About a week ago, early one morning, there was a loud knock on our front door (we were actually still in bed 😍). My husband put his jeans quickly over his pyjamas and went downstairs. A builder was at the door, with his van parked outside. 'You want a new staircase' he said. My husband told him that it appeared he was at the wrong house.
Later, after I had got up, I noticed that the builder was two doors down, carrying equipment from his van into that house.
As usual with me, I began to see a spiritual reference to what had happened regarding the needing of a new staircase. It reminded me of Jacob's ladder and his connection with God. One sentence in this story stood out to me. God says to Jacob:-'for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.' These words reminded me of God's promise to me of healing and His revealing to me that all His promises are 'yes' in Jesus, and increased my trust in what He has promised me. They were showing me that in order to receive from God, and for His words to me to prove themselves true, I have to stay connected to that Word spoken (as in the 'stairway to Heaven' connection Jacob had with God), and not allow the spiritual enemy in the carnal mind to rob me of it coming to pass.
The day before yesterday I saw the words 'Don't quit' come up on the television screen, and I believe that this was a sign to encourage me in this area. God can speak in the most amazing ways - even through an ass.
The day before yesterday I saw the words 'Don't quit' come up on the television screen, and I believe that this was a sign to encourage me in this area. God can speak in the most amazing ways - even through an ass.
Yesterday morning I came down into the living room and put the television on. I scrolled through the channels and came to a Christian channel where a man called pastor Shelley was speaking about having faith, and the importance of not giving up on that faith. Every word he spoke and every scripture he referred to was speaking about what I have been given by the Lord concerning my faith and the trial I have been going through for many years. I was absolutely amazed.
I listened to him for about half an hour and then I heard my husband coming down the stairs. There was conflict in my thoughts, part telling me to continue watching and part telling me that my husband would want something else on the television. I allowed myself to be influenced to turn the program off and put another one on that I knew my husband liked. Immediately I felt it was wrong, that I should carry on listening, but I had not taken note of which channel it was. The number 587 came straight into my mind, I pressed those numbers and was taken back to pastor Shelley's programme.
What he spoke from then to the end of the programme was all about not letting anything of man cause us to stray from the faith that God is building within us, which reminded me of myself not continuing to listen to what I believe God wanted me to listen to by being influenced to listen to what I believed my husband wanted to listen to.
Jesus says in Luke ch. 8 v. 10 that it has been given to His disciples to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and goes on to explain the parable of the sower.
The parable speaks of those who hear the Word of God - there are four different 'hearers' of that Word.
One is the hearer who has the Word taken away from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved. He goes on to say that there are those who hear the Word, receive it with joy, but have no root and fall away in a time of testing. Also there are those who hear the Word but are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, whose fruit does not mature. The last ones He speaks about are 'those who hold fast the word they hear, in good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.'
I have to say that it is the fourth 'hearer' that I wish to identify with, and these verses are the perfect Words, especially the Words 'patient endurance', to encourage me to listen to and act on the Words God speaks to me so that my faith might increase.
The following are words that I felt were spoken to me through the Holy Spirit to encourage me long ago to follow the Lord, and to do what I believe He has called me to do, knowing that all things are possible with Him:-
How far will you follow Me
along this narrow track
When the path becomes too lonely
will you think of turning back
Will you yearn for the things you left behind
when I called you to be apart
Are there things that belong to your world of sin
lying dormant within your heart
How far will you follow Me
along this lonely road
When you suffer man’s rejection
will it prove too great a load
Will you stand within my guiding light
no matter where it leads
and will you listen to my Father’s voice
saying ‘ Child, go plant the seeds’
Yes how far will you follow me
along the path to life
Will the trials be too much for you
of sickness and of strife
Or will you hold on fast to faith
remembering what I have said
that faith in your Lord has a power
that can even raise the dead
Father, I ask You in Jesus' name to continue to cause me to trust in the Words that You guide me with, keeping my eyes focused on them and not on what the carnal mind is telling me.
I pray also for brothers and sisters that may be going through trials, that Your Word will be their strength. Amen and thank You Lord.
42 comments:
Thank you so much for sharing your heart today. It blesses me in my own challenges. Whatever befalls, I thank Him for His presence and His mercy and that He will complete the good work He has begun. God bless you.
Hi Karen,
lovely to see you. I always love the fact that God's thoughts are for our welfare and not to harm us, so I know that my trials are just to strengthen me and give me perseverance. He has kept brought me this far - and He is not a man that He should lie.
God bless you too Karen.
Hello Miss Brenda. Once again, a good post. I find it encouraging to know that you see a Godly scriptural reference in everything around you. It shows that you are pursuing God and God reveals himself to you, which I already knew about you. I don’t think it coincidental that most of our comments, to our friend in Australia, (wink wink), has been scripturally based. I know that the more that we make God’s Word our own shows our level of maturity and faith. I can’t think of a better person to have fighting with me in the trenches against Satan’s false doctrines and Temptations than you. Keep up the good work my sister.
Aww....Keith,
thank you for your lovely comment, you are a wonderful brother in the Lord. My walk with God through Y'shua (Jesus) many times makes me very emotional when I think of my reliance upon His strength, and what He had to do so that we may be reconciled back to the Father and have eternal life.
I think I have told you before that I see the scriptures as a vocabulary, God's voice which speaks to us daily as we seek Him. That is why it would look confusing to one who has not become a child of God by being born of His Spirit. Just as we do not say 'yes' and 'no' at the same time, neither does God, and there is a time to speak and a time to refrain from speaking.
I love the Word of God, and you too my brother keep up the good work of what you have been given to do.
Well well well my friends, would you like to hear the truth from the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth or would you like me to flatter with my lips in order to win your approval ? :-)
Yes Brenda, you are speaking about a God and a Father, but we both know that this God and Father is NOT the Lord Jesus Christ for you.
And for that very reason it makes you an unbeliever who does NOT believe in the only true God which is Jesus Christ our Lord (1 John 5:20).
And what do you think that the unbelieving can expect from the ONLY God our saviour ? (Jude 1:25).
And remember, the God of the Bible does NOT play games, for ALL who came to Him were healed.
And what do you think will happen to those who transgress the first and second commandment of the Lord ?
Haven't you read, that it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God ?
Benda, on your other blog (Father I thank you for Jesus), you said, “There’s nothing you can do to make God bless you. It’s already been done.”
Tell me Brenda, where in the Bible does it say that ?
Now please tell that to those who are on a hospital bed who are dying of the most terrifying illnesses imaginable.
I wonder, whether they would believe your god ?
Yes Paul,
God does heal and there is a time for everything (written in Ecclesiastes ch. 3 v.3) - including healing.
Also, there is nothing we can do to make God bless us. Our own works achieve nothing. Our attaining blessings from God have been achieved by Jesus His Son being sacrificed, and it is only through belief in Jesus that we have access to blessing and eternal life.
Dear Brenda,
What a wonderful testimony of God speaking to His children in amazing ways, not stopping until we fully understand His will! May we always listen for His still small voice, no matter where or how it may appear.
God bless you in this Christmas season and always,
Laurie
Hi Laurie,
I love the way that God speaks to each of us, and His ability to guide us in a way that overcomes the spiritual enemy, who would try to persuade us that what God tells us is a lie. I know, and have had proof in my life, that God does not lie - an that all is possible with Him.
God bless you at all times with His precious Word Laurie.
Hello Dear Brenda~
Yes,I believe that God can speak to us in amazing ways. I also believe that when we are walking in the Spirit we are sure to hear His still small voice even when life is at its busiest.
Right now we have been going through some difficult health issues with my mom, she has gone from a major heart attack, to urosepsis,a fall in the rehab that resulted in a brain bleed that led to brain surgery and all since July 2. During this time God has marvelously shown Himself in ways we would have never imagined. He has certainly shown grace and mercy each and every day and I stand in awe of His Greatness and love.
"How far will you follow me" that is beautiful! Did you pen those words?
I am so thankful for my Salvation and the relationship I have in Jesus Christ. I couldn't imagine life with out Christ.
Beautiful post.
Thank you for your recent visit, it was such a joy to see your in my in box!
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones~
Yes Brenda, there is a lot of things you can do and you should do in order for MY God to bless you.
I wonder whether you read the Bible ? Don’t you know that the Bible said that you need to repent ?
Repentance is something that YOU need to DO. Yes Brenda, that is a deed !
And without repentance is NO salvation, NO blessing. Don’t fool yourself Brenda.
Perhaps read, (Deuteronomy 27:10-26 and 28:15-29) = If you do NOT obey the Lord your God, to observe to DO all His commandments and statutes, SICKNESS like (cancer etc.) will be upon you (v. 61).
(John 6:29) And this is the WORK that you ought to do, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What do you think, the Lord Jesus Christ will throw you on a bed of sickness out of fun and to rejoice in your suffering ? May it never be !
Or do you think that He loves you so much that He causes you to die slowly with unimaginable pain ?
No Brenda, you have no understanding of the Scriptures and neither do you know the Lord.
Brenda, you said, “I love thee O Lord my strength and my song for loving a wretch such as me for although in my life Satans bonds have been strong Your love has been setting my free”.
Obviously you are saying the right thing, but then, why don’t you DO the right thing ?
Is that ‘LORD' that you love the Lord Jesus Christ ? Or is it another lord whom you call Yahweh ?
Which one is it going to be Brenda ?
You see, if you love the Lord Jesus Christ, then you would worship Him ALONE just as they did in the Bible (Mat. 28:9 and John 9:38).
And if you love another god by the name of Yahweh, then you worship a false god and you are NOT acceptable to the only God of all creation Jesus Christ.
Remember Brenda, you can’t have it both ways.
Hi Debbie,
My thoughts and prayers are with you regarding your mum. I totally agree with you that God shows Himself in our stressful situations in the most amazing ways. He is an amazing comforter, and I have found that His comfort and encouragement in hard times are the greatest and most powerful we could ever experience. I too can not imagine my life without Jesus, our wonderful Saviour.
Yes, Debbie, I did write that verse. Ever since I have been born again I have had poems and songs drop into my head, and it has been as if God is speaking to me to through those words at exactly the right time I needed to hear them, and I hope that they might even encourage others who read them sometimes.
Lovely to hear from you
God bless you, your mum and your family, have a blessed Christmas.
Paul,
as I have said before - that written Word is a vocabulary, not a book, and God has never spoken those negative words regarding the curse to me. In fact one of the things that happened after I asked Him to teach me about sickness and healing and He told me to trust in Him was that the enemy tried to fill my mind with negative thoughts. Then this poem just dropped into my head:-
Who said that I'll not heal you, who told you child this lie
Who said that you will get much worse and points his finger to the curse My child it was not I.
Who speaks new precious words of life to all who live in fear and strife, and says 'By faith shall live the just - if in their Lord they'll put their trust. For through God's Word has been revealed that by my stripes you shall be healed.'
Who says your needs I'll satisfy. My precious child - was it not I?
Beware the serpent oh so sly, to steal your blessing he will try. My child it still remains your choice - the devil's hiss or the Master's voice. For even in this latter day Satan keeps asking 'Did God say?'
still questioning God's Holy Word, hoping you'll doubt what you have heard. Don't listen child each time he tries to win you with his evil lies. Tell him this time it's not the same, this time you wear your Saviour's name - the name of Jesus Christ God's Son, by Whom redemption has been won, and from the curse you've been reprieved - if in My Word you have believed. So stand within God's promise child, by the devil's lies be not beguiled. And when he questions as you're led - you say to him.
'YES GOD HAS SAID'
Well Brenda, we all know and can see that the Lord has given you a great gift of writing and poetry, but remember, (Rom. 11:29) that the gifts have been given by the Lord Jesus Christ without repentance.
Many unbelievers and pagans of this world have been given wonderful gifts without any repentance, because for a gift is nothing required, otherwise it would not be a gift.
The same is for the free gift of eternal life, but for salvation it is required from you to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, or else you shall be damned. That is not only for you but for every human being in the whole world.
So again, WHO has told you to trust in Him ?
Do you mean that you have to trust in the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4) ??
Or do you mean that the god of this world has told you to trust in a man called Y’shuah ?
And remember, there is only ONE true God, and there are numerous man who are called ‘Jesus’.
Also, the god of this world disguises himself, even as an angel of light.
It amazes me that you can hear the words of Satan, but not the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As you may have noticed Paul, I do not listen to the words of Satan, I listen to what God says and His encouragement.
Dear Brenda,
May God continue to bless, encourage and guide you as you fight the good fight, speaking the truth in love. Praise God that He cannot lie, and that His Word is eternal and true.
Love in Christ,
Laurie
Thank you Laurie,
that is right, God is not a man that He should lie. That Word is absolutely eternal and true.
God bless you.
Brend, you know that it is time for you to repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart and be saved.
Turn away from your false god that you call Yahweh and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and forsake all other gods including Yahweh and then the Lord Jesus Christ will receive you.
Enter the narrow way, the WAY which only few will find.
Paul,
nothing can make me turn away from my beautiful Saviour Jesus Christ, the Messiah, Whom God sent to be the sacrificial Lamb for our sins. God has made Him my Lord and given Him all authority. I acknowledge the Father just as Jesus acknowledged the Father. What I think you may not understand is that God is Spirit, as were the Words that Jesus spoke when He was on earth. Jesus was the Word of God made flesh, the first born of all creation, the first of many brethren, and that is why scripture says that God said 'Let us make mankind in our image.' That is mankind that already exists. Those who have been born again of God's Spirit over the last two thousand years are the body of Christ on earth, mankind who have been, and still are being, formed in God's image through believing in Jesus.
Jesus said 'Today and tomorrow I do cures, the third day I shall be perfected'. Think of His Words Spiritually Paul, as with the Lord one day being as a thousand years(2 Peter ch. 3 v.8) . The body of Christ is being formed on earth and will soon be complete (perfected). It is more or less two thousand years (as in today and tomorrow being the 'two days' which are two thousand years in the 'one day is as a thousand years with the Lord' since Jesus was born on earth}. He was born on the 'fourth day' and the body of Christ on earth, the church, will be completed (perfected) on the 'sixth day'.
Just to add Paul,
1 Corinthians ch. 15 vs 44 - 46 reads:- 'It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: 'The first man Adam became a living being;' the last Adam a life-giving spirit. The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual.…
We are a new CREATION in Christ, the last ADAM Jesus was born of the Spirit - being made a life-giving spirit.
Paul,
This young lady pours her heart out about how God shows her the beauty of world full of darkness. Her words are heart felt and she just wants to share what she sees and all you do is shoot her in the heart with your words. You try and tear her down for feeling a love for God. She's not looking for advocations but what she says resonates with us. But you accuse with your spew of hate. You degrade her feelings by your sarcasm. That is not what a representative of Christ would do. If you are a shepherd then feed the flock don't beat the flock. Jesus didn't tell Peter do beat his sheep. That shows that your words are not from God.
Tim,
Your words are very kind, and even though I am not a 'young' lady in the flesh :-) I feel a child in the spirit regarding my Spiritual walk with God. I have loved that Word and what Jesus has done for us all ever since I have been born of the Spirit, and am filled with emotion just speaking about Him.
May God bless you with all that He has for us for your kindness and brotherly love in His Son Jesus.
Any child of God is young :) I just don't understand why some people have to always bring a negative presence. He doesn't have to agree with you but he can at least appreciate the same things. He should be able to see God in this world if he truly knew God. Instead he just focuses on what he wants to say without regard to anyone. Shame on him. Keep seeing God.
You are right little brother :-). I don't understand Paul either, negativity is sad. You too keep seeing God in your walk with the Lord.
You guys need to be careful. You’re messing with the one and only ambassador of Jesus Christ. :-) LOL He is the one that was prophesied to cone and re-interpret the Scriptures.
With all joking aside, it is sad when someone feels the need to attack the kind heart of a child of God, who lays out her heart so all may see the beauty that dwells within us and calls all who will submit themselves to the will of God.
Paul, Brenda has done more to further the kingdom than you could ever imagine of doing with your false and unscriptural doctrines.
As laid out within the Scriptures of God, we believe in YHWH, the father, the mighty maker of heaven and of earth and in Y’shua, Jesus Christ our Savior, the son of YHWH, through which we are heirs of the kingdom of God. We live as one in the spirit of YHWH, Hayah, The Great I AM.
Hi Keith,
'As laid out within the Scriptures of God, we believe in YHWH, the father, the mighty maker of heaven and of earth and in Y’shua, Jesus Christ our Savior, the son of YHWH, through which we are heirs of the kingdom of God. We live as one in the spirit of YHWH, Hayah, The Great I AM.'
Beautifully put, and all scriptural. How can anyone not be touched by these words.
With regards to your kind words about me Keith - All glory to God and His wonderful Son.
I miss going out into the streets to share the gospel, and so does my friend in Wales that I did this with, but I know that I am where the Lord wants me to be and I always enjoy interacting with brothers and sisters in the Lord on blogs.
Totally Agree, Tim!
Regarding how you started your last comment to us, I too have that kind of humour :-).
😎
Hi Tim, you are NOT my Lord and I obey Him who sent me, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.
And how do you know what a representative of Christ is ?
And what do you think that I tell those young ladies of the muslim faith ?
The Lord Jesus Christ has called me to preach the gospel, and NOT to make people feel good on the way to their destruction.
And don’t you know that the gospel is an offence to all those who perish ?
Keith, a child of the living God is someone who belongs to his Father the Lord Jesus Christ and not someone who claims that their Father is Yahweh, the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4).
You said, “As laid out within the Scriptures of God, we believe in YHWH, the father, the mighty maker of heaven and of earth and in Y’shua, Jesus Christ our Savior, the son of YHWH, through which we are heirs of the kingdom of God. We live as one in the spirit of YHWH, Hayah, The Great I AM.”
I’m glad that you state your belief, or should I say, your unbelief in Jesus Christ.
It is obvious for everyone to see that you don’t believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the “Mighty maker of heaven and earth”. Even though the whole Bible tells you that the Lord Jesus Christ created all thing (John 1:3-10 and Col. 1:15-20). And yes, ALL things ALONE ! (Isaiah 44:24) He didn’t have someone else to tell Him what to do.
You suppose to worship Him who made the heavens and the earth (Rev. 14:7) and NOT a god whose name you cannot even pronounce.
And then you make up a name like Yahweh (not even mentioned in the Bible), and distort the ONLY Name of God “JESUS” (Acts 4:12) with an unbiblical name like Y’shuah.
And would you like me to comment to the rest of you comment ?
Proverbs 27::6, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."
Hi everyone,
just to say - I really felt led to ask the Lord to give me a Word regarding this situation this morning. I picked up my Bible, knowing that He would speak to me, and I opened to these scriptures which were underlined (I must have underlined them some time ago):-
'He who belittles his neighbour lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing hidden. Where there is no guidance a people falls, but in an abundance of counsellors there is safety.' Proverbs ch. 11 vs. 12 - 14.
I would ask 'Who is the one belittling his neighbour?' in this on-going discussion , and I would suggest that the 'abundance of counsellors' remain in agreement according to what is written in the scriptures.
God bless.
Do you even know what this means?
Paul,
So Jesus said, go out into all the world, making disciples of all men by degrading them, using sarcastic remarks, spewing hateful arguments, and distorting his words?
You think he told Peter to go around and beat his sheep?
You think he told Paul to go speak to only English speaking gentiles?
A representative would know what the word says and not act upon it with your doctrine.
A representative of Christ shows love like Brenda, teaches the word of God and it's mysteries like Keith, or understands his limitations and tries to live a life of his example of live which I hope I do.
Honest question, I mean you won't answer but I will ask:. Have you lead anyone to Christ?
Sorry, I should have said 'I would 'encourage' the abundance of counsellors to remain in agreement to what is written in the scriptures, not 'suggest'.
Paul, let’s do a hard restart. Can we agree that Jesus and the father are one and that Jesus is in the father in the same way as we are in Jesus, as according to John 10, 14 & 17?
Brenda and Tim, I agree with what you guys have said, especially sticking with the Scriptures, delivered with civility and a kindness of heart and a concern for each other’s salvation and edification.
This comment---"Do you even know what this means?" was towards Paul, when he quoted scripture, you know...something he says he never does.
Hey Brenda Like the Post. Don't let the naysayers get you down. I may not comment but I read it. I get tired of argements that are nonsensical and go nowhere. I don't how you guys stay sane. Continue to see God in everything and everything will reveal God.
Hi Chris,
nice to see you again. Don't worry about comments, that is not what it is about, I just like writing about God in my life. Shall I tell you? I would definitely not be sane if the Lord had not been brought into my life. I love your last sentence.
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