R-E-S-P-E-C-T

 

 

 

Let the Lord's people show Him reverence,

for those who honor Him will have all they

 need. Those who trust in the Lord will never

lack any good thing.

Psalm 34:9,10

Fear God. That's a biblical concept that's often misunderstood. It doesn't mean that we should be afraid of God. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't develop a personal relationship with the Lord. But it does mean that we should respect Him, reverence Him, and be infinitely more concerned with fulfilling the Law of God than just doing whatever we want to do or trying to please others.

Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey Him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128:1,2

If we live with a reverence and respect for the Lord, the biblical fear of the Lord, then we don't have to be afraid of anything. Sometimes, we just need to be quiet and listen. It's usually in the stillness that the Holy Spirit speaks words of comfort and direction. Fear the Lord and don't be afraid of anything.

The Bible says, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!'" (Psalm 91:1-3,7).

Somehow being in the Lord's presence just makes everything okay. When you're in the presence of the Lord, you have NOTHING to fear. The power of the presence of God will take away all despair and doubt as you fellowship with Him.

You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. Psalm 16:11

It doesn't matter if you're going through the flood or the fire, because you know God is with you. As long as you feel His arms around you, everything's all right.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

Respect your Father.

Father, help us to respect and revere You. Help us to not be afraid. Bless our lives with all that we need. In Jesus' name, amen.

Hands Off

Confess: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

Pray against: Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of Me. Matthew 10:21,22





Don’t give up on the people you love. Circumstances make it seem hopeless sometimes, but that's just the enemy working through your loved ones, it's not them. Sad to say, those who are closest to us are usually the ones who wind us hurting us the most ... they think we'll be there no matter what.

If you have people in your life that don't know the Lord or that treat you and/or those around you bad, don't argue and fight with them. That's just what the enemy wants. Instead, pray for them because those who mistreat are usually hurting. Pray that the Lord shows you their heart and gives you insight to know how to pray and that He brings healing to them. Choose to forgive them (whether you feel like it or not) and let the Lord deal with them. He can do a lot of work when we take our hands off people and let God have them.

Your patient love and faithfulness may be exactly what they need to make a complete turnaround. Don't you go giving up on them or on God's power and ability to change them. It doesn't matter how much hate is in a person, or what they may be struggling with ... He can do ALL things, nothing's impossible with Him.

NO ONE is too far gone or beyond the reach of a loving Father's touch.

Father, help us to be a loving witness and example that leads others to Your grace and mercy, which will bring change for the better. Help us all to be able to get along and treat each other with respect. Give us hearts to love and forgive. Devil ... get your grubby paws off our family, friends and relationships, 'cause you CAN'T have 'em ... I curse you and command you and your attacks to go back to hell where you came from. In Jesus' name, amen.




see also: Believing for a Loved One?

It's His Fight

 

O God, will You not stop them? For we have no power to face this army that's attacking us. We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on You. This is what the Lord says TO YOU: Don't be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. You won't need to fight. Take your positions; stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. Go out against them, for the Lord's with you. At the VERY MOMENT they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies ... to start fighting among themselves. 2 Chronicles 20:12,15,17,22

If you feel like giving up, keep in mind that God believed you can handle it. So often, we're overwhelmed with the heaviness of the attacks, BUT GOD will take care of our enemies if we pray and praise Him.

Stop fighting the fight, it's already been won. The only fighting that we’re to do is to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 1:12). Fight back with faith. The battle belongs to the Lord.

There is a wonderful promise to those who are engaged in the good fight of faith: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or oppression [narrow circumstances—a word that means you have been pressed into a corner and you are in trouble.] or persecution, or famine, or lack of clothing, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all of these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things about to be, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other creation, is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:36–39.

There's a battle going on, and God’s children are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. It looks like, in this world, we are losing, but we are really winning.

To the world it looked like Jesus lost when He was on the cross, but actually, it was the biggest victory of all time. So … whatever it is that you’re battling with, whatever trial is in your life, even though it may be something over which you think you may never get the victory - the very thing that appears to be your worst battle, your worst stumbling block, your greatest weakness, your greatest sorrow, your greatest affliction, your greatest loneliness, your greatest defeat - if you will surrender yourself to Christ, out of that you will have the greatest victory just as did Jesus.

We have to win the fight, and the good news is that it's possible. It's the devil telling you that you can't do it, but Jesus tells you that you CAN. Who do you choose to believe?

The Bible tells us that God always causes us to triumph. We serve a General who NEVER loses a battle.

Stand still.

Pray AND praise!

Father, thank You that victory has already been won and that the enemy of our soul has already been defeated. Help us to pray, believe and praise as You work in our lives. Give us faith to hold on. In Jesus' precious name, amen.



see also: You’re Surrounded

Yes, You Do Know It

 

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars ... The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!” Psalm 29:3-9

 

If you belong to the Lord, you DO hear His voice. If you didn't, then there would be no reason for the enemy to try to convince you that you don't.

Don't listen to the voice of confusion, it's NOT of God. God is the author of peace, the peace that passes understanding. BELIEVE that you hear God's voice ... by faith. Don’t just have selective hearing, when it’s something you like it’s Him and if it’s something you don’t like it’s the enemy, it doesn’t work that way.

Be careful about these “still small voices” that we hear in our heads and our hearts. We need to be sure that it is God that is talking to us. Sometimes our flesh and even the devil will put thoughts in our heads that are not of God. You can usually tell if it’s actually God that’s talking if the thing that He tells you is in agreement with the Word of God. He doesn’t go against His Word.

The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:3-5

Elijah described God’s voice as a still, small voice (I Kings 19:12). God does speak with an inner audible voice at times. However, I’ve found that usually, God's voice comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions.

God told Habakkuk to record the vision (Habakkuk 2:2). This wasn’t an isolated command. The Scriptures record many examples of individuals' prayers and God's replies (i.e. the Psalms, many of the prophets, Revelation). Journaling is the writing out of your prayers and God’s answers. I call the process "two-way journaling," and I’ve found it to be a catalyst for clearly discerning God's inner, spontaneous flow, because as I journal I’m able to write IN FAITH for long periods of time, simply believing it is God. I may write a prayer of thanks or something that’s weighing heavy on my heart, and then I’m still before the Lord to see if He wants to respond back to me. He ALWAYS does.

When you pray, He answers. Expect God to talk back to you. Answers and responses may come at a time other than when you’re praying, but they do come.

Things that will help give you discernment for God’s voice - Spend time with Him. Be still before Him. Focus on Jesus. Get in the Word. Listen. Journal. Repent when you sin. Shake off offenses and pray for those who despitefully use you. Get to know God and be obedient.

Yes, you do know it …God’s voice that is … believe you know it.

Father, I pray that You give us the faith to believe that we hear from You. Help us in turn to be obedient when You ask us to do something. Help us to ignore the voice of the enemy. Speak words of comfort, peace and edification to our hearts to give us encouragement to continue on. In Jesus’ name, amen.