcomed back into his father’s house. He received a new robe, ate at his father’s table and had full forgiveness. But that didn’t make him an angel.
On the contrary, I believe the prodigal’s father experienced a lot of problems with him before it was all over. However, the one thing this son had to know was that he was secure in his father’s love. He had to know his father would bear with him, work with him and love him.
That’s how our heavenly father is with us. He loved us before we were even born! Yet, we keep telling ourselves, “One of these days, I’m going to be so perfect and right before God that it will be easy for him to love me.”
No. He loved you when you were a sinner, a reprobate, an enemy to him. How much more does he love you now that you’re reconciled to him? God has already said to you, “I loved you when you were an alien to me, when you were in rebellion and sin. Will I not love you even more now that you have committed to sonship?”
We don’t rest confidently in his love as we should. The Lord says of himself that he is love. John wrote, “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:15-18 NKJV).

Tarfoot · 26-01-23, 18:36

Ever-Increasing Revelation of Jesus

Since the cross, all spiritual giants have had one thing in common. They were in close communion with the Lord; they became lost in the glorious vastness of Christ, and they died lamenting they still knew so little of him. So it was with Paul and the disciples; with many early church fathers like Luther, Zwingli and the Puritans; with the pious English preachers; and with many godly leaders today.
Every one of these giants shared the same ruling passion: an ever-increasing revelation of Jesus Christ. They cared nothing for success, ambition or worldly fame. They prayed not for things, physical blessings, to be used or for anything of self. They prayed only for a fuller revelation of the glory and vastness of their Lord.
Satan is displaying greater power, and hell is unleashing its fury on this generation. The enemy strongholds are much more fortified, powerful and entrenched than in any past generation. Without a doubt, Satan is revealing himself to the world as never before; and he is becoming better known, less feared and more accepted.
A basic Bible knowledge of Christ will not be enough in this final war! Knowing about him is not enough. We must seek a greater revelation of the Holy Spirit. That requires spending time at his table. You get to know him only by being in his presence, sitting with him, hearing his voice and waiting on him for divine wisdom. Busy, preoccupied people seldom get to know him.
Paul was committed to an ever-increasing revelation of Jesus Christ. All he had of Christ came by revelation. He said, “By revelation he made known to me the mystery” (Ephesians 3:3 NKJV). The Holy Spirit knew the deep and hidden secrets of God, and Paul prayed constantly for the gift of grace to understand and preach “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). Paul said we have access to these glorious riches in Christ. In speaking of God's eternal purposes, he said, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him” (Ephesians 3:12).
God is looking for believers who will seek a revelation of him that is all their own, a very deep personal intimacy that unlocks “the unsearchable riches of Christ.”

Tarfoot · 30-01-23, 20:07

Nothing but Christ

What is it that our Lord wants most from those who claim to be devoted to him? What would bless and please him? Shall we build him more churches? More Bible schools? More homes and institutions for hurting people? These are all worthwhile and needed, but he who dwells not in buildings made by hands wants much more than that. Solomon thought he had built an everlasting temple for God, but within years, it was in decay, and in less than four hundred years, it was destroyed.
The one thing our Lord seeks above all else from his people is communion at his table. He desires a place of oneness and time of intimacy, a continual coming to him for food, strength, wisdom and fellowship.
This generation has a limited revelation of the Lord Jesus because so many are missing from the feast of communion with the Lord. Few know the grandeur and majesty of such a high calling in Christ Jesus.
We mistakenly get our spiritual joy out of service rather than communion. We are doing more and more for a Lord we know less and less about. We run ourselves ragged, burn out and give our bodies to his work, but we seldom keep the feast. We are too casual about the Lord's table, not serious enough about taking our place to learn of him.
Paul speaks of spending three separate years in the Arabian desert. They were glorious years, sitting in the heavens at the table of the Lord. It was there that Christ taught Paul all he knew, and the wisdom of God was made manifest in him. Conversion was not enough for Paul. A one-time supernatural vision of Christ and miraculously hearing his voice from heaven was not sufficient! He had caught a fleeting vision of the Lord, and he wanted more.
Something in Paul’s soul cried out, "Oh, that I might know him!" No wonder he could say to an entire Christian system, "For I am determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2 NKJV). He was saying, “Let the Jerusalem Judaizers keep to their legalism. Let others argue their points of doctrine. Let those who seek to be justified by works wear themselves out. But as for me, I want more of Christ!” Beloved, we should have the same desire.

Tarfoot · 31-01-23, 16:37

Cornelius Saved His House

“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:1-2 NKJV).
The life of Cornelius proves that God seeks full-hearted devotion, obedience and ceaseless prayer. Consider how this man of God saved his house and the miracles his devotion brought about.
Cornelius was so determined to lead his household into God’s fullness that he neglected to eat in favor of seeking God. Food was secondary to his deep spiritual hunger and longing for God. Days of fasting without a corresponding hunger and thirst for God avails nothing; in fact, it is better to eat than to fast to earn a blessing from heaven. However, hunger after God takes the edge off the desire for food for a man with a heart in pursuit of him.
Cornelius should put us all to shame. He had no sermons or online instruction. He didn't even have a teacher! He was not a Jewish proselyte but simply a man desperate for God. What he had learned had come the hard way with no seminars, no conventions, no how-to-get-it-from-God books. Even though he hadn’t yet received the Holy Ghost urging him to pray and seek God's face, he fasted and prayed continually.
His prayer life made him a giver of alms. At that point, God had not answered his prayer for his household, yet he gave generously to those in need. He was not so wrapped up in his own need that it took all his time, attention and money.
Praying men and women always get God's attention, and the praying person hears the voice of God. It's been that way since the beginning. You can save your house the same way Cornelius saved his. In a single day with one glorious miracle, his entire household was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. In one day, his house was transformed from spiritual blindness to marvelous light and life.
All of this happened because one man set out with great determination to save his house. May God help us get serious too about praying for our lost families and friends. AMEN

Tarfoot · 01-02-23, 16:19

What the World Needs Now
is God’s Agape Love

Greek, the language in which the
NewTestamentwasoriginally
written,ismoreprecisethan
modern day English. For instance, where English has
only one word for love, Greek has four:
agape—spiritual, self-giving love
storge—love between family members
philia—love between friends
eros—sexual love
In our culture, especially around St. Valentine’s Day, it is
eros that gets the most emphasis. Yet it is agape that is
most needed in our world. And it is agape
thatismostemphasizedintheNew
Testament. Note these familiar words from
the Gospel of John:
For God so loved(agape)the world, that
HegaveHisonlybegottenSon,that
whoeverbelievesinHimshouldnot
perish but have everlasting life.
(John 3:16, NJKV)
Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God’sagape.
He is God’s only Son, yet in humility He came from the
throneofHisFathertothewombofawoman.He
became the Son of Man that we might become sons and
daughters of God.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and
born of the Virgin Mary. He lived in poverty and for most
of his life was unknown outside the town of Nazareth. He
had neither wealth or political influence.
He laid aside His heavenly raimentin exchange for a
peasant’sgown.Hewasrich,yetforoursakeHe
became poor. He was born in a borrowed manger; He
rodeonaborroweddonkey;Hewasburiedina
borrowed tomb.
History has never known one such as Jesus. In infancy
He troubled a king; as a boy He stunned theologians with
His knowledge and wisdom, for He possessed the mind
of God. In manhood He ruled over the elements and
quieted the raging sea. He healed without medicine and
fed thousands with a boy’s lunch. He gave back life to
those who were dead and even the demons obeyed Him.
Yet He suffered and sustained in body and soul the
righteous anger and wrath of God against the sin of the
whole human race. He was despised and rejected of
men. Though He was innocent of any crime or sin, He
was condemned by a civil judge and sentenced to death
on a cross.
By His suffering and death, He paid the penalty for the
sins of all who believe in Him and set us free from the
judgment and eternal condemnation of God that would
was to fall on us.
Some have given their lives for others and great men
have come and gone, yet He lives on. Herod
could not kill Him. Satan could not stop Him.
Death could not destroy Him. Thegrave could
notholdHim.HavingfullysatisfiedGod’s
perfect justice, He conquered death and rose
on the third day as He said He would.
After showing Himself alive to His disciples
and many other witnesses for a period of forty
days, He ascended into heaven. He now sits
at the right hand of the throne of God where
He pleadsour causetoHis Father,defendsus and
keeps us safe from all enemies, and pours out His gifts
upon us.
One day He will return, not as a suffering servant, but
with glory and power to judge the world. Then every knee
will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.
His true followers will confess His name with joy and
confidence. All others will seek to hide from His face in
terror and shame.
He is the Perfect One—the only One who can satisfy the
soul. When we believe in Jesus, God graciously grants to
us the holiness and righteousness of Christ.
This is the true story of God’s great agape-love for you
and me and all the world. It’s a love story to celebrate.
It’s a love story to share.
Blessings,
Pastor Jim

Friedberg Moravian Church
Celebrating our 250th anniversary in 2023 here in North Carolina, U.S.

Tarfoot · 05-02-23, 19:19

Spend Time with God!

We are what we eat. It's true. Jesus said his flesh is our meat [food]: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53 NKJV).
People who relegate this eating of the Lord to the communion table alone do not understand what Jesus meant. The Lord's Supper isn’t just symbolic. It is a reminder to us that he became our source of life through death. We are to come daily to eat and drink of him.
When sheep are not fed, they grow skeletal and weak, becoming easy prey for the enemy. I see a remnant of people emerging in the land, though, who are strong and robust because they are acquainted with God’s heart. They are bursting forth with life because they have been in the presence of the Lord so often.
God has provided a way to make every child of his strong enough to resist the enemy! This strength comes from eating the bread of God sent down from heaven. Our spiritual health depends on this. Hear the words of Jesus: “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on me will live because of me” (John 6:57). Jesus was in such union with the Father that the Father's words became his very food and drink, the result of spending much time alone with him.
Jesus once told his disciples, “I have food to eat of which you do not know. My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:32, 34). Moreover, he said, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life” (John 6:27a).
We dare not miss this secret of strength! Our sustenance comes from the Lord. Get alone with him and spend quality time in his presence. He wants to feed your hungry soul and guide you through these perilous times. God will always manifest himself when you seek him with all your heart. Also feed on His Word, the Holy Bible. Amen

Tarfoot · 09-02-23, 17:08

God’s Pure Mercy

Isaiah had a revelation of God’s great delight in us. He prophesied, “But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you’” (Isaiah 43:1-2 NKJV).
Isaiah wasn’t talking about a literal flood or fire. He was talking about what people go through spiritually and mentally. Israel was in captivity at the time. Their floods were trials; their fires were temptations; their rivers were times of testing. These were all Satan’s attempts to destroy and overwhelm God’s people.
Isaiah’s words were a message of pure mercy for Israel. The people were in captivity because of their own stupidity and foolishness, but God sent them a brokenhearted prophet who said, “God wants me to tell you that you belong to him.”
The prophet continues this theme in that same chapter. “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25). Our Lord pleads with us again to come to him no matter what is happening in our lives. His unending grace and mercy are ours; all we need to do is call on him.
Right now, you may feel like you’re drowning in swirling waters. You may feel overwhelmed by a trial or temptation that threatens to consume you. You’ve got to understand from these biblical examples that the Lord does not always calm the waters. He does not always keep the floods from coming or put out the fires.
Yet he does promise, “I will walk with you through it all. This trial or circumstance will not destroy you. It won’t consume you. So, walk on. You’ll come out on the other side with me beside you.”

Tarfoot · 12-02-23, 22:47

Finishing the Race Well

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’” (Luke 14:28-30 NKJV)?

Jesus spoke these words near the close of his ministry on earth to warn followers that good intentions wouldn’t be enough to see them through hard times. Many would not have what it took to finish the race!

I believe the most tragic condition possible is starting out fully intending to lay hold of Christ and grow into a mature disciple, and instead slowly drifting away and becoming cold and indifferent to him.

God, help us understand that we are always changing; we are either changing daily into Christ's image or we are changing back into our old, carnal ways. Paul said to those who have determined to lay hold of Christ at any cost, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

What a joy to meet those who are finishing the race. They are growing in the wisdom and knowledge of Christ, becoming more distant from this world and its pleasures, and becoming more heavenly-minded. Their spiritual senses are highly exercised, and their discernment of what is of God and what is of the flesh is ever-increasing. They are cutting away all earthly attachments. With growing intensity, they long to be with him.

You can be sure that when Christ returns, he will have a glorious church. It will be made up of those who have become so unattached to this world that moving from the corruptible to the incorruptible will be but one last love step into his presence.

You may have fallen down in the Christian race, but you can get up and run again. Jesus will not fail you. He will not let you lie down by the track, exhausted and broken. He will lift your weakened knees and give you his supernatural strength. He will be there at the finish line to say, “Well done!”

Tarfoot · 15-02-23, 23:32

The Key to All Deliverance

The Holy Spirit gave David a revelation that is the key to all deliverance. David could say, “The reason God delivered me from all my enemies, from all my sorrows and the powers of hell is that I am precious to him. My God delights in me!”

Do you need deliverance from lust, temptation or trial? From a problem that’s mental, spiritual, emotional or physical? The key to your victory is in this verse. “He also brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:19). God delights in you. You are precious to him!

In Song of Solomon, the Lord says of his bride, “How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights” (Song of Solomon 7:6). Three of the Hebrew words in this verse are synonymous: fair means precious; pleasant indicates pleasure and delights. These words describe Jesus’ thoughts toward his bride as he beholds her. He looks at her and says, “How beautiful, sweet and delightful you are. You are precious to me, O love.”

In turn, the bride boasts, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me” (Song of Solomon 7:10). The meaning here is “He runs after me with delight. He chases me because I am so precious to him.”

Our Lord also reminds us that although he is the God of glory, the creator of the universe, he loves each one of us completely and will never fail to care for us. “For your maker is your husband,” he says, “the Lord of Hosts is his name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; he is called the God of the whole earth” (Isaiah 54:5). We belong to almighty God!

These thoughts are found throughout the psalms. “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his mercy” (Psalm 147:11). “For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he will beautify the humble with salvation” (Psalm 149:4).

May your heart find comfort today in his unending love for you!

Tarfoot · 18-02-23, 15:25

An Otherworldly Compassion
Carter Conlon

Paul faced a choice when he found himself in the midst of a storm. He was most likely chained in the bottom of the ship, as was the common practice for transporting prisoners. When he warned the people not to undertake this journey, he was scoffed at and scorned. The voice of truth is constantly set aside as bigoted and out of touch. Eventually it is locked away in the same way that Paul was relegated to the bottom of the ship.

Imagine the unspeakable hardship that Paul once again faced. Nevertheless, in the midst of it all, Paul chose in his heart to forgive these men. He stood before them and said, “For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told” (Acts 27:23-25, ESV).

Isn’t that amazing? Paul, once an intolerant Pharisee who hauled people out of their homes and tortured them to get them to blaspheme the name of Christ, was now moved with compassion for his oppressors!

We must have the compassion of God flowing out through us. How do we get to such a place? Not merely by study. We might wish we could take a Bible course somewhere and come out compassionate, but it just doesn’t work that way. Compassion comes by allowing the one who already won the battle for kindness to do his work in and through us.

I am well aware that I cannot forgive or love with that kind of divine love, and neither can you. Human effort cannot produce the kind of compassion required to reach a perishing world or the kind of forgiveness that the greatest depths of depravity demand. It is supernatural and must be worked in us by God. Try as you might to love people in your own strength, you will find that words of grace and forgiveness will not be in your mouth unless they are supernaturally put there by Almighty God.

Learning to love the unlovely requires a change of heart and a molding of character that God must work into your life by the Holy Spirit.

Tarfoot · 23-02-23, 23:33

The Wind of the Spirit

The men and women who were headed for the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 1 and 2) loved Jesus dearly. They had been taught in the school of Christ by the Lord himself. Some had performed miracles, healed the sick and cast out demons. They were compassionate and soul-loving, but they weren’t yet qualified to be his witnesses.

They had been nearby when he sweat drops of blood, seen him hanging on the cross, and stood at his empty tomb. They had even watched in awe as he ascended into heaven! Yet they still were not ready to represent him. Why? Because they needed the power of the Holy Spirit to face down the fearsome, corrupt religious leaders of the day.

The Upper Room experience – the day the Holy Spirit fell on the apostles and other followers of Jesus – made all the difference.

Hear Peter’s powerful statement to the chief priests: “And we are his witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:32 NKJV). Through the words of the Holy Ghost speaking through Peter, the priests “were furious and plotted to kill them” (Acts 5:33).

Stephen came next, filled with the Holy Ghost, confronting the Sanhedrin court just before his death. “’You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you’…When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth” (Acts 7:51, 54).

When you emerge from seeking God full of his Spirit, you can stand boldly before anyone, and your witness will provoke one of two reactions. They will either cry out, “What must I do to be saved?” or they will resist and challenge you. You will speak words that cut to the heart.

Miracles don’t reside within the walls of a church building. The mighty wind of the Spirit blew all the people out into the streets, into the marketplace. Had we been in the Upper Room looking for revival, supernatural wind and tongues of fire, we would have been directed outside to 120 witnesses on the streets, preaching Jesus in the power of the Holy Ghost. That's where the revival is. That's the outpouring. The wind, the fire, the Spirit — it's now in God's witnesses!

Tarfoot · 27-02-23, 15:46

The Joy of Sharing Your Faith

Many Christians in the Western world feel uncomfortable sharing their faith. Some don’t evangelize because they feel like everyone more or less knows about Jesus. Others say that they live out their faith without needing to preach it.

However, Jesus told his followers, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15, ESV). Jesus’ disciples actively preached the gospel. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they prayed for strangers, accomplished miracles and shared Jesus with everyone in every circumstance. They were radical and relentless.

How can we follow the disciples’ example in today’s world?

We who live in Christ walk even as he walked. The Acts of the Apostles aren’t just inspirational stories and historical record. Neither are they a dry template for evangelism. They are just the beginning of the story, and now it’s our turn to write our chapter. Jesus knew this when he said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Our desperate, anxious world wants to hear what Jesus has done for us! They want to know that today, two thousand years after the apostles lived, they too can know the joyful, transformational love of Jesus.

There is something contagious about being around people who love Jesus so much that his love just flows out of them. I call it a baptism of love. They don’t feel obligated to share the good news. They have been spending time in the presence of God and they can’t help but share the joy of their salvation.

People with this contagious love have decided, “I'm not going to just read my Bible anymore. I want to live it.” They realize that the Book of Acts never really ended; it is meant to continue today. They have had a literal “come to Jesus” moment where they were finished with clinical, academic approaches to evangelism. No more how-to instructions and formulas, no more sweaty palms and stilted conversations, and no more being attached to the results. It’s just you — my neighbor, co-worker, Uber driver, friend — and me, someone who woke up excited to share the joy of knowing Jesus with you. “As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:15).

Tarfoot · 01-03-23, 00:13

Rise and Walk with Christ

“Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’” (John 5:8 NKJV). The crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda had likely heard some of the stories about a man named Jesus healing people throughout the region. What he didn’t know was that Jesus knew about him too. He came to this poor man, lying by the pool in his misery and sorrow, and was moved with compassion. All Jesus asked was that the man believe his words and act on them. “Rise! Take up your bed. Walk away from this scene.”

Now this man, helpless and in despair, faced the biggest decision of his pain-filled life. A word of resurrection hope had come to him, and he was being challenged: Rise by faith and be made whole, or lie there in self-pity and die alone. He could have refused to move, thinking, “It won't work. Out of this multitude, why would God heal little old me? I'm destined to die in this condition.” He had to believe because Jesus could not have raised him up against his will. It was now or never!

When people around questioned why and how Jesus did this, he answered, “‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do; for whatever he does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all things that he himself does; and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel’” (John 5:19-20). It was God's will, love and desire to make this man completely whole.

It is difficult to believe God still loves you when you are down and weak or when you feel worthless and wonder why he even cares. It takes childlike faith to accept that love and say, “Lord, on your word alone I will arise and walk with you.”

You don't have to understand all the doctrines about sin and righteousness. You may not even know Jesus in a deep and meaningful way. Don’t worry. Those things will come later. All you need to do today is take the first step of obedience, rise and turn to the Lord. “If anyone wills to do his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority” (John 7:17).

Tarfoot · 02-03-23, 23:29

He Will Restore Your Wasted Years

How many years did you waste before you repented and surrendered all to Jesus? How many years were eaten up by the cankerworm of sin and rebellion? Now you know you are forgiven, but wouldn't you love to get back those years and live them for the glory of the Lord?

In his final days, Paul looked back over his life and testified, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:7-8, NKJV).

Paul says, “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). In other words, “Forget your past and press on in Jesus!”

Satan's favorite form of harassment is bringing up your past to scare you. He will try to persuade you that an old addiction or lust is going to rise up in your heart and take you back to the old life. He’ll use every weapon in his arsenal to bring you down with fear.

It’s true that you may feel the pangs of remorse as long as you live. Yes, the memories will keep you humble, but in God's eyes, your past is a dead issue. “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…my great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:25 NKJV). As far as condemnation and guilt are concerned, God says, "Walk with confidence and freedom into the future!”

We see a picture of such restoration in the New Testament when Jesus healed a man with a withered hand. “Then he said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other” (Matthew 12:13). You see, when Jesus restores you, he also heals the wounds.

Beloved, take those old wounds — the worries and regrets about your wasted years — and let God restore to you all the years that were taken away. Press on toward the prize of your high calling in him!

Tarfoot · 07-03-23, 18:15

God is Hope

"Call to me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know." - Jeremiah 33:3

While in confinement, Jeremiah heard from the Lord. Yes, even when he was thrown into a cistern (chapter 38), he heard from the Lord. He heard a word of hope and encouragement from God: "Call to me, and I will answer you." He heard a message of action: "Call to Me, and I will show you great and mighty things -- which you do not know." These words found in Jeremiah 33 are at the center of Jeremiah's writings and serve as a reminder that God gives hope, and He is the hope of all who follow Him. He is where I place my hope and trust. He is the hope of this world. Yes, even in troubles, Jeremiah heard a message of hope from the Lord. Is He your hope, too?

Amid the message of hope, God speaks in Jeremiah 33:5-9 of the wickedness in Jeremiah's day. It is a warning we ought to also heed concerning the evil we face today. We have a spiritual battle before us, and we must guard our hearts and clothe ourselves in the armor of God even as we live out of the hope He gives. May you be faithful, turning to God first, no matter your circumstances.

Today, may you listen to God, open His Word, and read Jeremiah 33-38, inviting the Holy Spirit to work in your life.

I urge you to:

Commit all your ways to the Lord!

Read your Bible daily!

Be Still and Listen to the voice of the Lord!

Pray!

As you take time with the Lord, may he show you that He alone is your hope! Invite Him to show you how you can respond to whatever comes your way so that you may glorify God and put all your hope in Jesus.

Heavenly Father, thank you that You are our hope. Lord, may you lead each person who reads and prays this prayer to trust you and know their hope is only in You. Thank you, Lord, for listening and hearing as we plead for help. Lord, we thank you for sending Your Son to die on the cross for our sins. May we confess our sins and live our lives lifting your name above every other name. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Tarfoot · 11-03-23, 15:32

Just for the Family

“Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there” (Genesis 43:30 NKJV).

This is the heart of our Savior, even toward the sinful. Joseph and his brothers were eating and drinking in the same room, but he sat alone. We dare not pass lightly over this statement. These men were taking a meal in Joseph's presence without being fully restored and without a revelation of love and grace.

We can be in the Lord's presence and still feel unloved. Many Christians will go to God's house to sing and worship, then go home to the same old lie: “God doesn't show me any evidence that he loves me. My prayers go unanswered. He doesn't really care about me the way he cares for other Christians.”

Joseph’s brothers had acknowledged their sin, but they needed to be totally at the end of their bitterness and human resources before Joseph could reveal his love to them. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart – these, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). The brothers were not yet brokenhearted (see Genesis 43:34) so he put them to a final test. As they were leaving for Canaan, Joseph told his steward to slip his personal silver cup into the sack of Benjamin, the youngest brother. They were hardly out of the city when Joseph's men overtook them and accused them of stealing the cup. They were so certain of their innocence that they said, “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves” (Genesis 44:9).

There was no more fight in them. No more pride. They were humbled, broken; they cried out, "We give up! We surrender."

Then came the revelation of love. “Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, ‘Make everyone go out from me!’ So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers” (Genesis 45:1). They now had a sense of family, of unconditional love and acceptance. The world can hear about God's love, but only family can experience it.

Beloved, God dwells within the humble and brokenhearted. He delights in his family. He has loved us all these past years, even when we were sinners. Rest in his love for you.

Tarfoot · 13-03-23, 14:20

Practicing the Presence of Christ

Many Christians are intimidated by the idea of sharing their faith, myself included. We’ve been taught that there is a set of rules on how to lead people to Christ. We’re worried sick that sharing our faith means “cold calling,” like we’re God’s sales force, buttonholing perfect strangers with sweaty palms and awkward conversation.

The result is that most Christians clam up. “I don’t want to share my faith.” “I’m not prepared.” “I’m an introvert.” “I haven’t shared my faith in ten years.”

People everywhere are seeking peace; the world is in chaos, and they want and need God as never before. Many are surrounded by Christians, but the Christians are too timid to share God’s goodness! Why? Because we’re trying to formalize a spiritual, human, connective experience. We are focused on method and outcome when we are supposed to be focused on people.

Jesus challenged the rule-makers. He showed us that sharing the gospel isn’t a formula; it is a connection between the human and the divine.

We have to begin by practicing God’s presence, becoming intimate with him through time spent in prayer, worship and the Word. As we are infused with his presence, it will naturally flow out to someone in our sphere of influence. Jesus, our example, spent time with people and got to know them; he just waded right in. They could feel his love and compassion toward them and his attentiveness to their needs.

This connection, then, is how we share our faith. We practice the presence of God, and we practice the presence of people.

The Holy Spirit is vigorous and dynamic, constantly moving among us. You may not be a “people person,” but the Holy Spirit most definitely is. God seeks out hurting, lost, discarded people, and we are the link.

Ask yourself this as you go about your day: Do I feel God’s presence? Do I even notice the people around me who would love to feel it too? Will I partner with God and reach out to them, or will I turn away, pull out my phone and check the latest newsfeed?

Jesus embodied the simplicity of the Great Commission. God and man, together, embracing a lost world. “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 2:15 NKJV).

Tarfoot · 17-03-23, 23:39

When Sifting Comes

“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat’” (Luke 22:31 NKJV).

Satan sifts only those who threaten his work. He goes after the tree with the most potential to bear fruit. Why was he so anxious to test Peter? Well, for three years Peter had been casting out devils and healing the sick. Satan had heard Jesus promise the disciples another baptism, one of Holy Ghost power and fire, and he trembled! Now the devil knew God’s ultimate plan for Peter. He realized that the past three years would be nothing compared to the greater works to come. Satan was searching for a weakness in Peter to build on that would destroy his faith.

Perhaps, like Peter, you are being shaken and sifted right now. Don’t despair! Rejoice that you have such a bad reputation in hell. Satan never would have asked God’s permission to sift you unless you were a threat to him. He is sifting you because you play an important part in God’s kingdom in these last days. The greater your gifts and potential, the more severe your sifting will be.

When someone is going through the fire of sifting, what should those around him do? What did Jesus do about Peter’s imminent fall? He said to him, “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:32).

I look at this wonderful example of Christ’s love and realize I know almost nothing about how to love those who fall. Jesus saw both the good and the bad in Peter and concluded, “This man is worth saving. Satan desires him, but I desire him more.”

Lord, give us that kind of love! When we see brothers and sisters heading for disaster, let us love them enough to reach out and say, “I am praying for you.”

Today we have yet another “It is written” with which we can do battle against Satan. It is this: “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail.” You can tell the devil, “You may have gotten permission to sift me, to try to tear down my faith, but you need to know this: My Jesus is praying for me!” AMEN

Tarfoot · 20-03-23, 14:20

Start Small, Trust God

We live in an age of ‘Big.’ With one click, we can take a global tour and become immersed in the world’s problems. Think about the catastrophic headlines that flow through your phone. It takes your breath away, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. We may rightly ask, “Why doesn’t God sweep in and save those poor people?”

We think big problems require big, dramatic solutions, but God doesn’t think that way. In his world, it happens the other way around.

My friend John Bueno and his wife, Lois, were missionaries to El Salvador for more than 25 years. Late one night during their first year, John was driving home from a meeting when he saw a young boy selling newspapers on the street. “That’s odd,” he thought. “It’s nearly midnight.” Then it hit him. The boy couldn’t go home until he’d met his quota, so there he was at midnight, trying to sell the last three papers. John bought them all, and the boy ran off, elated.

The Holy Spirit wouldn’t let John forget about this boy and the hundreds of other children working on the streets of the city. He felt the Spirit say, “If someone doesn’t help them, this will be the story of their lives.” John initially pushed back. “But Lord, I don’t have enough money or ability to make a difference.” God persisted, and today, more than 60 years later, the school for disadvantaged children that John and Lois founded has 37 campuses. They estimate that nearly one-sixth of El Salvador’s six million people have passed through their school.

You may think, “I’m not a missionary; I’m just an ordinary, unremarkable person.” Good! This is an attitude God can work with. Think of our heroes of the faith. Men and women like Moses, Daniel and Esther were ordinary people who simply stepped up. Many were poor and felt like they didn’t have much to offer, but God didn’t need their resources or resumes. He used their willing hearts and hands to accomplish his purpose.

Mother Teresa understood that every kindness, every act of mercy, matters. “Never worry about numbers,” she once said. “Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.”

Jesus says, “‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40, ESV). Give God your loaves and fishes, and he will feed the world.

Tarfoot · 23-03-23, 20:26

Examine My Heart

"Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord; Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven." - Lamentations 3:40-41

As a follower of Jesus, my heart desires to be right at the center of where God is working, but if my heart and life are not in sync with God, I will miss the invitation to join Him where He is working. In reading and studying Lamentations 3, specifically verses 40-41, I see a call to action and a prayer that can keep my heart in the correct posture toward God.

The call to action is for a Christ follower to invite the Holy Spirit to reveal whether his or her life honors God. Recently, I visited with a man who has been discipling a new follower of Jesus. He told me that God used the joy and excitement of this person to bring him to a place of examining his own spiritual walk and revealed that his love for Christ was not where it should be.

We hear people around us calling for revival and for America to return to God, but first, we need to examine our hearts just as we read in Lamentations. As we go before the Lord and ask Him to search and forgive us of our sinful ways, we must turn our hearts to Him and His ways. If those in Christ are not placing Christ first, how can we ever expect a nation to return to God? It begins with you and me.

In Lamentations 3:41, we find a prayer describing the process of lining our hearts up with God. Is your heart aligned with God or overloaded with worldly desires and cares?

Please allow me to summarize Jeremiah's clear path to right standing before the Lord found in Lamentations 3

Invite the Holy Spirit to examine your heart. v. 40
Turn from your ways and turn to God. v. 40b
Worship with a pure heart. v. 41

Heavenly Father, I praise you for your love and your desire to have fellowship with us. I invite you to examine my heart and the hearts of all who read this devotional. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, show us those things in our lives that hinder us from being entirely devoted to You. As you reveal our sins, may we confess and turn to You. Renew our hearts with purity and prepare us to worship and serve You. May we be found obedient to the Great Commission to share the Gospel so others will come to a personal relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Tarfoot · 28-03-23, 23:40

The Lesson of the Prodigal

We often approach God with preconceived ideas of how he will receive us. For example, if we have done something to grieve his heart, we may feel that he loves us but will be slow to forgive.

Jesus clears this up with the parable of the prodigal son. The story goes that the young man “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).

I believe the prodigal came home because of his history with his father. He knew his father’s character. He had been a much-loved son and was desperately hoping that he would not be upbraided or condemned for his sins if he returned.

Notice how the prodigal’s father received him in his pitiful condition. The young man was intent on offering a heartfelt confession to his dad. Yet when they came face to face, he didn’t even get a chance to fully confess. His father interrupted him by running up to him and embracing him.

The young man was only able to blurt out the beginning of his speech. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son’” (Luke 15:21).

His father didn’t even wait for him to finish. To him, his son’s sin had already been settled. The father’s only response was to issue orders to his servants. “Put a robe on my son, a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. Prepare a feast! We are going to celebrate. Everyone rejoice! My son is home.” He knew his son’s heart. He knew he had fully repented.

Sin wasn’t the issue to this father. The only issue in his mind was love. He wanted his boy to know he was accepted even before he could utter a confession. That is the point God wants to make to us all. His love is greater than all of our sins. “The goodness of God leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4).

Tarfoot · 01-04-23, 14:12

To Die Is Gain?

Paul said, “To die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 NKJV). That kind of talk is absolutely foreign to our modern spiritual vocabularies. We have become such life-worshippers that we have very little desire to depart to be with the Lord.

Paul was torn. He honestly wrote, “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 1:23). That said, he thought it best to stay here and “live in the flesh,” knowing the new church needed more teaching and encouragement.

In saying “to die is gain,” was Paul being morbid? Did he have an unhealthy fixation with death? Did he not respect the life God had blessed him with? Absolutely not! Paul lived life to the fullest. To him, life was a gift, and he had used it well to fight a good fight. He had simply overcome the fear of the “sting of death” and could now say, “It’s better to die and be with the Lord than to stay in the flesh.”

Those who die in the Lord are the winners because resurrection is the ultimate healing where we are ushered into our Father’s presence! The passage of death can be painful, but it cannot compare to the unspeakable glory that awaits those who endure the passage.

Talking about death bothers us. We try to ignore it, avoiding even thinking about it. Occasionally we will talk about what heaven must be like, but most of the time the subject of death is taboo. Instead, we hear messages on how to use our faith to acquire more things. Death is considered an intruder that cuts us off from the good life we have become accustomed to. We think, “I love the Lord, but I need more time to enjoy my life.” What a stunted concept of God’s eternal purposes. No wonder so many Christians are frightened by the thought of death.

How different the first Christians were! Paul spoke frequently about death. In fact, our resurrection from the dead is referred to in the New Testament as our “blessed hope.” Christ calls us to die without worrying about how we should be remembered. Jesus left no autobiography, no headquarters complex, no university or Bible college. He left nothing to perpetuate his memory but the bread and wine. By his death, though, we gained everything.

Tarfoot · 02-04-23, 15:10

Palm Sunday

On this day long ago, our Lord Jesus Christ entered the city of Jerusalem to joyous shouts of “Hosanna” (a phrase which means “save”). The people who shouted those words did not understand the kind of Savior Jesus would
be. They assumed He would proclaim Himself king, assemble an army and overthrow the oppressive forces of Rome. When He failed to do that, they turned against Him in anger and hate. Within a few days of their shouts of “Hosanna” became shouts of “Crucify Him!”
What the people of ancient Jerusalem could not understand, God has clearly revealed in the pages of Holy Scripture. Jesus rode into that city knowing that He would be rejected and nailed to a cross. He willingly gave
His perfect life to save us from our sins. Today, we proclaim “Hosanna” knowing that Jesus Christ is indeed the only source of salvation – for us and for our fallen world. As we worship Him with joy on this holy day, let us also recommit ourselves to serving Him with gladness! Let us tell the
world about our Savior, so that more and more people can experience the joy of salvation and join us in serving Him!

Tarfoot · 04-04-23, 16:28

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.'" - Ezekiel 14:6

In this Holy Week when we remember the death and burial of Jesus and celebrate His resurrection, conversations continue about the outpouring at Asbury University that began on February 8, as well as lament over shootings, overdoses, family difficulties, finances, and so much more. We hear of prayers for Jesus to awaken His people and bring salvation to those without Him. The cry for revival to come to our nation, states, cities, and towns is coming from the north, south, east, and west. But while we cry out for revival, we cannot ignore our own lives. We must personally confess our sins to the Lord to be part of receiving His outpouring.

In His Word, the Lord has made it clear that we must repent before revival comes to an individual or a nation. It is no secret that the United States needs to be awakened to the Holy Spirit and that our country desperately needs to turn back to God. We must stop and ask the Lord what we personally must turn away from before revival comes.

As the Israelites sought the Lord, He said, "Repent." In Ezekiel 14:6, He defined repentance as "[turning] away from idols and [turning] your faces away from all your abominations." Repentance is often described today as someone driving down the road, realizing they are going the wrong way, and making a U-turn.

In Ezekiel, we see that Israel turned their back on God when He had called the nation to be set apart. You and I can relate to Israel as we have created idols out of finances, sports, careers, technology, relationships, and material possessions, all while we who are in Christ are called to live our lives free from a tie to the things of the world. It isn't wrong to have these things, but we must have balance and accountability in our lives so that we do not make them our idols.

When we acknowledge our sins to God and confess that without Him, we cannot do anything about our sins, we experience biblical repentance; a turning from our ways to God's way.

Today, I plead with you to go before God and ask Him to reveal any unconfessed sin in your heart. As the Lord reveals the sin, own and confess it to Him. To personally experience an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we must come clean. We must do as the Scriptures instruct us: repent, turn away from idols and abominations, and turn entirely to Jesus. We can believe God's Word: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Heavenly Father, we invite you to work in our lives today and throughout this Holy Week. Lord, help us spend time with You so that the Holy Spirit can reveal the sin in our hearts. When He does, we will confess our sin, turn to You, and recommit ourselves to You being our first love, as You remove all idols and abominations from our life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Family Research Council

27-10-22, 15:46	#1251
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You The Same Faith Jesus said, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32, NKJV). God wants to give me a kingdom? Where is it? “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). It is something you possess in your inner man. It is a liberated life! Scripture also says, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:9-10). You may wonder, “What does it mean to enter this promised rest? What should it look like in my life?” I pray that God will remove the scales from our eyes and allow us to grasp this. Simply put, entering into his promised rest means fully trusting that Christ has done all the work of salvation for you. You’re to rest in his saving grace by faith alone. This is what Jesus means when he urges, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). It means the end of all your fleshly striving, all your human efforts to obtain peace. It means relying totally on Jesus’ work for you. Our battle is not against flesh and blood. It takes place in the spiritual realm. The Old Testament makes this crystal clear. Time after time, Israel made empty, futile promises to God. “We want to serve you, Lord. We’ll do whatever you command us.” History proves they had neither the heart nor the ability to follow through on their word. God had to strip them of all faith in themselves. Everything we need is to come from our precious Lord’s presence. Paul states, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). This speaks of uninterrupted fellowship. Through the victory of the cross, our Lord has made himself available to us every hour of the day or night. We have to make a decision. “I want Christ in my life. I want to be set free from all flesh. I’m going to move forward into his presence and claim my possession. I want Jesus to be my only source of satisfaction.” __________________ 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

31-10-22, 21:53	#1252
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Out of the Darkness into the Light What is it going to take to get us out of our miserable lives of guilt and depression? Aren't you tired of living a life of fear and mental torture? Haven't you yet learned there is a better way? What will it take to make us see that a far more glorious life awaits us? Do you want this glorious, liberated life? Paul said, "Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light" (Colossians 1:12, NKJV). Do you now believe it is your inheritance? Do you now believe God wants desperately for you to have it? Accept it by faith, and move into it! Claim it as your own. “The just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11). You simply put your faith in what God said he would do for you. This liberated life of righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Ghost is a gift. You can't work for it. The greatest joy of all is knowing you are no longer "guilty" before God. It is the joy of knowing your faith makes you right before him. "Blessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried. Blessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him” (Romans 4:7-8, AMPC). Abraham became the father of nations simply because he took God at his Word. He could have doubted and lost everything. “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to perform. …Now it was not written for his sake alone…but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:20-24, NKJV). God forgives us in order to save us; we must believe that he will keep us. The faith that brought Christ into our lives keeps us from falling. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2). __________________ 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

05-11-22, 20:56	#1253
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Be Ye Holy Three months after Israel left Egypt, they arrived at the base of Mt. Sinai and set up camp. Moses climbed the rugged mountain to commune with the Lord and God called to him saying, “I am going to come to you in the form of a dark cloud so the people can hear when I talk to you. Then they will always believe you. Go down and get them ready for my visit. Sanctify them.” On the morning of the third day, an awesome thunder and lightning storm descended on Mt. Sinai. As a cloud covered the mountain and Jehovah descended in fire, the earth shook with a violent earthquake. A trumpet sounded loud and long, Moses spoke, and God answered. His message that day to Moses and the children of Israel was clear: “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...” (Exodus 19:6). Just as he did that day on Mt. Sinai, God promised to speak once more. A prophecy recorded in Hebrews says, “See that you do not refuse him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven...'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.'” (Hebrews 12:25-26). Today God is speaking from heaven with the same powerful message that he spoke in Moses’ day: “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16). How do we stay holy in this wicked age? Who can keep himself from being contaminated by it all? No one — in his own strength, that is. Only God has the power to keep us holy, to present us to himself a holy people without spot or wrinkle. The God who gives us his holiness has the power to keep us in it! The safest place on earth is at the foot of the cross, humbled before God’s throne. The more wicked the times, the more we need to stay yielded to 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

07-11-22, 00:50	#1254
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Bible Prophecy Update – November 6th, 2022 by Pastor J D Farag This is a very good video to watch so please take the time to listen starting at the 31 minute mark. God bless and love to ya all. Code: [Check Download Links] https://www.jdfarag.org/bible-prophecy?sapurl=LytkNmtjL2xiL21pLytoZzRxd3JkP2VtYmVkPXRydWUmcmVjZW50Um91dGU9YXBwLndlYi1hcHAubGlicmFyeS5tZWRpYS1zZXJpZXMmcmVjZW50Um91dGVTbHVnPSUyQjgyeXhwOGY= __________________ 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

08-11-22, 15:26	#1255
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Boldness to Enter God’s Presence “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us, through the veil. …Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” (Hebrews 10:19-20, 22, NKJV).There are two sides to Christ’s work at Calvary. One is to the benefit of man, and the other is to the benefit of God. We are well acquainted with the benefit on the human side. The cross of Christ has provided us with forgiveness of our sins. We are given the power of victory over bondage and dominion over sin. We are supplied with mercy and grace, and we are given the promise of eternal life. The cross has given us the means of escape from the terrors of sin and hell. I thank God for this benefit of the cross and for the wonderful relief it brings. I rejoice that it is preached in churches all over the world, yet there is another aspect of the cross, one that benefits God. We understand very little about the delight of the Father that was made possible by the cross. Many Christians have learned to come boldly before God for forgiveness, for supply of needs or for answers to prayer. Yet they lack boldness to come before him with the intent of simply communing with him, an aspect that is just as crucial in their walk with the Lord. He is delighted when a prodigal comes home or when his people just want to spend time with him in worship and meditation. His delight brings us liberty, rest, peace and joy. The most glorious moment in history was when the temple veil was rent in two on the day that Christ died. It was at this moment that the benefit to God burst forth. In the instant that the temple veil separating man from God’s holy presence was torn asunder, something incredible happened. From that point on, not only was man able to enter into the Lord’s presence, but God could come out to man. __________________ 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

09-11-22, 17:31	#1256
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You The Hope of Restoration The days of the Gentiles are almost over. God has given us plenty of warning that the Spirit will not forever strive with the rebellious. But before this generation comes under the retribution of almighty God, a great restoration is prophesied. “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:25 NKJV). The psalmist David said the righteous shall “be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit...whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3). However, that promise is only to those who refuse to walk in the way of sinners and are devoted students of God's Word. “The ungodly are not so,” said David (v. 4). They become weak and withered, blown about by every wind of doctrine. The compromisers are like withered trees, diseased and corrupted with every kind of worm. This is a picture of many professing Christians in God's house today. They neglect their Bible reading; they become too preoccupied to pray and build themselves up in the faith; they become cozy with the ungodly and take their seat among the scornful. An army of cankerworms has been eating away at the lives of these backslidden Christians. Outwardly they appear as trees planted by the water, but inwardly they are corrupted, weak and diseased. They are drying up spiritually and no longer bear fruit. Sin is eating away deep within those who have strayed from the presence of the Lord. God has told us how he is going to bring about this great restoration. First, he will pour out his Holy Spirit in abundant ways that will bring health and strength back to all the trees in his forest. The worm of sin will begin to lose its power as God's people get back to Bible reading. A powerful revelation of the Lord's new covenant will make God's people as bold as lions. Yes, believe it! A revival of spiritual strength and divine health is going to be poured out from on high. __________________ 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

14-11-22, 15:09	#1257
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Healing for Hidden Hurts It’s interesting that every sin in the Bible is a relational sin, even the Ten Commandments. The first four deal with our relationship with God: "Have no other gods before me. Don't take my name in vain." The other six address our relationships with other people. Throughout scripture, every sin that's mentioned — greed, pride, lust, anger, strife — is relational. When we don’t understand and follow the ways God wants us to view our relationships with him and others, we know something is missing. There is a hollowness, a separation from God, because sin is following our own ideas and not his plan. We seem to always measure fulfillment by external circumstances. If our lives fall short of those expectations, and it almost always does, we feel that emptiness. For some, life may be especially traumatic. A person may have come from an abusive situation in childhood, or experienced divorce or addiction. Wherever that disappointment with life comes from, we feel it keenly at our core. Let's say somebody grows up without a sense of being loved. Their father never once said to them, “I love you,” and they were never held or hugged. They feel that constant ache and longing. For some, the measurement might be money or admiration. “Once I make my first million, or get to this place on the corporate ladder, everybody will love me.” A guy who feels insecure about his masculinity might chase women. If it doesn’t work out, we feel like a failure. Here is the problem. Out of that pain comes a sense that there is something wrong with us. “I am incomplete. I am defective because...” We start blaming ourselves. We say, “The reason my father rejected me, or my mother left me, or my marriage fell apart is that I am insignificant, unworthy, unlovable. I'm not smart enough. I'm not good looking enough.” We build what I call false constructs. We’re building our whole life based on our wounds. You could call it “wound speak.” Our wounds have a subconscious voice, and they tell us, "Go get this, get that." It's very subtle but very powerful. God’s plan is that we measure our worth by his love and grace. He paid the ultimate price to silence that wounded voice, to wipe away our past through forgiveness, and to redeem us into wholeness in him. His voice is the only one that matters. Listen to His voice. __________________ 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

17-11-22, 23:42	#1258
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You The Last Outpouring I do not believe we have yet seen the glory and fullness of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Joel. What we have seen are just a few sprinkles! The power and love of the Holy Spirit have brought many together throughout the world, yet it is just a foretaste. God has much more in store for us. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit will not be just a renewal of love and praise; it will be a restoration of holiness unto the Lord. God will permit nothing to hinder what he plans to do, and his intent is to raise up a standard against the enemy when he comes in “like a flood” (see Isaiah 59:19). What is that standard? It is a holy people who are pure, undefiled and delivered from the corruption of the world. We will not have the fullness of the Spirit's outpouring, and we will not be able to stand against the enemy, until God’s people separate themselves completely from the world. Tragically, too many people have an initial encounter with God but do not try to live a holy life afterward. They may speak with tongues, but then they live like the devil. Sin is not uprooted from their hearts, and all they receive is an experience of ecstasy. You are not truly baptized with the Holy Spirit until every hidden part of your soul has been exposed, and every sin confessed and forsaken. We must emphasize separation and purity of heart. The purpose of the Spirit's coming is to sanctify and prepare a people for the Lord's return, a people without spot or wrinkle. He will “convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8, NKJV). This is the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s work: renewal and sanctification! God wants us to be led by the Spirit into a deeper, more mature life that is consecrated to him. When we seek this sanctified life, we will be mightily used by God to shine forth as lights to this wicked and perverse generation. __________________ 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

20-11-22, 12:34	#1259
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,563 Thanks: 27,627 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You WORCESTER CATHEDRAL ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL The St. Philip's Boys Choir __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

22-11-22, 02:12	#1260
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You God Is Able to See You Through The most important question facing God's people in these last days is “Do you believe God is able to see you through? Do you believe he can do all that is necessary to answer your prayers and meet your needs?” Jesus asked these same questions when he was on the earth. In Matthew 9, before healing two blind men who begged him for mercy, he tested their faith. “‘Do you believe I am able to do this?’ They said to him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then he touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you.’ And their eyes were opened…” (Matthew 9:28-30 NKJV). Today, he reminds us that our faith and trust in him turn the tide. “Do you believe I can direct and guide you and am still at work on your behalf? Or do you harbor secret thoughts that I have forsaken you and let you down?” God is not primarily interested in us doing some great work for him. Rather, he wants us to simply trust him. He desires full dependence on him. God doesn’t want our possessions either. He is not after your house, your land, your car, or any other worldly belongings. He wants your trust! He wants you to be firmly established in your confidence in him. An American soldier in Germany once wrote to me. He offered me his coin collection because he felt it was an idol in his life, and he thought getting rid of it would free him. I wrote him back and said, “God wants more than your coin collection. He wants your trust.” We keep wanting to do things, to give up things, to sacrifice, work and suffer, when all the while what God desires most is our obedience and trust. His Word is clear that he will be pleased with nothing short of our faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). God has not forsaken you. Your prayers have been heard, and he will work things out according to his perfect will. Have faith and hold on! God will never let us down. I myself can't count the number of times I've let my God and Father down. Yet He is always willing to forgive. Thanks be to God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and yes our Holy Spirit. 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

26-11-22, 14:55	#1261
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You God Who Redeems Our Past Claude Houde Whatever the circumstances of your life, God is able to change them for his glory. This biblical principle is not just a theory for me. I have met many people who were transformed by God despite horrors in their past. I know a young man from the poorest neighborhood of Montreal particularly well who experienced this magnificent and radical transformation. Most of the men in his family were violent alcoholics. His father was depressed, perpetually out of work and showed all the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Night after night, this boy protected his little brother from his father's violence. As a teenager, however, he became what he had always hated. Alcohol, drugs, anger, delinquency, lies and violence were his lot. Until he was seventeen, he was completely out of control, disappointing and hurting everyone who came into contact with him. How many mornings had he woken up in a filthy Montreal ditch after spending the night drinking and fighting? More than he could count. One evening, a policeman told his mother, “Don't worry, Madame. One day you won't have him on your hands anymore. Cases like him end up in prison or the cemetery.” I was that boy (Claude Houde). My circumstances predisposed me to reproduce the evil that had made me suffer so much. However, God in his grace came to find me. He took my heart, broken by beatings and rage, and changed it into his image. Our God transforms lives! Years later, I still consider myself very imperfect, but scripture promises, “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, ESV). God made me a faithful husband, a committed dad, a love-struck grandpa and a man of God devoted to his service. God transforms circumstances and hearts. Do not limit yourself to what you once were. Do not limit your children to who they are today. God is greater than all of that. Your family has no pain that the Lord cannot heal. Declare this truth in your heart for your spouse, your family, your children and your future. If it is true that all our traumas are relational, then so are our healings. In our relationship with God and his people, let us be renewed. What might have been for our harm, God can and will ultimately turn into good. __________________ 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 Last edited by Tarfoot; 26-11-22 at 15:04.

29-11-22, 23:45	#1262
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You "In that day you will say: "I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation." With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: "Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you." Isaiah 12:1-6 When we read Isaiah 12, we see that our focus in the midst of trials ought to be on God. Isn't it telling that when we get our eyes off ourselves and look to God, we begin to see a way through whatever circumstances we face? I recently visited with a friend who had to have a foot amputated because of a health issue. While going through this season, he has not taken on an attitude of self-pity but instead has found it in his heart to give praise to God. He has begun using his recovery and physical therapy sessions as an opportunity to love and share Jesus with those helping him and others he has met in the medical facilities. My friend is living out his trust in the Lord. Today, whatever you are facing, I urge you to trust God. Amid news that comes out of the US Capitol, the White House, or your State Capitol that goes against the very heart of God, we can continue to trust God. May you take time to worship and praise God today. May your eyes remain fixed upon Him because He is the way, the truth, and the life. Here is a part of a hymn written by Fanny Crosby that I trust will encourage you today: Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim! Hail Him! Hail Him! Highest archangels in glory; Strength and honor give to His holy Name! Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children, In His arms He carries them all day long. May you have a blessed week and remember to: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 __________________ 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

30-11-22, 15:46	#1263
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You God’s Promised Rest “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.For he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:9-10 NKJV). You may wonder, “What does it mean to enter this promised rest? What should it look like in my life?” Simply put, entering his promised rest means fully trusting that Christ has done all the work of salvation for you. You're to rest in his saving grace by faith alone. I pray that God will remove the scales from our eyes and allow us to truly understand this. When Jesus urges, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28), he invites us to stop all fleshly striving and human efforts to obtain peace. He wants us to totally rely on him and his work for us. Our battle is not against flesh and blood; it takes place in the spiritual realm. The Old Testament makes this crystal clear. Time after time, Israel made empty, futile promises to God: “We want to serve you, Lord. We'll do whatever you command us to do.” History proves they had neither the heart nor the ability to follow through on their word. God had to strip them of all faith in themselves. Everything we need comes from our precious Lord. Paul states, “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us;for in him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’” (Acts 17:26-28). This speaks of uninterrupted fellowship. Through the victory of the cross, our Lord has made himself available to us every hour of the day and night. We have to make a decision and say, “I want Christ in my life. I want to be set free from all flesh. I am therefore going to move forward into his presence and claim my possession. I want Jesus to be my all, my only source of satisfaction.” 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

02-12-22, 21:00	#1264
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You A New Creature in Christ God’s Word boldly declares, ”I am crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV), and “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). You may say, “I know I’m in Christ by faith. I realize I am a new creature, but I still struggle terribly with a habit. It makes me so discouraged.” Satan would love to convince you that God has given up on you. He wants you to think God sees you as dirty, filthy with sin. It's all a lie. What you're experiencing is the flesh battling against the Spirit in you. This battle is common to all believers, and when you're in the middle of it, Satan wants to convince you that the “old man” is still in control. Here is the truth. No matter what your condition, God does not waver in his love for you. He never stopped loving Adam's race, despite all its wickedness, idolatry and lustful ways. He has preserved us throughout history to the last days when he stepped in with his rescue plan. God made it possible at the cross to redeem every one of us, Adam and all his descendants. We must stand firm in the knowledge that our standing with God is based on one thing: we are victorious because of the cross. This victory doesn't come through any good thing you or I do. As Paul says, “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Romans 8:8-10). Our victory comes solely through repentance, faith, belief and trust in God's care for us. Our part is to stand firmly on the position he has graciously given us in Christ. His Word assures us, “You may fail at times. But when I look at you, I see only my Son, Jesus. You're going to come through this battle victorious, with no guilt and no condemnation.” __________________ 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

08-12-22, 20:15	#1265
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You God's Gift to His Son I can scarcely take it in when I read these words, “And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one: I in them, and you in me; that they may be made perfect in one…” (John 17:22-23, NKJV). Think of it. We have our Lord's word, confessed before his own Father, that he has given himself to us as fully and completely as his Father gave himself to him. He has given us the same intimate love his Father gave him, and that is his glory manifested in us. We have been brought into the same kind of special love relationship he shares with the Father; even more, he opens up the circle of love between them and brings us into it. We are made partakers of a glory beyond comprehension. How incredible that Christ should bring us to the Father and plead, "That they may be one with us!" We share completely in the fullness of God's love for his Son by being in Christ. In a true sense, it may be said that God so loved his Son that he gave him the world. Did you not know we are God's gift to his Son, a gift of love? “They were yours; you gave them all to me.” Yet Christ was so in oneness with the Father that he brings the gift back to him and says, “All mine are thine, and thine are mine...” (see John 17:10). Is it not comforting to know we are the object of such a love between Father and Son? What an honor to have Christ place us in the palm of his great and loving hand, for him to present us to the Father and say, “Behold, Father! They are ours! They all belong to us! They are the object of our love! I will love them, Father! You will love them! We will make our abode in them and show them how much they are loved.” As we grasp this, we will be able to say confidently, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). __________________ 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

21-12-22, 00:41	#1266
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You The Power of Humility John the Baptist's definition of his ministry was blunt and simple: “I am ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness’” (John 1:23 NKJV). Who was John the Baptist? The scriptures says that this most blessed of all prophets was the greatest “among them that are born of women” and a revered preacher of righteousness. Crowds flocked to hear John's scorching messages. Many were baptized and became his disciples. Even royalty came under his mighty influence. Some thought he was Christ; others considered him to be Elijah raised from the dead. However, this fearless man of God refused to be exalted or promoted. He was emptied of self, and he continually withdrew from center stage. In his own eyes, he wasn’t even worthy to be called a man of God. He was simply a wilderness voice, modest, retiring and unconcerned about honor or usefulness. He didn't care about having a ministry or being “mightily used of God.” In fact, he considered himself unworthy to even touch Jesus’ shoes. His entire life was devoted to “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). What a powerful rebuke to us in this age of self-occupation, promotion of personalities, influence-grabbing, ego-tripping and seeking of honors. John could have had it all, yet he cried, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). The secret of John's happiness was that his joy was not in his ministry or work, not in his personal usefulness or widespread influence. His pure joy was to stand in the presence of the Lord, hear his voice and rejoice in it. His joy was in seeing others, his own disciples included, flocking to Jesus, the Lamb of God. The greatest fulfillment a child of God can know is to lose self and all desire to be somebody, and simply rejoice in being a son or daughter who lives in the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being totally occupied with Christ is what satisfies the heart. May we, like John, understand that our worth comes from Christ alone. May our souls find their sustenance and joy in him, the author and finisher of our faith. __________________ 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

23-12-22, 15:13	#1267
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You The Unrelenting Love of God Let’s talk about the word “unrelenting.” It means undiminished in intensity or effort, unyielding, uncompromising, incapable of being changed or persuaded by arguments. Unrelenting, constant, sustained, never-ending — what a marvelous description of God’s love! Nothing can hinder or diminish his loving pursuit of both sinners and saints. The Psalmist put it perfectly: “You have hedged me behind and before, and laid your hand upon me…Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend into heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there” (Psalm 139:5, 7-8 NKJV). David is speaking of life’s highs and lows. “Sometimes I feel so blessed and filled with joy. At other times, I feel condemned and unworthy; but no matter how I feel or where I am, Lord, you are with me. You never accept my arguments about how unworthy I am. Even when I am disobedient, you never stop loving me. Your love for me is relentless!” Consider the testimony of the apostle Paul. Here was a man bent on destroying God's church. Paul had a fierce hatred for Christians. He breathed out threats of slaughter against everyone who followed Jesus. He even sought the high priest's authorization to hunt down believers so he could charge into their homes and drag them off to prison. God’s fervent love for Paul never wavered, even during those hate-filled years. In a letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, “But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He was saying, “Even though I wasn't conscious of it, God was pursuing me. He kept coming until he caught up with me and literally knocked me off my high horse. That’s the unrelenting love of God.” Throughout the rest of his life, Paul’s confidence in God’s faithfulness only grew. “For I am persuaded,” he wrote, “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). __________________ 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

24-12-22, 05:41	#1268
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,563 Thanks: 27,627 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Christmas Carols at St PAULS Cathedral 2022 __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

31-12-22, 15:38	#1269
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You What Holds Us Down “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV). The Lord desires to bestow his favor and blessing upon you to lift you above what limits you, so that you become the person he sees in you. There is a call that only you can fulfill on this earth, in your generation and within your family. To achieve this, the Lord is ready to pour on you a special grace and his strength on a daily basis. However, another force acts in us and opposes this process. It is our pride. God's favor is blocked by your pride, for God resists the proud as the Bible tells us. The expression ‘resist’ comes from the Greek word antitassomai and means to line up in battle against or oppose someone. In other words, when we choose to stand in our pride, we are literally going to war with God. When we choose pride, we reproduce on a small scale, Satan's rebellion against God. The secret thoughts of pride that led Lucifer to his downfall are revealed in Isaiah 14:12-14: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God… I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’” To choose pride is to elevate our own ‘thrones,’ rights, opinions, plans, desires and decisions above those of our husband or wife, our children or grandchildren, above even God. Therefore, we abort the divine process of elevation that he intended to accomplish in us. Dear friend, I plead with all my heart and might, stop choosing pride, stubbornness, arrogance, harshness, coldness, self-centered bitterness and unforgiveness. Stop denying your part, blaming others, wallowing in self-pity, elevating your suffering or disappointment above God's promises and infinite redemptive ability. Choose instead to walk in humility before God. Choose to be honest about your sins with yourself, God and other people. Choose to have the courage to ask for forgiveness. Recognize your need for God to break that pride that has kept you limited for too long. God desires to lift you up. __________________ 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

04-01-23, 19:36	#1270
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Acknowledging Our Helplessness One of the most important verses in scripture is in the apostle Peter’s first letter. He speaks of the necessity of having our faith tested. “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,” (1 Peter 1:7 NKJV). This passage suggests that God is saying, “Your faith is more precious to me than all the wealth of this world, which will one day disappear. When the enemy sends all manner of evil against you, I want you to be able to stand strong with unshakable faith. I will keep you through every dark day. Your part is to simply have faith in me. I will keep you by my power.” God wants to help us stand strong, but he also wants us to move ahead. The apostle Paul writes, “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). Why would he be interested in keeping us mired in temptation and affliction? He doesn’t get any glory from testing his children. His glory comes from the results. The children of Israel were brought to the Red Sea for a reason. God had led them to the very brink of destruction. They were surrounded by mountains on two sides, a sea on the third, and an approaching enemy on the fourth. Why? Because he wanted his people to acknowledge their helplessness. He wanted to hear them say, “We remember how God delivered us from the plagues, and how he brought us out of terrible affliction where we made bricks without straw and had no rest. God delivered us then, and he will do it again!” Our Lord wants to hear the same from us. He will protect us from every enemy that comes against us. When we are trapped and helpless, let's rejoice in his faithfulness. He is God, and he will keep his promises! __________________ 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

05-01-23, 22:35	#1271
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Right Song, Wrong Side When the children of Israel went through times of testing, were they really supposed to express gratitude and thanksgiving in the middle of them? When they were surrounded and in a hopeless situation, did God really expect them to have that kind of reaction? Yes, absolutely! That was the secret to getting out of their difficulty. You see, God wants something from all of us in our times of trouble. He wants us to offer him a sacrifice of thanksgiving. I believe James discovered this secret when he admonished, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” (James 1:2 NKJV). He was saying, “Don’t give up. Make an altar in your heart and offer up joyous thanksgiving even as you are going through the storm.” Of course, the children of Israel did offer the Lord praise and thanksgiving, but they did it on the wrong side of the Red Sea. Yes, they rejoiced all night, but God had no pleasure in it. Anyone can shout in gratitude after a victory. The question God put to Israel was, “Will you praise me before I send help, while you’re still in the battle?” I believe if Israel had rejoiced on the “trial side” of the Red Sea, they wouldn’t have had to be tested again at the waters of Marah. Had they passed the Red Sea test, the waters at Marah wouldn’t have tasted bitter, but sweet. And Israel would have seen water springing up everywhere in the desert, rather than having to go thirsty. May God help us to sing the right song on the testing side of trials. May we understand how much delight a song of thanksgiving brings to the heart of our heavenly Father. Are you going through a difficult time right now? Then sing! Praise! Say to the Lord, “I praise you because I know you can do it. You delivered me before, and you can deliver me now. I rest in joy.” __________________ 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

10-01-23, 16:16	#1272
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Read once and then read again and again if needed.... Acceptance through Christ For anyone to enjoy settled peace, he must cease from self and harken to God’s Word and rest without a single question on its pure, precious and everlasting record. God’s Word never changes. I change; my frame, my feelings, my experience, my circumstances change continually, but God’s Word is the same yesterday and today and forever. It is a grand and essential point for the soul to apprehend that Christ is the only definition of the believer’s place before God. This gives immense power, liberty and blessing. “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17 NKJV). This is something perfectly wonderful! Let us ponder it; let us think of a poor wretched, guilty slave of sin, a bondslave of Satan, a votary of the world, exposed to an eternal hell. Such an one is taken up by sovereign grace and delivered completely from the grasp of Satan. He is freed from the dominion of sin, the power of this present evil. He is pardoned, washed, justified, brought nigh to God, accepted in Christ and perfectly and forever identified with him so that the Holy Ghost can say, “As Christ is, so is he in this world!” All this seems too good to be true. Most assuredly, it is too good for us to get, but blessed be the God of all grace and blessed be the Christ of God, it is not too good for him to give. God gives like himself. He will be God in spite of our unworthiness and Satan’s opposition. He will act in a way worthy of himself and worthy of the Son of his love. __________________ 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

12-01-23, 15:39	#1273
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You As He Desires to Be Known Jesus said, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9 NKJV). We must see Jesus not as man teaches, but as the Spirit reveals him to us, as God wants us to know and see him! We are to get God’s vision and testimony of Christ, then we will know God as he desires to be known! Here is how I believe God wants us to see his Son: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Jesus was a gift! God wrapped all his resources up in Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Christ is God’s good and perfect gift to us, come down from the Father. Do you see Jesus as God’s perfect gift to you? Do you see him as all you need to live joyfully, victoriously, righteously, full of peace and rest? Ages ago, before you were created, God saw what your hurts and needs would be. He knew ahead of time what you would need to solve all your problems. He did not wrap up his answers and send them to you as a rule book or as an army of “answer men.” No, he gave us all one solution to all our crises and needs: one man, one Way, one answer to everything we need in Jesus Christ. God says to you, “I don’t want you to live for tomorrow. You’ll only look back and see that today could have been your very best time. Jesus can’t be any better or stronger to you than he is right now. Why won’t you let me be God to you 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

14-01-23, 15:22	#1274
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You An Experience Versus an Encounter John Bailey People who are spiritual leaders can look and act in very different ways because God made his people with enormous variety — we’re called the body of Christ for a good reason — but they will all share certain qualities. All spiritual leaders also have the same starting point, and this is key because the starting point is where those qualities are planted. Let’s start with a familiar story. It’s the beginning of Paul’s journey with Christ. “Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’” (Acts 9:3-6, ESV). Some people have an experience with Jesus, and others have an encounter with Christ. What’s the difference? People who experience Jesus are the ones who take a selfie with the Savior. People who encounter Jesus fall to their knees, and their lives are never the same afterward. Paul’s response to Christ is the essence of an encounter. He didn’t ask Jesus, “What’s my calling? How do I achieve this dream I have? What’s my next step?” Paul, and every spiritual leader throughout history, asks, “Who are you, Lord?” Brothers and sisters, we have to grasp the significance of this. We must capture this in our hearts. How often do we go to the Lord and pray, “Show me what it is that you want me to do. Help me be obedient to my calling.” Nothing wrong with those prayers. Jesus promised Paul that he would tell him what he was meant to do. We jump to that step too quickly, though. We need to start with “Who are you, Lord?” God’s presence will change us and give us the strength to do things that we could never do on our own. __________________ 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

16-01-23, 15:19	#1275
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You How to Navigate Doubt Does doubt make us stronger? Is it ‘Christian’ to have doubts? There is very little I don’t doubt. Throughout my life and its many twists and turns, I have often been filled with doubts. The good news is that doubt isn’t going to rob you of the goodness of God. He won’t withhold himself from you just because your faith is mixed in with questions and uncertainties. Jesus still healed the child of the father who cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (see Mark 9:17-27). God is a holy God, and we should always approach him with reverence; but doubt is not irreverence, and God understands our questions. He doesn’t diminish his relationship with us or his miracle-working power in us if our faith is sometimes mixed with doubt. Believe it or not, doubt can promote a greater revelation of God within us. We can see more of God’s glory when we are willing to wrestle with our conflicts and get to the other side of our questions with a more solid faith and deeper knowledge of him. There are three steps to working through doubt. First, approach your doubt with an honest heart. If we say, “I want truth and life,” we will find truth and life. If we’re trying to simply prove a point or avoid obedience to God, we aren’t being honest. Next, take time to meditate and study the scriptures. We live such busy lives that many of us are holding on to doubts that we have simply ignored for years. We don’t take the time to quietly contemplate and enter those doubts. I use a notepad and write down things that I'm wrestling with. I reach for my Bible and seek out the harmony of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Finally, find a good Christian friend to talk to. If you're in a church environment where you can't express your doubts, you need to find a person of faith who will listen with an open heart. Even pastors face doubts, and they especially need a trustworthy friend or counselor. Don’t be afraid to take your questions to God. He loves your honesty, and he has provided a clear path from doubt to faith. It’s a lifelong process of meditation, searching the scriptures and seeking God; but it will always yield a stronger, more robust relationship with him. If you're like me, you’ll enjoy the journey. __________________ 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

19-01-23, 15:08	#1276
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Knowing God Begins with Jesus You cannot know God in fullness until you see Christ as God wants you to see him. Jesus said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9 NKJV). We must see Jesus, not as man teaches, but as the Spirit reveals him to us, as God wants us to see and know him. There are many volumes in my library about Jesus, written by good men. Yet, I believe many of these men have never seen Jesus as God would have us see him. We are to get God’s vision and testimony of Christ, then we will know God as he desires to be known. Here is how I believe God wants us to see his Son: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Jesus was a gift! God wrapped all his resources up in Jesus, and “He gave His only begotten Son” (see John 3:16). Do you see Jesus as God’s perfect gift to you? Do you see him as all you need to live joyfully, victoriously, righteously, and full of peace and rest? God gave Israel many wonderful gifts in the wilderness: A cloud to shelter them from the desert sun, fire at night to assure and lead them, water out of a rock, a branch to heal bitter waters and a brass serpent to heal the snake bitten. Yet all of these good things were only shadows. Who was the rock from which water came? Who was the fire? The manna? The brass serpent? Everything God did for Israel was through Jesus Christ. That’s right—Jesus was every one of those gifts. “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). Today we have much more than the shadow. We have the actual substance, Christ himself! And he lives in us. 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

21-01-23, 23:27	#1277
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Secure in Your Father’s Love Jesus said that when the prodigal son came home, he was welcomed back into his father’s house. He received a new robe, ate at his father’s table and had full forgiveness. But that didn’t make him an angel. On the contrary, I believe the prodigal’s father experienced a lot of problems with him before it was all over. However, the one thing this son had to know was that he was secure in his father’s love. He had to know his father would bear with him, work with him and love him. That’s how our heavenly father is with us. He loved us before we were even born! Yet, we keep telling ourselves, “One of these days, I’m going to be so perfect and right before God that it will be easy for him to love me.” No. He loved you when you were a sinner, a reprobate, an enemy to him. How much more does he love you now that you’re reconciled to him? God has already said to you, “I loved you when you were an alien to me, when you were in rebellion and sin. Will I not love you even more now that you have committed to sonship?” We don’t rest confidently in his love as we should. The Lord says of himself that he is love. John wrote, “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:15-18 NKJV). __________________ 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

26-01-23, 18:36	#1278
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Ever-Increasing Revelation of Jesus Since the cross, all spiritual giants have had one thing in common. They were in close communion with the Lord; they became lost in the glorious vastness of Christ, and they died lamenting they still knew so little of him. So it was with Paul and the disciples; with many early church fathers like Luther, Zwingli and the Puritans; with the pious English preachers; and with many godly leaders today. Every one of these giants shared the same ruling passion: an ever-increasing revelation of Jesus Christ. They cared nothing for success, ambition or worldly fame. They prayed not for things, physical blessings, to be used or for anything of self. They prayed only for a fuller revelation of the glory and vastness of their Lord. Satan is displaying greater power, and hell is unleashing its fury on this generation. The enemy strongholds are much more fortified, powerful and entrenched than in any past generation. Without a doubt, Satan is revealing himself to the world as never before; and he is becoming better known, less feared and more accepted. A basic Bible knowledge of Christ will not be enough in this final war! Knowing about him is not enough. We must seek a greater revelation of the Holy Spirit. That requires spending time at his table. You get to know him only by being in his presence, sitting with him, hearing his voice and waiting on him for divine wisdom. Busy, preoccupied people seldom get to know him. Paul was committed to an ever-increasing revelation of Jesus Christ. All he had of Christ came by revelation. He said, “By revelation he made known to me the mystery” (Ephesians 3:3 NKJV). The Holy Spirit knew the deep and hidden secrets of God, and Paul prayed constantly for the gift of grace to understand and preach “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). Paul said we have access to these glorious riches in Christ. In speaking of God's eternal purposes, he said, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him” (Ephesians 3:12). God is looking for believers who will seek a revelation of him that is all their own, a very deep personal intimacy that unlocks “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” __________________ 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 Last edited by Tarfoot; 30-01-23 at 20:07.

30-01-23, 20:07	#1279
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Nothing but Christ What is it that our Lord wants most from those who claim to be devoted to him? What would bless and please him? Shall we build him more churches? More Bible schools? More homes and institutions for hurting people? These are all worthwhile and needed, but he who dwells not in buildings made by hands wants much more than that. Solomon thought he had built an everlasting temple for God, but within years, it was in decay, and in less than four hundred years, it was destroyed. The one thing our Lord seeks above all else from his people is communion at his table. He desires a place of oneness and time of intimacy, a continual coming to him for food, strength, wisdom and fellowship. This generation has a limited revelation of the Lord Jesus because so many are missing from the feast of communion with the Lord. Few know the grandeur and majesty of such a high calling in Christ Jesus. We mistakenly get our spiritual joy out of service rather than communion. We are doing more and more for a Lord we know less and less about. We run ourselves ragged, burn out and give our bodies to his work, but we seldom keep the feast. We are too casual about the Lord's table, not serious enough about taking our place to learn of him. Paul speaks of spending three separate years in the Arabian desert. They were glorious years, sitting in the heavens at the table of the Lord. It was there that Christ taught Paul all he knew, and the wisdom of God was made manifest in him. Conversion was not enough for Paul. A one-time supernatural vision of Christ and miraculously hearing his voice from heaven was not sufficient! He had caught a fleeting vision of the Lord, and he wanted more. Something in Paul’s soul cried out, "Oh, that I might know him!" No wonder he could say to an entire Christian system, "For I am determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2 NKJV). He was saying, “Let the Jerusalem Judaizers keep to their legalism. Let others argue their points of doctrine. Let those who seek to be justified by works wear themselves out. But as for me, I want more of Christ!” Beloved, we should have the same desire. __________________ 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

31-01-23, 16:37	#1280
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Cornelius Saved His House “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:1-2 NKJV). The life of Cornelius proves that God seeks full-hearted devotion, obedience and ceaseless prayer. Consider how this man of God saved his house and the miracles his devotion brought about. Cornelius was so determined to lead his household into God’s fullness that he neglected to eat in favor of seeking God. Food was secondary to his deep spiritual hunger and longing for God. Days of fasting without a corresponding hunger and thirst for God avails nothing; in fact, it is better to eat than to fast to earn a blessing from heaven. However, hunger after God takes the edge off the desire for food for a man with a heart in pursuit of him. Cornelius should put us all to shame. He had no sermons or online instruction. He didn't even have a teacher! He was not a Jewish proselyte but simply a man desperate for God. What he had learned had come the hard way with no seminars, no conventions, no how-to-get-it-from-God books. Even though he hadn’t yet received the Holy Ghost urging him to pray and seek God's face, he fasted and prayed continually. His prayer life made him a giver of alms. At that point, God had not answered his prayer for his household, yet he gave generously to those in need. He was not so wrapped up in his own need that it took all his time, attention and money. Praying men and women always get God's attention, and the praying person hears the voice of God. It's been that way since the beginning. You can save your house the same way Cornelius saved his. In a single day with one glorious miracle, his entire household was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. In one day, his house was transformed from spiritual blindness to marvelous light and life. All of this happened because one man set out with great determination to save his house. May God help us get serious too about praying for our lost families and friends. 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

01-02-23, 16:19	#1281
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You What the World Needs Now is God’s Agape Love Greek, the language in which the NewTestamentwasoriginally written,ismoreprecisethan modern day English. For instance, where English has only one word for love, Greek has four: agape—spiritual, self-giving love storge—love between family members philia—love between friends eros—sexual love In our culture, especially around St. Valentine’s Day, it is eros that gets the most emphasis. Yet it is agape that is most needed in our world. And it is agape thatismostemphasizedintheNew Testament. Note these familiar words from the Gospel of John: For God so loved(agape)the world, that HegaveHisonlybegottenSon,that whoeverbelievesinHimshouldnot perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16, NJKV) Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God’sagape. He is God’s only Son, yet in humility He came from the throneofHisFathertothewombofawoman.He became the Son of Man that we might become sons and daughters of God. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived in poverty and for most of his life was unknown outside the town of Nazareth. He had neither wealth or political influence. He laid aside His heavenly raimentin exchange for a peasant’sgown.Hewasrich,yetforoursakeHe became poor. He was born in a borrowed manger; He rodeonaborroweddonkey;Hewasburiedina borrowed tomb. History has never known one such as Jesus. In infancy He troubled a king; as a boy He stunned theologians with His knowledge and wisdom, for He possessed the mind of God. In manhood He ruled over the elements and quieted the raging sea. He healed without medicine and fed thousands with a boy’s lunch. He gave back life to those who were dead and even the demons obeyed Him. Yet He suffered and sustained in body and soul the righteous anger and wrath of God against the sin of the whole human race. He was despised and rejected of men. Though He was innocent of any crime or sin, He was condemned by a civil judge and sentenced to death on a cross. By His suffering and death, He paid the penalty for the sins of all who believe in Him and set us free from the judgment and eternal condemnation of God that would was to fall on us. Some have given their lives for others and great men have come and gone, yet He lives on. Herod could not kill Him. Satan could not stop Him. Death could not destroy Him. Thegrave could notholdHim.HavingfullysatisfiedGod’s perfect justice, He conquered death and rose on the third day as He said He would. After showing Himself alive to His disciples and many other witnesses for a period of forty days, He ascended into heaven. He now sits at the right hand of the throne of God where He pleadsour causetoHis Father,defendsus and keeps us safe from all enemies, and pours out His gifts upon us. One day He will return, not as a suffering servant, but with glory and power to judge the world. Then every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. His true followers will confess His name with joy and confidence. All others will seek to hide from His face in terror and shame. He is the Perfect One—the only One who can satisfy the soul. When we believe in Jesus, God graciously grants to us the holiness and righteousness of Christ. This is the true story of God’s great agape-love for you and me and all the world. It’s a love story to celebrate. It’s a love story to share. Blessings, Pastor Jim Friedberg Moravian Church Celebrating our 250th anniversary in 2023 here in North Carolina, U.S. __________________ 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

05-02-23, 19:19	#1282
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Spend Time with God! We are what we eat. It's true. Jesus said his flesh is our meat [food]: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53 NKJV). People who relegate this eating of the Lord to the communion table alone do not understand what Jesus meant. The Lord's Supper isn’t just symbolic. It is a reminder to us that he became our source of life through death. We are to come daily to eat and drink of him. When sheep are not fed, they grow skeletal and weak, becoming easy prey for the enemy. I see a remnant of people emerging in the land, though, who are strong and robust because they are acquainted with God’s heart. They are bursting forth with life because they have been in the presence of the Lord so often. God has provided a way to make every child of his strong enough to resist the enemy! This strength comes from eating the bread of God sent down from heaven. Our spiritual health depends on this. Hear the words of Jesus: “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on me will live because of me” (John 6:57). Jesus was in such union with the Father that the Father's words became his very food and drink, the result of spending much time alone with him. Jesus once told his disciples, “I have food to eat of which you do not know. My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:32, 34). Moreover, he said, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life” (John 6:27a). We dare not miss this secret of strength! Our sustenance comes from the Lord. Get alone with him and spend quality time in his presence. He wants to feed your hungry soul and guide you through these perilous times. God will always manifest himself when you seek him with all your heart. Also feed on His Word, the Holy Bible. 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

09-02-23, 17:08	#1283
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You God’s Pure Mercy Isaiah had a revelation of God’s great delight in us. He prophesied, “But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you’” (Isaiah 43:1-2 NKJV). Isaiah wasn’t talking about a literal flood or fire. He was talking about what people go through spiritually and mentally. Israel was in captivity at the time. Their floods were trials; their fires were temptations; their rivers were times of testing. These were all Satan’s attempts to destroy and overwhelm God’s people. Isaiah’s words were a message of pure mercy for Israel. The people were in captivity because of their own stupidity and foolishness, but God sent them a brokenhearted prophet who said, “God wants me to tell you that you belong to him.” The prophet continues this theme in that same chapter. “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25). Our Lord pleads with us again to come to him no matter what is happening in our lives. His unending grace and mercy are ours; all we need to do is call on him. Right now, you may feel like you’re drowning in swirling waters. You may feel overwhelmed by a trial or temptation that threatens to consume you. You’ve got to understand from these biblical examples that the Lord does not always calm the waters. He does not always keep the floods from coming or put out the fires. Yet he does promise, “I will walk with you through it all. This trial or circumstance will not destroy you. It won’t consume you. So, walk on. You’ll come out on the other side with me beside 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

12-02-23, 22:47	#1284
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You Finishing the Race Well “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’” (Luke 14:28-30 NKJV)? Jesus spoke these words near the close of his ministry on earth to warn followers that good intentions wouldn’t be enough to see them through hard times. Many would not have what it took to finish the race! I believe the most tragic condition possible is starting out fully intending to lay hold of Christ and grow into a mature disciple, and instead slowly drifting away and becoming cold and indifferent to him. God, help us understand that we are always changing; we are either changing daily into Christ's image or we are changing back into our old, carnal ways. Paul said to those who have determined to lay hold of Christ at any cost, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). What a joy to meet those who are finishing the race. They are growing in the wisdom and knowledge of Christ, becoming more distant from this world and its pleasures, and becoming more heavenly-minded. Their spiritual senses are highly exercised, and their discernment of what is of God and what is of the flesh is ever-increasing. They are cutting away all earthly attachments. With growing intensity, they long to be with him. You can be sure that when Christ returns, he will have a glorious church. It will be made up of those who have become so unattached to this world that moving from the corruptible to the incorruptible will be but one last love step into his presence. You may have fallen down in the Christian race, but you can get up and run again. Jesus will not fail you. He will not let you lie down by the track, exhausted and broken. He will lift your weakened knees and give you his supernatural strength. He will be there at the finish line to say, “Well done!” __________________ 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

15-02-23, 23:32	#1285
Tarfoot Honoured Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: US Posts: 1,912 Thanks: 547 Thanked 1,107 Times in 992 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 5	Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You The Key to All Deliverance The Holy Spirit gave David a revelation that is the key to all deliverance. David could say, “The reason God delivered me from all my enemies, from all my sorrows and the powers of hell is that I am precious to him. My God delights in me!” Do you need deliverance from lust, temptation or trial? From a problem that’s mental, spiritual, emotional or physical? The key to your victory is in this verse. “He also brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:19). God delights in you. You are precious to him! In Song of Solomon, the Lord says of his bride, “How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights” (Song of Solomon 7:6). Three of the Hebrew words in this verse are synonymous: fair means precious; pleasant indicates pleasure and delights. These words describe Jesus’ thoughts toward his bride as he beholds her. He looks at her and says, “How beautiful, sweet and delightful you are. You are precious to me, O love.” In turn, the bride boasts, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me” (Song of Solomon 7:10). The meaning here is “He runs after me with delight. He chases me because I am so precious to him.” Our Lord also reminds us that although he is the God of glory, the creator of the universe, he loves each one of us completely and will never fail to care for us. “For your maker is your husband,” he says, “the Lord of Hosts is his name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; he is called the God of the whole earth” (Isaiah 54:5). We belong to almighty God! These thoughts are found throughout the psalms. “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his mercy” (Psalm 147:11). “For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he will beautify the humble with salvation” (Psalm 149:4). May your heart find comfort today in his unending love 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