2Kings17:19 Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the customs which Israel had introduced. —And God disciplined them through the Babylonians. They were in captivity for 70 years! —Hab 1:5-6 Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days; You would not believe if you were told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce & impetuous people, Who march throughout the earth, To seize dwelling places … —So Habakkuk pleads with God, asking Him to save Judah from her own wickedness. God answers, but not in the way Habakkuk expected. So we too must respond in the same way Habakkuk did! — Hab 3:18-19 Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord; I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army]; He has made my feet [steady & sure] like hinds’ feet & makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge & responsibility]. Love Mel
The Glory Belongs to God Alone
Ez9:3 Then the glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherubim, where it had been, & moved to the threshold of the temple. Ez10:4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, & stood over the threshold of the house; & the house was filled with the cloud, & the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory. — His Glory is truly the most & it all belongs to Him! — Luke 20:46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; — It is up to us to not be glory seekers, we need merely to seek Him & all else will be provided! Love Mel
The Bible IS The Word of Almighty God – Well Documented.
Did you know there are over 66000 (sixty six thousand) Bible manuscripts currently in captivity? The Bible, and in particular the New Testament is the best documented book on the planet. The average Greek NT manuscript is over 450 pages long. Well you may ask, is the Old Testament true? Jesus says it was in many places and He says further that He is the fulfillment of that Testament. You may ask, was Christ really resurrected? If Christ were not resurrected there would be no New Testament! Most of the NT was written between 49 and 67 AD. Why would a bunch of Jewish people write a book about the true Messiah if they did not see Him resurrected? Seems like a terrible idea. Christianity stands alone as the best documented of all the faiths. 2 Tim 3:16 says “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”.
Importance of Prayer and Fasting
Ezra 8:21 (KJV) Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of Him a right way for us, & for our little ones, & for all our substance. Neh1:4 It came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down & wept, & mourned certain days, & fasted, & prayed before the God of heaven, 2 Chron 20:3 Jehoshaphat feared, & set himself to seek the LORD, & proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Joel 2:15 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: — Fasting was a common practice to seek God’s HELP! Jesus reminded us in Mark 9:29 …. This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer & fasting. Telling us that some things will only change when we humble ourselves by giving up something that is important to us! Are you willing to fight the good fight of faith? What will you give up, in order to get God’s full HELP? Now would be a good time to get His HELP to restore goodness to our country! Love Mel
Praying Offensively vs Defensively (borrowed from a Bill Johnson sermon)
I heard a sermon this morning from Pastor Bill Johnson. If I hear a good one I like to recap it generally. Christians pray very well from a defensive position when trouble strikes. The better approach is to stay prayed up in advance. Jesus prayed 40 days in the wilderness after his anointing, and this enabled him to deal with the demons the apostles could not remove. Also to pray effectively it is best to pray the things on Gods heart. How do you discern the things that are on Gods heart? You do so by staying close to Him in prayer at all times. Become His friend. John 15:15 (KJV) Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. In this verse Jesus tells us that His friends know what He is up to and can pray in collaboration with Him to bring these things to pass. This is the best way to pray. Stay prayed up. Stay close to God by living a holy life and being often in prayer. Then you can pray most effectively.
