Most of us are familar with the above saying from the Wizard of Oz.  The above statement started out as an outburst of fear then turned into a song- of course, it was a musical. But let not the cry of fear of hardship be heard from the body of Christ. It must not be so. There is no where written in the New Testament that life was going to be a bowl of cherries when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. In fact, He warned us all in John 16:33, these things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

I left you with some questions regarding the denial of Jesus Christ by Peter the night that Jesus Christ was betrayed.  Peter had been with Jesus Christ for three and a half years…. Why didn’t Peter have the strength to stand against the words of a maid saying she knew that Peter was involved with Jesus…. Do you know? Why did Jesus allow the sifting like wheat from the hand of Satan on Peter’s life?

Here is Peter, but not the same manner of man, in Acts 2:36,  saying, therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. This is the same Peter now testifying of His King before a great crowd. I want to highlight that Peter was not denying His Savior this time…. What was the difference?

Take note another place in Acts 12, Peter was arrested before the Passover by King Herod.  This man, Peter, was put into prison because of the testimony of Jesus Christ…. Nothing frightened Peter any longer…..He walked now by the Spirit of God. That night an angel of God freed Peter. Peter passed his test…. He trusted God. Instructions from Peter are in 1 Peter5:6, therefore humble yourselves before the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

Then shortly after this, Herod was also visited by an angel. The crowds treated King Herod like a god and the king did not give the glory to God…. King Herod failed his test! This angel smote the king. It is written the king was eaten by worms and died.  HEAVEN RULES!!   

Jesus Christ as our Leader, Peter, John, Paul and Job, all these men show in scriptures that there are hardships and trials that come against the people of God.  Why? So we can be proven in sonship under pressure.  However, God has supplied us with all that is needed to overcome these trials.  He has given us the strength in the baptism and fire of the Holy Spirit.

The changed man of Peter happened during Pentecost. The Holy Spirit, symbolized as a tongue of fire, came upon Peter. The man became a bold, courageous, walking testimony of Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit dwelt within  Peter. 

Peter understood the testing of the Lord better than anyone. As he wrote in 1Peter 1:6-9, In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,  whom having not seen, you love. Though you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith- salvation of your souls.   

Jesus allows tests and trials to prove our faith in Him under pressure…. hence- a trial is born into our lives.   Our response according to Peter is to REJOICE! WE SHOULD NOT BE SAYING – OH MY- TESTING, SIFTING AND TRIALS– OH NO!

The way I see the  life of faith is living on a boat, the waves come. We go up and then we go down…. but what is steady is the Boat that holds us: the Love of God. I trust that the God that had His Only Begotten Son lay down His life for me is also the same God that will give me the strength to finish the test or trial or sifting. If I ask, seek and knock  for Him as my Answer and Solution.

The testing  reveals in me stuff that I do not know is there, but the King sees. His refinery techinique is to make sure there is no spot or blemish in my heart.  So I  wait and trust Him in full dependence in the  down and ups of this journey as I keep my eye on Him.  I will obey the instructions of the Holy Spirit during the fire and the water of purification.  I wrote about this in my book.

He is the Author and Finisher of us.  We have to live out our faith in obeying the two commands He left us…. Love Him no matter what comes to us or against us…. and treat each other as we would like to be treated! Proverbs 20:27, the spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart. 

He is still and will always be the same. We are better for the stretching of the hard climb of patience that comes at the end of the testing. We are stronger in Him because we allowed Him to deliver us again by strengthening our trust in Him. He is our Savior one more time in our lives……. He is always there. Our lives may not turn into a musical, but we will develop a deeper song to our God after every victory.   Our fruit will be known by the song we worship our King or our lack of song of praise and thanksgiving….. our choice again! 

Hey, did I say that apprehending the Son of God as He apprehended us was going to be a piece of cake?   More like joing the United States Marines—- Hoorah!  Christ is our Champion and…..Christ in us is our only hope of glory!

What  are we to do when we are sifted in the waves of  testing??? … Tune in next time for some secrets to overcoming strength!!!   Thank You  Heavenly Father that Your Love Never Fails.

This line is from the movie Narnia. Aslan, the symbolic lion representing Jesus Christ, is leaving after he set his kings and queens in place to rule and reign his kingdom.  Mr. Tumnus trying to comfort the teary eyed Lucy, says he will return again… but, we have to be watching.

As much as we have to be watching and waiting on the Lord. Looking for Him in our lives and in the people that are around us…. He is watching and waiting on us. Remember it is written that He is in our midst today, even though we do not see Him with our physical eyes. 

Every man is right in His own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts, Proverbs 21:2.  Jesus Christ is the Judge not our evaluation of ourselves. He is always sifting our hearts and it’s motives. On one hand, this knowledge will develop the fear of the Lord.  On the other hand, we can believe the unbelievable from Him and live the life of the uncomprehendable overcomer.

I left you with a question last week as to the hidden meaning that Jesus Christ says in  the gospel Luke  13:24-30 that  to some He does not know where they are from. In Matthew 7:17-23, even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.

What does that mean?  Here is a clue: it is written in 1 Samuel 16:7, but the Lord said to Samuel, do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for the man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the HEART. 

Here is another clue: 2Corinthians 10:17 & 18, But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord. For not he who commends himself is approved, but who the Lord commends.

This clue as mentioned in my book: 2Corinthians 13:5, examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you are disqualified.

Last clue to this mystery: Galatians 1:12 & 16- Paul says, For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.    To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood…

Were the scriptures the same that you hunted and captured on this paradigm  revealing our Champion’s measure of the people who call after His name? The answer is found in the scriptures: 1 Corinthians 8:3, But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him…….. The ones that love God with  their complete  heart, soul, strength and mind are known by Him….  This is pretty simple.  The ones that are known by Jesus are the ones that obey the commands He left us with.   The ones that break the “law” are law breakers or as Jesus sees- “filled of lawlessness.” 

Before His eyes of flames all is revealed of our hopes, ambitions, selfish agendas. We may hide the deceit from our selves- but He sees through us…. I call it the unholy trio traits- hunger for fame, fortune and the pride of life…. These character traits of ambition for a fame of a name, covetousness, greed and pride break the connection with the King of glory.

From Heaven’s spectrum,  the King’s view is testing  someone: they have a choice to make either for Him or  the self -building traits…. If from the pop quiz, we choose Him, we pass. We choose the command to put Him first with loving Him with all of our heart, all our soul and all our strength and with all our mind and love our neighbor as ourself. This testing starts when we are babies in faith and continues to go through our journey… The narrow road is narrow! As it is written in Proverbs 17:3, The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, BUT THE LORD TESTS THE HEARTS.

Hey, let’s not be deceived by our own hearts….His last night with the guys, Jesus spoke in John 15 about the branches of the tree bearing fruit….We can’t bear fruit that is “His fruit” unless we abide in Him. Further in the chapter He speaks of the secret ingredient to stay in His commands in John 15:12:  This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. In John 14:21, He who has My commandments and keeps them it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to Him. Then one more time… Jesus hammers  in to us again in John chapter 14:15, If you love Me, keep My commandments.

After leaving His testament and will with the guys, Jesus was arrested. Then one of the head guys of the group, Peter, denied Jesus three times….. Why didn’t  Jesus’ words  stick to Peter? Why did Peter not have the strength to obey the words of Jesus?… Even though Peter proclaimed in bravado that he would even go to the death with Jesus! Why did Jesus allow the  sifting  from Satan against Peter? Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith should not fail, but Jesus could have stopped it, why didn’t He?  (Luke 22:31-32). Remember His Love Never Fails!!!!!           Check out the scriptures and see what you find in His Hidden Truths in the Word to get the answers.

I am so thankful to our great God that His Love Never Fails…. You too huh!!!

Come and See!

Come back to Me
And you will see
What fellowship there can be
Between you and Me

Through the blood of My Son
And My Spirit in you
Cleansing and igniting
All that is earth
So you are all  in My kingdom
In the new birth

Be restored to be My sons
Holy, Divine and have
A supernatural mind
The Life Divine
You have in My Son

So be holy and faithful
My Word is alive and sharp
So dwell much in Me
And then I in you
Watch and see
What can be
But the image of My Son
Be found in you

So raise up and shout
Respond to My Call
Not by might, nor by power
But by My Spirit saith Me
See how you can be
Restored to My Glory

Raise up, child
Raise up, child
Come follow Me
I will show you
What will be…

I wrote this over ten years ago and this was my response to my King:

Lord, I thank You
That I can be all in You
and none of me
The devils flee when
They see You in me
How positively free
that I am in Thee

There are some clues in this poem that I wrote that will help answer the questions I left you in my last blog…. Tune in next time…. Because His Love Never Fails!

Take a moment, think about this: The rooster from the beginning of time has been doing it’s job!  Was this God’s first living trumpet!? God created him to crow during the third watch. All the generations of little roosters have been doing exactly what God designed them to do.  They have been waking us up for A LONG , LONG TIME.  A good question for the evolutionists: how did the rooster get the instructions to crow at the break of day?   Anyway, back to my point……

I once  had some roosters for neighbors. Sometimes they got their wires crossed on crowing on the break of day…. 2:00 AM is not the breaking of day!  Then unfortunately, after a while, the rooster’s crowing faded into the background of  assorted noise in my mornings…  I did not listen for him anymore…His  alarm was lost in the midst of other noises and concerns in my  morning. Many of us use  an electric alarm clock to awaken us out of sleep at dawn now. However, that does not stop the little guy from doing his job.  Possibly God’s first trumpet or “watchbird”…. announcing to all: the light is here, the light is here— I see it, I see it!

I researched the rooster or cock in the Greek of Strong’s Concordance. The cock crowing in the third watch of the night was to ward off darkness.  It is also written in Isaiah 50:4&5: The Lord has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should speak to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. The Lord has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious nor did I turn away. It is also written that the Lord’s help and coming is as in the break of day.

The Holy Spirit is awakening us every morning to hear the Lord’s voice.    Wow!  The Holy One who knows the end from the beginning wants  to have an audience with us.  His invitation is written in the Word in Matthew 10:28, come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Now, I will tell you that the Holy Spirit also does not pay attention to the actual break of dawn either!….. He will awaken you at different watches of the night to see if you will sacrifice your sleep for an audience with the Holy One….  I jump up.  God is God and who am I to put Him off at all.  To me, that is a no brainer! 

I wrote about this in my book, if   any President of the United States or the Queen of England came and knocked on our door in the middle of the night, would  we roll over? I know I wouldn’t.  Well, One that is greater is knocking on our “time door” to have an audience.   I need and desire His guidance and direction every minute. Sometimes the still of the night is best time to hear Him. There is little or no interference from distractions so we may receive His instruction, corrections and teaching.  I love to hear the secrets of heaven and be told things that I do not know that are to come.

To me, God is like a puzzle, I get a piece of His greatness here and there to put in the Masterpiece. But I can’t wait to complete the whole puzzle, I am not sure that is possible, but I sure love trying.  It is written in Proverbs 9:10, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  I really, really desire to understand and know this great God. Proverbs 9:6 says, forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding.

I really want to be found by Him having a heart  that is taught of the Lord. Let’s be the ones that when “His Rooster crows,” we turn our ear to hear and then obey.  I get the rest for my soul and spirit in prayer and conversation with God. Studying the will of God from His word is also the needful thing to our good rest and health of our spirit, soul and body. 

We cannot allow ourselves to have a foolish  and deceived heart. That kind of heart  grows a deafened ear to hear God waking us up. The rooster crowing means to ward off darkness—- Hello….. Honoring God as The First Place of our hearts and lives and  spending  time listening to His word—- do ya think—- that wards off the darkness coming against us???? No brainer to me. 

Apprehend God with the same “true grit” as He apprehended you….If God’s alarm clock  goes off in your heart tonight, get up!! Don’t think it was the pizza or the chocolate cookie…. (well, if your stomach hurts it may be but if there is no reason for your eyes to pop open….. It is the King approaching  wanting an audience with His precious ones!) 

I have a question for you…. If God knows everyone, then how is it that Jesus spoke  to the crowds in Luke 13:24 and 25: Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord open for us, and He will answer and say to you. I do not know you, where you are from.  Hmmm….

I think He answered one of my many questions…. tune in for the next blog for the answer…. you search also for the answer in scriptures yourself. We will see if we match!!!

I know we all have seen a dog with a bone. If you are wise, you will not try to remove that bone from the dog. If you do, you will be first warned by a growl. Then if you still try to take it, you will probably get rushed by a  growling, snapping of his pearly white fangs….. don’t mess with a dog and his bone!

That  tenacity in animals is how God made them….  He also gave us the same tenacity and strength to keep His will by His Spirit.  Jesus Christ in my opinion, is the One who should be given the description of having “true grit.”   I wrote about this in my book. The Lord was quite aware of the brutality and betrayal of what was awaiting Him. But it is written in Luke, that He turned His face towards Jerusalem. In other words, He bit the bullet, and went ahead knowing the death that awaited Him.  He was going through with this offering of Himself as the Lamb of God for His Father and us. Yes, we the mottley crew….. He saw the finished work of His Father’s plan. By His death and resurrection, His Spirit would be changing us, the mottley crew into His saints, the priests and kings of God.   Jesus had to keep the vision of the saints that would be His bride before Him and not what He saw.  That takes true grit!!!!!!

So, Paul also, had the will or “bone” of God. He did not deter from the plan of God that had been set for him. In Acts, Paul was told by Jesus Christ, all that Paul would have to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ.   Paul never let go of his “bone.” In fact, he growled a couple of times when the saints begged him not to go to Jerusalem. The Spirit of God warned Paul and others this would cause  imprisonment. Paul was given the empowerment of strength and “true grit” from the Holy Spirit to complete the will of God. This was the plan that God laid out for Paul. Paul went to Jerusalem. Just as the Spirit had told Paul, he was beaten and imprisoned. There are many saints today going through the same imprisonment and torture for the name and fame of Jesus Christ.  I call them Jesus’ special forces….. True Grit. As I said in my earlier blog, no loafers or flip flops will be able to continue on the journey of the Lord. Sometimes the terrain is high and rough trodding.

What do you think the high calling of God is for you?  We are to offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice as written in Romans 12….. That is the first step,  we start having our “bone” to keep as the Holy Spirit instructs us.

Let’s protect or growl against anything that takes us from the road of apprehending the One that has apprehended us!   We have the same Spirit of God that Jesus does—- We got  the Holy Spirit in us to guide and strengthen us. I do not mean this at all to be disrespectful of Him, but He gives me the ‘true grit”….. Let’s show it in our tenacity to show our love for our Champion, Jesus Christ and others. Let us bite the bullet and complete  what the Holy Spirit says today. Tomorrow, we will be stronger  to obey more of the plan that He has planned for us.  Hey, believe the unbelievable and live the uncomprehendable love in the will of God. Remember-His love never fails!

I know Jesus sees the travail of His soul in each one of us and smiles.  I wrote in my book, His smile is what keeps me truckin’….. He sees His beauty in each one of His saints as they turn their heart toward their King and Champion. Look for His smile today and everyday… Shine in the everlasting Love that He has for you!!!! Don’t let go of your “bone”, obey His will for you. The journey will  be tough here and there but  bite the bullet  and go for it —–because His Love Never Fails!  You got the “true grit.” Be His special force !