FAITHFUL PATIENCE

PRAYER JOURNAL 9/29/18

Psalms 37:7 Rest in the Lord and wait PATIENTLY for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way. Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

God has been stirring things up in my spirit over the past year.  I know He has placed us exactly where He wants us at this time in our lives, I know the things He has spoken to my heart and I know that He is working it all into His plan.  BUT…I get impatient.

SOMETIMES IT IS SO TEMPTING TO RUN AHEAD AND HELP GOD OUT, SO THAT HE GETS IT JUST RIGHT!

God has lovingly reminded me that He is in control with these two words, spoken to my spirit,  “FAITHFUL PATIENCE.”

If God has placed a call on your life and dreams in your heart, be FAITHFUL IN PREPARATION and PATIENT IN WAITING on God’s timing.  If you will be obedient to these two words, “FAITHFUL PATIENCE,” God will bring His plan and purpose to fruition in your life.

Hebrews 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the Promise.

GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THE DREAM, ALLOW HIM TO DEVELOP AND WORK THROUGH THE DREAM!

YOUR TESTIMONY OF VICTORY

PRAYER JOURNAL 9/28/18

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

A movement has swept across our country a couple of years ago, to erase part of our National History by removing monuments and refusing to show respect to our flag and National Anthem.

THE REASON…."BECAUSE THOSE SYMBOLS REPRESENT OPPRESSION AND THEIR INHERITED VICTIM STATUS."

The leaders and members of this movement would like to rewrite the dark, not so beautiful history of the United States; but have they thought of the consequence?

By rewriting history they not only ignore the PROGRESS made against OPPRESSION and they also eliminate their defense for their perpetual victimhood. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the same groups would, instead of REWRITING history would use it to trumpet the SUCCESS that Freedom has allowed them to pursue…turn the dark parts into a TESTIMONY OF VICTORY!!!

The Apostle Paul never hid or pretended his dark past did not exist, no he used it to bring the attention to God’s Amazing Grace and how one could be changed from the CHIEFEST OF SINNERS to a PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL.

In 1 Timothy, Paul uses his own, less than desirable history to encourage a young man whom he is mentoring.  Perhaps Timothy was having a “crisis of faith;” some doubt in the Call of God or the Word that had been prophesied over him.  Maybe there were those that had told him he was too young or too inexperienced.  Read the following verses; a message from Paul to his young disciple, Timothy…

1 Timothy 1:12-14 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into ministry, although I was a former blasphemer, a persecutor and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the Grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

We all have scars and dark parts to our history, then we come to God, His blood washes us and we become OVERCOMERS. But God doesn’t remove the “monuments” of our past; He doesn’t REWRITE our history. No, our dark parts become our TESTIMONY OF VICTORY IN JESUS!!!

WE NEED YOU NOW!

PRAYER JOURNAL 9/27/2018

Revelation 12:12 Therefore, rejoice O heavens and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that HE HAS A SHORT TIME.

In my 60 years on earth, I have never witnessed a time of such hatred and division as the one we are witnessing in our Country at this hour.  It feels as if a thick darkness has descended and an oppressive spirit is covering the land until Truth has been trampled in the streets. 

It is true; Satan is “pulling out all the stops.”  He feels the end approaching; he is well aware that he has limited time to wreak as much havoc and deceive as many as possible before God says, “ENOUGH!”

 But I declare there is One greater than all the lies, all the vitriol, all the slander and all the hate and all the division.  I declare that there is a Body of Believers that is praying in intercession and calling out on the Name of Jesus to reveal Truth and protect those that are innocent.

SO….

Father, today, I approach your throne in the Name of Jesus and through His shed blood with my requests. Our country, which was established on Godly principles; to be a beacon of light, has lost its way.  The events of today could determine the path that will be followed for generations to come.

I pray that every mouth that would open to utter words of lies and slander, regardless of political party, will find the words melt away before they can be spoken.  Let the darkness fade away in the light of Your Holy Spirit and expose the hidden works of darkness. 

I know that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, Republican and Democrat, Conservative and Liberal, but against powers and principalities, rulers of darkness and spiritual hosts of wickedness. As your Word declares, Satan is roaring because even he knows he has been allowed only a short time.

I pray that Justice and Truth will prevail.  That something so miraculous will occur that people will marvel and say, “Surely this was wrought by the Hand of God.”

You have a people; a People Called by Your Name, that is crying out for Your will to be done in our Country, the Halls of Government and in the hearts of its citizens in the midst of the situations we are facing. 

Finally, I pray that Your Righteousness will reign supreme over our lives and over our country as we humble ourselves, pray and turn from our wicked ways to follow after You.

We humbly ask in the Only Name that has the power to save; the only Name that holds the answer for the United States and for the world; In the Name of Jesus…Amen!

LOSE THE FLAB OF DOUBT

PRAYER JOURNAL 9/26/18

Hebrews 11:1 Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

FAITH, at times it seems it is just an illusion, spoken of from the pulpit on Sunday morning but not a tangible commodity to be practiced on Monday.  We HOPE for things to happen, then look for the EVIDENCE that they are happening BUT the Bible says our faith IS THE EVIDENCE!

IT IS THE EVIDENCE THAT YOUR HOPE IS PLACED IN THE HANDS OF THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN MAKE THE UNSEEN SEEN!

You may say, “How can I get some faith? I pray. I try to think positive thoughts. I believe in God, but….

FAITH BEGINS WITH ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU!

When you finally grasp the AMAZING, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE that God has for you; not just His creation, BUT FOR YOU, your faith will increase by leaps and bounds.  Once you are convinced that God is working ALL THINGS out for your good, that He desires your success and will do everything He can to help you “prosper as your soul prospers,” you will begin to believe that ANYTHING…EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

YOU DON’T NEED MORE FAITH, YOU NEED TO EXERCISE THE FAITH YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN!

Romans 12:3 reminds us that “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” It is entirely up to each individual how that faith is “spent” and to whom or what it is entrusted. Some may place their faith in economic security or establishing their name, others may put it in political or religious leaders only to find that careers are lost, money is spent, dreams crumble and leaders fail…Their “measure of faith” is depleted and only the ashes of hopelessness remain.

YOUR FAITH WILL GROW ONLY TO THE EXTENT OF THE STRENGTH, POWER AND CERTAINTY OF THAT IN WHICH IT IS PLACED!

There is a SURE FOUNDATION, A SOLID ROCK; One in whom there is NO SHADOW OF TURNING. Growing your faith is as simple as returning it to the One who measured it out to you from the beginning. There is no risk in placing your faith in God and the dividends are guaranteed. The only thing you have to lose is your self-will, your shaky self-reliance and inadequate self-righteousness.

Go ahead, lace up your running shoes and get on God’s treadmill, it is time to lose the FLAB OF DOUBT and build some MUSCLE OF FAITH!

GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS

PRAYER JOURNAL 9/25/2018

John 6: 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”

Five Loaves and Two Fishes; it is one of the Bible stories you first heard in Sunday School and throughout the years, listened to many sermons based on this miraculous event.  But just in case it has been a while since you heard or read this passage of scripture, let me refresh your memory…

A multitude of people, 5000 men, plus women and children, surround Jesus as He teaches, heals and delivers.  Because He is Jesus, He is there to minister to all of their needs, so when He perceives that they are hungry, He says to His Disciples, “Let’s feed them.”

In typical fashion, after all the miracles they have witnessed, even brought their own friends and neighbors to Jesus with needs, the first thought of these Disciples is “Jesus, get real!  Can’t you see the crowd?  We don’t have that much money and there probably isn’t even that much bread available in this town to buy if we take up an offering.”

BUT…

A young lad, with a thoughtful Mom, comes forward with his lunch.  It is only five biscuits and a couple of pieces of fish but Jesus says, “I have a plan; I can use that.”  He blesses it and begins to hand it over to His Disciples to serve to the crowd.  They are amazed, everyone present gets fed and not just a snack but as much as they wanted; until they were full.

THEN…

Jesus makes one of the most amazing requests to His Disciples; He tells them to “gather up all the FRAGMENTS that remain, so that NOTHING IS LOST.”  Now of course Jesus cared about the earth and didn’t want to leave behind a pile of litter but I believe it goes so much deeper than Jesus being a good citizen…

WHEN WE BRING ALL THAT WE HAVE AND PLACE IT IN HIS HANDS, NOTHING IS LOST!

You have surrendered your life to Jesus and placed all into His Hands for service.  You have given Him your talents and time.  You have spent countless hours, praying, ministering, loving, singing, and preaching.  You have left family and friends, dream houses and jobs; wherever; whenever God said “GO,” you packed up and went.  Combing through memories, you realize you touched many lives…the meals you prepared, crying with the brokenhearted, rejoicing with the ones that found new life in Jesus, the countless sermons, the nights set aside to go and teach a Bible Study, practicing the songs for worship…yes, God touched many lives through you.

BUT…

Now you look around and it seems there are only fragments left; just some crumbs…Jesus isn’t finished. He is saying, “GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS, SO THAT NOTHING IS LOST.”

When God calls you to service, even the FRAGMENTS are anointed and useful….NOTHING IS LOST!

Today, get back on your knees, GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS, and allow God to use them.  The Bible doesn’t tell us how Jesus used the leftover crumbs after the Disciples gathered them, but I can assure you, HE HAD A PLAN.  And God has a plan for your fragments, too…they just need to be gathered and placed, once again, into His hands.

Have a blessed and fruitful day.

TOUCHING JESUS

PRAYER JOURNAL 9-20-2018

After waking several times in the night in prayer, I awoke this morning with the following scriptures speaking to my heart.

Matthew 9:21 For she said within herself, if I may but touch His garment, I shall be made whole.

Luke 8:45-46 And Jesus said, “Who touched me?” When all denied it Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, “Who touched me?” But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from me.”

At the end of last night’s Bible Study, after the dismissal prayer, a quietness of the Spirit settled over us and no one left…one of God’s children had a need and the congregation began to touch Heaven.  As we began to cry out, the “train of His robe” was touched, the Heaven’s opened and we all felt the Power touch earth.

So this morning, I can just imagine this Heavenly Conversation…

JESUS: “Somebody touched me last night.”

ANGELS:  “But Jesus, it was Wednesday night.  Thousands were gathered all around the world for their midweek service, to hear Your Word and worship you.  Besides that many were at home, watching streaming services and praying for needs. And you say, “Somebody touched me?”

JESUS: “There is a little church in Northern Michigan that has touched me; I felt power going out from me.”

Our prayers are not just a “Repetitive Religious Ritual,” something happens in the throne room when a group of God’s children began to cry out.  He hears, “JESUS” and all of Heaven stands at attention as Jesus STOPS, TURNS, LISTENS AND ANSWERS!

Perhaps, as the little lady in Matthew and Luke, you have exhausted all your options; perhaps you have received news that has you flat on your face; perhaps you are in a situation that is beyond your understanding; or maybe you just need a touch in your spirit;  those are all GOD’S SPECIALTY. 

If all you can do is “crawl,” then crawl to the “Hem of His Garment,” and touch Him.  Speak His Name, “Jesus.”  HE is the answer to your situation and He wants to move in your life TODAY!

SERVING GOD IS NOT A COMPETITION

PRAYER JOURNAL 9/19/2018

2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves.  But they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise.

There is NO COMPETITION in God; He has a specific purpose for you. Think about it….God created every snowflake with a unique pattern; He created every fingerprint with a unique swirl; why would we doubt that He created every person with a unique purpose.

LADIES, you are NOT in competition with men; THAT INCLUDES YOUR HUSBAND. Quit trying to prove that you can do anything a man can…YOU CAN’T and HE CAN’T do the things God created you to do. As a woman, I am created with unique gifts and abilities; Embrace them, use them; quit trying to be less than what God created you to be!!!

PASTORS, you are NOT in competition with other Pastors and other churches. You have been given a unique personality and unique gifts to minister to the unique congregation. Embrace them, use them; quit trying to be less than what God created you to be!!!

REDEEMED CHILD OF GOD, we are NOT in competition!!! Every day, you will come in contact with someone who needs to be ministered to through the unique gifts that God has placed in you. If you can’t sing, then write; if you can’t write, then teach; if you can’t teach; then smile…everyone can smile and show God’s love and kindness.

God is just waiting for you to open all the gifts He has placed in your hands; QUIT COMPETING for the gifts your brothers and sisters are holding…

QUIT TRYING TO BE LESS THAN WHAT GOD CREATED YOU TO BE!!!

YOU FIT INTO GOD'S PLAN

PRAYER JOURNAL 9/17/2018

Romans 12:6-8 Having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them; if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Have you ever wanted to be just like another person? Wished you were prettier, thinner, had their fashion sense, shared their knack for making money, for teaching, preaching…I have.  If you have been to as many churches services as I have, you have heard a minister or two preach and immediately you could discern who they admired, who they were trying to follow, who they were trying to emulate…and it just didn’t work!  You wanted to hear their heart; what God was speaking through them, not who they wish they could be.

As a young minister’s wife, I watched all Pastor’s wives; how they dressed, how they acted, how they sang, how they played the piano, how they treated the congregation, their husbands, me and of course, how they were “adored.” I wanted to be like them and live up the ideal I had set in my mind.  It was truly one of the most frustrating times of my life.

Finally, I realized that God had called SUSAN for a special purpose and it was alright.  The personality traits I did not like and wanted to trade for someone’s that I admired, God would use. The “gifts” I desired became a source of defeat and disappointment as I tried to fit myself into the mold I had created rather than the plan God had reserved just for me.

Finding my “Place” in God, using the gifts He has placed in me from conception, ministering in areas that are a natural outflow of the Holy Spirit, has given me such amazing joy and fulfillment. Why does wisdom have to take so long?

Over the years I have learned that life is NOT a competition or a zero-sum game.  God has an individualized plan for each person.  The happiest people are those who follow His plan for them instead of trying to put on that of another.

RETURN TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

PRAY JOURNAL 9/24/2018

Jeremiah 16:10-12 And it shall be when you show this people all these words, and they say unto you, “Why has the Lord pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or, what is our iniquity? Or, what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?” Then you shall say to them, “Because your fathers have forsaken Me,” says the Lord; “they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and not kept my law. And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me.”

If you have read my posts during the last 24 hours, you will understand that I am heavily burdened for what is taking place in our country, especially regarding Congress and the Supreme Court.  Because of this heaviness, I felt a call to Intercessory Prayer this morning to pray for our Governmental Leaders, Church Leaders and all of us who are called by the Name of Jesus.

I prayed for a RETURN TO RIGHTEOUSNESS and this word was spoken to my spirit…

“RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL PREVAIL ONLY AS MY PEOPLE TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS.”

As I prayed, I was impressed to pray a Prayer of Repentance for myself, the Church and the Government Leaders and citizens of the United States…

I repented of our unconcern; how we have allowed those in power to rule unfettered by established law; accepting every new rule, regulation and interpretation according to their ungodly agenda.

I repented over our lust for comfort and prosperity at the expense of Righteousness.  We have been willing to elect men and women to governing offices because of promises, ignoring and uncaring of the fact that their lives and governing philosophies are contrary to the Word and plan of God.

I repented over our malaise; willing to allow every evil and ungodly happening as long as “I don’t partake; as long as my family and I are not affected,” but you were; we were all affected by our unwillingness to get involved.

Last of all, I repented of our Tolerance of Sin; our reluctance to name specific abominations for fear of being called judgmental, phobic, Holier than Thou, hypocritical, and unaccepting. Our Fear of Rejection by Society has allowed Sin to have free reign and ultimately become the law of the land.

Unless the Church comes to an Altar of Repentance, it cannot be the Beacon shining light to a world following a path toward destruction. 

WE HAVE TO GET OUR HEARTS IN LINE WITH HIS WORD; THE WORLD IS DEPENDING ON US!

DENYING MYSELF????

Titus 2:11-12 For the Grace of God that brings Salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age.

It is a western philosophy but so prevalent in America and especially in the current culture; it is the philosophy of, “I SHOULD NOT BE DENIED ANYTHING!”

We have access to any and every type of food imaginable.  We create food concoctions that are decadent, artery-clogging and tempting.  We have convinced ourselves that we deserve any and every food that pleases our eyes and tempts our tastebuds and it should be super-sized – America ranks 10^th in the world in obesity and it is on the rise because we refuse to DENY OURSELVES.

Every medium-size city has a mall, multiple grocery stores, specialty shops, electronic and sporting goods stores; you name the item and it can be found in most locations…if not, there is always Amazon…and I should have the latest and greatest, just because I want it.  The United States ranks 9^th in consumer debt per adult, because why should I DENY MYSELF a thousand dollar cell phone or a new fully loaded car or my dream home or more shoes or…..I have a credit card that is not yet maxed out.

Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.

NON-DENIAL, it isn’t an American or 21^st century phenomenon; it started in the Garden.  Satan convinced Eve that God only wanted to deny her THE RIGHT to know things that only He knew because God did not want her to be like Him……So NOT DENYING ourselves of sin began.

I want to…it makes me feel good…God wants me happy…everyone else does…the Bible doesn’t say…it doesn’t really affect me…I HAVE A RIGHT…Satan will whisper every excuse imaginable to our hearts, appealing to our lusts and tempting us to sample the pleasures of sin…after all why should I DENY MYSELF?

BECAUSE…TRUTH IS STILL TRUTH!

Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him DENY himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Denial is about DISCIPLESHIP; it is about RIGHTEOUSNESS: it is about GODLINESS …even in this PRESENT AGE!

Right and Wrong; Good and Evil; Holy or Profane; Desire or Denial; Flesh or Spirit…They are still choices that we make…Will I DENY MYSELF to follow after the Spirit or SATISFY MY FLESH to follow after my lusts?

TIME

Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned and saw under the sun – The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

TIME…THE ENEMY OF US ALL.  We have no control over it. Time cannot be stopped, paused or rushed; we can only spend it wisely or in foolish endeavors.

If we live for 70 years, we are given approximately 36,816,500 to use however we choose.

There will be minutes that we wish we could freeze and preserve, but time marches on. Then, there will be minutes we wish would rush by and give us relief, but they continue to move at their God-ordained pace…one second at a time.

TIME…A GIFT FROM GOD. Given to spend any way you choose until that moment in each life when time is no more.

Time will not extend into eternity

BUT…

You will carry the consequences and effects of your time choices forever…

CHOOSE WISELY!

GOD IS FAITHFUL

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Meditating on the FAITHFULNESS of God this morning…You cannot “OUT FAITHFUL” God!!! Your diligence, the life you live, the prayers you pray, the LEGACY TRAIL you are laying down as a path for those who are following in your steps, matter to God.

HE IS A REWARDER; GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS!!!

You may look at your life and realize that you haven’t been laying down a LEGACY TRAIL of faithfulness and blessing. Perhaps your trail is a bit crooked; full of fallen boulders, brambles and thorns of curses…God is STILL FAITHFUL! Yes, even to you. His HAND OF OPPORTUNITY is always extended with forgiveness. His greatest desire is to give you a full pardon, break the curse of sin and give your LEGACY TRAIL a straight, true foundation.

Of course the words of this song come to my mind…It is MORNING; there are NEW MERCIES. If that was not enough, God’s gift basket of blessing is overflowing with PARDONS, PEACE, GUIDANCE, STRENGTH, and BRIGHT HOPE. What do you have need of?

GREAT IS GOD’S FAITHFULNESS!

♪♪ “Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning, new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.”

VERSE 3 is my testimony….

♪♪ “Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousands beside.” ♪♪

LET US LIVE

At times I am bewildered at the obsession for killing preborn babies that is constantly displayed by Democrats during campaigns, in Congressional hearings, and during televised confirmation questioning.  But after finally grasping the source and foundation of such a fixation, their driving passion becomes much more understandable….Their fervor to keep abortion legal, often, whenever and for whomever is Satanic; it was devised in the depths of Hell.

Exodus 1:22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born, you shall cast into the river and every daughter you can save alive.

Killing children is not a 20^th or 21^st century thought process. We read in Exodus that during the Hebrew captivity in the land of Egypt, the Pharaoh, fearing that the Hebrews were becoming too many and may become too strong and unified, ordered that all Hebrew baby boys were to be killed at birth.  But God had a plan; a Hebrew mother had a son and hid him until he could be saved by Pharaoh’s daughter, raised in the palace and used to deliver God’s people from bondage.

Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

Satan’s plan did not work in Egypt and it would not work in Bethlehem…this time he was going after the Son of God; the Redeemer; the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World; God’s plan for Redemption.  We read that Joseph was warned in a dream to flee with the Christ Child and once again Satan’s plan was thwarted.  In John 10:18, Jesus says, “No man takes my life, I lay it down.”   Yes, Jesus would die for the sins of the world but not before He had completed the mission and not according to Satan’s timing. 

Ezekiel 20:31 For when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, you pollute yourself with all your idols, even unto this day; and shall I be inquired of by you, O House of Israel?  As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.

Throughout the Bible we read of pagan worship in which children were sacrificed to false gods.  God warned His people that they were not to participate in such an abomination and when they did the consequence of their sin was severe.  In Ezekiel, God told the House of Israel that because of this horrendous sin, there was no need to even ask anything of God because He would not hear their cries.

Yes, the Practice of Abortion, which has become the law of the land is straight from the Pit of Hell and Satan has deceived many people into being rabid advocates for his cause. At this time in history, we find people sacrificing their children on the Altar of Pleasure Without Consequences; on the Altar of Hedonism; on the Altar of the Demi-God of Self and on the Altar of Convenience.

 Satan not only wants to deceive your children, he wants to kill them.  His desire to destroy God’s greatest creation was present in the Garden and has only intensified in the thousands of years since.  You see if he can destroy a baby, he can destroy a whole generation of potential Believers, Pastors, Missionaries, Church Planters, Prayer Warriors and others who will perpetuate the Gospel.

If there is any hope for our nation, we must stand strong against this abomination, pray for our leaders to appoint and confirm judges that will protect the lives of those yet to be born.  

And the Children cry, “PLEASE LET US LIVE!”

MAN'S POWER VS. GOD'S AUTHORITY

1 Samuel 17:38-39 So Saul clothed David with his armor, he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.

Every child in Sunday School has heard the Bible story and sang the song of David and Goliath.  How David, just a lad, went to the brook, chose 5 smooth stones, swung his sling, let the one stone go and it miraculously found its mark in the middle of Goliath’s head and he went down.  Then to finish the job, David took Goliath’s sword and cut off his head.

I Samuel 17:50-51 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it.

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT, HOW WAS IT THAT SAUL’S SWORD AND ARMOR WAS TOO HEAVY FOR DAVID TO USE BUT HE HAD NO TROUBLE USING GOLIATH’S SWORD TO CUT OFF GOLIATH’S HEAD?

The Bible states that King Saul was a big man; head and shoulders above anyone else in the land. Since David was still just a young man; a lad, it would make sense that Saul’s armor and sword were just too much for David to handle.  On the other hand, the Bible is very detailed about Goliath’s size and the weight of his weapons.  Goliath was about 9 feet, 9 inches tall. His bronze armor weighed about 125 lbs and just the iron point of his spear weighed 15 lbs.  We are not told the weight and size of his sword but we can be pretty sure it wasn’t lightweight, designed for fencing.

So the young lad who could not even walk wearing King Saul’s armor lifts a heavy sword high enough to swing it down and cut off the head of the enemy.

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE AUTHORITY UNDER WHICH YOU ARE OPERATING!

There is a limit to what can be accomplished under man’s power and authority but when we go forth in the authority of the REVEALED NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, the supernatural is possible.

When we operate under our own strength; our own imagination; our own strategy, we are limited.  We may stave off the enemy’s attack for a time but he will regroup and come at us even stronger, over and over.

However, when we go into battle under the authority of the NAME OF JESUS, we can not only knock the enemy down but cut off his head using his methods of attacks against him.

If you are struggling with the same “old fight,” unable to overcome and attain victory, CHECK YOUR WEAPONS….Are they carnal or mighty enough to pull down strongholds.

When the enemy sets you up for a fight, be prepared…you have Spiritual Weapons and the Authority of the Name of Jesus.  Use them and you can say as David said…

1 Samuel 17:45-47 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to  me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin.  But I come to you in the NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you….47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with a sword and a spear, FOR THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S and He will give you into our hands.