LOVE ONE ANOTHER

LOVE ONE ANOTHER 

The Bible tells us "God is love". Of course we know that Jesus is God so we can say "Jesus is love". Jesus came to earth with His main purpose of becoming the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, to shed His pure, innocent blood to pay the penalty for our sins so that the New Testament (new promise or covenant) of mercy would finish the Law (Old Testament). In place of judgement we now have the opportunity to repent and find mercy because of Jesus blood shed at Calvary. That was Jesus' main purpose in coming in flesh to this earth. But He had a second purpose also. That was to live a pure life before mankind in order to set an example for us to pattern our lives by. 

Study the life of Christ in the four Gospels. Everything Jesus did was for the purpose of setting an example for us to follow. His every act was executed, His every word was spoken in pure love. When we really look closely at the individual acts and teachings of Jesus we don't see a God, (tho God He was and is), but we see an humble, selfless Servant to all. Even when He performed great miracles, we find Him saying,  "now, go and tell no man..."  His agenda was not to make a reputation for Himself, but to serve those He loved, mankind.

(Philippians  2:5-7) "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:"

I truly believe that is the key to loving, humbling ourselves and doing our very best (as God has gifted us individually) to simply serve Him, by serving others. We should study the entire chapter of Philippians 2. It is a beautiful lesson on true love one to another. Our acts of service, or even obedience are not love in themselves. But our 'intention' to put others before ourselves, to put our own human desires away and instead seek God's will, then live in obedience to it. This is love manifest. I guess the whole thing can be said in one word, MOTIVE. If you do not fully understand the meaning of that word (motive) look it up. It's about WHY we do what we do. Do we "do" this or that in order to have praise of others? Is it to feel holier than others or just to "feel" holy within ourselves (which is a nice way of defining 'self-righteousness')? Is it because we're trying to be good enough to earn God's favor? The only thing these acts will accomplish is to exhaust us mentally and physically, but will not bring us God's favor. 

David writes his prayer in Psalm 26:2

"Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart."

The meaning of the word "reins" in this scripture is simply "motive". David was praying for God to purify his motives. He speaks to God in this chapter about how he (David) has served God faithfully, obediently...but then he realizes that real, pure LOVE goes beyond the visible acts of service. Real love is found deep within a hidden corner of our hearts that no one sees but God Himself; that is where "motive" lives. We can become so absorbed in "being good" that we forget to look at WHY we're being good. David knew this and prayed fervently for God to continually search and purify his motives, (those hidden reasons or agendas buried in our human subconsciousness). 

Here's the bottom line: 

What I do for my brother or sister

What I do to win the lost

What I do to appear holy (inwardly or outwardly)

All my self-sacrifice humanly possible

.......though these are certainly all acts of Christianity, and will most assuredly be prevalent in the life of a true Christian, in themselves they will not and cannot save us. 

Paul says it so well in I Corinthians 13:3 (Message)

"If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake and be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."

Study the entire chapter of I Corinthians 13, often referred to as the "The Chapter of LOVE" and we'll find "love" has very little to do with "self" other than the dying out thereof. 

I don't have all the answers, but I do know this, love is not an act. Love is a state of one's heart in intimate relationship with God. Only when this bond of relationship is formed in the ultimate, unconditional (Agape) love for God, can the real selfless (Phileo) brotherly love be manifested and result in selfless, Christ-driven, effective service to others. 

Jesus taught in Matthew 25:40, "...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

May The Lord bless you,

Sheila Ashcraft.

PRAYER - "Trouble with Prayer" 

Prayer will get you into trouble, but prayer will get you out of trouble again. I have often prayed for a thing only to create the exact opposite effect. Jesus rebuked the devil in a deaf and dumb child, but the devil "cried, and rent him sore." The people said, "He is dead!" But Jesus took his hand and raised him up. Don't be immobilized if Satan fights back. Pray on! 

Acts 16:16 - "...it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us"

PRINCIPALS - "Adam's Rib"

God put Adam to sleep and performed surgery. He removed one of Adam's ribs and made a woman from it. From the bone marrow came Adam's DNA, making her the first clone - a female version of Adam. An identical twin. Same eyes, same hair, same size. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them," Genesis 1:27. Two people. One image.

Genesis 2:22 - "And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman."

PRINCIPLES - "God is a Blesser"

Look at God's track record! He blessed Adam with a garden paradise. He blessed Noah with an escape route from the flood. He blessed Lot, sending angels to deliver him from Sodom. He blessed Joseph with dominion over Egypt. He blessed fleeing Israel with sensational miracles. He sent miraculous food, miraculous water, even miraculous shoes! There is no need God cannot provide. Stop thinking God cannot or will not bless you, too!

Psalms 84:11 - "...the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."

PROPHECIES - "As the Days of Lot"

Everyone who is born again will escape the wrath of God when it comes to earth. But the same day, the judgment begins on those who remain. Justice will conclude at Armageddon.

Luke 17:28-30 - "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

You Can Open That Door

Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

– Matthew 7:7

How long has it been since you were backed into a corner, hemmed in by a seemingly insurmountable problem? If you're anything like most folks, it hasn't been very long. Some of us spend years trying to work our way out of financial binds only to end up more bound by debt than ever. Others work fanatically on marriages that, despite their best efforts, deteriorate from year to year. Still others fight battles against fear or depression, drug addiction or disease.

Deep within our hearts, each of us knows there must be an answer to the problem we face. But often it seems to be out of reach, hidden behind a door that's locked tightly against us.

What I want you to know today, however, is this: we can open that door! Jesus Himself has given us the keys.

Right now you may be facing a situation that looks utterly hopeless, but God has a key ring full of keys that will unlock any situation. He has the keys that open the doors for you spiritually and physically, financially and emotionally. No matter how hard the devil tries to trap you, if you'll get hold of the right key, you can find your way out.

God's Word is full of keys of kingdom principles—keys to bind the devil's operations and keys to loose yourself from his snares. God has a key that will unravel any knot that the devil can tie. He also has a key that will lock up the devil's operation so tightly that he won't be able to move.

Remember this: There's no situation so dark and so cleverly designed by the forces of darkness that there is not a kingdom key that will unlock it with kingdom power.

There is an answer to your situation. So keep digging for it. If you've been digging in the Word of God in one spot and haven't found your answer, then look at another chapter, a different verse. Keep digging until you find the key. Keep knocking at every door until you find the one that opens.

SUSTAINED LONGING FOR GOD

PRAYER - "Effectual Prayer" 

Effective prayer produces the intended result. So how does it work? A hammer rarely drives a nail in a single blow. We must strike at the need again and again until prayer works its miracle. The Syrophenician woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter. Because His ministry was to Israel, and she was a Gentile, He refused her request. But she argued with God and won! She impressed Him with her great faith, so He healed her daughter. Strike another blow with prayer!

James 5:16 - "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

PRINCIPALS - "Eve"

She must have been beautiful. I can't imagine God creating less. From Adam's rib came his helpmate. First woman (man with womb). First wife. First mother. Satan deceived her. She transgressed, then handed a portion of the forbidden fruit to Adam. For that, God cursed womankind with pain in childbirth. Graciously, however, seed of the woman would one day conquer the foul Tempter: God's son, "...made of a woman."

Genesis 3:6 - "...she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."

PRINCIPLES - "Exponential Potential"

If I give you one kernel of corn, can you plant every kernel that may ever grow from it? One kernel produces one plant, but one plant produces many ears of corn with thousands of kernels. Here is infinite exponential potential - a world full of corn! Your godly, obedient act of faith has infinite future potential. Commit that act today!

Genesis 1:12 - "And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good."

PROPHECIES - "As the Days of Noah"

Jesus warned that the end of this age will come as it did in Noah's day. The SAME DAY Noah entered the ark, the flood came and destroyed them. God's mercy and God's wrath come together.

Luke 17:26-27 - "And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all."

SUSTAINED LONGING FOR GOD

Jesus longs for us always and forever. Wouldn’t it make sense that He wants us to long for Him in return? To "long for" means to have a strong desire for something or someone.

*Sustained in definition is continuing for an extended period without interruption. To sustain something means to support something or keep it going; to keep it existing by continual, intentional effort; to bear (a burden, or a charge...); to endure without giving way or yielding; to keep (a person’s mind or spirit) from giving way as under trial or affliction. 

To have a "sustained longing" for the Lord is all of the above motivated by a deeply and determinedly settled, love for our Savior, JESUS CHRIST. We will not go through our days in a euphoric atmosphere of butterflies and rainbows. That’s what some come expecting from living for God and when that doesn’t pan-out they drift away because what they really want is a "sustained euphoria" in God. When we understand and follow JESUS’ example as described in Philippians 2:7, "But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant..." then we will come to Him motivated by our love for Him. It has never been about personal gain or emotional highs. It has always and will forever be about loving and serving faithfully just because He is God, because He loves us ultimately and because He is worthy.Paul instructed the Corinthian church to grow in their relationship with God. He addresses the church with graciousness, but immediately conveys his concerns. 

They were living in division, contention and strife. He explained that such foolish debates stemmed from "worldly wisdom". Paul said they were drinking baby’s milk in a stage of their spiritual walk that they should be eating meat as maturing Christians. "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?" (I Corinthians‬ ‭3:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬) Paul is describing ‘soulish’ behavior’ (i.e. behavior lead by emotions, human will and carnal reasoning). 

*Soulish by definition is collaborated by several commentators as that which amuses, entertains, appeals to or ignites man’s emotions, will or intellect.

(**The Greek of the New Testament has a special adjective, formed directly from the Greek word for soul, psuche, which describes action initiated by the soul. The adjective is psuchikos. The logical way to render this in English would be soulish, but unfortunately such a word does not formally exist in the English language.) 

For comparative purposes, let’s look at the scriptural distinctions between a life lead by a soulish nature and one guided by the regenerated spirit. 

One commentator describes the distinctions of soul and spirit as follows:  

     "In the original pattern of creation, the spirit of man came directly from God, related directly to God, and enjoyed a perfect ordered relationship with God. God moved upon man’s spirit; man’s spirit moved upon his soul; and his soul directed his body. Through the devastating effects of man’s rebellion, however, his spirit was compromised, and his soul took over control. As a result, unregenerate man is now controlled by the three functions of his soul: the will, the intellect, and the emotions.

     When God reconciles a person to Himself, His purpose is to restore the original order, by which He once again relates directly to the person’s spirit, whose spirit in turn moves upon his soul, and the soul moves upon the body." (dpm)

The Apostle Paul clarifies to the Galatian church, "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians‬ ‭5:16-22, 24, 26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

The Spirit referred to in these verses is that of the Holy Spirit of God. But when one is spiritually reborn through faith, the human spirit, which was dead, is "quickened" (made alive) by the Holy Spirit. That spiritual part of man is awakened or revived and enabled to walk in newness of life in the image of God. The spirit leading this person now is that of the Holy Spirit and no longer that of an unregenerated human spirit (nature).

"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus," ‭‭(Ephesians‬ ‭2:1-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

We are talking about having a ‘sustained longing’ for God. Remember this is only possible to achieve after we have surrendered to God in repentance and our spirits have been awakened by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. 

A true sustained longing for God is a deep desire to know; to be close to; to understand; to be loved by and to be cared for by God. It is a passion to please Him, to give our all to Him. (Matt.6:10 "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.") These things are more of a heart commitment, than a feeling. A heart commitment is made in the deep eternal seat of our spirit; whereas a mere feeling is fleeting, seated in our soul (emotions/will).

The spirit of man is the life within us. It comes from God and when we die it returns to God. ("Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it." Eccl. 12:7‬). Our spirit is therefore eternal. Our soul, on the other hand, is the seat of our emotions, our self-will and our human intellect or reasoning. These facilities will not inherit eternal life. The soulish nature is where passion, anger, love, hate, happiness, sadness....(see Ephesians 5 above) all originate. All of these emotions are dependent upon and triggered by our circumstances. This is why, if we allow our shallow soulish nature (our emotional feelings) to rule us, our lives are going to be like a roller coaster, up and down as our circumstances change.

Sustained longing has to go deeper than our soulish nature of emotions or feelings. It goes deep down into our spirits where truly enduring commitments are made and where we are transformed. Sustained longing is where spiritual disciplines are established and lived out faithfully no matter life’s changing circumstances. 

I long for JESUS always because I look at all He has done for me before; I look at all He has promised in His Word and I long for that! I look at how He calls us friends (John 15:15). He tells us He’ll be as a mother to us (Isa.66:13); He’ll be your Father (1 John 4:10); He said He is our husband (Isa.54:5)... anything we lack or need He has promised to be that for us. I long for Him continually because I want Him to be all those things to me! I want to be holding His hand and walking with Him when the trials of life come. He will not let me fall and He will not let go of my hand if my feet get knocked out from under me (Jude 24). These sustained longings are not based on my feelings or my emotions but the reality of Who He is! My longing is to be in intimate relationship with God because He first loved me, because I love Him above all else. The icing on our spiritual cake is that when JESUS is close we can’t help but feel Him. And YES, to feel Him is beyond wonderful! But we must be extra watchful that we do not grow dependent on our feelings. Our souls (our emotions) are given to us as a gift to enhance our spiritual and physical lives, but absolutely not intended to guide our lives. 

Remember the poem "Footprints In The Sand"? It describes a time a person is looking back over their life. There were always two sets of footprints except during the most difficult times. At those times there was only one set. They say to God, "When I needed You the most You left me." The Lord answers, "No My child, but during your times of trial and testing... I carried you." This poem depicts a person dependent on feeling God rather than knowing and trusting God. The fact is that God sometimes chooses not to allow us to sense His presence for whatever reason, but we can rest assured that He’s there carrying us. "...He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in His bosom..." (Isaiah‬ ‭40:11‬ )

Sustained longing is holding on to and believing His Word. JESUS promised in Hebrews 13:5-b, "...For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’."

Oh how I long for Him! Let us remain faithful come what may! May we discipline ourselves in devoted prayer, study of His Word, service and obedience that we may enjoy a lasting desire, a sustained longing for God. 

"For we walk by faith, not by sight" (II Cor.5:7)

"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Lord bless you,

Sheila Ashcraft 

Tithe With Joy

And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance...that thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth...and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there.

– Deuteronomy 26:1-2

Tithing. Most Christians aren't very excited about it. But they should be--and they would be if they understood how to do it properly.

Scriptural tithing stirs up faith. It activates the power of God in our lives when we do it in gratitude and joy, expecting our needs to be met abundantly.

In Deuteronomy 26:8-9, God told the Israelites exactly what to say when they brought their tithes. He instructed them to acknowledge the fact that He had brought them out of the bondage of Egypt and to say:

"The Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: and he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey."

What does that have to do with you and me? God has done the same thing for us! He's brought us out of a life of bondage and poverty into a life that flows with the abundance of God.

So when you bring your tithe to the Lord, follow the example set by the Israelites. Make it a time of rejoicing. Make it a time of realizing anew the wonderful things Jesus Christ has done for you.

Thank Him for delivering you from a land of darkness and scarcity and bringing you into His promised land of plenty. Thank Him that it is a land of mercy, a land of joy, a land of peace and a land of prosperity.

Tithe in faith, expecting the rich blessings of that land to be multiplied to you. You may soon find it to be one of the most exciting things you can do.

GO WHEN YOUR READY

ARE YOU LISTENING?

We’ve all heard the phrase, "God is always speaking", and it’s true. He speaks to us in prayer, when reading His Word, through preaching... But we’re not always praying, we’re not always reading our Bible, not always listening to scriptural teaching or preaching... So what about the in-between times? How do we hear His voice when we’re going about our day meeting our obligations and living life? The easy answer is, we walk in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit is simply living with an ear continually tuned to God’s voice. Living in spiritual sensitivity makes us aware of things around us that we might normally not even notice. The bird’s song, the breathtaking sunset, children laughing. These are the manifestation of God’s voice speaking peace, comfort and love. We stand at the checkout and literally feel the sadness or anger of the person in front of us and instead of judging them harshly, we hear the Lord’s voice saying, "Let Me love them through you". It may only be a smile you offer, maybe just a kind word of understanding. Many times I’ve reached out and offered just a light touch on their arm or shoulder, and eye contact that said "It’s gonna be ok. I understand" can make all the difference in the world to that lonely, hurting soul. That may not seem like much, but God’s love is extravagant in itself. Our part is to listen and let Him flow through us, listen and let Him reveal His love to us and to this world around us. Turn and tune your ear toward Him and you’ll be amazed at how talkative He is! You’ll be amazed at the doors of opportunity He opens for you to share Him and the words He wants to speak to those that don’t know Him. Do it through me, Lord! I’m listening!

Go When You're Ready

With long life will I satisfy [you], and show [you] my salvation. – Psalm 91:16

Did you know that it's not God's will for you or anyone to die young? His will for you is to live the full number of your days. You ought to live 70 or 80 years, and if you are not satisfied, live awhile longer! The Bible says that when Abraham died, he died at a good old age, full of years. That's the way it ought to be with all of us. Some believers don't realize that and they've gotten themselves in a mess. When they get sick, instead of just believing for healing, they start wondering if it's God's will for them to die. Maybe He's ready to call me home, they think. Don't ever entertain thoughts like that. If God has His way, He won't call you home until you're good and ready to come. The Apostle Paul understood that. In 2 Timothy 4:6-7, he said, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Paul didn't die until he and Jesus were ready for him to go. Regardless of your age, if the devil is telling you God isn't going to heal you because it's time for you to go home, he is lying to you. God promises in Psalm 91:16 that if you are living under the shadow of the Most High, He will satisfy you with long life. (That means that you are abiding in Him as Jesus taught in John 15.) If you're not satisfied that you have finished your course yet on this earth, it's not time for you to die. So ignore the devil and keep right on living. Resist sickness and disease in the Name of Jesus. Stand on God's promise! Then, when you're ready to go on to heaven, go! But go satisfied, healed and ready! Go in victory shouting the words of that old joy-filled song--"Heaven is near and I can't stay here. Goodbye world, goodbye." PRAYER - "Pretentious Prayers"  God has the highest regard for you when you approach Him in honest prayer. Conversations between a true seeker and the Lord are holy to Him. God is especially unhappy when someone feigns prayer. Insincere prayers border on sacrilege. Jesus scorned hypocrites who sought to impress and made public shows of their prayers in synagogues or in the streets. This should encourage us to know that He genuinely respects our earnest, expectant prayers. And He will answer! Matthew 23:14 - "Woe unto you..., for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." PRINCIPALS - "The Garden of Eden" Adam was created before the garden of Eden was planted. God put Adam in it afterward. Ezekiel 28:13 depicts Lucifer in the garden, too - before he sinned! Satan did not arrive from a failed pre-Adamite society of evil angels. He came sinless. All the sins of men and angels began in the garden. Utopias do not prevent sin. Your health, success and prosperity could be your greatest temptation. Beware!  Genesis 2:8 - "...the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed." PRINCIPLES - "The Risks of Wrath" Anyone might have congratulated Cain for the beautiful offering of the fruit of his harvest that he presented to the Lord that day. But who could predict that God would ignore it and select instead the sacrificial lamb presented by Cain's brother, Abel. God arrested Cain for getting angry, and admonished him to try again. But anger got the best of Cain, and he killed his brother. God cursed him. Can you control your anger? If not, sin lies at the door. Genesis 4:6 - "And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth?" PROPHECIES - "Enoch's Prophecy" Enoch was the fellow who walked with God, and God suddenly took him without ever having to taste of death. Enoch was only seven generations from Adam, but he foresaw the final battle of Armageddon coming. What a fantastic revelation to have been received over 5,000 years ago! In the spirit, Enoch saw Jesus conquering the world!  Jude 1:14-15 - "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed."

Go When You're Ready 

With long life will I satisfy [you], and show [you] my salvation.

– Psalm 91:16

Did you know that it's not God's will for you or anyone to die young? His will for you is to live the full number of your days. You ought to live 70 or 80 years, and if you are not satisfied, live awhile longer! The Bible says that when Abraham died, he died at a good old age, full of years. That's the way it ought to be with all of us.
Some believers don't realize that and they've gotten themselves in a mess. When they get sick, instead of just believing for healing, they start wondering if it's God's will for them to die. Maybe He's ready to call me home, they think.
Don't ever entertain thoughts like that. If God has His way, He won't call you home until you're good and ready to come. The Apostle Paul understood that. In 2 Timothy 4:6-7, he said, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Paul didn't die until he and Jesus were ready for him to go.
Regardless of your age, if the devil is telling you God isn't going to heal you because it's time for you to go home, he is lying to you. God promises in Psalm 91:16 that if you are living under the shadow of the Most High, He will satisfy you with long life. (That means that you are abiding in Him as Jesus taught in John 15.)
If you're not satisfied that you have finished your course yet on this earth, it's not time for you to die. So ignore the devil and keep right on living. Resist sickness and disease in the Name of Jesus. Stand on God's promise!
Then, when you're ready to go on to heaven, go! But go satisfied, healed and ready! Go in victory shouting the words of that old joy-filled song--"Heaven is near and I can't stay here. Goodbye world, goodbye."

PRAYER - "Pretentious Prayers" 

God has the highest regard for you when you approach Him in honest prayer. Conversations between a true seeker and the Lord are holy to Him. God is especially unhappy when someone feigns prayer. Insincere prayers border on sacrilege. Jesus scorned hypocrites who sought to impress and made public shows of their prayers in synagogues or in the streets. This should encourage us to know that He genuinely respects our earnest, expectant prayers. And He will answer!

Matthew 23:14 - "Woe unto you..., for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation."

PRINCIPALS - "The Garden of Eden"

Adam was created before the garden of Eden was planted. God put Adam in it afterward. Ezekiel 28:13 depicts Lucifer in the garden, too - before he sinned! Satan did not arrive from a failed pre-Adamite society of evil angels. He came sinless. All the sins of men and angels began in the garden. Utopias do not prevent sin. Your health, success and prosperity could be your greatest temptation. Beware! 

Genesis 2:8 - "...the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed."

PRINCIPLES - "The Risks of Wrath"

Anyone might have congratulated Cain for the beautiful offering of the fruit of his harvest that he presented to the Lord that day. But who could predict that God would ignore it and select instead the sacrificial lamb presented by Cain's brother, Abel. God arrested Cain for getting angry, and admonished him to try again. But anger got the best of Cain, and he killed his brother. God cursed him. Can you control your anger? If not, sin lies at the door.

Genesis 4:6 - "And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth?"

PROPHECIES - "Enoch's Prophecy"

Enoch was the fellow who walked with God, and God suddenly took him without ever having to taste of death. Enoch was only seven generations from Adam, but he foresaw the final battle of Armageddon coming. What a fantastic revelation to have been received over 5,000 years ago! In the spirit, Enoch saw Jesus conquering the world! 

Jude 1:14-15 - "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed."

Thunder and Rain for a demonstration!

Salvation

PRAYER - "I Have Heard What The Prophets Said"

You do not have to be praying for God to be listening. He hears EVERYTHING you say. God condemned the false prophets. "I have not sent these prophets, ...I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied." "I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed." Using your tongue to prophesy without divine unction can land you in BIG trouble with God.

Jeremiah 23:26,31 - "They are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;...I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith."

PRINCIPALS - "Josiah - Shallum - Jehoiakim - Jehoiachin - Zedekiah"

Josiah, the last righteous king, died in 609 BC. His evil son, Jehoahaz (Shallum), ruled only three months before being taken to Egypt and murdered - as prophesied. His brother, Eliakim (Jehoiakim), ruled eleven years under Egyptian tribute. He died when Nebuchadnezzar seized Jerusalem. His uncle, Jehoiachin (Jeconiah), ruled three months before he was taken to Babylon. Finally, Zedekiah resisted the Babylonian siege for eleven years, until Judah was utterly destroyed in 586 BC.

Jeremiah 22:11 - "Thus saith the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, ...he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive."

PRINCIPLES - "Woe To The Pastors That Scatter The Flock"

If you are a leader, beware! "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. ...Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings." God vowed to feed them with wormwood and gall (bitterness). You will be replaced. God will find 

someone right for the job.

Jeremiah 23:4 - "I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD."

PROPHECIES - "The Prophesied Death of Jehoiakim"

It makes no sense when a righteous man's son becomes extremely evil. Josiah was one of Judah's most righteous kings, but his son, Jehoiakim, was vain, selfish, and wickedly unjust. God said, "thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence." God sentenced him to death without a proper burial - no one knows where.

Jeremiah 22:18-19 - "Thus saith the LORD... They shall not lament for him, ...He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem."

WALKING THROUGH FIERY ALTERS

 

Here’s another bible study!

Righteous Indignation 

Saul shrank back from being king, and many in Israel opposed his appointment. That all changed after Ammonites declared war on Jabeshgilead. When Saul heard the threat, righteous indignation from the LORD rose up in him. He took an army to Jabesh and whipped the Ammonites soundly. At Gilgal, Israel made Saul king, and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. God can turn a reluctant participant into a gallant hero, even in the eyes of his detractors.

1 Samuel 11:6 - "The Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, anger was kindled greatly."

The Sin Of Prayerlessness

The Prophet Samuel was a hands-on man of God. He worked intimately among the people, 

making intercession for them, and leading them into the will of God as a nation. Because of Samuel's powerful role, two kings, Saul and David, established the kingdom of Israel, and it became a great nation. He was driven by the belief that it was a sin not to intercede. Oh,how we need that same conviction today! 

1 Samuel 12:23 - "God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you."

If Ye Rebel...

Samuel was deeply disturbed about Israel's untimely demand for a king. He reminded 

them that God advanced their former leaders - Moses, Aaron, and their judges; but God 

was always their king. They still wanted an earthly king, so God gave them one, with stern warnings: I will destroy you and your king if you do wickedly. Samuel then called down thunder and rain on them all day - a token demonstration of God's wrath, to make them fear God. 

1 Samuel 12:25 - "But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king."

Doing Right Things the Wrong Way

Saul, Jonathan, and 3000 men had smitten a garrison of Philistines. But the Philistines regrouped with 30,000 chariots, 6000 horses, and countless soldiers. Saul prepared to attack them. Samuel was en route, but Saul impatiently and improperly offered burnt offerings without him. Samuel arrived and rebuked Saul for breaking the Law. He prophesied that his kingdom would not pass to his descendants.

1 Samuel 13:13-14 - "...Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, ...for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue."