God created it All...

GOOD MORNING!

Isaiah 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

A verse that may make some feel a little uncomfortable and one that brings much comfort!!!

I form the light...form is yatsar in the Hebrew means "fashioned, created"
create darkness... is bara' means "fashioned, created"
make peace is... asah "produce, accomplish, fashion"
create evil means...bara again create, shapes forms

I break this down to discover who is "the Creator" of all things?!!! God created Cyrus a Gentile king to do His work...period! He continues to say, in verse 13, I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price or reward, saith THE LORD OF HOSTS.

Let's go back to verses 8-12. The Lord summons His righteousness to fall down from the heavens...because...I the Lord have created it! He doesn't want anyone to struggle with the fact He is using who HE chooses to accomplish His work...a non believing king. He says, "Woe unto you who desires to strive with his maker!" Do we have a say in what we are, who we are or how we got here??!

He says, "I have made the earth, and created man upon it." Folks this is God's world, He does what He desires and He doesn't check in with us to see if His plan are OK with us. This should bring us much comfort!

Romans 8:28-33 KJV 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

We are God's because he woke us up, the Spirit drew us unto Himself and we responded with..."Wow, the world is much bigger than myself!" "I never realized life wasn't all about me!" "I thought "I" was the center of the universe!" How many of us woke up to this realization one day and just said Wow! Then for me the journey began...as the Holy Spirit drew me, I began seeking...my story..."LOOK WHAT I HAVE FOUND, LOOK WHO HAS FOUND ME!" Halelujiah!

We all have different experiences, and there is NOT one life that God has gotten wrong! If God allowed righteousness to fall on an unbelieving king...HOW MUCH MORE WILL HE ALLOW HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS TO FALL ON THOSE WHO LOVE HIM! HE CALLED US BY NAME...WE ARE JUSTIFIED AND GLORIFIED...IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US...IF GOD DIDN'T SPARE HIS OWN SON, HOW SHALL HE NOT FREELY GIVE US ALLLLL THINGS!??

There are so many applications we can take away...God created everything...and He uses the light, darkness, peace and evil to accomplish His will... God uses who and what He chooses...He has a plan and a purpose for us...we don't have a say...He is the Creator...His Word does not contradict itself...ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD AND ARE CALLED...this is freeing!!!!

In all of our messy broken selves...God is using it all. God may not be the source of the evil we have done or are doing...but rest assured there is purpose in it. By the way, when we sin, reject God's way, rebel against God or man in pride...it is evil. I know many of us including myself, because we are God's don't thing of ourselves of doing evil. The fact is, anything opposite in the nature of God is evil. To avoid evil, do what is right. We wrestle with the enemy's influence and the lust of our flesh.  Man has fallen from the grace of God, man has a will to do evil...but remember God created the tree of the knowledge of good and evil! God created Lucifer who fell from His grace. God knows ALL things...God knew us from the foundations of the world and He created us for His purpose!

There is no way around it....GOD IS IN IT...whatever IT is to you...guaranteed GOD IS IN IT! God in His infinite mind is working over the world in slow speed what already has been accomplished in eternity. Whoaaa, I know its deep...think of it...if the Bible gives us the end from the beginning...we are in time...time is captured in a small window of eternity...we are just walking out the steps that God has already had foreknowledge of!

God is using people who will deny Him in order to bring the Antichrist on stage...We have the future, God has given us the ability to prepare and know HIM for the upcoming events. There are no surprises...all this to say...

HE LOVES US SO MUCH! In our weakness He is made strong. In our big world, in our little communities God is bringing to pass His assignments in each of us. Whether we are His or not, whether we are on the front-lines or the back...whether we are obedient or we are not...whether its seems logical or illogical...GOD IS IN IT!!!

So, the next time we come across a bump in the road...Ask God to reveal Himself in it!

YOU ARE POSITIONED BY GOD AND HIGHLY FAVORED!! GOD LOVES YOU, CALLED YOU BY NAME, AND HE IS IN IT ALL! REST AND BE COMFORTED THAT GOD IS WORKING ALL THINGS OUT...no matter how hard, how bad, how uncomfortable...GOD IS THERE AND HE IS ABLE...TRUST IN HIM!!!

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HE Called us by NAME

GOOD MORNING!!

Isaiah 45:2-6 KJV 2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: 3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. 4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. 5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

This is one of my many favorite verses. First, because verse 1 talks about an anointed Gentile king, which amazes me. Secondly, He will go before us and make the crooked places straight. That just resonates with my soul...maybe because there was alot of me that was crooked that He has been straightening out! He will demolish the prisons that surround us and give us treasures (spiritual truths) of darkness and hidden riches of secret places (our alone time with Him, our secret place!) All so we would know that He is the Lord God that has called us by NAME!!!! He says He called us before we knew Him, and there is NO other God beside Him.

I dont know about you, but to know that our God is THE GOD, is so comforting and reassuring that there is no one else we can go to! Chapter 45 is amazing! Oooh I will save the rest for another day.

All I know is this...God is Amazing!!! He has called me, you, us by NAME and HE takes care of our every need. That in and of itself makes me say, ahhhhhhhhh.

YOU ARE POSITIONED BY GOD AND HIGHLY FAVORED!! GOD HAS CALLED YOU BY NAME, YOU ARE SPECIAL TO HIM, HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH AND WILL MAKE ALL OF YOUR CROOKED PLACES STRAIGHT!

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By God's grace...

GOOD MORNING!

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 KJV 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

It can be really hard to loose part of our abilities. For whatever reasons, all we can come up with through the centuries and stories told from the loss of physical stamina is this; God uses it for His glory. It stinks, it really does...we cant do the things we once could and we may not feel as well as we once did. SOME HOW HIS GRACE....supernaturally enables us to do and go further than we every thought we could. Think of those who are without limbs, they have achieved the impossible more than most ever will in a life-time. Determination despite our detriment is a powerful motivation!

In all of our infirmities, are we still praising God? There is no easy way for any of us to understand this. Some would say, "Look at all that Paul did!" Why would God allow it? It may not look fair. Paul asked God 3x for healing, that it might "depart" or "leave" him. God's answer was simply, "Lean on  me Paul, I have all you need."

Learning to "adjust" to the thorn in our fleshes should come after....after...we have petitioned God at least 3x for healing!!!!

God is the God that Heals! He came to set us free! Paul knew this and felt compelled to petition more than once...after the third time God gives him an answer to which he receives and accepts.

It doesn't take away our pain, nor change our circumstances...but it is comforting to know that even Paul who loved God and served Him more than most of us could ever comprehend, struggled also.

We all are desperate and in grave need for Jesus in one way or another. God's grace is enough...He is the God of more than enough. His grace enables us to do that which we could not do in and of ourselves! Remember, this life is not ours, this world is not our home...we are just passing through! It is but for a season until we reach the other side!

YOU ARE POSITIONED BY GOD AND HIGHLY FAVORED!!! GOD LOVES YOU!!!

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Fear of death...

GOOD MORNING!

It would appear the flip-opens for the week all have "fear" in the verses! God has a message for us!

Because God's children are human beings-made with flesh and blood-the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who HAD the power of death. Only in this way could He SET FREE all who lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. Heb 2:14-15 NLT

This morning, may we all see that we have been set free from the fear of dying, in Christ JESUS. Jesus broke the power over the devil...the devil has no more power over us...there is no more fear...no more shame...no more condemnation. We have been given all power over the enemy!!! It is in our BELIEF of HIM who has raised from the dead on our behalf that we have such power! It is that very fact that He dwells IN us...greater is HE that is in us that he that is in the world!

Now, we have this...our inheritance...it is been given to us with our name on it. Just one catch. You and I have to claim it, have to go receive it, have to sign for it. We have to RECIEVE it! Then, after we receive it we have to sit there and believe this has just been given to us, its ours! Lastly, we must exercise our gift to see the benefit. We have been set free from the fear of dying.

However, even thou we have been given such a gift...the enemy doesnt want you to believe it. So, he works overtime keeping our liberties hidden, by blinding our eyes and our hearts from the truth of God's Word. Many, walk around still in bondage to fears of the unknown, the fear of dying. These are people like you and me that have been saved, delivered, are born again believers...Christians and they have been deceived. Remember, satan can mimic an angel of light...as we follow God beware that we do not mistake the enemy's back as God's. Watch to make sure what you follow is pure and lovely and lines up with God's character and the scriptures!

Just last week, my 13 year old son, Sammy, says, "Mommy, I struggle with the fear of dying and if God is real." "I know He is God but I dont, my mind wants to tell me eternity is a long time in not knowing, how can I know for sure?" I said, "Honey, think back of all the things you have seen God do with your very eyes. We have testimony after testimony of how God has answered prayer, spared us, healed us, revealed himself to us...havent we?" He said, "Yes!" The enemy doesnt want you to remember the goodness of God. Just like the Israelites, constantly forgetting the greatness of God. Let's not be like them but claim the remarkable things that the world calls "coincidences," but we know is God's handiwork.

The devil would like you to be afraid of the unknown...but let me ask you this... "What If?" "What If?" What if God wasnt real, where does your peace and/or answers come from when you pray?  Whose voice do you hear when you read your Bible and you get an "aahaa" moment? When you are prompted or compelled to do what you naturally would'nt have done on your own, where does that come from? God always reveals Himself when He is in it!

There is absolute right and wrong...absolute truth and lies...absolute good and evil. Follow after the good...follow after God...in the long run even in your "what if" ...you have lived your life pursuing what is right pursing God. You can be proud of that.

Who hung the stars in place? Who paints the sky at a sunset? Who holds the tides back on the shoreline? Who made the birds to fly, the fish to swim, and the deer to run? Where do we get the sense there is so much more to life than meets the eye? Who created all we see, touch, smell, taste, and hear? Why is your ears not where your nose is? Why do we have hair?.....

Let us remember the stepping stones of God's greatness in and through our lives. Keep God real, He wants to do the supernatural EVERYDAY with us. He wants to make HIMSELF KNOWN to us everyday...not just sporadically...HE DESIRES TO WALK WITH US AND TALK WITH US ALONG LIFE'S NARROW WAY now and eternity.

BELIEVE...TRUST...AND KNOW THAT FEAR IS NOT OF GOD...DYING IS JUST A METAMORPHOSIS, A TRANSFORMATION FROM THIS LIFE TO THE NEXT...some of us may go through some really hard times to get from this life to the next but, IN CHRIST, its all worth it.
Think of the death of the apostles...there is a time to die for us all...to fear the What Ifs...truly is a waste of time in worrying...enjoy God...enjoy life...and prepare to enjoy eternity! WE ARE SET FREE FROM FEAR!

YOU ARE POSITIONED BY GOD AND HIGHLY FAVORED!!!

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Fears of....

 GOOD MORNING! Its more like a Bible Study this morning!

Look at that, the fear of God seems to be the theme for this week!

We can have fears to many things, there are even phobia's named after specific things we are fearful of. Such as heights, spiders, dieing, overweight, darkness, bees,...the list is endless!
This endless list are all toxic fears. Then there is a healthy fear, one of respect, honor, and obedience.

The one thing we seem to lack in fear is that of the Lord.

Pr 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Jer 2:19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that [it is] an evil [thing] and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear [is] not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

 Jer 5:24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

Strange how we can fear the "unknown" the "what if's" yet not fear God and His commands?!

It would appear many are wax-cold to God, living out life to please themselves...all the while justifying their decisions and actions in Jesus' name altering the scriptures to fit their lives rather than altering their life to comply with the scriptures. Isnt that interesting?

Those of us that struggle with fear...of any specific origin...look at this verse...

 2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. This verse is saying the spirit of fear is NOT of God, which means it must be from none other than satan himself. The spirit God did give us is POWER, LOVE, and a SOUND MIND to operate in and through Jesus and the through the scriptures.

Many are fearful of man...

 Pr 29:25 ¶ The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

 Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
 Isa 44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any].

Folks, if Esther feared man...her people would have died...if  Deborah feared man...Barak would have lost...if Jael feared man...if Paul feared man...the gospel would never have been distributed all over the world. If Jesus feared man, we wouldnt have a savior. If Mary feared man, we wouldnt have had Jesus. If Moses, Noah, the lot of them...

How about us? Do we understand the impossible sets the stage for miracles to happen?!!!

Would you want your child to grow up and be a lion chaser? Benaiah was faced with should I run away or give chase! When we fear, we risk loosing our God-given opportunities of seeing God move, conqueror, or make us lion chasers!!! Oh to get in the way of God's plan and purpose...only causes delayed blessings for ourselves and others.

Conflict...oooh fear of....change the way we think...fears are opportunities to be over comers! Satan enjoys keeping us "stuck" and "scared" of living life in the freedom of Jesus Christ.

What has God called us to do? What would you do if you knew you couldnt fail!???? If God be for us, who then can be against us? Our obedience is the evidence of our confidence and trust in God to do the UNTHINKABLE!!!! 2Sa 22:33 God [is] my strength [and] power: and he maketh my way perfect. Do we really believe that?

It is safer to be in the perfect will of God in the middle of a war...on the mission field in the deepest, darkest remote area...being persecuted for your faith in a third world country...then out of God's will in (what would appear to be) the safety of your own home.

Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

It is God that should lead us. Be careful, satan is always looking to counterfeit what may look like God, satan appears as an angel of light often to keep us from letting God direct us. We think we can know the mind of God and connect the dots and then talk ourselves right out of the obedience He has called us to! When God says to fear Him and depart from evil, he is talking about departing from the evil of convincing ourselves that we can be self sufficient and alter His plans for our lives by our disbelief.

 Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Departing again, going off and doing what we "think" is right and seems logical and not trusting God in the illogical. Let us not be wise in our own eyes...let us take God at His word...we must go...we must love...we must face our fears...and trust Him with all our heart!

Today, if you believe God has called you or commissioned you to a specific task...dont allow satan to talk you out of it because of "fears" or the "what ifs"... trust Him to accomplish His perfect will in and through your life and watch the supernatural happen right before your very eyes!!!!

YOU ARE POSITIONED BY GOD AND HIGHLY FAVORED!!!!! BE BLESSED AND TEAR DOWN THOSE FEARS AND DOUBTS!!! A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS!!! THINK VICTORY...NO MATTER WHAT! HE IS ABLE!!!

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