The 3 Spirits of 1 Samuel 16 (Part 3)

(3) The third spirit is the Spirit of Anointing.

Verses 12, 13 " And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah."

The origin of anointing was from a practice of shepherds. Lice and other insects would often get into the wool of sheep, and when they got near the sheep's head, they could burrow into the sheep's ears and kill the sheep. So, ancient shepherds poured oil on the sheep's head. This made the wool slippery, making it impossible for insects to get near the sheep's ears because the insects would slide off. From this, anointing became symbolic of blessing, protection, and empowerment.

The New Testament Greek words for “anoint” are chrio, which means “to smear or rub with oil” and, by implication, “to consecrate for office or religious service”; and aleipho, which means “to anoint.” In Bible times, people were anointed with oil to signify God’s blessing or call on that person’s life. A person was anointed for a special purpose-to be a king, to be a prophet, to be a builder, etc. There is nothing wrong with anointing a person with oil today. We just have to make sure that the purpose of anointing is in agreement with Scripture. Anointing should not be viewed as a "magic potion." The oil itself does not have any power. It is only God who can anoint a person for a specific purpose. If we use oil, it is only a symbol of what God is doing.

Another meaning for the word anointed is "chosen one." The Bible says that Jesus Christ was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit to spread the Good News and free those who have been held captive by sin.

Luke 4:18, 19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

Acts 10:38 "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

 

The 3 Spirits of 1 Samuel 16 (Part 2)

(2) The second spirit mentioned is the Spirit of Fear.

Verses 2, 3 "And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee."

This passage ought to show us that even mighty men of God have weak moments. The first thing that came to Samuel's mind was if Saul finds out about this I'm a dead man. Because of that spirit of mourning that had attached itself to him, all he could think about was losing his life and not the future of his nation.

Even today a sudden tragic event shatters our sense of order and thrusts us into a world forever changed. Survivors of sudden loss may experience a greater sense of vulnerability and heightened anxiety. The safe world we once knew, no longer exists. We fear for ourselves, our family and friends. Survivors can become overwhelmingly preoccupied with thoughts that such a random act of violence might happen again.

Samuel was no doubt blaming himself for the failure of Saul putting himself in that, "Why couldn't it have been me" category.  This opened up the door for the spirit of fear to come upon him when God told him to go to Jesse's house and anoint a new king. He begin to think about what might happen to him if he got caught by Saul.

 Remember these things about fear:

-Fear causes us to worry about things that don't exist.

-Fear keeps you from taking action for our present or our future.
-Fear tells you to keep your mouth closed when you should be praising God.
-Fear keeps you from growing spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.
-Fear shortens your life, creates health problems, and causes your mind to shut down.
-Fear makes you lazy and dependent upon sorrows and troubles from your past.
-Fear keeps you from capitalizing on the opportunity  to change and do something different about your situation.

In all seriousness, not learning how to conquer your fears will keep you from living a great life. So hear the words of the Lord:

2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

 Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

The 3 Spirits of 1 Samuel 16 (Part 1)

1 Samuel 16:1 "And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons."

The story of Saul's fall from the anointing of God is very tragic, yet it releases a series of events that deals with 3 separate spirits we still face today. One is very, very positive, but the other two are very, very negative and destructive. I believe that this is why God wants us to read this chapter very carefully and see what one destructive spirit can bring into the life of a person infected by it.

Paul said in 1 Timothy 4:1-3 "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth."

So what are these three spirits mentioned in 1 Samuel 16?

(1) The first is the Spirit of Mourning.

Verses 1 "And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons."

 Samuel was so grieved over the failure of Saul that he could not look at the present or the future with eyes of faith. He was frustrated by this spirit of mourning over the loss that the kingdom of God has suffered that he could not anticipate what blessings God had in store for His people. To mourn means to feel or express sorrow or grief. Samuel was so distraught over Saul that it clouded his view of what God wanted for the future of Israel.

 -It is all right to mourn, but if we are not careful that spirit of mourning will bring a lifetime of ineffectiveness and defeat.

 Jesus said in Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."

 Ecclesiastes 3:4b "A time to mourn, and a time to dance."

Psalm 30:5 "For his anger endures but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

 -When the spirit of mourning attaches itself to you, your hope and belief that today and tomorrow will be better is stolen away.

Isaiah 51:11 "Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."

Isaiah 61:3 "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

Healing (5)

 

It's time to believe that through the atonement of Christ you are healed!

 

Psalm 30:2 "O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me."

 

Psalm 107:19-20 "Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."

 

Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." 

 

The word "ask" in the Greek has the meaning of insistent asking with a knowing of what belongs to the one making the request. Presenting a solid requisition to God, knowing He longs to distribute what He has to the one in need. We must ask in faith, and faith always knows.

 

I John 5:14, 15 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." 

 

The Word of God is the will of God. If you can find it in the Word of God then you can be assured that it is the will of God. The Lord is not trying to keep healing from you, He is trying to get it to you so just believe.

 

2 Corinthians 1:20 "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." 

 

Notice that according to God all of His promises towards us are "YES" and amen (so be it!) or it is settled! There aren't any "no's" from the Lord toward us when it comes to performing His Word in our behalf.  Now that's good news!

 

Psalm 35:27 "Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, "Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." 

 

At first glance you may think this scripture refers only to prosperity or wealth. The word in the Hebrew for prosperity here is "shalom" and we know it as the word for peace. However, in the Hebrew this word literally means health, prosperity and peace. So you can clearly see the mind of God who takes pleasure in the health, prosperity and peace of we His children. He's excited for us to have it. Once you get ahold of this, praise and adoration will naturally flow forth in pure appreciation for who He is to us and all that He has already done for us. Fear and doubt will no longer have a place in your thinking.

Healing (4)

The power of the Word of God is designed, ordained, and anointed to build you up, to strengthen and bring healing, stability, wholeness and deliverance.  It releases your inheritance as a child of God. Don't fret about what is, but get into His Word and allow it to manifest the Life of God into your moment. As a believer, you're in the Family of God so expect the Family benefits. 

 

Psalm 119:50 "This is my comfort in my affliction, for your Word has given my life."

 

Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."

 

Faith for healing comes by hearing God's Word concerning healing. So just as you may be taking medicine two or three times a day, do the same thing with the promises in the Word of God regarding healing, and allow your faith to be built up. You'll be amazed at the change that will take place.

 

Proverbs 4:20-22 "My Son, attend to My words; incline thine ear unto My sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."

 

Here it is as plain as it can be-the taking of God's Word is life and medicine to your flesh. So just don't take your prescribed natural medicine alone, add the Word of God along with it. Prescribed medicine can heal and help some things, but God's medicine can heal all.

 

John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 

 

The Word of God is truth. Once you know the truth concerning healing in God's redemptive plan, then you can begin to exercise faith and expect the promises of God to manifest in you.

 

Jeremiah 23:29 "Is not My word like a fire? says the LORD, And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" 

Get this fact down deep into your heart. The Word of God is an all consuming fire that will melt away and burn off that which is not of God, and a powerful crushing force to break apart even the toughest and most stubborn circumstances. Continue to use God's Word to strike the situations in your life that are not of God, until they give way and become exactly as the Word says they should be.

 

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

 

Does your body and or mind need correction? God's Word is just the medicine. According to this verse, we see that it is His will that you may be complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work. If you are sick you cannot fully do the work of the ministry know that God wants you to be able bodied and a living example in every area of His grace, mercy and power.

 

John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." 

 

God's Word is healing, it will bring health to your flesh. That's why it is so important to continue to go over the healing scriptures daily, therefore building your faith in the area of healing, imparting the very life of God into your cells as well as your mind. Fill up on God's Word!

 

Healing (3)

Acts 5:16 "Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed." 

 

Even after Jesus had been crucified, raised back to life again and ascended into heaven, the very same work that Jesus performed, while on the earth, was still taking place through the hands of His disciples, and all were being healed. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" so we know miracles exist today.

Hebrews 7:25 "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

 

Take a look at this scripture in the Amplified Version for a great rendering of the Greek word for "Uttermost":

 

"Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them." 

 

If we will come to the understanding of what is being declared here in the Word, all doubt and uncertainly just has to flee and faith will just be. I don't know about you, but I get real happy just knowing that Jesus is interceding for me. That alone gives me great hope, because you can be assured Jesus always gets His prayers answered. If you're going to be on a prayer list, this is definitely the one to be on.  

 

Also, it's important to remember that the word "save" in the Greek is the word "sozo" which literally means to heal, preserve, save, do well, be (or make) whole. It means deliverance in the present as well as in the future. Sozo also describes its work both physically as well as spiritually. Jesus used this word to denote healing of the body as well as forgiveness of sins. Whenever you come across the word save, saved or salvation, remember to always translate it as "save-heal" when you come across it in the Word.

Healer (2) Restorer

And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 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. (Isaiah 58:11-12 KJV)

The Lord has promised to guide, satisfy, prosper, refresh, rebuild, raise up, repair, and restore his people. The church God is raising up will be a mighty church that will be able to do more and will not have to try so hard for the results.

This sounds unbelievable I know, but I believe it. Our God is a God of increase and blessing. He will hear and answer our prayers as we declare what He says about things and then we begin believing it.

Join me in trusting God for many miracles today. I need a miracle right now. Let’s see what great and mighty works He will do if we let Him control our destiny. He is my source right now.

Healing (1)

You know, one of the biggest outcries against the movie, The Passion Of The Christ, was that it was too violent, especially the part where Jesus was scourged.

Let me tell you this: It was not violent enough! The Bible says that at the cross, Jesus’ visage was marred beyond that of any man. (Isaiah 52:14) In the movie, even after all the beatings, the actor James Caviezel, who played Jesus, still looked quite handsome.

But the reality is that when Jesus hung on the cross, He had “no form or comeliness…there is no beauty that we should desire Him”. (Isaiah 53:2) He was beaten to a pulp until His face looked like jelly hanging out!

In the movie, when they scourged Him, only a small portion of His bones was exposed, so it was still quite tidy. But the messianic psalms say, “The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long” (Psalm 129:3), and “I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me”. (Psalm 22:17) All His bones were exposed!

My friend, He was thinking of you when the soldiers tied Him to the scourging post. As they raised their whips, He said, “Let it all come on Me!”

But what came on Him was not just the whip stripping the flesh off His bare back, but your sicknesses and diseases. Each time He was whipped, every form of sickness and disease, including arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and strokes, came upon Him. “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

Today, healing is your right because Jesus has paid the price for your healing. So if the devil says, “You cannot be healed,” just declare, “Jesus has already paid for my healing. Disease has no right to be in my body. I am healed in Jesus’ name!”

Every curse of sickness that was supposed to fall on you fell on Jesus instead. He bore every one of those stripes, so that you can walk in divine health all the days of your life. The price has been paid so that you can rise up and get out of your bed of affliction! Let the devil know today that God is your healer from head to toe. Give the Lord praise!

True Story

This story involves a pastor of a store front church. The pastor's church is called The 'Almighty God' Tabernacle. On a Saturday night several weeks ago, this pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn't answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes.

When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways. The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night. The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night.

The pastor couldn't figure out what the guy was talking about. Then The guy said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer. "The pastor remembered the mishap an apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife.

The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, 'God if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now. 'At that point my telephone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said: 'Almighty God.'  I was afraid to answer!"

12 steps

12 steps to self care and happiness...

-If it feels wrong, don't do it.
-Say exactly what you mean. 
-Don't be a people pleaser.
-Trust your instincts.
-Never speak bad about yourself.
-Never give up on your dreams.
-Don't be afraid to say no.
-Don't be afraid to say yes.
-Be kind to yourself.
-Let go of what you can't control.
-Stay away from drama and negativity.
-LOVE.

Joy Now

God loves you and wants you to be happy right now. 

-He wants His light to brighten you, His peace to calm you, and His happiness to uplift you. 

-He wants you to fill your life with His love and then share it with the world. 

-He wants you to have joy and to spread joy everyday of your life here. 

Don’t worship dollar signs and think that money will bring you happiness then. Joy can’t be purchased. It can’t be owned. It can only be chosen and then given freely to others. In the eyes of eternity money is only worthless paper. 

The one thing that matters is the love within you and the love that you give to the world. Make that your legacy and your life will forever be rich in His joy.

Valentine's Day

We don’t usually think of Valentine’s Day as an explicitly Christian holiday. Other major holidays have obvious Christian origins: Christmas (Christ’s incarnation) and Easter (Christ’s resurrection), sure, but Valentine’s Day? It’s true that Valentine’s Day is not connected with an event in the life of our Lord like Christmas and Easter are, but Valentine’s Day does have some intriguing Christian roots. Along with most holidays, Valentine’s Day has suffered from its share of commercialization and confusion, yet the story of the original Valentine’s Day is worth remembering.

After about 1,700 years of history, it’s kind of hard to know exactly who Valentine was and what he did. The truth is, there were probably several Valentines. Also, the truth is probably not as highly dramatized as we may wish. The truth is embedded somewhere in the depths of history, never to be known until we get to heaven. What follows may be part tradition and part truth, but completely fascinating.

The year was 270. The Roman Empire was engaged in a desperate attempt to retain the Pax Romana that had endured for centuries. Christianity was active during the 3rd century. Although Christ had died over two centuries prior, Christians were eagerly propagating their faith and churches were springing up everywhere. These early centuries of the church were the times of the great apologists such as Clement, Ignatius, Origen, Polycarp, Athanasius, and Chrysostom. But the 3rd century was also the time of the Christian martyrs. Prior to Constantine, the empire was not friendly to Christianity at all. Claudius, the reigning emperor of the time, was a warlord, intent only upon preserving his empire and routing his enemies. Christianity was not on his like list. His primary interests were military, and he would stoop to nothing to ensure that his mighty army remained loyal to him.

It was Claudius’s grip on the military that led him to install a very foolish policy empire-wide. Claudius had a problem on his hands when it came to the army. Believe it or not, his men would actually prefer to get married and stay home with their wives and families rather than risk their lives and sacrifice for their country. Military recruiting was suffering because of the petulant affection between man and wife. Love was getting in the way of patriotism. Claudius would have none of it. Being the man with the big stick, he could make laws and enforce them, too. So he did. Claudius passed a law forbidding anyone to get married. Obviously, this was an outrage. Was he serious? No marriage?

Living in this anti-Christian and anti-marriage climate, was Valentine. Valentine was a Christian priest in Rome. He knew from the Bible that marriage was good and honored by God. He knew that marriage was lawful according to the Christian faith, so he took it upon himself to perform Christian marriages contrary to the law. As a priest, he performed secret marriages for couples who desired to be married bravely defying the anti-marriage edict. It wasn’t just marriages that Valentine was working on. He was also trying to protect persecuted Christians who were being chased down and haunted by the aggressive Roman leaders. Christians knew that they could flee to Valentine to find protection.

Valentine was taking a huge risk. Not only was it absolutely forbidden to marry or to perform marriages, but it was also a criminal offense to aid or abet Christians, especially ones whom the Roman Empire had on their hit list. Valentine was enmeshed in what the Roman Empire considered high treason and traitorous activity. Although he was being loyal to his faith, he was flying in the face of Roman law. The Roman government hunted him down and locked him up in prison. Now, Valentine, protector of Christians and performer of marriages, was himself suffering for his love and devotion to God.

It got worse. Valentine, true to his bold character, tried to convert Emperor Claudius to Christianity. This had gone too far. Claudius demanded that Valentine recant his faith and submit to the cruel and godless tyranny of Rome. Valentine staunchly refused. The Roman Prefect condemned him to torture and death. He was beaten violently, then beheaded. Valentine was martyred for his faith.

Although part of this may be legend, history shares with us that part of this was true. There was a man that loved Christ so much and loved the sanctity of marriage that he was willing to die for it. How much more should we ourselves respect our vows and honor our commitments to our companions? On this Valentine's Day if you give flowers, candy, cards, or gifts, do so for the real reason-not for the economy, but because of the love God has placed in your heart.

Honoring Our Elders

When King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam succeeded him as king over Israel (1 Kings 11:42-12:20). Initially he ruled over all 12 tribes. But early in his reign, the people of Israel requested that Rehoboam not repeat the harsh rulership of his father, the late King Solomon. So the new king asked for some time to consult with two groups of advisors: (1) the elders who had served his father Solomon, and (2) the young men who had grown up with Rehoboam.

 

The elders, men who had learned much wisdom over a long life, encouraged the new king to hear the people, to grant their request, and to serve them graciously as their king. But to his hurt Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men (12:13) and accepted the disastrous advice of his younger companions, who said to tell the people, "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions." (12:14).

 

The result of his embracing the younger men’s rash counsel and rejecting the advice of the proven, older men was the rebellion of the ten northern tribes. They made Jereboam their king instead, leaving King Rehoboam with only the tribe of Judah (12:16-20). I quote this piece of Bible history to demonstrate the importance of paying proper attention and respect to what I call the "wisdom of the elders".

The Bible says in Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."

A wise man or woman is one who listens to advice. This is in contrast to a fool, who looks to himself as the source of wisdom. But it’s not just advice that we need. Rehoboam got advice from his young companions, but it was wrong advice! It led to catastrophe for the king. So remember, it’s not just counsel, but good counsel that we need from others. And the Scriptures give a number of illustrations where that good counsel is likely to be drawn out of the older men and women, who have lived a long life and learned many valuable lessons. And by “older”, I mean those significantly older than the one seeking advice.

Leviticus 19:32 "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord."

Proverbs 16:31 "The hoary head (NIV: gray hair) is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness."

I’m not suggesting that just any older person is automatically a good source of godly advice. You and I both know that is not the case. Like a percentage of the adults of any age, some older people are criminals, some are drunkards, some are foolish in their life choices, and some show very little wisdom.

Time and again I turned to men older than I was. But they were not just older; they had also lived upright, godly lives for many decades. These were mature believers who had “exercised themselves unto godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7). Seek counsel from older men and women of God who have a proven track record, who have lived for God victoriously over the long haul.

Proverbs 6:20-23 "My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life..."

The first place to look for the wisdom of the "olders" is with Dad and Mom. I was blessed to be raised by God-fearing parents. Not all have that privilege, I realize. But that is still God’s ideal plan for instilling wisdom in young children. That is, they are to receive godly, bible-based teaching and life lessons from their parents.

1 Timothy 5:1, 2 "Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity."
Bible scholars generally agree that the apostle Paul was writing to young Timothy (4:12) in his role as pastor of a church, most likely in Ephesus. Paul exhorts the young minister to treat the older saints with kindness and high regard, treating the older men as fathers and the older women as mothers.

This picture of a young pastor in a mixed-age congregation that includes older men and women is actually quite similar to our opening story. The new, young King Rehoboam lost most of his “congregation” (the ten northern tribes) by listening to his youthful companions and announcing harsh measures. By contrast, the older advisors had counseled the king to treat the Israelites with kindness and an attitude of service to them. It’s the same in church leadership, in government, or in the business world. Younger men and women may be placed in positions of authority even over those older than them. Should they lead? Yes. But they should do it with deference to and respect for the accumulated “wisdom of the years” to be found among their older co-workers or fellow church members.

Titus 2:3-5 "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

There is a need in the church for younger women, in many cases recently married and beginning to raise their new families. Where should they turn for advice on being good wives, mothers, homemakers, and Christians? The answer is: to the “older women”, who have learned much by being good wives and successfully raising children over a long period of time.

How old is an “older” woman? Well, I’ve learned a few things over the course of my 61 years, and one of those is not to tell a woman at what age she becomes “older”! An “older” woman in this context doesn’t need to be in her 70's. No, she could be 40 and be counseling and teaching a young mother of age 20. That would certainly qualify her on all counts as relatively older and in possession of much experiential wisdom from having raised her own family, managed a successful home, and enjoyed a good marriage.

Avoid the error of King Rehoboam, who accepted the counsel of his young companions who were inexperienced in leadership. It seems that they responded out of passion and immaturity. But the wisdom the new, young king needed was that given by the elders, the older, mature men who had much experience and accumulated wisdom. As an older man myself, my heartfelt encouragement to you is to seek out and give a listening ear to the “wisdom of the olders”. Your life will be better for it.

Love, Love, Love

"All we need is love! All we need is love!"

Well, that's what the Beatles sang years ago. Man, I wish that were true, but let me put it this way:

-Love doesn't pay the rent.

-Love doesn't pay the bills.

-Love is fickle and indecisive.

-Love can be affected by outside circumstances.

-Love can blind you to the truth.

-Love can put you in a pickle (LOL)!

John 3:16 tells us that God so loved us that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins and give us the opportunity for new life. That message of love for you and me is conveyed all throughout the Bible.

The Greek language had four words for love and here is how God used them:

-The word eros, from which we get the English word erotic. Eros was the word often used to express sexual love or the feelings of arousal that are shared between people who are physically attracted to one another. The word was also used as the name of the Greek god of love, Eros (the Romans called him “Cupid”). By New Testament times, this word had become so debased by the culture that it is not used even once in the entire New Testament.
-The second word for “love” was storge, which referred to natural, familial love. Storge (a word not found in the Bible) referred to the type of love shown by a parent for a child.

-The third Greek word for “love” was philia, which forms part of the words philosophy (“love of wisdom”) and philanthropy (“love of fellow man”). This word speaks of the warm affection shared between friends. Whereas eros is more closely associated with the libido, philia is associated with the heart (metaphorically speaking). We feel love for our friends and family, obviously not in an erotic sense, but in the sense of being kind and affectionate. However, philia is not felt between people who are at enmity with one another. We can feel philia toward friends and family, but not toward people whom we dislike or hate.

Different from all of these is the fourth Greek word for “love,” agapé, typically defined as the “self-sacrificing love.” This is the love that moves people into action and looks out for the well-being of others, no matter the personal cost. Biblically speaking, agapé is the love God showed to His people in sending His Son, Jesus, to die for their sins. It is the love that focuses on the will, not the emotions, experience, or libido. This is the love that Jesus commands His disciples to show toward their enemies (Luke 6:35). Eros and philia are not expressed to people who hate us and wish us ill; agapé is. In Romans 5:8, Paul tells us that God’s love for His people was made manifest in that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Once again, did you know that Jesus loves you so much that He died for your sins and your salvation? It was and is His agape' love that continues to transform and change people's lives today. You need it. I need it. Everyone who wants to go to heaven needs it. Why don't you receive His love today? Just ask Him to be the Lord of your life and He will be.

Don't be shocked by the Darkness

 

1 John 1:6, 7 "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

Love hates darkness! Think about that for a second. Often we think of love as an emotion that causes us to lose our sense of right and wrong, but that’s far from true Christian love. We cannot love darkness and love God at the same time any more than we can love money and love God at the same time. 

Here’s another way to put it- don't ever be shocked by the darkness of this world. That’s hard to do in a world where almost anything goes. Here’s a good test. When was the last time you blushed? In the olden days, we blushed when something risqué appeared on television. Now we hardly notice it or we laugh at it.

Sometimes we say, “Love is blind.” God says, “No, love needs clear vision.” Our love needs discernment or else we will end up loving things we ought not to love and entering into relationships that are not good for us. 

-Not every relationship is a good relationship.

-Not every choice is a good choice.

-Not every friendship is good for us.

-Not every job is a wise career move.

-Not every decision is a healthy choice.

-Not every purchase is a wise use of our money.

 

There are really two parts to making wise choices:

a. You must know what is right.

This is crucial because we live in a world where many people have lost all sense of right and wrong. Everything appears to them as shadows rather than clearly defined.

b. You must have the courage to do what is right.

A reporter once asked Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas how he managed to deal with all the criticism that comes to anyone in a high-profile position. He replied that the most important thing in life is to discover what you believe to be true, and then to stand up for those beliefs no matter what. He then added these words: “If you do what you know is right, it doesn’t matter what people think.” True discernment gives you vision to see what is right and then the courage to choose to do it.

Please take Paul’s words to heart!

Never get over being shocked by darkness, but glue yourself to the light. It will shine the love of God to all who need to see.

It's Time To Know You Are Blessed

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.  Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them."

 

The old song, "Count Your Blessings", is based on this passage. Sometimes I feel sad because I cannot do what others do financially or because I don't have what others have. I believe that is the human side of all of us. We all want things in life because of that humanness, but with the cost of living and every thing else sometimes those things just don't work out as we desire.

 

Yet there is one thing the Bible does say that God imparts to His beloved, His bride, which the world cannot give, and that is blessing. The prerequisite to His blessing is found in Verses 1 and 2 of this passage:

 

"If thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God."

 

If we are obedient to His Word these blessings will overtake us. They will come from out of everywhere and every place because of our obedience. In fact the Lord says that He will "COMMAND" the blessing upon our storehouses and put His hand on us. He will establish us as a holy people if we just keep His Word. He will bless us materially in all that we set our mind to and He will honor us if we will not stray from His path.

 

We do have by-laws and rules within our organization, but not a one of them supersede the Word of God. I am not talking about what Momma said or Daddy said, or even some preacher who preached his conviction rather than the Word of God. I am talking about obeying the Word of God. It is that obedience that opens the passage to blessing, and I know everyone reading this wants blessing rather than cursing.

 

So put your eyes on His road map. It will lead you to victory, blessing, and honor. It will give you direction and courage to keep on keeping one. It will provide you hop when you're hopeless and joy when you are filled with sorrow. You are blessed and it's time you realize that by doing and being what God wants you to do.

Are you having a Barney moment?

To most of this generation Barney is a purple talking dinosaur, but to my generation Barney is known as Mr. Fife. The most popular show on television for 9 years was The Andy Griffeth Show featuring Andy Griffith, Opie (Ron Howard before Happy Days), Aunt Bea (Francis Bavier), Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors), and of course Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts). Andy was always the voice of reason, even in the early shows where he sounded more country than ever. On the other hand Old Barney always made a mountain out of a molehill. He always saw giants where there where grasshoppers. He was always looking for action instead of enjoying his peace and quiet.

That kind of reminds me of folks I know in this generation. Always building mountains out of molehills. Always looking for the bad instead of the good. Always wondering if they should get the other person before they get them. Always looking for trouble when there is none and always hoping to catch somebody doing bad so that they can look good. How prophetic were the writers of those shows. I'm sure that every Andy Griffith fan knows that in that latter years of the program when Old Barney was gone they repeated the theme of many of their scripts just with different characters. It never was the same though with out Old Barney, Those pop eyes he would give, that hump in his back, never being able to get that bullet out of his pocket, always bumbling, fumbling, and making mistakes made Don Knotts a character we will always remember.

You know some Barneys too, don't you. Their eyes pop out when they get excited. They always know more than anybody else, even when they don't have a clue what their talking about. They also go looking for trouble where there is none and if they can't find any they stir it up. And guess what? Sometimes we all have a Barney moment. It's those moments where we loose control and do something or say something we shouldn't. It's those moments when we see giants that really don't exist and wonder how we're going to deal with them. It's those moments when we just don't want to deal with reality and the fantasy that we're facing causes fear that justifies are lack of desire to deal with the task at hand.

It's when we have those Barney moments, we need to have a Joshua moment:
Joshua 1:5-7 "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest."

God says three things to Joshua that help us deal with the Barney moments in our lives:
(1) I will be with thee.
(2) I will not fail thee.
(3) I will not forsake thee.

So if you're having a Barney moment today and fear is ruling over you, or you are seeing too many giants, let the Spirit of God send the same Spirit He sent to Joshua. Courage is a whole lot better than fear and I'd much rather have a Joshua moment than a Barney moment.

No citizen's arrest, but a "Get behind me Satan" will be the rule of the day!

Peace

Hope and peace don’t come without a fight. God is pleased to work hope and peace in us surely but gradually. They come as we meditate, feed on Scripture, feed on Christ, and keep calling out for grace. The kingdom of God advances through weakness and dependence on the King, not through quick and bloodless victories. If you are feeling a bit weak, you are probably on the right path.

Essential to this battle with fear and anxiety is the gift of humility. It fits perfectly, doesn’t it? In our anxiety we are usually concerned about things we love. We want control. We want to take matters into our own hands to protect our future, but we are finding that it is impossible to manage all possible contingencies. We want to protect our kingdom. Find anxiety and you often find that your agenda is more important to you than God’s. You might find that you adopt your own interpretation of God’s world rather than submit to God’s clear words about His power, love, and care.

Peter writes about the link between humility and anxiety: 

1 Peter 5:6, 7 "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

He is asking us to do just one thing, and that is to humble ourselves before the Lord. Humility is expressed by casting our anxieties on the mighty and trustworthy one.

When a child’s fears are not swayed by a parent’s attempts at comfort, the child is essentially saying either that the monster under the bed is stronger than the parent, or the parent doesn’t really care about the child’s best interests. The child’s fear shows his or her lack of trust or confidence in the parent. Humility, in contrast, hears the voice of the parent and believes that the parent can be trusted, even when the evidence suggests that circumstances are out of control. Humility says, “I believe you more than I believe my eyes or my imagination.” Humility is submissive. This means that information and knowledge will not bring peace. Even more, we must respond to what we hear with humility and trust.

There are steps toward peace, but they are a little different than the steps we take in following a recipe. These steps are all personal. Know the God who comes near and walk before him in humility. Don’t give up on the pursuit of peace. Peace will make you feel better, which is a good thing, but there is something greater at stake. In a world where true peace seems impossible, we want to be ambassadors who say that real peace is available to us only in the Prince of Peace. This, indeed, will bring glory to God.

Just say, "Yes!"

Sometimes you have to die a little on the inside in order to rise from your own ashes and believe in yourself and love yourself again. 

-Call it growth. 

-Call it finding yourself. 

-Call it whatever you want. 

The Bible encourages us to stand when we've done all we can do. God wants us to live moment to moment when times are tough, and push forward, until moments become minutes, minutes become hours, hours become days, days become weeks, weeks turn to months, and time again has meaning. Life will once again bring a reason to smile.  This process is almost like learning to walk or speak for the very first time.  It isn’t easy, but in the process we grow in God and we find ourselves, stronger, wiser, and possessing talents we didn’t know we had.  When we refuse to give up on ourselves and God, the toughest times can lead us to the best of times.

Mark Lowry sings a song with a line in it that goes, "Live with no regrets...".  God says to us daily, "Follow your heart.  Be true to yourself. Instead of saying "No" all the time, learn how to say "Yes."

So how do you do learn to say "Yes" instead of "No"?
-Do what makes you happy. 
-Rejoice with those who make you smile. 
-Laugh as much as you breathe. 
-Love as long as you live. 
-Say what you need to say when you need to say it. 
-Find the courage to feel different, yet beautiful. 
-Find it in your heart to make others feel good too. 
-Don’t lower yourself and your standards for the wrong reasons just to be popular or have authority. 
-Be strong when things get tough. 
-Remember that God is always doing what’s right. 
-Recognize when you’re wrong and learn from it. 
-Always look back and see how much you’ve grown, and be proud of yourself. 
-Appreciate all the things you have. 
-Celebrate your small victories. 
-Forgive those who have hurt you. 
-Let go of the things you can’t control.

Psalm 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

One little life can make a difference

One song can spark a moment, one flower can wake the  dream.

One tree can start a forest, one bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship, one handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea, one word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation, one sunbeam lights a room,
One candle wipes out darkness one laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey, one word must start each prayer.

One hope will raise our spirits, one touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom, One heart can know what's true,

One life can make the difference, you see, IT'S UP TO YOU!

A friend of mine took his children out to eat at a buffet restaurant. His six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As they bowed their heads  to pray the little boy said, out loud:

 

"God is great and God is Good. Let us thank Him for the food, and I would even thank you more if mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, my friend heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, his son burst into tears and asked his dad "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?" As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at the boy and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer." "Really?" his son asked. "Cross my heart."

Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes." Naturally, my friend bought his kids ice cream at the end of the meal. His son stared at his for a moment and then did something my friend said he will remember the rest of his life. He picked up his sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes and my soul is good already."

Matthew 18:2-5 "And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
³ And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
⁵ And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me."

Executing God's Battle Plan

Joshua 1:10-18 “Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people: "Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you to inherit. Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: "Remember what Moses the LORD's servant commanded you when he said, 'The LORD your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land. Your wives, young children, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your fighting men must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them until the LORD gives our brothers rest, as [He has given] you, and they too possess the land the LORD your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the LORD's servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan." They answered Joshua, "Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. And may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!"

God can promise us, challenge us, even command us the receive the land, but until we pick up our armor and go into battle and execute God’s battle plan nothing will happen.

(1) God has anointed someone to be in charge of executing His battle plan-Verses 10, 11 “Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people: "Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you to inherit.”

The Lord told Joshua that He was going to give the people the Promised Land and fulfill His promise to Abraham. Everywhere he set his foot would be his. He also told Joshua that He would never leave him or forsake him, but now Joshua had to act!

Verse 10 tells us, "Joshua ordered the officers of the people..."A key word in this first chapter of Joshua is the word "order."
-It appears forty-three times in Joshua, and seven of those are in the first chapter.
-It refers mostly to God’s commands for his people.

God delegated His authority to Joshua, who in turn delegated it to his officers. Joshua commands his officers to "Go through the camp and tell the people ’Get your supplies ready."
-Now what exactly these supplies were is not stated, and scholars disagree as to what they may have been.
-However, the point here is that they had to take what they needed and get ready to use it.
-Each man was responsible for his own supplies since there was no regular quartermaster’s corps.

God can promise us the land from now until the second coming, but until we take and use what He’s given us, it will never happen. God didn’t give us gifts so we could sit on them.

-Joshua gives them a timetable. He tells them "Three days from now you will cross the Jordan..."
It is possible that Joshua meant they would merely be setting out from their present encampment within three days, not actually crossing within three days. In actuality, they didn’t cross for seven days due to delays. However, the issue here is not the number of days it took to move, but that the decision had been made to move.

The concept that matters here is “go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.”
-The phrase “take possession of” carries with it the idea of taking by force.
-Elsewhere in the OT, it is simply translated “drive out.”
-Sometimes even those things that are given to us we have to go in and claim for our own. We can get an inheritance, but until we take it to the bank, it doesn’t do us any good.

It is easy to talk about the promises of God, but we need to lay claim to the promises. It is easy to talk about taking the land in here, but until we go out there and take hold of it, we will accomplish nothing.

(2) We are to do this in unity! Verses 12-15 “Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: "Remember what Moses the LORD's servant commanded you when he said, 'The LORD your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land. Your wives, young children, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your fighting men must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them until the LORD gives our brothers rest, as He has given you, and they too possess the land the LORD your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the LORD's servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan."

Joshua turns his attention to the "Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh..." Under the leadership of Moses, they had asked to settle east of the Jordan. They were herdsman and saw that the land east of the Jordan had good pasturelands. So they asked for that to be there inheritance. A part of the agreement was that they had to go with their brothers and take the land west of the Jordan.

Joshua tells these tribes "The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land." The promise of “rest” is found in all of these passages, and it is God’s gift, part of Israel’s inheritance. However, before they could sit back and enjoy their rest, they had to pitch in and see that their brothers have rest too.

Their wives and children could stay behind, but "all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers until the LORD gives them rest..." The rest already granted to them could not be enjoyed until they all enjoyed it.

They couldn’t sit back and relax while their brothers still had work to do. They were a family, a unit; either they all would find rest or none of them would. They had a responsibility to one another. It wasn’t every man for himself, it was all for one and one for all!

Philippians 2:4 “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

If we are going to take the land, we will need to do it together. We cannot say, "Oh, that’s someone else’s job," because it is everyone’s responsibility. We are in this together!

(3) Following the chain of command-Verses 16-18 “They answered Joshua, "Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. And may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!"

The success or failure of any army depends on the whether or not the soldiers are willing to follow. Now that Joshua has given the orders, look at the response: "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go."

The officials of the people and the tribes east of the Jordan joined together in affirming their loyalty to Joshua and his instructions to them after he had spoken to each of them. Notice their enthusiasm and whole hearted devotion to Joshua especially notice the level of commitment: "Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you."

They had fully obeyed Moses, and they would also fully obey Joshua.
There wasn’t going to be any "But Moses did it this way." They were fully committed to following Joshua. However, they insisted upon two conditions.                                                              

First, they insisted, "Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses."                                                                                                       

-They knew that if they were going to take possession of the land that God had to be in it.

-They knew that the battle was more spiritual than it was physical, and if they were going to win, it would depend on God.

1 Samuel 17:47 “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

The other stipulation they had was "Only be strong and courageous!"
-The final “Be strong and courageous” is the fourth time this exhortation has appeared in the chapter, the first three coming from God himself.
-They wanted to make sure that in the heat of battle Joshua wasn’t going to chicken out.
-If God required it of them, then surely they had a right to expect it of him as well.

If the Lord is not with us, we cannot succeed, but if He is on our side, we cannot fail. We have to be strong and courageous and we’ve got to be:
-Willing to go into the heat of battle.
-Willing to follow where He leads us.
-Willing to go where He tells us to go.

It is going to take faith, trust, and vision. It will also take obedience, loyalty, and determination if we are going to take the land for the Kingdom of God.