Daily Word – Page 10 – Daughters of Z

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

Today I would like to share a continued dream that I had three days in a row. Three signifying the perfectly divine and heavenly number. Being representative of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit among many other things.

In my dream I was looking out of a window and saw eight deer standing on a mountain in the snow. The first thing I noticed was that there was two stag deer with powerful antler, three doe or female deer, and three fawn. The next night it was the same dream, but this time there was twelve trees that was burden under the weight of snow but they did not break. The third night it was the same dream but this time there was a wind that begins to stir, but all of the deer remained standing immovable in spite of the wind.

I needed the interpretation for the dream and this is what I received, Eight is from the root word to make fat; to super- abound, making it the super abundant number. The eight deer represents the super abundance for us in the year ahead. The number seven represents the seven days of creation, the seventh day then being the day of completion and rest, Eight coming after the seventh day was over and above this perfect completion and was indeed the first of a new series. Making eight the number specially associated with 'resurrection' and 'regeneration' and the beginning of a new era. Here are some scripture that lines up with the number eight being resurrection and starting a new era. 2 Peter 2:5; "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly". 1 Peter 3:20 "[The souls of those] who long before in the days of Noah had been disobedient, when God's patience waited during the building of the ark in which a few [people], actually eight in number, were saved through water". Also we will see that circumcision was to be performed on the eighth day, because it was the foreshadowing of the true circumcision of the heart. This of course is connected with us being a new creation, or being born again. Genesis 17:12 "He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male throughout your generations, whether born in [your] house or bought with [your] money from any foreigner not of your offspring". Colossians 2:11 "In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but in a [spiritual] circumcision [performed by] Christ by stripping off the body of the flesh (the whole corrupt, carnal nature with its passions and lusts)". So here we understand that eight has the significance of beginning anew, regeneration and resurrection. There are approximately eight known resurrections recorded in the Bible, besides our Lord and the end-time saints. Three in the Old Testament (1 Kings 17:17-25; 2 Kings 4:32-37; 2 Kings 13:20-21), three in the New Testament that corresponds to the three in the old (Luke 7:11-18; Mark 5:35; John 11) and then there is one in Acts 9:36-41; and another in Acts 20:9-12.

I will close with the definition of two words, and next time, we will talk about the twelve trees which also have significance since we are coming up to our calendar year of 2012. The words regeneration and resurrection, which is what the eight deer represented in my dream, which is also what we will experience afresh and anew in 2012. Regeneration means to be restored to a better, higher, or more worthy state. To redeem from error or decay. To reestablish on a new and better basis; to make a radical change for the better; to reform completely. Resurrection which means the act of rising from the dead; a rising again as from decay, disuse; a revival; restoration to use; an awakening to care [for what God is concerned with]. Great things are about to come to pass for all who have put their trust in God. It will be magnified in comparison to those who have not trusted and known God! Praise our God forever more!

Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

As I write this morning, I am reminded that , "Ears To Hear" may need an add on. Ears to hear and hearts to do, may be the complete name of this title. For I originally was led by Holy Spirit to Revelation 2:7, "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…" I never want to give the idea that hearing is the only thing necessary, honestly we all know that 'hearing' is just the beginning. For the very same book of Revelation 1:3; says, "Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand". The blessing comes when you read, hear, and keep. Blessed simply means happy. Read is to acknowledge, to distinguish between; to recognize accurately. Hear means to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf; to hear, to attend to, consider what is or has been said, to understand, perceive the sense of what is said; to hear something; to perceive by the ear what is announced in one's presence; to get by hearing learned; a thing comes to one's ears, to find out, learn; to give ear to a teaching or a teacher; to comprehend, to understand. We must first perceive what is being said, understand it and comprehend it. Keep means to attend to carefully; to guard; to observe; to undergo something; to persist in; to stay at it; be steadfast; to hold to and maintain.

So we must stay at or persist in what we have read and understood and comprehended, that is where our happiness or blessing should come from. Really how many of us have persist in what we have understood? We must go back to our earlier days of our lives when we learned by repetition, continuing to do the same thing over and over again until it becomes a part of our lives, part of who we are. "For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: "(James 1:22) "Doer" carries the meaning of a maker, a producer, author, performer; one who obeys or fulfills the law. So then hearing the Word or understanding and comprehending the Word puts you in the place of making a choice. Choose to produce, perform, and obey the Word by making it operative in your life, then you fulfill the Word. Hearing what God says is the beginning, but doing it is the fulfillment. Every time you hear you have a choice, it is at your discretion; you can either perform the Word or not. But always remember it is not what you hear alone, but what you do with what you've heard that matters.. Listen and hear and do; "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25) Let's choose to do what we hear and persist in doing it, whether it is love-walking, forgiveness, living by faith, going to church, or anything that you have read, or heard, and understood.

Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

There are several things I'd like to reach an all time high for in my life. One of them is loving God until He is happy with my love for Him. The next thing would be that He knows that I fully trust Him with everything and everyone in my life. This verse is one that I have been meditating on; "Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding." (Prov. 3:5) Lean means to incline or bend in opinion, feelings, or actions; to be supported by; to depend, rely on or gravitate towards; to prefer. So here we are told to gravitate or prefer God's will and way. We are to be confident [certain; sure and assured; expectant; fully trust; convinced and reliant] on Him. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." This is the same verse in the King James Version, notice it tells us not to depend on, or be inclined to, or gravitate towards our own understanding. Honestly that is why we spend time in the Word of God to change the way we think and line up with God's thoughts. Understanding is the mental process of a person to comprehend; intellectual faculties; intelligence; knowledge of or familiarity with; skill dealing with or handling something. How often do we depend upon our own skill, intellect, knowledge, or our familiarity with people, situations, opinions, or circumstances? The last time there was a wall, or an attack, or an unusual set of circumstances in your life, did you go back to how you handled it the time before, or did you rely on God's skill, His intelligence, His knowledge? Every day we have the opportunity to lean on and be supported by God and His way of doing things. We will always have the free will to choose our way or God's. He will never force His way on any of us. We make the choice! That brings us to the next verse.

"In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths." (Prov. 3:6) This verse in the New Living Translation reads; "Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." We should make it a habit to seek [go in search of; find and discover by searching; investigate; beat the bushes; follow after; ransack and to track down] God's will. The promise is when we seek His will He will then show us the plain and straight path. That sounds much better than having God to come behind me and straighten all the places that I have made crooked, by going my own way. When we acknowledge God by seeking His will, then He will direct and lead by making straight, smooth, level, and upright our path. Paths is the road, the way; the way of living; the passing of life; the course and the direction of life. God desires for us to come to Him and acknowledge Him in everything that involves our life and take council from the Words of His mouth [the Word of God; let's start with the Bible]. After all He has been involved long before we took form in our mother's womb, He numbered the hairs on our head, knitted every delicate and intricate part of us, and wrote every member of our body in His book. Plus He ordered the steps that we should take, knows our lying down and our rising up, and He has a good plan and destiny for us. He really should have a say so in what we do, how we do it, and when we do it, don't you think? Let us fully trust Him more and more by leaning on Him.

Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

How about a change of heart? You know how we are bent on changing the minds of the people in our lives. Well, what is really needed is a change of heart that can only come when the mind is renewed. Remember what Romans 12:2 says; "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (BLT) We can only be a new person which [means our heart follows], when we change the way we think. Ready for more transformation? Here is the same verse in the Amplified Bible. "Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]." Learning and knowing God's perfect will comes only when we have a different thought process. That's why the Word tells us, “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy.Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you." (Matt. 7:6) There are certain things that will not change the heart until a person renews or changes the way they think. God's Word alone can do that. Even as believer's if we refuse to read and study the Word, there are deep truths in the Word that we will not get, if we don't receive the Word's ability to transform the way we think. It is something that we can have, it is available, but only if we are willing to be transformed. You know as well as I do that once we accept the Lord in our lives, we must continue to yield to His Word, for He never forces us to do anything. The scripture says; "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;" (Isa. 1:19) Willing means to be consenting and disposed; to desire and to yield to. It depends on the degree of our desire and our yielding to the Word that will effect a change or transformation of our mind and heart. The mind, comprising alike the faculties of perceiving and understanding and those of feeling, judging, determining the intellectual faculty, the understanding; reason in the narrower sense, as the capacity for spiritual truth, the higher powers of the soul, the faculty of perceiving divine things, of recognizing goodness and of hating evil. With our mind renewed we can then think like our Father thinks about things, situations, and people. Otherwise we continue to be led captive by our old thought patterns, and every time old familiar patterns or familiar scenarios happen, we resort back to familiar thought patterns, which causes us to walk around in the wilderness of our mind. Because we direct the course of our lives by what we are full of in our thought life.

I am all for being a new man, with new God thoughts! I know that first and foremost in order for that to happen I must make God's Word hold the supreme and highest place in my life. His Word must have the final say so in my life. That is what it means to be Lord of my life! Without totally yielding our thought life then our thoughts have more of a tendency to be twisted, a little off, no matter how nice you are. Listen the Word will so transform our thought process that we can really think like God; "For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart." (1 Corin. 2:16) We can hold His feelings and purposes of His heart. We can change our hearts if we yield to His Word. We will need to lean on His Word more as the days approach. It will keep us right in the perfect center of His will.

Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

"And this is how we may discern [daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments). Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [of the Gospel] is not in him. But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him:" ( 1 John 2:3-5) Our love is perfected as we keep The Word of God. Perfected means to be completed; to reach maturity; to add what is lacking or wanting in order to render a thing full. "If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands."(John 14:15) If which is, in case; granting or supposing that, or on condition of. So in case or granting that you really love Me, in that condition then you will keep My commands. We show our love by keeping His commands. Love being an action that is part of our covenant with God, something that we must do. "The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest, divulge, disclose a secret, make plain and unfold; give us the low down) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]" (John 14:21-24) God wants to give us the low down about Himself if we really love Him, if we keep His commands. The Word of God tells us that "the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him and He will show them His covenant." (Ps. 25:14) God wants to bring us in on His intimate counsel. Obeying or keeping God's Word is equal to loving Him. After all if you love someone your desire is to please that person. So, we please God by keeping His Word.

"Therefore you shall love the Lord your God and keep His charge, His statues, His precepts, and His commandments always." (Deut. 11:1) "And if you will diligently heed My commandments which I command you this day–to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being–" (verse 13) On our part, in case of, or supposing we will diligently [perseverance applied; devoted and painstaking application; to accomplish an undertaking; persistent effort to please; steady, earnest; attentive and energetic effort in pursuit of] keep God's commands. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. (Rom. 13:10) I love God and want to please Him, and He has given to Me everything necessary that pertains to life and God-likeness. Precious Holy Spirit helps and aides me in keeping His commands. Keeping is to observe and fulfill; not to swerve from; to practice or perform as a duty; to watch over and defend. We can keep His commands and love must be our motivator." By this we come to know (recognize and understand) that we love the children of God: when we love God and obey His commands (orders, charges)–[when we keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and His teaching]. For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous)." I can love the children of God as I love God first, by keeping his commands, that is true love! And God said keeping His commands are not grievous, burdensome, oppressive, or irksome!

Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

Have you ever noticed that there are people who are very beautiful on the inside and yet not very attractive physically? On the other hand there are people that are physically attractive and when they open up the ugliness from within taints all of the outer beauty. We all have experienced this great oxymoron. I visited a place recently that brought back floods of mixed memories, good and bad. As I stood in that place of being taken back in my memories, I experienced once again an awesome reminder of how God, our loving Father can take what the enemy meant for our harm and turn around for our good. Being hurt mentally and emotionally as a little girl, traumatized by molestation in your own house. Quite often feeling helpless, hopeless, and alone, even though being surrounded by others. Not knowing whether or not the things that are happening to you are a result of something you've said or done. Tormented night and day by thoughts. Our history reminds us of how great God really is in His ability to deliver us. I grew up feeling abandoned, worthless, feeling I always had to work harder to receive love and acceptance, what other people seem to take for granted. Working, always working to please, my mother, then later, my husband and my children. Somehow thinking if I didn't appease everyone that they would abuse me, or abandoned me too from their affections of love. All kinds of thoughts that the enemy of my soul tried to plant in my heart as a child. These infected thoughts and many more are the kind that Our Father digs in deep and breaks from the root, those twisted thoughts that try to prevent the trees of righteousness from growing to its fullness and reaching the potential meant from Him. That is why, the Word of God should be our meditation all day long! When we take a survey of the land {our lives} and how the enemy meant to devastate and destroy us, yet God had a plan and when we gave our lives to Him, He was able to release His plan of Restoration in our land! Listen with fresh new ears, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am only a youth. But the Lord said to me, Say not, I am only a youth; for you shall go to all to whom I shall send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Be not afraid of them [their faces], for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put My words in your mouth." [Jeremiah 1:5- 9] These words were the first words that I heard from the Father after I gave my heart to Him, and the ones that follow as well. I will always treasure them as my personal Word.

I am saying to you right now, wherever you are in your life, that God knows you and He has a plan for you. He says to you, "For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome" [ Jer. 29:11] God rescues us and restores us to His original purpose and design, nothing can damage us beyond His repair. Understand then the significance of this verse, "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." [Jer. 1:10] He clears the land of our lives to perform His grand masterpiece of restoration, bringing us back to His intent! Our Rescuer and our Restorer is doing a work. ^"For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up." [ Jer.24:6] The enemy can not stop God's intent, if we allow our Father, He can take the rubbled mess of our land and touch and speak while building His plan for our lives into existence. While we can look back and around and be amazed at what He has done. It reminds me of this scripture; "When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Our land wiped clean, for the new day of God's plan. I know that the devil hates this one, what was once ugly has been made beautiful. Can you say with me, the Lord has done great things?!!

Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

The Spirit of the Lord says;

It is time that the Kingdom take first priority in the lives of true lovers of Mine. Upon the horizon will arise a great shout, that will signify the beginning of a great refreshing wind. This wind will blow things out as well as blow things in! I am ushering in a season for a great harvest of souls. Many are weary of this world system and they are searching for Truth. I have placed each of you in strategic position and places to move with Me at just the right time to bring in the great haul of souls. Get ready to be busy about the Father's business! For night is on the horizon, when not much work can be done. Be My children of the day, and do not stumble around as if you do not have a Guide. Also know that many who were working in My fields have grown near-sighted, they have forgotten that I see from afar. They have put their hope in man's ability, craftiness, and wisdom. Remember, everything in this world apart from Me has it's limits and boundaries. New wine will not fit into old wine skins, it will burst. I make all things new. Everything that you have gone through has been in preparation so that you will be able to labor unselfishly in the Kingdom. Yes, for you too have been brought to the Kingdom for such a time as this. At the same time that I will bring in new babies, there will be those who would not hold steady for this new season. They gave up and left My House, but many will come back stronger and faithful to Me forever more.

I speak to the watchmen of My Kingdom to arise and shake the ashes of bereavement from your eyes. It will take all of My Spirit to walk in this time of great outpouring of all that is good. Limited thinking of man's mind will not be able to keep up with what I will do in this next season. All who will yield to Me and My plan will be able to run with Me. Our time is limited in this season, but together we can accomplish great things. Yet, you must be wiser still, by yielding to My higher way. I will give My wisdom freely to all who wait and watch at My gate. I Am causing your eyes to see every opportunity to advance the Kingdom. You will seize it without fear or intimidation. I have already provided all things necessary to get the ultimate results. That is why I Am placing around you a shield of favor. I have caused your enemy to bless your path. You will be thought of in high regard, where in the past you were mistreated or rejected. Out of the ashes of trials, tests, and tribulations, there will arise giants of faith. What you thought you could not do before, now you know that there is nothing that is difficult with Me. You thought you would be destroyed, but look I have caused a new, bold, strong you to come forth from the fire. This is the beginning of My end-time Church. The ones that have been washing and purging themselves from all that would stain and blemish, will be perfumed with the fragrance of the Kingdom. The whole creation has waited for you to arise, My sleeping beauty.

For it is written, I will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned and the philosophy of the philosophers and the cleverness of the clever and the discernment of the discerning; I will frustrate and nullify [them] and bring [them] to nothing. Where is the wise man (the philosopher)? Where is the scribe (the scholar)? Where is the investigator (the logician, the debater) of this present time and age? Has not God shown up the nonsense and the folly of this world's wisdom? For when the world with all its earthly wisdom failed to perceive and recognize and know God by means of its own philosophy, God in His wisdom was pleased through the foolishness of preaching [salvation, procured by Christ and to be had through Him], to save those who believed (who clung to and trusted in and relied on Him). [1 Corin. 1:19-21] This is how we will run with God by simply preaching the simplicity of the Good News!!

Love,

Pastor D.

Scripture References: Prov.8:14-15; Isa. 60:1-3; Ephes. 5:13-18; 1 Thess. 5:5-8

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

We are still talking about each of us growing deeper in love with our heavenly Father. Every day we can experience a freedom to love Him as He loves us. It comes through the abandonment of our preconceived ideas of what we think loving Him means. Actually we can see the Father explain to us how He knows that we love Him. "But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him". (1 John 2:5) Keeping God's Word shows that we love Him. Simple, sounds simple enough, but we truly know that we often struggle to keep the Word of God. Even though we know that Jesus said, "my yoke is easy and my burden is light." We pick and choose the parts that are easier for us. For each person that may be different based upon our upbringing, our environment, our life choices, and a number of scenarios. We all view the "same information" through different filters of our lives. Yet God is an equalizer! We all have the same Holy Spirit and we all have the same love shed abroad in our hearts by Him. [Rom. 5:5] He is not trying to be elusive about loving Him. He puts us all on the same playing field. Other people change from day to day with their expectations and qualifications about what love looks like to them. You've heard it all before, "if you love me you would give me what I want when I ask for it." The list of expectations will change from person to person, and sometimes from moment to moment. God puts it to us simply and it is the same all the time and with everyone, He never changes. Keeping His Word makes our love perfected [completed, reach maturity; add what is yet wanting or lacking in order to render a thing full]. It is like giving the Father kisses and hugs, every time we keep His Word. Listen, that is what he says over and over again in His Word, "If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands." (John 14:15)

So the next time you catch yourself saying, "Lord what do you want from me!?" You will hear His answer so clearly echoing back to you, "just love Me, by keeping My Word." He will say, "The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.] Judas, not Iscariot, asked Him, Lord, how is it that You will reveal Yourself [make Yourself real] to us and not to the world? Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him." (John 14:21-23) There is such a desire for intimacy from our Father, He really wants to reveal and make Himself known to all who really love Him. That is one of the reason that Enoch was one day here and then he was not. By his 'habitual walking' with God he learned to 'habitually keep' the Father's Word. Because he walked in obedience he walked in such a high level of revelation of God that he was then raptured up into His 'very' presence. That is prophetic for us, the end-time Church. We should desire to love God more so that more revelation of Him comes and then we walk into His 'very' presence also. Wow, let's keep doing the Word, so that we 'add what is yet lacking in order to render it full.'

Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

"To the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him Who holds the seven stars [which are the messengers of the seven churches] in His right hand, Who goes about among the seven golden lampstands [which are the seven churches]: 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.2:1-5) Here we can see that the church was still operating, as a church under the Lord, they had not fainted [not become wearied; had not slacken their activities; they were not idle]. Yet, they were not loving God as they did in the beginning. Left or abandoned [careless disregard for consequences (of not loving God first ); to relinquish and to desert the love]. You know that people would say that I still love God, but He would say that I know that I Am not first. First means earliest in order; the leading and the head; the beginning and number one. He wants you to bring to your mind all that your love relationship with Him brought to you, the heights of love. It can't be just words without action, as in Jeremiah 29:13; "Whereas the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their hearts from Me and their fear towards Me is taught by precept of men." Their hearts have been removed or separated from God which of course is attached to their love of Him. People mouth love, but Jesus and the Father, tells us that our love for Him can been seen as well as felt. "If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands". (John 14:15) So we must remember or turn again, recall, refresh, or bring back to a healthy state. Restore means to raise from depression or discouragement; to turn back from neglect or disuse.

We want to change how we think and renew our love for God and thereby changing the course of our lives of love. We can't let our love grow lukewarm. "I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth! For you say, I am rich; I have prospered and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]." (Rev. 3:15-19) Remember how our love should be towards God. Zeal is to have warmth or heat of emotions and feelings for (God); active enthusiastic interest that mounts to fervor [intense – to boil over from the fire; overmastering emotions and desire]. The church in Revelation 2, were still doing the works but this kind of first love that is fueled by overmastering desire or being fueled by fire of impassioned love was missing. Since God is a God of the heart, then we must examine our own hearts and check to see how high the flames are. Rekindle the fire!

Love,

Pastor D.

Ears to Hear

Good morning,

We must always strive at keeping our love for God ablaze. Remember that a lack of love is one of the major indicators of the end-times. Let's look at Matthew 24:3 – "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world"? Then He goes through a list of events, calamities, and other indicators that point to the times of the end. Let's read, "And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise and deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved." (Mtt. 24:10-13) This love that is referred to is the love of God that He has given each and every believer to grow in grace. It is His love operating in us that will cause us to endure to the end. But the first One to receive this God-kind of love should be God. In other words, we have got to renew our love with God. Wax cold simply means a reduction in temperature by evaporation; to chill; to become hard; marked by lack of warmth, zeal, or ardor; distant from passion or emotion; to become frigid. Ardor is a warmth or heat of emotions and feelings; extreme force or intensity; impassioned eagerness. We must stir up our flames of love for God. We must be zealous [active enthusiastic interest mounting to fervor]; intense driving or overwhelming emotion displayed with vehement and overmastering emotions. Just from those definitions, we know that we must keep our pursuit white-hot. We can't let our love grow old or cold.

Remember, it's God's powerful love that we are depending on not our human love. Human love is inconsistent, undependable, and conditional. Again Romans 5:5 says; "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us". Whose love do we have? God's love, right? And it isn't a little sprinkle, no, it is shed abroad [poured forth; a discharge; a spilling out or something that is dispersed in abundance.] And listen as God describes His love, "The Lord appeared from of old to me, saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you. (Jeremiah 31:3) It is an everlasting love, that's what we have had shed abroad in our hearts. Everlasting is "time out of mind" eternity, always, continuance; lasting long, perpetual, and without end. So we need to love God without allowing time to be what rules our depth of love. We can't place God on our time schedule for meeting our needs, and if if He doesn't make it on our time, then we love Him less. In our actions and in our passion, our love begins to grow faint or becomes weak. How? Well, for most of us we begin to back slide from our attentiveness, our worship, whether done,' in assembling ourselves together' [which is going to church] or, in our private prayer times [which of course is our passionate conversation with the Lover of our souls]. It may show up in the 'labor or the work' that we do for His Kingdom, we are not running as hard and fast as we once did, we drag about in our service to Him. When once you led the procession in the House of God, now you take up the rear. "These things I [earnestly] remember and pour myself out within me: how I went slowly before the throng and led them in procession to the house of God [like a bandmaster before his band, timing the steps to the sound of music and the chant of song], with the voice of shouting and praise, a throng keeping festival." (Psalm 42:4) We will talk about this next week. Keeping our love ablaze!

Love,

Pastor D.