Words of Exhortation:
8/23/08  Upon receiving numerous detracting wicked comments via email, letters, and phone, which by the way are ineffective, I am reminded by the Spirit of the Lord the words of Jesus in Matthew 12:34,
³⁴O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. ³⁵A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. ³⁶But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  ³⁷For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying!  God bless you!

7/22/08  Isaiah 51
¹Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. ²Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. ³For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. ⁴Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. ⁵My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. ⁶Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. ⁷Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.  ⁸For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation. ⁹Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? ¹⁰Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? ¹¹Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.  ¹²I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; ¹³And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? ¹⁴The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. ¹⁵But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name. ¹⁶And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people. ¹⁷Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. ¹⁸There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. ¹⁹These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee? ²⁰Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God. ²¹Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: ²²Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: ²³But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

4/15/08  The Lord has led me to pray Psalm 59
¹Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. ²Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. ³For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD. ⁴They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. ⁵Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.  ⁶They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. ⁷Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? ⁸But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. ⁹Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence. ¹⁰The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. ¹¹Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. ¹²For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. ¹³Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. ¹⁴And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. ¹⁵Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied. ¹⁶But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. ¹⁷Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.

4/07/08  Psalm 64
¹Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.  ²Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: ³Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: ⁴That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. ⁵They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? ⁶They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. ⁷But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. ⁸So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away. ⁹And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. ¹⁰The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

3/15/08  Psalm 18
¹I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.  ²The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. ³I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. ⁴The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. ⁵The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. ⁶In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. ⁷Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. ⁸There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. ⁹He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. ¹⁰And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. ¹¹He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. ¹²At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. ₁₃The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. ¹⁴Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. ¹⁵Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. ¹⁶He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. ¹⁷He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. ¹⁸They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. ¹⁹He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. ²⁰The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. ²¹For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. ²²For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. ²³I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. ²⁴Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. ²⁵With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; ²⁶With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. ²⁷For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. ²⁸For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. ²⁹For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. ³⁰As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. ₃₁For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? ³²It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. ³³He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. ³⁴He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. ³⁵Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. ³⁶Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. ³⁷I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. ³⁸I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. ³⁹For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. ⁴⁰Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. ⁴¹They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. ⁴²Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. ⁴³Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. ⁴⁴As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. ⁴⁵The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. ⁴⁶The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. ⁴⁷It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. ⁴⁸He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. ⁴⁹Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. ⁵⁰Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

2/16/08  Psalm 35:1-9
¹Plead my cause (Strive), O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. ²Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. ³Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. ⁴Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. ⁵Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them. ⁶Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. ⁷For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. ⁸Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
⁹And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

2/5/08  Psalm 100
¹Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. ²Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. ³Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. ⁴Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. ⁵For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

1/29/08  Psalm 149
¹Praise ye the LORD.  Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. ²Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. ³Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. ⁴For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.  ⁵Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.  ⁶Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; ⁷To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; ⁸To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; ⁹To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

1/25/08  God strengthened my heart and encouraged me about my enemies as I prayed Psalm 71:
¹In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.  ²Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me. ³Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress. ⁴Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. ⁵For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth. ⁶By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. ⁷I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. ⁸Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. ⁹Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. ¹⁰For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, ¹¹Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him. ¹²O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help. ¹³Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt. ¹⁴But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. ¹⁵My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. ¹⁶I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. ¹⁷O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. ¹⁸Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. ¹⁹Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!  ²⁰Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. ²¹Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. ²²I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. ²³My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. ²⁴My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

1/21/08  Psalm 150
¹Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
²Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
³Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
⁴Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
⁵Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
⁶Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

12/21/07  Jesus told his disciples in Luke 22:40, "Pray that you enter not into temptation."  That also applies to all of us in all situations.

12/17/07  I am reminded by Peter how Jesus exemplified a servant, and Jesus is our example.
1Peter 2:18-23
¹⁸Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. ¹⁹For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. ²⁰For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. ²¹For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: ²²Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: ²³Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

12/12/07   When correction came to me recently, God ministered the following three scriptures to me!  Remember it is God's love to correct us!
Hebrews 12:5-11
⁵And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: ⁶For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. ⁷If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  ⁸But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. ⁹Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.  ¹¹Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Job 5:17-18
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

12/07/07 As Kathy and I were out praying on Thursday evening, we both began to pray as Jesus taught us, "After this manner pray ye, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen

11/07/07 Lamentations 3:22-23
²² It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.   ²³They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

10/31/07  Ezekiel 3:17-21
¹⁷ Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
¹⁸ When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
¹⁹Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
²⁰Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
²¹Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

After returning from Israel in l984, the Spirit of God directed me to read the book of Ezekiel.  He wrote the above scriptures in my heart, and shortly thereafter directed me to speak to someone about their life and reminded me of these scriptures.  Since that time I have not failed to deliver a word to any one that God has directed.  Jesus did not speak his own words as described in John 12:47-50, and I do not speak my own.

10/19/07  Psalm 94
¹ O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. ²Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. ³LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? ⁴How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? ⁵They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. ⁶They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. ⁷Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. ⁸Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? ⁹He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? ¹⁰He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? ¹¹The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. ¹²Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; ¹³That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. ¹⁴For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. ¹⁵But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.  ¹⁶Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? ¹⁷Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. ¹⁸When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up. ¹⁹In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. ²⁰Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? ²¹They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.  ²²But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge. ²³And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.

I thank God for his mercy on us all!  God Bless You!

10/14/07   Luke 21:8-36
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

As I began to consider these words, my eyes and heart saw these words,"therefore, pray always to escape all these things."  Immediately, I was prompted to look back to "what things?"   Beginning in verse 8, Jesus said, "Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.  ⁹But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.  ¹⁰Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:  ₁₁And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven."

Certainly, I could relate present day to these verses.  However, it then becomes even more personal in verse 12."But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.  ¹³And it shall turn to you for a testimony.  ¹⁴Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: ¹⁵For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. ¹⁶And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. ¹⁷And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. ¹⁸But there shall not an hair of your head perish.  ¹⁹In your patience possess ye your souls." 

Jesus encourages when all these things occur that not one hair of our head will perish if we continue to believe the Gospel and to take hold of our soul that we not be moved in these situations.  Jesus continues to describe over the next few verses what must occur before the end of times, and in verse 25 he says,
"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;  ²⁶Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."

Here is exactly why Jesus exhorts us to continue to pray believing and keep possession of our soul so not to fail because of fear when these things occur!  In verse 27 Jesus exclaims the Son of man then shall appear, so look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws nigh!   He declares in verse 33, "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." Finally, Jesus warns in verse 34 and in verse 35 instructs us how to escape and stand by the power of God!
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. ³⁵For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

10/04/07 2Chronicles 20:1-25
As I was praying late this afternoon, The Lord spoke these words to me, "Believe the Lord God, and you shall be established.   Believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper."  I thought, "Okay, this is good!"  I have heard these encouraging words many times over the years, but I did not recall the context in which they were originally spoken.  So, I looked them up in 2 Chronicles 20:1-25.  Judah was going to have to battle the Moabites, Ammonites, and other enemies all at once and was outnumbered!

³And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. ⁵And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, ⁶And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? ⁷Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

Jehoshaphat continued to pray, and the Spirit of the Lord spoke through Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, ¹⁵Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. ¹⁶Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all the people praised the Lord!   They rose early in the morning, and as they went forth to prepare for battle, Jehoshaphat stood and said,
²⁰Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. ²¹And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. ²²And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

All of Judah's enemies ended killing each other, and Judah spent 3 days collecting the spoils, and it was more than they could carry!  Praise the Lord!!

9/25/07
Jesus said in Luke 6:22-28 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. The Lord continues to encourage us to pray after this manner!