"HAPPY NEW YEAR?"

Can we be happy this year?

That's a legitimate question for anyone living in the world today, but most people will go through with the tradition of celebrating at midnight as they look forward to a New Year. As a matter of fact, many will drink and party themselves into oblivion while momentarily forgetting all of the pain and suffering that still exists throughout our nation and world.

Billions of dollars will be spent tonight on an annual celebration; forgetting the past year and moving ahead into the next year, all over the world! With the help of modern technology, we will see people in all countries and time zones as they welcome in the new year. Do you believe that anyone will be able to declare an international solution to all of the turmoil and crisis we have experienced in the past year? Will there be any great revelations that would lead to the end of poverty, hunger, sickness, flooding, mudslides, earthquakes and tsunamis? Some will talk about prospering and others will make resolutions, but does anybody have anything to say that would have a definite positive impact on the entire world this next year?

While pondering this question, I began to think about the revelation I had found in my reading one morning and decided to share it with you. As I read and re-read the passage, it occurred to me that there was a man who walked among men who offered a solution to everything that the world would ever experience! I believe we would all agree that the entire world is seeking for a blessing, great or small, in their life today. I also believe that this blessing that they seek in their life must be found in someone other than themselves in most cases. Why? Because their world is sick, weary and weak economically, physically and spiritually.

So where will they look to find such a blessing in their life when everything looks so dark? When they lose the spice of life that they had before these catastrophes came into their world?
Where do they turn for immediate relief? You may say," to the church, the mission, the government or their family". But when a national catastrophe hits, everything around you crumbles and there isn't any immediate help. It's also true that some people will call out to God at this point for help, but what if I could share with you a revelation that would allow you to experience the blessings we all are seeking as we enter the New Year? Would you take a few minutes and take a chance at trying what I have to offer you this next year? Let me ask you this, "Has anyone else offered you any solutions that guarantee blessings for next year?". Most of us would have to say, "No", but a few would say that they already know the answers and don't have time for such talk. Guess what? It's actually allot easier than most of us think and we just haven't come to realize this as a nation or as the human race! In the next few minutes you too will read what was revealed to mankind long ago. A revelation that guarantees blessings in the year ahead of you!

This revelation was first revealed at a time when there were no phones, TVs, radios or Internet. It was revealed by Jesus of Nazareth by mouth to a small group of men and they were to take this message to the huge crowd who had followed them out of their villages and towns. The crowd may have been one of the largest gatherings of that time as they came from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and from beyond Jordan. These places combined added up to possibly more than a million(s) people. The passage that I find this in is the fourth chapter of Matthew and verse twenty-five.

4:25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

As Jesus fame had spread because of the miracles he had performed, a great multitude had begun to follow Him. At that time Jesus looked on the multitudes and went up to a mountain to teach His disciples what I believe was the revelation that He wanted His disciples to carry back to the multitudes and as a disciple of God today, I bring this to you, my friend, as you enter the New year looking for a blessing in your life. This is what Jesus said to those He taught and remember as you read this, that the words of Jesus come with a lifetime Guarantee! I have placed in parenthesis the (literal Greek translation) for a deeper understanding and I hope that your will take this revelation with all seriousness and experience the blessings that you seek. Then you too can say with all sincerity,"Happy New Year!".

Matthew 5:1-12
1 And (Jesus) seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed(supremely blest) are the poor in spirit (opposite of proud): for theirs is the kingdom (royalty) of heaven (in eternity).
4 Blessed(supremely blest) are they that mourn (grieve): for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed(supremely blest) are the meek(mild or humble): for they shall inherit the earth (world).
6 Blessed(supremely blest) are they which do hunger(crave) and thirst after righteousness (justification): for they shall be filled. (filled to abundance)
7 Blessed(supremely blest) are the merciful(compassionate): for they shall obtain mercy. (receive compassion)
8 Blessed(supremely blest) are the pure(clean) in heart (in thoughts of feelings): for they shall see(have wide open eyes or to gaze at) God.
9 Blessed(supremely blest) are the peacemakers (peaceable): for they shall be called the children (son) of God.
10 Blessed(supremely blest) are they which are persecuted (pursued) for righteousness' sake (on account of righteous living): for theirs is the kingdom (royalty) of heaven. (in eternity)
11 Blessed(supremely blest) are ye, when men shall revile (defame, rail or chide) you, and persecute (pursue) you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely (saying things deceitfully to hurt you) for my sake. (on account of Jesus)
12 Rejoice, (be full of cheer) and be exceeding glad (jump for joy): for great is your reward (much pay is yours) in heaven (eternity): for so (in this way) persecuted they (the world pursued) the prophets (inspired speaker of God) which were before (prior to) you.

If you took time today to read the entire passage above, you now know that in any situation that comes your way this next year you can be blessed more than any man, church, family member or government could ever bless you. This would be my message to the nation and to the world today! As Christians we should exhibit a hope for the world and in living out this revelation in our lives throughout each day we will be the salt that savors the world around us and the light that shines through the darkness of a world in crisis of every kind!

Matthew 5:13-16
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Take to heart these words that Jesus himself revealed to His disciples on that day long ago up on the mountain overlooking the multitudes who were seeking a new day, a new life and a BLESSING!

Go to the mountain each morning and let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven! Have a Supremely Blest Year!

"IS IT POSSIBLE?"

If You'll Believe, All Things ARE Possible!

Have you ever had a problem that seemed so big that you just couldn't see any possible way to get through it?

Have you ever had a sickness or a family crisis at a time when your job stress was at it's peak?

Do you have something going on in your life right now that just seems like it will never end and the struggle seems to be pulling you down to the point of giving up?

If you are a mom, dad or grandparent you could probably say "yes" to at least one of the above, if not all. I'm going to be short and to the point today, since Christmas is past and you probably have allot of activities planned as the new year approaches. As you plan your next year, take a moment to look at a man who couldn't plan his year. His life was full of despair. Pay attention as I tell you about his life, my friend! Take a minute to look at his circumstances, not yours!

There once was a man who had dealt with a problem for most of his parenting life. He had a child that was filled with evil spirits. His son would foam and thrash about on the ground like a lunatic. The spirits would throw him onto the fire to burn him and into the water to try and drown him!
Can you imagine what this child must have looked like? He was probably covered with scars and scabs. Maybe he had long dirty broken nails on his hands and feet and most likely hair matted and dirty like an animals would look in the wild. But this young man's father had not given up hope for him. He had heard that Jesus was coming to town! He went to Jesus for help. Take a look at the passage where I read this in Mark;

Mark 9:22 "And often it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us."

Before the father called out for help, he most likely had been thinking,"Lord, if you can; please feel my pain; please understand; please don't run away from us like everyone else does; please "HELP US"! The response that Jesus gave was so awesome! Let's look at what happened next;


Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believes. "

Need I say anything else? Let's look at what happened next.


Mark 9:24 And immediately the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief!"

This man was blown away when Jesus told him that "all things are possible". He had come to Jesus asking him if He could help his son and Jesus sent him away on that day, knowing that all things are possible for those who will just believe in the power of His name.

Do you want something that to happen in your life today that seems impossible?

Do you need help with unbelief?

It's ok! Jesus loves for us to come to him with those kind of requests! Jesus knows we are human and we have times when our faith grows weak, due to overwhelming circumstances.

Believe today and You too will experience what others may see as impossible! You might ask,"How does he know this? How can he say this with so much confidence?"

Because Jesus said," ALL things are possible to those who Believe!"

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"WHEN A CHILD CRIES OUT"

What makes us take notice when a child cries?

I had to stop and think about the meaning for recording the events that took place in the ninth chapter of the book of Esther. I read a dramatic story filled with royalty, servant hood, chivalry, rivalry and justice. It tells of a man who worked so hard to please the king and was rewarded with a promotion that landed him in a position to control the actions and even take the lives of those who challenged his beliefs. Then there was the servant of the king that had been loyal and brave. He had even once saved the King's life long before this time. But without the Queen and her bravery and faith, this story would have ended much different. She was placed in a very strategic position for this important time in the history of the nation of Israel. You may be thinking,"What's all this got to do with how we react to a child's cry?". Let's look at today's passage so you can see for yourself;

Esther 9:30-31 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.

One hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus received that letter on the day spoken of in this passage. A letter with words of peace and truth written in them. This was a letter that meant "life" for the LORD's children on this earth! This letter meant "posterity" for their nation and the generations to come! Without knowing the events that led up to the writing of this letter, you may never realize just how much this actually impacts your life today. If this letter had not been written, we may not have even had a Bible from which to study in the comfort of our own homes today. This letter was a letter of triumph made possible by the hand of God.

There had been a servant of the King who wanted ALL of the children of God to be destroyed and removed from the face of the earth. That man's name was Haman and he had a plan to take such control that he could even destroy the lives of anybody he chose. What could have caused a man to become so cold hearted? What could have caused men today to become so cold that they care not for the well being of their fellow man? Could it have been jealousy, deceit, hate or bitterness? Haman had been loyal and worked hard to get into a position closest to the king and to position himself where he could express his hate against those who served God. After he was promoted, all of the servants of the king bowed down when he walked by except one. That one was a man who knew the heart of Haman and of his hate for the Jewish nation and God. Mordecai was his name and he would not bow to a man who hated his God. It was his conviction and no matter what Haman said, he was sticking to it! I wondered if any men would stand today like Mordecai. We find in the book of Esther that Mordecai was the only one that stood up for his convictions and anyone who stands today, may very likely find himself standing alone as well!

This kind of conviction is what has led many followers of God into hot water with those in authority down through history. We think about Paul the apostle, Peter, John the baptist and even our Lord Jesus whom we claim to be our Savior today. You could place Mordecai right in there with them when it came to exercising the boldness of the Holy Spirit in high places. It is a strong faith that will stand up, regardless of public opinion or the popular trends! What gave Mordecai the courage and strength to stand strong in this time? What gives you and I the strength to stand strong in the face of adversity today?

Then there was Queen Esther, who was also full of boldness when it came to standing up for her beliefs and convictions. God had given her boldness, but He also gave her the favor of the king at this time. When she learned of the hate that Haman had for the Jews and his intention to destroy them all, she had a choice! She could jeopardize her position and the protection she had with the king or she could be quiet and stay protected by the king. Esther made the best choice!
She was grieved when she heard the news that the Jews all over the kingdom were weeping and wailing and that many lay in sackcloth and ashes. She sent the king's chamberlain to see Mordecai and find out what the reason was for this sadness in verse four of chapter four of Esther. He found Mordecai at the King's gates in sackcloth and he told him about the money Haman had promised the king so he could destroy the Jews. He gave him a copy of the decree to show Esther and Mordecai sent a message back to Esther, to go before the king and request that the king stop this destruction.

When she received this message she sent one back and told Mordecai that no man or woman can go before the king unless they are called. If they did, the king would have to hold out his golden sceptre or they would be put to death. She also brought to his attention that she hadn't been called to the king's court for the past thirty days! That's when Mordecai told her something profound! He sent her this message;

Esther 4:13-14 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Who knows if you have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this? Wow! That's a bold statement, but full of truth. How many of us have to come where we are in life for such a time as this? Have we been able to stand for something in our life that would make a difference in the world for God? He reminded her that the deliverance of the Jews would come from another place, but she and her father's house would be destroyed! Do you think that we could face a similar situation in our life today? Maybe it our freedom to worship or maybe it's about what our children are being taught against our own beliefs. Maybe it is our government today that is compromising our freedom of worship or our children's freedom in future generations. Are we going support the authority of those who we have in power in our city, state or country when they require us to lay down our convictions and standards?

We could just as easily turn to God as Esther chose to do that day. She sent Mordecai this message;

Esther 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

Wow! Look at those last words again. Esther said,"and if I perish, I perish." That is coming from the heart of a woman that had put her complete trust in God and trusted that He would fulfill His will; whether she lived or died. But first, she was going to fast and pray with her maidens and Mordecai would gather all the Jews present in Shushan to do the same. They would become hungry and weak in fasting without water or food for three days and nights while they cried out to God for deliverance! The cry that went forth for those three days must have grieved God greatly. How do I know this? What do we all do when we hear our own child cry out? We jump and run to them and comfort them or protect them from harm. Yes, we are very attentive to our children's voices and especially when we see them trying to do what we have taught them. Especially when they are willing to sacrifice a little on their own before they cry out to us for help. That's when we act without hesitation, isn't it?

On one hand we are grieved because of their sadness and on the other hand we are glad because our children have come to us for their strength. The Word of God says so much about turning to God in time of weakness and despair. How about you? Do you turn to Him when the circumstances look hopeless? So many times we turn to the financial experts, the therapists, our favorite ballgame or hobby for relief that is only temporary. Esther and Mordecai needed help that only the LORD could give them. Esther was going to have to face the king and she knew if she said the wrong thing that he could do away with her. Yes, she was afraid! Would you have been worried and afraid for your life? Sure you would!

Let's think about the kind of crisis we face right now in our nation. Have you found yourself worried about what would happen if your employer closed their doors tomorrow? What would happen if your family depended on you to pay their schooling and their clothing and food? Would you begin to worry if you heard that your job was going to be taken away? That's what Esther may have felt like when Mordecai asked her to go before the king! She wondered how her family would be able to go on without her, but she had an even greater burden on her heart that day. She wondered how the Jews would survive without her intervention in the palace. Knowing she could not make the king do anything on her own, she called for all the Jews and all her maidens to go without food and water while praying for three days. God heard their prayers and turned the tables on Haman and those who hated the Jews. We'll go into the details in the next chapter looking at how this took place.

When we face a crisis in our lives and begin to worry, let's stop, fast and pray. Let's put our trust in the powerful Almighty hand of God! Let's remember that our God can always make a way when we can see no way with our human eyes. Our heavenly Father is waiting for you to cry out to him today as one of His children! Why don't you go ahead and talk to Him and see His loving hand at work in your life? Our cries may touch the heart of God, but nothing grieves Him more than when we don't cry out to Him!

Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

If you are not a child of God, how sad it would be to turn away from this message of hope and go on trying to go through the storms of life alone. You know God is what you need to make your life complete. God wants to save your soul from the worries of this world and the condemnation of hell! Is there any reason why you would turn that away? Contact me to find out more about how to become a child of God. It is my hearts desire to help you come to know Him as your Savior today.

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"GOT PEACE?"

Psalm 29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

What is the most peaceful place you've ever been?

Many times we think of some place in the mountains, the islands or the coast line of our beautiful country. Is it any wonder that people buy second homes way up in the mountains overlooking beautiful lakes? Then there are those who prefer the home built right on the beach front! We often think of going to those places to either enjoy the serenity and quiet or the roar of the surf as the waves crash into the beach over and over. Well, I have been blessed to have enjoyed allot of both the mountains and the beach and never even had to buy the first piece of real estate. My friends would ask me how it's possible to do that and my only answer to them was, "God totally provided my hearts desire!" and they wanted to know, "How did He do that?" as if it was a great secret that I had found and possessed.

The secret is not at all a secret that I possess, but is actually available to us all! The places I stayed in the mountains and on the beach were made available to me and my children because of something called "peace". You see, I had found a peace inside of me and that's when I understood the freedom that I had to care about others and reach out to do something to help them! When my desires changed towards people and their needs, that's when God began to provide all the other things that I found peaceful about this earth. How did I find that inner peace?
That's what was talked about in today's RU Sunday School class! But the lesson was about something that will take away our peace every single day, if we let it! The thing that steals our inner peace is "fear" and that comes from our adversary, satan himself. When you become afraid, you lose your strength. Your hands and feet get cold; you begin to perspire and you become weak physically, mentally and spiritually.

What gives us the power to not be afraid? Answer these three questions honestly!

Did Jesus overcome satan?

Did Jesus overcome the world?

Did Jesus overcome death?

We all know that He did and that is why only Jesus can offer total inner peace. Satan wants to cripple you with fear! Satan wants to take you away from Christ! He knows that you are healthy and strong in the presence of Jesus Christ, so he tries to pull you away from Christ. If he does this, he can begin to create fear in your life and your soul. How would satan try to pull you away today?

Satan has a mismanagement plan for your life today! Satan loves to see us distracted from our walk with Christ. Every minute not spent in communion with Christ or not accomplishing His purpose for our lives, is time available for satan to distract us and cause us to begin to worry. We learned in the RU class that worry is a soft form of fear. Worry is something we do when we become unsure of ourselves and our future. Worry makes us feel like we have lost control of something in our life and it is that need for control that can become an addiction if we don't turn to Christ for our strength.

Remember who overcame satan, the world and death? Yes, it is Jesus! It is with this assurance that we can face anything without fear! I know the grammar professors may not like the way this sounds, but the next time you see a "NO FEAR" sign or sticker, let it remind you, that with Jesus Christ you've "GOT PEACE!"

God's management plan puts the Spirit in control and our souls ought to give up control to the Spirit of God. That's where real inner "Peace" is found! That's My big SECRET!

Philippians 4:6-8 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

"CHEER UP"

What makes us cheerful?

"Trust in the LORD and delight thyself in Him" (Psalm 37:4). Joy is always associated with trust in God. St. Paul on his way to prison said, "Rejoice in the Lord always." Jesus met men and women who were burdened with care, and he told them, "Be of Good cheer!".

Trust and sing your worries away. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Joy changes our outlook upon the world. When the soul thrills to heaven's purpose and joy abounds, problems become less difficult and the way grows brighter. Be of good cheer and people will look different. Be of good cheer and toil will be sweeter. Be of good cheer and all nature smiles upon you.

Learn a lesson from the birds. Two cardinals built their nests in a bush near the house. They sang and toiled day after day. When finally the nest was ready for occupancy, one bird settled down in it. The other bird brought food and stood on guard. They had no troubles or worries till one afternoon there came a storm out of the west. The wind blew and the rain came down in torrents, but the mother bird clung to her nest. Then came a sudden rush of wind that tore the nest from the branch and hurled it to the ground. All the eggs were broken and all loves labor was lost.

About an hour later the storm was past; the sun was shining and from the top branch of a tree in the yard came the sweet song of the cardinal. The two birds that had lost their all in the storm were singing cheerfully as if nothing like that mattered much. The next day they were busily engaged in building another nest.

Trust in the Lord and sing His praises. Listen to St. Paul in the midst of the storm: "Be of good cheer! For I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me." Sing in the face of adversity! Sing and drive the clouds of doubt away! Sing and believe that all the ills of life work together for good to them that love the LORD and are called according to His purpose. That means that God undertakes for those who commit their ways to the wisdom of His will.

Are you willing to commit your way unto God and trust in Him? If so, He will order your steps and lead you right. He will not let you be cast down. He will uphold you with His hand. He has promised this. Trust Him! Put yourself in His hands and sing:

He leadeth me, Oh Blessed thought!
Oh words with heavenly comfort fraught.

Finally, you must "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him." Do not become nervous and anxious. Hold steady and be patient. Remember, Jesus never fails. Some things at the moment may be puzzling and trying and you may be tempted to question God's wisdom in permitting them; but tomorrow or the next day, or the next year, you may see how God made the things which perplexed you to become the ministers of His rich and fruitful purpose.

"Rest in the Lord." What is the secret of rest? It is thought without worry, care without anxiety, knowledge without fear and faith without misgiving. In other words, look the situation in the face and give it careful thought, but do not worry. Exercise care, but do not be anxious. Know and face the issue, but do not be afraid. Trust God to direct and help you, but allow no doubt to enter your mind. Then you may rest in the Lord.

Let me warn you that if you have been given to worrying you may be tempted to worry again. This temptation is to be rejected the same as any other temptation to do wrong. Instead of yielding to it, call to mind immediately the promises of God and remember His faithfulness in the past. Then sing and delight thyself in Him.

Dear brother or sister in Christ, you must not worry. God's invisible presence is vouchsafe to you every step of the way. He says, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." If God be with you and for you, who can be against you? With God, the way is never so steep that it may not be climbed. With God, the river is never so deep that it may not be crossed. With God, the furnace fires are never so hot that they may not be endured. With God, you may master your circumstances and smile at difficulties.

Through it all, you will improve your health, enjoy life and be a help and blessing to to others. It is a well proven fact that absence of worry and cheerfulness of disposition helps to promote good health and a long life.

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace In Believing, that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."

Today's message was from the book titled, "The Victorious Life" about the life story and best sermons of the famous evangelist Charles F. Weigle 1871-1966. Author - E. B. Toles

"WITHOUT A DOUBT, YOU WILL BE DELIVERED"

Your beliefs can destroy you or deliver you!


Seeing the victory and prosperity of the nation of Judah at the end of our last message probably brought hope to most of your hearts.

As the author of these messages, I can admit that even at the time of this writing, I have been encouraged by the victorious outcome of the battle and the riches that were carried back home from the battleground for three whole days! Wow! After I read that passage my eyes got big and I began to dream of how God might even bless me after he gets me through the impossible situations in my life! Didn't that thought cross your mind as well? Maybe, just a little bit of prosperity possibility thinking crept into your thoughts? There's nothing wrong with thinking about the fun stuff, but we must first remember the faith stuff!

Well, I thought about that and the next thing I knew, doubt began to lurk in the back of my mind as to whether or not God would ever do anything that great for me. After all, I've never just gone out to pick up riches and treasures for a few days and take it home with me. That would be equivalent to the local bank or jewelry store opening it's safe up and the Lord telling you to just go ahead and get all you wanted for the next few days. Maybe for some, it would be the local gun shop or sporting goods store, depending on what you consider as valuable in your life. I can imagine that you too may have felt a bit doubtful as you considered this idea of receiving prosperity beyond your imagination. Why do we begin to slide back into our doubting selves long before God even has a chance to prove His infinite power to us?

The nation of Israel was following the leadership of a king that believed with all his heart that his supreme God was the highest of powers above all the earth, all the kingdoms and all courts, all plagues, all famines or any weapons formed against them! I want to back up a few verses before the battle of God took place against Ammon, Moab and mount Seir. Let's look at the way that Judah believed and we may find out why we find ourselves doubting so quickly today,

2Chronicles 20:4 And Judah (nation) gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

This nation who prospered so greatly following their deliverance from their enemy had an attitude of reverence and honor for God long before the armies ever arrived on their sea shores. This is evident in their immediate response to the frightening news that spread across their kingdom of the approaching enemy. This passage tells us that they assembled themselves and the next thing they did was to ask for help of the LORD.

I'd like to share with you the literal Hebrew translation of this part of the passage above. The word "ask" in the Hebrew is "bâqash" and is pronounced as baw-kash'. The literal translation of this word is "to search out" (by any method;specifically in worship or prayer). The word "help" was added into the english text so we can leave that word out for now and the literal text would actually go like this, "Judah assembled themselves together to seek Jehovah in worship and prayer". You may be thinking that an entire nation would never be able to come together in one accord to worship; but look at the next part of this passage,

2Chronicles 20:4.....even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

When you look at the literal Hebrew of this passage, where we see the words "seek the Lord" we would find one additional Hebrew word that wasn't in the first part of this verse. In the Hebrew it would say "bâqash 'êth yehôvâh" and the addition of the Hebrew word "'êth" causes this passage to literally mean "came to seek each for themselves in worship and prayer to Jehovah"!

It's the truth! An entire nation came to seek God in worship and prayer!

How hard is it today to just get the all the local members of a church out to a church picnic, much less to pray about something of importance? I was away from home once in a middle North Carolina town and had been looking at some of the churches in that area online. I saw a website post for a large prominent church in the area that had a special time of prayer on Wednesday nights. I believe it was called the "Power Hour"! I decided to go and get in on this powerful time with fellow believers as I had been very busy and needed to take time to recharge and fellowship with prayer warriors of the faith.

My friends, I cannot express the way I felt when I walked into their sanctuary. I went to the sanctuary and found no one there! I walked all through this majestic church facility and found nobody anywhere in the first and second floors. Finally I got to the basement and walked into a room where a large group of teens were listening to music and playing games, so I asked if this was the prayer service. They looked at me kind of funny and said that they didn't know of any meeting of that type there. So I figured that I must have gotten confused and went to the wrong church. As I was making my way back through the huge basement to the front of the building I saw a small single piece of paper taped to a door which read, "Power Hour". I got kind of excited for a minute as I peaked into the small window in the door and must have bumped the door as the man who was leading the meeting waved for me to join them. As I opened the door, I realized that the window hadn't obscured my view as I had thought originally. There were only about six people in the room and most of them had canes or walkers with which they were able to make the hike as I had down the long modern halls of this huge church to the only prayer meeting that night. Oh, how shocked I was! Strangely enough, they didn't seem to be surprised when I asked if this was the prayer service upon my arrival. They just nodded their heads and smiled.

I had only been there for a short while when I realized why the group was so small and why there were not any new believers in this meeting. This was probably the core group that had been there since the church began. They began to pray one by one and as they prayed, their prayers were doubtful. They only asked God for what they could have even done themselves in the first place! How often do believers today find themselves praying while in doubt and too fearful to ask for something beyond all human power and comprehension? I heard them ask for relief of the pain of terminal illnesses, for people to find guidance to get help, for someone able to go and reach the lost and for someone to give to help those in need. I didn't hear one request of anything impossible that night! I didn't hear any worship or praise that night! When they had all prayed, I almost broke out in prayer, but I seriously was concerned that I would have certainly sent some of those precious elderly Carolinians to the hospital with cardiac arrest had I begun to ask God for all those humanly impossible situations that were listed on their prayer list. I wanted to just shouted out at that very moment, as Jehoshaphat did in verse six;

2Chronicles 20:6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest (not) thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there (not) power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

Except that I would have said it without the "not" that was added in the english translation. That would remove the doubt in this message that our God is above all. I truly believe that Judah was not doubting this for a moment, but the word ("not") was added twice in the making of this translation. It would have been fitting for the king of a believing nation as Judah and Jerusalem, who worshipped and praised God, to cry out,

"Jehovah my God of our fathers, Aren't you our God in heaven above? You rule with all dominion over any nation and your hand is forceful and mighty, without any other existence equal to you!".

Our wars today are no different than the war in this passage! The only real difference is in our beliefs! How would the people of Judah have felt if they had walked with you or I today and experienced the things we spend our day talking about, laughing about and what we do for entertainment and most importantly,to experience how we worship our God each day? Would they know by our actions that we believed in the same God that they worshipped and praised as the armies were approaching them that day to destroy their homes, families and their place of worship? How is our home, our families and our place of worship under attack today?

Is the battle growing nearer every hour? Are you in the middle of the battle already? Has the enemy got you afraid and ready to give up; ready to break down?

Are you thinking, "How can I possibly be delivered from this impossible situation in my home, my family or my church?"

I want you to know something today!

I can tell you this without a single bit of DOUBT whatsoever in my heart!

Without a DOUBT(IN YOUR HEART), you WILL be DELIVERED!

BELIEVE IN GOD'S POWER AS YOU PRAY & FAST!

SEEK & WORSHIP GOD FOR GUIDANCE!

PRAISE GOD FOR HIS PROMISE TO DELIVER YOU!

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

"GOD PLANS TO PROSPER YOU"

Battles that are being fought over religion and theology will cease to exist when caring children of God follow Jerusalem's example in our passage. Stop focusing on theology and start practicing kneeology!

In our previous chapter, we were thinking about the attitude that we get when we know we can conquer the enemies or the problems in our life.
It's our human nature that causes us to jump up and start shouting victory and giving everyone high fives when we feel like we are out of danger. But we found that the nation of Jerusalem had not reacted in this way. Instead they followed the example of their king and fell down to their knees and fasted and prayed, thanking God and singing praises to the LORD for His protection and promise to get them through this impossible situation.

Are you in the middle of one of those situations or maybe someone you know is heartbroke and depressed over a situation in their life that seems almost hopeless or doomed? Do you or someone you know need a miracle right now?

That's what the nation of Judah and Jerusalem needed and God spoke to them as they were down on their knees praying and fasting. Sometimes we might even feel as though we can't get away from our situation long enough to be able to bow down and pray in silence for even just a few minutes. I have found myself escaping to the closet sometimes and kneeling down in the darkness with the smell of shoes in my face so I can find some time all alone with my LORD! Maybe you haven't been that desperate before, but it works when your getting anxious and fearful of the things in your life that can start to overwhelm you!

Is it possible that you aren't being attacked at all in life, but rather you are the one always on the offence? You are always in control in your life and no one ever gets the best of you because you are one step ahead of them! Maybe you are one who is always thinking of ways to get what others may have or to fudge the rules a little to make sure you get something for yourself when you walk away from a situation. Could it be that you have left a trail of bodies where ever you have been, only taking what you wanted to gain and feeling no compassion on anyone else that trusted you and cared about you. Would you fit the part of the approaching army in this passage that we are studying? Taking over and running off those who can't defend themselves against your forceful and demanding spirit! If so, there is still hope for you too! Believe it or not, what I am about to tell you isn't just for someone who is being attacked and has found themselves cornered and helpless.

Jehoshaphat and the entire nation had fell to their knees to fast and pray when they found themselves in this hopeless situation and the Spirit of God spoke to them all and told them it wasn't going to be their battle , but the LORD's. That's when the Levites began to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high in 2Chronicles 20:19. Their response was exactly what the LORD had expected and not only that, but it was what He wanted to hear!

The LORD wants to hear our voices today when we are going through the worst storm ever or when we face an impossible mountain to climb! We have the same promises today as the children of Israel had so many years ago because there is no time with God and He is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow.

The next morning they rose early and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. If you have ever fasted when praying for something big in your life, you know that it isn't easy to sleep late. Those hunger pains wake you up real early as your body cries out for something to eat! I would imagine that they didn't just roll out of bed and head out to the wilderness that morning. They had been fasting for at least 24 hours by this time and they could feel that pain in their gut reminding them to drop to their knees as they rolled out of bed that morning and praying for their families protection and survival as they approached the mighty armies that longed to take their lives and all their possessions!

Maybe it was winter time and the floor was cold as they knelt down to pray; reminding them of the coldness of their enemy's heart as they prayed with compassion for the souls of those who would die that day.

If we are kneeling daily my friend, we will be raising up our enemies before God as well as our own need for a miracle! It is the love and grace of God that freed Jerusalem that day and that same love is offered to every man alive today! Even to those who wish to persecute you and take from those who are helpless! Same God! Same Grace! Same Gift of Protection!

Let's look at what Jehoshaphat said after they went out to the wilderness;

2Chronicles 20:20....and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

Believe! The word "believe" in the Hebrew is "aman" which means literally "to build up or support". Knowing that this is what this word means, look at both places where "believe" is used in this passage. The first time is "Believe in the LORD your GOD" and the second time is "believe his prophet" and "prophet" in the Hebrew literally means "inspired man".

So, who is God that we are to believe in today? God is the same always! Right? Now ask yourself," Who is the prophet or inspired man of God today?". God has been inspiring men down through the ages to proclaim God's message, but the real men of God are those men who are getting down on their knees in compassion for the lost people in our world.

One more thing in this particular passage to take note of is the literal Hebrew translation of the word "established". In verse 20 we read, "....Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established;".

Judah is told by Jehoshaphat to, "believe(build up or support) in the LORD your God, so ye shall be established(built up or supported).

Pay close attention to what I am about to show you in this passage! The same word "aman" that is the Hebrew for the word "believe" in this verse is also exactly the same Hebrew word for the word "established" at the end of this passage! Jehoshaphat was telling the nation of Judah and Jerusalem, "Aman Yhovah Elohiym, aman; aman nabiy, tsalach." Wait! I'll translate the literal Hebrew for you!

"Believe and Support Jehovah Elohim and He will support YOU; believe and support the inspired man of God and you'll experience prosperity."

Jehoshaphat was telling his nation to believe in God and to believe the words of a man who stood up in the midst of them that had been inspired by the Holy Spirit.

That inspired man wasn't the king! He wasn't the Priest! He was a man that God had chosen! A man who had been willing to fast and pray and believe in the true God! Does that describe any of the children of God today?

Jehoshaphat the king had cried out to God! Have you cried out in desperation to God when you didn't know what to do?

2Chronicles 20:12 .....neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

ALL of Judah had stood before the LORD! Have you taken your whole family before the LORD in time of trouble?

2Chronicles 20:13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

The Spirit of the LORD came into the middle of Judah and spoke to a man! Could God speak to you today if His purpose was to use you to proclaim His message to others?

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. (prospering you!)

Jehoshaphat, the king bowed with his face to the ground and thanked God! The nation of Israel also bowed to the ground and prayed for deliverance!

God heard their cry and saw their fasting and overcame those who wished to do them harm!

Jehoshaphat and the whole nation of Jerusalem spent the next three days carrying home the beautiful armor and riches from the battlefield following the battle that God fought for them!

BUT REMEMBER!

Judah prospered exceedingly from a fight that the LORD their GOD fought for them!

Could we be missing the prosperity of God by our unbelief?

We often let our own vast knowledge, education and theology keep us from experiencing the prosperity of simple kneeology! Kneeology is what God teaches us when on our knees in prayer before the LORD our GOD. IT WORKS!

"WHEN YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T LOSE"

Winning with the right attitude!

The LORD had spoken to Judah;the inhabitants of Jerusalem and king Jehoshaphat saying, "This saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's."

The first thing that the LORD wanted them all to realize was that He had the battle taken care of and they would not need to be afraid. What would it be like in each of our lives if we all could feel like that whenever something came up that we couldn't handle?

My daughter called me one day about something she was going through and I suggested that she pray and ask God to fight that battle for her. That's when she told me that she had been learning to whisper prayers to God all through the day. What a blessing it was to hear that she has already been doing this at the early age of twenty-two. Oh that we would do just that every day and fear not nor be dismayed! The literal Hebrew translation for "dismayed" is to "break down or be confused". The LORD was saying to those who faced sure destruction, "Don't be afraid and don't get confused and break down emotionally either! Don't give up!"

Let's look at the next thing that the LORD said through his servant Jahaziel;

2Chronicles 20:16-17 Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

The LORD sent them to the enemy. They had been trusting in God up to this point, to say that He would fight the battle for them and they liked that part. Now the LORD is telling them to go out to meet the armies that want to defeat them! Have you ever thought about approaching a situation in your life, knowing you were destined to loose? Not a chance! But think about this for a minute! What if you knew you were going to win? How did you feel about approaching a situation in your life when you knew you would come out on top? You knew you were sure to win and you probably couldn't wait for the moment to arrive, could you? Were you feeling the thrill of victory? Did you throw your hands up in the air and shout the winner's "YES!"?

Have you ever noticed the different ways that Pro football players react whenever they scored the winning point? They all react differently,don't they? Some of them hold the ball over their heads and point at their chest,showing everyone who should get the praise. Some will turn and bang chests with their team mates and then get carried off the field in praise. Some will even kiss the ball as if it had some great power of it's own. But the player that catches my attention the most is the one who drops down on one knee and points his or her hand up to God! That is exactly how Jehoshaphat reacted when he knew his victory was sure and it was his humble attitude that also influenced the attitudes of all of Judah and Jerusalem! Just think about how different it would have been for their entire nation if he had started whooping and hollering and praising himself or his nation? But think about it, isn't that what the United States of America has been doing for a long time?

I remember when our military went over to bomb Iraq or Iran and all these songs began to emerge about the US and how proud we were to be an American and about our victory over there when we demolished their military forces. Songs like "Born In the USA","Proud to be an American" and "Bomb Iran" came out and people chanted the words to these songs publicly with a smile on their faces. I saw the pride of our nation begin to swell up it's proud head and the leaders even boasted publicly about how no one will mess with the USA. Think about how different that is from Jehoshaphat's attitude in this passage?

2Chronicles 20:18-19 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.
19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

One of the most influential nations of their time had been influenced by a leader who loved and worshipped God. His attitude of thanks and praise to God showed as their king bowed his head with his face down to the ground worshipping God. The amazing thing is that a nation of people that love God will follow the leadership of a man of God with the right winning attitude!
Whooping and hollering, chest pounding, heads held high or singing songs of pride in the USA doesn't reflect the attitude of a nation that humbled themselves and prayed before offering up songs of praise to the LORD God of Israel. Can you see the difference in the attitudes of the leaders and citizens of our nation today and the attitude of king Jehoshaphat and the nation in this passage? Don't forget the key that makes all the difference between nations as we look back at the end of verse seventeen..."for the LORD will be with you." To be Continued.....

In the next chapter we will look at the outcome of having the right winning attitude and praising the LORD. We'll see what happens with those situations that look so hopeless!

Until then, remember to trust and praise God even when you are surrounded by impossibilities and the people, whose lives you impact, will be watching and following your example!

"WHEN YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T WIN"

Have you ever fought a loosing battle?

I know that life can take sudden turns for the worse and when that happens we tend to react with panic, fear and sometimes even feel like running for our lives. Isn't this so true of almost everybody in the world today? Yes, there are still a few unusual people who bow their backs, hold their heads high and will fight on to the death. There are those people who will begin to plan another strategy and another angle of attack to hold off the approaching army, but there are times when even those brave and stubborn people must realize that they too must seek help to win.

In the Word of God we find a King who had just experienced that feeling of fear and panic and just didn't know what he needed to do. His name was Jehoshaphat and he had just been given the message that he was going to be attacked, not by one, not by two, but by three armies. These armies were of the children of Moab, Ammon and the Ammonites. He was informed that the group was of a very great multitude coming from the sea and they were getting closer every minute. Don't you think that this king who had been placed over the children of Israel and had served the Lord in all his ways may have been a pretty fearless kind of guy? After all he had the Lord of all creation on his side! how would you have reacted to this message knowing that you had a much smaller army? Let's read a passage that shows his reaction to this message;

2Chronicles 20:3-4 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

Wow! Can you believe that? It says that Jehoshaphat feared! What did he fear? He was afraid of the armies headed his way and he felt that he was in a situation that was impossible to win. He couldn't help his feelings of fear and panic, BUT he could help how he responded to this feeling that had come over him at that moment of surprise! Don't we all get surprises in our lives that shock us and leave us feeling helpless or in a total state of panic? Yes, I have experienced this and I know that anyone alive today has also been through this feeling and some may have felt this feeling quite often. My friend, let's learn from the reaction of this King to his fearful situation, his helpless situation. He had no hope of winning. He knew he was doomed to loose this battle and also to loose all that he had received from the Lord himself! What did he do though?

He set himself to the LORD! This means that he turned his face to the LORD and turned his attention to the LORD for help. Then he proclaimed to all of his kingdom to fast and pray. You see, the prayer and fasting come before the impossible over and over in the Bible. When I read this my first thought was how the fasting would have made the warriors of Judah even weaker physically as the armies of their enemies gained ground towards the great attack. Knowing that they would grow weaker without food and continuing to proceed with the fast was a complete and total move of faith in the LORD! As a matter of fact, it was the only option that Jehoshaphat had that presented any chance of victory ion this hopeless situation!

Think about this for a minute! Every life was in jeopardy and their very existence was at stake at this moment of their lives! Is this where you are in your life today? There are millions of people in the US right now that don't know where there sustenance will come from for the next day, week or month. There are millions of Americans who are without jobs and the Senate just voted and announced that the unemployment would be cut off for anyone who had been unemployed for six months or longer; leaving many families without. Think about how the layoff of thousands of fathers has impacted the lives of the single moms raising their children alone who depend on that child support to care for their children. Think about the businesses that will no longer receive business from all those families who are now without any income whatsoever! It's a fearful time for most Americans today! Yes, my friend, things are looking hopeless and many are fearful for their families and their own survival! Couldn't we relate in some ways to the feeling that Judah was going through before they began to fast and pray? I think so! Maybe you or someone you know is fighting a losing battle with an addiction, disease or emotional abuse of some kind. Those are the kind of battles that we must trust God to win! Those are the battles man cannot fight on his own!

Let me tell you something encouraging now, my brothers, sisters and friends! Let me tell you how Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah won the war that was IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN! Let's look at another passage a little further down when the Spirit of the LORD spoke to Jahaziel a Levite, in the middle of the congregation of Judah. Let's see what Jahaziel said;

2Chronicles 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

He said not to be afraid or dismayed because of what you see when you look at your circumstances! Isn't that how we feel too sometimes? Why did he say this? He told them that the battle ahead wasn't going to be their battle to fight, but God's! Your fight to survive, your financial struggles, your clothing an home are not yours to battle for in the time of hopelessness! You may think it is and you may fight and struggle until you are sick and exhausted and in tears, but the LORD will fight this battle for you if you will do what we see these many families doing in Judah thousands of years ago!

They didn't even raise their hands to fight this battle and they not only won; they went home with treasures that they didn't have before? Isn't that just like our LORD to fight our impossible battles and send us home with something more than we had before? I have personally seen God's hand at work so many times when it seemed like there was no way to win! I know that the LORD will do the same for ANYBODY that turns to HIM! I know he will hear our prayers and attend to our fasting when we are experiencing pain, hunger and see no possibility of winning. Put your trust in the LORD!

Don't be afraid; for the battle is not yours, but God's!

TO BE CONTINUED....
In the next chapter we will look at what the families of Judah were expected to do when the enemy was upon them and how the LORD rewarded their prayer, fasting and obedience.

"NOT MY FAULT!"

What if it is my fault?

What are you going to do if I admit it is my fault? How will you react to me if I admit to doing something wrong? Just think about the last time our friend or spouse admitted to doing something wrong or maybe they just made a mistake. How did you respond to their admitting it and apology? Let's read a passage that talks about this very situation that you and I experience;

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

This sounds so awesome when we read it from the book of James, but why don't people actually do this in the home, church or the community today? When was the last time that you or I admitted to doing something wrong? I know that it may sound kind of far fetched, but it is when we are willing to do this that we can begin to heal. Healing takes place in the soul, spirit and mind when we can admit our faults to another and not only to admit, but also to know that they are willing to pray for us. If we are looking for someone else to take that first step up to the plate and take the blame, you may be waiting for quite a while in this time that we live. Why is it so hard for us to admit something to another person? Well, let's look back at the passage we read and focus on the second part of that verse.

James 5:16... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

If I am going to confess a fault to someone else, wouldn't I feel better if I knew they would offer to pray for me? Actually, I would feel even better if I knew they would offer to pray WITH me right then and there! Isn't that what we all really need as brothers and sisters in Christ? We do need someone to pray with us effectually and fervently! Then we also need for that person to be a righteous man, so that we can see our life radically changed by God.

If a person is living right and a child of God, he is a righteous man. So, what James is telling us is to find someone like this and share our faults and weaknesses so that he or she can pray for us. Now, let's take a look again at the matter of admitting a fault to another. How will we respond when someone points out our fault or wait! Better still, how will we respond when someone comes and tells us about their own faults? When they expose their dirty laundry, their shameful habit or their own bitterness or deceit; how will you respond? It's so easy for us to get the big head and feel like we are privy to their faults because we have no faults of our own, but think again. Let's look at another passage to see what God says about this;

Matthew 6:14,15 For 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.

This passage was the very next thing that Jesus told his apostles following the teaching of the Lord's Prayer. We all have probably learned the Lord's Prayer at some time in our lives. It starts out,"Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done...", but most of us don't know the very next thing that Jesus taught His apostles when He finished teaching them this prayer!
I admit, I didn't realize this was taught by Jesus to His apostles either, but the passage that you just read from Matthew 6:14-15 is what Matthew records next that Jesus taught His apostles.

It was so important that they not get the prideful upon completion of His teaching on prayer! It was so important that they learn to forgive just as they were to learn about being forgiven by their heavenly Father. Isn't it awesome to know God forgives you and I? Well, it's so important to read the whole verse! "If ye forgive men..." and "But if ye forgive not men...". If you think you are confessing your faults to God alone and you don't need to worry about forgiving anyone else's faults, you had better think again! This could be the very reason that the healing of your heart,soul and mind are not being experienced in your life.

It has kept me from experiencing this healing as well in my past, but I will never forget the day when this message of hope was revealed to me and I laid my pride and pain aside and forgave the trespasses of others so that I could begin to heal. I was also able to share this with those who could pray for me and pray for those who had trespassed against me. An amazing thing happened! I felt the weight lifted from my back that I had carried for so long and my heart began to heal! I had experienced exactly what Jesus had taught His disciples when He showed them how to pray that day.

There was once a man who had been shopping and upon arriving home he parked his car at the curb by the street light. He had his arms loaded with all kinds of nice things that he was taking into his house, but just as he unlocked his door and reached for the light, he dropped his keys.
The strange thing was that when he flipped the switch the lights didn't come on; so he began to grope around on the floor looking for the keys to the door. After looking for a few minutes, he looked out side at the bright street light and decided to go out there and look in the grass. As he was looking through the grass his neighbor came walking by and asked him,"What are you looking for?" and he replied,"My keys!". So the neighbor decided to give him a hand and try to help him solve his problem so he began to crawl around on the ground under the light as well looking for the lost keys. After about fifteen minutes, the neighbor asked the man,"Do you remember where you were when you dropped your keys?". He proceeded to tell him that he was just inside the door of his house when he dropped them. Suddenly the neighbor looked up and asked him, "Why in the world are you looking outside?". That's when the man told his neighbor, "I couldn't see in the house because the lights weren't working, so I decided to go outside where I could see."

I know it doesn't make any sense at all, but isn't that how we often look at problems in our lives? We tend to go and looking all around us for the source of our problems. We usually place blame for anything going wrong in our lives in the people that are closest to us.

It's hard to look inside of ourselves and to see if we have anything wrong there because we don't really want to shine a light on our own faults, but that's exactly what we need to do before we can begin to heal. Then we can also begin to pray for the healing of those brothers, sisters and friends who come to us in need of prayer. Let's take the time to look inside our own hearts,souls and minds.

We must confess, but we must also forgive to experience the healing that Jesus promises to the man who does what is right.

"PEACE OF HUMBLE PIE?"

How does "Pride" effect my life each day?

Is it really just a matter of how we impact others when we are proud? Many times when we read books or hear someone speaking on the matter of pride, we will learn about how we impact the lives of those around us when we are proud. I have been told by Sunday School teachers, when I was just a child, how pride caused men to come to destruction. Then as I became a man, I began to read books on how to succeed and some of the most successful men in my life also suggested my reading books that talked about feeling good about yourself and holding your head high and maintaining an ego that told others that I was in charge of my life. Well, guess what, it worked rather well! Yes, I was promoted and praised by men, but I was missing something deep in my heart. I just didn't understand what it was at the time.

Years went by and the confident stance and proud face became more and more difficult to portray. I couldn't understand why I was feeling this way. I had taken my family to church every Sunday, I had even gave of my profits to the Lord. I was doing everything just right, so it seemed. Why wasn't I enjoying peace of mind along with the inner pride that had grown so strong with each achievement in my life. I had followed the path of those who had succeeded before me and it was working! The really odd thing to me was that my children and wife weren't enjoying the fruits of my labor and lifestyle either.

You see, dear friend, I had fallen into the trap. That was the trap of self satisfaction in life and success. I hold nothing against the idea of being successful financially in this world. As a matter of fact I believe God chooses those who he will bless in this way, but it isn't going to be by something you or I may have done to achieve it!

I know some of you may be sitting there in total shock that I am even suggesting that you didn't have anything to do with your life of success! You may be right, the wealth and power that you have attained in your life may be by your own achievement and you may have sacrificed many hours and much of your life to accomplish this, but I know that you are still looking for inner peace and joy right now if you did it all on your own, as I did for so many years. Does that disturb you a little? It should! It disturbed me allot when I realized just how much control I had over my life and how little control God had in my life on the day that I found wisdom from the Word of God concerning the matter of " my pride". The fact is that you and I cannot just go and do whatever we want to do and expect God to make it a blessing. You can't ignore the mass amount of wisdom found in God's Word and only focus on prosperity and your own desires! It won't work, my friend. God has laid down the laws of nature and the fruits of HIS Spirit for us in the Word of God.

Look at a passage with me from the Bible;

Psalm 131:1 A Song of degrees of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

This was written from the heart of David, the great psalmist, the Shepard, the mighty warrior against Goliath, the fearless who killed the bear and the gifted musician who wrote and played songs for the king and eventually became King by the power of God given him. If any had room for pride and ego, David would have had the opportunity for this kind of attitude, BUT look at what he has written!

My HEART is not haughty (proud), nor my EYES lofty (higher); Neither do I EXERCISE (take action) "myself" in GREAT (Impressive) matters, or things TOO HIGH for me.

What did the highly gifted man of God do then? How did he achieve so much in his life? Where did his strength come from, if he didn't "take action himself"?

We can all learn why David enjoyed his "PEACE" of "HUMBLE" Pie when we read what he said in the next two verses of Psalms 131;

Psalms 131:2,3 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

David was like a child who was full of it's mothers milk and satisfied, but David was also saying here that his soul was like a content child depending on the mighty power of God. He was writing songs of his humility to God, regardless of the all of his impressive abilities and gifts that had been given him.

Just as David tells Israel to hope in the Lord from now on and for ever; let's follow this sound wisdom and truth from this Psalm. Let's hope in the Lord today! Let's find the inner peace that comes with an humble and content spirit!


Addittional references

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

Proverbs 21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

Isaiah 3:16-18 Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:
17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.
18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,

Isaiah 10:33 Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

Isa 24:4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

Zephania 3:11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride (This reminded me of the PRIDE Parades by the gays), and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain (Mountain represents power. Because of the power of God!) (This is the last days prophesied by God through Zepahania)