Tuesday, March 31, 2015

#53 The Prophets

C. Peter Wagner: In a word from
Jeremiah the prophet against Babylon 
and the land of the Chaldeans, God 
declared, 

    "Babylon is taken, Bel is shamed. Merodach is broken in pieces" 
(Jer. 50:2,3).

The word "Bel" and "Baal" is a generic name for "Lord," and here it is applied to Merodach, as in Lord Merodach. He was "the state-god of Babylon" or the ranking territorial spirit over that nation.

In chapter 3 (of his book Warfare Prayer), I mentioned the enlightening passage in Daniel 10 where specifically the "prince of Persia" and the "prince of Greece" are named. (#37 Biblical Examples - Daniel )

It will not be necessary here to recount the details, but simply to reiterate the concept of territoriality. Old Testament scholars Keil and Delitzsch conclude that the "prince of Persia" is indeed the demon of the Persian kingdom.

They refer to him as..

    "the supernatural spiritual power standing behind the 
     national gods, which we may properly call the guardian
     spirit of the kingdom."

In summary, it does seem that, without providing a great amount
of detail, much of the old Testament is based on the assumption that certain supernatural spiritual beings have dominion over geo-political spheres.

Not only that, but it is important to note that these concepts carried through the intertestamental time to the Jewish people of New Testament times.

Oscar Cullmann says,

     "This abundantly attested late Jewish belief that all peoples
      are ruled through angels is present particularly in The
      Book of Daniel
, in The Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach,
      and in the Book of Enoch, and it can be shown to be 

      present also in the Talmud and Midrash...The existing
      earthly political power belongs in the realm of such 
      angelic powers."

(Google image and emphasis added)


#53  The Prophets
By C. Peter Wagner
(pgs. 93-94) Regal Books








     Father, we see our need to understand that we're fighting against evil spirits, not people.
     May our spiritual eyes be enlightened to their destructive influences in the lives we come in contact with. 
      Remind us that the name of Jesus is what is most powerful in coming against them.
      It's in His Name, that I pray. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Zeph. 2:7b "For the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity."

Today's praise verse: 2 Chron. 5:13a "The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: 'He is good; his love endures forever.' "

Today’s quote: Bob Gass Ministries - "People truly appreciate it when you make the effort, no matter how small, to try and see things from their point of view. Paul writes, 'Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another' (Rom. 12:10 NKJV).

Everybody you meet is wrestling with a fear or fighting a battle, and if you're caring and sensitive God will give you a word that can lift them. Isaiah said, 'The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary' (Isa. 50:4 NKJV). What a gift—to be able to lift someone who is struggling." (The Daily Devotional by Bob Gass ministries Dec-Jan-Feb)

Some thoughts today: When you read God's Word, the Bible, ask Him what does it say about His Son. (1 Kings 1 speaks of Jesus riding on a donkey...) 

- Rev. 19:11-16  speaks of Jesus. Zech 9:9,10 is a prophecy of Him).

- Judges 5:1-10 speaks of Jesus. Be on the lookout for Him all through Scripture, as it's all about Him!

4/2 Thursday’s post:  #54 The New Testament
C. Peter Wagner

3rd- Friday's special post:  Who is this Man?
Isaiah 53

4th- Saturday's post:  The Child (a prayer of hope)
James H. Cagle

5th- Sunday evening's post:  His Choice
Joe Stowell

A popular post:  Breaking Strongholds in Cities Dutch Sheets: “Many Christians believe that protection from accidents, destruction, satanic traps and assaults, etc., is automatic for the Christian—that we do nothing to cause it—that it is based on the sovereignty of God alone..."


jean-oathout.blogspot.com   (save to check in sometime)

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse
Kindle $2.99


 A great gift for someone who
needs help in their marriage


Bridal Shower Devotional
Bridal Wisdom for Women

My book in paperback $7.95
Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse

 AuthorsDen.com
Where authors and readers come together!


Sunday, March 29, 2015

Why Choose Jesus?


Jean Oathout tells us many of the reasons to choose Jesus over Satan's plans for us. Jesus is the One Who can change us, for the good!

 1. Jesus loves us..                               Satan hates us

 2. Jesus offers life and peace..   Satan offers death, pain,                                                                              destruction
 3. Jesus protects us..                  Satan is out to destroy us 
 4. Jesus is all powerful..              Satan is defeated

 5. Jesus gives  us love, wisdom, inspiration, knowledge, joy,

     heaven, companionship, forgiveness, hides our sin, 
     comforts us, and healing is available for us.
 6. He gives us grace to overcome our problems.
 7. His Blood and righteousness cover us when we receive
     His salvation; paid for on the cross of Calvary.
 8. Jesus leads us in our daily activities and decisions.
 9. He gives us rest of body, mind, and spirit.
10. He assures us of the Father's blessings.
11. He encourages us from teachings, sermons, worship songs, 
      forgiving us daily, and the companionship of His Holy Spirit.
12. With the Holy Spirit in us, we're helped to live in right 
       standing with the Father, and to accept instructions and 
       corrections.
13.  Because we're redeemed from eternal destruction, w
       have hope for the future, Life and joy now, and 
       the assurance of Life with Him after death.
14. We can have an intimate relationship with Jesus and the Father.
15. We're given promises in the Bible to give us hope for His help.
16. We can have guidance with our finances, daily living, and 
       in maintaining good friends.
17. Jesus is Someone we can lean on in any circumstance, and 
      Who will help us overcome trials that try our faith. 
18. We're made sons/daughters of the Most High God.
19. Some receive dreams/visions to instruct, correct, or encourage.
20. Jesus is our best Friend!    

Do YOU know Him? Trust Him today!

                             
   Father, when I think of the benefits of choosing
Jesus, may I be quick to express my gratitude to
You.
    Help me listen to good Bible teachers who try
to give me direction and purpose for my life.
    Help me to recall what it is You've provided for me as Your child. May I recall the ones that can direct my decisions each day.
     I look forward to being eternally in Your presence and glory.   May Jesus be praised in my living. Amen.

Eternal Assurance

The cross lay bare and bloodstained...
The nails ripped from Christ's hands.
They came and took His body.
Most did not understand.

The crowd wept tears of sorrow
For they did not realize
His mission was accomplished...
In three days He would arise.

What seemed like such a tragedy
Was all part of God's plan.
When Jesus died, He paid the price...
Our sacrificial lamb.

He conquered death by rising
And opened heaven's door.
If we will just believe in Him,
Our destiny's secure.

© Frances Gregory Pasch

                                        Frances Gregory Pasch 


Double Vision: Seeing God in Everyday Life
through Devotions and Poetry (Pg.100)
by Frances Gregory Pasch 

Published by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.
Used by permission by Frances &
http://www.christiandevotions.us/

Today’s Bible verse:  Jer. 17:10 "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."

Today's praise verse:  1 Chron. 23:30 "They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening..."

Today’s quotes: Joe Stowell - "Many may choose the wilting heat and choking drought of life apart from God, but those who trust in God will be vibrant and fruitful. Depending on Him is like putting our roots into the refreshing water of His goodness. We are strengthened with the confidence that His steadfast love for us will never fail."

Elizabeth H. Winters - (pg 199) in her book, Through the Eyes of the Spirit : "They (people) have to seek him (Jesus) with their hearts, to truly want him and truly accept him as their Savior with no doubt whatsoever. Until they can get past the mindset of a Jesus that they just heard about or was taught about to a Jesus that is truly alive, by opening their hearts and accepting the Savior with their whole heart and soul, they won't be fully alive to the Spirit."


(Used by permission)


Dr. Gary Smalley - "When I focus on Jesus Christ as the sole Source of my life, an amazing thing happens. Because He loves me and actually possesses the wisdom, love, peace, and joy I've always wanted, He alone can overflow my cup."

Our thoughts today: When we respond to God as a child, and come to Him boldly as His child, we're actually living out the heart of what God wants of us.


- God gave the Law to prove to us that we couldn't keep it. Jesus came fulfilling it for us, so His righteousness can be ours through faith in His redemptive work at Calvary.


- There's no condemnation for those who are hidden in Christ Jesus. We are justified and free from the law of sin and death. We're free to serve Him. We no longer have to serve our sinful nature!


31st- Tuesday’s post:  #53 The Prophets
C. Peter Wagner
4/2- Thursday's post:  #54  The New Testament
C. Peter Wagner
3rd- Friday's special post:  Who is this Man?
Isiah 53
4th- Saturday's post:  The Child
James H. Cagle
  
A popular post:   God's Plan for our Sin Oswald Chambers"The Cross of 
Jesus is the revelation of God's judgment 
on sin. Never tolerate the idea of martyrdom about the Cross of Jesus Christ. The Cross was a superb triumph in which the 
foundations of hell were shaken."





 A great gift for someone who
needs help for their marriage


Bridal Shower Devotional
Bridal Wisdom for Women


Saturday, March 28, 2015

Spiritual Blindness

                               

    Lorraine Welch shares with us: John 9:39 (New Living Translation) Then Jesus told him, "I have come to judge the world and give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind!"

    Most people believe in God's existence: That He is the creator of Heaven, Earth and everything in it, and that Jesus died for our sins.

    I have heard people say they don't believe the Bible is the true word of God because people put their own interpretations on things.  Like seeing an auto accident and having three to five witnesses tell about it.  

   The different accounts of the accident have some variations to them.  So they don't think the Bible is the true word of God, because people wrote it, and there's no proof of it.

   Some folks are like that.  They believe in God's existence and they say they pray, but they don't believe the Bible is the true word of God.  They don't attend a church on a regular basis, although they may have grown up going.

    I'm very grieved about their beliefs about the Bible.

    I went to my pastor's wife, who is also a pastor, regarding this.  She told me it was not my job to convince folks that the Bible is the true word of God and that helped me, because everything in me wanted to shake some truth into them.

    I asked the Lord if there was an analogy to use to get them to think about what they are saying. 

God is So Good!
                                                             
    While sitting in the doctor's office with a friend, I was telling her about this. Her name was called.  As she stood up she said:  

    "A business man and head of a company wants to get a
     letter out to the company.  He calls in his secretary and 
     dictates a letter." 

   Off she went into her appointment. 

    I knew the Lord was speaking to me through my friend. He impressed this into my spirit: 
       "The secretary has to write down the exact words as the boss tells her to and sends it out to whom he tells her to."
    "I am the Creator, Top Man; when I wanted to communicate with My people I called upon the disciples, My secretaries. I dictated letters to the world of what I wanted them to know about My nature and character and about the nature of My enemy, Satan.  They wrote down what I dictated to them.  The exact words, like the boss' secretary.
    "Hence the Bible was born.
Not the words of people.  My words."
(Used by permission.  Google image and emphasis added))


The Saints are Dreaming

by Lift the Cross of Jesus!"We are to be ready. We are to be clothed with His armor of salvation. And the thing is that we are to be ALREADY clothed. Not all of a sudden be looking for our armor when the darkness is upon us. It is too late then. And the greatest weapon is what is already in our praisehearts and in our mouths. Praise and worship is what will conquer any enemy in any situation."

(Used by permission)





     Father, make it plain to me what it is You want me to understand about how You are expressing Yourself in Your Word, the Bible.
    Take the blinders off my eyes, so I can see more clearly how to apply Your Word.
    May I be clothed in the armor You've provided for me in Ephesians 6:10-18.
    I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

                              A Gift of Grace


“Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” screamed the angry crowd.
“Release to us Barabbas! Jesus is too proud.
  He claims to be the Son of God. We know that cannot be.
  Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Nail Him to the tree.”

  But little did they realize, His death would be their loss.
  He would secure salvation, when He died upon the cross.
  We could not earn it on our own; it is a gift of grace.
  Only Christ could purchase it by dying in our place.

  If we’ll believe He paid the price, we’ll be with Him one day.
  He alone is “Truth and Life.” He is the “Only Way.”

     ©Frances Gregory Pasch

      (Used by permission)


Today’s Bible verse: 2 Chron. 20:29a "the fear of God was on all..."

Today's praise verse: 1 Chron. 16:36 "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said "Amen" and "Praise the LORD."

Today’s quote: In the wonders of God's creation, we see His majesty and His character. (ODB 3/12/15)

Some thoughts today: Have you made Jesus Lord of your life? Don't arrive in heaven empty handed.

-You'll never know just how your life has affected others, so be 
careful to make Jesus first in your life. Try your best to follow 
what You've learned does please Him. Others will follow your 
example; good or bad.

- Press into God, and leave your mate/child/friend for God to deal with, and to change. Only He can do that.

29th- Sunday evening’s post:  Why Choose Jesus?
Jean Oathout

31st- Tuesday's post:  #53 The Prophets
C. Peter Wagner

4/2 Thursday's post:  #54 The New Testament
C. Peter Wagner

4th- Saturday's post:  The Child
James. H. Cagle

A popular post:   Be Defensive - Keep
 the Serpent Out! Dutch Sheets tells us, “Adam was told in Genesis 2:15 to guard or ‘keep’ the garden. From what? 

It had to be the serpent!.." 


jean-oathout.blogspot.com   (save to check in later)

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse
Kindle $2.99


A great gift for someone who
needs help in their marriage


Bridal Shower Devotional
Bridal Wisdom for Women

My book in paperback $7.95
Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse

 AuthorsDen.com
Where authors and readers come together!

Thursday, March 26, 2015

#52 Historical Books


C. Peter Wagner: "Israel was at war with 
Syria (Aram) almost 900 years before 
Christ.

Ben-Hadad, the Syrian king, was planning 
military strategy.

His advisors told him that the gods of the Israelites were gods of the hills, while the gods of the Syrians were gods of the plains.

Therefore, he should arrange it so the battle would take place on the plains (see 1 Kings 20:23).

This shows that the Syrians perceived ruling spirits to have, if not territoriality, at least topographical jurisdiction. Nothing in the passage or elsewhere in the Old Testament contradicts their perception of territorial spirits ruling areas.

The assumption is that they were correct. Their big error was that they wrongly considered Jehovah God as just another territorial spirit.

This is why Jehovah raised up a prophet at that time to speak to Ahab, king of Israel. God said through the prophet,

    "Because the Syrians have said, 'The Lord is God of the 
     hills but He is not God of the valleys,' therefore I will 
     deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you 
     shall know that I am the Lord" (1 Kings 20:28).

When the battle started, it turned out to be a one -day war! The outnumbered Israelites killed 100,000 Syrian troops in that single day, demonstrating dramatically that Jehovah was Lord of hills, of valleys and for that matter of the entire universe.

One of the most detailed treatments of the territorial nature of the pagan so-called gods is found in 2 Kings 17. Israel was in very bad shape spiritually.

"They built for themselves high places in all their cites" (2 Kings 17:9), they were setting up "sacred pillars and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree" (2 Kings 17:10), and they provoked the Lord to anger because "they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, 'you shall not do this thing' " (2 Kings 17:12).

As if this weren't bad enough, they "worshiped all the host of heaven," served Baal, sacrificed their children to the fire god, and practiced witchcraft (see 2 Kings 17:16,17).

God reacted decisively "and removed them from His sight" (2 Kings 17:18), and then the Assyrians moved into their land with settlers from many nations.

The new immigrants also imported their spirits and they manufactured appropriate images and shrines to personify them...

There is little question that each people group perceived itself to be under the direct influence of a specific principality whose name and habits they well knew, and to whom they were subservient.


#52 Historical Books
By C. Peter Wagner
(pgs. 91-93) Regal Books







     Father, let Your thoughts effect me in
 my daily living to where I make godly 
choices
  
     Increase my knowledge about what the
battle really is, and cause me to become
more battle-ready, by reading Your Book.

     May I be quick to keep You the center-of-attention reason for my living!

     I ask in the Name of Jesus. Amen.  

Today’s Bible verse: Jer. 5:51 "I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them."

Today's praise verse: 1 Chron. 29:13 "Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name."

Today’s quote: Dr. Charles F. Stanley - "Don't let yourself be discouraged by the magnitude of this call to submission. None of us can attain sinless perfection on earth, but each time we take a step of obedience, sin's hold on us will lessen. Press on—you'll soon begin to live in the freedom of enslavement to the most amazing Master you've ever known." (pg 50 in July 20114 In Touch magazine). Used by permission customercare@intouch.org

Some thoughts today: We need to listen closely to the training we receive in church, in our Sunday School classes, and in our community groups/cell groups, for they will help us grow in our faith and understanding of God's Word and way.

- Not only should we pay close attention to what we're taught, but we need to follow the teaching of God's Word, and allow it to cause a difference in our lives. 

- Do we have a readiness of mind, proving the truth of what we've heard? Acts 17:11 shows us that the saints in Thessalonica searched the Scriptures, and tested what the Apostles taught.

28th- Saturday’s post:  Spiritual Blindness
Lorraine Welch

29th- Sunday evening's post:  Why Choose Jesus?
Jean Oathout

31st- Tuesday's post:  #53 The Prophets
C. Peter Wagner

4/2nd- Thursday's post:  #54 The New Testament
C. Peter Wagner

A popular post:   Expect Great Things!
Dennis Fisher shares with us, "William Carey 
was an ordinary man with an extraordinary 
faith.

Born into a working-class family in the 18th century, Carey made his living as a shoemaker.

While crafting shoes, Carey read theology and journals of explorers..."


Spring has sprung! Yea!


jean-oathout.blogspot.com   (save to check in sometime)

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse
Kindle $2.99

A great gift for someone who
needs help in their marriage


Bridal Shower Devotional
Bridal Wisdom for Women

My book in paperback $7.95
Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse
(Check out the used books. Prices are a little lower).

 AuthorsDen.com
Where authors and readers come together!