Newsboys - We Believe

I woke up with this song on my heart and in my head this morning!!! 

I just love it!!!    And the video is just amazing!!!

This song says it ALL!!!  I totally and wholeheartedly agree!!!

No one can say it any better!!!  

This is EXACTLY WHAT I BELIEVE!!!

I believe in God the Father.
I believe in Jesus Christ.
I believe in the Holy Spirit.
And He’s given us new life.
I believe in the crucifixion.
I believe that He conquered death.
I believe in the resurrection.
And I know that He’s comin’ back again!!!

Here are the words to this song.  I got them from http://newsboys.com.

We Believe
In this time of desperation
When all we know is doubt and fear
There is only One Foundation
We believe, We believe
In this broken generation
When all is dark, You help us see
There is only One Salvation
We believe, We believe

We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life
We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that He conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And He’s comin’ back again, we believe
So, let our faith be more than anthems
Greater than the songs we sing
And in our weakness and temptations
We believe, We believe
We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life
We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that He conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And He’s comin’ back again
Let the lost be found and the dead be raised
In the here and now, let love invade
Let the church live love our God will see
We believe, We believe
And the gates of hell will not prevail
For the power of God, has torn the veil
Now we know Your love will never fail
We believe, We believe!
We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life
We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that He conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And He’s comin’ back,
He’s comin’ back again
He’s comin’ back again
We believe!
We believe

You Loved Me First!!!

We often say, “I found Jesus” or “I found God.”


But in all truth, HE FOUND US!!! 


How amazingly wonderful it is that THE LORD NOT ONLY FOUND US, but that HE chose to die for us-that HE chose to save us!!!


Romans 5:8 (NCV) But God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners.


Sometimes, I am amazed that JESUS CHOSE TO SAVE ME!!! 


HE IS SO MERCIFUL!!!  HE IS SO WONDERFUL!!! 


I am so blessed to be able to say that one day HE FOUND ME!!! 


HE LOVED ME FIRST and HE SAVED ME!!!


So, when I hear this song, it touches my heart!!! 


I can truly say, JESUS, YOU FOUND ME AND YOU LOVED ME FIRST!!!


And for that, I am truly thankful!!! 


The words of this song say it all!!! 


"You Loved Me First" - Mikeschair

Was it my broken heart that led me straight to You?
Was it Your broken hands that I cannot refuse?
Was it my emptiness or was it Your empty tomb
That pointed me home, pointed me home to You?
I should've known all along, You're the one who loved me first
And if I had to save myself, this never would've worked
I wouldn't be in Your arms, I wouldn't know where to start
But You gave Your life to show me grace I don’t deserve. 
You loved me first.
You were pursuing me before the world began
Before there was anything, I was in Your plan
What did You see in me? Help me understand
The depth of Your grace, God, I'm amazed,

God, I'm amazed
I should've known all along, You're the one who loved me first
And if I had to save myself, this never would've worked
I wouldn't be in Your arms, I wouldn't know where to start
But You gave Your life to show me grace I don’t deserve.

And You loved me when I was wandering, when I was hiding
Jesus, You found me and You loved me first
God of all mercy, take all the glory
Jesus, You found me and You loved me first
And You loved me first
I should've known all along, You're the one who loved me first
And if I had to save myself, this never would've worked
I wouldn't be in Your arms, I wouldn't know where to start
But You gave Your life to show me grace I don’t deserve.
You gave Your life to show me grace I don’t deserve.
You loved me first,

Oh, You loved me first, yeeeeaaaah
You loved me first

As For Me and My House… WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!!!

I keep hearing part of a song in my head:  “As for me and my house, we will serve THE LORD.”  John Waller sings this song.  It is called:  As For Me and My House. 

I found the official video on You Tube.  It is really good.  To see it, click here and before it starts, click in the lower right hand corner, so you can watch it in full screen mode.  You really need to do this to be able to appreciate it.  

This song was definitely inspired by The WORD of GOD!!!  Joshua 24:15 “…as for me and my house, we will serve The LORD!!!” 

I grew up hearing this quote.  And of course, I have heard ministers preach sermons on it, but it has been a while and I could NOT remember all the details.  So, I looked it up. 

Let’s go back in time and find out who Joshua was and how he became the leader of the children of Israel.  Then we can find out who Joshua was talking to when he proclaimed, “…as for me and my house, we will serve The LORD!!!”        

Joshua was one of the rulers over the tribes of Israel.  He had trained under Moses, who was God’s chosen leader of the children of Israel.  God had spoken to Moses and sent him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.   

When the Children of Israel got to the Promised Land, Moses sent out 12 men (leaders and rulers of their tribes) to spy out the land for 40 days. 
Joshua and Caleb were 2 of these 12 leaders.  The 2 of them brought back a faith-filled report, telling Moses and the people that the land was indeed full of milk and honey, just as GOD promised.  They encouraged the children of Israel to go in and take the land.

Numbers 13:17-20, 23, 26-30 (NKJV)

¹⁷ Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, ¹⁸ and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; ¹⁹ whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; ²⁰ whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

²³ Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs.

²⁶ Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.

²⁷ Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.

²⁸ Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”

³⁰ Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”


The other 10 men brought back an evil report causing the people to be upset and fearful.  They didn’t speak in faith like Joshua and Caleb.  Because of their evil report, the children of Israel refused to go in and take the land that God had given them. 


Numbers 13:31-33 (KJV) 

³¹ But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

³² And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

³³ And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Numbers 14:1 (NKJV) So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.


Joshua and Caleb tried to rally the people and encourage them to put their trust in God and take the land that HE had given them. 


Numbers 14:6-9 (NKJV)

⁶ But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; ⁷ and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. ⁸ If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ ⁹ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”


However, the children of Israel refused to trust GOD and believe that HE could give them the land that HE had promised them.  So, GOD sent them back into the wilderness where they remained for 40 years-a year for each day that they had spied out the land-until all those that were 20 years old and up (except HIS faithful servants Joshua and Caleb) had died.


Numbers 14:30-35 (NKJV)

³⁰ Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. ³¹ But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. ³² But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. ³³ And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness.

³⁴ According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection. ³⁵ I the Lord have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’”


NOT ONLY was Joshua a leader and ruler, but he served the man of GOD!!!  And when Moses died, God chose Joshua to lead the Children of Israel.


Joshua 1:1-3 (KJV)

1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,

² Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

³ Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.


And so, here we are forty years later.  The Children of Israel have taken the land that GOD has given them.  God moves Joshua to gather everyone together to come before HIM.  God speaks through Joshua to the Children of Israel. 


Joshua 24:1-8, 11-13 (NKJV)

24 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

² And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.

³ Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.

⁴ To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.

⁵ Also I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to what I did among them. Afterward I brought you out.

⁶ ‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.

⁷ So they cried out to the Lord; and He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, brought the sea upon them, and covered them. And your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. Then you dwelt in the wilderness a long time.

⁸ And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who dwelt on the other side of the Jordan, and they fought with you. But I gave them into your hand, that you might possess their land, and I destroyed them from before you.

¹¹ Then you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho. And the men of Jericho fought against you—also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I delivered them into your hand.

¹² I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you, also the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow.

¹³ I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’

¹⁴ “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!


This is where we find Joshua telling them, THAT HE AND HIS HOUSE WILL SERVE THE LORD!!! 


Joshua 24:15 (NKJV) And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”


So, today, I ask you,

                            
                             WHO WILL YOU AND YOUR HOUSE SERVE?

When My Heart Is Overwhelmed…

Do you ever feel overwhelmed???

I know that I do.

Sometimes I let the cares of this world get to me!! 

And sometimes I let my situations and circumstances get to me.  

Sometimes I just feel like telling the world to stop and let me get off.  And at other times, I feel like running away and hiding. 

But neither of these things will solve my problems!!!

And I learned that a long time ago!!!


When I was out in the world-before I knew Jesus-I used to drink.  And so when I felt overwhelmed, I would drink too much!  In short, I would get drunk. 


But getting drunk never fixed my problems.  It didn’t make them go away.


When I would wake up the next day, they were still there.  They hadn’t gone anywhere.  They were still waiting on me to solve them.  


And even if I ran away, my problems would still be there.  Running away, sticking your head in the sand, or even trying to stop the world and get off, doesn’t solve your problems.  They are still there waiting on you, wherever you left them.  They didn’t go away.  They didn’t disappear or leave. 


When you feel overwhelmed, just remember that God knows and HE understands!!!  HE sees your problems and HE knows how to fix them!!


Psalm 61:1-2 (KJV)

61 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

² From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.


HE is just waiting on you to bring your problems to HIM.  HE will gladly help you work them ALL out.


Psalm 46:1 (KJV) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.


The ONLY true way to solve a problem is to meet it head on!  And when it looks overwhelming-when it looks like something that is too big for you to handle, that is when you take it to the LORD!!! 

 

When you are NOT sure what to do, ask GOD!  HE always has the answer!!!


I think that the Psalmist said it best.   


Psalm 59:16-17 (KJV)

¹⁶ But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

¹⁷ Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.

 

At Your Word, LORD!!!!

I write a lot about trusting the LORD and knowing that HE will do what HE promises us in HIS WORD!!!


I do this because I want you to know that GOD will make a way for you, if ONLY you will trust in HIM and do what HE says. 


I must admit that as much as I love the LORD, I am NOT always obedient.  I don’t always do what HE tells me to do WHEN HE tells me to do it. 


And I find that most folks are that same way.


We want things our own way and we want to do things in our own time. 


And a lot of us, just plain out don’t like or want to be told what to do.  That is, until we have made a complete and utter mess of things or until we are exhausted and have tried every other way to solve our problem or resolve our situation. 


When we have tried everything else, we are more than willing to do things GOD’s WAY. 


Most of the time, we are like little children who have our own ideas about how things should work.  And we do NOT want to listen to anyone else.


But when we refuse to listen to others, especially OUR FATHER in Heaven, we show NOT ONLY how stubborn and hardheaded we are, but also how foolish we are. 


When we realize how foolish we have been, it is time to learn to trust JESUS completely. 


And part of trusting HIM, is learning to be obedient.  If ONLY we knew how good it felt and how rewarding it is, to trust GOD enough TO DO WHAT HE TELLS US TO DO, WHEN HE TELLS US TO DO IT!!!


For me, that means when GOD nudges me and reminds me about getting my Social Security card out of the drawer, I have to get up immediately and get it!!! 


I think the biggest challenge for me in OBEYING GOD is to STOP PROCRASTINATING.  I also have to learn NOT to allow myself to get frustrated and quit what I know I am supposed to be doing before I get it done. 


Truthfully, every one of us needs to trust GOD so completely that we are willing to say, “AT YOUR WORD, LORD.”  And mean it.


With the kids in my classroom, I learned to say, “DO IT, NOW!”


This is a concept that we need to learn!  We need to learn that when GOD tells us to do something, HE is saying, “DO IT NOW!”


Some of us are NOT obedient to THE LORD, because we don’t know HIM and we do NOT understand that HE and HE ALONE is our provider.  And because we do NOT know HIM, we don’t truly trust HIM enough to do what HE says. 


Other folks are used to providing for themselves, and in ALL truth, they have never had anyone who provided for them or made a way for them.  So, they do NOT know how to depend on someone else. 


When you have never had anyone to love and care for you, it is hard to trust GOD and believe that HE loves you so much that HE truly gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON FOR YOU!!!  And it is hard to believe that HE will provide the things you need and want.  When you have always been the one to take care of things, it is hard to give up that control.


When you do NOT know someone, it is hard to believe that what they say is true.  It is hard to take them at their word. 


This is the situation that Simon Peter and his friends, as professional fishermen found themselves in. 


Can you imagine a preacher telling you, as a professional fisherman, to go and fish some more after you have fished all night?  What sense would that make? 


None!  Absolutely no sense at all!!!


There must have been something about Jesus that made Simon Peter decide to do as HE said. 


Or maybe he thought, What could it hurt?
 

Luke 5:1-4 (NKJV)

¹ So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, ² and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.

³ Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

⁴ When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”


Because Simon Peter chose to do as Jesus said, he was blessed beyond measure. 


Luke 5:5-7 (NKJV)

⁵ But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”

⁶ And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.

⁷ So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.


Can you imagine the look on Peter’s face when he and his partner began to haul up all those fish and realized that there were so many fish that their net was breaking?


Luke 5:8 (NKJV) When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”


Can you imagine realizing that the man in your boat is NOT just an ordinary preacher, but HE is indeed the Christ, the ONE and ONLY SON of the MOST HIGH?  Only GOD can cause such a multitude of fish to swim into your nets. 


Luke 5:9-11 (NKJV)

⁹ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; ¹⁰ and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” ¹¹ So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.


Mary, the mother of Jesus knew that GOD had spoken to her and Joseph.  She knew that her beloved son was indeed the Son of God.  So, when she spoke to the servants at the wedding, and told them to do whatever HE says, she knew that Jesus would do as she asked.  She knew that HE would provide wine for the wedding because she was HIS mother and she had asked HIM to do so.


John 2:1-8 (NKJV)

¹ On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 

² Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. ³ And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

⁴ Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

⁶ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.

⁷ Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.


When we ask the LORD to take care of a situation, we can count on the fact that HE is perfect and that HE will NOT fail us. 


John 2:9-10 (NKJV)

⁹ When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.

¹⁰ And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

Sometimes, GOD nudges us in a direction or we just feel to go another way or NOT to do something.


I remember one time many years ago when the folks that I was carpooling to college with left me in Commerce.  I was going to call my mom to come get me, but a girl offered to take me home.  We got in her car and headed to her house, so that she could change and leave her stuff there. 


However, as we started to leave Commerce, I began to have the most horrible feeling.  It was a terrible feeling of dread.  I had never felt anything like it before in my life.  I learned later that it was GOD, THE HOLY GHOST. 


I can’t tell you what would have happened, if I had left Commerce in that car that day with that girl, but I can tell you that it would NOT have been good! 


When I told her about this feeling and that I could NOT ride with her that day, she took me back to school, and dropped me off.  Maybe one day when I get to Heaven, I will ask the LORD about it. 


She came back the next day and said that she had made it home just fine and that nothing had happened to her.  What she didn’t consider was that in taking me back to school, she had been delayed in driving down that highway.  I still believe even today, that GOD probably spared her life and kept her from harm because she took me back to school that day.


At times, GOD gives us very specific instructions, telling us exactly what and how we should do things. 



As we read this passage, we can see, that GOD gave this prophet specific instructions telling HIM what to do and what NOT to do.


1 Kings 13:1-10 (KJV)

13 And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

² And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.

³ And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the Lord hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.

⁴ And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

⁵ The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.

⁶ And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.

⁷ And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

⁸ And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:

⁹ For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.

¹⁰ So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.


Many times folks will try to tell us that we haven’t heard from GOD or that GOD can’t possibly be telling us to do things in that way.  Or as the old prophet did, they will flat out lie to you, to get you to do things their way!!! 


1 Kings 13:11-15 (KJV)

¹¹ Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.

¹² And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.

¹³ And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,

¹⁴ And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.

¹⁵ Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.


When we know that the LORD has spoken to us, we need to obey HIM and refuse to listen to others, no matter what they say. 


1 Kings 13:16-18 (KJV)

¹⁶ And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:

¹⁷ For it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.

¹⁸ He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.


The Bible doesn’t tell us what happened to the old man who lied, but it does tell us what happened to the prophet who disobeyed GOD.


1 Kings 13:19-24 (KJV)

¹⁹ So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.

²⁰ And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back:

²¹ And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee,

²² But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.

²³ And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.

²⁴ And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.


This passage has a sad ending because of the man of God’s disobedience. 


I know, I know.  Why didn’t GOD kill the old man?  Why didn’t GOD strike him down for lying?


I have no idea. 


What I do know is that we are each responsible to GOD for our own actions and for obeying HIM!!!  And when we do NOT obey GOD, there are consequences.


I know that when we refuse to obey GOD, we miss out on the blessings that GOD has planned for us.


By being disobedient, we could miss an opportunity to witness to someone and save a soul from HELL.


By NOT going where GOD said to go, we could miss out on a financial opportunity.


Or even worse than that we could miss out on helping someone and showing them that GOD truly loves them.


You know, I don’t want to miss the blessings GOD has planned for me and I want to be in the right place at the right time to bless others. 


I want to trust GOD whole-heartedly and be obedient to HIM!!!


And one day, when I stand before the throne I want to hear, my LORD and Savior say, Well done, my good and faithful servant!!!  Matt. 25:21

I Know That My God Hears My Prayers!!!

I trust in GOD, but sometimes just like other people, I get scared. 


I have said it before, but I don’t know what I would do without THE LORD!!!


I just don’t know how to live without HIM!!!  And I don’t know how other folks do. 


I trust in MY GOD!!!  And I depend on HIM!!! 


I am so thankful that the LORD knows what I think and how I feel!!!


I know that HE hears my prayers and I know that HE watches over me. 


I tell you all this, because I am SO BLESSED!!! 


I told you last week that my folks are being audited by the IRS. 


I have been somewhat concerned about all this so I have been praying and talking to the LORD!!!   


While I was praying, the LORD reminded me of the threatening letter that King Hezekiah received from the King of Assyria.  GOD reminded me how Hezekiah brought that letter (and that situation) to the LORD.   


2 Kings 19:14-18 (NKJV)

¹⁴ And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.

¹⁵ Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ¹⁶ Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

¹⁷ Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, ¹⁸ and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them.


2 Kings 19:19-20 (CEB)

¹⁹ So now, Lord our God, please save us from Sennacherib’s power! Then all the earth’s kingdoms will know that you, Lord, are the only true God.”

²⁰ Then Isaiah, Amoz’s son, sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, Israel’s God, says: I have heard your prayer about Assyria’s King Sennacherib.


In my prayer, I said to the LORD, I hold up the letter which we have received from the IRS and I give this situation to you, LORD.  And I know LORD that you are going to take care of this for me and my folks. 


You see, I use bookkeeping software and I post all of my folks’ banking transactions.  And I found out that I had posted some of their transactions incorrectly, so I got a bit scared.   


As usual the devil wants to make me run away in fear.  He wants me to bury my head in the sand, but instead I prayed and have continued to pray.  I decided to pray that the LORD would have the IRS find that they owed my parents money.


When I spoke with the tax pro about the errors that I had made, I was told NOT to worry because when the taxes were redone, a lot more deductions had been found in some other areas!!!    


I was very pleased to hear that.   


But then the devil reared his ugly head!!!  When the IRS contacted us, they said that they had decided that they wanted to see NOT only last year’s taxes, but also this year’s taxes.  Now that is scary!  


And of course, the devil wants to worry me, so I decided to pray some more.  Wouldn’t you?


The devil doesn’t give up and he is constantly trying to make me worry.  So, every time he starts whispering in my ear, I say, “SHUT UP, devil”, and then I speak in FAITH and say, I know that the LORD will take care of this and the IRS is going to find that they owe my folks money!!! 


You see, I know that MY GOD is taking care of this and I have decided NOT to worry!!!  I refuse to worry over any of this!!!   


Then today, as I was watching one of my favorite preachers, he began to preach about King Hezekiah and that evil king.  And as he pointed out, there are 3 different books in the Bible that tell of this incident. 


You can read about King Hezekiah and how he did right in the sight of GOD and how the King of Assyria tried to terrorize him in Isaiah 36-37, 2 Chronicles 30-32, and 2 Kings 19:18-19. 


After hearing this message and because I know that God is telling me HE HAS HEARD MY PRAYER and SEES MY SITUATION, I decided to write about how GOD has used what happened to King Hezekiah to encourage me.     


I hope you will enjoy this message and I hope you understand that if you will decide to TRUST in THE LORD, HE will make a way for you!!! 


The devil always attacks those that do right in the sight of the LORD.  And this is what happened to King Hezekiah.  He did what was right in the sight of the LORD and the devil just couldn’t stand it, so he sent an evil king to attack Hezekiah and Jerusalem. 


2 Chronicles 32:1 (CEB) After these things and these faithful acts, Assyria’s King Sennacherib invaded Judah and attacked its fortified cities, intending to capture them.


2 Chronicles 32:2-3 (NKJV)

² And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem, ³ he consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him.


2 Chronicles 32:4-8 (CEB)

⁴ A large force gathered to stop up all the springs and the streams that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they asked. ⁵ Hezekiah vigorously rebuilt all the broken sections of the wall, erected towers, constructed another wall outside the first, reinforced the terrace of David’s City, and made a large supply of weapons and shields. ⁶ He appointed military officers over the troops, assembled them in the square of the city gate, and spoke these words of encouragement: ⁷ “Be brave and be strong! Don’t let the king of Assyria and all those warriors he brings with him scare you or cause you dismay, because our forces are greater than his. ⁸ All he has is human strength, but we have the Lord our God, who will help us fight our battles!”

The troops trusted Judah’s King Hezekiah.


Now, I have already told you that this evil king sent a letter to King Hezekiah and I have told you how Hezekiah took this letter to the LORD!!! 


GOD always answers our prayers.  And as you read you will find out that GOD answered Hezekiah’s prayers and HE rescued them from the King of Assyria and all his army!!! 


2 Chronicles 32:20-22 (NKJV)
²⁰ Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven. ²¹ Then the Lord sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.

²² Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.


So that you can see in greater detail what the LORD did to save Hezekiah and Jerusalem, here is what the THE WORD says in 2 Kings 19. 


2 Kings 19:35-36 (NKJV)

³⁵ And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead. ³⁶ So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.


And that wasn’t the end of what GOD did to the king of Assyria for speaking evil and trying to reproach HIM and coming against HIS people!!! 


2 Kings 19:37 (NKJV)

³⁷ Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.


Now, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t dare pray that the LORD kill anyone, but I certainly don’t mind praying that God end this audit and have the IRS find that they owe my folks money and pay them!!! 


SO RIGHT NOW, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, I proclaim VICTORY over this situation!!!  I know that GOD will bring VICTORY, because HE IS FAITHFUL!!!! 


2 Thessalonians 3:3 (AMP) Yet the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen [you] and set you on a firm foundation and guard you from the evil [one].

King of Glory

The other morning, The LORD showed me Psalms 24. 

Psalm 24 was written to worship and praise the LORD.   

After reading Psalm 24, I googled the words, “King of Glory” and found a beautiful song that Third Day sings.  I have heard this song many times before, but I had never really listened to the words. 

As you read and listen to these words, you will realize how they magnify the LORD!!!

And just as the singer of this song magnifies God, so does the writer of Psalm 24.  Each of them lets us know in his own way how much he truly loves THE LORD!!!

Here are the words. 

If you would like to hear this beautiful song, just click on the title of this post.  The singer has an amazing voice.
 

King of Glory by Third Day
Who is this King of Glory
That pursues me with His Love
And haunts me with each hearing
Of His softly spoken words

My conscience, A reminder
Of forgiveness that I need
Who is this King of Glory
Who offers it to me

Who is this King of Angels,
Oh blessed Prince of Peace
Revealing things of Heaven
And all its mysteries

My spirit's ever longing
For His grace in which to stand
Who's this King of Glory,
Son of God and Son of man

His name is Jesus
Precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty
The King of my heart
The King of Glory

Who is this King of Glory
With strength and majesty
And wisdom beyond measure
The gracious King of Kings

The Lord of Earth and Heaven
The Creator of all things
He is the King of Glory
He's everything to me
His name is Jesus
Precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty
The King of my heart
The King of Glory
The Lord of Earth and Heaven
The Creator of all things
He is the King of Glory
He's everything to me
His name is Jesus
Precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty
The King of my heart
The King of Glory
His name is Jesus
Precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty
The King of my heart
The King of Glory

Who is this KING OF GLORY???

Who is the great I AM?


HE IS The Alpha and Omega; The Beginning and the End.


HIS NAME IS JESUS!!!  PRECIOUS JESUS!!! 


MIGHTY GOD IS HE!!!


I stand and worship HIM!!!   


HE IS THE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!!! 


Psalm 24:1-4 (KJV)

¹ The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

² For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

³ Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

⁴ He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.


God calls us righteous because of the blood that JESUS shed on the cross.  And because we are cleaned by HIS blood we can come before GOD and enter into HIS PRESENSE!


2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.


Could what Christ did on the cross be made any plainer??? 


Maybe, and maybe NOT!!!  But I like the way that the Complete Jewish Bible words this passage.


2 Corinthians 5:21 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness.


And because we have become the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, we can stand before HIM.  Because we are HIS and we have accepted HIS GIFT, we are blessed and we receive the precious gift of Christ’s righteousness from GOD. 


Psalm 24:5 (KJV)
⁵ He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.


WE are the generation; WE ARE THE ONES THAT SEEK GOD IN ALL HIS GLORY.  We seek to know HIM in HIS FULLNESS and GLORY!!!  We seek HIM!!!  And we seek to walk in HIS authority and power!!!


Psalm 24:6 (KJV) This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.


If we refuse to praise GOD, the stones will shout HIS PRAISES!!! 


Luke 19:37-40 (NKJV)

³⁷ Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, ³⁸ saying:

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’^]
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹ And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”

⁴⁰ But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”


And if the stones can cry out, why NOT the doors and the gates.


Psalm 24:7-9 (KJV)

⁷ Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
⁸ Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
⁹ Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH, PRAISE YE THE LORD!!!


Psalm 150:6 (KJV) Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.


Who is this KING OF GLORY?  Who is THE GREAT I AM?


Psalm 24:10 (KJV) Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.