Wonderful Jesus!

Isaiah 50:4- “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…”
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    • Where Did You Build?

      Posted at 3:49 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on June 13, 2020

      Matthew 7:24-27 – “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” ESV

      Jesus concludes His Sermon on the Mount with this parable. It’s actually a very fitting ending to a remarkable teaching to His followers about life in the Kingdom of God. The hearers in the audience were raised in Judaism, whose ancestry went back to Abraham, and they were very familiar with the Law. However, in this sermon, Jesus doesn’t stress the importance of following the Law, but the importance of a sincere heart of obedience towards God.

      This parable is short and to the point and needs little interpretation. The message of this parable, is powerful and life changing, and as applicable today as when He first spoke it.

      There are two builders. One is wise and one is foolish. The wise man builds his house on a rock, and according to Luke, he dug deep into the rock to lay his foundation. The foolish man built his house on the sand, without laying a foundation at all. The storms came upon both houses, but the house built on the rock, with deep foundations, withstood the storms, while the house on the sand was destroyed.

      I read in a commentary on Matthew, that the land of Palestine required that one should be careful about where he chose to build a house. In some areas, the land was filled with gullies, or ravines created by water. In the summer time the sandy hollows of the gullies looked like a great place to build, because of it’s flat surface. However, if you chose that area upon which to build, in the winter you would have raging torrents of rushing water to deal with. If this were to happen, it could literally destroy your house.

      Imagine you built your house in a gully thinking that it’s a great place to enjoy the sun and sand, and maybe even the waterfront. You have easy access to the life you enjoy and all is well in the land. Then one day the heavy winds and rain come along and you have to get out as fast as possible to not be carried away with the house. Life isn’t fair! How could God let this happen to you?

      Your neighbor, on the other hand, built his house on the hill. When the storm came, he and his family were quite safe in their home. They continued on as usual because their sturdy house, that had it’s foundation in the rock, was secure. Again, you think, life isn’t fair! God loves your neighbor more than you! Does He? Or is there something else going on?

      Jesus says it clearly, the wise men is the one who hears His words and does them. The foolish man is the one who hears His words and does not do them. One person is living a life of obedience and the other person is not. Both of these people heard Jesus, but only one of them obeyed Him. Yet, people easily become embittered over a situation of their own making, blaming God, because someone needs to take the blame, other than them!

      In the Church, we have both types of people: wise and foolish. They both attend church, read the Bible, memorize scripture, attend conferences, and buy Christian literature. They both look the same, like strong Christians! But when the storms of life hit, they reveal the truth about each and every person. Both had the appearance of a solid Christian faith, because they both heard the word, but only one was able to withstand the storm. The one that withstood the storm had laid the foundation of his house on the Rock; while the other one only looked like he had.

      Jesus’ parable is touching a place where we don’t want to go. He lets us know that an intellectual knowledge of Him and His kingdom principles will not sustain you in the tough times. Nor do they represent a commitment to Him. Looking like you are alright, when you are not, will one day expose you for the fraud that you are. It is a life of obedience and heartfelt worship and service that keeps us anchored to the Rock! It is obedience that is the proof of life surrendered to Christ!

      The apostles continued this teaching when James wrote that we are to not only be hearers of the word, but doers also. John furthered this teaching by saying we are liars if we say we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness. Interesting to note, there was no third house mentioned. You know the one, the house of the partially obedient person?

      If I tell my child to clean the kitchen, and she only washes the dishes, did she obey me? If I tell my student he can go to the bathroom, but he also went to his locker and got some water, did he obey me? If Jesus tells me that committing adultery is wrong, and I’m not having an affair but I love pornography, am I obeying Him?

      Jesus introduced, at the close of His sermon, a radical new way of thinking. He actually revolutionized what following God was all about. It’s not about getting caught up in the rules and being able to recite them, but demonstrating absolute obedience to Him and His way of doing things. Remember, the wise man’s life was secure in Jesus and protected from the storms, while the foolish man’s life was headed for sure destruction. Are you being wise, or foolish? Only you really know the answer to that question! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in hard times, obedience, Parable of Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Christian, God, Handling difficulties, hard times, Jesus, Jesus as teacher, obedience, parable, protection, Victorious Living, word of God
    • A Question to Us All

      Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 21, 2020

      Jeremiah 12:5 – “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” NIV

      In my previous blog, I shared about some of the trials that people went through in the Bible and how God stepped in to deliver them. In this blog, I want to address another viewpoint on tribulations, your part to stand!

      Jeremiah was a prophet of Israel during some of their dark days. Their kings at that time were considered evil kings who did not do right in the eyes of the Lord. They worshipped the Baal and led the people to do the same. During these seasons, God sent them prophets to encourage them to do the right thing. However, they refused to do the right thing and continuously attacked Jeremiah as he tried to get them to obey God.

      One day Jeremiah was ranting to God about how the evil men were prospering and it was okay for Him to go ahead and destroy them. God spoke to Jeremiah and said, “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? This is an interesting analogy, for most people cannot outrun a horse. As a matter of fact, it’s impossible! Isn’t it?

      Most people know that horses are fast! But did you know that a horse at full gallop only has endurance for about 2 1/2 miles of running, and at a trot he can travel about 15 miles? When God made this analogy He knew that! And yet He told Jeremiah that if he couldn’t handle a foot race, he’d never be able to run against a horse.

      This was God’s way of saying that if Jeremiah couldn’t handle the normal trials and tribulations of life, how would he be able to handle the greater issues? There are some things that happen as a result of just living. Few us of get to pass these trials by: raising kids, being talked about, relationship issues, and disappointments to name a few. Painful, but not catastrophic. These types of challenges are what we call running in the foot race of life. But there are other events that can sweep you off your feet because they are so great, so hard to bear, to deal with, that could be considered “running with the horses”, catastrophic; and every one don’t survive them!

      God knew what Jeremiah was going through. He knew there were things that made his life uncomfortable and not much fun. But God also knew what was ahead, and what He was trying to get Jeremiah to see, that there was more to come! I feel for Jeremiah! Who wants to be called to a ministry that is filled with rejection, heartache, and threats on your life? No one! But that was what God had called Jeremiah to, and he knew it. Why else would God tell him to fix. his face like flint? Paul was another one. The call on his life was of such a nature that he had to face the reality that he would some day be martyred for the kingdom. And it didn’t seem to faze him one bit! He said for him to die was gain! But that’s not the life that we signed up for! No! We want a life of tip toeing through the tulips! But it was never promised to us!

      David said, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” Adversity may be designed by the devil to cause you to fall apart, but David said if you let it, you have small strength! There’s an interesting point about racing with a horse I’d like to share. If you both start out at the same gate, at the same time, the horse will leave you in the dust! The race will look like it is over before it has begun. But if you keep running, you will find him at his 2 mile marker resting, where you can overtake him and win the race. Just like the classic, “The Tortoise and the Hare”. Paul said it like this, the race isn’t given to the swift, nor to the strong, but to the one who endures! The tragedy or trial may seem to wipe you off your feet, but after you catch your breath, and realize that God is with you, you can get back up, and turn a tragedy into a triumph!

      Children of God!!!! Stuff is going to happen! There’s no getting around it! Some will be worst than others! But everything that the devil is throwing at you, you don’t have to catch! Remember that song, “If you catch hell don’t hold it! And if you’re going through hell, don’t stop”? (Ron Kenoly) Just keep on moving in Jesus! Keep standing! Keep fighting! Keep trusting! Don’t stay there! Don’t get bogged down by it! Get up and find your strength in God! Because in the end, you win! He always causes us to triumph! Running with men ain’t easy, but if you quit now, when things get really tough, you won’t stand a chance against the horses! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in hard times, trust in God, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged adversity, encouragement, endurance, hard times, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 12:5, overcoming, Parenting, race, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory
    • But Then God…!

      Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 19, 2020

      Psalm 34:19 – “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” NKJV

      The word afflictions is translated from the Hebrew word, “ra” and can be used to mean adversity, calamity, distress, harm, hurt, misery, sorrow and trouble, to name a few. What type of evangelism experience would you have if you walked up to an unsaved person and said, “Hey! I want to tell you about all the trouble, the hurt, the misery, and sorrows you are going to go through as a believer”? You will be ineffective in your attempt to win that person to the Lord! No one wants to buy into trouble. But the wonderful thing about affliction, is that the Lord delivers us out of all of them!

      Jesus said it like this, “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.” In other words, we as Christians are inevitably going to experience some things, but the promise of God is that He has already overcome the world, and that includes its troubles!

      Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers; but then God gave Pharaoh a dream that only Joseph could interpret, and he was moved from the prison to second in command of Egypt. Moses’ mom had to put him in a basket in the Nile River because she couldn’t bear to see harm come to him; but then God had Pharaoh’s daughter find him, fall instantly in love with him, and she raised him as her own. The children of Israel were standing at the Red Sea, with the sea before them and the Egyptians behind them; but then God parted the sea, that they could walk over on dry land. And then God drowned the Egyptians in the sea! The children of Israel came to a place where there was no water; but then God told Moses to strike the rock and water gushed out to meet their needs.

      Job lost every thing he had except his wife and his life; but then God stepped in and blessed him with double for his trouble! The Hebrew boys were thrown in a furnace that was turned up seven times hotter; but then God stepped into the furnace and not a hair on their head was singed. Daniel was thrown in the lions’ den; but then God closed the mouths of the lions, and Daniel went to sleep. Jonah was swallowed by the large fish, but then God made the fish throw him up!

      Goliath had the Israelites shaking in their boots, but then God sent David to the camp and he killed Goliath! David was in the cave of Adullam seeking encouragement from the Lord, but then God sent him 400 men who became his mighty army! David was running from Saul for his life; but then God took care of his enemy, and gave him the kingdom.

      Five thousand people went to hear Jesus preach, and ended up staying so long they missed their dinner; but then God multiplied two loaves of bread and five fish, and fed them. Taxes came due, and Peter was concerned about how to pay them; but then God had a fish find a coin, and led that fish to Peter’s net. Saul was a persecutor of the church; but then God stopped him on his way to Damascus, and turned him into Paul the apostle. Jesus was crucified and hung on the cross; but then God raised Him from the dead, giving salvation to us all.

      You see, I can’t think of a single person who sees a trial and then shouts, “This is going to be a good one! Let me at it!” I know I don’t! But we should! The minute we see the devil prowling on the attack, we need to start looking for the “but then God” moments! It is in the midst of all of these troubles, trials, difficulties, hurts, sorrows and disappointments of life, that we see God stepping in on our behalf, bringing mighty miracles of deliverance! Andrea Crouch sang these words in a song, “If I didn’t have any problems, I wouldn’t know that God could solve them!” This is so true, and yet many of us struggle through our difficulties, barely able to believe that God could possibly loves us, since we are hurting so much! I want you to know He most certainly does!

      Am I saying that we should ask for, look for, or even desire afflictions? Absolutely not! My pastor likes to say, “You are either going through a trial, you just came out of a trial, or you are about to go in a trial!” Every time I hear it, I cringe! I don’t like trials! But I love the victories! I love the testimonies! I love the shouting and the dancing that follows every time! Guess what? You can’t have one without the other!

      This pandemic feels unreal! It’s hard to comprehend all that has happened in such a short period of time. In just a couple months there have been over 320,000 people who have died as a result of this virus, while almost 5 million have contracted it worldwide. That’s mind boggling! On top of that, millions are unemployed! Not what we were looking for in 2020! But I am confident, and I am so convinced, that there is going to be a “but then God” moment in the lives of all who can believe! Hopefully, even in the world!

      This is not panic time! It’s time to believe like never before! It’s time to trust in the faithfulness of God like you have read about in the examples above, even in God’s word! It is time to say, and continue to say, that this is a great time and place for a…but then God! Trials and tribulations that we will face may not be a wonderful place to start an evangelism opportunity, but it most certainly can be a wonderful place to end it! Whatever Satan has up his sleeve, hang in there for your “but then God”! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Deliverance, hard times, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged coronavirus, Daniel, David, Deliverance, encouragement, Faith, God, hard times, Hebrew boys, Jesus, Job, miraculous, Moses, protection, testimony, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory, witness
    • Therefore I Have Hope!

      Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 5, 2020

      Lamentations 3:21-23 – This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. NKJV

      Jeremiah the prophet is known as the “weeping” prophet. Israel had him in tears over their total disregard for the word of the Lord and him. They rejected him as a prophet, for he was constantly saying, “They will not listen!” He was beaten and put in the stocks, they put a death sentence on him, the king burned the scroll that had a prophecy from Jeremiah for him, and he was thrown in a mud pit and left to die. On top of all of that, they called him a liar. It was pretty tough going for Jeremiah. No wonder he cried! I would’ve been binding the devil and all of his attacks! Yet, Jeremiah was smack dab in the will of God going through some hard times. This was tough!

      There are times in the life of the believer, one who is fully committed to the work of God, sold out, focused, and running hot for the Master, when you can find yourself in some really tough situations, smack dab in the middle of God’s will. Especially pastors, leaders, prophets, and those in ministry who work hard to lead the body of Christ. It is often said that they are on the forefront and get the first attacks that come to the church. It can be a challenge! (This is a good time to stop and “say a little prayer” for your pastors and leaders!)

      I wish I could say it’s just them! It’s all who are committed to Christ, all who are new in Christ, all who identify with Christ…I think you get the picture. We can experience some tough days. Like Jeremiah! Like Jesus! Perspective at that time is really important. I like Jeremiah’s perspective.

      Jeremiah said he had to call some things to mind. When you are going through, as a believer, recalling some things to mind will be helpful, if you recall the right things. Jeremiah tells us what he called to mind. First, he remembered that through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed. In the Living Bible, this verse is translated, “It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction.” Jeremiah may have been lamenting, but he understood that because of God’s mercies, he was not destroyed. That was the goal of the people he was sent to, but God kept him! And God’s mercies are available to us! Things may seem bad, they may seem hard, but He will is keeping you!

      Jeremiah recalled that God’s compassion never fails! That’s a spectacular record. God’s compassion for us, never fails. He just keeps on giving and giving and giving a love that has no end. With all that Jeremiah experienced, he was still able to say that God’s compassion was available to him. Through all of his difficulties, through the loneliness of being a rejected prophet, through the hurt of knowing he was in God’s will and yet he was going through these challenges, he understood that God’s compassion would not fail him.

      Jeremiah recalled that His mercies are new every morning! A brand new mercy for every day. He didn’t have to rely on what God gave him yesterday because God’s mercies were available to him every day, and they were new mercies. God’s love for His people just keep manifesting in all kinds of ways to meet all kinds of needs. If it wasn’t for that truth…But Jeremiah called to mind, remembered, God’s mercies were new. When they called him a liar, God had a mercy available to endure it. When they beat him up, he needed a different kind of mercy, and God provided it. When they put a hit on his life, God showed up with another mercy. Whenever he needed it, God had mercy ready for distribution.

      And Jeremiah recalled to mind, that great is His faithfulness!! How could God be considered faithful through so many difficulties? How could God be faithful through so much hurt? How could God be faithful when nothing went right, ever??? I tell you how… Jeremiah’s faith in God wasn’t predicated on what he was experiencing but on who He was believing. He didn’t like what he was experiencing, but he understood that God’s faithfulness to His people, was great! Moses said that not one word had failed from all that God had promised the children of Israel! David said that God’s mercy reaches the heavens and His faithfulness reaches to the clouds! And another time David said that he would sing of the mercies of the Lord forever and with his mouth he would make known His faithfulness!

      And so as he called these things to mind, it caused him to have hope! It caused him to see past the challenges of his life, to hope in His God! It caused him to see past the mud pit to His faithful God, and His ability to deliver Him, to protect Him, to keep him. He had hope in the God who was full of compassion that never fails, who has new mercies every day, and who never allowed his destruction!

      Did you know that if you are a believer, a Christian, you have the same God as Jeremiah? Of course you did! And since you know that, you know that whatever you are currently experiencing, what ever you have experienced, whatever you will experience, that you can’t focus on those things! No! You have to do like Jeremiah in order to experience the hope that he experienced…recall the faithfulness of God, remember His unfailing love towards you, hold fast to His new mercies! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in God’s faithfulness, hard times, Hope in God, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Believer, David, encouragement, Faith, hard times, hope, Jeremiah, Lamentations, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory
    • A Place of Refuge!

      Posted at 3:05 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 2, 2020

      1 Samuel 22:1-2 -David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. NKJV

      I’ve been reading through the Old Testament and am currently ending Chronicles. I find that I am always amazed at David and his warriors. Those of us familiar with the scriptures know all about David and Goliath! I get excited when David tells King Saul that he had already killed the lion and the bear, so facing this giant would be just like facing them. When David confronts Goliath and tells him that he’s going to cut off his head and give the bodies of the Philistines to the birds of the air, whew! He is the Alpha male type that romance novels, suspense thrillers, war movies are written about. And yet, one day David realized that King Saul was after his life and he ran to the cave of Adullam.

      David ended up in the cave of Adullam. If you look at the picture that I found on Pinterest you can see it wasn’t a comfortable place to find oneself. As people heard about his whereabouts, they went to David. His brothers who had taunted him at the battle against Goliath and ignored him when he was watching the sheep, along with all of his father’s household went to David. Men who were in distress, in debt, and discontented went to him. And he became captain over them.

      How would you like to start a team, a ministry, or anything with a group of people who are distressed, in debt, and discontented? Can you imagine all of the attitudes you would have to deal with? Can you just see that David had his own issues, and now everyone with an issue is coming to him? It’s a recipe for disaster, yet David turned it into a recipe for success!

      Hurting people don’t all look the same. Some are hurting and because they are so miserable in their lives, they want everyone else to hurt, so they hurt others. Then there are those hurting people who have been abused and when they find someone to see their value, they can forgive, release the hurt, and grow to their fullest potential. Then there are the hurting people who wallow in their hurts, lock themselves away, and they just give up on living altogether, they are in a perpetual pity party. These men who came to David distressed (worried, dealing with great sorrow or great pain); in debt (owing everyone, having nothing to call their own); and discontented (unhappy, not satisfied with life or the way things were going) all showed up in the cave of Adullam, looking for refuge. A weaker person would have rent his garments, put ashes on his forehead and fell on his face, but not David.

      I’ve been watching the documentary of the Bulls, “The Last Dance”. We all know that Jordan was a special player and at first they tried to make the Bulls a one man show with Michael. Then Phil Jackson comes along and teaches Michael and the others about being on a team. Once Michael got the concept down, got over having a need to be the “star” all the time, he began working with his teammates, along with Phil Jackson, to help them to be the best players they could be. The Chicago Bulls went on to win six NBA championships! There’s is something about leaders who know how to develop their people. (A later blog!)

      In the place of refuge people are seeking safety from being pursued, from danger, or from trouble. That certainly qualified for David! David was on the run for his life because of the anointing and call from God. He was smart enough to know his safety wasn’t in a locale, but in the Presence of the Lord. He wrote Psalm 142 in the cave and he penned that he cried out to the Lord who was his refuge. In another psalm David wrote that the Lord was his saving refuge. In yet another psalm he wrote that the Lord was his rock of refuge. David had already been anointed king, he had already killed the giant, he had already killed his “ten thousands” and now he’s in a cave running from Saul. And yet David did what he had done when he was watching those sheep, he went to God and found refuge in Him.

      Then the people began to come to David. Those who were worried about their future with a king who was more bent on killing David then killing the Philistines found a captain who was secure in what God had promised and was able to help them to trust that things were going to work out. Those who were in debt were promised lands and great fortune as they conquered their enemies and took back what the devil had stolen from them. And those who were discontented found something “big” to be a part, something that they could do to help David, their country, and themselves. They saw their king in the place of refuge and pledged their allegiance to him.

      If you are in a stay at home situation, you are in a place of refuge. It is not a comfortable place to be. I don’t know about you, but there are some things I really miss; going to church, going out to eat, spending time with my other family members, and I’ll possibly miss my scheduled vacation! I get it! Things like this may cause you to feel distressed, not working could be putting you in more debt, and all of it can cause you to feel discontented with your current situation, but it doesn’t have to get the best of you. Not only are there others just like you, as it was with David, but God is with you, with us through it all! You don’t have to stay the way that you are. NO! You have a captain! His name is Jesus! And He is your refuge, your help in the times of trouble. Don’t spend your time in the cave wallowing in self pity, wasting time, and giving up. Get with your captain and let Him bring healing to your hurts, hope for the future, prosperity for tomorrow. He is more than able. He’s a great leader and have led so many others to victory. I can tell you that I am personally embarrassed over the joy I am experiencing! My heart is so filled with peace, while at the same time it hurts for the loss of so many lives and even livelihoods. But I am dwelling in the truth of Psalm 91!

      When we leave the cave of Adullam, we will once again be that warrior, that conqueror, that more than a conqueror that we were before the cave. Some of us are still waging war, as David did from the cave, on our enemy! He hates those of us who are using this time to pray more, to spend more time in the word, to be strengthened by our pastors and others in the body! We will be even better, after this! Continue to allow Him to train you to stand, to fight, to win, to keep your enemy forever running from you while you are in the cave. No matter how long we are at home, it won’t be long. It shall pass! And when the church, the Bride of Christ comes out of the cave, we are going to be a mighty army for the Lord! If we trust Him to be our refuge!Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in hard times, protection, trust in God, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, coronavirus, David, debt, discontent, distress, encouragement, Forgiveness, God, hard times, Healing, Health, Prayer, protection, provision, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory
    • Battle Fatigue!

      Posted at 2:04 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 28, 2020

      Isaiah 37:3 – They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.” NIV

      If you have been following me through this battle with Hezekiah and Sennacherib, you know that a lot has been going on. This has been a battle that has spanned months, if not years.

      Hezekiah has cleaned up Judah, getting rid of the idols and restoring the worship of the One True God. That was a battle in and of itself! Then he rebelled against Sennacherib, in essence, letting him know that he wasn’t going to do his bidding anymore. Then Sennacherib attacks all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them, taking the people into captivity. Hezekiah repents of his rebellion to Sennacherib and pays him tribute, or compromises. Sennacherib isn’t satisfied and he sends a large army to take Jerusalem. Whew! A lot is going on!

      With all that Hezekiah has done, restoring righteousness to Judah, building up the city against war, encouraging his people to trust that God was on their side, he has shown himself to be a king whose trust was in the Lord. He may have gotten a little frightened and compromised, but at the heart of all he had done, was a king who believed in God.

      Now, with our key verse, we see a king who is weary. He has grown tired of the constant need to be on guard, the constant need to be battle ready, the constant need to encourage himself and his people, and it’s the worst time ever to be weary because war seems eminent.

      The Bible doesn’t explain to us where Isaiah has been during all of this time, but now Hezekiah feels like he needs some encouragement. He sends messengers to Isaiah and tells them to say to Isaiah that he is at a place of distress, rebuke, and disgrace and he feels like a mother who is about to deliver a baby but she has no strength left to deliver it.

      Now, you have to have given birth or at least been with someone who has given birth to fully understand this. I have had three children and I totally understand what Hezekiah is saying.

      My second child was my longest labor. It felt like forever, but it was really about 30 hours. Most of that time I was in the hospital on pitocin which was used to help my contractions become stronger. I kid you not when I say my contractions were hard and frequent for so many hours I thought I was going to lose my mind!! The nurses kept coming in to check on my progress but nothing was happening. Finally, my sister-in-law, who worked in labor and delivery at that hospital, but who was supposed to be watching my firstborn, showed up. She took one look at me, knew I didn’t have the strength to deliver my baby, and she turned around and got me a surgeon who could give me a C-section! I was delivered!!! And I was oh so grateful to be done.

      Back to Hezekiah! He is saying the labor has been too long and he has grown weary and he needs help in delivering this baby! Do you know how Hezekiah felt? I know this feeling naturally and spiritually. And if you have never experienced it, just keep living!

      Spiritual battle fatigue is real. There are some battles that end so quickly you don’t even realize you were in a battle; but there are some that seem to go and on and on. I’m thinking of a battle of sickness, or a battle in a relationship, or a battle with finances, or a battle with a boss. You have done every thing that you can think of and every thing that others can think of. You have prayed and you have stood on the word. You have confessed and you have put a praise on it. You have bound the enemy and you have put him under you feet, but the battle still rages! What do you do?

      It is at this time that you need a word from God. You may need to seek out someone who can intercede on your behalf. You may need to go to your pastor. Whomever the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, you need to get with them and trust them to be able to hear from the Lord because your strength is failing you. I’ve been in need and I’ve been the mediator and it’s a blessing to have people who will help you win a battle.

      That’s what Hezekiah did! He sent his people to the prophet Isaiah, and Isaiah had a word for him from the Lord. God sent Hezekiah a word that He had heard the blasphemous words of the Assyrian king and that Sennacherib would return to his own country and be cut down with the sword.

      That word encouraged Hezekiah and he was able to pray what was on his heart to the Father and continue in the battle. You know what happened! It ended for Sennacherib as Isaiah prophesied. Sennacherib’s own sons killed him! I’m not saying that God is going to kill anybody on your behalf, but He will come through for you. When you are feeling your greatest fatigue in the battle, know you are about to win your greatest victory. Stand strong, call in reinforcements, and don’t give up on God. Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Battle plans, Believers, Christian, Hezekiah’s battle, Victorious Living | 4 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, encouragement, hard times, Hezekiah, Sennacherib, Spiritual warfare, Victorious Living
    • Talk Back to the Enemy!

      Posted at 7:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 25, 2020

      Isaiah 36:7 – “But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’?”’ NKJV

      talk-back-to-the-enemy_.mp3

      I think I’ve mentioned before that this battle is one of the most detailed battles in the word, written in three different books of the Bible. The first thing I noticed, the first time I read this battle is that the Assyrians were nothing more than bullies! They spent the majority of their time throwing insults, hoping to intimidate the Israelites into submission. If there is one modus operandi of the devil, intimidation would get my vote as his specialty.

      Let’s look at a few of the insults hurled at the citizens of Judah:

      • What are you trusting in?
      • I heard you are making plans for a war, but they are mere words.
      • Are you trusting in the assistance of Egypt? He’s a broken reed and so are those who trust in him.
      • Are you trusting in God?
      • Didn’t Hezekiah take away His high places and altars and said you could only worship here in Jerusalem?
      • Come on, surrender and make a pledge and we will give you 2,000 horses, if you have men you can put on them!
      • Didn’t the Lord say to us, “Go up against this land, and destroy it!
      • Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, he won’t be able to deliver you!

      And the insults continued on and on, with one intent, to intimidate the people of God. And the devil has been using this form of attack on the people of God for centuries; often times quite effectively.

      Today he would more likely say things like:

      • Do you really think God will heal you? He didn’t heal Brother So and So. As a matter of fact, he died.
      • Do you expect Jesus to come from heaven and marry you? You will be waiting until eternity.
      • Do you really think that by giving that church ten percent of your income, you are going to make it to the next paycheck and have more than enough? Are you stupid? You can’t pay your bills now!
      • Why would God want to use you? There is nothing special about you. Get real!
      • Don’t you dare go over and tell that person that! That wasn’t God. He is not talking to you. That’s you!
      • You think because you said that prayer that you are saved. That is so not true. If that’s all it took, everybody would be saved.
      • You are a worthless, low down, dirty, rotten sinner, and that’s all you will ever be. God can’t possibly love you!

      And the list can go on and on and on. And some nights, and some times in your head, it does! And it seems as if you can’t shut the lying, hateful words up and so you begin to feel tormented in your mind and in your spirit. And when you start thinking like that, he is being effective against you!

      Hezekiah’s advice to his people was not to respond. This makes sense, because this was not an individual battle, but a battle against the masses. And maybe, just maybe, it is good advice when the devil is using an actual person. But generally, I would say that now is the time to go on the attack!

      How? The same way Jesus went on the attack! With God’s word!

      • Every lying thought needs to be cast down! You need to open your mouth and declare that “by His stripes you are healed!” That you will live and not die and continue to declare the works of the Lord! He is your healer!
      • You need to take a firm grip on the word that says, “It is not good that man is alone!” God’s idea, not mine! So He will work it out! And until He brings you together, you will use your time and talents to promote His kingdom and trust that your future spouse is waging war on him also!
      • Bring all the tithes into my storehouse, God said, and He will rebuke the devourer. So devil, you are rebuked in Jesus’ Name! Wealth and riches are in your house and you are blessed!
      • God has plans, a purpose, an expected end for you to get to, and God will bring it to pass! Therefore you can trust in Him to direct you, lead you, guide you. And you can become the enemy’s worst nightmare.
      • God manifests Himself, by His Spirit, to His people that they might be encouraged. A word of knowledge is a gift of God. And at the very least, you will encourage your brother, or your sister, so you will share what has dropped in your spirit and trust God with the rest!
      • All those who call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved! You called! You are saved! You are redeemed of the Lord and are saying so, because He told you to!
      • You are loved by God! You are fearfully and wonderfully made. And equally as importantly, you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, not a low down dirty sinner. Satan is a liar, and the Father of lies and you are to resist every negative thought and comment and hide under the shadow of the Almighty God! You are His sheep and you only listen to your Shepherd, now put the devil behind you!

      You cannot be silent when the taunting, tormenting, intimidating spirits of the enemy come knocking at the door of your mind or your heart! You must make a decision to attack him with the only thing that works! God’s word! It worked for Jesus in the wilderness and it will work for you! This is your time for talking back! Get sassy with it! And let him know that you are not taking this mess anymore! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Battle plans, Believers, Christian, Spiritual warfare, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Believer, Christian, encouragement, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, righteousness, Sinner, Spiritual warfare, Tithing, Victorious Living, victory, word of God
    • Don’t Count Yourself Out!

      Posted at 3:38 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 21, 2020

      “2 Chronicles 32:8 -With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. NKJV

      As I mentioned in my previous post, a lot is going on in this battle. I have already mentioned that Hezekiah was a righteous king, doing all that he could to restore the statutes of the Lord in Israel. He tore down everything that was contrary to the Lord, and rebuilt all that was destroyed in an attempt to stomp Him out.

      I like what verse 1 in this chapter of the Bible let’s us know. “After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah…” I wrote about this in my last post, but here we see in the word that the attack came after his righteous stand. Just like it does with us today! And at first he compromises with the enemy to try and get him to back off from the battle, but verse two lets us know that Sennacherib had come with a purpose to make war against Jerusalem.

      Each telling of the battle has some really interesting points, but tonight I want to deal with what happened after the compromise. According to verses 3-8, Hezekiah came up with a plan. That plan was not to give in and let Sennacherib totally destroy all that he had accomplished, but to prepare for battle!

      First, Hezekiah realizes that the Assyrians came to battle and he consults with his leaders and commanders. Can I stop for a moment and say that Hezekiah was wise enough to know that he didn’t know everything, or that he could accomplish far more with his team alongside him? Too many leaders in the church and in the world have a complex about what greatness looks like. For some reason they feel that because they are the leader, they know better than anybody else what to do. They need to go back to the school of feet washing so that they can understand that in His kingdom we are to be servants first. I have known a lot of bad leaders and only a few really good leaders. I tip my hat to them! Can I also point out that he recognized that the Assyrians came to battle. It’s time we recognize that every time the devil shows up, he comes prepared to do so battle. So we need to make sure that we are prepared, also.

      Together they decided three things: to shut off the water supply, to rebuild the walls, and to rebuild and equip their forces. There were springs near Jerusalem and a brook that ran nearby. All of this was stopped up to keep the Assyrians from having an ample water supply. They rebuilt the walls, and even built an extra wall outside of that one. Archaeologists have discovered a portion of wall that they think is from this time frame that was strong enough to withstand the battering rams and enclosed a reservoir of water. And lastly, they made weapons and shields to fight the battle.

      But the most important thing that happened was that Hezekiah took courage and talked to his military commanders. He encouraged them to be strong and courageous; to not be afraid, nor to be discouraged. Then he reminds them that the One who was with them, was greater than the one coming against them, and that He would be with them.

      Now how does this help us in the battles of life? After you compromise with the devil, the enemy wants you to think that it’s over for you. You gave up on God, or trusted in your flesh, or your money, or whatever, and now you are on your own. But Hezekiah realized that he was about to face a serious battle and he needed help from God! And so will you!

      One thing that you can do to get ready for war is to get over yourself. You messed up, now get up, repent and prepare for battle!

      Then, you shut off anything that will aid the enemy’s attack on you. That could be an ungodly relationship, or unforgiveness, or idolatry, hatred or selfish ambitions, or drunkenness to name a few. Just shut the door to those things, that the enemy will not have a place to get comfortable and habitat in your life.

      Rebuild the walls. Fix whatever is broken. Get things in order. Repent and recommit your life to Jesus. Get re-established in your church. Let go of ungodly soul ties. Restore godly relationships! Move in the direction that encourages a healthy life in Christ!

      Lastly, get those weapons ready! You have weapons of warfare that are mighty in God (2 Corinthians 4:10)! Those weapons include praise, the name of Jesus, the Blood of the Lamb, the living word of God, and prayer. You will not win this in the flesh. That’s what Hezekiah said that Sennacherib had, the arm of the flesh, but he and Judah had the Lord! So do you!! So see yourself as a winner, and not as a loser.

      And after you have done all of that, you stand! Stand knowing that greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world! (1 John 4:4) Stand knowing that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it. (Philippians 1:6). Stand because the word said, and having done all, you stand! (Ephesians 6:13). Don’t let the devil ever convince you that it is impossible to regain your place with God. In some cases, things could actually get better because you could actually be more committed than you were before having gone through a bad experience. Keep your head up and don’t count yourself out! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Battle plans, Believers, Christian, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, encouragement, Faith, God, hard times, Hezekiah, Judah, Prayer, Sennacherib, Spiritual warfare, Victorious Living, victory
    • I’m Melting, I’m Melting!

      Posted at 3:14 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 14, 2020

      Joshua 2:11 – And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

      I had the privilege of ministering recently about the battle plans. I was so excited, because it’s a subject that has stirred in my heart for years. I will blog some more on the battles and maybe even update my previous blogs, because as I ministered, God showed me some other things that I feel are pertinent to the battles I have already blogged about.

      But as we were headed home, my husband mentioned to me that one thing he found interesting was that Rahab told the spies that their hearts melted when they heard about the children of Israel and what that must have looked like. And that got me to thinking about my next blog.

      Have you ever seen the Wizard of Oz? They used to play it every year and I made sure that I never missed it. There was something fascinating about the City of Oz. But the most memorable part to me was when they poured the water on the wicked witch and she yelled, “I’m melting! I’m melting!” I just got a kick out of the fact that someone who had caused Dorothy so much trouble, melted before her face!

      We never see what is happening in the spirit realm when we pray and take a stand against the devil, but I believe Jericho gives us a unique insight into that realm. Long before Joshua and the people of God entered Jericho, the inhabitants of Jericho had heard of the great victories that God had given His people. Rahab said that the terror of the people of God had fallen on Jericho and they had grown faint hearted because of the children of Israel and their God. She told the spies that the inhabitants of Jericho had heard how the Lord had dried up the Red Sea, about the destruction of the Amorites, and of the kings on the other side of the Jordan. And when they heard these things, their hearts melted and they no longer had any courage because God was on their side.

      I think we give way too much credit to the enemy. Notice, I said we! I think that when we know who we are and stand against the attacks of the enemy in the Name of Jesus, we cause demons to tremble, for we are their worst nightmare. People who know and trust their God!

      Moses prophesied in his song, Exodus 15:15, that all the inhabitants of Canaan would melt away and that fear and dread would fall on them. And that is exactly what happened. When I think of a heart that’s melting, I think of a person who has embrace total defeat. That person has no more strength and can’t see anything but the loss that they are expecting, so they are paralyzed in that state of fear and hopelessness.

      The battle of Jericho was really not a battle that Joshua can take credit for. He literally just walked in to finish what God had started. If you think their hearts fainted at what they heard about the Red Sea, the Amorites, and kings of Og and Sihon, what do you think happened while they watched the procession for seven days? People probably started having heart attacks and dying, suicide rate probably accelerated, and everyone was casting blame on everyone else for them being in this predicament of hopelessness. There was probably a lot of sacrificing to their dead gods trying to find some help, some relief. The place was probably in total chaos and fear was running rampant as the citizens of Jericho were wondering what was really happening outside those walls with all of that marching!

      Then came the seventh day! The Israelites didn’t go back to camp after the first round of marching and trumpet blowing. Something was going on! Aren’t they playing a new song? What could it mean? Neither did they return to camp after the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, or the sixth round! They just kept going around and around and around playing those trumpets until finally there was a loud, long blast and then pandemonium breaks out! The walls of the city started falling around them. But not at Rahab’s. Rahab and her family sat huddled together in hope, waiting for their deliverance. Forty years prior, the Canaanites had made many of the Israelites hearts to melt. They had felt like grasshoppers and had missed out on going into the promised land. But now, the Canaanites had become the grasshoppers, and the grasshoppers had become the giants!!

      In Daniel 11:32, the Bible states, “…but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits!” I believe it is sufficient to say that Joshua knew his God! The exploits that he led the children of Israel through are still talked about today with great awe. But Joshua is not an anomaly! We are the people of God also, and we are to cause fear in the heart of the enemy.

      When we get in the word, when we pray, when we praise God, when we come together, when we get out of bed, the enemy ought to become very worried about what is up with us today! Our hearts should never be the hearts that are failing. We should not be afraid of the terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that walks in darkness! A thousand may fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand, but our stand should be that it will not come near us! We may see it and hear about it, but it shall not come near us!!

      Decide today that you will not be like the people of Jericho. You will be like Rahab!Even though her heart melted at first, faith rose up on the inside of her and she determined that her fate would not be the fate of the people of Jericho. She reached out to the true and living God and found Him receptive to her plea. She saved herself and her family! Fear will bring you destruction but the hand of faith extended to the loving Father will bring hope, deliverance, and great exploits! Next time the enemy attack you, just see him saying, “I’m melting, I’m melting!” Wonderful Jesus!!

      Posted in Battle plans, Believers, Christian, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged battle of Jericho, Believer, encouragement, Faith, Joshua, Spiritual warfare, the devil, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory
    • The Shout of Victory!

      Posted at 7:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 11, 2020

      Joshua 6:16 – And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!

      You would be hard pressed today to find someone who has not heard of the battle of Jericho. Songs and movies have been made about this great victory; but just in case you are one of the few who have not heard, I will give you an abbreviated account.

      The children of Israel had arrived at the Jordan. It was time to go across into the land of Canaan to take possession of their promised land, their inheritance. Joshua sent two spies to check out the land, and while they were doing reconnaissance they met Rahab. She hides the spies, lies to her countrymen, then makes a deal for her life and the lives of her family members (chapter 2).

      Then the children of Israel arrives at the Jordan and again God parts the waters as He did with the Red Sea. Do you think the people of Canaan was oblivious to this parting of the river? I don’t think so! I think this only heightened their fear of Joshua and the children of Israel. Sometimes when we are in a battle, all we see is the obvious; but we have to realize that God is strategically handle the situation on our behalf. The Canaanites were already afraid of the God who parted the Red Sea and now He is parting the Jordan! This was no coincidence!

      After they cross over the Jordan, the manna ceased. The interesting thing to note about the manna is that God had miraculously supplied manna for them while in the wilderness, but in the promised land, provision was waiting and they had no more need of manna. Some say they no longer needed a miracle so it stopped! I think that the possessing of the land was quite miraculous and the miracles didn’t stop, they took on another form!

      The city of Jericho was on lockdown! There was no natural way to get inside the city without assistance. Archaeologists have proven that the city was surrounded by two walls and that houses were built in the walls. They also discovered that the Canaanites could have lasted for years under siege because they had a great water supply and had stored up many provisions. This was probably known to the spies and told to Joshua, Joshua didn’t know how he was going to win this battle, he just knew that he would!

      God gave Joshua some unusual instructions for attacking Jericho! Joshua was told that they were to march around the city once for six days. When they marched, the procession was to be led by the men of war, followed by seven priests playing seven trumpets in front of the ark (continuously), and behind the ark bearing priests there were to be more men of war. Not a sound was to be made otherwise! Then they returned to the camp. I can just imagine the look on the faces of the people of Canaan. They had to be wondering what in the world were the children of Israel doing? What kind of battle strategy was this? Why do they keep blowing that horn? And the sounds of the feet marching was probably magnified to them inciting fear beyond reason! What were they waiting for? What did they hope to accomplish with all of this marching? Simple instructions and frightening at the same time.

      However, on the seventh day the instructions changed. They were to march around the city seven times and when they heard the sound of the trumpet, all the people were to shout with a great shout, then the walls would fall flat! Can I just stop here to say that I wonder what Joshua was feeling at these instructions? Joshua, a mighty warrior, who have fought several battles with the Lord, is being told that his strategy for his first major war as leader of Israel is to march around the city?! Whatever he was feeling, he obeyed God! That’s a lesson all by itself!

      I remember reading a testimony of a person who was told by God to hit someone with a banana and they would be healed. Of course, the person thought that this was pretty ridiculous and couldn’t possibly be from God. Later that day, I think he was at a conference, the speaker said something like, “If God tells you to get a banana and hit someone with it, you need to obey God!” He instantly knew he was being rebuked, but moved to obey God and saw a miracle! Joshua needed no such confirmation! He trusted that this strategy would get the job done! There is no record of a discourse like Moses had with God at the burning bush when he said he couldn’t speak! No, Joshua simply obeyed God and the walls came tumbling down!

      Battles are tough! But they don’t always have to be. One word from God can turn your entire situation around. That’s why I love reading about the battles in the Old Testament. They help me to understand that God’s instructions are as unique as the situations. He is no cookie cutter God and what He told Bertha to do to win her battle, may not be what He tells you! Some battles are won with much fasting and prayer! Some are won with speaking the word! But some are won with a shout! Joshua understood that his sure victory was in hearing from God! And that’s the lesson I take from this battle! If you are facing a battle or in the midst of a battle, your victory will depend on your battle plan! Make sure it’s the one the Lord is backing! Shout,for He has given you the city! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Battle plans, Believers, Christian, Victorious Living | 1 Comment | Tagged encouragemnt, Joshua, miraculous, Prayer, provision, testimony, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory
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