Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Malachi 3:16
This is true here on WordPress of those who speak often one to another of our LORD and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. And we know that He hears us for our love for him is true and without guile. Those of us who have known and tasted of the Good Word of God, and have been baptised into His Spirit and the Mystery of Godliness know the Truth in the Lord Jesus that has set us free from the law of sin and death.
That is all well and good. In fact it is very good indeed. But what of others, who had their first…
“1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.”
It was my son’s day off and so we decided to visit the Hatch Chili Festival and explore a bit of the New Mexican desert where we had moved earlier in the summer. Hatch is the chili capital of America, and is located in Dona Ana County about 40 miles from where we live in Sierra County, NM. On our drive, we passed acres and acres of chili pepper fields ripening for the harvest, of massive fields of corn that provide the demand for tortillas for New Mexico residents, and also lush groves of pecan trees, all fed and nourished by the Rio Grande river.
Upon our arrival in Hatch, the main street was lined with gaudy little road side stands selling everything from pottery to strings of peppers and other tourist items. To be sure, we did our share of gandering; but speed limit signs were pretty much obscured by the mulitude of colorful…and distracting road side stands. Wouldn’t you know, as “fate” would have it, we got pulled over by a highway patrol officer just as we neared the edge of town, who said we were 10 miles over the limit. You don’t debate with a New Mexico highway patrolman. We were busted. My son was driving so he was the one who, unfortunately got the ticket, $70. Ouch! We debated about driving all the way to Los Cruces to pay the ticket but decided to mail the required money order instead, which my son did.
Months passed, and we assumed the court had received the money order and went on about our business, giving it no more thought. Then several days ago, my son had taken a friend home who’s car had broken down. The guys home was unfortunately 70 miles away. There is no such thing as short distances between towns here in the NM desert. Well, I am one of those people who don’t believe anything happens by “accident”; that there is always a reason. Usually, when something just “happens” it’s by design, one way or another. In this case, the “non-accident” was that my son got pulled over and arrested and taken to the local detention center, (a politically correct term for jail). It seems there had been a warrant out for his arrest due to the citation that was paid by money order, but that the court had never received. So, off to jail he went.
In the meantime that night, I’m wondering where my son was, since he didn’t show up that night. By the next day I was getting a bit concerned, but then came the phone call. It was my son calling from jail, 70 some miles away. By this time, he was being told that he not only “owed” the court the cost of the citation but now he was being charged with failure to appear. He told me it was going to cost almost $200 cash to get him out of jail, and he had money coming, but he had very little cash on him. And….neither did I!
Now, a local friend of his said she would try to get the money together but that we would have to go there the next day with a money order in order to bail him out. So, I thought at the time that would be OK if she was willing to and could arrange for it, but again, as “fate” would have it, that was not to be, and she was unable to put together enough to pay his way out of jail. “Money answers all things”, doesn’t it? Well, it may when you have it but what about when you don’t? And she didn’t……. and neither did I.
There was nothing I could do that night but leave him there, and starting to pray! And pray I did. “Lord, my son’s friend offered and was willing to lend him the money to get out of jail but she tried and couldn’t, so now what? Lord, I have no money, what am I going to do? Lord, I’m not going to ask anyone for the money. You know I don’t really don’t believe in that anyway, and have believed in trusting You to meet all my needs and You’ve been faithful to do that all these years, and in the most amazing and miraculous ways. But what about this? I don’t have the money I need to get my son out of jail. But Lord, why do I have to have money anyway? Didn’t You meet George Mueller’s needs for money when he didn’t have anything but faith to believe that You’d provide? And he built huge orphanages in the power of prayer and faith in You? And haven’t You provided Christopher Gregory with every financial means to go to China to preach the gospel when he was flat broke?” http://thepropheticnews.com/2015/02/22/china-journal-a-time-of-dreams-and-visions-miracles-and-old-bibles/. Lord, I am so dull of hearing…why didn’t I just step out and believe You in the first place that You’d provide for meeting this need. Please forgive me Lord. I repent of doubting even for an instant.”
“Well, OK then Lord Jesus, since You are God, and nothing is impossible to You, and for sure I can’t do a single thing in this situation to get my son out of jail, then I’m just going to believe that You will provide a way where there seems to be no way, and not only that, but that You will go before me to prepare the way. That your angels are ministering spirits who are sent to minister for the heirs of salvation of which I am one. And I am praising You for not only this blessing but for Who You Are, the Almighty All Powerful God”. And so…I went off to sleep for a few hours.
Next morning, the first thing that came to me when I woke up were the words, “Without money and without price”. I knew this was the Holy Spirit speaking to me, as this has often been the way He speaks to me, through various ways and impartations. Sometimes a song, or His Still Small Voice, or a portion of scripture as a confirmation.
So, after coffee, and as soon as the Dona Ana county offices opened for business, I felt led to call the Magistrate Court from where the orginal bench warrant was issued. I was able to talk to a young woman and explained the situation to her and asked her if there was anything she could do. She was very kind and seemingly interested and concerned. She replied that she would call the Detention Center and talk to them, and would call me back later. So, I prayed some more and believed some more, and later learned, thanks to her call and Lord Jesus, that it had been arranged that my son would appear before the judge at 1:15 pm that day. More prayer, praising and believing for favor with the judge, as I waited. (God is well able to talk to judges). 🙂 By 2:00pm, I learned that the judge had released my son, ,(thank you Lord Jesus), and by later that evening he was back with me, and we were celebrating with a spagetti dinner, both of us thanking and praising the Lord for His provision, mercy, and goodness.
Sometimes we don’t get to “choose our battles”, because sometimes the Lord chooses them for us. I don’t always know why things happen the way they do, but in this case, I think it was to build my son’s faith that the Lord is well able to meet his needs and take care of him in any situation and that it doesn’t always take money to do it. After all, He is God, and there is nothing and I mean nothing, that’s too hard for Him. This is the same, the One and Only Creator of the Universe, the earth and everything in it, The God of Creation watching over billions of the earths inhabitants, knowing the thoughts of each one from the time they get up in the moring until they go to bed at night. And orchestrating every single movement of the planets and galaxies, and anything else he chooses. and yet many people have not learned to trust Him to be able to meet their needs? Let me assure you, if they, (and I’m including His own children here)…will learn to just trust the Lord at His Word, He will meet every need and fulfill His Word to them just like He said He would in the Holy Scriptiures. Amen! Thank you Lord Jesus!
As for me, I’m humbled that He even takes notice of me,or my needs…. and I am ashamed that I didn’t instantly respond by faith when this all began. I’m going to keep working on that as it will spare me a lot of grief in the long run and avoid any agonizing about any situation. We are told not to worry about anything. After all, worry is a sin, and God can’t respond to worry because it’s Faith that moves the hand of God. The Lord will honor His Word as we respond to Him by Faith. That’s the way it works. In some cases, “without money and without price”.
The Vatican is now having to do damage control over the Pope’s unkind remarks. It’s pretty apparent that they are going to have to select a team to follow him around to try and rectify what comes out of his mouth.
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matt 12:34
The Pope is just a man, and as such, he is not infallible. Infallibility is a divine attribute. The Pope needs to come down off that pedestal and stop pretending he is something special. Jesus had that right, but chose instead to lead by example, being a humble servant rather than an exalted leader during the time he walked the dusty roads, hedges and highways of this sinful earth.
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:25-28
This skull is of a man from Peru, exhumed, decapitated and made a skull-less saint by the Pope.
The Jews made a golden calf. The Roman Catholics put rotten stuff inside golden boxes, and declear it all “holy”.
Martin de Porres Velázquez, O.P. (December 9, 1579 – November 3, 1639), was a lay brother of the Dominican Order who was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. He is the patron saint of mixed-race people and all those seeking interracial harmony.
This can never be a Chuch. It is a religious shrine for worshippers of Satan. A tempel of Dagon.
Last Friday, I stopped at a convenience store to pick something up on the way home from work. All along the side of the building were homeless people, their worldly possessions in bags strung about their feet, their pets looking as gloomy as they did. What made this incident stand out in my mind was the presence of a small baby. She was in a beat up stroller, and the mother was doing her best to comfort her cries. It was a horrible sight.
Living and working in the area of Tulsa that I do, homeless people are in abundance. For some of them, it is fairly easy to determine how they came about to be in this position. Mental illness and drug addiction are by far the culprits for most of them. A smaller number of them, though, have the look of shock that accompanies a down turn in…
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
I’m very fond of this particular scripture as well. The reason why is that it means exactly what it says, and will accomplish exactly what the Lord Jesus said it would if it’s conditions were met. And….I’ve personally found it to be true and work that way, as multitudes of other spirit-filled Christians have.
Unbelievers who doubt or outright scoff at the bible will argue that it’s a myth and fairy tale, but then, they are really on the outside looking in at a mystery that hasn’t been made “manifest” to them by the Holy Spirit. And why is that so?….basically because of their own mindset and choice. They have by their own scoffing and doubting, closed themselves off from the truth of God.
10“And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
Jesus was saying , that it was their choice to close their eyes. Therefore, they have no spiritual “eyes” to see, nor do they have spiritual “ears” with which to hear the truth of God. They are blinded by their own choice not to see and discern spiritual truths.
Again, in 1 Corinthians 2:14 it says that the carnal, or unconverted man can’t understand or receive the things of God because they’re spiritually discerned. I’ve found that altogether to be very true even recently when talking to an unsaved person. They just don’t “get it” and it truly goes to illustrate just how distinct the difference is between Christians and those who are yet carnal or unregenerate. The Lord God has deliberately set a barrier there to make it impossible for an unsaved person to cross….until they are born again spiritually. which is a miraculous event indeed.
Atheists accuse God and put Him on trial, demanding proof of His Godhood. Apparently, they have not comprehended that indeed, if God is God of all and over all, that as the Creator of the Universe, the earth, and “them”….He has no obligation whatever to “prove” Himself to His own creation, even though He has left that proof hidden in plain sight.
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.Romans 1
The Lord is saying here that man doesn’t get a free pass for their unbelief, because His existence is manifested not only by and in His Creation, but in them, as well. There is no excuse, no place to run, no place where one may hide himself effectively from God.
Furthermore, God has wisely made it so that man must seek after Him in order to bring into manifestation the full spiritually born again reality of the Lord God’s existence. Think how shallow and meaningless it would be for the Creator God to clearly manifest His existence to all men so that they would have clear tangible, visible proof of Him, and thereby be obligated to serve Him, along with marching orders to do so. Instead God has chosen a way for those whom He has placed in their hearts a desire to know and serve Him out of love, not force or a tangible proof, but by Faith; the kind of faith that produces substance and evidence. Amazing!
Thomas, the disciple believed in Jesus already, but Jesus came and chided him for demanding further proof of His resurrection:
“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” John 20: 26-28
A neighbor who claims to be an agnostic, told me recently that she was not a “total unbeliever”, but that she “just didn’t know”. I then suggested to her that if she were sincerely in doubt as to the reality of God, that she simply begin asking Him with an open child like inquisitiveness to respond to her and help her to believe. My experience with the Lord is that He is so full of love, mercy and grace, that He will indeed response to this woman….as well as to all who come to Him in a humble manner. He will obviously not respond to those who are not only actively denying His Existence, but shaking their fists at Him and railing against Him.
“He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—” (Mark 6:8)
“And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” (Luke 22:35)
There is a growing trend occurring within the body of Christ of those whom have went from relying on faith and trusting God to meet their daily needs, to more or less, resorting to begging from others to supply their need. Not only has this resulted in abuse when it comes to supporting a ministry, it’s a disturbing sign which says many have forgotten the true meaning of walking by faith.
While not every request for donations is a sign of someone failing to trust God in meeting their daily needs, it is a sign…
How many times must Jesus warn us not to be deceived by false teachers? And why is it so important that he emphasized this so much? Obviously because he doesn’t want ANY of his kids to be deceived by these spiritual rogue teachers and preachers, lest we fall into the ditch right along with them.
Have you ever heard the saying, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king”? This could possibly apply to Christians who take everything one of these men or women say as God’s truth, without checking it out for themselves by knowing the scriptures for themselves, applying it to their lives by being led by the Holy Spirit, and in prayer.
Are they just too lazy to do their homework, or have they been indoctrinated into the man made doctrines and traditions of men that Jesus also warned us about. Do they…
Spiritual Abuse Sanctuary 