“The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.” Psalm 103:6
…thank you, Lord, that your Word doesn’t return unto you void but accomplishes the thing for which you sent it…
We believe in the almighty, supernatural power that is God’s…
We believe that He can succeed for us “against all odds.”
We know that He’s instructed us to use His powerful Word–
that it can change those things that have adversely occurred.
Jesus gave us kingdom authority over all the enemy’s power…
So we take authority and plant the Word, for righteousness to flower.
Many wrongs have been occurring over our beloved U.S.A.,
but we use the sword of the Spirit against them continually after we pray.
P. A. Oltrogge
(“…faith without works is dead,” from James 2:20 …A minister has shared that affirming the Word of God by saying it IS doing a “work”). Jesus said, “It is written” and quoted the Word.
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19
“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints….” Ephesians 6:14-18
“He guards the paths of justice. And preserves the way of His saints.” Proverbs 2:8
“It is a joy for the just to do justice, but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.” Proverbs 21:15
“For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Psalm 1:6
“There is no (human) wisdom or understanding or counsel (that can prevail) against the Lord.” Proverbs 21:30 AMP
“Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all.” Proverbs 28:5
“In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness.” Psalm 31:1
“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:10-12 (and all of Psalm 33)
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
.,,Scriptures: NKJV or as noted
…And the Lord’s prayer, King James version:
“After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen”
“And if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:9-15 KJV
“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans 12:21 NLT (see all of Romans 12)
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
Just as any electronic device needs a steady stream of charge, so, likewise, we need charging with the Word, for matters small or large.
Keep charging your life with the Word of God until you’re powered up and full. Then “fully-persuaded” faith will bring down strongholds, by a fully-charged, dominating pull.
Thank the Lord that His powerful Word is flowing through your entire being. Remember that the Bible reveals that believing, itself, is a way of “seeing.”
Taking time to meditate on the scriptures makes for a strong connection. In doing so, we can be recipients of important revelation, wisdom, and direction.
Thanks be to God for the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ…who is the author and finisher of our faith–and whose sacrifice at Calvary for us has more than sufficed!
P. A. Oltrogge
…We charge our lives also through prayers/praises to the Source of all power…
“God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.” Psalm 62:11
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“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3
“Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure.” Psalm 103:20-21
“My son, give attention to My words; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” Proverbs 4:20-22
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21 (…which is why speaking the Word, agreeing with God’s Word, is so important)
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to Me void; but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” Jeremiah 32:27
“But He answered and said, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” Mark 1:35
“Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.'” Mark 9:23
“So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.'” Mark 11:22-24
“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19
“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart…” Luke 18:1
“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 MyFatherisgreaterthan I. words of Jesus in John 14:28
“Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’ And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'” John 20:27-29
“…for in Him we live and move and have our being…” Acts 17:28
“He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:20-22 KJV
“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
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
“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
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20
“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…” Ephesians 6:14-18
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11 “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
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Hebrews 11:1-3
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
I’m surrounded by angels and loved by my Father God. He’s given me a Good Shepherd who guides me with staff and rod.
His sure Word and blood covenant keep me from destruction. I listen for the Holy Spirit’s voice and heed every instruction.
The blood of Jesus is my defense to keep plagues and trouble out. I refuse any worries and close the door on fear and doubt.
As Jesus is in this world, so then also are we. The Greater One is within–we can command demons to flee.
“But it can’t be that simple,” may be your thought. Just realize the truths that Jesus spoke of and what He bought.
So great a salvation and redemption is ours. We’re seated in the heavenly places amidst God’s highest powers.
P. A. Oltrogge
“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. For God did not send 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
“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.” …by Jesus in John 10:10
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” …by Jesus in Luke 10:19
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
“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 are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
“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
“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
“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 NASB
“He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Psalm 107:20
“No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:10-11 NASB (see entire Psalm)
“…to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.” (from Acts 20:28) NASB
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7 NASB
Believe you receive all that God has for you….
“Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” Jesus spoke these words in Mark 11:24 NASB
Likely, you’ll recognize the identity of this artist/painter….
From a majestic mountain to a quiet glade, paintings that featured light were this artist’s trade. Inviting, lighted cottages by peaceful lakes or streams, became sweet reflections of all of our dreams.
Churches, gardens, or a bridge that was quaint, came into being through his brushes and paint. A cabin in the woods; a lighthouse by the sea; an American flag waving in the land of the free…
And famous landmarks or an old-fashioned street were the many scenes that made his gallery complete. Hidden in his paintings were initials he would write, revealing the heart of this painter of light.
A tour filmed in Israel, where Jesus had walked, came alive to the viewers as he painted and talked– of Gethsemane’s Garden, where Jesus had prayed that the way of the cross might not have to be paid.
His artistry placed the cross of Jesus Christ high, which spoke of God’s love against a splendorous sky. He spread the Lord’s peace, through scriptures quoted by his kind voice; and, in books, they were noted.
An impact for good was made by this man– an artistic splash on this world was his part in God’s plan. But don’t look to the imperfect artist, he had said, just look to the life and cross of Christ instead.
P. A. Oltrogge
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” …spoken by Jesus, John 3:14-17
“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
“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11
“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fulness 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
Some family members of mine, from Colorado, recently shared these photos, one of which (see the bottom photo) is of the herds of elk that roam where they live. In yesterday’s post by Dutch Sheets, of Give Him 15, he talked about the elk, tying them in with the importance of “hearing” from God in our lives…
Here is a portion of the post:
Several years ago I was observing a small herd of elk just before dark. The wind was just right, blowing my scent away from them, and I had just enough cover between the herd and myself to crawl within twenty yards or so. Eventually, just to see if I could do it, I crawled very slowly out into the open and watched them. They never saw me.
One of the things that intrigued me most was the twitching of the elks’ ears. Ever vigilant, each time they heard a sound, their ears would prick up, in order to hear it even better. Whether eating, drinking, or taking a step, they were always diligent to listen for a potential threat–their lives depended on it. As I watched them, the pricking up of their ears reminded me of a word in Scripture I had studied. I recalled that this was the literal meaning of one of the Hebrew words for “listening.” Qashab means “to prick up the ears like an animal coming to alertness.” This live picture, painted by the elk, was indeed worth a thousand words.
One of the places qashab is used is in Proverbs 4:20-22, a fairly well-known passage of Scripture:
“My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.” (Italics mine)
My understanding of “giving attention to” the Lord’s words went to a whole new level as I watched the ears of the ever-vigilant elk. Always listen diligently for His voice, as though your life depends on it, came to mind. No matter what you happen to be doing, remain tuned in to Him.
Spending time with God through prayer, worship, and quiet meditation tunes the soul and awakens the heart, enabling us to hear Him. Life is loud–make it quiet down once in a while. Everything else will scream for your attention, but He will not. Holy Spirit refuses to shout above the clamor and dissonance created by other voices and activities. For those who have grown to love the pleasure of His company enough to make time for Him, for those who truly listen, however, the still small voice of Holy Spirit becomes easily discernible.
Dutch Sheets of Give Him 15
Here is Dutch’s prayer:
Father, give us twitching ears like the elk, inclining them to listen for Your voice, picking up on the impulses of Your Spirit. Give us undistracted hearts that turn aside to see and listen. Life is so loud, so fast, so full. Remind us, please, of what matters most.
You said that as Your sheep, we know Your voice. We declare, therefore, that we ARE able to hear You; we do have ears to hear what You say. We will hear through Your written Word, and we will hear the voice of Holy Spirit. We will be alert, and will not be sidetracked by supposed “shortcuts,” which are actually detours.
Teach us to wait when we need to wait, and to only move when You tell us to move. Crossing the Jordan when it’s in flood stage doesn’t seem right, but sometimes You want to demonstrate Your power by cutting it off (Joshua 3). Your time is the only right time for crossing into the new. So, in all of our ways, we acknowledge You, and trust You to direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Our decree:
We decree that we will wait and listen, so we can follow Holy Spirit’s plan.
…Depicted in a puzzle–the Biblical account of Noah….
“Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.” Genesis 6:14
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God has raised up many ministries to encourage that, as a believer, you can build yourself an ark– through faith in His Word and its promises to you, in a world that has increasingly gotten dark.
Psalm 91 is a well-tested, protective psalm, that we can claim as a shelter and a shield. Many don’t consider that God’s Word could be so sure and have let it become a Sword they only hesitantly wield.
“No evil will befall you…He gives His angels charge over you,” and “With long life He will satisfy you,” are yours to claim– Confession of God’s Word, and the Name and the blood of Jesus, are the weapons, in a storm, that will conquer and tame.
But don’t wait for storms to develop in your life– Make His promises your regular confession every day. Abide in His Word, His presence, and dwell secure, for these are the “Ark,” (“in Christ”), whereby danger is kept away.
P. A. Oltrogge
“But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33
“My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places.” Isaiah 32:18
“The horse is prepared against the day of battle; but safety is of the Lord.” Proverbs 21:31 KJV
“I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust!’” from Psalm 91 — verse 2 …See the entire Psalm in your Bible and you can enter it in the search bar of this blog…
“Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Imagine having your son—your only son—on the front lines in Ukraine saving lives, feeding impoverished Holocaust survivors, Jewish orphans, and homeless impoverished Christians. Imagine your son telling you about two church volunteers kidnapped and murdered by the Russians as they were bringing food to impoverished Jews on the front lines of the war. For me, it’s not an imagination. It’s reality. Michael has four young children. I told him, “Please don’t go. Your mother is worried.”
Michael said, “Dad you’re my hero. I watched you all my life doing great things for God and risking your life. Don’t rob me of the privilege.” Michael chose this verse: “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” Psalm 118:17
…and as regards Israel:
Hezbollah just launched dozens more rockets across the border from Lebanon into northern Israel. This is a daily occurrence, and as a result, tens of thousands of innocent Jewish men, women, and children have been driven from their homes. We are launching a special outreach to the suffering people in northern Israel, and we need your help.
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” Matthew 25:31-40
As I post this, it is presently available on line to view the message by Joseph Prince on walking in divine health and life through partaking of the holy communion.
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
In the message, Joseph Prince explains scripture, such as:
“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” 1 Corinthians 11:27-30
I hope/pray you’ll find time to listen to Joseph’s complete encouraging message. I’ll only briefly share a few of his points. He notes that “examining” ourselves means that we’re to examine whether we understand/discern that Jesus’ body was broken for our healing, in addition to His blood being shed for the forgiveness of all our sins. It means judging ourselves in the light of Jesus’ finished work, which brought/brings us into all of the wonderful blessings Jesus purchased for us.
During the message, some powerful testimonies are shared.
And Joseph speaks of how God uses what may seem weak or simple to confound the wise. He refers, at one point, to the story of the Gentile woman who sought the Lord’s help for her afflicted daughter–how God can use even a crumb, (something as simple as taking communion), to accomplish His will, which is your healing. It is a supernatural way…
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“Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.’
“But He answered her not a word.
“And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she cries out after us.’
“But He answered and said, ‘I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’
“Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’
“But He answered and said, ‘It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.’
“And she said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’
“Then Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” Matthew 15:21-28
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“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.'” 1 Corinthians 1:27-31
“For Godso loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned;
…regarding the hard subject:
“but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:16-21
It’s a hard subject; but the truth is, it’s real. There is a thief who is out to kill, destroy, and steal– a being who is fallen because of his pride– a being who’s purposed to conceal and to hide the true God in Jesus, the Lord over all– that’s what Satan does because of his fall.
His ways are deceptive, and he wants you to think there isn’t heaven or hell beyond this life’s brink. He’s supportive of “gods” of other names– or “No God at all” is another one of his claims. Devotion to a religion or philosophy, he’s approved– especially those endorsing that Jesus’ Lordship be removed.
He draws those he can to reject Christ’s light, causing them darkness over any spiritual sight. But you’re called to leave wrong things you’ve been taught when you realize that, by Christ, your soul has been bought. It’s simply a gift—but you must take and receive it. Don’t listen to the naysayer, but simply believe it.
Of all time, the Bible is the best selling book– if you think it’s inaccurate, then take a deeper look. Please consider studies by Christians who aren’t slacking in showing us the evidence that gives it absolute backing. And to be the all-time best seller of books you can buy, it must have the backing of Someone very high.
Be sober, be vigilant, the Bible warning is strong– Jesus is The Way—any other way is wrong.
P. A. Oltrogge
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’” John 14:6 NASB
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith….” 1 Peter 5:8-9
“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly.” Words of Jesus in John 10: 9-10 NASB
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12
“Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.'” John 3:5-8
We absolutely know that there is a deceiver, the devil, in this world. By simply turning on the news, we hear of lives and properties harmed or destroyed by his influence over people. God, who is love, wants everyone who will, to receive the free gift of salvation, the forgiveness of sins, through His Son, Jesus Christ, and to experience His help, guidance, and peace. At http://www.levitt.com or http://www.levitt.tv is much information pertaining to the importance of Bible prophecy.
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Words of Jesus in John 14:27
The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days, by Mark Hitchcock, available at bookstores and being offered at http://www.levitt.com or http://www.levitt.tv
The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel; Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell; They Thought for Themselves: Ten Amazing Jews by Sid Roth; and various books at http://www.rhema.org; http://www.kcm.org; http://www.awmi.net and other sites previously mentioned on this blog.
…this is a repeat; but I know, in my own life, it’s important for me to continually remember…
When it looks to you, at times, like there’s simply no way out, let thanking God, the Father, be your sure and chosen route.
When it seems that pressing problems have no known solution, let thanking the Lord turn any worries into a grace revolution.
Paul and Silas were imprisoned but raised their praises high–then found they were delivered, with praise their only cry.
When the way seems very foggy and you’re tempted to despair, just know, though you can’t yet see it, the victory is there.
A great principle of the Bible is to walk by faith and not by sight–so thank God for His presence when it’s dark and you need His light.
Like a pilot relies on instruments through weather good or bad–let thankfulness be the “instrument” with which your life is clad.
P. A. Oltrogge
Acts 16:23-40: “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were unfastened.” (25-26)
“But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:14-17
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
“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
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7
“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15
“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
“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2
The Porch of the Lord 