What about His word? What about standing on the promises in the bible?
Even those need to be received with humility and the fear of the Lord.
We can’t grab them and put them in our backpacks.
All the promises of God belong to God.
We cannot take them and own them and use them without Him.

If the fear of God is not taught to us and accepted in our hearts,
if the fear of God has not permeated your innermost being,
remembering that He is God of all, we will be found lacking.
The reverent fear of God keeps us on the narrow path that leads to life.

There are many doctrines that teach that we are sure,
that we can have salvation without the fear of God. Not so.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:
but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28

God is the giver of life. He is the giver of all things good.
If we disregard Jesus’ position, if we rank ourselves righteous before Him,
that leaves Him out of the process, where will we find ourselves?
Naked and ashamed without the reverent fear of God.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more,
as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:25

There is much wickedness in the world.
Without others to encourage us, we might not be as strong in the battle.
The last thought of that scripture, even more as you see the Day approaching.
The last day, the evil day, the day where Satan will have much control
over the world and the people.

We need the brethren, we need the body.
Each of us has a part.
Each of us contributes much or little or sometimes varying degrees.
We help each other and we glean from each other.
We are strengthened in the Lord when the body is functioning properly.
We are strengthened in the faith, in God’s Word.

For where two or three are gathered together in My name,
there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20

The brethren remind us to stay on the straight and narrow.
As we get encouraged in the Lord, others can help fortify our armor.
Reminding us to keep things sealed up and strengthened against the enemy
so we can stand strong before the Lord.

But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called “today,”
so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13

28 April 2024 Watch and Pray

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

Those religious leaders hated Jesus’ teachings.
They contested them by using their own metrics and applying them to Jesus.
We still have those who evaluate the Word of God by their understanding.
We have to measure our understanding by God’s Word.
His Word is always above our perceptions.

Satan used the word of God to temp Jesus:
And saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down:
for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee:
and in their hands they shall bear thee up,
lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Matthew 4:6

Satan still uses God’s word to twist it.
Sometimes he uses willing pastors and teachers, other believers.
It can be hard to decipher between truth and error,
especially when they use the Word of God to proclaim that error.

Some people recognize it right away,
others have to keep searching the truth to find the answer.
The important thing is to love the truth.
God will help you if that is your goal, to love the truth.
That means to always elevate God’s word above your own ideas.
Finding His word and placing it above all you think or feel.

God’s word does not contradict itself.
It teaches the same thing consistently in different ways,
using many different scriptures, sometimes parables and historical stories.
We can always ask God for wisdom and discernment.
And, letting the Holy Spirit lead you and guide you into all truth is key
as He is the best teacher we could ask for.

The enemy likes to twist God’s word.
He tries to devalue it.
He likes to lessen its impact.
God is His word. So, it is powerful.
Keep pressing in if you want the truth from God. He will honor that desire.

Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth. John 17:17

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes,
and prudent in their own sight! Isaiah 5:20-21

Many humans on Earth have lost their moral compass.
They have disregarded the Lord and His word.
They elevated those things which are detestable to God.
They have wearied those who love righteousness
and their sins are grievous unto the Lord.

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

Be watchful. Sin sneaks in unawares.
It even parades itself as self-righteousness:
If you do not love the sin, you are considered an unloving person.
It flaunts itself to justify its twisted ideals, acts that make the godly cringe.
The stench of sin is reaching up to Heaven.
The Lord will send His angels to verify the mess we are in.
He already knows what is happening here and now.
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just,
even they both are abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 17:15

The World is elevated, God is abased.
He speaks, the wicked cannot hear.
His voice will ring loud and true and then it will be too late to listen.

What we see, what we hear, takes precedence sometimes over what the Lord
has commanded us.
People often give us instant gratification.
They have excellent reasons why we are to please them.
They give us honor and dignity and prestige and satisfaction.
We can become enamored with people, where we seek to please them.
Whether it is one we are putting above God or many,
we can elevate people to a position that belongs to God in our lives.

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?
for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

Putting people’s opinions over God’s opinion is idolatry.
Pushing God’s word aside and considering a human voice, singular or plural,
is idolatry as well. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Exodus 20:3

Idolatry simply means: worship of a physical object as God, excessive
attachment or devotion to something, whether a physical object, person, pleasure or concept.

Jesus talks about some losing their first love.
That first love that we had when we first met Jesus,
that made us want to follow Him, that love that made us want to please Him. Some things took away the clarity
that some of His followers had when they first met Him.
Remember Lot’s wife. Luke 17:32
Loving the world can compete with our love for God,
the love of money also is a trap to rob our affections from God.
Whatever the case, keeping God’s word as utmost importance and pleasing Him, rather than the louder voices.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Revelation 2:4

Jesus expects us to keep Him as the authority of our lives, not any person or other thought pattern, doctrine or any human idea.
If we lose our focus on the Lord Jesus, we are bound to fall from the truth.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spue thee out of My mouth. Revelation 3:16

Keeping your heart toward the Lord is what needs to happen
if you do want to please the Lord and do not want to serve idols.
Let Jesus have those things which keep you from Him,
even when they seem really good to the human imagination and judgment.

Hatred has fruit.
It is very bad fruit.
It stinks, it causes strife and is filled with death.
It permeates what it touches and spreads like a vapor.
Hatred births bitterness.
It is not justified for humans.
We do not own the capacity to hate without being overtaken by its devices.

Hate is like a bitter root that spreads, that is filled with thorns.
It chokes out what it attacks.
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you:
and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake. Matthew 24:9
Prepare yourself. We will be greatly hated by those who love the world,
by those who love their sin, by those who walk in darkness.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:
but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. John 15:19

He that hateth Me hateth My Father also. John 15:23
Those who hate God will also hate God’s children.
It may be hard to stand for Jesus, for His righteousness
because righteousness will be despised., or hated.
So will Jesus.
So will we if we continue to follow Jesus.

If you think your own way, you’re going to miss it.
If you seek to learn God’s ways, you will find the truth.
He is ever trying to teach us His ways, who He is, how He thinks.

Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:29

Jesus said, Learn of Me.
We can’t make Jesus be who we think He should be or who we want Him to be.
He is who He is.
He is meek and lowly of heart, very tender-hearted.
God is love.

Jesus loves those you may wish to hate.
God sees the bigger picture.
Our views are cloudy and limited. His are not.

Jesus saw the heart of the jailer,
who beat Paul and Silas while they were in prison.
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:
and the prisoners heard them. 
And suddenly there was a great earthquake,
so that the foundations of the prison were shaken:
and immediately all the doors were opened,
and every one’s bands were loosed. Acts 16:25-26
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:30-31

There is no way Paul and Silas could have known that.
They were in tune with the Holy Spirit. We can be, too.

That does not mean all of our enemies will turn to the Lord,
keeping our hearts in Jesus’ love and not letting our love grow cold.

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:5

If they seem impossible, what do you do?
If they are time-consuming, then what?
Do not give up.

It does not really matter how the roadblocks got there,
continue doing what the Lord is asking of you.
I am a master procrastinator.
I need a deadline.
I have to give myself a deadline.
If I hit roadblocks, it makes things harder because I know I can move the deadline.

We all have things we are supposed to get done.
It really doesn’t matter much how they get done as long as they get done.
As long as we don’t bury our talents and ignore what God is asking of us.

Jesus knows it all. He knows how hard we try. He knows how much we care.
He knows about all the things that come up in our lives.
He is there for us, to help us in whatever it is we need,
however we need Him, He is there.
There are excuses, but there are no excuses, and in that case,
He knows how to solve the issues.
We can ask Him. If we ask Him for strength, to overcome our weaknesses,
strength and endurance to overcome our obstacles,
those annoying and difficult things that stand in our way at times will fade.

We are running a race.
We cannot get distracted.
We are here but a short time.
We have our tasks and we have our accomplishments.
Our obedience to the Lord is key. We need to listen and hear and perform.
Being lazy in the things of the Lord is not going to help the Kingdom.

The situation with Jesus when Martha wanted Mary to help her,
but instead, And Jesus answered and said unto her, 
Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part,
which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:41-42

A reminder that the things we value
are not necessarily the things the Lord Jesus values.
Our prayer time is incredibly essential to the Lord.
When thou saidst, Seek ye My face;
my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Psalm 27:8

The best way to overcome roadblocks
is to find out which things are most important to the Lord.
Do not assume, and then, make every effort to do them.
When you need His help, ask for it, so that your priorities are aligned with His.