Archive for the ‘God’s Guidance’ Category

The Truth Will Set You Free

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:1-6

Jesus promises us that the truth will set us free.  It happens.  Freedom comes to those who walk in truth.  You cannot serve two masters.  Follow the Lord in the land of the living.  Serve Him with gladness.  Tell the truth & walk with the truth for your very life everlasting depends upon this.

The enemy of God has lied to you making you think it’s okay to tell lies.  It is not okay to tell lies.  If you follow God wholeheartedly then you will tell the truth and keep telling the truth.  The truth is what will set you free from the lies of the enemy.

I sang a little song last night that I clung to months ago.  I sang, “O Lord, please set us free from the tricks on the enemy.”  One of the major schemes the enemy uses is the spirit of lies.  satan lied to Eve in the garden.  That lie is what started the fall of man. 

The spirit of lies has also moved through prophets of old.  In the book of Jeremiah you can read about the false prophets and the true prophets of God.  The true prophets were the ones that told the truth even if it didn’t please people when they heard the truth.  The false prophets just said things they knew people wanted to  hear. 

There is a warning against the false prophets in the book of Ezekiel.  God does not want people to speak forth wrong things.  God wants His people to declare words of truth.  Deception does not come from God.

Healing and deliverance will come to those who walk on the straight and narrow path that leads to life.  Those who walk on the good path will turn away from evil.  When you turn away from evil you will quit lying.  I believe there are some people crying out to God for deliverance from evil.  I believe there are some that may have to totally be free of the spirit of lies in order to be set free.  It may be the only way they will ever know peace.  It may be the only way they receive total healing from God. 

Liars will not be in the Holy City.  Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

The only hope for these sinners is if they grab hold of the truth turning from evil ways so they can live. 

If you were engaged to a wonderful person and you know that person would be faithful and true to you you wouldn’t want to do anything to ruin that relationship.  You would love them and tell them you loved them.  You would do everything possible to keep them.  If you then married them and the relationship was destroyed because you stopped showing them love and because you started lying to them all the time you would have no one to blame but yourself for losing them.  That is the way it will be for those that don’t turn away from evil before they meet their maker. 

The truth will set you free.  Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but by Him.  If you want to sincerely walk with God you may follow Jesus.  Being a follower of Jesus means you will be a doer of the Word not a hearer only.  You will be saved by grace because salvation cannot be earned.  You will also walk in truth because you love the truth. 

Those who love the Lord hate evil.  Those who love God hate injustice.  Those who love the Lord hate evil deeds.  Those who love the Lord hate lies.

Take the truth and bind it around your neck so it will protect you.  Take words of truth and let them flow from your mouth.  Determine in your heart that you will abide in God’s Word.  Determine in your heart that nothing will separate you from telling the truth thereby abiding in God’s love. 

If you want peace that passes understanding to be yours at all times walk in the truth.  Speak the truth in love.  Speak the truth at all times.  Do not turn to the right or to the left.  Walk on the straight and narrow path that leads to life.

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Circumstances & Provision Does Not Always Confirm Things Of God

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

  Johan 1:3, “But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.”

Jonah had been given instructions by the Lord.  He knew what he was supposed to do.  He avoided doing the right thing.

Jonah had funds to pay for his fare to get on the ship that was headed for Tarshish.  He got on the boat and started to travel away from the place God told him to go to.

There are times when people travel away from the place they are supposed to be.  They may think that since God has given them the provision to travel it’s okay to go.  This is not always the case.

Just because you have green lights to begin something doesn’t mean it is necessarily what God wants you to do.

It has been said that God guides where He provides.  That should not be taken to the extreme.  God will surely supply you with all you need to accomplish anything He wants you to do.  Just don’t make the mistake of thinking every open door that comes your way is the entrance you are to take.

In Jonah’s case God stopped Jonah from continuing his trip to Tarshish.  God may stop you from following through with plans that He did not want you to do, too.  There are other times when He may just let you eat the bitter fruit of having your own way. 

It is important for us to pray that we can hear from God clearly.  Let’s not be like Jonah was when he ran away from doing what God told him to do.  Jonah had funds he needed to pay for the fare.   Just because he had the way to run away doesn’t mean it’s what God wanted him to do. 

God told Jonah to speak up against the evil things going on in the City of Ninevah.  The Scriptures do not say that God asked any other person to do this. God saw how Jonah tried to run away from the job He wanted him to do.   God even let Jonah get on the ship.  It is clear that even though God allowed a way for Jonah to start the trip God didn’t make a way for Jonah to completely get away from the task at hand.

The next time you believe the circumstances are right & the provision is there to do something make sure God has given you His stamp of approval before you move forward to do important things.  A few things falling into place does not always prove God is telling you it’s okay to step into a situation.

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God Is Alive

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

God is not deaf. God is not dumb. God can speak and God can hear. God’s hand is not too short to save us.

Oh how the Israelites must have wondered when God would hear and answer their cries for help when King Ahab was ruling over Israel.

Ahab was a mean and wicked ruler. He did detestable things including his decision to serve baal.

Have you ever known of someone or a set of people that have done things that you know are displeasing to God? Have you ever thought about how strange it seems that those people seem to get blessings even though they’ve done things that are wrong?

It’s difficult to understand why God lets the evil ones appear as though they are being blessed.

Psalm 37 tells us not to fret because of evildoers. The time will come when they will fall. They will be cut down. They may try to shoot an arrow at the God fearing ones but their arrows will hit their own hearts. Their bows will be broken.

Okay okay so we don’t see a lot of people using bow and arrows any longer. Those are not usual weapons of choice today. The message given in Psalm 37 is clear though.

God knows everything that is going on around us. God knows the ones that are doing evil. He knows all their evil plans and schemes.

In Psalm 37 we are instructed to delight ourselves in the Lord. We are not supposed to fret over the ways of the wicked ones. Know that the Lord sees the end of the wicked ones. The Lord will cut them off.

Ahab is not the only wicked man that saw a bitter end. The wicked ones will meet our Maker. The sheep will be separated from the goats. There will be no time for rationalization before the King of Kings.

God is a Holy and just God. God knows all things. God will not forget anything that needs remembered.

I’ve met people that like to dwell on the true fact that God forgives sins. Jesus died on the cross for us all. We have all sinned coming short of the glory of God. Those words are all true. It’s just that some of the people I’ve met that know the words I just typed seem to forget that God says we are to repent of wrongdoing. God wants our sins to be confessed. If we say we have not sinned we are calling God a liar.

To repent means to turn completely away from the sins of the past. If one repents of their sin they hate the sin. They not only recognize that the ugly sin is against God but they know it is evil. Those who love the Lord hate evil.

Luke 13:3, Acts 17:30, Ezekiel 18:30, Hebrews 6:4-6, 2 Corinthians 7:12, & Acts 3:19
are some passages that may encourage one to turn from wicked ways & to repent.

I’ve heard that some people think it is very possible a person may be allowed to live on the earth long enough to have an opportunity to repent of the things they’ve done that are wrong.

I can’t say that I know the perfect answers to the many questions we have about why mean people are allowed to appear as though they are getting away with the wrong things they have done. I just know that God does not make mistakes.

God will tend to the evil ones. He will take care of things in perfect ways and at perfect times.

When you are faced with seeing how wicked another person or sets of people can act get your eyes on JESUS. It isn’t easy to keep your eyes on our Loving Lord when a few people on this earth have done things to hurt you or the people you love but it is the best thing to do.

Trust in the Lord. Commit your way to Him. Delight yourself in the Lord. Know that your steps are being ordered by the Lord. God is faithful. God will watch over His Word to perform it. The Lord Your God is Your Redeemer. God is alive.

Posted in Deliverance, God Will Tend To Evil Doers, God Will Watch Over His Word, God's Guidance | No Comments »

God Loves Us Best

Friday, March 26th, 2010

 

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2054&version=CEV   Isaiah 54 (Contemporary English Version)

Isaiah 54: 5- 8, 5The LORD All-Powerful,

   the Holy God of Israel,

   rules all the earth.

   He is your Creator and husband,

   and he will rescue you.

    6You were like a young wife,

   brokenhearted and crying

   because her husband

   had divorced her.

   But the LORD your God says,

   ”I am taking you back!

    7I rejected you for a while,

   but with love and tenderness

   I will embrace you again.

    8For a while, I turned away

   in furious anger.

   Now I will have mercy

   and love you forever!

   I, your protector and LORD,

   make this promise.”

Nola Johnson used to tell single women in a women’s Bible study that God is their husbandman.  I pondered on those words for many years. 

God does love us best.  Different translations speak of how God loves us as if we are like a young wife rejected by her husband.  Men and women alike know what it feels like to be rejected by one they love.  What a wonderful promise we have from God in Isaiah 54 when He reminds us that we may feel rejected but He will embrace us. 

No one can love us quite the same way our Lord can love us. 

When you feel forlorn and forsaken by others know that Your Redeemer lives.  Your Kinsman Redeemer is the Lord.  God will not fail you or forsake you.  Others may not know how to give you comfort but God can.  Lean on Him.  Trust in Him to be faithful to His Word. 

Posted in Betrayal, Deliverance, God's Guidance, Love, Rejection | No Comments »

Fully Obey God

Friday, January 8th, 2010

Deuteronomy 27:10,“Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.”

Today I heard a preacher talking about the fact that partial obedience to God is still disobedience to God.

If you ask your child to do something you want them to fully comply with your wishes.   God wants the same thing from His children.

You would also like it if your wishes are carried out in a timely manner.  I believe God uses people and things in our lives to help us understand how He wants us to live.  We want our children, friends, spouses, &/or employees to do things for us at times.  We’d all like it if they carry out our wishes the way we want them done.  We want things done on time and we want them completely done.

God is not a taskmaster that doesn’t give us enough time to finish tasks.  God is patient.  God isn’t a pusher!  He does want us to recall to do things His way and He does want us to complete tasks.

Recall that God has given us Scriptures to guide us. When you consider how you are to personally fully obey God you may find the following words helpful. May it be that you someday will hear the Lord   say to you, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.”

  1. Do the work God has called you to do
  2. Be led by God’s Spirit – Do things God’s way
  3. Finish the work
  4. Don’t be late
  5. Be prepared

Matthew 25:21, “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

The parables talked about in Matthew 25 give examples of some of what it takes to hear those special words about being faithful.  The foolish virgins didn’t prepare for meeting the bridegroom by doing all they needed to do before the bridegroom arrived.  The man that received one talent lost all he had because he wouldn’t act in faith and trust in the Lord.

Boldly do the things God wants you to do.  Live in faith not fear.  You will also see in Matthew 25 how God wants you to treat others.  It says this in verses 40 & 45:

“40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.“

” 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.“

God does see how you treat others.  He will hold everyone accountable for the things they say and do.  This world knows cameras are everywhere.  They speak of how a big brother is watching.  If everyone that reveres God remembered that God’s memory is good and He knows all things they’d live and talk differently.  God knows every idle word that is spoken and He knows about every action that is taken.  Nothing is hidden from God.

If you’ve ever been in a place where you wondered what God wants you to do with your life know that there are many things written in His Word that will guide you to know right from wrong.  It is always right to treat others the way you want to be treated.  This is one commandment that is talked about in both the Old and the New Testaments.  One is without excuse when it comes to this command.  The other commandment that helps summarize something God wants you to do is also shared in both Testaments and it is the Most Important commandment. To love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, & strength is something you can do to be obedient to God.

Mark 12:29-31, “29And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.31And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

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Do You Want To Hear From God?

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

If you want to hear from God it could be time to go to Shiloh.

I Samuel 3:21, “21And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.”

I told my husband that I think I’ll call our home Shiloh.  I want to hear from God right where I am living.  I know that because God is with us we can hear from Him daily.  He lives in us for we are temples of the Holy Ghost.

The reason I made note of the place called Shiloh is because it is said that the LORD appeared to and revealed himself to Samuel in that place.  To me Shiloh represents our own secret hiding place where we commune with God.  We can speak to Him and hear from Him within our own hearts and minds.  God is with us always!

It’s also interesting to mention that the Word of the Lord is how God reveals Himself to us.  We need to read and hear the Word of God.  As Christians our main goal should be to hear God so we can obey Him.

Today we read about allowing God’s Holy Spirit to minister to and through us so we can share the Gospel story.  In I Corinthians Chapter 2 you can read about how God reveals things to us through His Spirit and how we can have the mind of Christ because of His Spirit that dwells within us.

Spiritual things are to be taught to us by God.  The secrets God tells us are not understood by people living in this world if those people do not desire to know the truth about God.

We are blessed!  We are called and sought out.  We are a chosen generation.  We are children of God.  We belong to God.  God knows us and we know Him.  His sheep hear His voice.

If you already know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour you are blessed because you can communicate with Him hearing from Him.  If you do not yet know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord then call out to Him knowing all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.  When you hear His voice let your heart be softened and molded by Him so you can continue to hear Him.

Hearing from God clearly will help you know special things that God has prepared for those that love Him.  Hearing from God clearly makes the heart glad.

I can assure anyone reading this that you will be able to withstand both good and difficult times with peace and joy if you but Hear His Voice.

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Your Strength -VS- His Strength

Sunday, July 5th, 2009

Have you ever tried to do anything in your own strength? 

Today I’ve been reminded that when God gives us strength to do things we are able to do more than we thought we could do. 

When you are walking in the Spirit of God you are able to do things with His strength. 

We are small and our strength is small compared to the strength of the Lord.  That is why we need Him to help us do the things He wants done. God will provide all we need to do the things He wants us to do. 

You will find that if you try to do things without God’s Spirit you will end up losing many battles and losing your own strength. 

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God’s Wisdom Is Greater Than Our Own

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

God wouldn’t be God if He wasn’t wiser than we are.

Isaiah says,

Isaiah 55:7-9 (KJV)

 

 “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

If you are in need of guidance put your trust in the Lord.  Go to Him seeking answers. 

God’s ways and thoughts are higher than our own. 

Go to the Highest Authority of all when you need help.  God will not disappoint you.

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Being led by God

Thursday, January 24th, 2008

I get excited when I read, hear, or think about God’s Word!

I don’t think anything I’ve encountered in my life has excited me more.

This isn’t some hyper statement written to make myself sound holy. I really love and enjoy God’s Word.

The passage in Romans 8:14 gives me direction. It speaks of how God’s people will be led.

”For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” I usually just say that the people who are led by the spirit of God shall be called the children of God.

When I ponder on the words written in Ro. 8:14 I cry out to God asking Him to lead me by His Holy Spirit.

This is why God’s Word excites me. It gives me direction.

There are so many times in my life when I didn’t know which way to turn.

Maybe there are some people that have enjoyed being born, knowing what they were going to do when they grew up, they got educated to do what they desired, they then followed their dream to do exactly what they wanted, and then they lived happily ever after.

I am not one of those people.

I have had many desires.

When I was real young (under the teen years) I just enjoyed life taking one day at a time and seeing what would come next.

The teen years hit me and things got scrambled up every once in a while. I lacked direction in many ways. I’m glad for the education I did get even though I had no idea how important it really was when I was in High School or I think I would have worked even harder than I did.

I had asked the Lord Jesus into my heart when I was young but I really did not know how to follow Him. That is another reason why I didn’t know what to do with my life.

I had not yet learned to love God’s Word either. I was taught to pray seeking His guidance but I didn’t realize He really gives direction. I didn’t know that He still leads people. I thought His guidance was only for Preachers, Nuns, Evangelists, and Missionaries. I also thought He only talked to people that were mentioned in the Bible. I just didn’t understand the concept of God leading people in the here and now.

I didn’t even realize that God uses His Word to guide people.

Some of the things God wants His people to do are so simple to learn. He gave us His Word to help guide us.

I’m a person that works well when I’m given a list of things that needs to be done. If I have my list and I know what to do on the list I can accomplish much. If I also enjoy that work it makes the job go smoother.

When my entire job was to be a housewife and a mother I used to make myself mental lists of all I had to do each day. As the children grew older I would make them lists to follow, too.

One of the things on my list of things to do each day was to share the Bible in some form with my children. I could share a Scripture I had learned by memory or I could actually sit down and read the Word with them. That was my way of having a good goal and reaching it.

I believe I was led by God when I shared the Bible with my children.

I knew it was the right thing for me to do and I did it.

That kind of following God seems so easy to me.

His Word tells parents that they are to teach their children about God.

That was my life until a few years back when all the children became adults.

Now I seek God’s direction again.

I want to be led by God. Knowing who I want to lead me helps me. Learning how to hear from Him now that I’m at a new stage in my life is different.

This writing about God is something I’ve been doing for over a decade. I’ve been able to share more with others through writing the past 10 years than I was able to do when I was taking care of small children.

It seems some people are excited about the things I’ve written. It also gives me joy so I think God is using my desires to help me know at least one thing I am to do while I wait to see what else He may have for me to accomplish.

I read a book once where a Christian man mentioned that he was put on his back (through illness or something) until he began to realize that God had a purpose for his life and God wanted him to fulfill that purpose.

I don’t know if God has that happen to everyone or not. I trust God has many ways of getting our attention. I don’t want to be put on my back or brought to my knees just for God to get my attention but if that is what it takes then so be it.

I didn’t want to type that last paragraph. I really didn’t want to type it because I feel as though I’ve already been brought to my knees in so many ways. I don’t want to go through the fire of my own preaching so to speak.

I didn’t have to suffer a terrible illness to get me to ask God what He wanted me to do. The things I have endured since the children became adults and trying to find new direction after the death of my husband has been enough to get me to keep calling on God asking God what He wants me to do with my life.

Even if my husband was still alive I’d probably be seeking guidance from God. It seems it would have been easier to relax in certain ways while I was seeking that counsel from God if my husband were still alive. My husband was the bread winner and if my husband was still here he would pray with me and give me his opinion. I guess you could say I’ve been spiritually on my knees regularly because I’ve had to learn how to seek God’s face without my close companion by my side.

I typed all those words to come to these conclusions once again:

    Those who are led by the spirit of God are called children of God.

    I want to be led by His Spirit. Christians need to be led by God.

    I believe God’s people learn to hear His voice. Christians need to know God will speak to them some how.

    There are times in life when you don’t know where to turn but as Christians you can rest assured that God has a purpose for your life and He will show you which way to go. {Also thinking of Psalm 32:8}

    It is quite possible God leads people by giving them strong desires to do good things. These things will be things that they know are right things to do. {Talk about God giving a person the desires of their heart. This is a whole other way of looking at the kind of desires He wants a Christian to follow.}

    Sometimes we have to be on our knees spiritually &/or physically calling on God so we can focus on His desires meshing with our own desires in a natural way. His Word says we are to seek Him. This way of thinking appears to confirm the thought that we need God’s desires to be our greatest desire.

    We need to positively know that God wouldn’t speak about His children being ones that will be led by His Spirit if He did not intend to lead us.

 

The thoughts shared here were written by Elizabeth Wolfe ~January 24, 2008, 7:27 AM

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