................" TELL JOHN "...................... SOME TIME AGO I WAS IN CHURCH, AND DURING THE PRAISE AND WORSHIP I HEARD THESE WORDS COME FROM MY HEART,"TELL JOHN". THE WORDS CAME AGAIN AND I SAID TELL JOHN, TELL JOHN WHAT? THE WORDS TELL JOHN CAME AGAIN WITH AUTHORITY AND FORCE AND I REMEMBERED THE WORDS TELL JOHN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AND I SAID I UNDERSTAND TELL JOHN. I WILL SHARE WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT . Hebrews 2:1 (KJV) 1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. EARNEST: MORE EXCEEDINGLY HEED: PAY DEVOTION OF THOUGHT AND EFFORT TO DO A THING - TO HOLD THE MIND TO - TO ADHERE TO.. SLIP: TO FIND ONE'S SELF GLIDING, OR PASSING BY WITHOUT GIVING DUE HEED TO A THING. LIT. TO FLOW PAST, OR GLIDE BY. EXAMPLE.. A RIVER WITH A PIECE OF DRIFT WOOD FLOATING IN THE CURRENT, AND WE WATCH IT SLIP ON BY WITHOUT PAYING ANY ATTENTION. ( THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE WHAT THIS SCRIPTURE IS SAYING, BUT IT IS SAYING JUST THE OPPOSITE. WE WILL MISS THE POINT IF WE DON'T REALIZE THAT. ) YOU TAKE THE PLACE OF THE DRIFT WOOD. SAY YOU ARE FLOATING IN A BOAT DOWN THE RIVER. WHATEVER IS ON THE BANKS OF THAT RIVER IS SOLID, IT IS TRUE, IT'S THERE TO BE SEEN AND ENJOYED. BY NOT PAYING ATTENTION, NOT GIVING EARNEST HEED TO WHAT IS ON THE BANKS, YOU FLOAT ON BY MISSING THE BEAUTY OF THE LAND, PEOPLE, PICNIC AREAS, AND WILDLIFE. WHEN ASK WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT HUGE BOULDER THAT LOOKED LIKE A MAN'S FACE, YOU WOULD SAY WHAT BOULDER. WHILE OTHERS FLOATING DOWN THE RIVER MAY PADDLE IN TO EVERY INTERESTING THING THEY SEE. UPON CLOSE EXAMINATION THEY MAY SEE THINGS THAT OTHERS CAN'T SEE FROM OUT IN THE RIVER. THEY MAY TAKE PICTURES SO THEY CAN RE-VISIT IT ONCE AGAIN WITHOUT PHYSICALLY BEING THERE. WHEN ASK ABOUT A PLACE OR THING ALONG THE RIVER THEY CAN TELL YOU ABOUT IT, AND EVEN SHOW YOU BECAUSE THEY WERE PAYING EARNEST HEED TO THE THINGS THEY SAW AND DOCUMENTING IT. THEY MAY EVEN KNOW MORE THAN THE PERSON ASKING. THAT IS WHY IN A CHURCH SERVICE SOME PEOPLE CAN NOT TELL YOU WHAT IT WAS ABOUT, WHILE OTHERS CAN TELL YOU WHAT WAS SAID AND EVEN GO DEEPER. BECAUSE THEY WERE PAYING EARNEST HEED,AND THE LORD COULD TAKE THEM DEEPER THAN THE MINISTER WAS PRESENTING. ..... SO PAY EARNEST HEED TO THIS THAT YOU HEAR TODAY....... ........................................... " TELL JOHN "............................................... YOU CAN PUT YOUR NAME IN JOHN'S PLACE. IN FACT YOU MUST PUT YOUR NAME IN JOHN'S PLACE. AS WE LOOK AT JOHN THE BAPTIST YOU WILL SEE WHY THE TITLE " TELL JOHN ". AND YOU WILL SEE WHY YOU MUST PUT YOURSELF IN HIS PLACE, IN ORDER TO LEARN THIS LESSON. YOU CAN SLIP ON BY WHAT GOD IS SAYING TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T PAY EARNEST HEED TO IT OR YOU PAY HEED TO THE WRONG THING AND BECOME OFFENDED AND MISS THE POINT BECAUSE YOUR FOCUS WAS NOT WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. BEFORE WE GET TO JOHN THE BAPTIST LET'S GIVE AND EXAMPLE OF GIVING IN TO OFFENCE AND LOOSING FOCUS AND NOT GIVING EARNEST HEED TO WHAT WE SHOULD, AND THE RESULT OF THIS DISPLACED FOCUS. Mark 6:1-6 ( KJV ) 1. And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 2. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? AND THEY WERE OFFENDED AT HIM. 4. But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. THESE PEOPLE DID NOT PAY EARNEST HEED TO WHAT THEY HEARD, INSTEAD THEY SAT IN JUDGEMENT AND PAYED HEED TO SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T MATTER AND BECAME OFFENDED AND THEY SLIPPED ON BY THE TRUTH THAT STOOD BEFORE THEM, AND THEY COULD NOT RECEIVE ANY MIGHTY WORK BECAUSE THEIR FOCUS TOOK THEM TO OFFENCE. AND THAT OFFENCE TOOK THEM TO UNBELIEF. THEY SLIPPED AWAY FROM THE IMPORTANT THINGS. NOW LET'S LOOK AT JOHN THE BAPTIST
Matthew 3:1-3 (KJV) 1. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2. And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
JOHN WAS SENT TO PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD CONCERNING HIS FIRST COMING. WE ARE SENT TO PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD CONCERNING HIS SECOND COMING.
MATTHEW 3: 11-17 (KJV) 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15. And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
JOHN STARTED TO GET OUT OF STEP WITH HIS CALLING. WHEN JESUS CAME TO HIM TO BE BAPTIZED HE FORBADE JESUS AND SAID I HAVE NEED TO BE BAPTIZED OF YOU. YOU SEE JESUS WAS THE SACRIFICE, THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD, AND HE NEEDED JOHN TO TO PRESENT HIM AS THE SPOTLESS SON OF GOD TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. EVERY SACRIFICE HAD TO PRESENTED BY THE PRIESTHOOD AND THE PRIESTHOOD OF THAT DAY THOUGHT OF JESUS AS A SPOT,BLEMISHED, AND WRINKLED. John WAS OF THE LINEAGE OF THE PRIESTHOOD AND HE ALONE WAS THE ONE WHO KNEW AND COULD PRESENT JESUS AS THE SPOTLESS SON OF GOD. JESUS TOLD HIM IT MUST BE SO FOR NOW THAT JOHN BAPTIZE HIM. THIS GOT JOHN BACK ON TRACK.
WE ALL HAVE A PLACE AND A PURPOSE IN THE MASTER PLAN.
JOHN 3:22 - (30 ) - 36 (KJV)
Passage John 3:22-36: 22After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24For John was not yet cast into prison. 25Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30He must increase, but I must decrease.
31He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. 32And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. 34For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. 35The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. 36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
JOHN KNEW HE WOULD HAVE TO STEP BACK AND JESUS WOULD STEP UP. HE KNEW JESUS WAS GOING TO INCREASE AND HE MUST DECREASE. JOHN DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE TO DECREASE, THAT WAS HIS OWN DOING. HE GOT INTO TROUBLE THE SAME WAY WE DO IF WE DON'T WATCH IT, WITH OUR MOUTHS. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT SOME MORE A LITTLE LATER ON. FOR NOW WE NEED TO SEE THAT WE ALL HAVE A PLAN AND PURPOSE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Passage Ephesians 4:11-16 (KJV) 11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND WE ARE ALL FITLY JOINED TOGETHER. EVERY ONE OF US SHOULD BE SUPPLYING TO OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY.
EVERYONE MUST DO THEIR PART.
1. KNOW YOUR PLACE
2. KNOW YOUR PART
3. KNOW YOUR GIFT AND CALL AND WALK IN IT.
4. DON'T SEEK TO WALK IN ANTHER'S PLACE.
WE ARE GOING TO READ FROM LUKE CHAPTER 7 . JOHN IS IN PRISON AT THIS TIME. HE IS NOT THERE BECAUSE IT WAS GOD'S WILL OR PLAN. HE IS THERE BECAUSE OF HIS MOUTH AND ATTITUDE. HE GOT INTO TROUBLE THE SAME WAY WE DO AND HE STARTED TO BLAME GOD JUST LIKE WE DO IF WE ARE NOT WATCHFUL. HE STARTED TO BECOME OFFENDED AT JESUS. LET'S LOOK AT THIS CHAPTER AND HAVE OUR EYES OPENED.
Luke 7 :1-23 (KJV)
1. Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 2. And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 3. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 4. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 5. For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. 6. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: 7. Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 8. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 9. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 10. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. LUKE 7:1-10 THIS WAS A LESSON ON AUTHORITY AND FAITH AND HEALING.
11. And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17. And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.
LUKE 7:11-17 IN THAT SET OF SCRIPTURES WE SEE JESUS RAISE THE DEAD.
VERSE 16 THE FEAR THAT IS SPOKEN OF HERE IS A REVERENTIAL FEAR. IT IS NOT A FEAR OF HIM OR HIS POWER, BUT RATHER A DREAD OF DOING SOMETHING DISPLEASING IN HIS SIGHT.
VERSE 17 SAID THIS RUMOUR OF HIM WENT FORTH.
THE WORD RUMOUR TO US IN THIS DAY AND TIME MEANS UNVERIFIED HEARSAY SPREAD MY WORD OF MOUTH, TRUE OR NOT , TOLD AS FACT. RUMOUR IN THE TIME THIS WAS WRITTEN SIMPLY MEANT TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF.
18. And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. 19. And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20. When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 21. And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 23. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
IN VERSES 18-23
JOHN'S FOLLOWERS CAME AND TOLD JOHN THE EVENTS THAT HAD BEEN HAPPENING WITH JESUS. JOHN SENT THEM TO ASK JESUS IF HE WAS THE ONE OR SHOULD THEY SEEK ANOTHER. JOHN WAS IN PRISON. IT WAS OF HIS OWN DOING. HE WAS THINKING LIKE A LOT OF US. IF I'M A CHRISTIAN THEN WHY AM I IN THIS PROBLEM. WE BLAME GOD. IT'S US WHO CAUSE THE PROBLEM. JOHN GOT IN HEROD'S FACE AND TOLD HIM IT WAS NOT LAWFUL TO HAVE HIS BROTHERS WIFE. THIS WAS NOT THE THING YOU DID IN THOSE DAYS. YOU ONLY SPOKE TO LEADERS WHEN THEY CALLED ON YOU. WHAT JOHN SAID WAS TRUE BUT IT WAS SAID OUT OF ORDER AND IT GOT HIM INTO TROUBLE. JOHN LET HIS MOUTH GET HIM INTO A PREDICAMENT THAT LEAD TO HIS DEATH. JUST BECAUSE WE ARE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST DOESN'T PROTECT US FROM OUR OWN UNDOING. IF WE WALK OUTSIDE THE WORD WE WALK OUTSIDE OF PROTECTION, WE LOCK GOD OUT THEN WE BLAME HIM. IF YOU ARE SAYING WHY DID GOD LET THIS HAPPEN TO ME.. WHY?.. IT'S NOT GOD THAT CAUSED YOUR PROBLEM IT'S YOU.
JOHN WAS STARTING TO BECOME OFFENDED AT JESUS. QUESTIONING ARE YOU THE ONE OR SHOULD WE SEEK ANOTHER? PEOPLE TODAY THAT GET THEMSELVES INTO TROUBLE, AND BLAME GOD, AND EVEN GET OFFENDED AT HIM. WHEN HE ISN'T THE PROBLEM. HE IS THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM AND THE ANSWER TO NOT GETTING INTO THE PROBLEM TO START WITH.
YOU MIGHT THINK HOW COULD JOHN ASK HIS DISCIPLES TO ASK JESUS IF HE WAS THE ONE. THIS JOHN KNEW JESUS WAS THE ONE. HE HEARD GOD'S VOICE SAY THIS IS MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED. YOU MIGHT SAY HOW COULD JOHN ASK THAT.
CHRISTIANS DO IT ALL THE TIME. THEY LET THEIR MOUTH GET THEM INTO TROUBLE. THEN THEY BLAME GOD FOR THE TROUBLES. BLAME LEADS TO OFFENCE, OFFENCE LEADS TO UNBELIEF, AND UNBELIEF LEADS TO DOUBT.
WHEN PAUL GOT BIT BY THE VIPER HE DIDN'T WHINE AND CRY WHY DID GOD LET THIS HAPPEN TO ME. IT WAS HIS FAULT FOR PICKING UP A LOAD OF STICKS WITHOUT CHECKING FOR SNAKES FIRST. WHEN HE GOT BIT HE SHOOK IT OFF AND WENT ABOUT HIS BUSINESS. IT WAS ALREADY SETTLED IN HIS HEART THAT NO DEADLY THING COULD HARM HIM. HE COULD HAVE FREAKED OUT AND DIED, BUT HE HAD THE WORD SETTLED IN HIS HEART AND FOLLOWED IT INSTEAD.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?
IF PAUL WAS LIKE A LOT OF US HE WOULD HAVE CRIED WHY ME? I'M PAUL.. CALLED OF GOD.. SENT BY GOD TO THE GENTILES.. FULL OF REVELATION.. FULL OF PURPOSE.. WHY?... TO THINK IT ALL ENDS HERE OUT IN THE BOONDOCKS BITTEN BY A VIPER.
NO HE HAD THE WORD IN HIS HEART.. YOUR HEART DEALS WITH THE ISSUES OF LIFE.. BUT YOU MUST HAVE IT FULL OF THE WORD TO FOR THE RIGHT THINGS TO COME OUT.
IF YOU HEAR WORDS COMING FROM YOUR MOUTH THAT ARE SAYING,"WHY DID YOU LET THIS HAPPEN, OR WHY ME." AND YOU ARE BLAMING GOD, YOU ARE ON THE WRONG TRACK, OUT OF STEP, AND NEED TO GET BACK ON TRACK.
YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND READ OUT LOUD LUKE 7:21-23 AND PUT YOUR NAME IN PLACE OF JOHN'S. LUKE 7:21-23 21. And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 23. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. VERSE 23 WAS FOR JOHN VERSE 23 IS FOR US WHEN WE START TO LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT IS GOING ON. TELL JOHN.. TELL MIKE.. TELL VICKIE.. TELL GLORIA.. TELL WHO EVER NEEDS TO HEAR IT, THE BLIND SEE, THE LAME WALK, THE LEPERS ARE CLEANSED, THE DEAF HEAR, THE DEAD ARE RAISED THE POOR ARE BEING PREACHED THE GOSPEL, AND BLESSED IS HE THAT IS NOT OFFENDED IN ME.

Hello everyone. My name is Michael. I have been a Christian since 1975. My experience in the church was bad, and not the way it should have been. It has been said that Christians shoot and bury their wounded. A lot of them do, because they have never renewed their minds and hearts to the Word of God. They call themselves Christians and walk in the world. The church I first attended was not teaching any thing helpful to a Christian, let alone a new convert, a babe in Christ. When I started going I was not a saved person. My girlfriend attended there so I went with her, and we got married, and continued to attend. I got saved in that church, only because of a group that came and ministered the Word of Salvation to us. Six months of sitting in services at that church and never heard any word on salvation. We continued there for about 2 years. Never were we taught the things we were to need to walk this new life. Nothing on Walking in Love, forgiveness, not taking offence, health and healing, miracles, authority in Christ, or anything we really needed at all. In 1977 we moved to another church that was teaching more of what was needed to live in this world as a Christian. Only they weren't living or walking the talk they were speaking. I got offended ....!!! Hurt..!!!! And unforgiving..!!!!! Which lead to a life of bitterness for the next 23 years.. (What a waste) I continued to go to church, but it was out of duty not out of a heart of love, or being thirsty and hungry for righteousness and the kingdom of God. In 1982 We moved to a third church and sat there 18 years out of duty, sulking in bitterness, not able to walk in the calling on our lives to teach, preach, and sing the Word. One day in the year 2000 something happened that caused me to think and reflect on a statement that my daughter said about me. That day it all turned around for me. Angry and upset over what she had said, I sat in my study alone, when I spoke out loud to myself a question. I said, " what she said was true, so why am I getting so upset over it?" Just as I said that I heard a voice say," I'm glad you ask, now we can get this taken care of." What happened after that changed me from an unforgiving, bitter, unproductive, hurtful, not able to help others, into a minister of the Word, seeing people healed and set free, helping others find the way, helping others grow in the things that they need to walk in Victory in this life in Christ. I am doing my best with God's help to keep others from walking down that long wasted path i walked, being bitter and unproductive. God has us testifying of our past ( being like an open book ) and then teaching a foundation of what we need to live a Christ centered lives. How to deal with hurtful, unforgiving, offensive, unlearned in the scriptures, rejecting people. And not not becoming like that, but instead becoming one who walks in Victory and draws people to Christ. The day it all turned around in my life was awesome. The Lord just started speaking once that question left my lips. I am going to take you through that day and what the Lord showed me in the Word that transformed me from a loser to a winner in Christ. I will be talking about a dark past that I never really wanted to even remember let alone share with others. The Lord said to be an effective minister that I would need to be an open book, nothing hidden or covered up, in order to reach and help others. I told Him yes I can do that, so in the next blog posting I will go through my testimony of where I had been, and what happened on that day of the great turnaround, to where I am today. Then the Lord and I will start some foundation teaching and build on that, to deeper things in Christ. REMEMBER THAT GOD IS LIGHT AND IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. JOHN 10:10 ANYTHING THAT KILLS, STEALS, OR DESTROYS IS FROM THE DEVIL. AND ABUNDANT LIFE TO THE FULL COMES FROM GOD. Your brother in Christ Michael

Testimony Pt.2 Many things happened from the time I gave my heart to the Lord until that turn a round day in 2000. As I stated in the First Posting the Christians, and Churches I attended were not teaching any substantial, meaningful, fruitful things pertaining to how to live a Christ centered life in this world. I was offended at them and found a church that taught more, but they didn't walk in it. I was more offended and found yet another church, where I spent 18 years pouting and drowning in unforgiveness and bitterness toward others. One day my daughter said a statement about me, and I got upset over it. When You live in bitterness even the truth will upset you. As I was sitting in my place of study thinking on what she had said, and rehearsing those words in my mind, I spoke out loud these words. I said, " What she said was true so why am I so mad and upset about it?" As soon as those words left my lips I heard a voice from deep within my heart say, "I'm glad you asked, Now we can take care of this problem in your life." All those years in church hearing the word but not living it was about to come to a head. That word was in me and God was about to bring it out and show me what I needed to do. On this day He turned my whole life around and launched me on a journey that amazes me.. First the Lord asked me if I remembered what my son had said his favorite scripture was. Sure I said it's Song of Solomon 2:15 which says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." He said that I had walked in bitterness and unforgiveness so long that it was like a brother to me, and I let the little things set me off, and they were choking the life out of me. He then directed me to go to MARK 11:22-26 King James Version (KJV)Passage Mark 11:22-26: 22And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. The Lord told me when it comes down to it without forgiveness nothing will work. First I had to forgive the hardest person in the world to forgive.( MYSELF ) and all the others I had ought against. He then directed me to this passage of scripture. Passage Hebrews 12:11-15: 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. 12Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; The Lord said," Michael you have walked in bitterness, and you have defiled many. You can't progress and a lot of those you hurt haven't progressed either. " ( I'll come back to this point and tell you what I had to do to make it right.) There was one more set of scripture that the Lord took me too, that day, and it set me free so I could go back to HEBREWS 12:11-15 and do something about that root of bitterness, and those that I had defiled (hurt). He then took me to PSALMS 51:1-14 1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. THIS IS AN AWESOME PASSAGE I BROKE DOWN AT VERSE 10 Oh Lord what do I need to do. 1. Realize the things that I've done. 2. forgive others and myself and ask the Lord to forgive me. 3. Ask God to remove that root of bitterness from me. 4. Ask God to create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. I did all those steps and what freedom came over me.. Heaviness lifted. Was that all I had to do? NO I had to go back to all those that I had hurt and speak to then about my life and my new life and ask them for forgiveness, and bring a restoration to all our lives... ( I'll tell you about that in the next posting.) ...............Your Brother In Christ.............Michael

TESTIMONY PT. 3 Hebrews 12:14-1514. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:15. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;As I stated in the last posting I had defiled or hurt many people as I walked in bitterness all those years. Asking the Lord to forgive and clean me up wasn't going to be all I needed to do. He told me I must go back to many of them and ask for their forgiveness. One very important thing He impressed on me was this truth. Many times we know we must go back to people and make amends or restitution. We charge out and find those people and talk to them and think, If they accept my apology great, and if they don't, well I tried. I did my best. No you haven't. The Lord told me to go to these people, but only when he told me to go to each one, and to listen for the words to say to them, and only say those words. He was working in their lives and only can we say we did our best is after we do it in God timing and with the words he gave us to say.Everyone hears forgiveness in different ways and words.The first thing I had to do was go to my wife and to my children and ask their forgiveness, because I was a mess for most of the kids lives. Then to about six other people from the past I must go. As I was weed eating the back yard on afternoon, the Lord began to speak to me about going to a man named Sonny. I said yea right he would probably shoot me if he saw me on his front porch. The answer was still the same you must talk to him. As i was trimming the yard I looked up and Sonny was coming cross the alley towards me. I shut the weed eater off and he ask me a question and we started talking. A miracle in itself. He was asking about some people that had moved into the neighborhood. As we talked I was listening for the right words to say concerning forgiveness. The Lord told me with Sonny the way he hears I'm sorry will you forgive me is in the word apologise. I said, Sonny we have had a problem for a while. I did some things that I shouldn't concerning you. He said, I know I've wanted to kill you for at least four years. ( It was bad between us ) ( real bad ) I said to him that I was not that person anymore. I guess he could see that word apologise was about to come out. He said forget it that is water under the bridge. ( He did not want to hear that word come from me because it would then take the burden off me and force him to make a decision concerning the situation.I told him no it is not water under the bridge, and I want to apologise for my actions of the past. He looked at me and stared at me for a moment and the said OK... We talked for a long time and have been like brothers ever since. He has asked me to watch his house when he is gone. My apology placed a choice for him to make. To accept it or to reject it. He accepted it and it was awesome. Whichever way he went in his choice to accept or reject my apology, I could truly say I did all I could do, because I listened for the words to say and said them. I didn't have to wait for when to go because he came to me. He was ready.One of the others I needed to go to came a little later at a store. The Lord said now is the time just go up to him and start talking as if nothing ever happened between you at all. ( He had a chainsaw cranked up and was yelling for me to come out of the house. He was mad at me for something I had done. I came out with a rifle and we then each went back into our houses. ) Bitterness defiles many and many had I defiled. It was bad in those bitter years. And now the Lord was telling me to just walk up and start talking to him as if nothing ever happened between us. He said this man sees forgiveness in that act of walking up to him and talking as if the past never happened. I did just that and stood in that store and talked and talked like had never missed a step .. In every case I went back to the people the Lord told me to go too. I listened and said what the Lord said to say. And all of them gave me the forgiveness I was seeking. We are all friends. I know you won't always get 100% good results like I did, but if you just rush into it and not listen for what to say and when to go you sure won't get 100% good results. Doing it in God's way and God's time is the only way you can say I did all I can do.I was restored in Christ and restored to the people I had hurt in the past. Now I needed to get back into the Word and get a foundation and build a good solid mature Christian out of myself and go on to teach others as God had called me to do.

...............AIN’T IT FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY..................
My sister liked to listen to Elvis when she was younger. As a result I heard many of his songs. Ain't it funny how time slips away was one of those songs. One day as I was studying the Word a voice in me seemed to be saying ain’t it funny how time slips away. I thought on that phrase and the spirit of the Lord started showing me some things. This that I am about to write is the result of that study time.
Time is a valuable resource that is not renewable. Once it is used, or spent, or slips away it is gone. There are 1,440 minutes in a day. 10,080 minutes in a week.
Approximately 524,160 in a year with a few variables in the math. I was born in 1956 and up to the time I am writing this I have lived about 26,513,280 minutes. How have I spent them? If I got 8 hours of sleep a day that comes to 8,867,760 minutes. That still leaves 17,645,520 minutes .. That is close to the amount of minutes Jesus was here from birth to the cross. What have I done with them?
New Living Translation (NLT) Passage Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
New Living Translation (NLT) Passage John 9:44. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.
The night is coming, and then no one can work.

King James Version (KJV) Passage Luke 19:13
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
OCCUPY: to keep totally busy with what you are directed to do.
Occupy doesn’t mean to fill space.
In these scriptures we find that we are to keep busy working for the time is coming when we can’t work. The time for planning and working is know. After we leave this life we can’t do what we should have done for the time has past.
Jesus left the splendor of Heaven. He stepped out of eternity into time. He was in time constraints for about 17,173,440 minutes. How did he spend those minutes?

King James Version (KJV) Passage Luke 2:49
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
He spent his time doing the Fathers will.
His ministry was about 1,794,240 minutes long from baptism to the cross. How did he spend those minutes and how are you spending yours?

King James Version (KJV) Passage John 21:24-25
24. This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
25. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
We think Jesus did a lot when we read the four gospels, however it is a very small sample of what he really did, seeing what John said in these verses. The world couldn’t contain the books if all he did were recorded.
New Living Translation (NLT) Passage James 4:14-1714 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. 17. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
King James Version (KJV) Passage James 4:14-17:
14. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Are we following a course that we have planned out for our lives, or are we seeking God’s plan and doing it? If we know what we should do and don’t do it then that is sin. We can’t make a plan and chart our own course and ask God to bless it. We have to find out God’s plan for us and walk in it and it will be blessed. If our life is a mess then we have gotten off the road God has chosen for us and are out there on our own. Get back on track with God’s plan.
Amplified Bible (AMP) Passage Colossians 4:5-65. Behave yourselves wisely [living prudently and with discretion] in your relations with those of the outside world (the non-Christians), making the very most of the time and seizing (buying up) the opportunity. 6. Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you].
Gracious or grace which means favor and kindness. That is how we are to speak. And with salt in our speech, that is to say with prudence, wisdom, and insight.
In the King James it says redeeming the time, in the Amplified it says making the most of the time and seizing the opportunity. Opportunities like time can slip away. Opportunities lost may never come again so we must be watching and grab them when they come our way. Your opportunity to minister to a lost person may be the last time they would have had to receive Christ before they leave this world. Don’t let it slip by. Make the most of every opportunity, turning it to the best advantage, since none can be recalled if missed.

...............AS A MAN THINKETH............................
AS A MAN THINKETH IN HIS HEART SO IS HE. PERCEIVE - PERCEIVING - PERCEPTION HOW YOU PERCEIVE A THING CAN PUT INTO BONDAGE OR SET YOU FREE. PERCEIVE: TO BECOME AWARE OF SOMETHING THROUGH THE SENSES...... SIGHT, HEARING, FEELING, TASTING, OR SMELLING. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT WHAT YOU SPEND TIME LOOKING AT AND LISTENING TOO. THERE WAS AN EXPERIMENT DONE WITH A PIRANHA FISH PLACED IN A SMALL GLASS CUBE AND SET IN THE MIDDLE OF A BIG AQUARIUM. THE AQUARIUM WAS FILLED WITH GOLDFISH. THE PIRANHA WOULD START TO GO FOR A FISH AND BUMP INTO THE GLASS CUBE SIDE . AFTER A FEW TIMES THE PIRANHA STOPPED TRYING BECAUSE HE REALIZED HE COULD NOT GET TO THE GOLDFISH. THE CUBE WAS REMOVED FROM AROUND THE PIRANHA AND HE WAS FREE TO ATTACK THE GOLDFISH AT WILL. HE DID NOT ATTEMPT EVEN ONCE TO GO FOR A GOLDFISH. HE STAYED IN HIS SPOT AS THOUGH THE CUBE WAS STILL AROUND HIM. HE DIED OF STARVATION IN A TANK FULL OF FOOD BECAUSE HIS PERCEPTION WAS THAT HE COULD NOT GET TO THE FOOD AND HE GAVE UP TRYING. NEVER GIVE UP TRYING BECAUSE YOU WILL BUMP UP AGAINST A WALL WHEN YOU START TO WALK BY FAITH IN AN AREA ,AND UNTIL YOU BECOME SETTLED IN YOUR HEART THAT GODS WORD IS TRUE AND TOTALLY BELIEVE AND TRUST HIM IT WILL BE LIKE THE PIRANHA IN THE CUBE. ONCE FAITH IS SOLID IN YOU IT WILL REMOVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN YOUR GOAL. NEVER GIVE UP. EVEN THE DEVIL FALLS FOR THIS. HE GAVE UP ON ATTACKING JOB. JOB HAD GOTTEN INTO FEAR AND HIS PROTECTING HEDGE WAS DOWN. THE DEVIL HAD TRIED SO MANY TIMES TO GET TO HIM AND COULDN'T THAT HE GAVE UP. HE TOLD THE LORD JOB HAS A HEDGE AROUND HIM, BUT IN REALITY IT WAS NO LONGER THERE BECAUSE JOB HAD GOTTEN INTO FEAR AND OUT OF FAITH. 2nd COR. 5:7 FOR WE WALK BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT FAITH: TRUTHFULNESS, CONVICTION, AND CONSISTENCY SIGHT: EXTERNAL APPEARANCE, THAT WHICH IS EXPOSED TO VIEW, THAT WHICH STRIKES THE EYE. WHAT IS YOUR REALITY? THAT WHICH STRIKES THE EYE. THAT WHICH IS EXPOSED TO VIEW. YOU CAN CHANGE SEEN THINGS BY BELIEVING IN THINGS NOT SEEN. WHAT YOU PUT INTO YOUR HEART WILL BE WHAT YOU BRING INTO EXISTENCE IN THIS WORLD. GOOD OR BAD. PROVERBS 23:7 AS A MAN THINKETH IN HIS HEART SO IS HE. THINKETH: ESTIMATES: TO FORM AN APPROXIMATE OPINION OF ( SIZE, AMOUNT, NUMBER, ETC. ) TO FORM AN APPROXIMATE OPINION ABOUT, A ROUGH CALCULATION BASED ON INCOMPLETE DATA. YOU CREATE YOUR WORLD FROM YOUR HEART AND WHAT IS IN IT. THAT IS THE WAY GOD MADE YOU. AS A MAN ESTIMATES IN HIS HEART FROM INFORMATION GATHERED WHETHER RIGHT OR WRONG IT WILL FORM A PERCEPTION OF HIMSELF, AND HE WILL MOVE TOWARDS THAT AND IT BECOME A REALITY IN HIS LIFE. WHEN THE 12 SPIES OF ISRAEL WENT INTO THE PROMISED LAND TO SCOUT IT OUT, THEY HAD WHAT THE LORD HAD SAID WHICH WAS TO GO IN A POSSESS IT FOR THEY WERE WELL ABLE. AS THEY WENT IN TEN OF THEM GOT DISTRACTED BY THE SIZE OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE WHICH WERE GIANTS. THEY ALLOWED WHAT THEY SAW TO EFFECT THEIR JUDGEMENT. THEIR PERCEPTION WAS THAT THEY WERE AS GRASSHOPPERS IN THEIR OWN SIGHT SO THEN WERE THEY IN THE GIANTS SIGHT. AND THIS DEFEATED THEM. NEVER WALK BY WHAT YOU SEE FOR IT IS ONLY A CIRCUMSTANCE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. WHAT THE LORD SAYS WILL CHANGE THE REALITY OF THE WORLD WE LIVE IN SHOULD WE CHOOSE TO BELIEVE AND STAND ON IT. PROVERBS 4:20-27 NEW LIVING New Living Translation (NLT)Passage Proverbs 4:20-27 20 My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. 21 Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, 22 for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. 23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. 24 Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. 25 Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. 26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. 27 Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. VERSE 23 SAYS THAT WHAT IS IN YOUR HEART DETERMINES THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE. ONE DAY A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS IN THE KITCHEN AND THE LORD STARTED TALKING TO MY HEART. HE ASK ME ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. HE SAID,"DO YOU REMEMBER THE SIMULATOR AT THE MALL IN KANSAS CITY?" I SAID,"I SURE DO." HE WANTED TO SHOW ME SOME THINGS ABOUT AN EXPERIENCE WE ALL HAD THAT DAY AND HOW EASY IT IS TO LET OUR SENSES RULE OUR WORLD AND CHANGE THE REALITY WE LIVE IN. THIS IS THE STORY THAT HAPPENED TO US THAT DAY AT THE MALL. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WENT SHOPPING IN THE STORES THAT THEY LIKED, AND THE 3 BOYS AND I WENT LOOKING AROUND. WE CAME UPON A SIMULATOR. IT WAS A BIG RECTANGLE SHAPED BOX. KINDA LIKE A SMALL MOBIL HOME SITTING ON A STAND WITH HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS AND CABLES AND WIRING HOOKED TO AND COMING OUT OF IT. THESE CABLES WERE LINKED TO A COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CONTROLLED THE HYDRAULICS AND THE ELECTRONICS IN THE SIMULATOR. WE PAID 5 DOLLARS AND GOT INTO THE SIMULATOR. IT HAD A VIDEO SCREEN AT THE FRONT AND A BUNCH OF SEATING WITH A CONSOLE THAT HAD OPENINGS FOR AIR FLOW IN AND AROUND EACH SEAT. I GOT ON THINKING ..." MAKE ME THINK I'M REALLY IN THE SITUATION THEY WERE SIMULATING. " OTHERS GOT ON WANTING TO GET LOST IN THE NEW REALITIES THAT THE SIMULATOR WOULD PROVIDE. OTHERS DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE AS TO WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. AS THE PICTURE APPEARED ON THE SCREEN IT WAS FROM THE EYE VIEW LIKE YOU WERE SEEING IT FROM YOUR OWN EYES. WE WERE ON A ROLLER COASTER AND THE SIMULATOR WAS ROCKING AND ELEVATING AND DROPPING TO THE PICTURE OUR EYES WERE VIEWING. FANS WOULD PUFF AIR ON US FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS TO MATCH WHAT WE WERE SEEING. SOON IT BECAME SO REAL ALL THE FEELINGS A PERSON WOULD NORMALLY HAVE IN THAT SITUATION FLOODED MY BODY AND MIND. THE COASTER AS IT FLEW UP A HILL CAME OFF THE TRACKS AND THE FEELING WAS SO INTENSE JUST LIKE BEING THROWN OUT INTO THE AIR AND AS YOU WERE STARTING TO FALL IT WENT INTO THE COCKPIT OF A SMALL PLANE AND YOU FELT JUST LIKE YOU WERE THERE FLYING. IT BECAME SO REAL IF YOU DIDN'T CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS YOU WOULD GET LOST IN THAT REALITY AND FEEL ALL THE SENSATIONS OF REALLY BEING IN WHAT WAS SIMULATED. YOU HAD TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX TO KEEP A FOCUS ON WHAT WAS REAL. THE TRUTH IS IT WAS A BOX AND WIRES AND HYDRAULICS AND VIDEO AND COMPUTERS. WHEN WE GOT OFF AND MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER SHOWED UP WE GOT THEM TO GO ON IT. IN THE BOX WAS NOT TRUE REALITY. AS THE SIMULATOR STARTED WE WERE WATCHING FROM OUTSIDE. THE BOX DIDN'T MOVE MORE THAT A FEW FEET ELEVATION AT THE FRONT AND MOST OF THE TIME ONLY INCHES. WE HEARD SCREAMS COMING FROM INSIDE THE BOX. I HEARD MY WIFE SCREAMING IT'S NOT REAL, IT'S NOT REAL. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON INSIDE THE BOX ONLY WHAT WE COULD HEAR. GETTING IN A SIMULATOR YOU MAY NOT KNOW EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING TO BE SIMULATED. SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE DEATHLY AFRAID OF THINGS MAY COME ACROSS THAT VERY THING IN THE SIMULATION. YOU CANNOT GET UP AND RUN. IF YOU GET LOST IN THE SIMULATION IT CAN BE VERY BAD FOR THAT PERSON. MY WIFE SAID THE LADY BEHIND HER WAS VERY AFRAID OF ROLLER COASTERS AND EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T REAL .. IT BECAME REAL TO HER THROUGH THE DECEPTION OF HER SENSES. SHE WAS GOING INTO A CARDIAC ARREST UNTIL MY WIFE BROKE IN AND BROUGHT HER BACK TO THE TRUTH.. IT IS NOT REAL. ALL THE THINGS IN THE BOX WERE REAL BUT THEY WERE NOT THE TRUE REALITY OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO YOU. BUT YOUR SENSES LEFT UNCHECKED CAN DECEIVE YOU INTO BELIEVING THAT IT IS YOUR STATE. THAT IS WHY WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT. WHEN A SICKNESS OR WHATEVER IS APPEARING ON YOUR BODY OR IN YOUR BODY IT IS TRUE THAT IT IS THERE, BUT THE TRUTH IS JESUS TOOK A BEATING FOR YOUR HEALING AND BY HIS STRIPES YOU ARE HEALED. YOU MUST BELIEVE THE WORD OVER WHAT YOU SEE IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE REALITY THAT YOU HAVE. IF YOU EVER WANT TO CHECK AND SEE HOW MUCH YOU ARE LEANING ON WHAT YOU SEE JUST GET INTO A SIMULATOR AND YOU WILL FIND OUT. JOEL OSTEEN TOLD OF A MAN THAT WORKED ON RAIL CARS. THEY WERE WORKING ON SOME REFRIGERATOR CARS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY SOME HOW HE GOT LOCKED INSIDE ON OF THEM. HE GOT SO FREAKED OUT HE CLAWED THE INSIDE OF THE RAIL CAR TRYING TO GET OUT. HE HAD SCRATCHED A NOTE ON THE WALL. IT SAID THE CAR WAS TO COLD TO SURVIVE AND THAT HE WAS FREEZING TO DEATH. WHEN THEY OPENED THE CAR THE NEXT DAY HE WAS DEAD. THE AUTOPSY REVEALED THAT THE MAN HAD FROZE TO DEATH. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CAR WASN'T FUNCTIONAL AND THE REFRIGERATOR WASN'T WORKING. THE TEMPERATURE IN THE CAR WAS 62 DEGREES. THIS MAN BELIEVED IN HIS HEART AND MIND THAT IT WAS WORKING AND THAT HE WAS FREEZING TO DEATH AND HE DID EVEN THOUGH THE TRUTH WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT . WHAT YOU TRULY BELIEVE YOUR HEART AND MIND PREPARES YOU TO RECEIVE EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE BELIEVING. WHEN JESUS WALKED ON THE WATER AND PETER SAID LORD IF IT IS YOU BID ME TO COME. JESUS SAID COME. PETER GOT OUT OF THE BOAT IN THE STORM AND WALKED TOWARD HIM. HE WAS WALKING BY FAITH IN THE WORD JESUS SPOKE. AS HE WALKED HE WAS DISTRACTED BY THE WAVES AND THE WIND AND GOT FOCUSED ON THAT AND BEGAN TO SINK. YOUR SENSES WILL AMPLIFY THE PROBLEM TO THE POINT THAT THE PROBLEM IS ALL YOU SEE IF YOU LET THEM. THE WAVES AND THE WIND DIDN'T MATTER. IT WAS WINDY AND HUGE WAVES WERE THERE WHEN HE STEPPED OUT. HE PERCEIVED HE COULD WALK ON WATER BECAUSE JESUS SAID COME. HE DIDN'T SINK UNTIL HE ALLOWED HIS SENSES TO SPEAK LOUDER, AND LET FEAR AND DOUBT IN. WE MUST NOT LET OUR SENSES CONTROL WHAT WE BELIEVE.

....TRY MY REINS LORD.....

King James Version (KJV)Passage Psalm 26:2:
2Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

REIN : a strap fastened to a bit by which a rider or driver controls an animal
A REIN IS WHAT IS USED TO GUIDE .. DAVID IS TELLING THE LORD TO GUIDE ME AND SEE THAT MY HEART IS WILLING TO BE LEAD. IF A HORSE WILL NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO GUIDE IT THEN IT CAN NOT BE USED. THE SAME WITH A PERSON . ANYONE THAT WILL NOT ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE LEAD CAN NOT BE USED BY THE LORD. IF A HORSE DOES NOT TRUST THE HOLDER OF THE REINS IT WILL RESIST GUIDANCE. WE MUST TRUST THE LORD FULLY AND ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE GUIDED BY HIM.
IF YOU ARE A SELF CENTERED PERSON ALWAYS DOING THINGS YOUR WAY AND NEVER ALLOWING THE LORD TO GUIDE YOU, THEN YOU ARE LIKE AN UNBROKEN HORSE.
I DIDN'T DO IT GOD'S WAY FOR MANY MANY YEARS. ONE DAY I REALIZED I HAD NOT BEEN DOING WHAT I SHOULD FOR ABOUT 26 YEARS. I REPENTED AND ASK THE LORD TO FORGIVE ME AND HELP ME TO GET ON THE RIGHT TRACK AGAIN. AS I TRUSTED HIM AND ALLOWED HIM TO GUIDE ME IT SEEMED SO MUCH WAS ADDED TO MY LIFE. SOMETHINGS WENT REALLY FAST AND SOME SLOWER, HOWEVER IT SEEMED I WAS BEEN PULLED IN 50 DIRECTIONS AT ONCE. SO MANY THINGS WERE OPENING UP FOR ME TO GO AND DO. I ASK THE LORD WHY DO I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO AND WHY WERE SOME THINGS MOVING FAST AND SOME SLOW. HE SHOWED ME TWO THINGS.
FIRST HE SAID,"LOOK AT IT LIKE THIS MICHAEL." BACK IN THE DAYS OF THE CALVARY ( EARLY ARMY ) IF THEY HAD A HORSE THAT COULD NOT BE GUIDED, THAT HORSE COULD NOT BE USED. SINCE HE WOULD NOT FOLLOW THE LEAD OF A RIDER HE MUST REMAIN IN THE CORRAL. THIS HORSE MAY BE BETTER QUALIFIED. HE MAY HAVE MORE STAMINA, BE ABLE TO RUN FASTER, AND ABLE TO JUMP JUMP FARTHER THAN ALL THE OTHER HORSES, BUT BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE GUIDED ALL THAT ABILITY WAS UNUSABLE. THIS MEANT OTHER NOT AS CAPABLE HORSES WERE SENT INTO BATTLE IN HIS PLACE. THE LORD SAID I WAS THAT HORSE FOR 26 YEARS, KEPT IN THE CORRAL, WHILE OTHERS WERE SENT OUT TO DO THEIR CALLING AND MY CALLING FOR WHICH I WAS EQUIPED. THEY HAD TO DO MORE BECAUSE I COULD NOT BE BRIDLED AND WOULD NOT FOLLOW THE REINS.
SECOND THE LORD SHOWED ME A PICTURE. WHEN I GOT MY LIFE RIGHT WITH GOD AND WAS WILLING TO GO AND DO AND BE LEAD AND GUIDED, I BECAME AS A HORSE SADDLED WITH MY CALL IN THE SADDLE BAGS AND AS I GALLOPED ACROSS THE LAND I NOTICED SMALL BAGS TIED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE SADDLE BAGS BOUNCING AS I RODE. I ASK WHAT ARE THOSE? HE SAID THOSE ARE THE CALLS OF OTHERS THAT ARE AT HOME IN THE CORRAL. I MUST SEND THEM WITH YOU. YOU WILL PLOW THE FIELDS OF THEIR CALL UNTIL THAY CAN BE GUIDED AND LEAD. THAT IS WHY SOME THINGS HAVE GONE FAST OTHERS HAVE PLOWED THE FIELD UNTIL YOU WERE READY TO BE GUIDED AND APPLY THE ABILITY YOU WERE GIVEN FOR THIS CALLING. AND WHY SOME THINGS ARE SLOW IS BECAUSE IT'S ANOTHER FIELD YOU ARE PLOWING UNTIL THEY ARE READY TO TAKE OVER. YOUR SADDLE BAGS ARE FULL AND OVERFLOWING BECAUSE YOU CARRY YOUR CALL AND THE CALL OF OTHERS UNTIL THEY RIDE UP AND TRANSFER THE BAGS. WE CARRY THE CALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE NOT YET OR MAY NEVER GET BORN-AGAIN. THAT'S WHY THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO. WE ARE DOING OUR PART AND THE PART OF THOSE STILL IN THE CORRAL AND THOSE THAT HAVE NOT EVEN MADE IT INTO THE ARMY YET.

TRUST THE LORD. HE WILL NOT GUIDE YOU INTO A PLACE THAT HE HAS NOT EQUIPED YOU FOR. LET HIM TAKE THE REINS OF YOUR HEART.

................................. MR. COFFEE ....................................
I WANT TO RELATE A STORY THAT HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. THE TITLE "MR. COFFEE " COMES FROM A MAN THAT WAS POOR, AND WALKED THE TOWN LOOKING FOR ODD JOBS. HE WOULD SWEEP AND CLEAN PARKING LOTS FOR A CUP OF COFFEE. HE COULDN’T DRESS VERY WELL. HIS CLOTHES WERE SHABBY, AND HIS HYGIENE WAS FAR BELOW WHAT OTHERS LIKED. KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE MADE FUN OF HIM. I FELT SORRY FOR HIM AND THE WAY HE WAS TREATED BY OTHERS. THEN ONE DAY I FOUND THAT I WAS JUST AS BAD AS THE ONE’S WHO TORMENTED HIM.
IF WE ARE TRUE TO THE WORD OF GOD. IF WE PREACH THE WORD. AND IF WE ARE A CHILD OF GOD. THEN WHEN WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH A TRUTH OF HIS WORD AND WE ARE NOT LIVING IT, WE STAND AT A CROSSROAD OF CHOICE. WILL WE THEN CHOOSE THE WORD AND BETTER OURSELVES AND THOSE AROUND US. OR WILL WE CHOOSE TO GO OUR OWN WAY DOWN A PATH OF DISOBEDIENCE AND DESTRUCTION TO OURSELVES AND OTHERS.
I THOUGHT I WAS DOING ALRIGHT IN MY WALK AS A CHRISTIAN, HOWEVER I FOUND AN AREA THAT WAS NOT DOING SO GOOD ONE DAY. IT WAS A BITTER COLD DAY. SNOW WAS PILED ALL AROUND. SLIPPERY ICY SIDEWALKS AND STREETS WERE WHAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH. I MADE IT TO ONE OF THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND WAS SITTING THERE WARMING UP AS THE DOOR OPENED AND A COLD BLAST OF AIR CHILLED THE ROOM. MR COFFEE WALKED IN AND SAT DOWN. I NOTICED THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE AS THEY HAD LOOKS OF DISGUST ON THEIR FACES AS THEY LOOKED AT HIM. PEOPLE WERE WHISPERING AND MURMURING ABOUT HIM. SAYING THINGS LIKE, " WHY DID HE HAVE TO COME IN HERE?" I WAS THINKING THEY NEED TO BE QUIET. THEY ARE HURTING HIS FEELINGS. HE CAN HEAR THE HARD HARSH WORDS THEY ARE SAYING. THEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THOUGHT THE LORD INTERRUPTED MY THOUGHTS WITH THIS STATEMENT. "YOU ARE JUST AS BAD MICHAEL. YOU’RE THINKING THE SAME THINGS. ONLY YOU HAVEN’T SPOKEN THEM OUT YET. IT IS IN YOUR HEART." I WAS ASTONISHED AND CONVICTED AS I REALIZED I WAS JUST AS GUILTY AS THOSE WHO SPOKE THEIR DISGUST OUT, FOR IN MY HEART I WAS JUST THE SAME. THE LORD SAID THIS MAN HAS BEEN TREATED SO UNJUST ALL HIS LIFE, AND I DON’T WANT TO FIND YOUR FOOTPRINT OR THUMB PRINTS ON HIS BACK. I SAT THERE AND ASK THE LORDS FORGIVENESS AND REPENTED OF MY WRONG WAYS.
GOD IS NO RESPECTOR OF PERSONS. WE ARE NOT TO BE A RESPECTOR OF PERSONS EITHER.
James 2 KJV.
1. My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3. And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4. Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5. Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6. But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7. Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9. But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
IF WE HAVE RESPECT OF PERSONS WE COMMIT SIN VERSE NINE TELLS US. VERSE TEN SAYS THAT IF WE MISS IT IN ONE POINT WE ARE GUILTY OF ALL. ISN'T THAT A MIND BOGGLER IN A WORLD FULL OF RESPECT OF PERSONS. WE MUST BE DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD. WE MUST DO THE RIGHT THING NO MATTER WHAT OTHERS THINK OF US. SO WHAT DID I DO AFTER THIS REALIZATION AND REPENTANT ACTION. I STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH MR COFFEE. AS WE TALKED I COULD SEE THE HORRORIFIED LOOKS ON PEOPLES FACES. THEY HAD NOW TURNED ON ME BECAUSE I WAS MAKING MR COFFE FEEL WELCOME. THEY WOULD RATHER HE STAYED OUTSIDE AND FROZE TO DEATH THAN BE INSIDE WHERE THEY WERE. I THEN FORGAVE THOSE THAT LOOKED DOWN ON ME AND TOOK NO OFFENCE TOWARDS THEM. FAITH WITHOUT ACTION IS DEAD, SO I THEN BOUGHT MR COFFEE A GOOD BREAKFAST. WE TALKED SOME MORE AND THEN I SHOOK HIS HAND AS WE PARTED WAYS THAT DAY. WHEN GOD LOOKED AT MR COFFEE I WANTED THE ONLY FINGERPRINTS OF MINE ON HIM TO BE ON THIS HAND AND IN HIS HEART.
WE CAN ONLY CHANGE AND MAKE CORRECTION IN THIS LIFE. WHEN WE ARE GONE WE CAN NOT COME BACK AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND DO IT RIGHT. WE MUST GET IT RIGHT IN THIS LIFE. WE MUST RENEW OUR MINDS TO THE WORD OF GOD AND THEN LIVE IT.
Passage Luke 16:19-31 KJV.
19.There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28. For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
THE ONLY INFLUENCE WE HAVE ON OTHERS IS DURING THIS LIFE ON EARTH. LET'S MAKE IT THE RIGHT THING WE SHOW THEM. LET'S SHOW MERCY NOT JUDGEMENT TO OTHERS.

.................RUNNING WATER...................

Doctors of the past had a problem. Lot's of their patients died that shouldn't have. When surgery first started the doctors fixed the problems and the patients still died, even when it was a minor operation. Finally about the time of the Civil War a doctor discovered that there were germs, that we couldn't see, that were causing the problem. Up until that point doctors never washed their hands before surgery. They could have had anything on them. They would go from patient to patient without washing their hands. So they were putting germs into the wounds from their hands, thus causing infections that killed the patient. During the Civil War doctors started washing their hands before surgeries. The mortality rate did not improve much if any, and they were puzzled. Then it came to one of them, that they were washing in a basin. That means all the germs were being contained in the water they were washing in and were still on their hands. So they started to wash in running water and the survival rate climbed upward.
GOD SHOWED US THIS IN LEVITICUS 15:13, BUT MAN MISSED IT UNTIL THE CIVIL WAR.
LEVITICUS 15:13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in RUNNING WATER, and shall be clean.
DIRTY HANDS OR CLEAN HANDS.....IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
PSALMS 18:20-24
20. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
RIGHTEOUSNESS: Right standing with God. Godly conduct
CLEANNESS: Pureness
21. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22. For all his judgements were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24. Therefore hath the LORD recompenced me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

RECOMPENCE: Reward .. YOU ARE REWARDED ACCORDING TO THE CLEANNESS OF YOUR HANDS.

PSALMS 24:1-5
1. The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4. He that hath CLEAN HANDS, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
CLEAN: innocent, guiltless, blameless.
PURE: clean
SWORN: done it seven times becoming an oath of agreement. this means seven time right then and there. not an accumulation of times. The seventh time a thing was done in succession it became settled. example: When a guest had eaten and were ready to leave the host was required to ask them seven times if they enjoyed it and would they like to return again. The guest was required to answer yes six times out of respect and the seventh time they were to answer their true heart on the matter and that settled it.
Deceitfully: Having a tendency or disposition to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid.

So if you have kept your hands clean and a pure heart and not sworn deceitfully then verse 5 is for you.
Verse 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of salvation.

PSALMS 26:1-7 KJV.
1. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
2. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
4. I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
( dissemblers: Those that do in secret, conceal, or hide.
5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.
6. I will wash mine hands in innocency ( Cleanness ): so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:
7. That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

Ever wonder why some people say the right things, and pray the right things, but they never get any prayers answered? Or why some churches have long prayer list, but most people get off them only when they die.

2 Cor. 6:14- 7:1
14. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15. And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? ( INFIDEL: disbelieving, untrustworthy )
16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2nd Cor. 7:1
1. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

One reason is because we have had, and many churches have had, dirty spiritual hands.

QUESTIONS These are just a few things to ask ourselves, there are many more, but let's see how we do with these
1. Should we watch what we see, hear, and say?
Genisis shows us the power of vision.
Genisis 30:27-43 KJV
27. And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.
28. And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
29. And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
30. For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
31. And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.
32. I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
33. So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
34. And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
35. And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
36. And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
37. And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
38. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
39. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
40. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
41. And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
42. But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
43. And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
JACOB NEW THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT YOU LOOK AT OR SEE ALL THE TIME, AND USED THIS TRUTH TO INCREASE HIS HERDS.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN LOOKING AT LATELY? WHAT YOU CONTINUALLY LOOK AT BECOMES A PART OF YOU.
Proverbs 18:21 KJV.
21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE...( WORDS )
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SAYING..? IT IS EITHER WORDS OF LIFE OR WORDS OF DEATH.
THE WORD LOVE HERE MEANS TO HAVE A STRONG ATTACHMENT TO IT. IN OTHER WORDS YOU SAY IT SO MUCH IT BECOMES A PART OF YOUR LIFE AND EXPECTANCY, AND YOU WILL EAT IT OR RECEIVE IT. CHECK YOUR SPEECH AND SEE WHAT YOU ARE ALWAYS SPEAKING, AND SEE IF IT IS LIFE OR DEATH THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING.
EXAMPLE ( THIS IS A TRUE STORY ) There was a man that ever since he was young ( about 2 years old ) he was always saying that he would not live to see 40 years old. He became a christian and knew he was called to minister. Still he was always saying he would never live to see 40. He enrolled and started to attend a Bible School in the Tulsa/Broken Arrow area of Oklahoma. HE WAS 39 AT THE TIME AND STILL SAYING HE WOULD NOT LIVE TO SEE 40. THE BIBLE TEACHERS TRIED TO GET HIM TO SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS WORDS BUT TO NO AVAIL. TWO MONTHS BEFORE HIS 40TH BIRTHDAY A TUMOR WAS FOUND IN HIM AND HE WENT INTO A COMA. THE PREACHERS AND TEACHERS PRAYED FOR HIM, HOWEVER NO IMPROVEMENT. ONE OF THEM SAID SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT HERE. THE MAIN TEACHER WAS PRAYING AND THE LORD TOLD HIM THAT THERE WERE SPIRITUAL LAWS THAT HAD BEEN SET IN MOTION AND THEY COULD NOT BE REVERSED AT THIS TIME. THE MAN DIED BEFORE HIS 40TH BIRTHDAY. AT THE FUNERAL THE PASTOR TOLD THE MOTHER OF THE MAN WHAT GOD HAD SAID. SHE SAID YES HE ALWAYS SAID HE WOULD DIED BEFORE HIS 40TH FROM A VERY YOUNG CHILD ON HE KEPT SAYING THAT HE WOULD DIE BEFORE HIS 40TH BIRTHDAY.. THIS MAN ATE THE FRUIT OF HIS WORDS.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SAYING? DO YOU SAY THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND OVER. IF YOU DO THEN YOU BETTER CHECK IT OUT AND MAKE SURE IT IS WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR LIFE. THE MORE YOU SAY IT, THE MORE YOU HEAR IT , THE MORE IT BECOMES A REATITY TO YOU.

2. Should we cheat, lie, steal, murder, or commit adultery?
LET'S PICK STEALING OUT OF THAT GROUP. EXODUS 20:15 THOU SHALT NOT STEAL
HAVE YOU EVER STOLE OR ARE YOU STILL STEALING? EVER TAKE LONGER LUNCHES OR BREAKS THAT YOU ARE GIVEN. EVER BRING HOME PENS, PENCILS, RUBBER BANDS, PAPER CLIPS, FROM WORK AND KEEP THEM. IF YOU HAVE THEN YOU HAVE AND OR ARE STEALING.

3. Should we dabble in witchcraft?
DEUTERONOMY 18:9-13
9When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
4. Should we put anything between us and God?

SO MANY THINGS THAT MANY CHRISTIANS DO ARE NOT WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING. MANY CHRISTIANS READ HOROSCOPES. MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE BOUGHT THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS AND EVEN TAKEN THEIR KIDS TO THE HARRY POTTER MOVIES, WHICH ARE ABOUT WARLOCKS AND WITCHES....SATANIC. GOD SAYS SUCH THINGS ARE AN ABOMINATION TO HIM.
ABOMINATION: detestable and contrary to His character.

HOW DO WE GET RID OF DIRTY SPIRITUAL HANDS?
Passage Ephesians 5:25-27:
25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

THIS SCRIPTURE TO HUSBANDS HOLDS THE KEY TO CLEANNESS.
THE WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD.
WASHING: CLEANSING... THIS IS AN ACTION

King James Version (KJV)Passage James 1:21-25:
21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

WE MUST LAY ASIDE ALL THE DIRT OF THIS LIFE BY WASHING IT AWAY WITH THE WORD OF GOD. BE A DOER OF THE WORD AND NOT A HEARER ONLY.

PUT THE WORD IN YOUR HEART.
PSALM 119:11
11Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
WE MUST KEEP AND DO THE WORD. NOT WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TOLD US, NOT WHAT PREACHERS HAVE TOLD US, NOT WHAT TRADITION HAS TOLD US, BUT WHAT THE WORD REALLY SAYS. THE ACTION OF DOING THE WORD WASHES US AND KEEPS US PURE.

THE MAJESTIC EAGLE AND THE CHRISTIAN........

PSALM 103:1-5 KJV.
Psalm 103
1. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's


ISAIAH 40:28-31
28. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

WAIT: transitive verb1 : to stay in place in expectation of . intransitive verb 1 a : to be or remain awake b archaic : to remain awake on watch : AWAKE -- often used with uptransitive verb1 : to stand watch over: AWAKE -- often used with up ..STIR, EXCITE : to arouse conscious interest in

WAKE: NOUN 1a. A hidden or concealed position. b.A state or attitude of watchfulness and expectancy

Amplified Bible Isaiah 40:31:31
But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.

New Living Translation Isaiah 40:31
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

King James Version Isaiah 40:31
31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

IN THE PREVIOUS SCRIPTURES WE FIND THAT AS WE WAIT ON THE LORD WE SHALL RENEW OUR STRENGTH AS THE EAGLE, GOD SHALL RENEW OUR YOUTH AS THE EAGLE, AND WE SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES.
MOST OF US DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT ALL MEANS.
FIRST OF ALL WAIT DOESN'T JUST MEAN SIT AROUND. THE WORD MEANS TO BE EXCITED AND STIRED UP EXPECTING. WHAT EVER THE LORD SAYS IN HIS WORD GET EXCITED ABOUT IT AND EXPECT IT IN YOUR LIFE. BE WATCHING FOR IT.
LET'S OPEN THE DOOR OF KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE THE RENEWING OF THE STRENGTH AND YOUTH OF THE EAGLE.
AS THE EAGLE GETS OLDER IT'S FEATHERS BECOME WORN AND WHISTLE AS THE AIR PASSES OVER THEM. MAKING IT HARD FOR THEM TO CATCH PREY AS THEIR PREY CAN HEAR THEM COMING. THE WIND DRAG ON THE WORN FEATHERS SLOWS THEM DOWN ALSO. THEIR BEAKS GET A BUILD UP OF CALCIUM DEPOSITS ON IT. THIS MAKES IT HARDER TO EAT AS THE BEAK IS NO LONGER SHARP. YOU WOULD THINK A BIRD IN THIS CONDITION WOULD BE ON IT'S WAY OUT OF THIS LIFE. NOT SO!!! THE EAGLE REALIZES IT IS TIME TO RENEW ITSELF. IT FLIES HIGH AS HIGH TOWARDS THE SUN AS IT CAN. IT FLIES TO THE HIGHEST PLACE IT CAN AND PLANTS ITSELF ON A SOLID ROCK. IT THEN PLUCKS ALL IT'S FEATHERS AND SITS DOWN IN A MOUNTAIN STREAM AND SOAKS. THIS LOOSENS ALL THE PARASITES AND DIRT AND GRIME AND WASHES IT CLEAN. THE EAGLE THEN GETS BACK ON THE ROCK AND SLAMS IT'S BEAK AGAINST THE ROCK UNTIL ALL THE CALCIUM DEPOSITS ARE KNOCKED OF AND IT'S BEAK IS SHARP ONCE AGAIN. SOMETIMES THEY BREAK THEIR BEAK COMPLETELY OFF. ( IT WILL GROW BACK ) DURING THIS TIME THE EAGLE CAN NOT GO FOR PREY. THEY CAN'T FLY. OTHER ODLER EAGLES THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS HAVE BEEN SEEN DROPPING FOOD TO THEM. AFTER EIGHT WEEKS THE EAGLE'S FEATHERS HAVE GROWN BACK AND THE BIRD IS LIKE A YOUNG EAGLE. HIS STRENGTH AND YOUTH IS RENEWED. SOME EAGLES WILL INSTEAD OF PLUCKING ITSELF FLY HIGH AND DIVE HEAD FIRST INTO A STREAM AT TREMENDOUS SPEED. THE IMPACT STRIPS MOST OF IT'S FEATHERS OFF. A LOT OF EAGLES DIE DURING THIS PROCESS.
WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE THIS PROCESS WORKING IN US ALL THE TIME AS WE WAIT ON THE LORD. WE DON'T HAVE TO GET WEATHERED AND WEAK AND SLOW AND THEN GO THROUGH THIS TRAMATIC PROCESS LIKE THE EAGLE. AS WE WAIT ON THE LORD IT IS A DAILY PROCESS THAT KEEPS US RENEWED IN YOUTH AND STRENGHT.

EPHESIANS 5:25-27 KJV.
25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

AS THE EAGLE CLEANSES ITSLEF IN THE STREAM SO WE CLEANSE OURSELVES BY THE WASHING OF THE WATER OF THE WORD.
CHRISTIANS THAT DON'T GET INTO THE WORD, AND DO AND EXPECT IT IN THEIR LIVES, WILL BECOME WORN AS THE EAGLE. THAY MAY THEN DIVE INTO THE WORD. SOME WILL MAKE IT AND SOME WILL PERISH HAVING WAITED TO LONG TO RENEW. THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO DAILY RENEW OURSELVES WITH THE WORD.
THE EAGLE IS THE ONLY BIRD THAT CAN MOUNT IT'S WINGS. IT LIVES HIGH IN THE MOUNTIANS AND PERCHES ON THE ROCKS. IT CAN SEE STORMS COMING LONG BEFORE THEY GET TO WHERE THEY ARE. THEY FACE THE STORM AND RAISE THEIR WINGS AND CAN LOCK THEM INTO POSITION. WHEN THE WIND HITS THE EAGLE IT SOARS UP ABOVE THE STORM WITH NO EFFORT. THE WIND LIFTS THEM. THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE LIKE THAT. LIVING SO CLOSE TO THE SON. SO HIGH WITH GOD THAT ANY STORM COMING IS REVEALED TO THEM. THEY CAN THEN FACE THE STORM AND SOAR ABOVE IT ON THE WINGS OF THE WORD. THE WORD LIFTING AND PROTECTING THEM.