WE ARE HIDDEN IN CHRIST

Blessings in the Mighty name of Jesus, Beloved!

   While prayerfully considering our next study, the Lord placed in my heart "Hidden in Christ."  Yes, and we truly are. The word "hidden" tends to bring a sense of comfort to me. It gives the impression or feeling of protection and safety.  The word "hidden" may also imply: not evident, not revealed, refuge, concealed, unseen, secret, invisible and covert. Wow covert!  I am suddenly hearing the mission impossible theme song! Alright, a little humor. Laughter is good for you.

   These definitions can give us something to ponder. Let's read what our Brother Paul has to say.

Colossians 3:1-3 "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand side of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."  (NKJV)

Let's look at the word affection.

affection - fondness, love, devotion, tenderness, warmth, endearment, caring, attachment, friendship.

One translation says passion.

   These definitions can give us a spring board of sorts to begin our digging and pondering into the word affection.

   Now, if we return to the beginning of verse 1 chapter 3 in Colossians, we will see how our affections are to be spent and invested. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand side of God."  Okay, if we be risen with Christ... then we must have first been dead unto something else, and we were. We were dead unto God, through our transgressions and sins, which separated us from Him.

   So, now that we are alive in Christ, and raised from the dead with Him, (spiritually by faith) then we are now admonished (strongly encouraged) to live in a way that we set our affections on; "those things which are above."  What things?  The things that kept Jesus' and the disciples affection here on earth, are the same things that we are to also take hold of and be passionate about.

   As we continue reading the Bible, and spending time with Him in our devotion and prayer time, we will experience revelation and understanding of His desire and will for our lives.

  Matthew 7:7  "Ask and it will given you; seek and you will find; Knock and the door will be opened to you."

PRACTICE THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

   I'd like for us to stop and take a moment to sense the presence of the Lord around us. Just stop. Just shut all of the noises around you out. Know and expect Him, Jesus, to show up right where you are at this moment by His Holy Spirit.  I want you to know and understand that at this very moment you have open heavens above you. You have an audience with the precious Son of God!  

   I pray that you sense His anointing and presence around you, like a blanket or coat. I pray His Holy Spirit fills the place where are, with His majestic presence and fills you with His joy and peace. If you must take a moment to worship Him, then please, go right ahead. Who can give audience to the King without worshiping Him who is worthy of our praise!

   In Hebrews chapter 11 we can read all about the fore fathers of faith. They also believed without seeing with their natural eyes and senses. Yet it was accounted to them for righteousness.  We have the blessing of reading their stories and the outcomes of their faith walk, that we can learn from, and expect the Lord intervene just the same. They too were hidden in the Lord, and kept for His good purposes to reach a people, a nation, and the world! So are we!

   We are hidden in Christ and kept for the purposes and will of the Father. There is a question that I will answer. Some may ask. Why would the Lord the keep us "hidden or concealed?"  I believe He will do this at given times, just as He did with John the Baptist, Jesus, and others who followed Him. It was for a specific time and purpose.

   There are things that the Lord may have placed in your heart, and it isn't quite time yet for it to be revealed. You may be in a season of preparation and training. Another may be stepping into and excepting the call the Lord has on their lives. Others may be in transition and learning to be sensitive to the new direction the Holy Spirit is leading.

   Whatever season you may find yourself in, you can rest assured that the Lord is keeping you in the palm of His hand. He has hidden you in His heart and knows right where you are and how to find you. He has concealed for His divine purposes. He will allow you to see the unseen as you take refuge in Him. He will keep you in His secret place where none can snatch from you from His hand.


Psalm 91 

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.  
Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 
He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; 
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come night thy dwelling.
For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.
With a long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation.



All blessings and praise be unto our God and King!


May you and yours be richly blessed in Christ Jesus and raised up, to step into the divine call He has called and equipped you for.  All to His glory in Jesus' name!

Love in Christ Jesus

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LET PERSEVERANCE HAVE HER WORK IN YOU

Peace to you and yours!
     
   There is a new season in the Spirit of God that is upon us. I know for many of us that the season we are now leaving behind, (glory to God), had been a "Make or Break" period of our lives. A trial of our faith and resolve in our walk with the Lord. A test of our character. Along with an almost personal challenge, just to see how tenacious our faith, trust and passion for our Lord God and His will really is.

   If you can bear witness to the above, allow me to be the first to say, "God bless you. The Lords face shine upon you. Rise and shine to not only see, but walk in His power and grace to fulfill all that He has and IS calling you too!" Hallelujah, the enemy is a defeated foe. Gloriously mighty is our God who reigns!

   A scripture verse the Lord the continues to lead me to is thus:

   "The Bows of the mighty men are broken; And they that stumbled are girded with strength."
                                                                                                                              I Samuel 2:4  (NASV)

   I have shared with my friends at challenging times it may feel as though we have reached the end of our rope. To coin a phrase. We just don't feel as though we can go on in a certain situation. I have always purposed to let my self-talk be... "However, I know there is another 15 feet I can go before I break or the circumstance consumes me!"

   Well, more recently, I was sure that there was no more rope to grab onto at all. Let me tell you... I really felt as though everything I had known of myself was being challenged. The fight was on to trust that God had the situation and me. To keep a pure heart, be angry and sin not, forgive, gird up my loins in the face of difficulty, Know that the Lord has a purpose that I may not see or understand, Know that sometimes the Lord moves on the eleventh hour.

   I purposed in my heart to keep my peace in Him, the best I could, of course by His grace. Most importantly... Walk in what I know of Him and His word. Keep on, keeping on. Continue to give grace and compassion. Knowing it may not be returned. Love others with His agape' love. Walk in my call as His disciple and servant. Regardless how difficult the trial, let others see Him in me. His grace working in my life. I prayed, "Lord let them see only you."

   Let me tell you... it has been a privilege to serve and minister grace and healing to others, even in hardship. During this time, I never felt as though the Lord was not with me. I had purposed in my heart to "Stand, and stand therefore..." Ephesians 6:14 (KJV),  "I know in Him, who I have believed." II Timothy 1:12 (KJV) I had to encourage myself in the Lord. Just like the Bible tells us to do. I figured that I was not like our brother Gilead, who hid himself in the barrel. So I was doing better than he. I wasn’t running for my life like our brother was. I was in pretty good shape. I just needed to buck up and keep my mind stayed on Him.

   The Lord continued to send people to me daily to pray for healing. To encourage them in heart. To share His word and plans for the future. He gave me amazing favor. He has rewarded me with family restoration that completely humbles me and fills my heart with joy unspeakable. And loved ones who take out time to send a note to say, "Just hold on, it's going to be okay." Boy, when encouragement is sent to you, it can make you cry like a baby and make your heart filled with hope. Hope is like a mile marker. I can only hope that this message may be one for you too!

   During this time, He showed me His grace, love for others, and His love for me. His Holy Spirit continued to speak to me regarding the needs of others. While working  people even asked for prayer, and wonderful new friendships were created.

   I am sharing this with you to encourage your heart. I am a fellow servant with you. We will all at times suffer diverse trials and temptations. But, through them all, He IS faithful!

  "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature, and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4 (BSB)

   So, my Brothers and Sisters in the faith, be encouraged. Guard your heart and find your peace in Him. All Heaven is watching your story unveil to the glory of our King! All Heaven bears witness of His greatness and His great love for us.

   It's when we are broken, He heals us. It's when we feel hopeless, He becomes our hope. It's when we see no way out, He IS the way! When we feel as though we have nothing to offer, He is our Redeemer! He is our great reward!

   Remember, He has called us with an everlasting love.

   "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."  Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)


   Much love and blessings to you and yours. If you have found yourself in a not so pleasant situation, I pray the Lord hastens deliverance and sends encouragement to you on the wings of angels. If patience has not had her work completed in you yet, I pray the Lords insurmountable grace to guide you through the storm and His presence to keep you and your mind stayed on Him. That your heart would be encouraged and you would see opportunities before you, to touch the lost to His glory. Let Heaven bear witness to your works in Christ, and praise the name of the Lord!



"Blessings and peace to you and yours!"



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BE WISE AND PRUDENT

Greetings in the name of the Lord!


   Have you ever heard the statement "Time is of the essence?"  Well, there is a time that is upon us in which we will have to discern exactly what we see and believe. We live in a world where there are no absolutes. We do not have a set of complete and perfect rules to look on. One day the rules or law may say one thing, and then before you know it, that rule or law changes to nearly the exact opposite of what the original intent was.

   This is confusing. There is no wonder as to why we see so many people today who rebel against authorities and government. Plain and simply stated: "There is no security of any kind in this world or its system!"

   It is imperative that we spend time with the Lord in His word. "The Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." Hebrews 13:8. His laws are perfect. His ways are just. He is consistent. We are able to rely on, and trust Him.

   "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." 
                                                                                                                               Malachi 3:6 (KJV)

   There are very responsible, well meaning people in this world, doing their best to raise a family and contribute their time and energy in making the world around them a better place to live. Then much to this idealistic dream, the status quo changes and they find the rug pulled out from under them. To say the very least, this is disheartening. But take courage. There is a scripture verse I'd like to share.

   "A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, The naive proceed and pay the penalty."
                                                                                                                       Proverbs 27:12 (NASV)

The word evil in the original Hebrew means: perverse; foolish.

The word hides in the original Hebrew means: concealed; secret things; cover; undetected.

The word naive in the original Hebrew means: good sense; discretion; prudence; wisdom.

   We see in these definitions that we are not silly minded at all. In fact, those in Christ, are full of His wisdom. We are covered in Him, for Him and by Him. As we take a look at the verses above along with the explanation of the words, we see that in whatsoever state we find ourselves, our behavior and mindset is in Christ. This is what we manifest. This is our living hope. All to God's glory.

   It should not be any surprise to us just how the world behaves and reacts. Again, as we read the Bible we come to understand why exactly, the world thinks the way it does. It is in a fallen state. The world system operates under a different set of rules. We notice more and more the opposition to the things and people of God. If it doesn't like God, it won't like us. That's okay. Expect it and rise above it in Christ.

   Let me express that I am not talking about civil laws that are put in place to protect us. I am speaking about an agenda, that has its roots in the spiritual realm and opposes the things of God. Some un-knowingly and others knowingly agree with this dark influence and its intent. We must be discerning. The times are evil.

   Now is not the time for believers to be islands unto themselves. We must gather ourselves together to pray, fellowship, lift one another up, bear each others burdens. We must seek God and His divine will. Now is the time for us to extend His loving kindness and mercy to unbelievers. They also need a place to find comfort. This is why we are still here. The Lord desires for us to bring them, the lost sheep, into the fold. Now is the time.

   "He who dwells (lives) in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, he is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!" Psalm 91:1-2 (AMPC)

And another verse states:

   "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16 (NKJV)

This word shrewd in the original Greek means: To reflect a personal mindset.

   The word innocent in the original Greek: implies righteous; what is in conformity with God's own being ( His will, standard of rightness) hence "upright."

   "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NASV)

We have hope in Christ. This hope is an anchor to our soul (mind).  With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit we are able to manifest heaven on earth in every situation and circumstance.

   "Yet I am confident I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!" 
                                                                                                                                  Psalm 27:13 (NLT)


Now to Him who is able to keep you and yours be all of the glory! Much love in Christ!




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THE BRIDES HEAVENLY CALL

The Lord of Glory bless you and yours my Brothers and Sisters in the Lord!


   Time itself is accelerating. Biblical Prophesies are coming to pass. Our time is short. The Son of God, our Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth will be returning soon. We, His Bride should make herself ready!

  "Let us rejoice and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His bride hath made herself ready."  Revelation 19:7 (KJV)

   We have been called with a heavenly purpose. The Lord has a plan and we fit into it. I realize that we can argue the point and say: "Not me. You do not know what I've done. He doesn't want to use someone like me."  

   Well let's put that to rest right now. When He sent His son to die on the cross you were on His mind. His love for you and hope for your future kept Jesus on the cross. He could've gotten down off that cross at any time. But He didn't. His love for us kept Him there. By His own choice and willingness. Because He loved you then and loves you now. Selah... (Ponder with intent and quietness of heart.)
  
   "For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time--to show us His grace through Christ Jesus." II Timothy 1:9 (NKJ)

   "For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJ)

     So let's see what it is that He wants us to do for Him. Get excited and get ready!

   As we begin to look into this subject we will look at scripture verses that will help us to identify gifts and talents that we may have. We may already know or have an idea of talents that have been useful in blessing others. What is it that seems to come naturally to you? Or maybe you're not sure. As we study I know the Lord will make it clear for you. So be encouraged and have hope. 

  The Lord by His Holy Spirit, has adorned us, His Bride with spiritual gifts that are not only to meant to build up the body of Christ. But, are to be used to show His power and grace to those who are lost, void of hope and walking in darkness. 

   As much as we are to extend the love and grace of our Lord, we must also understand that these gifts are powerful and full of Gods power to save, heal and deliver. Miracles will take place. Signs and wonders will happen. The dead will be raised back to life. Blind eyes will be opened. The most cynical of sinners will be saved and transformed in  heart and begin to worship the Lord God Almighty! Hallelujah! I can't help myself our God is so good!

   Our gifts are unique to us. We do not have the same gifts and talents. But they are all designed to work together in conjunction with one another. Our responsibility is to seek Him out and find what it is that He wants us to do and where He wants us to do it.

   We have been given wonderful gifts and talents. We are here on earth for a particular time and season. God has a call or mandate upon our lives. We must begin to believe that we have a purpose and walk in it, to fulfill our divine destiny in Christ Jesus. Read His Word daily. Remain humble. Refrain from vain arguments. Pray in the Holy Ghost. Listen for His leading. Keep your heart guarded with His word. Love sincerely in Christ. Move with compassion. Extend grace to others. Be ready in season and out! 

   "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)

   Let me ask you a question. Would you like to be a part of what the Lord is doing in the world today?  If your answer is yes, I'd like you to say to Him right now "Lord here am I, send me."  Our Brother Isaiah had the same opportunity. He overheard the Lord, saying, Whom shall we send? Who will go for us? Then Isaiah volunteered his services.

   You can find this account in the Book of Isaiah chapter 6 verse 8. 

The Lord richly bless you and make His face to shine upon you, in all that you may do and say to further His kingdom and bless His holy name!


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