dailywordofdestiny

Sojourners

Have you ever wondered why God placed you here on this earth and what it is you are supposed to really be doing while here?  

Jeremiah 29: 1-14 tells us that He wants us to seek Him with all our heart so He will then  be able to set us free  from the enemy’s camp.  All good and perfect gifts and plans come from above and it was of His own free will that He gave us birth as sons by His Word of Truth, so that we would be firstfruits of His creatures (a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself)   (James 1: 12-18).

Bottom line is that God put all of us here on earth for a purpose.  Generally, it is to fellowship with Him; to develop a good relationship with Him.  He also wants us to RECOVER all that we lost through Adam.  God wants us to experience GRACE in our lives.  We are here because of what Jesus did at Calvary.  We are here so that others can learn from our lives, from the testimony of what Jesus did for us, and what He can also do for them.  We are here to do battle with satan. 

The question is, what is your own purpose as an individual?  Have you found out from the Lord?  A wasted life is a life without purpose.  Until your purpose for living is discovered, life may have no meaning for you.  Your reason for being here on earth provides the key to your existence.  These things must be clear in your spirit.  You can NOT live your life on experiment or on a trial and error basis.  Life is so short that you cannot experiment with it; you cannot afford to live on assumption (James 4: 14).  Pray like this:  “Oh Lord, make my purpose for living plain before my eyes, I bind every spirit of aimlessness.” 

In everything you do in life, you must have a purpose for it, be it marriage, business, etc.  The reason there is so much confusion around all of us right now is that people are outside God’s purpose for their lives.  They are busy pursuing their own little dreams.  The worship leader is busy building houses and the painter is hell-bent on flying the aircraft.  When this happens, a person’s purpose is defeated and things will NOT work the way they should.  I want to close with something that the wisest man God ever created, Solomon, said at the end of his days.  All has been heard:  the end of the matter is:  Fear God (revere and worship Him, knowing that He is) and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man (the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God’s providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun) and the whole (duty) of every man.  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good or evil.  (Ecclesiastes 12: 13, 14). 

Sarah Reeves puts all this beautifully into a song and I encourage you to click on it and listen to the words of worship and praise:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4GGegzGJ7s&feature=related

Overcoming Life Obstacles“

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me (I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency).    (Philippians 4: 13)

Who am I?  This is a question of identity.  If you are walking through  Customs & Immigration they will ask you to identify yourself; your visa reveals who you are.  Failure to produce an authentic identification is to court trouble.  The Bible tells us that each person is a spirit living in a body and having a soul.  God made man and woman in His likeness but because they both sinned, they were cursed.  Therefore, because of them, man is now born with a sinful nature.  Each of us are lost souls walking about in this wilderness called earth and it is only by giving our life to Christ that we can find our way out. 

God has a general purpose for all of us, but you must KNOW who you are.  If you do not know who you are, you open the door to many problems in life.  The lesson on identity is an important one.  Jacob learned that lesson.  He knew that by his identity, he was not in the place of blessing.  If you have read Genesis 27, you will discover how he used foul means to get his brother’s blessing.  He got it by claiming his brother’s identity. 

Let this be very clear in your spirit; one of satan’s most effective devices is to get people to doubt their own identity.  He did it to Jesus, so he can do it to anybody.  He said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.”  He did not stop there, he again said to Jesus that if He was the Son of God, He should cast Himself down.  When Jesus was on the cross, satan came again to tempt Him.  He told Jesus that if  He truly was the Son of God, He should come down from the cross.  Therefore, it is possible for the devil to challenge your identity by saying, “If you are truly a child of God, you should not be suffering”  (see 2 Corinthians 12: 10).  It is another reason why you as a believer should not confess negativity like,  “I am not worthy, I am worn out, I am unfit, etc.”   This may have been your old identity tags, but once you gave your life to Christ, and if by the GRACE of God you are living the kind of life He wants you to live, you should NOT belittle who you are in Christ!  If you still are doing it, it means you do NOT know who you are.  The prodigal son was bad, but at a certain time, he came to himself and remembered who he really was.  He remembered he was a son, not a slave. When Jesus was in the world, He did not hide His identity.  He identified Himself as the Light and as the Bread of Life.

The Bible tells us what our identity is.  It says we are the branches, new creatures, not refurbished ones.  We are God’s workmanship, we are more than conquerors and our lives are hid in Christ.  All these point to our collective identity and you MUST KNOW IT.  Do not be like Peter who was released from jail and did not know.  The day you KNOW you belong to God, your Creator, that day you will begin to live a victorious life!  I would like you to pray this way, “Oh Lord, show me who I am in the spirit.  Lord, open my understanding in Jesus name.”

Remember that Jesus died “just for you”; He was raised from the grave and is now alive  and sitting at the right hand of God, interceding for all of us who believe in Him (John 17: 9).   Please listen to this beautiful song and it is my prayer that you will be restored into the depth and passion of your first love for the Savior!       http://youtu.be/puu7PZZxuCo

Seeking God First

This morning I re-read the first three chapters of Genesis and God brought up some points I want to share.  Please read the chapters and ask Holy Spirit to give you new revelation in the words as you meditate on them. 

It is a fact that people do not settle down to think about the world in which they find themselves, or about life in general.  That is why the Bible says, “O that they are wise, they would consider their end.”  I also want to assure you that the devil sees to it that people will waste their time thinking mainly about unimportant things.  It is why you must ask yourself the following eight questions:  (1) Where do I come from?  (2) Who am I?  (3) Why am I here?  (4) What happens when I die?  (5) Where am I now?  (6) What do I see?  (7) When the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith in me?  (8) Will I be made whole?  If, as a Christian, you have never pondered these questions, then you need serious prayers because they are indeed serious eternal issues.   Over the next few articles, I will consider each one of the questions and ask that you seriously consider them as they relate to your personal life.

Where do I come from?    Have you ever thought of that?  Where is your origin?  Many people do not think much about their roots.  It is certain that somebody who does not know where he is coming from, would not know what he wants in this life and the hereafter.  It is unsatisfactory if you answer this question with, ‘I don’t know.’  The Bible makes it clear that God created you and I (read Genesis 1: 26, 27; 2: 7; Psalm 8: 4-6).  These verses tell us that man was created by God, but a time came when he lost all the glory of God and got himself into big trouble.  So, no matter how great man is, his physical body is just dust.  The Lord told him, “Dust thou art and unto the dust thou shall return.”  It is only the spirit of man that goes back to God. 

So, the next time you feel like boasting, remember, you are just dust; nothing more, nothing less.  Whether you are rich or poor, unto dust you shall return.  We came from God and that is where we must compulsorily go back to unless we are rebels and do not want to go back to Him.

A song has stayed with me all this day and I pray it will bless you as it does me.       http://youtu.be/9p4G2GbPYQA

Inner Strength

If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small (Proverbs 24: 10).   However, God tells us what we need to do and Who it is who will actually bring us the needed strength in times of difficulty.  Isaiah tells us that God gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases  strength, causing it to multiply and making it to abound  (40: 29).   The Lord tells us in 2 Corinthians, “MY grace (favor, loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you (sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully); for MY strength and power are made PERFECT (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves MOST EFFECTIVE in (your) weakness” (12: 9).

I truly love the passages in Psalm; they are so uplifting and encouraging and I can understand why God loved David’s heart; He eagerly sought God and he just as eagerly and JOYFULLY PRAISED Him!  David’s praise went into his poetry and today they give us calm assurance of the  JOY and  HOPE  we have in and through Christ.   SELAH (pause, and calmly think of that)!    🙂

God IS our Refuge and Strength (mighty and impenetrable to temptation), a very PRESENT and WELL-PROVED help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken into the midst of the seas, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling and tumult.  SELAH (pause, and calmly think of that)! (46: 1-3) 

The Lord of hosts IS with us; the God of Jacob IS our Refuge (our Fortress and High Tower).  SELAH (pause, and calmly think of that)! (46: 7) 

The Lord of hosts IS with us; the God of Jacob IS our refuge (our High Tower and our Stronghold).  SELAH (pause, and calmly think of that)! (46: 11) 

With God rests my salvation and my glory; He IS my Rock of unyielding strength and impenetrable hardness, and my refuge IS in God!  Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at ALL TIMES, you people; pour out  your hearts before Him.  God IS a refuge for us (a Fortress and High Tower).  SELAH (pause, and calmly think of that)!  (62: 7, 8) 

Blessed are those who dwell in Your house and Your Presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long.  SELAH (pause, and calmly think of that)!  (84: 4)  

They go from strength to strength (increasing in victorious power); each of them appears before God in Zion.  O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!  SELAH (pause, and calmly think of that)!  (84: 8)

Many within the body of Christ are being “pressed” in order to squeeze out the best wine for these final days.  We leave for Africa in two days and there have been some tough things some of the pastors in Kenya are going through right now;  just days before the conference begins.  However; they are STRONG IN THE LORD and all of us STAND IN FAITH and TRUST that our Lord will see this  through!  In closing, I go to Ephesians and STAND in the power there is in God’s Word.    Be strong in the Lord (be empowered through your union with Him); draw your strength from Him (that strength which His boundless might provides).  Put on God’s whole armor, that you may be able successfully to STAND UP AGAINST (ALL) the strategies and the deceits  of the devil… therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and STAND YOUR GROUND on the evil day (of danger), and, having done all (the crisis demands), to STAND.   STAND, therefore (hold your ground)… (6: 10-20).  SELAH (pause, and calmly think of that)!  

Not All Things Are As They SEEM

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words that man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:  for they are foolishness unto him:  neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned  (1 Corinthians 2: 12-14).    Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things NOT SEEN… Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which ARE SEEN were not made with things which do appear  (Hebrews 11: 1, 3).

All around us we see things with our natural eyes and we tend to BELIEVE that what we see IS  REAL and it IS TRUTH.  Olive, in her limited understanding sees the strawberries and bananas and she knows they satisfy her immediate need (hunger); therefore, she eats them.  She really does not process the nutritional value of the fruit, nor does she have any knowledge of  the many things that were involved in getting that fruit onto her table.  IT WAS PUT THERE, SHE EATS IT.  

The media today will report what they see happening around the world as truth.  However, a reporter in Russia may see and report something happening in the United States with a completely different meaning of “truth” than the person reporting the same thing  in New York.  We SEE the natural world through eyes that have been conditioned to the undertsanding developed in a “familiar” environment.  So, if a person has never heard of Jesus Christ and has never had any contact with information about Jesus; s/he would have a hard time BELIEVING the truth of our sermons or teachings.  It is also hard for many (even born-again believers) to wrap their natural “logic” around the person of Holy Spirit.  Come on now, would you believe me if I said that I would send “someone” to you who would INDWELL you and would give you the power to defeat all your enemies?  Not a chance! 

However, to those who will BELIEVE what I say; even though they cannot see, feel, touch, smell, hear the Person (Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Man) I am talking about; these WILL have a MANIFESTED Presence descend into them and fill them in such a way that they cannot deny He is real.  It is the Spirit of the Living God and He will indwell you and bear witness of His reality and He will bring you wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ (who now lives in heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father and WILL be returning to this natural earth one day soon).  

Just like Olive, I can’t explain how this is all accomplished, BUT I KNOW, I BELIEVE with ASSURANCE that it is TRUTH.  I eat of it and I continue to grow daily in the WISDOM of this TRUTH.

Our Standard

And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.  He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.  And I know that His command is everlasting life.  Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me,  so I speak. (John 12: 47, 48  Amplified)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  (John 1: 1-3)

A “standard” is a an object or quality or measure serving as a basis or example or principle to which others should conform or by which others are judged.  It is a required level of excellence.  I find that many  judge things or others by their own measuring stick.  At best, their view is almost always skewed in their favor; they have something to prove or something to gain.  Their standard is set by and around things they have personally dealt with in the past (rejection, fear, failures, lack of control, etc.).  They see situations or other people through vision that is out of focus and they make decisions about others from this unbalanced view. 

Jesus tells us in John 8: 15 that “You judge after the flesh; I judge no man”.  In Matthew 7  He tells us, “Judge NOT, that you may not be judged.  For with what  judgment you judge, you shall be judged:  and with what meausre you mete, it shall be measured to you again” (1, 2).  Jesus does not judge; we should not.  HIS WORD is the “gold standard” that we have to look to when anything comes up that causes us any “unrest”.  We should be casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself AGAINST the KNOWLEDGE of God, and bring into captivity EVERY THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ! (2 Corinthians 10: 5).  Almost always, when you judge someone or something by your standard; you are EXALTING YOURSELF:  you are saying in effect, “My knowledge is far superior to God’s”.   We must all exercise great caution:  for every idle word we speak, we WILL give an account of in the day of judgment and by our words we will either be justified or condemned (Matthew 12: 36, 37).   

We all need to evaluate ourselves according to God’s  “Gold standard”… His precious Word.  We must be DOERS of the Word, not hearers only.  IT IS TRUTH; IT NEVER CHANGES AND IT ALONE WILL JUDGE ALL MEN.

Beaver Design

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and DOETH them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and IT FELL NOT:  for it was founded upon a rock. 

And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them NOT, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it FELL:  and great was the fall of it.   (Matthew 7: 24-27) 

 According to the GRACE of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.  But, let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which IS JESUS CHRIST.  (1 Corinthians 3: 10,11) 

Over the last few weeks, Yoshi and I have been watching a beaver slowly building his lodge.  He felled a few larger branches and dragged them to this point in the stream and then hauled mud up to hold it all together.  I found it fascinating to watch the process as it seemed to involve so much hard labor; however, the beaver persisted and what you see here is not quite a finished work, but it is very impressive.  There are now several new arrivals and he is teaching the little ones to bring leaves and twigs to build onto what he has in place.  I smiled as I saw one small beaver swimming like crazy carrying a tiny twig with a few leaves in his mouth that were bigger than he was!  🙂  Yoshi goes onto the top of the lodge and jumps to signal his arrival.  He then watches the water very closely to see if the beaver will swim out.  They often do and the Papa beaver will then slap his tail on the water to signal to the others that Yoshi is out. 

 This has reminded me of our relationship with Jesus and our heavenly Father.  God sent His Son to redeem mankind.  Jesus came and walked earth as the Son of Man (God in the flesh) and all He did while here modelled the kind of behavior and lifestyle He desires that we follow in our own lives.  He knew no sin, yet was crucified and died for each of us.  He was raised up from the grave (conquered death) by the power of God’s Spirit and He IS ALIVE now and forevermore!  

All who choose to BELIEVE He IS and decide they want the ETERNAL LIFE He obtained for them can receive Him as Lord of their life and submit to His rule and direction for their life.  As we journey in our relationship with Him; seeking ALL that He has for us, He will reveal things through Holy Spirit, that we need to do in order to build our life in and on Him (the solid ROCK).When the storms and winds of adversity hit our life, we have the assurance (FAITH, SECURITY) that we will STAND, no matter what. 

 I like Psalm 145: 9-16 and I’ll paraphrase it in closing:  The Lord is gracious, full of compassion, He is good to all who love Him.  All His works praise Him (beavers too) and His saints (me) bless Him for they speak of the glory of His kingdom and talk of His power.  And He makes known to His own the glorious majesty of His kingdom, which is an everlasting kingdom through ALL generations.  He upholds all that fall and raises up all that are bowed down.  He gives us our meat in due season and satisfies the desire of every living thing.    Praise the Lord!   🙂

Conquerors in Him

When Abram heard that his nephew had been captured, he armed (led forth) the 318 trained servants born in his own house and pursued the enemy as far as Dan.  He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and attacked and routed them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.  And he brought back all the goods and also brought back his kinsman Lot and his possessions, the women also and the people.  … Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor and Maker of heaven and earth, and blessed, praised, and glorified be God Most High, Who has given your foes into your hand… (Genesis 14). 

Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry; BUT if he is found out, he MUST RESTORE SEVEN TIMES (what he stole); he must give the whole substance of his house (if necessary- to meet his fine).  (Proverbs 6: 30, 31)

I was raised in the church but as a young adult, became a prodigal daughter.  After many years, I came back into relationship with my heavenly Father through Christ Jesus.  However, I held Satan responsible for the years I had lost in righteous living and I claimed the seven-fold recompense from him.  I reminded God of Proverbs 6: 31 and I stood on this passage and declared it over my life:  I WOULD have increased wisdom, understanding, and revelation from the Lord at SEVEN times the normal rate for the rest of my spiritual journey.  Many would say it was a verse I may have taken out of context; however, God is merciful and faithful.  He has given me what I have asked for and I PRAISE Him for it.  I never get tired of reminding the enemy that he IS DEFEATED in my life; that I AM VICTORIOUS IN CHRIST.  If I dance with all my might, as David did before the Lord (2 Samuel 6: 14, 15, 21) it is because He is my Righteousness and I honor and worship Him for giving me LIFE ABUNDANTLY  (John 10: 10)!  🙂

http://youtu.be/oF_U5wiXsBM  (I WENT TO THE ENEMY’S CAMP; LOOK WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE!) is a song that vividly describes my personal VICTORY over the enemy.  In Christ, I have ETERNAL LIFE and I REJOICE with ALL that is within me!  🙂

Please take a moment and read Acts 4.  I believe the verses (23-33) are to reinforce the UNITY that is required for the body of Christ both now and in the near future.  It is not an option, it is a requirment that God is looking for in order to  pour out His Spirit on the remnant whose hearts are prepared to receive.  Are you to be part of this magnificant revelation of God’s grace on mankind?  It is part of His initial COVENANT with mankind and it has not changed throughout the ages; a circumcision of our hearts  (Genesis the beginning right through to Revelation the end). And I will give them ONE HEART (a new heart) and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony (unnaturally  hardened) heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh (sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God) (Ezekiel 11: 19; 36: 26; 2 Corinthians 3: 3).  Strip yourselves of your former nature which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; and be CONSTANTLY renewed in the spirit of your mind.  And put ont he new nature created in God’s image, (Godlike) in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4: 22-24). In Acts 2 we read about the UNITY there was between 12o who were BELIEVING and TRUSTING God for the outpouring of His Spirit and in in verse 1-4 we see this manifested in POWER.  Then we go on to Acts 4 and we read that Peter and John were placed in prison for preaching and for the signs and miracles that followed.  When they were released, they were telling a group of their friends about this and they all LIFTED THEIR VOICES TOGETHER WITH ONE UNITED MIND TO GOD…praising Him and thanking Him.  The verses I now highlight, I believe are also just a foreshadow of what we are going to see in the coming days.  In fact, I declare that these verses do not even come close to what God is planning to do…in fact, what He has already started throughout all the nations of the world. I AM EXCITED and I KNOW IT IS SO…are you ready to receive; is your heart prepared? And now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to your BONDSERVANTS (full freedom) to declare Your message FEARLESSLY.  While You stretch out Your hand to cure and to preform signs and wonders through the AUTHORITY and by the POWER of the name of Your holy Child and Servant Jesus.  And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage.  Now the company of believers was of ONE HEART and SOUL, and not one of them claimed that anything which he possessed was exclusively his own, but EVERYTHING THEY HAD was in common and FOR THE USE OF ALL (Acts 4: 29-33; also see Ephesians 2: 19-22).    Many today do NOT believe this kind of FREEDOM and VICTORY we have in Christ is for us today and if you look at the church as a whole; that is obvious. IT IS FOR US!!!   I am hear to tell you, “you have not heard or seen anything yet”!   I had a prophetic word spoken over my life 6 years ago and I claim it as a NOW WORD:  “Judy, what eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered intot he heart of man, (all that) God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him (who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed).  Yet to you God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit”  (taken from 1 Corinthians 2: 9, 10).  I have held onto God’s  promise and I KNOW it has always been mine, praise God!!!   I desire to share it with any of you who feel you are ready to be part of this NEW DAY in Christ Jesus!  God bless you on your personal journey with Him; it’ll be so much better than you can possibly imagine!  🙂