Whose Report Will You Believe???

I love this song!!!  But what I love even more than this song, is the message that it carries!!!



If each and every believer could get the words of this song from the song sheets used in choir practice, into their hearts, minds and souls, we could change NOT ONLY our own lives, but the lives of others!!!

Everyone wants to believe in something!!! 



They want to believe in GOD, but they look around and they see lack luster saints who don’t even know what they believe.  Lots of saints say they believe in GOD, but they don’t seem to believe HIS WORD!!!  



So, they think, these so-called saints don’t even trust in this GOD they talk about, so why should I???  And why should they trust a GOD that they don’t know???



As GOD’S KIDS, we need to get our mouths in line with GOD’s WORD!!!  We shouldn’t say anything that doesn’t line up with HIS WORD!!!


 

We need to realize that we truly can have whatsoever we say!!!  That is, if we have FAITH in what we say and we believe that we can have what we say!!!   

Mark 11:23 (NKJV)  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.


Mark 11:23 (CEB) I assure you that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea’—and doesn’t waver but believes that what is said will really happen—it will happen.


Whose Report Will You Believe???


Lead:  Whose report will you believe?
Choir:  I believe the report of the Lord!!!
(Repeat)


His report says I am healed,
His report says I am filled,
His report says I am free,
His report says victory
Are you healed?
Yes
Are you filled?
Yes
Have you got the victory?
Yes

~~~

***Note:  I found that each choir sang this song differently!!!  The words are basically the same, but they changed the order and the way they sang this song.  If you watch the 2 videos, you’ll see how anointed each song is even though they sing them differently.  I linked the first video to the post title and the second one to the title of the song (shown above the lyrics.) 

Calling Those Things That BE NOT As Though They Were!!!

Last year, GOD began to deal with me about CALLING THINGS DONE!!!

You see, in the natural, I don’t have a lot of money or help.  But what I do have is FAITH in GOD!!!!



I had been talking to THE LORD about all the things that I needed done, but couldn’t afford and I had a good sized list.  These were things that I couldn’t do myself and I didn’t have the money to hire someone. 



GOD IS SO GOOD TO ME!!!  And I know that HE IS MY PROVIDER!!! 



GOD told me to start calling those things on my list DONE!!! 



GOD reminded me that Abraham had stood in FAITH and believed what GOD told him!!! 



Romans 4:16-19 (KJV)


¹⁶ Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

¹⁷ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

¹⁸ Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

¹⁹ And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:

GOD was pleased with Abraham because of his FAITH!!!   



Romans 4:3 (KJV) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Abraham didn’t look at what he could see in the natural or what was supposed to be true because of his circumstances.  Abraham stood in FAITH because he knew that what GOD promised him would come to pass. 



Romans 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.



GOD has the power to speak things into existence!!!  And HE has given us that same creative power!!!  HE has given us the right to call those things that BE NOT as though they were!!!  



So, I did what GOD told me to do!!! 



I wrote out a list of what I was CALLING DONE along with the scriptures that I was standing on.  Then I saved it in my phone, so that I could look at it to remind myself that I WAS STANDING IN FAITH (just like Abraham did), and that I was “CALLING THOSE THINGS DONE!!!” 



This is what I wrote.  It’s still in my phone.  And I am still STANDING IN FAITH!!!  (As you will see, I marked my list with 3 stars when each of these things was completed!!!) 


~~~

Abraham believed GOD, and GOD counted to him as righteousness.  Abraham’s faith pleased GOD!!!     


 
Genesis 15:5-6 (AMP)

⁵ And He brought him outside [his tent into the starlight] and said, Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to number them. Then He said to him, So shall your descendants be.

⁶ And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God). 
 


Just as Abraham stood in FAITH believing for the son that GOD had promised him, I also stand in FAITH!!! 

 
Romans 4:18-22 (NKJV) 
 
¹⁸ who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”  
 
¹⁹ And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.  
 
²⁰ He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,  
 
²¹ and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.  
 
²² And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 
 

 
Jesus told us that we would do greater works than HE did.  JESUS GAVE US HIS AUTHORITY!!!    
 


John 14:12 (NKJV) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 

GOD, who created this world, calls those things that do NOT exist as though they were.  HE HAS CREATIVE POWER!!! 
 


Romans 4:16-17 (NKJV) 
 
¹⁶ Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all  
 
¹⁷ (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did  
 


Just as GOD calls those things that do NOT exist as though they did - just as HE spoke and the world was created - I also speak and watch things come to pass!!!



***I call my taxes paid in full!!!   



***I call my laptop fixed in Jesus' name!!!

   
 
***I call the yard mowed and weedeated!!!


 
I call the flowerbed weeded and mulched!!! 



God, these are the some of the many things that I need done around here.  I cannot do these things by myself and I need your help.  Therefore I call these things done in Jesus' name and I assign the holy angels to go and do these things for me!!! 



***LORD GOD, I call the roof repaired in Jesus' Name!!!


 
LORD, I call those fallen trees cut up and the wood removed and that area completely cleaned in Jesus' Name!!!  



LORD, I call the area around the trees mowed and cleaned in the name of Jesus!!!



*LORD, I call the trees that are on the shed cut up and removed in Jesus' name!!!  I call the shed torn down and removed.  I call that whole area completely cleaned up in Jesus' Name!!!   


LORD, I call that shed replaced in Jesus' name.  The devil caused it to be torn up and NOT usable!!!  LORD, I want a new shed on my new property to replace this one!!!   



LORD, I call into existence a new carport (a dry place to park my car so that it is safe and protected from the weather) in Jesus' name.  God, I believe that you are making provision for me and my car.  I ask that you show me where my new carport needs to be built.   

 
 
Father GOD, YOU said that we have NOT because we ask NOT!!!  So, I am asking that all these things be done in Jesus' name!!!


 
LORD, I speak all these things in FAITH, and I command the holy angels to go before me and begin to work on these things to cause them to come to pass!!! 

 
 
LORD, I ask that you bless whoever you send to take care of these tasks, that they may be abundantly blessed in Jesus' name!!!    


 
LORD, I stand in FAITH believing that I receive those things which I have asked in prayer!!!   



Mark 11:24-25 KJV 
 
²⁴ Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

²⁵ And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

 
 
And Father, I forgive the City for NOT removing the tree that fell on my shed!!!   

 
I thank YOU, Father GOD, that all these things are done!!!


~~~

I remember vividly when GOD had someone mow the lawn and weed eat!!!  If I remember right, my mom had been sick and I hadn’t been able to be home.  My grass was getting too tall, and my yard needed mowing. 



My neighbor had her guy mow her yard.  Then she told her guy to come over and do my yard and weed eat!!!  I was astonished!!!  As a matter of fact, I was griping about it to GOD!!!  You see, I didn’t much care for her lawn man!!! 



Well, GOD told me to stop griping!!!!  HE said that my yard was being mowed because I had called it done!!!  Well, color me, red!!!  I repented and apologized to THE LORD!!!!  Then I called my prayer partner to tell her HOW GOOD GOD IS!!!

It didn’t stop there!!!  Other things began to happen!!!  Other things began to get done!!!



I got a phone call and the person on the other end of the phone said, “How much are your taxes?”  I knew the moment the question was asked that this person was going to pay my taxes.  (They weren’t just asking.)  I found out how much was owed and this person paid my taxes!!!  At that time my taxes were way past due, but I just didn’t have the money to pay them!!!  They were almost $700.00.  GOD had someone pay my taxes!!!!  I was so blessed by this!!!  GOD IS SO GOOD TO ME!!!



What happened next???

Well, a person began to talk to me about getting my roof repaired!!!  It was leaking.  I talked to several roofers and they wanted a pretty penny to repair it.  I also got estimates on having it replaced and they wanted well over $5000.00 to do that!!! 



Finally, this person said, I’ll come over and bring my guy (roofer) to look at your roof!!!  So, they came over and looked at the roof!!!  And then they looked at the big tree in the front yard that was dead.



After getting some figures from the roofer, this person decided to replace my whole roof and have the big old pine tree in the front yard cut down for me!!!  I even got to pick out what color shingles I wanted!!!  NOW, that is my GOD in action!!!



So, this last October, my roof got replaced, and the same roofer cut down the big tree that was in my front yard.  He also pulled down the old shed in the back and cut that big tree down, as well!!!  And it didn’t cost me one penny!!!



Now, I must tell you that the roofer left a lot of wood, but I still serve a miracle working GOD!!!



GOD sent folks to get a lot of that wood, but there were still some huge pieces, especially in the front yard.  And no one could lift them!!!  They wouldn’t fit in anyone’s fireplace.



I just kept CALLING IT DONE and believing that GOD would make a way!!! 



I was outside one day a few months ago, and I saw the City guys stop in front of my house.  I watched in amazement as they started loading up the huge pieces of that old tree!!!  (We have a City Clean-up Day every 3 or 4 months and they come thru and haul off folks’ junk.) 



But I never expected them to come by and haul off the rest of that tree!!! Those were Paul Bunyun-sized logs!!!  Well, these guys rolled them into a bull dozer and loaded them on a dump truck.  And off they went.  As you can imagine, I was thrilled!!!



And yes, GOD GETS THE CREDIT!!!  They wouldn’t have done it on their own.  I know that GOD SENT THEM BY HERE!!!  I had been praying for GOD to send someone by to get those huge logs!!! 



If you’ve looked at my list, you’ve probably noticed that there are a few things that are marked with ONLY one star.  That is because those things are “being done now!!!”  They are a work in progress.



All the wood at the back is being picked up and removed.  The old shed was torn down, but all the tin and wood remained.  ALL the pieces of tins and most of the other metal have been hauled off.  All the boards from the shed are being removed, piled up and will soon be hauled away!!!  Most of the wood from the old tree that had fallen on my shed and fence has already been loaded up and hauled away!!!   



There are a few things that have come up lately that aren’t on my list.  Sometimes, I forget to put things on my list, but I still stand in FAITH believing that GOD will provide!!! 



This year I forgot about my taxes coming due, but GOD didn’t.  When I remembered them, I called my prayer partner and we prayed!!!



I refused to worry about them!!  I gave them to GOD and called them paid!!!  GOD PROVIDED!!!



I got a phone call from a good friend and she said, Your taxes are paid.  And I said, “Yes, they are in Jesus’ name!!!”  She had to tell me twice me more, and then she finally said, I am sending you a check, that is why I am telling you that your taxes are paid.  She sent me a check for $400.00 and told me to use the extra for whatever I needed.



So, I paid my taxes!!!  Then I bought some quarters for drying my laundry and I put aside $20.00 to buy sand (GOD had made a way for me to get some good sand at a really good price.)



It’s rained a lot around here, so my sand money stayed in my checkbook for a while!!! 



Then one day, while we were in church. They took up a special offering and you guessed it, I gave away my sand money!!!



I told GOD I know you will provide money for me to pay for my sand!!! 



But HE had a better idea!!! 



And once again, GOD amazed me!!! 



I had a check all written out to pay for my sand and I was going to go cash it at the bank, so I could pay the delivery man.  I called for my sand to be delivered and when I spoke to the Man in Charge, he said they would bring it that afternoon.  Then he told me that he was bringing me twice as much sand as we had originally talked about and they would put it where I wanted it.



When I checked with him on the price, he said, Kathy, you don’t owe us anything. 



And they did so!!!  When I thanked the boss man, he said, Just thank my boss!!!  He was talking about GOD!!!



I am still in awe of my GOD and HIS GREAT GOODNESS!!!



Needless to say I am indeed blessed!!!  My cup runneth over!!!



I THANK GOD FOR BLESSING ME SO!!!!



The truth is this.  EVERYONE who reads GOD’s WORD can be just as blessed as I am!!!!  They just have to believe that GOD WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO IN HIS WORD!!! 



They just have to believe in GOD’s PROMISES!!!  And STAND IN FAITH NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS!!!

GOD, I BELIEVE AND I TRUST IN YOU!!!  I BELIEVE AND I TRUST IN YOUR WORD!!!

That’s What FAITH can do!!!

I had already started writing a new post.  Then I heard this song and it touched my heart!!!




There’s really nothing to say because this song says it ALL!!!




I hope you’ll listen to this song and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!!




"What Faith Can Do" by Kutless

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes
And make a new beginning

Anyone can feel the ache
You think it's more than you can take
But you're stronger
Stronger than you know

Don't you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You’ve gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new

That's what faith can do

It doesn't matter what you've heard
Impossible is not a word
It's just a reason For someone not to try

Everybody's scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
Well, it'll be all right

Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new

That's what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That's what faith can do)
When the world says you can't
It'll tell you that you can…

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new

That's what faith can do
That's what faith can do

Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

GOD IS SO GOOD TO ME!!!!

I was searching thru my blog today for a certain post.  And while I didn’t find that post, I did find this one!!! 


When I read it, I liked it so much, that I decided to repost it!!!


God really is good to me!!!  I hope that everyone I meet and talk to knows that!!!  He is so gracious, kind and loving to me. 



You know, many years ago when someone tried to tell me that they could see God’s Calling on my life, more specifically, THE CALL TO PREACH, I thought they were a little bit off base, to say the least. 



In all truth, I thought they were NUTS!!!  Cause that wasn’t at all in my plans!!!  But GOD had other plans for my life!!! 

At the time, I didn’t dare say anything like that, since it was my Pastor’s wife that was telling me this.  She would laugh, if she could hear me saying this right now!!! 



I had no idea what God had in store for me.  I didn’t know that He was calling me to preach the gospel and I had no idea that I could have an impact on other peoples’ lives.

And I certainly had no idea that in 2011, GOD would tell me to write a blog and that HE would tell me to call it, Talking ‘bout my GOD!!! 



It seems so strange to say this today, but I had no idea that I could be so happy serving the Lord!!!  I had no idea that my Father God could love anyone so much, especially me, considering all that I have done in this old world.

I never knew how content and happy I could be!!!  Just to know God and His Mercy.  To know His Never Ending Love for me!!! 

I wish today, that I could really make every person, alive, understand how much God loves them. 

The truth is that most people, although they don’t say it and would never admit it, TRULY DO NOT FEEL LOVED!!!  



GOD DOES LOVE US, but most people never give God the opportunity to show them and teach them that HE LOVES THEM!!! 

If you truly felt loved, then you would value yourself more and you would take care of yourself.  You would want to know the Lord and you would want to serve Him!!! 

Some folks say, “Well, if God loves me then why have bad things happened to me???”  That’s really quite simple!  You may NOT like this answer, but it is the truth!!!

Bad things happen every day to every one and it is because the devil is in this world.  The devil takes everything that God has for us, ALL the good things that God has planned and he twists them every way he can. 

He would actually have destroyed you, if he could have, and you would be in Hell, because he would have destroyed you before you could find out about God!!! 

But God loves you and me so much that he didn’t allow the devil to kill us before we could come to know HIM!!!    

Do you know how I know that???  I know that because I was born with my umbilical cord wrapped around my neck and unlike so many babies that this happens to; I was NOT born retarded nor have I had any problems because of it. 

So, now that you know how blessed you are, it is time to kick that old devil in the teeth by showing him that YOU are ALL that he feared you to be!!!  You know like “Uncle Sam” says, “BE ALL YOU CAN BE!!!” 



You see, the devil attacks us from the time we are tiny babies and he keeps on trying to destroy us throughout our lives each and every day.  He is constantly telling us lies about ourselves and about God.  He will even lie to us about others to make us paranoid.      

All because he doesn’t want to go to HELL alone!!!  He wants to take us with him!!!  The devil wants everyone to be as miserable as he is!!!   

He wanted to take Jesus’ place in Heaven with the Father and be exalted with God.  So, God had no choice, but to kick him out of Heaven.  The devil had already corrupted a third of the angels, so they had to leave with him. 

There was no place else for the devil to go, so he came to the earth and continued trying to mess up everything God had planned.  He got into that old snake and then he used the snake to mess with Adam and Eve. 

Do you know that the snake has to crawl on its belly and be despised of all men because God cursed him for allowing the devil to use him? 

Adam had authority over the devil, but instead of telling the devil to shut up, and quit talking to his wife, he chose to eat that fruit and he allowed sin to come into the world.  He allowed the devil to steal his authority.  Gen. 3 

When Jesus came and died on the cross for us, he took back the authority that Adam had given up and now we have authority over satan and every living thing through the Name of Jesus. 

And that brings us to today!!!  We can tell the devil to shut up and give him what for (the WORD) or we can keep listening to him.

We have the opportunity today to choose how we are going to live our lives!!!

I am fixing to make some folks mad, but that is just too bad because I am telling the truth!  So, if this makes you mad, you will have to talk to God about it! 

You only have 2 choices about how you are going to live your life.  



You can choose to serve the Lord God Almighty or you can choose to serve the devil.  There are only 2 ways:  God’s way and the devil’s way.  God’s way leads us to Heaven and of course, the devil leads those who follow him to Hell.     

There aren’t 15 choices.  There aren’t even 3.  You either choose God or you choose the devil.  You are either going to Heaven or Hell.  

There is an old lie that has been told for years, even ages.  That lie came from the pits of HELL and that is exactly what it is!!!  It is a lie!!! 



What am I talking about?

I am talking about the lie that you can live your life, your way.



They even wrote a song about it, I Did It My Way.  Both Frank Sinatra and Elvis sang this song.  There is one verse in this song that is truly sad.  “For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught.” 

I'd rather “Do It God’s Way” and have Eternal Life.  I would rather be pleasing in God’s Eyes than do things my way and mess my life up!!!



Believe me, I have tried it to live it my way!!  It’s really not my way or your way.  It is really the devil’s way!!!  I have messed up my own life over and over.  I wasn’t always a preacher and I enjoyed partying when I was out in the world.  I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. 

But one day, I met Jesus and I made the best decision of my life.  I decided to follow HIM!!! 

You know, I still make mistakes and sometimes I am stubborn and hard headed.  There are times when I know that I have missed God and really blown it. 

As a matter of fact, I was feeling really blue on the morning that I first wrote this!!!  I was blue because of something I had done, but God encouraged me to shake the blues off and get on with my life. 



I am just going be truthful, if you have repented for what you have done wrong, then there is NO NEED to sit around feeling bad or guilty!!!  Just get on with your life.  Kick the devil in the teeth by allowing God to use you for something good!!! 

Once you repent, God forgets whatever it was you did, and you need to do the same.  You need to forget it and go on.  I am trying to learn to quit sitting around feeling sorry for myself and letting the devil beat me over the head with the things that I do wrong. 



You know, that is what we have to do each and every time we make a mistake.  We have to repent and tell GOD that we are sorry.  Then we have to shake the dust off and the guilt along with it!!!  And we have to go on with our lives!!!! 



GOD CAN’T USE US WHEN WE ARE WALLOWING IN SELF-PITY, GUILT, OR CONDEMNATION!!!! 

  

And I will tell you another thing.  Don’t go around telling everyone all your faults.  It is one thing to share your faults with a good friend, and ask them to pray with you, but most people will only use what you tell them against you. 

I know that the Word says, Confess your faults one to another (James 5:16).  However, God also warns us that He is sending us out as sheep in the midst of wolves and that we are to be as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove.  Matt. 10:16  

There are a lot of folks out there who would like to tell you that they are perfect and that they NEVER do anything wrong.  Well, I have only one thing to say to that, “Liar, liar, pants on fire!!  God’s gonna get you for lying!!!”

No one can live life without making mistakes along the way.  God wants us to repent quickly, pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off.  Then we need to walk on. 



And even better yet, if you see your friend falling, run and catch them!!  And if you see that they have fallen, help them up and dust them off.  And walk on with them side-by-side!!!  Don’t step on them or ignore them and walk on!!!



One day it will be your turn!!!

God is so gracious to me.  When I woke up this morning, it was really early and so I asked the Lord if He would mind if I slept one more hour.



Evidently, HE did not mind because I went right back to sleep and woke up an hour later.  It was still early, but I got up (only with His help.) 

You see, even though I already know all this, I was still feeling a bit down this morning.  So, as I sat down, I asked the Lord what I should read today and when I opened my Bible, it opened to Nehemiah 9.  I began to read and I thought, God you are so amazing!!!  Here is what I read. 

In Nehemiah 9:18-25, I read how even when the children of Israel had made a golden calf and worshipped it as their god, God had forgiven them. 


And I read how God did not leave the children of Israel in the wilderness, but He lead them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 

And as I continued to read, I realized that God was telling me that just as HE had forgiven the children of Israel so many times, HE had also forgiven me for making the same mistakes over and over again. 

I realized that HE was saying that HE loved me and that every time I cry out to HIM for mercy and forgiveness, HE hears me and HE forgives me. 

And every time things got bad and the children of Israel cried out to God, HE rescued them!!!  


And I am here today to tell you that GOD will forgive you, too!!! 

AND HE WILL RESCUE YOU WHEN YOU CRY OUT TO HIM!!! 



***Just a Note:  I hope you enjoy reading this today!!!  I know that I really enjoyed reading it again!!  I made a few changes and added a few comments today, but mostly I just enjoyed reading it again!!! 

Always SCHEMING!!!

I haven’t found anywhere in the Bible where it says, that we are supposed to scheme and try to figure things out for ourselves.  I haven’t found where GOD says we have to make a way for ourselves.



What THE WORD does say is that HE will direct our paths!!!  HE will lead and guide us!!! 



Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV) In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.



You know, I was thinking about this and I realized that it is FEAR that keeps us from trusting GOD!!!



We are so scared that if we don’t figure things out for ourselves, then it won’t get done.



I can just see GOD sitting there and waiting on us to let these things go.  I can just hear HIM saying, “I’VE GOT THIS!!!”  I can handle this!!!  Take your hands off of it and let me do it!!!  I PROMISE YOU THAT I WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING, IF YOU’LL LET ME!!!



But many times we are so scared, that we are NOT walking in FAITH and we are NOT trusting GOD!!!  And we certainly aren’t listening to HIM!!!



I have literally had GOD say to me, I can’t do anything, because you are so scared that you won’t allow me to move in this situation!!! 


When GOD told me that, I broke down and began to cry!!! 


At that moment, I let it all go and I let GOD have it!!!  And you know what???

 

He took care of everything for me!!!  And I knew that everything would be just fine!!!



You know, I knew that something was wrong and I couldn’t figure out what it was!!!  I didn’t even realize that I had allowed the enemy to make me fearful!!!   



GOD doesn’t want us to be fearful!!!  FEAR comes from the enemy of our souls and we should NOT accept it!  He wants to keep us fearful and upset all the time, that way when GOD tries to speak to us, we can’t hear HIM!!!



2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.



GOD doesn’t want us to be anxious or worry about anything!!!  He wants us to bring our fears to HIM and leave them there.  GOD wants us to trust in HIM!!!  HE wants us to have THE PEACE OF GOD THAT PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING!!! (KJV)



Philippians 4:6-7 (CEB)

⁶ Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks.
⁷ Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.



After I stopped being so upset and fearful, and I gave everything to GOD, HE gave me these verses!!! 



Isaiah 43:1-3 (KJV)

43 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

² When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

³ For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour…

As I read these verses, I realized that my GOD was telling me that no matter what I went through, HE would be there with me.  HE IS WALKING BESIDE ME, HOLDING MY HAND!!!  He is NOT going to allow me to be overtaken or overthrown by any problem!!!  And HE is NOT going to allow the enemy of my soul to destroy me!!!    

So, What’s The Big Deal???

Have you ever read in 1 Chronicles 21 about how David numbered the people???



Well, I looked up numbering and the definition said that numbering was counting.



Hmmm……



So, I wondered why counting or numbering the children of Israel was such an awful thing to do? 



Why was it such a big deal???



To be truthful, I have read these verses before!!! And I NEVER exactly understood what the problem was until GOD opened up my eyes to see what was going on.   



GOD explained this to me and so I wanted to share it.



Let’s look at the first 5 verses of 1 Chronicles 21.



1 Chronicles 21:1-5 (KJV)

21 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

² And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

³ And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

⁴ Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

⁵ And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.

If you read and study these scriptures, one of the first things you’ll notice is that both David and Joab knew that numbering or counting the people was a sin.


1 Chronicles 21:3 (KJV)  …why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?



1 Chronicles 21:3 (NKJV) …Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?”

So, why did David do it???

The first verse in the King James Version says, “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.”  The New King James uses the word, “moved.”



I’m going to tell it to you the way that GOD showed it to me. 


The enemy was whispering in David’s ear trying to cause problems as he always does.  And instead of telling the devil to shut his mouth, David listened to him. 


David allowed Satan to influence him.

And that’s NEVER a good thing!!!

In verse 3, GOD spoke thru Joab to try to stop David from being so foolish and doing something that he knew was wrong.


³ And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?


If you go to verse 4, you can see that David wouldn’t listen to Joab’s words of wisdom!!!  ⁴ Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab…


Joab was a true friend because he saw that David was sinning and he spoke up to try to stop him.


You know, if you do something and you don’t know that it is wrong, that’s ignorance because you didn’t know.


When you know that it is wrong to do something and you do it anyway, THAT’S JUST PLAIN STUPID!!! 


In this case, IT WAS PRIDE!!!


And here’s why!!!

1 Chronicles 21:5 (NKJV) Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.

If you read this verse carefully, you’ll see what I saw. 


David wasn’t actually having the people counted.  He had ordered Joab to count the men of war-the fighting men-the army!!! 


Verse 5 says, All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.

The phrase, “men who drew the sword,” refers to the fighting men of Israel!!!  In 2 places in verse 5, we can see this phrase used.  David was counting the men of war!!! 

All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.

Why was this so bad???

Because GOD knew that Israel would look at their number and say, Look how great an army we are!!!  Look at how many great and mighty men we have.  We can go out and fight and win all the battles by ourselves!!!  They could say, Look at us, we are so many!!!


 
If you look at Israel’s history, you will quickly see that GOD FOUGHT ISRAEL’S BATTLES!!!!  It wasn’t because they had a great army!!!  IT WAS BECAUSE THEY HAD A GREAT GOD!!! 



When GOD fights your battles for you, you are supposed to look to HIM!!!  You aren’t supposed to be counting how many mighty men of war you have in your army!!! 



Let’s look at a few other scriptures!!!



When we read about Gideon, we find that GOD told him that HE had too many men in his army. 



Judges 7:1-2 (ESV)

7 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

² The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

God had promised to fight their battles and as long as GOD was with Israel, they won every battle!!!  GOD knew that if HE allowed them to go out with so many men of war, they would say, WE DID THIS!!!  WE WON THAT BATTLE BY OURSELVES!!!



Any time that we think we can do it by ourselves, we find ourselves flat on our faces in defeat!!!



Israel had just defeated the mighty city of Jericho because GOD was with them and they had followed HIS instructions!!! 


So, they decided to go against Ai on their own.  They did NOT seek the LORD nor ask for HIS HELP and they lost the battle.  I have to point out that Israel had disobeyed GOD.  There was sin in the camp because of disobedience.  That’s why GOD was NOT with them. 
 

Joshua 7:2-5 (NKJV)

² Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the country.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

³ And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few.”

⁴ So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.

⁵ And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.



Do you see how proud these people were after defeating the city of Jericho???  They decided that they ONLY needed a few men to defeat this small city.


Joshua 7:3-4 (NKJV)
³ And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few.”
⁴ So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.


It does NOT say that they asked GOD, if they should go up and fight.  It is all about them!!!  IT WASN’T ABOUT GOD!!!!  This is exactly what GOD was talking about!!!


PRIDE!!!



I can do this!!!  I don’t need GOD!!!  I can do it all by myself!!! 


Sound familiar???


That’s PRIDE!!!  

And that is why David wasn’t supposed to be counting the men of war!!!  GOD didn’t want them boasting in their own strength!!!

GOD SAID, “IT’S A PRIDE THING!!!”



Oh, look at us, we are so strong because we have so many men of war!!!  That is called, “vaunting.”  Or preening. 


Have you ever seen a little banty rooster prancing around with its chest all stuck out and showing all it’s feathers?  That’s vaunting or preening!!!  That’s Vanity!!! And THAT’S PRIDE!!!



Thinking YOU ARE BIG AND BAD ENOUGH TO DO IT ALL BY YOURSELF, THAT’S PRIDE!!!



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


Proverbs 16:18 (CEB) Pride comes before disaster, and arrogance before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18 (NCV) Pride leads to destruction; a proud attitude brings ruin.

I’m In Better Hands Now!!!

When I heard this song playing, it reminded me of the storms that I have been writing about!!! 


Everyone has storms in their life!!! 


And each one of us has a chose to make about how we will weather the storms that come our way.


It is up to us!!!


Do we go it alone or do we trust GOD to take us through the storms in life?  


Me, I need GOD to hold my hand thru each and every storm!!!


I wouldn’t know what to do without HIM!!!


And yes, unfortunately, at times I try to solve my own problems.


But NOTHING I do (by myself) ever works!!!


I always end up with a bigger mess than I started out with!!!


But my GOD…


I am always amazed at how my GOD calms the raging seas as they are trying to overwhelm me!!!  No matter what, my GOD is always FAITHFUL to step in and works things out!!!


My GOD is THE Problem Solver!!! 


My GOD turns mountains into mole hills!!!


Isaiah 45:2 (KJV) I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:


Isaiah 45:2 Good News Translation (GNT) I myself will prepare your way, leveling mountains and hills. I will break down bronze gates and smash their iron bars.


I know that when I trust GOD, I am in better hands!!! 


Psalm 138:8 (NKJV) The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever…


No matter what happens in my life, I know that GOD has everything under control!!!  HE will take care of every situation that arises!!!  Father GOD loves me and HE is going to work everything out for me!!!


I can say confidently that when I turn everything over to the LORD, I am in better hands!!!


Natalie Grant – In Better Hands

It's hard to stand
On shifting sand
It's hard to shine
In the shadows of the night

You can't be free
If you don't reach for help
And you can't love
If you don't love yourself

But there is hope when my faith runs out…
Cause I'm in better hands now

Chorus:
It's like the sun is shining
When the rain is pouring down
It's like my soul is flying
Though my feet are on the ground

So take this heart of mine
There's no doubt
I'm in better hands now

I am strong
All because of you
I stand in awe of
Every mountain that you move

Ohhh...  I am changed
Yesterday is gone
I am safe
From this moment on…

And There's no fear
When the night comes ‘round
I'm in better hands now

Chorus:
It's like the sun is shining
When the rain is pouring down
It's like my soul is flying
Though my feet are on the ground

So take this heart of mine
There's no doubt
I'm in better hands now

It's like the sun is shining
When the rain is pouring down
It's like my soul is flying
Though my feet are on the ground

It's like the world is silent
Though I know it isn't true
It's like the breath of Jesus
Is right here in this room

So take this heart of mine
There's no doubt
I'm in better hands now…
I'm in better hands now…