7-12-2025 Resting in the Lord

            

As I was reading Psalm 15 when my phone started buzzing all over the place. I noticed that twice a ‘suspected spam’ was calling in (big deal), but I noticed that there was something else.  But I looked up a word from the passage I was reading, then I checked the other notification.   Pastor Loretta’s ‘Monday Devotional’.  In a nutshell the devotional passage was about how Abigail, the wife of Nabal, encouraged David not avenge himself concerning her husband’s offense.  Instead, she advised David to keep his eye on what was truly important and not taint himself with trivial things (1 Sam. 25:1-37). 

Hmmm.  This past Sunday our pastor brought us a July theme of “Rest, Reset and Recalibrate’.  In other words, ‘learn how to rest in the Lord, shed the meaningless things with which we have been holding us back, then refocus on and restructure that which  is really important.

Understand that ‘rest’ is the beginning of focus and restructure.  If one cannot find peace and rest, how can he change his focus to anything constructive, or much less restructure his actions? 

Personal observations:  when I get tired, I have a hard time keeping things together in my mind.  That is, things that I should know as well as my own name takes a vacation.  Lately, Father has been helping me set up what I need to get done or even just what I would like to get done for the day.  In the morning, I set up my priority list for the day and that helps a lot.  It makes sure things of greater impact get done.  I check my list at the end of the day, I see that if I actually covered, my needs or my WANTS.  Sometimes, I have barely met my needs, much less anything else.  The key is that I don’t get frustrated when I don’t get everything done.  My list is mental so I don’t write everything down (I know, I know) and that helps me not to get angry with myself (believe it or not).  I mean, if we get frustrated with ourselves, how can we rest? I know that I feel peace and relaxed when I have met my goals.

But, in the past few year, Father has shown me three things which bring me peace and rest.  I have five songs I sing along with and a sixth I just listen to as my body settles down.  I said sing along with.  That means I get active, I don’t just sit there.  My actions (movements) express what the song is singing about.  As a suggestion, on Mon., Wed. & Fri. I sing along with “You know My name” (Tasha Cobbs Leonard), “Chain Breaker” (Zach Williams), “Break Every Chain” (Tasha Cobbs Leonard), “Holy Water” (We the Kingdom with Tasha) and “I Speak Jesus” (Charity Gayle).  Then I sit down and listen to “Amazing Grace”, sung in Cherokee.  Oft times, before Amazing Graced ends, I find myself becoming very relaxed, almost to point of dozing off.   

On Tues. Thur. & Sat., I sing some songs which Father has given me over the years.  Subject but no titles.  A few of these songs, the pastor let me bring to our fellowship, but none are published.  #1 I asked Father to give me something to reflect how I feel when I am with Him; #2 again, something about how I feel when I am with Him (Father asked me); 3^rd a song which reflects my experiences going through many different Pentecostal churches’ and how the Holy Ghost reflects Himself in and/or through us;  #4 a song Father gave me about Jesus’ return, a hand-clapper which I thought would be good for children, but which the Pastor has asked me to bring few times over the years;  #5 another song reflecting how I feel when I’m with the Lord based on a James Brown hit – yes it is up tempo; and, time permitting, #6 a song about how I feel about representing Jesus in today’s world.  The flow each of these song is inspired upon songs I knew growing up, except #1 & #4.  Father asked me “What if those earlier musicians sang their song for Him instead of the world?  Father changed the lyrics to satisfy Him.  With some of these songs, I use a tambourine as accompaniment.

No matter which set of songs I’m singing, I get the same Holy Ghost feeling.  That is, my knees get a little weak and I get shivers all over (as expressed in #2).  I also find this happening when I prepare a bible study or a blog entry.  I usually don’t feel anything until I go to stand up.  getting up out of the chai may take several attempts.  Elvis had one shaky leg, I have two! 

I love it!  I feel relaxed, at peace and rested.  In those times I could care less about what’s going on around me.  As James Brown said on one of His songs “I feel good!”, nananana.

In the past year or two, I found myself getting this feeling when I bring a bible study, or listen to a goo study, or the pastor bringing the word or even just listening to or singing along with our praise and worship songs at our fellowship.

Is there any argument that Psalm 23 is the greatest passage for rest?  Let’s examine it.

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

The Lord is my Shepherd, Shepherd is the Hebrew word raah (H7462), meaning friend, companion or pastor.  Want is chacer (H2637) need, decrease, make lower.  The Lord is my companion who will meet my needs (Phil. 4:19).

We need to understand that the Lord guides us in what we do.  Of course it helps when we ask him for guidance (John 14:14).  In our obedience to His love and commandments, He does meet our needs and as we growl in Him, even our desires as they line up with His will (John 15:5-11).  In short, we can’t just ask for a million dollars simply because we want it, but likewise, we will never be lacking in what we truly need.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

Makes shavah (H7737) bring forth, compare, equal; pastures naah (H4999) home, pasture, pleasant place; leads nahal (H5095) conduct, sustain, provide, guide; waters mayim (H4325) water, flood, spring.

He will put us in positions to rest as we listen to and do what He says.  We can be at peace with all that which around us.  When I sing songs to the Lord and even when I am reading His word or just watching or listening to something edifying, the woes of this world are a ‘million miles’ away. TYJ (Thank You Jesus)!

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Restores shuwb (H7725) turn back, build, convert, recompense; paths magal, magalah (H4570) path {the road we walk}: righteousness tsedaqah (H6666) justice, virtue: sake maan (H4616) purpose, intent.

When I’m with the Lord, my soul regenerates energy and I find myself more willing to follow His leading because the cares of this world are off at a distance.  He does this, simply because He is who He is – love (1 John 4:8).

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

Walk yalak (H3212) make one’s way, go:  through al (H5921) against; Valley goy oar gay (H1516)  valley; + tsalmaveth  (H6757) shadow of death;  Rod shebet (H7626) stick for punishing, writing, fighting or walking;  staff mishenah (H4938) walking stick, support; comfort nacham (H5162) comfort (self, pity; fear yare (H3372) dread;  evil  ra (H7451) evil, bad, calamity, sorrow, trouble.

Even though I have to go through some things, He nudges me in the direction I need to take.  No matter how ‘simple’ or ‘involved’ situations may seem.  He is my support!  When I remember that He is with me, I don’t have to be afraid of any situations that comes upon me

 
⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Prepare arel (H6188) strip clean, bare;  table shulchan  (H7979) spread out as a table; presence neged (H5048) opposite, over, before, against, presence; enemies tsarar (H6887) bind up, distress; anoint dashen (H1878) remove ashes, cleanse;  head rosh (H7218) on forefront of head, high point;  oil shemen (H8081) grease, liquid; cup kowc (H3563) container; runs revayah (H7310) satisfaction, runs over.

When necessary, Father makes me look pretty good when I am in the presence of those who would de me harm.  So much so, I know that they can do nothing against me unless I let them.  My Lord is at my side!  He blesses me, protects me so much that I can’t contain the good He does for me (Phil. 4:19, Mal. 3:10).

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Goodness towb (H2896) good, bountiful, glad; mercy checed (H2617) kindness, love, mercy, pity (Godly); follow radaph (H7291) follow or run after’ days yowm (H3117) sunrise to sunset; life chay (H2416) living creature;  dwell yashab (H3427)  to dwell, stay; house havith (H1004) dwelling place, home; forever orek (H753) length, forever/ yown (H3117) orek + yown together carry connotation of length of  time which have no end.

When I walk with my Lord, Father’s goodness and mercies are all around me.  AND I know that as I live in obedience to the Lord’s love and will, I will abide in His house in this world land the one to come!

Living in Father’s love and walking in His Word brings safety, safety brings peace and it all enables me to rest in the Lord.

Praise the Lord who lives and reigns forever

 

 6-28-2025 Dangers of the Worldly Understanding

                                    

Reading through the 1Peter and 2 Peter , this time, I find it more interesting than ever before. It reminds me of Joe Friday of the 1950’s crime drama ‘Dragnet’ – “the facts ma’am, just the facts’.  Peter spells things out pretty clearly, I think.

As we read through (even) the bible, I think people get wrapped up in the story lines and the colorful details but miss the message.  I know that I’ve been guilty of that in past years.  I have also learned that researching the Hebrew and Greek words used in a chapter or verse, I‘ve discovered that I get a better context of the words being used.  Context can make a huge difference in how we ‘see’ a passage which we read.  How we read some words today may not be the same way those words were used centuries go.

I don’t know about you, but I always ask the Father, through the Holy Ghost, to guide my understanding and show me what I need to know in the passage I’m reading. 

Today, I’m presenting a paraphrased version (of KJV) of 2Peter chapter two.  Please feel free to compare with other versions of the bible  KJV NKJV, Living Bible, Message, New American or any other version you like or to which you have access.

2 Peter Chapter 2

1          In the days of old, false prophets rose up among the people and some will also arise up in your midst.  They will bring up lies even denying the Lord who bought them (as well as us), condemning themselves to destruction.  

2          And even though these men speak evil of the truth, many will follow them and their evil ways.

3          Filling their own lustful desires.  Misusing words, they will take advantage of you and though it seems as though nothing happens to them, their damnation awaits them.

** In case you missed it, false prophets will come into our fellowships or even rise up from within.  The apostle John tells us that a ‘spirit’ that tells us Jesus is not come in the flesh is not of God but the spirit that does confess that Jesus is come in the flesh is of God (1 John 4:1-3).

4          God didn’t spare the angels that sinned but cast them down to eternal torment and delivered them to the chains of darkness until their judgement and that eternal judgement is the ‘lake of fire’ (Rev. 20:14).

5          God did not spare the world when He brought the flood upon the ungodly but did spare the righteous Noah and his family (Gen. 7:1-24).

6          He turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes as an example of those who live ungodly.

7          Yet He delivered Lot who was surrounded by the ungodly (Gen:19:1-16).

8          For Lot, a righteous man, was troubled daily by their unlawful deeds (The Law – 10 Commandments).

9          The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of their temptations and reserve the unjust until the’ day of judgment’.

** Father gives us a contrast between the ‘good’ Abraham and Lot versus the two evil cities.

10        That is those who walk after flesh, the lust of uncleanness and despise government.  Those who are presumptuous (to benefit themselves), are self-willed and not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries (those in authority).

11        whereas the angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring false accusations against them (even against the devil, Jude 9).

12        But sinners, as natural brute beasts bound for slaughter, speak evil of the things which they don’t understand, shall utterly perish in their own corruption.

13        They shall receive their reward of unrighteousness as they take pleasure in causing trouble in the day.  They are spots and blemishes strengthening themselves through their own deceptions while they try to drag you down.

14        Their eyes are full of adultery and they cannot stop from sinning.  They deceive unstable souls (not solidly grounded in God’s Word) and have committed covetous practices  (desiring things which others possess), they are cursed children.

**  These are those who will not be with the Lord in eternity and if we aren’t on solid ground in our relationship with Jesus, we could be among those who fall away.  Jesus tells us that, in the last days, there will be a falling away in the church (2 Thess. 2:1-4).  That means even those who have been a part of a church.  Our relationship with a church does not guarantee our salvation, but our relationship with Jesus does!  This doesn’t mean can skip church to avoid the ungodly, for we don’t forsake the fellowshipping together with other believers (Heb. 10:24-25).  There is strength in numbers. Jesus is in our midst even where only two or three are gathered in His name (Matt. 18:20).

15        They have forsaken the ways of righteousness and gone astray, following the ways of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness (Num. 5-34).

16        God rebuked Balaam for his sin by speaking to him through the donkey, upon which he had been riding, which forbade him to continue his madness.

**  Read the account of Balaam and the donkey to get the full impact of what happened (Num. 22:-35).

17        These men are like wells without water and are like clouds carried about by the storm, for whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever.

18        They speak great swelling words of vanity, they draw people in with lusts of the flesh, wantonness, drawing those who are clean into a life in error.

 

19        These men promise liberty but are bound by and serve their own corruption.   A man becomes a servant to that which has overcome him (Matt. 6:24).

 

20        For after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and being entangled and overcome by the world again, the latter end is worse than its beginning.

 

21        it would have been better had he never known the way of righteousness then to turn away from the holy commandment given to him.

 

22        But as the proverb says “The dog returns to his own vomit” (Prov. 26:11) or “Or after being washed, the pig returns to wallowing in the mud (traditional truth).

 

**  Note the end of those who strayed from the Lord.  To know Jesus, then turn away they become no different than not knowing Jesus at all.  Peter even suggests that the end of those who strayed might even be worse that those who never knew Jesus.

 

We’ve mentioned a lot of negative things here and mentioned briefly the alternative to sin.

But we need to know how our adversary works through people so we can be on guard.

Praying and reading scripture daily fills our hearts and minds with God’s ways.    It is great to hear the lesson the Sunday School teacher brings.  We love it when the pastor brings an awesome message (AMEN!).  Yet we need daily to put God’s Word into our own heart (Rom. 12:2). That is, read the scriptures for ourselves and let the Holy Ghosts open our heart and mind for understanding.  If all we receive is what we hear from others, we come into danger of being oblivious to the flip side of the coin (evil).  In other words, we ignore evil but try to gather as many blessings as we can.  Paul tells us that the job of the church is to edify (1 Corinth. 14:12, Rom. 14:19) so we need to encourage and build up those around us.  However, we can become so wrapped in God’ blessings, we forget about our obligation (to the Lord).  Choose to serve the Lord (Josh. 24:15).  To truly know Him is to love Him, loving Him is getting to know all about Him.  The choice is ours.

Should we become ‘comfortable’ in the Lord, we may become slack in continuing to strengthen our own hearts and minds, thus letting our guard down, thus letting our enemy sneak in and we find ourselves guilty of what Peter talks about here.  Should we fall away completely and not repent, we find ourselves in the situation Peter describes in verse 20.

HOWEVER, when we discover that we have strayed, we need to repent of what we have thought, said or done - and mean it!  God loves us so much He will forgive us our confessed sin.  If you will, He puts the sin behind His back (Isa. 38:17) and it slide off into the sea of forgetfulness (Micah 7:19). 

Understand that when a man is tempted with sin, he is drawn away (from the Lord) by his own lust and as soon as he has agreed with that temptation, sin is conceived, he is guilty (James 1:13-15).  A negative thought in and of itself is not the sin, but when we consider taking action on that thought, we have sinned even though we may not have physically performed it.  The fact that we desired to do it is the sin.  Then, un-repented sin eventually will lead to destruction (a total falling away from the Lord), which then puts us into the same category as a sinner (James 1:13-15).

When we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us that sin (John 1:9) and should a righteous fall seven times, he is preserved (Prov. 24:16).  That is, he confesses that sin and gets back on track living for, in and through Jesus!  We do have a responsibility in our relationship with Jesus.  If we love Him, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15).  His commandment is to ‘love’ (Mark 12:28-31).  To love is to put God foremost in our lives and make sure that He is not just an afterthought or a last resort.   As we allow Him, He guides our decision making. 

We remember that ALL those around us are people, just like us with feelings (joy and sorrow), hopes or disappointments, no matter how they may present themselves.  We treat everybody with dignity and respect (love our neighbor as ourselves- Matt. 22:39).  No, we don’t put ourselves in danger, but we don’t turn away anyone who is truly seeking the Lord.  If we aren’t sure of the other person’s intent, ask the Lord.  He will let us know. 

No human being is perfect so when we do sin, we need to remember to remover ourselves before the Lord, as forgiveness, then allow the Holy Spirit to give us he strength to get back up  on our feet, back on track in pressing forward.

The world cannot receive the things of God for the things of God are Spiritually discerned (1 Corinth. 2:14), but the Holy Spirit knows the mind of Christ and reveals to us, what we need to know (1 Corinth. 2:10). Remember, because of our commitment to the Lord, the Holt Ghost is in us (John 14:15-17, Acts 1:5-8).

In Jesus’ name

Amen

 

 

 

 6-8-2025    Do we live what we preach?

   

At Wellspring of Life (church I attend), all of the month of May, we talked about ‘watch what comes out of our mouth’.  In today’s church, how many times have we heard people say “I don’t go do hat church because they don’t do what they preach”?

Shall we get ‘things’ into perspective?

James 2:1-26

1          My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2          For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

3          And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

4          Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

 

Do we respect another person’s status in life?  Do we gladly receive one who seems to be doing well in life but a poor man we try to hide in the background?  Have we learned to judge a man’s character simply by how he looks?

 

5          Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

 

Has God not selected those who are faithful to His Word and Will to be heirs to His kingdom?

 

6          But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

 

Do we judge a man’s character?  By the way he looks?  And even though those well-dressed, well-to-do people may treat us as nothing, Unfortunately, yes we do, all too often.

 

7          Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

 

When we act like hypocrites, don’t we put a ‘black mark’, one strike, against the name of Jesus? God judges our heart and not our presence (1 Sam. 16:7).  Shouldn’t we do the same?  Genesis through Revelation God shows that He judges us by our heart because as a man’s heart is, so shall he do (Prov. 16:9).  We need to let the Holy Ghost guide our course of action as we deal with others.

 

8          If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

9          But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

10        For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11        For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if you thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 

 

Any man who sins, he sins against the law (1 John 3:6).  When we transgress even just one point of the law we transgress the whole law (James 2:9-10).  As we love our neighbor as ourselves, we do good but when we judge another just by his looks, we transgress the law because we have passed a judgment of the worthiness of that other person.  If we commit adultery, we sin and the law convicts us of our actions.  Transgressing one point of the law makes us transgressors of the whole law

 

12        So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

13        For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.  Are we getting the picture?

 

As Christians, we do our best to do and say as the Holy Ghost directs. When a Christian breaks any commandment, he suffers the same as a sinner unless he repents.  Let our words and actions be consistent and we shall enjoy God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

 

14        What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?

15        If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16        And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17        Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18        Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

 

Doing good works alone won’t get us into eternal life with Jesus, but we show others that the love of Christ is in us because of how we treat them.  Through the works we do.

 

19        Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

 

The devil and his angels know God is because it is God who ‘licked’ them out of heaven (Rev. 12:9 , Luke 10:18).  For more info read Ezek. 28:1-19 and Daniel 14:4-22.  Tyrus and Babylon ae cities over which Satan had rule and these passages declare the nature of Satan.

 

20        But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21        Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22        Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23        And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24        Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25        Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26        For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

Understand Abraham: Isaac was the son God promised Abraham and yet asked Abraham to sacrifice his only begotten son (of Sarah, not Hagar).  Abraham was obedient to the Lord but God stopped him and put a ram the lad’s place.  Abraham believed God who gave the promise, Who tested Abraham’s faithfulness and delivered the boy from harm. 

 

Works don’t save us, but as we do the works with all our heart.  Our faith shall be seen through those works and souls shall be drawn unto the Lord.  Consider the leper (Mark 1:40), the centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1-10), or the woman with the issue of blood “If I can but touch His garment I can be made whole Matt. 9:20-22), each believed that their requests would be fulfilled through the ‘works’ which Jesus did.  and Jesus said “your faith has made  you whole (Matt. 9:22, Luke 17:19).

 

But our faith can move mountains,  even though it be as mall as the grain of a mustard seed … nothing shall be impossible to you (through faith) (Matt. 17:20).

How can people know that we are the Lord’s unless we tell them.  How can they know that we speak the truth unless we show them.  And how can we show them unless we believe?  Does our body follow what our mouth says and show Father’s agape love in us?

How we treat others is a reflection of our faith in Jesus Christ.

Amen