Pride

Jeremiah 13:1-11 

1 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” 2 So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist. 3 Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time: 4 “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Peratha and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” 5 So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me. 6 Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” 7 So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

                Okay, now stop and read verses 1 – 7 again. Can you see how the Lord is using an illustration to help Jeremiah, to help us understand better? You know He is getting ready to open our eyes to Truth, something we need to learn from so we don’t make the same mistake.

Now read on with an open heart, one ready to receive what it is the Lord wants to speak to you.

8 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9“This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

                What is pride?

                Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary says – “The quality or state of being proud; inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, rank, etc., which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others.

                I believe it is an attitude of the heart, a choice we make and it takes away God’s glory, leaves Him out.

                Continue reading to see what happens when we allow pride to come in.

10These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless!

                He calls those with pride – wicked people. They refuse to listen to God’s Word, they think they know better than God! They are stubborn and go after other gods to serve and worship them. Do you have ‘other gods’? Are you too stubborn to give up a video game, tv program, a book you’re reading, the clothes or shoes you are buying when your closet is already full?? Whatever you put before God’s Word, whatever you put before your time with God, whatever you put before doing what He has instructed you to do…..that is your god.

                I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be COMPLETELY useless!

11For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.’

                Ephesians 6:14 says “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist”

                This is the first piece of armor we are to put on, it is the belt of truth.

                If we are so full of pride that we will not listen to God, will  not do what He has commanded us to do, will not put him first over the tv, book, game, etc – then we think too highly of ourselves and not enough of God. We have made ‘gods’ out of our ‘things’. We are not learning ‘Truth’ from the one that loves us and wants to direct our steps. We are not wearing our armor which protects us from the schemes of the devil,  (vs 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes) – we haven’t even put on the first piece mentioned so how can we wear the ‘full’ armor?

                He says we were bound to Him—to be His people for His renown. Renown means - The condition of being known or talked about by many people.

                We are to KNOW Him and talk about Him. We are to give Him praise and honor.

                I looked up ‘praise’ and in Hebrew Strong’s #3034 it is Yadah.  It means ‘thanks, giving praise, or to confess’!!

                So, if we know Him and talk about Him, we should be doing it by confession of who He is, giving Him thanks and giving Him the praise.

                Now what is honor? “Regard with great respect”

                So, let’s put this last part together……..He bound us to Him, put the belt of Truth on us so we can KNOW Him, talk about Him, give thanks to Him, praise Him and do this with great respect.

                But we lose this when we allow pride to come in and put God off on a shelf to collect dust. I don’t know about you but I’d rather give my time, my honor to a God who loves me so much that He provides the armor, starting with the belt of Truth, to overcome the evil one.  Pride will not last, you will fall, and you will become useless.

                The good news is God loves you and He is waiting for you to lay these gods down, to let go of pride and return to Him. He will put that belt of Truth on you again and you will begin to wear the armor, giving God all the glory, honor and praise!

                When you begin to see God’s power in your life, when you begin to know it’s Him working in and through you, when you receive your healing, your protection, etc – you want to give Him thanks, praise Him and honor Him! You won’t want any other God but Him!! So lay pride down, get rid of the ‘gods’ you've placed above the Heavenly Father that loves you so much he sent His Son to die for you. 

2 Kings 6:8-23

There is a lot to learn from 2 Kings 6:8-23

The first things that caught my attention was the protection, unseen, that was around Elisha. If God protected Elisha then you know we are protected now. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. But there is more than just that once instance of protection. Let me go step by step on what the Lord revealed to me.

I have learned that the Lord will use this to help others but that He also ALWAYS has something He is trying to teach me too. So before I start let’s agree in prayer

         Dear Lord, I ask that you open our eyes to the Truth You are trying to show us in these passages.

         That if it’s encouragement you are sending, we accept it and give you praise and thanksgiving; standing on Your promises.

          If it’s conviction, then help us to set our pride down, repent and begin to draw on the Truth You are giving us so we can move forward and see our prayers answered for protection.

         In Jesus  Name, Amen

The king of Aram was at war with Israel, he made plans to surround them and kill them but time after time they were warned. Elisha heard the Lord and warned the king of Israel every time, saving them.

So here’s the first thing I see – Elisha knew the Lord so well that he could go boldly before the king of Israel and tell him what the Lord had to say. Elisha was so connected to the Lord that the king always believed him and made the changes that were needed to keep his land and his people safe.

Therefore, Elisha’s life, the way he acted, dressed, spent his time must have shown his commitment to the Lord. The king knew he could trust what Elisha had to say, he was trustworthy. I don’t imagine Elisha went to wild parties, had premarital sex, cussed up a storm, stole, disrespected elders and those in leadership positions, walked in pride, lied, etc.

I have to admit that there are times I get too busy or have the radio or TV on while I’m cleaning or on the web. Now there is nothing wrong with this as I usually have Christian radio or TV on BUT when I have it on all the time I’m not leaving room to hear from God. He wants to talk to me (to you) about things. He wants to give me people and things to pray about. There are many things He will give me IF I’m listening. Can you imagine God telling one of us about an impending attack on our family, neighborhood or something bigger and we are too busy to hear him.

Okay, the next thing.

Now the king of Aram decides to get Elisha. He sends horses and chariots and a ‘strong force’ to get Elisha. And notice, they ‘went by night’ to surround the city.

Let me ask you, when you are doing something you should not be doing isn't it usually in the ‘dark’? That dark could be another city where no one knows you, a bar on the other side of town, even in your own home with the curtains drawn. Evil dwells in darkness, where no light has come in. It is easier for the enemy to sneak up on you in the darkness. This is another reason I need to know God, really know who He is, and to obey Him. Because when that darkness tries to come in you want His light to expose it so you have the victory over the darkness, the harm that is trying to come against you, your family, and your country.

Okay, so ‘the servant of the man of God’ saw this army with horses and chariots around the ‘city’. Doesn't say Elisha’s home, it says ‘the city’. So many people could have gotten hurt or killed while they went to get this one man.

The servant  asked Elisha what they should do, he was afraid.

Now notice what Elisha tells his servant and what he prays:

                “Don’t be afraid….those who are with us are more than those who are with them”

Now remember a ‘strong force’ was sent by the king of Aram, but Elisha was unmoved, he knew he had the best protection. I believe Elisha was concerned for his servant and wanted to see the fear leave him so Elisha prayed – ‘open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see’. Elisha wanted his servant to see what he saw.

Now let me ask this. How close must Elisha have been to God to SEE the unseen in our world? Do you think Elisha was like we are today and spent most of his time in front of a TV, playing video games, sleeping, eating, whatever your distraction is (I know they didn’t have TV’s, video games, etc.  back then but there were other distractions).

I want to know how to see God’s protection, His angels, chariots and horses! Now I’m ahead of myself…..

So after Elisha prayed for his servant to see, God opened the servant’s eyes and he saw ‘the hills full of horses and chariots of FIRE all around Elisha.

This ‘mighty force’ had an added element – FIRE and it was not burning up the horses or chariots. What power!!

I believe it was because of Elisha’s faith that he was able to know, see and pray for his servant to see this. A faith so strong he could see the unseen in this world. He did not fear! I would not fear if I saw this kind of protection around me, my family, and my country. And you know what, I believe that same protection is here for me, for us; if we would just believe and grow in our faith. What if we would listen to the Lord and take the time to sit at His feet instead of giving in to our fleshly desires? Believe me, I’m guilty here and I want to change.

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not saying we have to do this ALL day and night, that would be silly as we do have responsibilities that the Lord has given us – provide for our family, provide for the orphans and widows, we need a place to live and a car to drive or bus money – so yes we have to work BUT what we need to ask ourselves, what I have to ask myself – once I am done with my 8 hour day, once the weekend is here, etc. What am I doing with that time? Oh and you can spend time with God at work and hear from Him there too – every task you have to do you can quietly give it to the Lord, asking Him to give you wisdom and to bless the work of your hands…..you just can’t sit down and close your eyes all day!

Okay, so back to when you are not at work. This is what I have been guilty of – I come home and decide it’s all about me now. I have children and a husband I need to feed and spend time with, that is something I LOVED doing and it almost always included time in the Word or taking walks and talking about God in what we would see in nature BUT then once the kids were in bed I wanted to do what I wanted to do – give in to my flesh and eat popcorn or candy and watch TV ALL night until I could no longer hold my eyes open…..too tired for prayer or Bible reading or study. Or I would want to go out on the town and drink or go to a game and drink, not intending to drink too much…….I could give a lot of examples, some good and some not so good…..but my point is I put God last when he should have been first and I would have received my refreshment, my peace and my protection from Him. I may have seen those unseen forces by now!

Okay, moving on again J 

Elisha prayed to the Lord to blind the army and God answered Elisha’s prayer. With confidence in the Lord, with faith in God’s protection; Elisha walked up to this ‘mighty force’, this army sent to capture him and basically told them they were in the wrong place but he would lead them to the man they were looking for.

Can you believe this!

So they allowed him to lead them and once they entered the city Elisha asked the Lord to open their eyes. What a shock it must have been to have their eyes opened and find they were inside Samaria with the king of Israel and Elisha.

Another great lesson follows, at least for me.

This army came to capture Elisha which would have probably led to his life imprisonment or death. But when the king of Israel asked Elisha; ‘Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?’

(Okay, I don’t know why the king of Israel called Elisha ‘my father’. Anyone have any revelation on that?)

Elisha responded with, ‘Do not kill them……set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.’  WOW Elisha is responding with forgiveness, mercy and love, sounds like the Father.

He had good reason to have them killed or imprisoned but Elisha’s heart was right before the Lord. Elisha KNEW the Lord and His ways, knew what the Father wanted. Because of the way Elisha responded to this army the ‘bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.’ Can you say WOW again!!

Like I said, so many things to see and learn from these passages but this last one really blew me away and talked to me.

Elisha reached out to them in kindness, spared their lives, and trusted God for His protection. Elisha did not call them names or talk bad about them to the king, no he treated them like he would a friend. He had the king of Israel give them a ‘great feast’ and then sent them home to their master. Because of this king Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

Maybe we should stop and think about some of our actions (I know I need to) because most of what happens to us individually is very tiny compared to an army coming against us. What do you think would happen if we treated those we see as our enemies, be those in our own families, in our churches, in our work place, etc…..if we started treating them as God commands us to; with forgiveness, mercy, love, compassion……so they see God is on our side, He protects us, He lives in us and because of that we can love and forgive as He does.

Put all this together and I begin to wonder how the tables would turn and the US would be spared from future attacks.

We do have an unseen army that God has sent to protect us. We do have a God that will answer our prayers according to His Word. BUT we need to KNOW Him, to know what His Word says, to study it, pray about it, and listen to God to give us revelation. We need to be in unity in the church.  How can we have denominational fights and not live any differently than the world? That’s not faith. We need to be able to talk to each other, study the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us without having these big disagreements. We need to get a handle on the scandals taking place in the churches, for Pastors to stop looking at preaching as a ‘job with a paycheck.’ I could go on and on but I won’t.

It is time for me to pray and listen to the Lord more on this because I desire to have the faith that Elisha had, one where I can see the unseen and know I/we are protected. To know I can pray and see the prayers answered and can be as forgiving to my enemies, sending them back where they came from amazed at the hospitality they received and then seeing peace cover the home, the land, how amazing would that be? Could people deny there is a God then? Where did we lose it? I want it back, how about you?

You Have Value You Are Chosen

Are you feeling like it's hopeless?

God is listening!!

Listen to this awesome song.....

You are something beautiful!!!

God says this about YOU

Speak these out loud - faith comes by hearing

It will make a difference in how you feel, 

how you live and how you hear

from God.

He wants a relationship with His precious child.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved...

Colossians 3:12

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

John 1:12

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

James 1:5

God has said,

   “Never will I leave you;

   never will I forsake you.”  

Hebrews 13:5

And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed 

you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Romans 8:2

Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. 

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

John 3:16

I went through a terrible depression, full of fear and anxiety attacks that kept me a prisoner in my own home.

I'm here to tell you God is real and He cares for you.

What He did for me He will do for you.

If you aren't sure where to start, I suggest

you begin reading in the book of John, New Testament

Find books by Joyce Meyer, Beth Moore, Stormie Omartian, etc.

'Battlefield of the Mind' by Joyce Meyer is a good one to start with.

This will be a journey you won't regret! Trials will come

but you will know how to overcome

as you use the Word of God!

Exciting Times

Exciting Times!

Since I've opened my heart up to the Lord and really began to listen to Him. 

Since I've opened my Bible and read His Word with purpose.

Since I've take the time to check the Greek or Hebrew meaning of some words.......

God has been doing amazing things in my life.

Have I had to make changes

you betcha!

Did it hurt?

sometimes

Worth it?

for sure!!!!

Once I stopped 'attending' church and became part of the church, which is the body (people) not the building.....

POWER HOPE HEALING PROTECTION

and more

came in!

God's Word is true.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11