King James Bible  Deuteronomy 32:39
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

So valleys, trials, ups, downs…we all go through them.  But, how we get past them is not through our “own power” but because of HIS power.

This past two weeks I was in a really deep valley.  But held on by my fingernails to the Mountain.  I could see the Mountain all the time even through I was in the deepest valley…and it was “cold” at times, yet, I could feel the “warmth” from within.

I had to go to a specialist today and my husband was going to come with me…but circumstances prevailed that prevented him from doing so.  I knew at that moment that the LORD was telling me, “Have courage and be of good cheer, for you’re not alone, you’re never alone…I go before you as I did for David when he faced Goliath…”

God was telling me to trust Him and He will handle everything, as He’s done for me throughout the years, and as he’s done for ALL of His children throughout the ages since the beginning of time!

He alone is my everything.

He made me strong through my weakness.

He carried me through the trial.

He held me up through it all.

Through Him I am victorious.  And, to Him goes the victory!

Hallelujah!  Praise Him! Hallelujah!

Sometimes we need to fall into pits and valleys in order to draw closer to God…and when we surrender and call out to Him, in both good times and bad…we are gaining an introspective piece of wisdom that only comes from trusting in Him and believing in His promises and His Word.

Oh, and by the way…Praise God…everything worked out thanks to His grace, love and faithfulness!

You want to be victorious? Pick up His Word and get to know Him…feel His love and experience life like you’ve never known it before.  Because our GOD REIGNS!  Amen and Amen~

Exodus 15:26
    “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians.  For I am the LORD who heals you.”

Psalm 30:2
    O LORD my God, I cried out to You, and you healed me.

Psalm 103:2-3
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases.

Proverbs 3:7-8
    Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil.  It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.

Fire is symbolic of different scenarios and events in the Bible. Fire, for example, is symbolic of the presence of the LORD. Our God is a consuming fire, and goes both ways…to warm and/or warn…and reward those who choose Him…and then… to ultimately destroy those in the lake of fire spoken of in Revelation 20:14.

Think of some of the passages where fire is mentioned, it is always significant, and always a representation of the LORD.

In Exodus 3:2–Our Father appeared to Moses from a burning bush.

In Hebrews 12:29 He is a consuming fire.

Fire is also shown as a cleaning power in Isaiah 6:6-7. 

It has spiritual significance and power in Psalm 104:4.

The thing to note is that all of these passages and instances serve as a warning– or an omen.

Depending which path we choose we can feel the fire in a good way or bad.

When we walk on a road filled with obedience to His will, and His Word, we shall reap endless rewards that are pleasing to the Father.  Which will consequently bring not only rewards in this lifetime, but he one to come…Eternity.

Our Father is a loving and merciful God who wants to protect and reward us.

He is our shelter and our Rock.  When we build upon the Rock our foundation is sturdy, unmovable,  and a given existence of spiritual growth.

When we recognize Him as the main provider in all things, the trust and intimacy between Father and child proves to be impregnable against the wiles of the enemy.

Together in Christ, we are strong and victorious…through Him and Him alone.

He is the course of contentment in our life here and now.  His fire warming our souls and giving us the ability to forge forward in His name.

His mercy endures forever.

He wants us to call out to Him.  He is ever patient and loving.

He gives us free-will to choose according to His will and ways…versus the alternative route which will end up being consumed with His mighty fire at Revelation states.

The works of the faithful.

Patience and charity and love…are the clothes of the righteous.

Helping others through many avenues…be it a smile, a phone call, a kind word…or a secret offering to someone in need…are all viewed as perfect in the eyes of our Father.

He sees all.

He knows all.

He rewards according to our deeds in heart mind and soul.

Remember the next time a decision comes up, as was written in the loving Word: Don’t worry about what man thinks.  Instead worry and think about what the One will can not only destroy your flesh but kill your soul.

Jesus died for us, we’re covered by His blood of salvation.

He defeated death for us.

He is victorious.

Be victorious in this lifetime and the one to come…the eternity.

The choice is yours.

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Matthew 25:33-40 KJV

³³ And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

³⁴ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

³⁵ For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

³⁶ Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

³⁷ Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, 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.

And Jesus said to him; “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”            LUKE 23:43  (NKJV )

Life. How would you describe it?

Paradise?  What does that mean to you?

Life–something or someone that has breath with complex functions.

Paradise–An eternal place of peace and serenity.

Both are consistent with God wouldn’t you agree?

The way I see it. Where there is life—there is GOD.  And to live is to know GOD.

Death, which Christ defeated has no place in the life of a follower, or one of devout faith.  Death has not life.  Life has not breath.

Life has breath.

Christ…the breath of life.  Remember when He breathed life into the Apostles in the upper room after His resurrection?  It was in Acts chapter 10.  The breath of life…to live is to breath and to breath is to live.

We’re all here according to His purpose and His will to work all things according to His purpose.  When we follow Him, trust in Him and invite Him into our lives, we begin to fulfill His will.  And when it is His will…it’s always the best no matter how it may appear at the time.

Remember that His will reflects a tidal wave of perfection that overrides any mere mortal’s will.  We are His creation and He knows us from the moment we were, even before we were.

This walk in life can be a long one or a short one.  We might have trials and tribulations and we might have joy.  That’s life…ups…downs…and eventually, eternity.

Promises foretold by our Father lovingly weave through the pages of His Word.  When we embrace those promises and honor Him through our actions and thoughts and love, we are clinging to the reality of their existence and therefore, to our eternal life.

Before we move on to the next journey in our lives, we have a job to do here. When we’ve completed it, we will be called home.  When we’re called home to our Father…we’re promised, in Jesus’ words, “Today you will be in Paradise with Me…”

So breath.

Live.

Love.

And…do what you’re called to while here on earth.  And remember…everything you do while here on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Choose your path, and choose it wisely. As God gives us free will.

Narrow path?  Or wide path?

Choose that narrow path and know that when our time is done on earth we’ll be on the golden path of eternal life, reaping what we sowed here on earth, and rejoicing in Paradise for evermore.  Amen~

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. ⁴⁵ And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

Acts 10:44-48 

My sheep hear My Voice,

and I know them,

and they follow Me.    

John 10:27

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Sometimes it’s an urgent request.

Sometimes it’s a quiet and simple one.

Sometimes it’s just an overwhelming desire to be near Him as I cry out to Him in prayer or meditation.

No matter how you slice it, dissect it, or inspect it, I love the LORD and all that He is.

I love His Voice….and love to hear Him.

My body ignites with a need to please Him and to do all that I can to listen to His voice…in silence…and in noise.

The noise…is the world.

The silence is His peace.

The world and His peace…total opposites.

They’re in constant conflict, much like the spirit and the flesh.

The flesh is “noisy…and needy…and selfish.”

The spirit is “peaceful…altruistic…and giving.”

The light is light.

The dark is dark.

Contrasts. Again, like the spirit and flesh.

When we pursue life and all it entails…on a quest for doing His purpose, the light shines, the peace reigns and the love is overwhelming.

The next time you hear “noise” and see “darkness”  — listen for His voice.  Then sit back and enjoy His presence and feel His warmth and let your spirit respond to the “Great One” that is within.

Amen.

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Peace I leave you, my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  John 14:27

Matthew 22:36-37 (AMP)

 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” And Jesus replied to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

While watching the latest movie “God is Not Dead 2” I was fascinated by a conversation between the main character and her dad.  She was confiding to her dad about not feeling God’s presence while going through a fiery trial in her life.  Her dad said, “When a teacher gives the students a test he doesn’t speak while they’re going through the test, he watches, and waits for them to finish the test.”  That really jumped out at me.

It’s so true.  Our “Teacher” and “Masterful God is always there watching, and at times, waiting for us to complete our trial, while guiding us silently through it, and eventually, carries us out with a stronger, and deeper sense of faith when the test ends. We are immerses in knowledge and an awareness we didn’t have prior to the test. We bring a new sense of being to the forefront after the test which enables us to “teach” others and proclaim God’s magnificence because of it.

Trials and adversities bring us closer to God in so many ways, but mainly, by inspiring us to trust in Him fully, and to recognize that its during these trials that we are being refined to perfection.

We are far from perfect, God knows that.  But, with each test, trial, or situation we undergo, it brings us closer to Him on a spiritual level. Our roots grow deeper in faith, as we stay on track in our obedience, and dedication, to our loving Father.

It is during these trials, that we run to Him more readily, and when we ask for His help in supplication, and yield to His will, we are showing our love and dedication to Him by our actions, which ultimately pleases our Father greatly, and our rewards will be forthcoming.

Show diligence, and ask for His wisdom, and strength, when going through issues or periods of dark moments.  When we believe in His magnificence, and His sovereign power and love, we can go through anything, because He is with us.

His light will shine through and darkness will be gone…in it’s place peace, and tranquility, and a great deal of comfort knowing we’re in His very capable and loving hands at all times. Watch for the rainbow at the end of the storm, it will always shine through.

So, the next time you’re going experiencing a hard time in your life, realize that the “Teacher” is standing nearby and will never leave His student…

Thank you O’ loving Father,  amazing Teacher, Master, and King of the Universe, for Your patience, guidance and love…all the glory honor and praise are Yours and Yours alone, forever and ever, Amen~

Psalm 1-6 (KJV)

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

² But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

³ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

⁴ The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.