“WAIT IN SILENCE!”

 Psalms 62:1-7                                   (ESV)

“1 For GOD alone my soul WAITS IN SILENCE; from HIM comes my salvation. 

2 HE alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I SHALL NOT BE GREATLY SHAKEN. 

3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 

4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah 

5 For GOD alone, O my soul, “WAIT IN SILENCE”, for my hope is from HIM. 

6 HE only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 

7 On GOD rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is GOD.”

“YOUR SERVANT USED TO KEEP SHEEP!”

 1 Samuel 17:31-37                                              (ESV)

“31 When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him.

32 And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him (Goliath). Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

33 And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth."

34 But David said to Saul, "YOUR SERVANT USED TO KEEP SHEEP” for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock,

35 I went after him and STRUCK HIM and DELIVERED IT OUT OF HIS MOUTH. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and STRUCK HIM and KILLED HIM.

36 YOUR SERVANT HAS STRUCK DOWN BOTH LIONS AND BEARS, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for HE HAS DEFIED the armies of THE LIVING GOD."

37 And David said, "The LORD WHO delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"”

Searching through Scriptures for a nugget, something that has been there for two thousand years or longer but has escaped my awareness until now, is what I found myself doing recently.   Then I came across the passage of Scripture above and I was intrigued by a 16 to 19 year old shepherd boy who practically insisted that, with the guidance of GOD ALMIGHTY, he would DELIVER a 9 foot 6 inch Goliath to Saul, the king of Israel.  On top of that, he refused to wear any of the kings armor, saying that he hadn’t tested it.  That makes NO SENSE at all!  

David was the youngest son of Jesse.  His older brothers were in the Israeli army and had been listening to Goliath and the Philistine army berating them because the size and appearance of Goliath struck FEAR in their hearts!  David had been “groomed” by the LORD by slaying a lion and a bear when “YOUR SERVANT USED TO KEEP SHEEP” for his father.   David KNEW that the things he had experienced prior to the meeting with Goliath had prepared him for SUCH A TIME AS THIS (Esther 4:14).  

GOD doesn’t work in chance or circumstance, HE HAS A PLAN that Glorifies HIS NAME!  David was being PREPARED for this long before he had any indication that Goliath even existed, and FEAR never entered his mind, for he KNEW that GOD would deliver him.  David killed a lion without a lot of fanfare.  He also killed a bear without much celebration.  Then he killed a MANSTER , a bigger than life enemy, all with guidance of THE LIVING GOD!  He KNEW there was nothing that GOD was unable to overcome.  

Yet, David KNEW that the same GOD WHO slew the lion, the bear, and even Goliath, would be answered to when he saw Bathsheba bathing from the palace.  Still, he yielded to temptation and the rest, as they say, is history.  How could a man who had been “groomed” so magnificently by THE CREATOR not KNOW that GOD was able to catch him in his sin?   

At times we become so comfortable in our existence and surroundings that we lose sight of WHO has “groomed” us for our future, and what we were CREATED for in the first place.  GOD uses our weaknesses to Glorify HIS NAME, and weaknesses are something that I seem to be getting rather fluent with. After all, “YOUR SERVANT USED TO KEEP SHEEP” might be an accurate depiction of yours truly.  David was known as a man after GOD’s OWN HEART, but before that he had the lowliest of assignments, “YOUR SERVANT USED TO KEEP SHEEP”!!!

“DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING!”

 Proverbs 3:5-6                                  (ESV)

“5 Trust in the LORD with ALL YOUR HEART, and “DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING”. 

6 In ALL YOUR WAYS acknowledge HIM, and HE will make straight your paths.”

Growing in our FAITH is something that is hard for this mind to put into words.  In 1994 I opened an office began selling insurance and a friend of mine developed a FAX COVER SHEET that had Proverbs 3:5-6 on it, so I have been exposed to these Scriptures for AT LEAST 26 years, but I continue to be changed to reflect HIS likeness as I mature in HIM.  As I physically mature, my health has already started to display the aging process, eyes aren’t as good as they once were, ears can’t hear as well as when I was younger, bones and joints ache more, and several other signs that I am getting older are manifesting themselves!  

But also I am SEEING things a LOT differently than when I was younger.   Formerly, I saw Scriptures in the LIGHT of how they could make me a “good success” (Joshua 1:7)!  However, as I grow and mature SPIRITUALLY I realize that “this world” is more like a “pressure cooker”, developing me into a dish that my CREATOR SPECIFICALLY has in HIS PLAN for my life.  HIS WORD is “...living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12) constantly whittling away the “dross”, refining the GOLD for HIS GLORY!

We don’t have the capabilities to choose the paths that will honor and Glorify CHRIST.  Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us that HIS WAYS are not our ways, so our minds cannot imagine the things that HE has in store for us (1 Corinthians 2:9)!  For me, even though I have a Brain that has damage from 2007, I still THINK that I am able to figure out what is the best thing for me to do in the tight spots HE has placed me in.  Walking by FAITH has a way of HUMBLING us to admit that we are precious tools to draw HIM GLORY, and NOTHING ELSE!  

Developing a “DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING” mentality is a process that can be painfully tedious and laborious!  The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:8 that he considers EVERYTHING A LOSS to be able to TRUST IN JESUS to LEAD him!  Acknowledging that we are incapable of making decisions leading us to HIS PLAN is the first step to “DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING”!  Living longer in “this world” is revealing to me to “DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING”, for HOS WAYS are FAR better than anything I can dream!!!

“THE LORD OF HOSTS HAS PURPOSED!”

 Isaiah 14:24-27                                       (ESV)

“24 The LORD of hosts has sworn: "AS I HAVE PLANNED, so shall it be, and AS I HAVE PURPOSED, SO SHALL IT STAND, 

25 that I will break the Assyrian in MY land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder." 

26 THIS IS THE PURPOSE THAT IS PURPOSED CONCERNING THE WHOLE EARTH, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. 

27 For “THE LORD OF HOSTS HAS PURPOSED”, and who will annul it? HIS hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?”

Often my writings have referred to ALMIGHTY GOD having a PLAN.  THE PLAN doesn’t have to “make sense” to humans, for HE IS GOD, and we are NOT!  Rioting, civil unrest, disregard for authority, and an innumerable amount of other actions might leave the malnourished in THE WORD wondering what is going on!  Even elected officials are not immune to the evil (Ephesians 6:24), but they need to be aware who they are up against!

The book of Isaiah is full of warnings for both the Children of GOD, and those who are not selected to be THE CHOSEN.  The passage above was written as “an oracle concerning Assyria”, which is probably “four modern day countries in Northern Mesopotamia: Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq.”  These were people that worshipped “other gods”, who did not believe that ALMIGHTY GOD WAS IN CONTROL!  

We can say that we understand that GOD IS IN CONTROL, but does our TESTIMONY reflect that Belief?  You may say that GOD wouldn’t allow some of the things that is transpiring, but don’t forget about Joseph in Genesis 37, or David in 1 Samuel 22-24, or Shadrach, Meshac and Abednego in Daniel 3, Paul and Silas in Acts 16, and mostly JESUS, GOD’S OWN SON, was rejected by man and hung on a cross for the sins of mankind!  GOD’S redemptive PLAN was VERY PRECISE, and followed EXACTLY because we had to have THE PERFECT SACRIFICE at the PERFECT TIMING for our sins!  

“THE LORD OF HOSTS HAS PURPOSED” demonstrates that GOD HAS/HAD A PLAN, and HE IS IN CONTROL!  All of the turmoil in our midst is part of HIS PLAN, even though “the enemy” wants to make us believe otherwise!  In Genesis 50:19-20 it is written that Joseph said to hs brothers, “DO NOT FEAR, for AM I IN THE PLACE OF GOD?  As for you, YOU MEANT EVIL AGAINST ME, BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”  My understanding of Scripture certainly has to improve, but one thing I KNOW is that “THE LORD OF HOSTS HAS PURPOSED” is as real today as it was when Isaiah wrote it over 2,500 years ago!  GOD IS IN CONTROL, even when we cannot SEE how?  “THE LORD OF HOSTS HAS PURPOSED”, just have FAITH!!!

“MY PEOPLE!”

 “MY PEOPLE!”

Romans 9:19-33                                 (ESV)

“19 You will say to me then, "Why does HE still find fault? For who can resist HIS will?"

20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to GOD? Will what is molded say to its MOLDER, "Why have YOU made me like this?"

21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

22 What if GOD, desiring to show HIS wrath and to make known HIS power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

23 in order to make known the riches of HIS glory for vessels of mercy, which HE has prepared beforehand for glory-

24 even us whom HE has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

25 As indeed HE says in Hosea, "Those who were not “MY PEOPLE” I will call 'MY PEOPLE,' and her who was not beloved I will call 'beloved.'" 

26 "And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not MY people,' there they will be called 'sons of the living GOD.'" 

27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, ONLY A REMNANT of them WILL BE SAVED,

28 for the LORD will carry out HIS sentence upon the earth fully and WITHOUT DELAY."

29 And as Isaiah predicted, "If the LORD OF hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah." 

30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith;

31 BUT THAT ISRAEL who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness DID NOT SUCCEED in reaching that law.

32 Why? Because THEY DID NOT PURSUE IT BY FAITH, BUT as if it were BASED ON WORKS. They have stumbled over THE STUMBLING STONE,

33 as it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in HIM will not be put to shame."”

My most recent devotional was only two verses long.  This one is a “tad” more lengthy!  SEEing precisely what the Apostle Paul was attempting to make known to the church in Rome, and allowing it to strengthen and mature us, demanded that at least these verses were studied.  According to one commentary, “Romans 9 begins with Paul describing his anguish for his people Israel in their rejection of CHRIST. After describing all the privileges GOD has given to the Jewish people as a nation, Paul insists that GOD will keep those promises. However, not every person born to Israel belongs to Israel, he writes. GOD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SHOW MERCY TO SOME AND NOT OTHERS, as Paul demonstrates from Scripture. GOD is like a potter WHO CREATES “some vessels for destruction and others for glory”. GOD has called out HIS people FROM BOTH the Gentiles and the Jews to FAITH in CHRIST, the stumbling stone.”

Abraham, the father of our FAITH (Romans 4:16-17), was called out of a life of worshipping false gods from “Ur of the Chaldees” (Genesis 11:31), which mainly worshipped the “moon god”.  GOD “called him out” of that practice and PROMISED him to make him a father of a “great nation” (Genesis 12:2).  Abraham (then known as Abram) was 75 years old at the time!  Sarai, his wife, was barren, so how could GOD say that HE was going to make Abram a “great nation” when he had NO OFFSPRING?  

When GOD CHOOSES someone to be “MY PEOPLE”, HE WILL DELIVER WHAT HE PROMISES, WITHOUT DELAY!  What we have to accept is that HIS ways are NOT our ways and HIS TIMING doesn’t always equate to our timeline!  In Genesis 12:5, GOD told Abram as he passed through Canaan “To your offspring I WILL GIVE this land”, which was currently occupied by Canaanites.  They had the land, but GOD CREATED it and the earth and everything in it (Acts 17:24) PROMISED Abraham that HE would GIVE IT to his offspring!  

Getting to the meat if the matter, we MUST SEE that “MY PEOPLE” are people NOT physical bloodline from Abraham, we are those whose FAITH is in the same GOD as Abraham!  Exhibiting that FAITH is walking where GOD leads you, even if it is through the dark wilderness!  HIS Plan may lead you into prison, and it may lead you into poverty, but if it does, GOD will be with “MY PEOPLE” and HIS PEACE is the substance that will carry you through, not the wealth and luxuries of “this world”!

“WAIT FOR IT!”

 Habakkuk 2:2-3                            (ESV)

“2 And the LORD answered me: "Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, SO HE MAY RUN WHO READS IT. 

3 FOR STILL THE VISION AWAITS ITS APPOINTED TIME; it hastens to the end-it will not lie. If it seems slow, “WAIT FOR IT”; it will surely come; it will not delay.”

There are some who use common phrases to get a point across.  One of those phrases of recent times is “WAIT FOR IT”, requesting a listener to expect a noticeable difference in the very near future!  It might be a punchline on a joke, but the person saying “WAIT FOR IT” is confident that you will be moved by what is coming.  Sometimes the expected ends it is fantastic, and sometimes not as much.  But just saying those words is meant for people to take notice, AND PREPARE!

The LORD, GOD ALMIGHTY, instructed Habakkuk to WRITE THE VISION,  SO HE MAY RUN WHO READS IT!  In verse 9 of the same chapter GOD says “"Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!”  The word “WOE” is defined as “great sorrow or distress”.  So the message is if you gain riches from evil, “WAIT FOR IT” because “it will surely come”, and this is from YAHWEH!  HIS WORD IS TRUTH!

When GOD gives us a vision of good things, a lot of the time we are excited and anxious, waiting to See what GOD has Promised.  But when GOD Promises punishment, “WAIT FOR IT”, it will surely come; it will not delay!  There are some who can’t SEE the things of GOD.  Those who EYES are yet to be OPENED probably don’t want to SEE what is coming for them!  

Colossians 3:2 states “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”  For we who can SEE our future, keeping our minds set on things that are above should be an easy task.  The same thing applies for us as for those who have punishment coming, “WAIT FOR IT”, it will surely come; it will not delay!!!

“WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER!”

 Acts 1:12-14                                                 (ESV)

“12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.

13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.

14 All these WITH ONE ACCORD “WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER”, together with the women and Mary the mother of JESUS, and his brothers.”

“This world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and its god has a definite passion for moving quickly in everything it does.   Like the vintage spinning tops of old, mostly what they accomplish is going super fast around in a circle and then just falling over on their side, accomplishing nothing!  Faster internet speeds, faster meals, faster this, faster that, it is a world where everything needs to be faster!  Seldom does one write about taking longer to get something in appreciative tones.

Waiting on GOD is not quite the same experience.  When the Children of Israel had left Egypt and were headed to the Promised Land, GOD told them in Exodus 14:2 to encamp facing the Red Sea.  They weren’t supposed to be looking back towards Egypt, but forward to where GOD was leading them.  Scripture doesn’t hide the fact that GOD received Glory over Pharaoh and all his hosts that day, but it was only after the Israelites WAITED for “the enemy” to fall into GOD’S PLAN!  

JESUS was crucified IN A HURRY, apparently to capitalize on the frenzied crowd during Passover in Jerusalem.  Following the Crucifixion and Resurrection of our LORD, the disciples were told by JESUS W to “WAIT for the Promise of the FATHER” in Acts 1:4 before ascending to Heaven.  

So what did they do in the Upper Room during this time?  They “WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER”, for they KNEW the Holy Spirit was about to be released onto the world, and getting themselves prepared was required for the Plan of GOD.  Peter preached a short Sermon, and “about three thousand souls” were added that day!  Peter was a converted fisherman, with no formal schooling for preaching, but the Holy Spirit doesn’t require college and seminary degrees, HE needs fertile soil for the FATHER to pluck souls from! 

Shouldn’t we be able to learn from this history and change our methods of evangelism?  We don’t need larger auditoriums, brighter light shows, softer pews, or ornate fixtures!  We NEED people who “WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER”, and trusting GOD to draw people into HIS fold!  Sure, times are changing, but the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is STILL in charge of everything!  We NEED people who “WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER” and let GOD do what only HE can do!!!

“BE STILL!”

 Psalms 46:10                        (ESV)

“”BE STILL”, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!  I WILL BE EXALTED AMONG THE NATIONS.  I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH!”

People in general are living their lives at such a frenzied pace that there is no way they can SEE where they are headed.  One of the most amazing blessings that I have experienced in my life was surviving the Brain Hemorrhage in 2007.   My life until then was “crammed” so full of what I was convinced were “important things” that I hardly had time to “stop and smell the roses”.  During the 24 month recovery time following the Hemorrhagic Stroke, I was left with nothing to do a great deal of the time, so ALMIGHTY GOD wasn’t competing with “this world” for my attention.  Looking back, that was one of the most PEACEFUL times of my life! 

As I began the process of getting back to making a living following the illness, we bought the insurance agency back that we had sold in 2006.  It took me almost five years to discover that I was NOT the same person who was involved in EVERYTHING in years past, instead I was dramatically changed.  The desire and drive to do things the way I had done before was not within me.  While attending a meeting on December 12, 2012 (named appropriately 12/12/12) I could SEE that ALMIGHTY GOD had a PLAN and a PURPOSE for everything, even my Brain Hemorrhage!  

As I REMEMBER back to the days prior to the illness, I am NOW painfully aware that I was spinning so fast and furious that I was unable to HEAR from ALMIGHTY GOD (1 Kings 19:11-12).  Being deceived, my thoughts were that I was doing things for others?  But I was NOT seeking THE LORDS PLAN, just doing what was in my BRAIN (mind) at the time.  Now that feeble BRAIN was damaged and my dependency on JESUS CHRIST became more obvious.  Soon I found that admitting that I was damaged goods was not such a bad thing, for in my weaknesses, HE IS MADE STRONG (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)!  

Our adversary, the devil, does everything he can to keep us moving at a speed that will keep our hearts and minds occupied on ANYTHING except JESUS.  ALMIGHTY GOD, in HIS PROVIDENCE, has orchestrated happenings in my life to SLOW DOWN the activities of my surroundings and SEE what HE is telling me to do.  Just recently I came across a video of former employees of several social media platforms that say those social media platforms are trying to manipulate our thoughts, especially when it comes to social and SPIRITUAL matters!   “A whole generation is more anxious, more depressed...” really hammered home what “the enemy” is up to, controlling our minds with something that we voluntarily place into them, akin to spiritual suicide!?!

It isn’t enough just to “BE STILL”, we MUST EXALT GOD in everything we do!  This has not always been my main objective, as I was playing ball, coaching ball, selling insurance, being a school board member, or anything else that I could find to immerse myself in other than exalting my CREATOR!  It wasn’t that I was working against THE LORD, but I was operating on my own strength and wisdom.  Why didn’t GOD just cause my plans to be successful?  Why did HE cause me to have to” BE STILL”?  Seeing that HIS PLAN far exceeds anything that I could dream or imagine is one of the biggest Blessings that has entered my mind.  

On June 06, 2014 Psalms 46:10 Ministries, Inc. was approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization.  Psalms 46:10 states “”BE STILL”, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!  I WILL BE EXALTED AMONG THE NATIONS.  I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH!”  It isn’t enough for us to just “BE STILL”, we MUST acknowledge and worship the fact that HE IS GOD!  HE doesn’t require us to make thousands, even millions of dollars.  HE isn’t impressed by how many people “like” our writings, or “retweet’s” are made of our posts, GOD made us to GLORIFY HIM, especially when we “BE STILL”, AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!  And “the enemy” is all about us speeding up!?!?!  Can you SEE the difference???

“THE PEACE OF GOD!”

 Philippians 4:4-7                              (ESV)

“6 DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD.

7 And “THE PEACE OF GOD”, which SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS in CHRIST JESUS.”

“The WORD OF GOD is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12) is a verse that has always escaped my untrained understanding.  That is until recently when I was reading and writing about “THE PEACE OF GOD”!  JESUS brings PEACE, and this PEACE SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, and it WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS!  Walking through the valley of the shadow of death can be done with NO FEAR when JESUS is leading us.  

When we experience ANXIOUS times, “the enemy” would love nothing better than to cause “worry and doubt” to flood our minds!  And we can fall into that trap rather easily unless we recognize and identify “the enemy” as he disguises himself like no other (Genesis 3:1)!  Once one has experienced “THE PEACE OF GOD” through the trials and tribulations that can so often beset us, there is NOTHING else that can or will satisfy.  “This world” will do whatever it is available to provide relief of some sort, but “THE PEACE OF GOD” which SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS, only through JESUS CHRIST!

Acknowledging “the enemy” by recognizing and identifying his tactics is the surest means of making him flee according to James 4:7!  When “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) blinds people, he can easily confuse them with his deception.  Deception is his most effective tool, making people see things his way!  His way is has a predetermined ending though, and it is part of the deception that he doesn’t want known to man.  

When we focus on “THE PEACE OF GOD”, satan MUST flee, along with his deceiving, conniving methods.  You can experience “THE PEACE OF GOD”, but only if we cease doing things our way.  GOD will not share HIS GLORY, so we MUST align our priorities with HIS!  We cannot experience “THE PEACE OF GOD” outside of THE WILL OF GOD.  Yielding to the WILL OF GOD becomes more desirable when we SEE that our ways are not HIS WAYS (Isaiah 55:8-9)!  

HEAVENLY FATHER, cause me to desire “THE PEACE OF GOD” in my life far above the things of “this world”!!!

“THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU!”

 Exodus 14:10-14                             (ESV)

“10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. AND THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL CRIED OUT TO THE LORD.

11 They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?

12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."

13 And Moses said to the people, "FEAR NOT, STAND FIRM, and SEE the salvation of the LORD, which HE will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you SEE today, you shall never SEE again.

14 “THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU”, AND YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT."”

Why is it that I feel a need to be the hands and feet for ALMIGHTY GOD?  HE Created “the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) in less than a day, and the thing humans conveniently choose to forget, HE had NO INPUT from anyone nor anything!  GOD doesn’t require humans to get Glory, but HE uses us to Glorify HIS NAME in many instances.  It might be that the reason there aren’t more CREATION type Miracles is that we would want to share in the Glory, and GOD doesn’t share HIS Glory (Isaiah 42:8)!  

WHEN GOD DOES A WORK THAT IS MAGNANIMOUS, HE USUALLY DOES IT ON HIS OWN!  The greatest example of this I can speak of in my life happened in July 2007!  Nobody has yet to explain to me how or why the brain hemorrhage subsided after over two weeks in a coma?  My medical records state my recovery was a miracle from GOD!  Make no mistake, the staff assigned to care for me were and are absolutely WONDERFUL, but all the credit for my healing goes to ALMIGHTY GOD!  

GOD told Moses explicitly where to WAIT for HIM in Exodus 14:1-2.  HE KNEW that the Red Sea has a land bridge at that precise location.  HE also KNEW the Egyptians would be so overconfident they would bog down in mud on the outskirts of the land bridge trying to overtake the Israelites.  ALMIGHTY GOD orchestrated the entire catastrophe for Egypt, but the victorious crossing for the Israelites.  The same event was seen differently according to the relationship with GOD! But they weren’t required to do ANYTHING....BUT BE SILENT!  Once again, GOD WAS DOING THE MAGNANIMOUS ALL BY HIMSELF!  

It could be the reason we don’t SEE the MAGNANIMOUS as often as they did in Biblical times is that we want to “assist” GOD, which could possibly lead to us getting in HIS WAY of doing the MAGNANIMOUS?  Are you content with waiting for GOD to be GOD, or do you prefer to help HIM along???  It might be that WE NEED TO JUST BE SILENT and allow “THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU”, and win our battles for us???

“YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!”

 John 3:1-8                                                    (ESV)

“1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2 This man came to JESUS BY NIGHT and said to HIM, "Rabbi, we know that YOU are a TEACHER come from GOD, for no one can do these signs that YOU do unless GOD is with HIM."

3 JESUS answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of GOD."

4 Nicodemus said to HIM, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

5 JESUS answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the SPIRIT, he cannot enter the kingdom of GOD.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the SPIRIT is spirit.

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, '”YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN”.'

8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the SPIRIT." 

These days some people are spending a goodly amount of time “dealing” with a virus that, even with the most inclusive numbers, has claimed less than 0.07 percent of the lives of our nation. Some government officials are doing their best to restrict the GOD GIVEN RIGHTS of its citizens in the supposed interests of public health?!?  Understanding how that formula is calculated when things like cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity (and on and on is allowed) is beyond comprehension.  The public was requested to follow certain suggestions for 15 days to slow the spread of the virus on March 16, 2020, yet 6 months later we are still trying to slow the spread?  Mankind doesn’t have the intelligence to compete with THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.  “The spread” will slow when THE ALMIGHTY declares that it will.  

In the above Scriptures, Nicodemus came to JESUS “by night”, presumably to avoid being seen by his fellow JEWS.  He was a RULER of the Jews, a member of the Sanhedrin, probably a wealthy, well educated and respected man.  Yet he couldn’t SEE when JESUS said to him “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is BORN AGAIN he cannot see the kingdom of GOD."  

In John 4:24, JESUS specifically says “GOD IS SPIRIT, and those who worship him MUST worship in SPIRIT and TRUTH."  There is no other option, we MUST worship HIM in SPIRIT and TRUTH!  Nicodemus was told “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN”, precisely the same wording because there is NO OTHER WAY!  We MUST worship HIM in SPIRIT and TRUTH as evidence that we are HIS!  Mankind tries to dream up in our minds every solution to the problems of “this world”, and the only ANSWER IS JESUS!  THERE IS NO OTHER WAY!

Just as Nicodemus was a man of means with an apparent DESIRE to do the right thing, he had to be DRAWN TO GOD (John 6:44) by the FATHER, as we ALL are drawn!  Unless GOD DRAWS YOU, coming to JESUS will not happen.  Nicodemus found this out, and it was a long process for him.  Being part of THE CHOSEN is hard for some to grasp, but it doesn’t make it any less TRUTH!  “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN”, and GOD MUST DRAW you to HIM!

“NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT!”

 Genesis 2:15-17                               (ESV)

“15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,

17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it YOU SHALL SURELY DIE."”

Genesis 3:1-4                                  (ESV)

“1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD GOD had made. He said to the woman, "Did GOD actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" 

2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,

3 but GOD said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'"

4 But the serpent said to the woman, "YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE.”

“The enemy” is the GREAT DECEIVER!  But we can be guilty of not being familiar enough with TRUTH to prevent the deception from affecting our lives!  What did GOD say in Genesis 2:17 to Adam?  “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil YOU SHALL NOT EAT, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”.  GOD then gave Adam a woman and Adam named Eve, who Adam should have relayed exactly what GOD had said!  In Genesis 3:3-4 the woman said that GOD spoke “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE.”

It is plain to recognize the difference in the punishment for disobedience to GODS instructions.  GOD said “YOU SHALL SURELY DIE”!  The serpent responds “YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE”!  Obviously “the enemy” of TRUTH was speaking half-truths, which equates to LIES, something that JESUS reminds us about in John 8:44!   

The real TRUTH about what GOD SAID was “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil YOU SHALL NOT EAT, for in the day that you eat of it YOU SHALL SURELY DIE."  The woman reported that HE said “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, “NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT”, lest you die.'" GOD never said NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT”, so why did Eve misquote THE CREATOR?  Genesis 2:16 says “And the LORD GOD “commanded the man”, saying”!  The woman wasn’t there, so she had to rely on what she was told through her husband.  Her husband evidently did a poor job of implanting TRUTH in her, for she was so unfamiliar with the TRUTH that she got it wrong in speaking to “the enemy”, who capitalized on the “error”!  

We have THE WORD in numerous translations and languages, but are we familiar enough with it to identify “error” when it is colored with just a little truth?  Genesis 3:1 says “Now the serpent was MORE CRAFTY than any other beast of the field that the LORD GOD had made.”  The serpent is STILL trying to DECEIVE, it is in his own character (John 8:44)!  We are COMMANDED to be familiar enough with THE WORD that we will identify “error” when “the enemy” attempts to DECEIVE us.  “NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT” sounds like a good strategy, but knowing the TRUTH would have been the wisest option for mankind!  

Psalms 119:11 “I have stored up YOUR WORD in my heart, that I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST YOU”.  

“THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT GOD’S!”

 2 Chronicles 20:15-17                                                 (ESV)

“15 And HE said, "Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for “THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT GOD’S”.

16 TOMORROW GO down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 You will not need to fight in this battle. STAND FIRM, HOLD YOUR POSITION, and SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD ON YOUR BEHALF, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. TOMORROW GO OUT AGAINST THEM, and the LORD will be with you."”

This devotional was shared June 28, 2019.  While searching last evening I found these Scriptures highlighted, which usually means that I have written about the highlighted verses.  After making some light grammatical changes, I offer this once again, for “THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT GOD’S”! 

One of my favorite verses of Scripture is found in Exodus 14:14.  It says “The LORD will fight for you, and YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT."  There are SO MANY times that I want to “do something” FOR THE LORD instead of allowing HIM to exact HIS WILL in a situation.  It may be a trait that some of us are born with, helping those in need or correcting a wrong done by others, but Scripture says “THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT GOD’S”!

Why then do we TRY to do or figure out everything on our own?  We TRY to earn more money.  We TRY to eat a healthy diet (except for Blue Bell ice cream!), we TRY to exhibit CHRIST in our lives, and yet we cannot even do that!  All we can do is turn our weaknesses over to HIM and claim 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But HE (JESUS) said to me (Paul), "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, for MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the POWER OF CHRIST may rest upon me”!

When we are faced with ANY kind of problem, great or small, why don’t we (mainly I) remember that “THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT GOD’S”?  It isn’t rocket science.  However, it is understanding that HE IS GOD, and I am not!  Psalms 46:10 says “"Be still, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"  Knowing that HE IS GOD (and we are not) and “THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT GOD’S” should take all stress and worry from our lives! 

“DEPART FROM ME!”

Matthew 7:21-23                                              (ESV)

“21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'

23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; “DEPART FROM ME”, you workers of lawlessness.'”

As I have just finished listening to Rev. John MacArthur preach for over one hour regarding the Holiness of GOD, and the unholiness of man, my heart is so thankful that JESUS imputed HIS Righteousness on me, and my sins were born by HIM!  But I am also saddened that “this world” cannot SEE their choices are fatal, and they proceed with wreckless abandon toward a certain meeting with our CREATOR!  

While I realize that Matthew 7:14 states that “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to LIFE, and THOSE WHO FIND IT ARE FEW”, the end result DEMANDS that they will experience an eternal Hell, where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched!  2 Corinthians 4:4 says “In their (the people who cannot SEE) case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from SEEING the LIGHT of the gospel of the glory of CHRIST, WHO is the image of GOD”! 

Understanding that probably none of them will ever see anything that I write, there is little chance that I can have a great impact on the lawlessness and debauchery that seems to be growing like a wildfire all around us.  But Luke 1:37 says “For nothing will be impossible with GOD”, so my heartfelt prayer is that HE will move in a way that only HE can and draw many to HIMSELF.  

In my humble opinion, it cannot be long before the last chance for redemption comes!  It saddens me that many of my friends and family may miss the cutoff time!  There will be MANY (Matthew 7:21-23) will think that they are going to Heaven, but they are going to be sent away, hearing “DEPART FROM ME” from the ONE WHO purchased my salvation!  

“I AM GOD!”

 Isaiah 46:8-11                                           (ESV)

“8 "REMEMBER THIS and STAND FIRM, recall it to mind, you transgressors, 

9 remember the former things of old; for “I AM GOD”, and there is no other; “I AM GOD”, and there is none like ME, 

10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'MY COUNSEL SHALL STAND, and I WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL MY PURPOSE,' 

11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I HAVE PURPOSED, and I WILL DO IT.”

Seeing who we are through the EYES OF A HOLY GOD can be frightening!  Our ONLY HOPE is to have the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IMPUTED into our account, as our sinfulness was IMPUTED onto HIM at Calvary.  Outside of CHRIST, we have NO CHANCE of standing before a thrice HOLY GOD except for the JUDGMENT.  NONE OF US!

The best Sunday School teacher, the wisest pastor, the most benevolent millionaire, we are ALL sinners in need of a Savior!  The bum on skid row all the way to the President of the United States!  Yes, regardless of what a lot of people are proclaiming, even President Trump is not GOD.  He is being used by GOD to accomplish GOD’S Purpose and Plan during this time of uncertainty and turmoil in America.  Don’t get caught up with some of the things going on, “I AM GOD” IS IN CHARGE and MY COUNSEL SHALL STAND, and I WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL MY PURPOSE!  

Many people want to talk about what “they are doing”, even if what “they are doing” is for the KINGDOM OF GOD.  But ALMIGHTY GOD gives us the very breath that we breathe.  HE directs the hearts of Kings (Proverbs 21:1), so NO ONE should ever become conceited about what they are accomplishing.  Being cognizant that my abilities are only because “I AM GOD” is going before me should be at the forefront of my mind.  

Colossians 1:15-16 says “HE (JESUS) is the image of the invisible GOD, the firstborn of ALL CREATION.  For by HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED, in HEAVEN and on EARTH, VISIBLE and INVISIBLE, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-ALL THINGS WERE CREATED THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM.”  JESUS CHRIST is preeminent, not a lowly sinner who serves HIM!  HE deserves PRAISE and HONOR for being “I AM GOD”, and I need to remember that!!!

“MUST BELIEVE!”

 Hebrews 11:4-7                                              (ESV)

“4 By FAITH Abel offered to GOD a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, THROUGH WHICH HE WAS COMMENDED AS RIGHTEOUS, GOD commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his FAITH, THOUGH HE DIED, he still speaks.

5 By FAITH Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because GOD had taken him. Now before he was taken HE WAS COMMENDED AS HAVING PLEASED GOD.

6 And WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, for whoever would draw near to GOD “MUST BELIEVE” that HE exists and that HE REWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK HIM.

7 By FAITH Noah, being warned by GOD concerning EVENTS as YET UNSEEN, in REVERENT FEAR constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES BY FAITH.”

Acknowledging that we are ALL created by ALMIGHTY GOD is something we MUST BELIEVE in order to grow in our FAITH!  But one may ask about the the pregnancy resulting from a sexual assault?  Or what about the man and wife who CANNOT conceive, even after all kinds of medical intervention?  To SEE that GOD IS IN CONTROL, even of the bad things in life, things that WE WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY, is a huge step in admitting that WE ARE NOT GOD!  To recognize that WE ARE NOT GOD must happen before we can SEE THAT HE IS GOD!

As for me, this was never more clear than in July/August 2007.  The fact that I was morbidly close to exiting “this world” aside, my agenda had morphed into something that was controlling my actions, NOT being led by the SPIRIT OF GOD!  ALMIGHTY GOD, in HIS gentlemanly manner, kept me in a coma for 17 days, with machines even controlling my breathing, and awakened me to being so “groggy” that I could not keep up with conversations for weeks, even months!  Only six or seven years later were my EYES OPENED to SEE that the Brain Hemorrhage occurred in the WORD RECALL portion of my brain, something that GOD must have ordained.  HE not only SLOWED DOWN my quick tongue, HE softened my SHARP TONGUE that had not always been used to GLORIFY HIM.  

Graduating in FAITH to being able to acknowledge that we are simply CHOSEN vessels used by ALMIGHTY GOD to accomplish HIS PURPOSE is not something that some people ever accomplish.  The same GOD WHO CREATED the everything is living inside of me, accomplishing HIS PLAN.  For me to stay out of HIS WAY has to be my biggest challenge, for “the enemy” is seeking who he may devour (1 Peter 5:8) to throw kinks in the MASTERS PLAN!  

As Believers, we “MUST BELIEVE” that ALMIGHTY GOD IS IN CONTROL and HE allows difficulties to strengthen us FOR HIS GLORY.  In Matthew 8:23-27 the disciples were frightened by a storm, even though JESUS had already told them they were going to the other side!  They were astonished that even “the winds and sea obey HIM”!  Their FAITH was increased because of the storm they had to go through!  It is easy to say when everything is going smoothly, but DO NOT FEAR when the seas of your life begin to become stormy!  You “MUST BELIEVE” that GOD exists and that HE REWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK HIM!!!

“YOU SHALL REMEMBER!”

 Deuteronomy 8:11-20                                             (ESV)

“11 "TAKE CARE LEST YOU FORGET THE LORD your GOD by not keeping HIS commandments and HIS rules and HIS statutes, which I command you today,

12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them,

13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied,

14 then your heart be lifted up, AND YOU FORGET THE LORD your GOD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,

15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock,

16 WHO fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that HE might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.

17 Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.'

18 “YOU SHALL REMEMBER” the LORD your GOD, for it is HE WHO gives you power to get wealth, that HE may confirm HIS covenant that HE swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

19 And IF YOU FORGET THE LORD your GOD and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I SOLEMNLY WARN YOU TODAY that you shall surely perish.

20 Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your GOD.”

My heart rejoices that September 11, 2001 was not forgotten by many.  The social media references were numerous and the sense of humility was once again evident.  It saddens me that the WE THE PEOPLE seem to be so hurried by “this world” and what we see are “essential” tasks, that we forget that in the days following the attacks everything basically came to a halt.  There were no airplanes in the sky, no traffic jams on the interstates, stock trading was suspended, everything was interrupted by a group of 19 militants armed with simple box cutters willing to die for their cause!

REMEMBERING things that are “uncomfortable” to us can neglected, especially when we count our losses in human lives. The Children of Israel experienced over 400 years of captivity that to the Egyptians, and it was brutal in some instances.  GOD instructed them in the passages above “YOU SHALL REMEMBER” the LORD your GOD, not if you have time, but “YOU SHALL REMEMBER”!  

As humans, we have a tendency to allow “the enemy” to dictate that which we allow our minds to focus.  Whether it is on the stock market, on our business schedule, on our families, on anything except for GOD and HIS BLESSINGS!  When YOU FORGET THE LORD your GOD, and the valleys HE has brought you through, it can be hard to SEE where you might be without HIS guidance.  The Israelites were COMMANDED “YOU SHALL REMEMBER” to keep the Blessings of deliverance fresh on their minds.  

Likewise, “YOU SHALL REMEMBER” should be something that we SLOW DOWN and take time to count our Blessings!  Using myself as a prime example, on August 28, 2007 I was released from the Rehab Hospital following the Brain Hemorrhage.  A photograph shows me walking cautiously with the assistance of a walker, something that I now do without thinking about.  “YOU SHALL REMEMBER” these days is not something that brings joy and laughter to my mind, but SEEING what GOD has brought me through is very humbling and amazed!  There are NO LIMITATIONS on what GOD is able to accomplish!  “YOU SHALL REMEMBER” that!!!