Author: daughtersofz

Called, appointed and anointed by God, Pastor Debra Lowe has been called to the forefront to pastor along side her husband, Michael Lowe at Hesed Ministries. Pastor Debra has served the Lord for 39 years. Called as a Prophet to the nation she also walks in the office of teacher and is an intercessor. Pastor Debra has used these gifts to minister to the body of Christ, teaching men, women and children to enter into His presence causing them to mature and be changed by His Word. As a servant of the Most High God she brings forth a word in due season to the body of Christ.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     Today I just want to talk a little bit about trusting God, especially when you haven't seen anything manifest in your life that you long for.  “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD.  “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Is.55:8-9) We may have insight to some of God's ways, those things that He reveals to us, but no one knows all the thoughts of God.  Together collectively we can even compile a lot of His thoughts, but we would be omniscient, God, if we did know all of His thoughts.  That's why even to people of faith God does things in his timing, not in ours.  We usually want God to explain Himself.  Tell us the why of everything!  I know I am guilty of wanting explanations to why He doesn't do things the way I expect Him to do it, and when I want Him to do things, given a little time of waiting.  "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all of the words of this law." (Deu. 29:29) The Word of God is enough for us to do, and whatever He does open and show us is what we need to know in order to walk the Word out in our lives.  That is why we have help from on high, so that when things are revealed to us that is to deep for our understanding, Holy Spirit comes to our aide and assist us into actually understanding and then doing it, "The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation"). (Pro. 4:7) "Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny]." (1 Corin. 2:10) If we are honest, we know that most spiritual things bypass our earthly reasoning and goes to our born-again spirit man to be processed, spirit to Spirit.  We can't even reason why the Word of God actually produces a transformation in us, but our spirit knows that the Word works that way.  So, we will never on this side of earth know the answers to all things concerning God, but that's what faith really is, right?  "Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting." (2 Corin. 4:18) Focusing our gaze upon the everlasting things instead of the temporal things that tries to block the eternal view, that is part of our fight.  That which is genuine and real sometimes become overshadowed by temporal things, and we really have to make ourselves focus.
     When this happens and you find your mind hanging around the old flesh pots of Egypt, remember there is a promised land worth having.  [And said to them, Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger; Ex. 16:3] Talk to your mind, your self and tell it, "I don't know how or when it is coming, but I do know that it is going to happen just the way He said it would."  Always remember that those fleshpots, old haunts, habits, pleasures, thoughts, ways, were hooked to the ways of the world.  Talk to yourself, God said,"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."(Jer.29:11)  It doesn't matter how long, stay with Him, as long as you know and understand that God has a plan to give you hope in your final outcome.  Expected equals, cord, hope, ground of hope, things hoped for, outcome.  God's thoughts are towards us for peace and hope!  Keep praying in the spirit and doing the Word, don't allow yourself to be discouraged, you will reap the promise if you don't faint.  Don't faint, don't let your grip go!  Let's practice staying in joy and rejoice while we are waiting, and before you know it we will walk right into your promise land!
 
Love,
 
Pastor D. 

 

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     Talking to Father God during my day, He kept saying one thing to me, "Everything is going to be alright".  You see the Father says this one line to me when everything seems too much or there are way too many troubles, when it seems overwhelming.  It is the same as when he would  speak to His disciples when they were overwhelmed or didn't know the way out, He would speak, "peace", or say "fear not".  He wants us to agree with His omniscient view of it all.  He sums it up with His final appraisal.  Again, I will share a personal Word that the Father spoke to me.  He said:
     My dear child, do you not know that when you speak, I listen, and that you have My undivided attention?  I have heard your cry, and you know that I answer My own.  I Am moved by the sound of your voice speaking and declaring My Word, even though sometimes it is but a weak whisper.  I move the mountains at the smallest glimmer of your faith.  I delight in you so much that you can not understand the depth of My love for you.  You are the apple of My eye and the heavens and the world stands in awe and wonder of My love and devotion to you.  My favor is yours, My honor I give to you, to be called by My name.  At My name every knee must bow, so when you speak in My name, My beloved one, everything waits to beckon to your voice, and will bow even unto the weakest command spoken in My name.  I have given to you all power over all of your enemies, just mention My name in faith, see you are hidden under My shadow, that is why no weapon formed against you shall prosper.  When you decree a thing, I am working on it, to establish it on your behalf.  I want you to enjoy your salvation, yes, there will be tribulations, but the joy will make everything worth it all.  Look on Me, and return to Me this devoted love and watch your Father's special care for you and yes, I will even carry you through to victories promised.  I have never forgotten one promise that I gave to you, I Am bringing it to pass.  Stop the enemy from speaking lies to you because of the temporary moments of afflictions you encounter, all these things will change.  If you will keep your stand and fix your gaze, you will experience a rising glory, one that few have ever known before.  You will step into a constant, a higher walk, one that Enoch and Joshua grew in.  Joshua was drawn to My Presence in worship and waiting, when others were busy about other activities.  Enoch learned how to take My Presence of worship and waiting and make it his daily life.  They lived well pleasing sacrificial lives, lived to the fullest, constant in Me!  This is what I have set your course of life for too, so just choose Me above all else.
     "For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!  You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways." (Isaiah 64:4-5a)
 
Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     "There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way.  Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." (2 Tim. 3:15-17; The Message Bible)  Training us to live God's way.  That is why we need this steady diet of the Word of God, it is shaping us up for the tasks that God has for us!  How much training does it take to live like God?  Training is the education, instruction, or discipline of a person or thing that is being trained; to develop or form the habits, thoughts, or behavior by discipline and instruction; to make proficient by instruction and practice.  Throughout our lives no matter how long we live we will be continually in some form of training, for we are always developing or forming new habits, thoughts, or behaviors.  Training is not always something we love to have happen, but it is necessary in order for us to become proficient.  Proficient is well-advanced, expert, and competent.  We must allow the Word to continue to work in us, in order to make us +
competent in assisting us in correcting our mistakes, exposing our rebellion, showing us truth, and living His way.  We are not leaning on our understanding, we have Holy Spirit to aid us in practicing and becoming more proficient.  Don't forget the anointing!
     "But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth).  For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].  He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you." (John 16:13-14) Just think on that today.  I have help, supernatural help to take the Word of God and reveal it to me clearly.  Every time I choose to walk in the Word to correct mistakes, expose rebellion, show me truth, and live God's way, I have Holy Spirit right alongside me giving me a hand.  "Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4) We have been given everything necessary to live God like.  So, no matter what as long as you stay in Christ, you are headed to becoming more like Him.  His DNA is stronger than all others, we are going to be like Him!  We are being changed daily into His likeness.  This is the great transformation, more of Him and less of us.  "And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit." (2 Corin. 3:18) So, let's continue in the Word and behold the transformation!
 
Love,
 
Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     The word for me this morning in prayer is a challenging one for me, being that the only stable and constant in my life is the Lord.  He woke me up with this: My dear child, it is time to exchange your clothing, to take off the garments of despair, weariness, and fear, and to step into the true joy that salvation clothes you with.  There is so much beauty in holiness that my children can't truly comprehend the depths of it all.  All spirits respond to the aroma and the scent of holiness.  It is the strongest repellent to the wicked ones, that is why it is important for you to continue shining forth the beauty that My salvation has brought to you.  As your beauty that is charged by joy in loving Me emanates, all of the heaven responds with My answers of victorious power, delighting to do My good pleasure to all whose lives are perfumed by the scent of joy.  If you believe that I have already given to you the honor of winning, because I have gained for you the crown by going before you, then lift up your head and hands that hang low, run with joy the race for the finish line is in view.  Every obstacle and instrument that was used to try and trip you up, I have turned to your good, to strengthen your resolve, to make the next step more solid, more secure.  You have remained faithful, yet the joy of your first love has dwindled.  Out of your faithfulness, you remain, but you have done so from duty only.  Any real lover can sense the lack of zeal and joy in one that is only there in presence but not in heart.  Remember, how you followed Me in anticipation of My next move in your life.  I Am still full of excitement for our journey, you must renew your desire for me by meditating on My Word that I speak daily.  As you commit afresh and anew to your vows of love for Me and My Word, you will receive a restoration of joy rising in you.  Your whole being will experience a rush like adrenaline being pumped in you to push you forward with increasing joy and strength.  You will do the works of one who loves with joy, which is a scent to all those who are waiting for you to rise up from being bowed low and they will come to your bright rising and will celebrate with us at the glorious end and step into the new beginning!
     "I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars.  I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.  But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].  Remember then from what heights you have fallen.  Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent." (Rev.2:2-5)  "Behold, God, my salvation!  I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and song; yes, He has become my salvation.  Therefore with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation." (Is. 12:2-3) "To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion–to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit–that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." (Is. 61:3)
  
Love,
 

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear

Good morning,
     "But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and in a great rage, and he ridiculed the Jews.  And he said before his brethren and the army of Samaria, What are these feeble Jews doing?  Will they restore things [at will and by themselves]? Will they [try to bribe their God] with sacrifices?  Will they finish up in a day?  Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?  Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him, and he said, What they build — if a fox climbs upon it, he will break down their stone wall." (Neh.4:1-3) Nehemiah's account is one of courage, even when being taunted by the enemy.  Nehemiah means Jehovah comforts.  This book shows us the Comforter, the precious Holy Spirit and His aid, and assistance in our lives as we work with the Lord to restore the broken walls in our lives and those of our families.  Remember; " You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past.  You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again." (Message Bible; Is. 58:12) 
     Listen to the voice of Sanballat and Tobiah and you will recognize and be able to stop the enemy when he starts taunting you, as you work with God to rebuild new strong walls from the rubble of your past.  Remember the devil uses the same tactics over and over again, he relies on the fact that we won't apply what we know to change our course.  We must trip him up by doing the Word of God!  Let's break it down, with the questions and taunts of those who yielded themselves to the enemy, be cognizant of the fact  that the enemy whispers these same things to try to get us to come down off the walls that will restore and fix many generations.  First, "He ridiculed the Jews", by saying, "what are these feeble Jews doing?"  Ridicule means to mock, to deride, make fun of insultingly; to be unkind with the intention of humiliating; to be malicious.  He attacks us, to try to get us to doubt ourselves and our abilities.  He wants us to think that we could never affect a change in our generation or, our own lives.  Secondly he said; "will they restore things at will and by themselves?"  Next, he tries to make you think that your motives are wrong, or, at least done out of pride, or some other "self promotion" reason.  If that doesn't succeed, then he uses his weapon of choice, to " throw doubt, suspicion, mistrust, and wrong beliefs about God.  "Will they try to bribe their God with sacrifices?" Whatever it takes, to get us to think less of our faith in God and the things of God.  Another tried and true way is to whisper to us about "time".  Most of us believers give up because of, 'time'.  We want everything done before we ask, or at least by the time the thoughts have words and leave our mouth.  Why is it taking so long?  "Will they finish up in a day?"  Time, time!
     If we persevere beyond these attempts to stop us from continuing to rebuild, then he pulls out the "impossibility card".  "Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?"  Notice, he uses our senses against us.  Can't you see that rebuilding these walls are impossible, they are burned into ashes, how can you be expected to do anything about the mess your life is in?  Just in case you have been bold and brave enough to believe God, then he pours acid into the wound with subtle comments, that eat like rot on a piece of fruit.  What they build — if a fox climbs upon it, he will break down their stone wall.  In other words, even if you do something it is insignificant, and in the great scheme of things it is to small to matter.  Lies, lies, lies.  Let's not listen to him any longer, let's receive the counsel and help of the Comforter and keep building just as Nehemiah did.  "So on October 2 the wall was finished — just fifty-two days after we had begun.  When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated.  They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." ( =Neh. 6:15-16)  We bring humiliation to the enemy's camp when we rebuild with the help of God by Holy Spirit, when we are bold in Him, then the wicked will flee from us.  "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!" (1 John 4:4) Let's believe the truth and not a lie, we can do it, rebuild those walls, let's finish it.
 
Love,
Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     Hear the Spirit speak;
          My people are always searching for an "easy word" and an easy way!  Life is hard, you say, and I say, yes, and the enemy of your soul tries to make it tougher than it really is.  I have always tried to strengthen you and make you tougher than anything that might come your way.  Making you well able to endure and outlast whatever you encounter.  Even when you are weak, My strength in you will arise and cause you to be able to go through and come out without the smell of that trouble on you and more wiser than you were before entered.  My faithfulness to you is great, I will not fail to bring you to completion if you will allow Me.  I need your cooperation to do what is necessary make you whole.  I have imprinted you upon the palm of My hand, so your name is always before My face, and because My love for you is so deep, I am constantly raising up watchmen to call out your name in prayer.  I do not slumber, so I Am constantly bringing it to pass.  That is why my angels, those that have been assigned to assist and minister to you will not cease to accomplish their assignment concerning you.  Remember that I have given to you everything to bring you to your divine destiny.  There may be times that this may be held up because of the endeavors of the wicked one, and sometimes things you do, but as long as you will keep your trust in Me, it shall be even as I have spoken it to you.
     I have been removing all that causes you to stumble, so that you can do the work of laboring with Me.  You are the ones that I have ordained to see to it that the devastation of your generation will turn, and be elevated to the city on a hill that I destined you for.  Look past the smoke screen of the wicked one, and all will be made clear to you, you are the Joseph's in your family.   You've been sent ahead in order to save your generation from complete destruction.  It is no small thing that the enemy keeps trying to bring confusion to you and to take you out.  Just as he chased and hounded Joseph to try to make him doubt the call on his life, so the assignment of the enemy remains the same.  Through many trials, test, and tribulations, Joseph prevailed.  His destiny was greater than the testings that he endured, and through it all He became a developed and tested vessel for My glory and My plan to save nations, but especially his own generation of people.  Now you stand in the same place, you are even as Joseph.  You have endured trying and difficult times, accusations from within and without, you have been imprisoned for doing right.  Do not despair, your Helper will bring you out, for your destiny is to save your nation as well.  Many generations are waiting for you to rise up and shine from the dust.  You were brought forth for such a time as this.   I have confidence in you, for you are in My image, I Am a Warrior, and so are you!  The greatest part of you is yet to be seen.  Don't give up!
     "And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.  And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.  But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.  For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

     For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them." (Isaiah 61:4-8)
     "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corin. 12:9-10)

Love,


Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     As a teacher and a minister of the Word of God, you learn early that you are not going to please everyone when you open your mouth to speak Truth.  There will be those who you can minister to with ease and those who reject you.  This should not bother you, for there are people that prefer Wendy's hamburgers to Burger King.  But we as Christians must remember that we are told to, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." (Ps. 105:15) David knew something that the modern day saints have forgotten or never learned, and it is that, "God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." (Ps.75:7) Even when Saul was losing his mind, and was hunting David down to kill him, and was no longer behaving as God's anointed, David's attitude remained the same.  He said of Saul when others were trying to instigate him, “No!” David said.  “Don’t kill him.  For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD’s anointed one?  Surely the LORD will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle.  The LORD forbid that I should kill the one He has anointed!  But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!” (1 Sam. 26:9-11)  Proper Kingdom protocol!  God is the One in charge,and He knows exactly how to deal with His leaders.  Our part is to pray, intercede, and God will then see our right standing as He did with Saul and David.  Hear the heart of David;"The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand." (1 Sam. 24:15) I write this because quite often when we are wronged by our brother, we try to get God and others to agree with us.  Obviously God already had dealt with Saul, after he blatantly disobeyed God when he offered sacrifices and did not have a repentant heart.  God had taken the kingdom from him then, it took time for it to come to pass. (1 Sam.15:28-29) God is always for right, it doesn't matter what it looks like.  We think that God has not dealt with vindication, or righting a wrong that has happened to us, God is faithful to His Word.  His desire is for us to be more like Him and even David, the man after His own heart. (1 Sam. 13:14)
     Remember what we are told to do when we feel like someone has hurt us or wronged us.  "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?  Do not even the publicans the same?" (Mtt. 5:43-46)  We are often struggling to love those who love us, yet alone loving those who hate us.  "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.  It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly.  Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].  It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.  Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].  Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].  As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]." (1 Corin. 13:4-8) Yes, we are here again loving and praying, behaving like God's children.  Children after God's own heart!
Love,
Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     The Spirit of the Lord says;
          Never doubt My faithfulness to you.  Every thing that I have spoken to you, every promise made I Am doing exactly that!  I Am not bound by the time of this world, I Am ageless and timeless.  Just because you have not seen the expected desire, I Am watching over My Word to perform it.  At times you think that I Am unaffected by your cries for relief, yet I Am always beside you making sure that you live to see and walk in the promise.  Only know My Word, never assume that I will do what you want if it doesn't line up with Me.  Quite often this is where My children are deluded and deceived and where their hope becomes deferred.  When you are not acquainted with Me or My ways, you allow the enemy of your soul to make you believe a lie, for you expect Me to do what I cannot do, and that is lie.  When I speak I cannot lie!  I told Joshua and Caleb that they would come into their promise land as long as they continued to believe Me, it came to pass for them.  Forty years passed and My Word was alive in them, it remained the same and they enjoyed the fruit of believing Me.
     Many must let go of the false gods of faith, believing Me for the things in their heart that they could not find in My Word.  For when you believe in things that I did not say, those desires then have become idols, forming their own belief systems in your heart.  Go back and see if those things are so, study to show yourself approved unto Me.  My Word is the Truth that you need to order your life by.  All that is in your life and every test of your life I will turn for your good, no matter how it has comes, or how long it endures, I will keep My promise to you.  It shall be even as I have declared to you.  For it is My Word that you believe and continue in that I can prosper and watch over to perform, not preconceived ideas, or speculations.  So meditate on My Word and you will be amazed when your desires become Mine, bringing us into agreement.  So don't give up, don't lose hope.  I know what time it is, and I have time on My side to perform all that I promise.
     "So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word." (Heb. 10:23)  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.  For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Is. 55:9-11)
 
Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey

Good morning,
     "Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono.  But they thought to do me mischief." (Neh. 6:1-2) I have been thinking about how when we are busy living for God, how the enemy will not just leave us alone.  He is like Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, tormenting and taunting us with all kinds of "little foxes" and some not so little to try and get our minds off of God and His promises to us.  Notice that Nehemiah had closed all the breaches  [gaps or broken places], around the walls of Jerusalem.  We, like Nehemiah are called to repair the broken and open places in our lives and our families, to stop giving the enemy access into our lives, to steal, kill, and destroy.  "And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." (Is.58:12)  Build [establish; cause to continue; to rebuild walls to last;temples] those places in our lives and in the lives of our family that are in ruins.  We came to God that way, in ruins, wasted!  Yet look at us now, we have come a mighty long way, right?  This should encourage us to continue to build to last.  Raise up [become powerful; to maintain, confirm, to fix to endure].  We are fixing up to be able to endure and become more powerful in our generation and for generations to come.  We build and raise up the broken places and the gaps in our lives as we lean upon the Word of God.  We learn by practicing, walking in love, extending mercy and forgiveness, breaking the cycles of sin, speaking truly, believing the promises of God to us, rebuking the enemy at every turn, never quitting, this is our building, this is our closing and repairing the breaches.  Restorer [to refresh, repair in order to turn back to] of paths, where we are to travel on, the highway to heaven.  We have the greatest help, the  precious Holy Spirit comes alongside us and gives us all the grace necessary in order to fulfill this part of our destiny.  It is not by our power, except the power to yield to His work in us!  As long as we work with the Repairer and the Restorer, we will not fail.  You may feel like you have not built very much, but lining up with the Master builder we will be doing a great work.  "According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it.  But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it, For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)." (1 Corin. 3:10-11) We are building upon a firm foundation.  As we bind up all breaches, we will bring our lives and those of our family, back to God's way, back to His paths.  Let us not give any place to the devil, let us continue building in order to close all gaps and openings.  We will join Nehemiah in our response to the enemy of the work; "And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work and cannot come down.  Why should the work stop while I leave to come down to you?" (Neh.6:3) Now that's giving no place to the devil!
  
Love,
 
Pastor D.

Ears to Hear/Hearts to Obey


Good morning,
    Peace.  When you think of that word, do you envision you on a beach with waves crashing in the distance with a somewhat shady day, or, maybe you see yourself curled up in a corner reading a book (or any other hobby or past time that you enjoy) without a problem in the world?  Well, I have it on God's authority, that is not what peace is.  Jesus said; "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) I am always reminded that peaceful outward situations may change at anytime, storms are always brewing, and we are not always aware from which direction, but we that are spirit-filled can sense when trouble is on the horizon.  So, if we are told that in the world you and I would have tribulations, then we need to learn and be constantly practicing staying in Him, because He said He has overcome the world!  The peace that we are longing for is in Him, not in pleasurable moments of peace.  You know those times when we experience the absence of storms, troubles, or tribulations.  I hate to say the old adage, "that it is during the most difficult times, if we trust and lean [our whole human personality] on Him, that we become the strongest."  But remember what was said to Paul as he was struggling with an issue and desiring 'peace' from it; "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."(2 Corin. 12:9-10) So our peace [exemption from the rage and havoc of war; harmony, concord, security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous); the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is] this tall order that we all desire, can be had at all times irregardless of the outward signs of storms, tribulations, or troubles, it is as we are hidden in him.  That is what the psalmist discovered as he was dealing with all kinds of war and tribulations from the outside, but being kept by the peace from within.  "For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray–pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance.  Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!" ( Psalm 32:6-7) Yes, it is for all who know the Lord to have this access to the hiding place, the place of peace, even while the great waters of trial overflow, they will not reach our spirit.  Why?  Mainly because we have learned by practice that; "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You." (Is.26:3)  There is no doubt that the enemy is always trying to get us to move away from this peace by creating storms and overflows of trouble, but don't let him have your peace.  Stay secure, safe, prosperous, out of the rage of war, and enjoy the hiding place of God!
 
Love,
 

Pastor D.