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?

Deuteronomy 9:1-5 Consuming Fire and Righteousness

“Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’  Know therefore today that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the Lord your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the Lord has promised you.

“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Deuteronomy 9:1-5

When my husband read this today, two things jumped out at me.

One was 'he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the Lord your God.' 

It reminded me that no evil can stand up against my God. I do not need to fear because He goes before me.

Now with that said, we cannot expect God to go before us as this consuming fire if we have not been spending time in His Word, in prayer, in listening and inquiring of Him. God does expect us to seek Him and His wisdom in all things. So if you went running into something just because it was bothering 'you' and you haven't been to church/fellowship, have not been in His Word, you have not been praying according to His Word and you have not been listening to the Spirit but listening to your flesh or the world......or maybe you go to church for show or because it's a habit but you don't do anything with what you are learning, you leave it at the door.......don't be surprised when you feel the 'fire', when you don't see the Lord doing what you think He should.

It is very important that we know our Father, we know His ways and we KNOW that His Word is His protection over us; it is not to harm us.  We want His fire to go before us, He makes the path.

I fought this for a long time. I did not want to change my ways because I felt God was never there for me, especially in my childhood/teen years. The only way I knew God was from people that had 'religion' and from 'men' that abused me. So it was a journey for me to even be able to call God my Father.  

I'm so thankful He is a patient God, wanting none to perish. I'm grateful for those that were praying for me and loving me even at my dirtiest. And I rejoice that I can now call Him my Father and I know His love for me.

I know that as I obey Him when things come up all I have to do is pray, listen and then obey because then -- that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the Lord your God – will go before me and give me the victory.

The second thing in this passage is - “Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart..

When the Consuming Fire has gone before you and destroyed the resistance, the evil before you – do NOT take credit for it. Be careful that you don’t say, ‘well I did this and that, yes I heard God but “I” did it. Watch out for pride that says ‘I’m so upright and righteous that all this took place’. NO it is always God and His righteousness that defeats the enemy.  It is because of the wickedness that God moves through them and makes a path for us. He is fulfilling His promises.

So when you know, hear and obey God; you see Him going forward as the Consuming Fire, erasing your debt; healing your body; giving you the money to pay your mortgage; blessing  you on your job; opening doors of opportunity that people said would never happen……..don’t take any credit for it !

Give God all the glory, honor and praise!

(c) Has Breath Publishing LLC                                                                                                     Christena Hammes

Antichrist and Matthew 24

The Lord told me to read from II John tonight. One of the verses that caught my eye was II John 1:7.

Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

II John 1:7

 

I was curious about the word ‘antichrist so I went to the Strong’s Concordance and looked it up in the Greek.

#500  -  antichristos: antichrist, (one who opposes Christ)

So it means one that opposes Christ and according to the above mentioned verse it also means it’s someone who does not acknowledge Jesus Christ lived in a fleshly body.

I decided to see how many times the word ‘antichrist’ was used in the King James Bible and there were 3 more.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

I John 4:1-3

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

I John 2:18-23

I find it very interesting that in these verses it says ‘even now many antichrists have come’. That they knew they were antichrists because they left them and this showed they did not belong….because of this they were called antichrists’.

This is something I need to study because I always thought there was one ‘antichrist’ and he or she would come right before or during the Rapture.

But according to these passages there are ‘many’ and have already come. They also say that’s how they know it’s the last hour. So it’s been the ‘last hour’ for over 2,000 years.  (II Peter 3:8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.)

Then there’s  Matthew 24 ….. it’s interesting to see what some of the Greek words mean in this passage.

In this conversation it is hard to see what has already happened and what is yet to come but here’s one that has already happened.

1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

This conversation took place in 30AD and the temple was destroyed in 70AD, that’s 40 years after this conversation. I wonder why so many ignore this has already happened?

Then we continue in the conversation –

3As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

4Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.

The first thing he says, after being questioned about the ‘end of the age’ is “watch out that no one deceives you.’ Now why would that be His first response? Maybe because He knew we could get too focused on something that will keep us from doing His will?

(Deceives is misled in the Greek - 4105 planáō – properly, go astray, get off-course; to deviate from the correct path (circuit, course), roaming into error, wandering; (passive) be misled.)

 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.

He goes on to tell them ‘see to it that you are not alarmed’.

(Alarmed is troubled and in the Greek - 2360 throéō (from throos, "clamor, tumult") – properly, unsettled (thrown into confusion, WS, 953); (figuratively) troubled (disturbed), wanting to "cry aloud, to scream (passive) because terrified" (WP, 1, 189); thrown into an "emotional uproar," i.e. very upset (alarmed, startled).)

So to me, it looks like we go astray as we listen to ….wars, rumors of wars. It can cause us to get into an emotional uproar, to be alarmed and this will get our focus off of ‘going into the world and making Disciples’ We begin to focus on, the end is here, it’s coming soon and that’s all we talk about – which is good for Christians to do with each other but not at the cost of leaving behind what God wants us to do. People that are not saved do not understand nor care about the coming of Christ.

Anyway He goes on to say:

Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.(still future happening)

 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  (In the Greek Nation against nation - #1484 -  éthnos (from ethō, "forming a custom, culture") – properly, people joined by practicing similar customs or common culture; nation(s), usually referring to unbelieving Gentiles (non-Jews).

And Kingdom against kingdom - #932 -  (basileía) especially refers to the rule of Christ in believers' hearts – which is a rule that "one day will be universal on the physical earth in the Millennium" (G. Archer).

[The kingdom (932 /basileía) is constantly used in connection with the rule of Christ in the hearts of believers – which also extends in various stages.]

I found it very interesting that ‘kingdom’ is used in connection with the rule of Christ in the hearts of believers…..

Could this be the different denominations that fight against each other? How will God find faith when He returns if we still believe in a name – Baptist, Christian, Word of Faith, Methodist, Pentecostal, Catholic, etc. are the only ‘true’ religion, have it all right?

There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

(birth pains - 5604 (ōdín) suggests intense suffering (similar to birth pain) – hence, "to suffer greatly, great pain" (L & N, 1, 24.87) like "a birth-pang, travail-pain; figuratively, extreme suffering" (A-S).]

(He was talking to Disciples and they were persecuted and killed. So there were famines and earthquakes, the beginning of birth pains THEN they, the Disciples were handed over …)

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

(persecuted – tribulation - 2347 thlípsis – properly, pressure (what constricts or rubs together), used of a narrow place that "hems someone in"; tribulation, especially internal pressure that causes someone to feel confined (restricted, "without options").

2347 /thlípsis ("compression, tribulation") carries the challenge of coping with the internal pressure of a tribulation, especially when feeling there is "no way of escape" ("hemmed in").

10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 

11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

A false prophet – (5578 pseudoprophḗtēs (from 5571 /pseudḗs, "false" and 4396 /prophḗtēs, "a prophet") – properly, a false prophet; someone pretending to speak the word of the Lord (prophesy) but in fact is phony (an imposter), acting as a wolf in sheep's clothing.

5578 /pseudoprophḗtēs ("a false prophet") specializes in "the art of misimpression," like about how they were "commissioned" by the Lord to touch the world with their message. But when in fact, they operate by self and for self so they must be exposed for what they are – and are not!

This is clearly why we need discernment, to know God’s Word and His voice so we don’t listen to a stranger, a false prophet.

 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. – So those of us that believe must be the ones who stand firm with a warm love to the end!  This is ongoing until Christ returns.

wickedness is lawlessness – (458 anomía (from 1 /A "not" and 3551 /nómos, "law") – properly, without law;

lawlessness; the utter disregard for God's law (His written and living Word).

Love – (26 agápē – properly, love which centers in moral preference)

and

Cold – (5594 psýxō (originally, "to breathe out," cf. J. Thayer) – properly, "to blow, refresh with cool air" (Zod, Dict); (figuratively) "to breathe cool by blowing, to grow cold, 'spiritual energy blighted or chilled by a malign or poisonous wind')

Stands firm (endured - Cognate: 5278 hypoménō – literally, remaining under (the load), bearing up (enduring); for the believer, this uniquely happens by God's power)

And

Saved – (4982 sṓzō (from sōs, "safe, rescued") – properly, deliver out of danger and into safety; used principally of God rescuing believers from the penalty and power of sin – and into His provisions (safety).)

 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Preached – (proclaimed - 2784 kērýssō – properly, to herald (proclaim); to preach (announce) a message publicly and with conviction (persuasion).

2784 /kērýssō ("to herald") refers to preaching the Gospel as the authoritative (binding) word of God, bringing eternal accountability to all who hear it.)

Good news – (the good news of the coming of the Messiah, the gospel; the gen. after it expresses sometimes the giver (God), sometimes the subject (the Messiah, etc.), sometimes the human transmitter (an apostle) - Cognate: 2098 euaggélion – the Gospel – literally, "God's good news." See 2097 (euangelizō). The Gospel (2098 /euaggélion) includes the entire Bible, i.e. it is not limited to how a person becomes a Christian.)

And End – (5056 télos (a neuter noun) – properly, consummation (the end-goal, purpose), such as closure with all its results.)

Now we’re back to things that have happened -

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ (it was a Roman General that sat on the throne in the temple before he destroyed the temple then he became an emperor)— Siege of Jerusalem 70AD----- spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—(His advice to them) 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the roof (1430 dṓma (from demō, "to build a house") – the roof-area of a flat-roof house. Flat housetops were ideal on hot summer nights for sleeping and passing on information "from one housetop to another.")    of his house go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.

Now is his command to flee for then or future? --where does he stop with what already happened and where does he go back into future events? The thing to remember is He tells us to not be alarmed, don’t believe liars because everyone will know when He comes back –

21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days

“‘the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light;

the stars will fall from the sky,

and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

30 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

                      

32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation (what generation? The one He is talking to now – the Disciples?) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

It sound like ‘when you see all these things is referring to ‘the sun will be darkened, moon not give it’s light, stars fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

The Day and Hour Unknown

 

36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 

40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 “Therefore keep watch (1127 grēgoreúō – literally, "stay awake"; (figuratively) be vigilant (responsible, watchful)., because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready (2092 hétoimos (from heteos, "fitting") – ready because prepared; "standing by," ready to meet the opportunity (challenge) at hand; ready because the necessary preparations are done (or are sure to happen as needed).)  , because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 24

So in verse 45.... with the ‘faithful and wise servant’.

for me, the bottom line is…….

I know God will return one day and for us Christians that is nothing to fear. It is for us to prepare, for as a body of believers. Non-believers do not need to hear this, they need to hear about the forgiveness, grace, mercy and love of Christ. He came for the sick not the healthy.

So, I believe, we are to be doing the works Christ came to do and told us to do while we wait for His return.

We are to be a light - "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

We need to truly become branches on the Vine – followers of Christ not of Baptist, Methodist, etc. We are one body and we need to be living in unity – encouraging, correcting, forgiving, and equipping each other to do the works God sends us to do.

We need to be in His word daily, in prayer and listening to Him so we know what He wants us to do, how He wants us to pray and give Him the glory.

I desire to be so full of the love of God that it overflows and is so bright people can’t miss it. I desire to give my testimony, my missing the mark and yet getting back up in the power and might of Jesus Christ to make the changes needed and to move forward again. I desire to give hope to people, the hope that can only come from God.

 

Christ’s return – sure, some day……but my desire and focus is to be doing my Father’s work so He will find faith on this earth.

 

The Bible is amazing and I’m beginning to understand why one must be in the Word daily!

(c)HasBreathPublishingLLC 

They Heard of Their Faith

Let’s take a look at Colossians 1:3-14 starting with asking…..Why do they always thank God … when they pray?

If you keep reading you will see it’s because ‘they heard of their faith….and of the love they have for all the saints.’

Let’s take a look at the word ‘faith’ in the Greek.

 Faith (4102/pistis) is always a gift from God, and never something that can be produced by people. In short, for the believer is "God's divine persuasion" – and therefore distinct from human belief (confidence), yet involving it. The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer so they can know what He prefers, i.e. the persuasion of His will (1 Jn 5:4).

So they lived in a way that this gift from God was showing. They were persuaded, they yielded themselves to Him and knew His will.

And they had a love for the saints. I can only assume if they were known for this love it was because they were walking the way of the Lord. They were a light for Christ, showing and living forgiveness, teaching the Truth in love, seeking God for themselves-yielding themselves to Him so they knew what their next step should be. They confessed their sins, prayed for each other….I’m sure you can add to this.

Now let me ask you; are you a light in and outside the church? 

Do people see God when they ‘hear’ about the things you are doing? Are you talking bad about a Pastor-the ones we are called to share the Gospel, ones anointed by God --------(Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.  He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the the anointed of the Lord." with these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. I Samuel 24:5-7) Did you notice even though Saul was in the wrong, out of God's will and trying to kill David; that David still called Saul 'the Lord's anointed'?  

Do you talk about other believers – heck even non-believers (gossip)….. Are you full of pride….only doing things so you can buddy up with people you think have 'position'? Do you have your own little circle and forget you are to be a light in this world? Are you spending time with the Lord so you know His ways or just giving him a few minutes or an hour a day?

We should be living in a way that will draw others to Christ, will wake up the pew sitters and strengthen us in our walk so we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

We want people to say this about us, about the church (believers on His vine). They should be thanking God for who He is in us and what He does through us. (Col. 1:3)

Let’s look at ‘fruit’.

Our ‘fruit’ Fruit 2592 - bring forth, deeds: thus of men who show their knowledge of religion by their conduct  - fruit acceptable to Him – 
our lives, the knowledge we have of God should show in our conduct and it should be acceptable to our  Father.

And our fruit should continue to grow. If we stop growing, our fruit will begin to rot. We don’t just accept Christ and then stop searching His Word, stop talking, praying and studying His Word alone and with others. I like what ‘increasing’ means – key to authentic discipleship and it’s continual. We should never think we have all the answers and it’s our way only. We will have some Truth to share with others but some Truth will come from others that may have gone through a revelation (a learning experience) that we haven’t. For example, Joyce Meyer can share the revelation God has given her on being sexually molested because she went through it and walked through her healing and forgiveness using the Word of God. Someone that has not been through this will not have the revelation she has. We are branches on the vine, each of us has something to share and should share about what the Lord has and is doing in our lives.

Increasing - 837 auksánō – properly, grow (increase); become greater in size (maturity, etc.).  ("to grow") is key to authentic discipleship. Indeed, the Lord requires non-stop progress (development) in the life of faith.

And they ‘learned’ –

You learned - 3129 manthánō ( "a disciple") – properly, learning key facts; gaining "fact-knowledge as someone learns from experience, often with the implication of reflection – 'come to realize' "

As you read on and see what they are praying for them you will see endurance, patience and joy.

To grow and have people hearing and praying for us, it will take endurance and patience. We are in a body and have fleshly desires and emotions that can get in the way. Satan knows how to get our attention on ourselves, to make us selfish and prideful.

We need endurance and it comes from God, so that’s another reason to know Him and who we are in Him.

Endurance 5281 - properly, remaining under, endurance; steadfastness, especially as God enables the believer to "remain (endure) under" the challenges He allots in life.

Then there is patience. We will be tempted to scream at some people…you’re going to hell…..or to compromise our values because we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, we begin to tell ‘white’ lies. When we go through things like this an improper anger can arise – this will put out your light.

Patience - 3115 makrothymía  – properly, long-passion, i.e. waiting sufficient time before expressing anger. This avoids the premature use of force (retribution) that rises out of improper anger (a personal reaction).

 I don’t know about you but I would love for Christ’s Light in me, the way I live my life, to have others  thank God and  pray for me because they ‘heard of my faith and the love I have for all saints’.

To have them pray for God to fill me with the knowledge of His will with spiritual wisdom and understanding…..so I can live a life worthy of the Lord, please Him in every way, bear fruit, grow in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power, have great endurance and patience and joyfully give thanks to the Father…….’

I want to live the life God has for me, one that will draw people to Him no matter how far away they live.

What about you?

Colossians 1:3-14

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Is a Bowl Covering Your Light?

Are you a light?

 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  I John 1:5-7

Praise and Worship Music

This is off the 'Faith Has A Voice' CD - it will be available for churches to use via CCLI sometime in August 2012.



You can purchase this song on Amazon.com, iTunes.com
or visit Rob Hammes Songwriter on ReverbNation
by clicking here  -  Faith Has A Voice

Oh The Memories!!

I was going through my stack of VHS tapes and putting the ones of my daughters on DVD's.

It has been a heartwarming experience as I see and remember just how close my girls were.

Anyway I wanted to share some of the songs the church we attended at the time, sang during youth worship. Our daughters, Lena and Amanda Hammes (now married so Lena Stephenson and Amanda Tucker aka Moonda) would be part of the worship team.

Enjoy and worship the Lord!






What are some of your favorites?

My husband and his friend Benjamin Mosier have a CD out now - maybe one of those will be your new favorite??

FAITH HAS A VOICE

blessings

SERVE WHOM OR WHAT

I was going to do a study in the Bible on the word ‘serve’ but stopped with the first verse that came up in my search list, Matthew 6:24. I began to do a study on a few of the words and this is what I found.

Matthew 6:24  "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

First I looked at the word ‘serve’ in the Strong’s concordance

#1398  Part of Speech: Verb  Transliteration: douleuó

Phonetic Spelling: (dool-yoo'-o)

Short Definition: I am a slave, am subject to, obey

Definition: I am a slave, am subject to, obey, am devoted.

(figuratively) to willingly give over the prerogative to be self-governing. See 1401 (doulos).

To serve something or someone makes me subject to them or to it. I am devoted to what I’m a slave to. I no longer govern myself.

‘money’  #3126  Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine

Transliteration: mamónas

Phonetic Spelling: (mam-mo-nas')

Short Definition: riches, money, possessions

Definition: (Aramaic), riches, money, possessions, property.

126 mammōnás – a Semitic term for "the treasure a person trusts in" (J. Thayer) who is transliterated as "mammon."

Money in this verse isn’t just the cash we have it is what we trust in. It can be our possessions, what we ‘own’.

Matthew 6:24  "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Now that you know what ‘serve’ and ‘money’ means in the Greek, would you say you are serving God with your whole heart? Or are you serving the cash in your pocket, your home or the games you play?

Don’t let the word ‘slave’ throw you off, ‘am devoted’ is also listed and it means – “Feeling or displaying strong affection or attachment”.

I don’t know about you but when I have a strong affection towards someone I desire to please them and therefore I ‘serve’ them.

Are you following me?

An example – I love (have a strong affection towards) my husband, therefore I desire to fix his coffee and serve it to him when he wakes every morning. I know that’s a small example but it helps make my point. I’m not doing it for selfish reasons, I truly want to ‘serve’ my husband in love and there are some awesome benefits of doing this type of serving J

If you haven’t already, you should take the time to check out all the benefits of serving our Father. They far outweigh anything cash, a home or a few games can give us in this life. In fact, the benefits are eternal.

Now on to the word ‘money’ - money, possessions, property

Often when we read this verse we think of cash, it’s a choice between God and cash, but that is not true. As you see in the Greek definition it is also possessions or property.

So now we have, are you going to serve God or cash, jewelry, games, house, food, tv and the list goes on.

We have a decision to make, what is yours? Will you serve your Creator or will you seek those things that are temporary?

Will you serve God with a devotion that just wants to lift Him up and show the world how wonderful He is? Or would you rather say you believe in God and then live like those in the world - chasing after selfish things that will break or rot away?

Have you replaced God and His power with a workshop, a prayer group, a counselor or a best friend? We need to know what God says in His Word so we do not place anything or anyone above Him. It is God who heals us, blesses us, gives us a way out when tempted, forgives us and shows us the way – the path He has for us and it’s to bring Him all the glory, honor and praise – it is to bring other people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

I do not have anything against a good Bible based study, counselor, etc. What I do have a problem with is these places or people adding to or taking away from God’s Word. When it becomes a gossip, talk bad about other people, find the answer in you type of thing. Always make sure to check God’s Word against what you are being taught, don’t just take someone’s word for it. And if they talk bad about other people, encourage you to feel sorry for them instead of helping them live according to God’s Word – run!! There is power in God’s Word and in our lives when we seek Him with all our soul, heart and mind.

I say these things because I’ve been there and stayed there with no victory – sympathy did not give me victory or the strength to overcome – but those that taught/teach Truth and gave me their faith, and God’s Word to live by – then I began to have victory through Jesus Christ…..I’m moving forward.

Pride

Yes I am very proud of Benjamin Mosier and my husband Rob Hammes !!

Why you ask......

Their first CD is on iTunes !!!!

I (Christena with Has Breath Publishing LLC), asked Benjamin Mosier how he came up with the lyrics for one of the songs on this CD.  'Come Let Your Fire Fall' and this is his reply: " The inspiration for "Come Let Your Fire Fall" came from meditating on the Life of Jesus. I was just thinking about His word and the Holy Spirit dropped those lyrics in my heart. For me that song is truly my hearts cry. I want God's love and power to explode out of me onto the world around me." Benjamin Mosier and this is what Rob Hammes (robhammessongwriter.com) added:  "Ben has never sung for anybody and was pretty nervous about showing me the song (with lyrics and melody) to me.  After some encouragement he sang the song into my computer, and we discovered a very natural sense of pitch and timing that even Ben didn't realize he has.  The astonishing thing was that in putting harmonies and chords to his melody, I found that the chorus was not in a "normal" time signature.  Since Ben kept singing it the same way every time he sang it, this must have been God's time, not Ben's.  While the rest of the song is in "four-four" time, the chorus uses a "six-four" time signature."  Rob Hammes http://www.reverbnation.com/robhammes Benjamin Mosier is the Youth Pastor and the drummer on the worship team at LIFE Church and Training Center in Indianapolis, IN Rob Hammes is guitarist on the worship team at LIFE Church and Training Center in Indianapolis, IN LIFE Church and Training Center

Hebrews 1:3

Let’s look at Hebrews 1:3 and see what some of the original words mean in this passage. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  Hebrews 1:3  NIV Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;  KJV  ‘radiance’  someone who literally “shines” (is radiant). ‘glory’  the unspoken manifestation of God, intrinsic worth. ‘exact expression’  exact impression (likeness) which also reflects inner character. ‘being’  standing under a guaranteed agreement; entitling someone to what is guaranteed under the particular agreement. This is the same word used in Hebr 11:1 ---”Faith is the ‘substance’ of things hoped for...” ‘power’ powerful deeds, deeds showing (physical) power, marvelous works. Power to achieve by applying the Lord’s inherent abilities. “Power through God’s ability ‘word’   the Lord speaking His dynamic, living word in a believer to inbirth faith. ‘the purification’  cleansing, purifying, purification, literal, ceremonial or moral ‘sin’   ;   missing the mark; hence: (a) guilt, sin, (b) a fault, failure (in an ethical sense), sinful deed.   which results from God remo prop: missing the mark; hence: (a) guilt, sin, (b) a fault, failure (in an ethical sense), sinful deedving undesirable admixtures (eliminating impurities).          ("sin, forfeiture because missing the mark") is the brand of sin that emphasizes its self-originated (self-empowered) nature – i.e. it is not originated or empowered by God (i.e. not of faith, ‘Majesty’     (divine) majesty, greatness So we could read this as ............ The Son is the one who literally shines of God’s intrinsic worth, the unspoken manifestation of God and also reflects inner character of His being,  guaranteeing under the particular agreement by his power, to achieve by applying the Lord’s inherent abilities,  speaking his dynamic, living word in a believer  to inbirth faith.  After he had provided cleansing, moral cleansing for our missing the mark, a  mark that is the brand of sin that emphasizes its self-originated nature, not of faith; sat down on the right hand of the Majesty, Greatness on high.