God Is in still on the throne and He is still in Control

Jeremiah 17:5 says, "This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD."

Our Presidential elections were held this week and there has been lots of chatter on the internet about God's providence in the selection of President Obama for a second term.  Many have made the claim that God put Barak Obama in office for a second term.  Let's be clear.  The citizens of the United States elected Barak Obama, not God.  Now, did God know it was going to happen?  Of course.  Does God have plans for Barak Obama.  Yes, just like He had plans for Moses and He has plans for you.  

 I bring this up because our faith must be in God and not in man.  Jeremiah 17:5 says, "This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD."  Don't put your trust in man, keep your trust in God.  Now, you may be thinking, "Wait a minute You were talking about Presidential elections and you then shifted to Moses.  What's the connection."  The connection is twofold: it is about providence and grace.  I will briefly discuss each to give us something to meditate on for the weekend.

Providence:  When Moses was out in Midian, minding his own business, thinking that he had wrecked his life and aborted his dreams, the Lord sought him out.  The Lord initiated the contact because He had plans for both Moses and Israel that had not been completed.  At the burning bush the Lord shared with Moses some of what He wanted to do for His people (Israel).  The Lord then shared with Moses what his part was going to be in the overall plan.  Some of what the Lord shared with Moses would not happen until Moses was dead; driving home the point that this was more about God than it was about Moses.  God had plans for the nation and for the individual.  Likewise today, God has plans for our nation and He has plans for the individuals in the nation.  So no matter who wins or loses an election, at the end of the day, our confidence must be in God and not in man.  While God DOES NOT DO everything, He surely knew everything that would happen and He made plans accordingly.  That's providence, and it applies both to the United States (corporately) and to you (individually).

Grace:  Moses had a tremendous assignment in life.  Leading Israel from Egypt would be no easy task and then leading millions of people through the desert would be even harder.  But before Moses was born God had a plan for his life and if you see how things worked out for Moses you can see God's fingerprints all over him.  Even when Moses made a major mistake (murdering a man) and he seemingly derailed himself from his destiny, God still had plans for him.  Since God already knew Moses would mess up, before he did so, Moses' mistakes had already been taken into consideration when God made plans for his life.  Said another way, God does not expect you to be perfect in order to fulfill His plans.  If that were the case, none of us would qualify for anything, because we all make mistakes; even major ones.  God made plans for Moses and He worked with Moses to bring them to pass by His grace.  Moses could not earn God's plan for his life.  Moses had to receive it by grace and seek to fulfill it by faith.  The same can be said of President Obama (because he is not perfect and many of his policies do not line up with the Word of God), and the same can be said of you (even though we may have never met, I know you are not perfect).

 God uses imperfect people by grace.  

 Father, I thank You for this reminder.  When I look at how Your Kingdom plans and purposes were manifested for both Israel (as a nation) and Moses (as a person), I find hope for myself and our country.  When I think about our nation and the challenges we face, and I then think about my life and the challenges I face, I have to put my trust and confidence in You, not in man, and not even in myself.  Man will surely fail me and I will even fail myself, but You will never fail me.  While You don't do everything, You know everything and You made plans - for nations and individuals - according to that foreknowledge.  Thank You for Father for making plans for me and my country.  And thank You Father for not making those plans contingent upon my perfection.  If I had to be perfect for Your plans to come to pass, then they would never be realized because, as You know, I am far from perfect.  But by Your grace You chose to use me and for that I will never cease to give You praise!  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

This is Today's Word!  Apply it and Prosper. 

12 Scriptures for 2012

I believe it is the Year of the Word of the God and God of the Word! It is a time when the office of the teacher (Ephesians 4:11) or the teaching gift of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:7) will be re-emphasized in the body of Christ. It is a time when a convergence of the School of the Word and the School of the Spirit takes place. That is why I released a Bible reading program at the first of the year. It's ever too late to participate!

With this conviction in mind, I went to prayer and asked the Lord for scriptures for 2012. To my delight, I felt the Holy Spirit highlight the following 12 Scriptures for 2012 and Beyond all with the address of 20:12, 10:12, 12:12 or 12:20. I hope you enjoy this innovative way of gleaning from the Word of God.

Exodus 20:12 - Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you. We must cultivate a culture of HONOR! Everyone wins and the Supernatural flows freely in such an atmosphere!

Proverbs 20:12 - The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made both of them.  Communion with God including a greater diversity in the prophetic will be welcomed as there is an increase in both the Seer and Hearer anointing.

Ezekiel 20:12 - Also I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. The Holy Spirit is emphasizing REST! It will be a tool of healing for many. Some will be called into a time of "sabbatical rest", extended vacations and celebrating the Sabbath.

Job 12:12 - Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding. The Spirit of Wisdom (Isaiah 11:1 - 3) and the gift of the Word of Wisdom (I Cor. 12:8) will be emphasized as part of the solution for the times we are moving into.

The Greatest Trophy in David's Tent

1 Samuel 17:54 After David slew Goliath the scripture says, "David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but put his armor in his 'tent'."

As we look at the armor of Goliath, I am persuaded to believe that David had to stretch out his tent a bit to hold it all.

Goliath was believed to be about ten feet tall, so quite a bit of armor was covering his body.1 Samuel 17:5-7. "And Goliath had a bronze helmet on his head ( remember Goliath had a big head ) and wore a coat of mail ( a flexible body armor made of small overlapping metal rings).  This coat weighing 5,000 shekels of bronze is believed to be about 125 lbs. Verse 6. He had a bronze skin armor on his legs and a bronze javelin ( a light spear for throwing ) across his shoulders. 7. And the shaft of his huge spear was like a weaver's beam (approximately 3 inches in diameter ) with the spear's head weighing 600 shekels or about 15 lbs. And a shield bearer went before him. David probably took the bearer's shield also.

The Trophies Inside David's Tent Created the Atmosphere of Worship!

With all of Goliath's armor in David's tent he would never forget what the Lord had done for him and the nation of Israel. What I am about to express is my creative opinion and is not a definite word from God. But would you stretch your imagination with me to see what else may have been in David's tent causing it to be stretched into a tabernacle of thanksgiving and praise? Besides Goliath's armor, I believe there were other trophies. Memories of the legacy of Israel's past history of crossing that Jordan river overflowing all of its banks lingered in his tent. (Joshua 3:7) The testimony of those 'stones of remembrance' was commanded by the Lord to be handed down through Israel's generations. ( Joshua 4:7 ) David heard about those 'stones of remembrance' from his father. I believe that is why when David went to face Goliath, he got to thinking, 'I'd better find me some stones." So he went to a brook. Picking up that first stone, he relived that miracle crossing of Jordan and his faith began to rise. Picking up the second stone, he remembered that bear.  That bear was gone except for the bear skin rug. Reaching for the third stone, he remembered that beautiful lion rug on the floor of his tent. In the evening David would often lean back in his 'bear' chair and rub his bare feet over the back of that lion's fur. What came to take him out was so sweet under his feet! Gripping that fourth stone, he remembered, Goliath had a brother with three sons. He thought to himself, "I'd better make that five stones in case the family shows up! And as he picked up that fifth stone, he saw Goliath's name written all over it and a shouting spell broke over him, "I feel a giant killing anointing coming down all over me, Saul, let me go kill him!" It was 'faith gone wild!" I believe the four stones that David didn't have to use were kept in his tent also.

It seems reasonable to believe that David had to keep stretching the curtains of his dwelling place and lengthening his tent stakes to hold all the weapons and trophies the Lord was giving him through his enemies. David's tent became a tabernacle of ongoing praise and worship making him a full-time worshipper, part-time shepherd! Even in times of discouragement, his past victories caused him to 'believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

The Greatest Trophy in David's Tent

Last but not least, I believe David's biggest trophy in his tent that created such an atmosphere of violent worship was himself. It flowed out of him from knowing he was God's trophy of grace. Even later with David's failure with Bathsheba, knowing he was a great sinner, he knew he had a great savior!

The Greatest Weapon in David's Armor

"Remembering" was perhaps the most powerful weapon David had as his armor. His remembrance made him a giant killer.

"Remembering" is perhaps a nation's most powerful weapon against her enemies. When a nation remembers her past victories, she rises again becoming unstoppable. Even remembering our past tragedies such as 9/11 brings forth a unity and resilience in our nation to overcome our next impossible odds.

Life of Healing

 When reading Job, it becomes evident that we have the same wounds, lies and excuses as people did thousands of years ago. If we recognize the modern-day relevance of the Book of Job, it can be used as a revelatory and empowering inner-healing book. The lies, wounds, and excuses are the same; and so is the “advice” from friends and family. As we relate with Job’s struggle and come to the end of the Book, we receive an opportunity to encounter God, His viewpoint, and His transformative healing.

Life of Healing – What is necessary for a happy, adequate Christian life? What do you want from life and the Lord? We all have our reasons why we are Christians and pursue getting to know the Lord better. But are we motivated by the right reasons, and led by the right questions? In Proverbs 2, the Lord provides insight that clarifies our understanding so we can contemplate and purify our motivations.
Proverbs 2:1-11

River of Healing – The River is a journey that starts at the temple. The focus of the temple is the Lord, and the temple represents the regulations, exits, entrances, and plans for our lives. When we journey along the river we encounter new aspects of our life, and discover that there is fruit that serves for food and healing.
Ezekiel 40-47

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

Paulette Fraticelli

Women of destiny Life Group

Tuesday September 20 2011

BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKETH
ABOUT, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. 1 PET. 5:8
1 Peter 5:8

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁸Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [^[a]in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

1 Peter 5:8

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8

The Message (MSG)

He Gets the Last Word

 ^8-11Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.

"Dec 7, 1941, a date that will live on forever." These words, spoken by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, shortly after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, bring to mind a fact that we all need to face in our lives. And that is, no matter how strong you are, how much intelligence you have, how well liked you are, or how much power you have, you can be brought to your knees, by someone, or some thing that, if you knew what was coming, you could have squashed it out, like an ant. In the martial arts, your size and physical strength, in many instances, can be used against you, by a smaller, weaker opponent. In all types of sports competitions, it is common, for representatives of opponents, scheduled to meet at a certain time, to scout out the opposition, to plan strategy on how to defeat them. Your victory or defeat, most times, hinges on how well you know your adversary.

When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they had planned it, for some time, prior to that. Some of the military commanders, that planned and directed the attack, were educated in American colleges, and military schools. Through all of this, America, the most powerful nation on the earth, felt that it was invulnerable to any attacks, by any one. This complacency, cost us dearly, in lost lives, ships, and prestige.

Now what is the point to all of this, you might ask??? It is this. You have, or rather we all have an enemy, that seeks to destroy us, by any means necessary. This enemy, stalks us constantly. He looks for any avenue, that he can use, to enslave us, to tear us down, and kill us. Some of you might say, 'Let him come. I have my AK-47. My pit bulls, and my ADT alarm system. I am a 7th degree black belt in Karate. Let him come and try to mess with me.' Friend, if that is the way you really feel, then guess what ?? He already has you. For this adversary I am speaking of, is the devil. And unlike most of our other enemies, nothing that you can do physically, will stop him. It takes special preparation, to defeat him. And rest assured, he can be defeated. The question is, how???

First, and foremost, you have to know your enemy. You need to know why he is your enemy. You need to know what tactics he will use, and how to identify them. Then, you have to know what weapons to use, and how to use them. Just like America, and the Japanese. We had all the weapons to defeat any enemy, but because our enemy knew our weak spots, we were nearly taken out, by a smaller, less powerful force.

Look at the middle part of the scripture, where it says, 'he goes about, as a roaring lion....',showing, that just like a lion, that is searching for food, he will creep up on his prey, using all the cover he can, so that his prey, won't see, or recognize the danger, until it is too late. This is what the devil does, so well. He's been at this type of thing, since the garden of Eden. He makes most people, especially the unsaved, believe they are in no danger. He is so good at it, that many times, he gets them to believe, that he doesn't even exist. Therefore, their guard is down, and he can come right on in, and destroy them.

When I talk to some people, especially the youth, and I mention the devil, they look at me, as if to say, 'man, you still believe in a devil?? Don't you know that is all a bunch of nonsense??' When I hear that, I know that he has them, right where he wants them. This is why our young people are destroying themselves, and each other. By not believing in the devil, and having to blame some one, or thing on their problems, they resort to violence, which usually results in death. Our young men are killing each other, and our young women, are out here, giving up their minds and bodies, degrading themselves, because it somehow, makes them feel part of the group. And they are. They are part of the herd, that the lions have picked out, to attack. And, the devil, doesn't care if you believe in him or not. Unlike God, who created us, to worship Him, the devil doesn't care. All he wants to do, is destroy you. [JOHN 10:10] says, The thief, comes not, but for to steal, kill, and destroy, ..... And he does his job well.

As a thief, he will steal your strength, your joy, peace of mind, your loved ones, and your blessings. As a killer, he will kill you, your spouse, your children, your mother, your father, sister, brother, and any one else close to you. He will do it through violence, sickness, disease, suicide and by what ever means he can. As the destroyer, he seeks to destroy families, friendships, plans for the future, or any thing, that may lift you up. He most of all, wants to destroy your relationship with God, if you have one. If you don't, he wants to keep you from developing one. He will try to kill you first. Why does he want to do all of this??? It is because, you, my friends, are made in the image of God. You are His pride and joy. God delights in His people. Now, the devil, hates God. He used to be God's most beautiful angel, until he tried to make himself equal with God. For that, he was cast out of Heaven [ISA. 14:12-17, EZEK. 28:12-19]. And he had been trying to get back at God, and couldn't. That is until, God made man, and put him on the earth. It was then, that the devil [a.k.a. Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, the serpent, and other names] decided to target us, to get back at God. He knows, that God is a righteous and just Creator, who hates sin. Therefore, like the devil, all of his angels [demons] are destined to go to hell. Hell, another place that people find it hard to believe is real, was not made for man originally, but for the devil and his angels [MATT. 25:41]. But, because man, is following after the devil, he will suffer the same fate [ISA. 5:14].

The devil, has people believing the lies that he tells them. That is because, he is the father of lies [ST. JOHN 8:44]. He will deceive you in to believing that God, being so full of love and mercy, will overlook your sins, and accept you in to Heaven, anyway. Or, he gets you to believe that any one of the thousands of other religions, that he has formed, are just as good. He, knowing the bible, better than most of us, can take a scripture, and twist it around, and make it say something that it doesn't. All sorts of false teachers, preachers, and doctrines, proliferate the world today [2 COR. 11:12-15]. A young lady tells me, that she has been going to churches for a long time. Yet, she says, she never knew that a person had to be saved, in order to go to Heaven. She finally decides to start going to a church that I recommended, and what does the devil do?? He makes her sick, so she can't go. He knows that if she goes, she will hear the truth, and get saved. This young lady, and another are friends. When talking to them, I see how the devil is working on them, to keep them from the truth, by making them too busy, to read specific things, that will let them know what they need to be doing, and what they can have, if they get saved.

He even has a doosey of a plan. He makes people think that God, is the one that makes them sick, to punish them. When tragedy strikes, and a person dies, many believe, that God, took them. Your house or property gets destroyed by a tornado, or something, insurance companies call it 'an act of God.' It is the devil's plan, that many, will get mad at God, and turn away from Him. Then they will end up in hell, with him. Another thing he does, is play on your intelligence. The more educated you get, the more susceptible you are, to his scheme. When presented with something from the bible, the well educated person will be told, by him, Don't believe those old wives tales. What did you learn in college?? You are too smart to fall for that dumb stuff.?? He, like the martial arts expert, is using your strengths, against you.

He knows all of our weaknesses, which can be categorized in three areas, 'The lust of the eyes. The lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. [1 JN. 2:16]. Everything he does, is geared to these three areas of our lives. That's what he did to Eve [GEN. 3:1-6], and that is what he tried to do the Jesus [MATT. 4: 1-11], and that is what he is using today.

He also uses isolation, and intimidation. He will either try to make you feel, that you are the only one, that is falling for ' this Jesus mess.' Or he will intimidate you, with threats of ridicule or violence. His arsenal is huge. He has been known to turn family, and friends against those that name the name of Christ. He will make you an outcast. It's not unusual for other Christians to come against a person, that truly seeks God's perfect will for their lives. That's right, he's in the Church.

God says, 'My people are destroyed, for a lack of knowledge [HOS. 4:6]. This lack of knowledge, not only concerns the things of God, but also the wiles of the devil. You can't defend yourself against something, that you don't believe exists, or is bound up somewhere, and can't get to you. You will have your guard down, and that's just the way he wants it. The last part of the subject verse, coupled with the first four words, let's us know, that the devil, can't get to everybody. He can only get to you, if you have your guard down. But, God, has given us all of the things we need, to overpower the devil, and they are all wrapped up in the name of Jesus. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds [2 COR. 10:4]. We need to have on the whole armour of God, as recorded in [EPH. 6:10-18]

 
Whether we like to admit it or not, we all face many challenges and difficulties in life.  And these challenges span from the smallest offenses such as a child spilling something on your carpet to the gripping fear of a  sudden illness.  Nevertheless, each person must determine for himself that no matter how disappointed we are,  we’re not going to lose our joy.

John. 10.10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” 

1Peter 5.8 says, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your

adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” We have been given the

means to defeat our adversary. God’s Word is clear, ‘all authority has been given to us over the satan and all

his works,’ Luke. 19.10.

Solomon declared that as a man thinks in his heart so he is. It is important for you an me to keep our eyes on the promise rather than the difficulty. Doing so allows us to operate from a place of confidence and security. Our words shape our destiny. No wonder Jesus said that we must give an account us

that every idle word.  As Judah (praise) led the armies of Israel let your praise lead you against the attacks of  the devil. As long as you keep the praises of God in your mouth Satan cannot defeat you.

Question: Why do you think that “choosing joy” in the face of adverse circumstances is often times an after thought for many of us?

Follow Up Questions:

1.  What are some practical ways that we can choose joy on a daily basis?

2.  Why do you think that situations such as: sickness, wayward children, difficult job situations, eats away at our joy?

3.  Why do you think our attitudes are directly correlated to our words?

4.  Why do you think that our words are directly correlated to our lives?

Scriptures:

James 1:2 “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”

Psalms 34:1 “I will bless the Lord at all times.  His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

John 16:22 “No man can take your joy.”

Nehemiah 8:9-10 “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.  The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Challenge/Assignment:

Look at your day and your week.  Was today a reflection of your attitude? 

What was the tone of your week? 

What type of words were you saying?

 What can you do to be more conscientious of what is coming out of

your mouth and what type of attitude you are harboring?

Thought for the Week:

Choosing joy is not a one-time event.  We have to choose joy on a daily basis.

In closing, who are you a servant to?? To whom do you owe your allegiance?? If you say nobody but yourself, then you are serving the devil by proxy. Since there are only two ways to go, or two masters to serve, then, if you are not serving God, through Jesus Christ, you are serving the devil. Jesus said, 'no man can serve two masters, he will love one, and hate the other, ... [MATT. 6:24]. Choose you this day, who you will serve. As for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord [JESUS CHRIST]. 

"In my name shall they cast out devils."

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils" (Mark 16:17).

The very first sign Jesus said would follow any and every believer was: "In my name shall they cast out devils."

Jesus wasn't talking necessarily about casting the devil out of people who are demon-possessed. Jesus was simply saying that in His Name believers would have authority over the devil. They would break the power of the devil over their own lives and the lives of their loved ones. They would be free from the enemy, because they would exercise authority over him.

Notice again that Jesus didn't say a word about praying to God or Jesus to do something about devils. Jesus said that believers would do it. Believers will cast out devils. Believers would speak with new tongues. Believers would lay their hands on the sick and they would recover.

Don't pray that God would lay hands on the sick, you do it! And don't pray that God would cast out the devil, you do it!

Confession: I am a believer, and this sign follows me. In Jesus' Name, I cast out devils. I keep them out of my path. I break the power of the devil over my life. I break the power of the devil over the lives of my loved ones. I walk free of the enemy, because I exercise authority over him. 

Snatched Away from Danger

"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence" (Ps. 91:3 KJV).

God delivers you in different ways from different types of danger. And that deliverance can be based upon what type of person you are and what the type of situation it is. It can also depend upon what type of faith you are operating in, or lack there of.

Sometimes the way God delivers you out of a situation is to quickly remove you from it. That is the context of Psalm 91:3. The word deliver here means to snatch away. It means to pluck; to rescue. God will remove you from a situation of danger when you are dedicated to Him.


I don't know if you have ever been in a situation where the spirit of God said to leave now. But if you ever encounter such an ordeal, don't think about it. Don't question it. Just leave. Immediately obey. Get yourself out of there as fast as you can. You can think about it later. That snatching away is usually to save your life.

God loves you and He is in the business of saving your life. As you meditate on today's text, make it your confession of faith. Say, "The Lord snatches me away from danger and I am obedient to His leading."

Scripture References: Job 5:19-27