“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9 KJV
You don’t have to faint inside
when, in Jesus, you abide.
He’s King of Kings and Lord of Lords;
by faith in Him, we’ll reap rewards.
Use your voice; be bold to say…
satan’s schemes can’t have their way.
As “living stones,” we’re not alone–
Christ is our “Rock” and Cornerstone.
Speak in faith–resist every fear.
Faith is the victory…God’s Word is clear!
P. A. Oltrogge
“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
“Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”
and
“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”
“They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
1 Peter 2: 4-10 NKJV
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:3-5 NKJV
“I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 NKJV
“No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; And every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This (peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition) is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And this is their vindication from Me” says the Lord. Isaiah 54:17 AMP
For prayer support, visit http://www.govictory.com (morning prayer M-F, 9:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. CT), for viewing the program). To call, the number is 877-281-6297, where you can pray with and for others for their needs or submit a prayer request of your own. That number can also be reached throughout the day until 11:00 p.m. ET, (10:00 p.m. CT).
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
…taking the liberty to adjust some of the verses of The Navy Hymn with a few prayerful thoughts regarding our country on this Election Day…
Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep, O hear us when we cry to thee to guide our nation to stay strong and free!
O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard and hushed their raging at thy word, Who walkedst on the foaming deep, and calm amidst its rage didst sleep, O hear us when we cry to thee, to give us right leaders who stand for liberty!
Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood upon the chaos dark and rude, and bid its angry tumult cease, and give, for wild confusion, peace, O hear our thanks to God as we sing. You influence hearts to follow Christ the King!
…Scriptures:
“…no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:3 NLT
“Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” John 8:31-32 NKJV
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” spoken by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19 KJV
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” spoken by Jesus in John 3:16-17 KJV
“For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” Psalm 33:4-5 NKJV
“So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’ And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.” Luke 24:33-35
I know that my Redeemer lives! What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, he lives, who once was dead; he lives, my everliving head!
He lives triumphant from the grave; he lives eternally to save; he lives all-glorious in the sky; he lives exalted there on high.
He lives to bless me with his love; he lives to plead for me above; he lives my hungry soul to feed; he lives to help in time of need.
He lives to grant me rich supply; he lives to guide me with his eye; he lives to comfort me when faint; he lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears; he lives to wipe away my tears; he lives to calm my troubled heart; he lives all blessings to impart.
He lives, my kind, wise, heav’nly friend; he lives and loves me to the end; he lives, and while he lives, I’ll sing; he lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath; he lives, and I shall conquer death; he lives my mansion to prepare; he lives to bring me safely there.
He lives, all glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same. Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!
Samuel Medley, Author; J. Hatton, Composer
“…because He was teaching His disciples (and preparing them for the future). He told them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed and handed over to men (who are His enemies), and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise (from the dead) three days later.'” Mark 9:31 AMP
“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” Luke 24:1-7
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27
“And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:18
“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25
“And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'” John 6:35
“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” John 6:51
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” John 10:11
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” Psalm 32:8
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16
“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah” Psalm 68:19
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.” Ephesians 1:3-8 NLT
“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:3-4
“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3
…the following has been posted previously, but is helpful to review for encouragement on prayer in these times…
Herod began to persecute those who believed in Jesus, it’s told in the twelfth chapter of Acts. James was martyred by the sword and Peter was seized, though there had been no criminal facts.
The church was offering up constant prayer for Peter–imprisoned by Herod Agrippa, the king. So in the dark of the night, God sent an angel to visit Peter there, who was asleep despite everything.
Four squads of soldiers had been assigned to him; and he was chained as he slept that night. A soldier on each side of him and guards were there, who were keeping the prison door barred tight.
Suddenly, the angel of the Lord stood by Peter, and a light shone inside the prison cell. The angel struck him on his side and raised him up; and from Peter’s hands, the heavy prison chains fell.
At the angel’s instruction, Peter dressed quickly to follow him–though it all seemed to be unreal. They went past the first and second guard posts. “This must be a ‘vision,’” was how it made him feel.
They came to the iron gate that led to the city, which simply opened to them of its own accord–then went out and down one street, and the angel departed. What a rescue from an angel of the Lord!
Peter came to his senses, realizing it had actually happened–he’d escaped Herod and leaders of the Jews. He proceeded on to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where they’d fervently prayed for this news.
Peter knocked at the door of the gate to the house, and a girl by the name of Rhoda came to see who was there. In her joy at hearing his voice, she ran to tell the others it was Peter, and that God had answered prayer.
They just couldn’t believe her, so Peter had to continue to knock, until they opened the door themselves to see…that God, indeed, had heard their prayers for Peter, and had sent His angel–to miraculously set him free!
At dawn, back at the prison, there was a commotion among the soldiers, as to how Peter’s captivity was defied. After a search was endeavored, Herod ordered the soldiers’ deaths; but the Bible records that he, too, soon afterward died…
“But the word of God grew and multiplied!”
P. A. Oltrogge
(From the account in Acts 12)
“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” Acts 12:5
“Then He (Jesus) spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart…” Luke 18:1
(Reprinted with permission from Kenneth Copeland Ministries)
…by Kenneth Copeland…
In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself…. And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us….
– John 1:1,14, The Amplified Bible
The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ is something that can never be brought into question by any born-again believer. Our very salvation rests on the fact that Jesus Christ is divine, the second person of the Godhead, God—the Son.
The beloved disciple and apostle, John, forever puts to rest any doubt about that in John 1:1,14. Anyone who doubts what those verses say could not possibly have been born of the kingdom of God. For the deity of Jesus forms the very foundation of our faith in Him.
Yet, if you’ll search the Gospels, you’ll see that Jesus didn’t go around proclaiming Himself as God during His 33 years on earth. He acknowledged that He was the Son of God, the Messiah. He referred to God as His Father (which enraged the Pharisees), but He never made the assertion that He was the Most High God. In fact, He told His disciples that the Father God was greater and mightier than He (John 14:28).
The reason is simple. He hadn’t come to earth just as God. He’d come also as man. The Word says He set aside His divine power and took the form of a human being—with all its limitations. Since God was His Father, He was not born with the sin nature that had been passed along to the sons of Adam. But by being born of a woman, in all other respects He became a man and called Himself the Son of Man or, literally, the Son of Adam.
How, then, did He do all those mighty works? The same way He expects us to do them today—by the Anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). He said, “It’s the Father within Me who does the work.”
What does that mean to you? It means that Jesus meant exactly what He declared when He said that you, as a believer, would be able to do the works that He did (John 14:12)!
It means that you, as a reborn child of God, filled with the same Holy Spirit as Jesus was, have the opportunity to live as He lived when He was on earth.
In fact, that is exactly what He intends. He went before you, as a man, and opened the way. Don’t just admire Him for it. Follow Him in it today!
_______________
“You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.” John 14:28 NKJV
“…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” John 14:12 NKJV
…the poem, below, was written as a confession of faith, which any believer could use….
“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”…from Psalm 107
God has given me a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind…
When I thank Him for His goodness, that’s what I will always find.
The Old Testament account of Joseph tells that he was sold to be a slave;
but his faith in God’s love sustained him with the courage to be brave.
Never a day goes by me, or a night when I need to sleep,
that His love isn’t reigning over me–I trust His promises, He’ll keep.
The Lord is a refuge and stronghold in trouble, the Word of God has declared.
So we pray, believing for His goodness, over those who may have despaired.
Even in dark days that are clouded with wars or rumors of a war…
abiding in Him, it’s a good fight of faith–the cross of Jesus has gone on before!
P. A. Oltrogge
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:11-12
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 RSV
“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” Psalm 9:9 NIV
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” Psalm 42:5
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 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 8:37-39
“I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for and confidently expect the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 AMP
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:5-7
Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before. Christ, the royal Master, Leads against the Foe; Forward into battle See His banners go! Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before.
2 Like a mighty army Moves the Church of God; Brothers, we are treading Where the saints have trod. We are not divided, All one body we, One in hope and doctrine, One in charity. Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before.
3 Crowns and thrones may perish, Kingdoms rise and wane, But the Church of Jesus Constant will remain. Gates of hell can never ‘Gainst that church prevail; We have Christ’s own promise, And that cannot fail. Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before.
4 Onward, then, ye faithful, Join our happy throng, Blend with ours your voices In the triumph song: Glory, laud, and honor Unto Christ, the King; This thro’ countless ages Men and angels sing. Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” Psalm 23 KJV
(The hymn, Onward, Christian Soldiers, was written in 1864 by Sabine Baring-Gould, and the music composer was Arthur S. Sullivan)
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live….” Deuteronomy 30:19
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6
“I have been crucified with Christ” is my Biblical decree….“and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
I need have no fear of death, for I’ve already “died.” Thanks be to God for eternal life through His Son crucified!
Not only that, but abundant life is mine today as well, for Jesus rose from the dead in victory over all the power of hell.
And by the Holy Spirit, He guides me day and night. In our God is the fountain of life; in His light, we see light.
P. A. Oltrogge
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NASB)
“I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (AMP)
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:14-18
“For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light, we see light.” Psalm 36:9
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”John 5:24
“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’” John 11:25
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10
“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. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:17-19
“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:17-18 KJV
Psalm 116:15 Isaiah 25:8 Matthew 10:28 Luke 10:19 John 3:16 John 5:24-30 John 14:1-3 Romans 6:1-14 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 Philippians 3:20-21 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 1 John 3:14 1 John 5
To God be the glory, great things He has done; So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, And opened the life gate that all may go in.
Refrain Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the people rejoice! Oh come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, And give Him the glory, great things He has done.
Oh perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, To every believer the promise of God; The vilest offender who truly believes, That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Great things He has taught us, great things He has done, And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son; But purer, and higher, and greater will be Our wonder, our rapture, when Jesus we see.
Words by Fanny Crosby Music by William Howard Doane Published 1875
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24NKJV
Dear Lord Jesus,
You thought of the lowly, the forgotten, the oppressed. You thought of us all; and, through You, we are blessed.
You’re always the Good Shepherd, our Savior and friend. If any setbacks befall us, you help things to mend.
You’re closer than a brother; and we can draw near, to You for Your assurance that there’s nothing to fear.
You loved the little children and do to this day. For the unborn, young, or old, You’ve taught us to pray.
And also our enemies, You’ve said, are in great need…of prayers to be enlightened, that Your Word they might heed.
Obedient to Your Father, You went to Calvary’s hill. You prayed that cup might pass, but accepted Your Father’s will.
Yes, what a friend we have in Jesus, as the hymn goes. You died for all of mankind, and, praise God, You then arose.
P. A. Oltrogge
“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.'” Matthew 26:39
“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:19-20
“Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.” Acts 10:40-41
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29
What a Friend
What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit–oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a Friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge–take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer. In His arms, He’ll take and shield thee–thou wilt find a solace there.
Amen
Joseph Scriven/author Charles C. Converse/composer
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 14:15-16
This week, Dutch Sheets has been focusing on dreams–dreams that God can put in your heart. If you’ve missed some of this week’s posts, you can still go back to his site to explore them. Today’s post had unique true-life examples, and it gave me the thought to repeat a previous Porch blog post (below).
“Roll your works upon the Lord (commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will), and so shall your plans be established and succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 AMPC
“…then He (Jesus) said, ‘Behold, I have come to do thy will.’ He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God….” Hebrews 10:9-12 NASB
In the dark of night in Gethsemane’s garden, Jesus fell on His face to pray, seeking possible release for Himself from a most difficult and painful way–that His Father in heaven had revealed to Him on why He’d come as a Man. He was to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, according to God’s plan.
To any one of us, death on a cross would be something we would shun; yet Jesus was able to say He would do it, so that God’s will could be done. Being in agony, His sweat became like great drops of blood that fell. He knew that the way of the cross would provide escape for us from hell.
And a great part of the atonement is bodily healing, just as Jesus had shown. Abundant life is ours through Him, who sits at the right hand of the Father’s throne. Jesus was our great example…of listening for and following God’s perfect will. In setting aside our will to follow God’s, it’s His good purposes that we’ll fulfill.
P. A. Oltrogge
“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I go and pray over there.’ And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.’ He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:36-39 NKJV
Before that time in Gethsemane, we read of what Jesus said:
“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?’” Mark 8:34-36 NKJV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
“…seek His will in all you do….” is written of the above scripture in the New Living Translation
Encouragement on healing at http://www.rhema.org in the book, “Bodily Healing and the Atonement,” by Dr. T. J. McCrossan, reedited and reprinted by Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin and Dr. Roy Hicks
It’s wise to inquire of God for the pathways He may want you to take. Perhaps it may simply be to continue sharing His kindness and the gospel with those right around you…family, friends, people with whom you work, etc. For “the greatest of these is love.”
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 NIV
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Speaking of dreams, Pastor Gary Keesee has related that in a series of dreams, God shared with him principles regarding finances to put into a book. Paying the bills has replaced the vision of many people. Debt has hijacked their freedom and caused them to give up on their dreams. The description of the book states:
Unfinished Business: Nine Laws for Acceleration puts everything on the table and walks you through the steps to change your mindset your thinking to one of opportunity and acceleration, so you don’t leave any of your dreams, your impact, or your God-designed destiny unfinished. (Visit http://www.garykeesee.com to find the book, (there is also a related workbook), under “Shop.”)
The Porch of the Lord 