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God’s Word

Free Bible PathAs the people of God assemble today may they require all that concerns them, all that they fear, all that they are considering and making decisions over to be brought under the scrutiny of the holy Word of God. May they have the faith to embrace Holy Scripture no matter what comes and let their paths and considerations be guided thereby.   Jn.17:17,NKJV—“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”   Matt.24:35,TPT—“The earth and sky will wear out and fade away before one word I speak loses its power or fails to accomplish its purpose.”

Where we Stand

While we are weighing all these issues that are challenging us today, we best begin with a firm decision on where we stand for life’s answers and guidance. Do we just embrace the present, loudest, demanding narrative or do we require all entities, all viewpoints and all persons to be measured by the ruler of the Word of God? 2Tim.4:3-4,TPT—”For the time is coming when they will no longer listen and respond to the healing words of truth because they will become selfish and proud. They will seek out teachers with soothing words that line up with their desires, saying just what they want to hear. 4 They will close their ears to the truth and believe nothing but fables and myths.”  I heard it said recently that “truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth”. The prophecies, philosophies, doctrines and narrative (in every area of life) that are so abundant at this time must be, first of all, held up in the light of the Bible, not just simply assimilated into our thinking and practice. It is apparent that the unchanging God of heaven and earth requires that His people hold to His Word, the Bible, and insist that all other things and people be measured by its standards and principles. The following Scriptures are very clear on that matter. 2Tim.2:15-”rightly dividing the word of truth”; 2Tim.1:13-”Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me…”; Rom.16:17-”…watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”; 1Jn.4:1- ”…do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits…” [How do we “test the spirits”? By putting them and their words and their actions up against Holy Scripture. If Scripture does not embrace them and their words and actions, neither do we.]; 2Pe.1:20- ”…no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.” (Part 2 of 8)

In the Midst of Hurried Frenzy

Melissa — For several weeks after Holy Spirit told me, “Your life is about to change drastically” He would remind me what He told me and I would get excited. Well, the day of “drastic” came… suddenly. Simply put, it called for a sudden and drastic change of location. Let’s just say, this was not the “drastic” I was hoping for. In the midst of the hurried frenzy Holy Spirit would once again remind me that He told me this was coming. It really did help, but I had to let it help. I had to choose to get past my disappointed victimhood and find peace in the fact that God is right in the middle of whatever is going on right now. I have to admit that I did not just settle into that place of peace in the midst of God shifting things. The disappointment turned into a bare-knuckle battle daily. I had to calm myself and take a firm stand on the Word of God. (Part 2 of 7)

Communication Through Numbers

Kathy — The Holy Spirit has unlimited ways to communicate with us to be God-aware because there’s communication incoming. For example, a couple of years ago, I kept seeing the number 1111.  It got my attention so frequently that I could not help but wonder why. For months I noticed it everywhere, on TV, billboards, addresses, digital clocks, in a dream, on a license plate, etc.  So I pursued an understanding of its significance.  At first, I considered that it might be a time or date, but that never jelled.  I asked the Lord for wisdom.  His wisdom is defined in Strong’s Concordance as “sage advice, the act of interpreting dreams and the ability to discover the meaning of a mysterious number or vision”.  In answer to my request, a thought I’d not had came to me and sent me on a search of the eleventh chapter of every book of the Bible, and I found the answer in Luke 11:11, “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?” Suddenly I understood the Lord was letting me know that particular scripture was a telegram for me.  He was reminding me that He is my Father and He knows my heart’s desire and petitions.  Beyond that He was letting me know that He will answer my long-term petitions and His answers will not be a disappointment!  So then, 11:11 was an awesome communication from my Father that lifted my head and heart.   (Part 2 of 7)

Toward Understanding Prophecy

Some have prophesied that a terrible judgment is coming upon our nation and the church will not escape it because of its various and sundry neglections of duty and its corporate and individual sins. Others have prophesied that the church has come into its finest hour and that a great awakening is imminent, the likes of which have never been seen. Some are very angry while others are quite elated and expectant. Some believe that one set of prophets have totally “missed it” and that those prophets should be reprimanded in a public forum and they should each give an apology to the church world and the world in general. There are people who are apologizing for being born a certain gender or a certain race or for having two bathrooms in their house instead of just one. Is it just me or is it possible that there is an unbelievable amount of irrationality in society that is irrationally demanding actions and policies that it has no reasonable right to demand? There are entities and individuals trying to answer questions that no one ever asked while using every aspect of politics and legislation to further their agenda. It all leaves us with the need to carefully weigh for ourselves what needs our attention and what needs to be placed in the category of “nonessential”.  (In my posts over the next week or so I will be posting on the subject “Moving Toward an Understanding of Prophecy” (Especially with everything that is going on).

Drastic Changes

Melissa — I don’t know of anyone who is not going through something right now. Whether it be physical chaos, doors shutting, relational tensions, or the currents of life, there seems to be something of a strained nature going on everywhere you look (I won’t even list the nation’s woes). There is such a vast array of things happening but each thing is very personal to the one facing it. A couple of months ago the Lord told me I had been stationed in a particular place as a watchman but that season was almost over. Hmm, OK. What does that mean? Then about a month later, as clear as can be, I heard Him say, “Your life is about to change drastically.” After I heard this I got so excited deep down in my core but my soul, not so much! My soul went a little crazy, “WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!!!!” I had to calm myself down knowing that God is not the type to give you a mysterious clue that your life is about to fall apart and I had to stand firmly on Psalm 37:23—“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.”

Transferring Information

Kathy — The meaning of communication is “transferring information or passing along meaning”.  Communication is complete when that information or meaning is received and understood.  One dictionary put it like this, “A line of communication connects people and places to purpose and function.”  The Holy Spirit has unlimited ways to communicate with us.  When He is transferring God-glimpses or God-insights or God-moments or God-downloads or God-deposits or God-discoveries, He may use dreams or visions or prophecies or events or experiences or people, etc.  It might be just a nuance, a momentary feeling or a passing thought that signals us to be God-aware because there’s communication incoming.  Or, we can be prompted from a memory or a conversation or the words of a song or an ad in a magazine or a number on a door!  I’m talking about when unique details ping our radar and they are meant to get our attention so we’ll look for incoming insight.  

Become Aware of Potential

As the people of God assemble today may they become aware of the potential in one another. May each one look beyond the other’s faults and each of our eyes be opened to the other’s potential. May Holy Spirit help us to see potential today that we were not aware of before. May we begin to speak to that potential and encourage one another and minister words of knowledge, words of wisdom and words of release.   Phil.2:3,NASB–“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves;”

Picking up Old Prayers

Free Praying KneelingIn coming days we will be allowing Holy Spirit to stir our memory, our compassion, our passion, our stewardship. The stirring of Holy Spirit will challenge us and direct us to pick up prayers from the past that we have laid down and no longer pray.  The various reasons, the discouragements and impatience that have caused us to just lay them down will begin to fade like the morning mist and we will again sense the burden/urgency, love and compassion we once did.   1Thess.5:17—“pray without ceasing”.   1Pe.3:12,TPT—“For the eyes of the Lord Yahweh rest upon the godly, and his heart responds to their prayers. But he turns his back on those who practice evil.”   Acts 17:16, KJV—“Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”

Fear Dumping

Melissa Gabler —The Holy Spirit prompted me to ask for a season of “Fear Dumping”. Then I saw a picture of a chronic cycle just about at its start over place, but this time there was a button readily available to be pushed called “Fear Dump”. When we make the choice to push that button, all of the fear driving that cycle will be dumped causing that cycle to end! A season of fear dumping is upon us, PUSH THAT BUTTON! “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2Tim.1:7, NKJV)