Need a SIGN like Gideon's FLEECE ? .... Judges 6

Placing a fleece before The LORD....

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 Title: Mother Stories from the Old Testament

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The Importance of Gideon's Fleeces

When Gideon put forth fleeces asking The LORD for confirmation of His+ will, many men's lives were at stake, as well as their defenseless wives and children.

   

Israel's oppressors, the Midianites, were ruthless towards the Israelites.  The Israelites were hiding out, living in caves ( 6:2-6 ). It seems this fear was based in reality,  substantiated by the treatment the people of Israel had been receiving. [ Chapter 7 points out that great fear also.]

Any Other Examples ?

We know, though, that The LORD did NOT honor OTHER folks who asked , " How can this be?"  ... such as Zachariah who was struck dumb because he did not believe the Word of the LORD to him via Gabriel. 

Part of growing requires TRUST... a foundational, personal security ... that HE+ will do it,  that HE+ will perform exactly what HE+ says HE+ will do... and whatever HE+ requires us to do, HE+ WILL ALSO PERFORM! 

Why Did the Fleeces "Work" for Gideon ?

Gideon seemed to be a man after GOD'S own heart, like David was. And, Gideon was so very, very humble and little in his own eyes, endearing himself unto The LORD.  

Also,  Gideon had asked earlier for a sign that he himself had found grace in The LORD'S eyes in verse 19, and The LORD honored that request .

The Key to Answered Prayer

The key to everything that happened in Judges 6 , included putting forth the fleeces 2 times, is found in verse 6:34. 

[ Courtesy of Biblegateway.com ]

  ³⁴ But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.  

Even more striking is the Hebrew of  verse 34 of Judges 6:  

" And the SPIRIT of JEHOVAH clothed GIDEON ( with HIMSELF ) " … 

The "with HIMSELF" is understood in the verse, according to JP Green’s Interlinear.

Needing a SIGN for Confirmation

of The LORD'S Will ? 

We are always desiring The LORD to give us a CERTAIN AND SURE sign of confirmation, if we need to do something. The more major the decision, the more we yearn for certainty about it, right?  

The problem is: signs are easily duplicated by satan to a doubting heart, and mankind is easily duped. 

There IS a way to know The LORD'S Will, however, and The LORD shows us how to do this in Judges 6. 

However, Gideon’s 2 fleeces, as miraculous as they were, ARE NOT THE MAIN message in Judges 6 that The LORD wants us to see ! 

Two Main Points 
--- not fleeces --- 
in Judges 6 

The First:  OBEDIENCE 

One of the MAIN points of this chapter reveals the utter obedience no matter the cost , on Gideon's part.  

Gideon must have determined inwardly to obey WHAT THE LORD TOLD HIM TO DO . 

And, Gideon obeyed The Word with his whole heart, even unto death,  and The LORD knew it... hence the blessings that followed.   

The Second:  REMOVING SIN

The OTHER main point was that SIN had to be knocked down, shredded asunder, and burnt as an offering unto The LORD (vs 26 ) before... yes, before... any deliverance would be forthcoming. 

In order to do that, Gideon had to go against his own father's household and the men of his own community !  In order to shred the enslavement to sin in his own father's household, Gideon  had to lay his own security and well-being on the altar  too.

Do we realize HOW HARD that was, since he was the youngest, least-in-authority son of his father?  In addition to that... he used his father's bullock for a sacrifice ! Without asking Dad !

Do we take into account that Gideon likely jeopardized his entire family's lives by angry towns-folks when he destroyed the grove and altar / pillar of Asherah ? Israel was involved in idol worship and its accompanying immorality. 

 THIS IS THE TRUE LESSON  of this passage...   

SIN must be forcibly and determinedly removed  .... before The LORD will grant any victory..... and indeed, any request.

Yes, ( yawn, ho-hum, ) we "know"  we must remove sin...  

... but we fail to realize when our troubles pile up and our requests are going awry that HE+ sees something in our midst that is dis-pleasing to HIM+. 

Something that is stifling our growth. 

Something that is hindering our nearness to HIM+. 

   

HE+ wants THAT “something” removed. And furthermore, HE+ will not budge until we remove it.

It is STILL TRUE... 

 "No good thing will HE+ withhold 

from those who walk uprightly,"  

  

GIDEON WON GOD'S APPROVAL !

GOD showed HIS great good approval to Gideon and granted him his requests because Gideon FACED CERTAIN DEATH in order to obey GOD. 

Gideon worked immediately and effectively to remove the sin in their midst,  which could have cost Gideon his life.

This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to read the Scriptures.  Men are fallible but The WORD of The LORD is not, and it usually explains itself , if we will just let it reign over the thoughts of man.

If we could simply still our own thoughts and WAIT upon the blessed HOLY SPIRIT,  HE+ will reveal the real message of  Scriptures to us.

Instead of being enraptured by putting out fleeces, then, our focus should be to REMOVE the sinful things from our midst that we have drifted into, in order to fight against sin within our own lives. 

Then  --- and only then ---  would we be able to hear and know ... and yes, even ABLE to follow ... the Will of The LORD for our lives. 

 We do not need fleeces; we need repentance.

Deep, utter, cleansing repentance of our motives and priorities... our double-mindedness... our sneaking ways of serving Self.

 No, we do not need fleeces.  

We need oneness with GOD. 

We need to walk in ONENESS with The LORD JESUS… so closely that our hearts throb in unity with HIS+ heart , in unity with His+ Will.

His+ thoughts replacing our thoughts. 

His+ desires, our desires.

His+ concerns, ours.

Then, there will be no desire to put out fleeces because there simply will be no need to do so.  

  

THIS is the true lesson of Gideon in Judges 6.

Let us pray: 

O LORD JESUS CHRIST!  I call THEE+ "LORD, LORD," but I set my own priorities.  

Forgive me, LORD, and renew a right spirit within me. I turn over to THEE+ my plans, my desires, and yes, even my daily concerns.  

Turn my heart to do Thy+ Will, O CHRIST.  Make  me ONE WITH THEE+, precious SAVIOR.  

Then, LORD, I will know that I please THEE+... THOU+ joy of my heart. 

In the Name of THE FATHER

WHO created me;

HIS Beloved SON+

WHO+ saves me;

And the blessed HOLY SPIRIT, 

WHO sanctifies me. 

Amen.

  

Holy Week-One With The Cross~Difference Between Duty & Oneness

Holy Week ~ ~ ~ One with the Cross
For the Year of Our LORD, 3.20.2008

~or~


The Difference Between Duty and Oneness

Peace comes when you perform your duty thoroughly. The requirement is duty. You will be held accountable if that duty is NOT performed. Duty can become heavy and tedious, if the inner heart is not yielded. Duty is accomplished because you are afraid of the consequences if you don’t do it right. This is the case in paying taxes, paying bills, going to some jobs, and alas, in being in some marriages.



Joy comes when you WANT to perform that duty out of Oneness, out of a union that agreement engenders.. If you approve what the government does, then paying taxes feels good. If you agree whole-heartedly that nothing should be free, then paying bills seems sensible. If you enjoy your job and get great satisfaction from it, then you would rather be on your job than anywhere else. It gives you identity and helps define who you are, to others and to yourself. It gives you meaning for life. Then, that brings you joy.


Alas, though, if a marriage is performed out of duty instead of a loving Oneness, you may reap a quiet existence … if your partner is willing to accept duty as a replacement for Oneness. Joy may eventually develop… if your partner is willing to accept the terms of that kind of agreement.

But if your partner is NOT willing to replace Oneness with duty, then sadness will be your bed-partner. A heart hurt down at the deepest level is hard to be healed. To the partner accustomed to Oneness, duty is a bitter replacement. He/she won’t want it. Then, all past love becomes screened through the eyes of duty, and even that joy becomes tainted with sorrow. A lack of trust develops.

If the duty-partner refuses to deal with the necessity of returning to his first heart-felt Oneness, the union may limp along… after all, who can find fault with one who fulfills one’s duty? … but there will be a raw, unhealed sore festering in the marriage. The Oneness has been broken in the deepest recesses of the heart although not perhaps at the surface level. That unhealed place will funnel constant sorrow into the union.

It is like that with The LORD, too. HE+ calls us to Oneness with HIM+… a Oneness issuing from a heart of love which WORKS BOTH WAYS. As much as HE+ loves us… do we love HIM+ back that much? Are we performing duties but our hearts are fixated on ourselves instead of HIM+ ?

Are we fixated on what HE+ can give us instead of the closeness that HE+ wants? What do we want out of a marriage? Do we want gifts or closeness? Do we want areas of “no trespassing” signs in our marriage or do we want an openness of heart… in order to become One ?

Becoming one is what brings the joy in our first love; we realize we are not alone in heart. In order to have that oneness, we must agree to be honest and open in our hearts with one another. If a rough area is seen, then we agree to lovingly lay it bare. With each other, we work together on that part, through prayer, until it becomes clean in the eyes of The LORD. Then we have oneness with our partner and Oneness with The LORD.

If there is a “no trespassing” sign up in some area of our heart, that will hurt the other partner and break the fellowship, the unity, the oneness. It is imperative that the closed off areas be brought to the Light of CHRIST by the one who has the “no trespassing” sign up in his heart. No-one can do it for him. No-one can make him willing to touch that sign and remove the wall, the barriers… if he is not willing to have it removed. It is required, however, or the marriage roadbed will be full of potholes lurking around every bend and hidden in the shadows.

When we are at One with CHRIST JESUS, it works the same way. The “no trespassing” signs must be removed from our hearts towards CHRIST. HE+ will lovingly help us to bring these areas to HIM+ and commit them unto HIM+. If we yield the “no trespassing” areas unto His+ loving hands, HE+ will clean them out and make us whole again… more whole than we were before! We will go to new heights being One with CHRIST and our whole life will take on more meaning than ever before.

Now sometimes, in a marriage, duty masquerades as love. There will certainly be an argument if that mask is discovered! The duty-partner feels terribly offended that his duty is not seen as love. But in essence, duty is often used to hide the “no trespassing” sign.

We do that with The LORD, too. More’s the pity. Discipline and duty and even church participation are good works to do for HIM+, but they are not to be used to mask our “no trespassing” signs. They are not a substitute for ardent, passionate love of Our SAVIOR.

HE+ knows the difference.

We do too.

Worse, HE+ knows that we know the difference. What hurts is this: we are okay with the separation between HIM+ and us. HE+ is not.

So, His+ great heart grieves until we deal with those “no trespassing” areas which keep HIM+ out of parts of our hearts. And we, well, we have much less Life than HE+ intended.

Yes, it will feel like the cross. But, it will bring Oneness with HIM+. That Oneness will bring the Abundant Life that is promised in Scriptures. There is no other way to get abundant Life.

Let us go on with CHRIST. Let us take down the “no trespassing… this is mine!” signs. Let us become One with CHRIST. Then… and only then… will HE+ show us how to become One with each other.

In the Name of The FATHER, The SON+, and The HOLY SPIRIT.
Amen.
+ + +

LENTEN MEDITATION 30 ~~~ Through it All

LENTEN MEDITATION 30 ~ ~ ~ The Repair of the Broken

~ ~ ~ or, We Are All Required to Walk
…even in the midst of our difficulties.

Sooner or later, we all have ENORMOUS hurts or difficulties. They come to Christian and non-Christian, alike. Deaths, bodily sickness or injury, divorce, loneliness --- deep, gut-wrenching loneliness--- every human soul knows these heart-aches in one way or another. And then, when joy is finally gone, comes the worst: what is life all about, anyways? And for some, is it worth the struggle?

Our LORD JESUS tells us to walk with HIM+. HE+ does NOT tell us to be joyful. HE+ does tell us to offer up thanksgiving and praise of Who+ HE+ is in the midst of these griefs. Like Job, we recognize His+ Sovereignty at all times and in all circumstances. And then, we are required to walk with HIM+… in as much obedience as if the hurt had not happened.

As we walk with The LORD JESUS through these gut-wrenching sorrows, HE+ comforts us. HE+ also corrects our vision. HE+ corrects where --- or in whom--- we have put our trust. The Psalmist correctly states:

Whom have I in heaven but thee?
and there is none upon earth
that I desire beside thee.
Psalm 73:25

Our LORD JESUS gently but firmly corrects our heart. HE+ corrects the direction we have been leaning. If we have been leaning on things of this life for our happiness, then HE+ will correct that. Temporal things--- earthly security, houses, lands--- are worse than temporary: they are deceitful security… houses built upon the sand.

If we have been leaning on others as the source of our joy, then HE+ corrects that.

Elderly parents, aunts and uncles, will indeed pass away. Brothers and sisters will go at their appointed times. Sometimes spouses are taken. Sometimes the treasures of our hearts, our little ones, are returned home to Their Heavenly FATHER.

We cannot stop these sorrows from occurring.

HE+ wants our primary heart to be with HIM+. There should be nothing greater living in our hearts. HE+ corrects that, in the midst of these common human griefs, and we see our error.


If our job security goes or sickness or disease robs us of our earthly strength, HE+ corrects us here, too. HE+ wants our labor to be in HIM+ and for HIM+. Many a saint has discovered the quietness--- and power--- of the prayer closet while having severe physical limitations to endure daily. With no hope for recovery, they learn to lean on JESUS for their hope. Their strength becomes perfected in their weakness because of JESUS. Their whole identity changes…which is the goal.

HE+ is good at changing our self’s identity from worldling to being CHRIST’S man or woman. HE+ will use whatever means is necessary to do this.


If we walk with HIM+ through these distresses, we discover something grand: we become whole again. HE+ brings healing and joy back into our hearts, no matter what the sorrow, if we walk with HIM+ and remain obedient to His+ Word through these awful human woes.

The LORD JESUS is not unmindful of our sorrow, for HE+ was the king of human sorrow. It is not un-ending comfort and compassion that we need, though; it is healing. Yes, JESUS does have un-ending comfort and compassion for His+ followers, and furthermore, HE+ gives it to us freely and abundantly.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:
I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it
more abundantly.
John 10:10


But… we must receive His+ correction in order to be healed.



Furthermore, when we go through the healing that obedience to His+ Word brings, His+ love, comfort, compassion, and tremendous JOY will be poured upon us. Yea, His+ very Presence will be there and the sorrowful torments will flee away. We will not have to work at being joyful; HE+ will send it.




As HE+ corrects us, HE+ tells us to bring the needs of our hearts to HIM+ and to HIM+ alone. We take the demands off of others to “be there” for us. We learn to relate to others through CHRIST and for His+ Sake… and for His+ Sake alone.

This is so that they too might come to know CHRIST JESUS our LORD… so that they too might be released from the torments of darkness … so that they too might go forth and bear witness of HIM+ at all times and in all places.

We take to the cross our own emptiness for CHRIST JESUS to fill, not to others. And then, we will be ONE with HIM+.


In the Name of the FATHER, The SON+,

and the HOLY SPIRIT.

Amen.

+ + +

LENTEN MEDITATION 16

LENTEN MEDITATION 16 ~ ~ ~ The Hated People
For the Year of Our LORD, 2.21.2008


Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world.
If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.
For ALL that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life,
is not of the Father,
but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever.
I John 2:15-17

To do the will of GOD in every instance, in every situation, in every contingency is foremost in the heart of every serious Christian. What is the key to knowing what HIS+ will is, though, in situations about which the Scriptures are quiet?

The first step in knowing HIS+ Will is to make certain we are aligned with His+ purposes. His+ purposes are found in His+ Word.

They begin with our life-styles.



Does our lifestyle reflect in exactness WHO The LORD JESUS CHRIST is?



If we blend in with our decent, conservative, hard-working neighbors… something is wrong. There are countless millions of Hindu’s, Buddhists, Moslems, and peoples who practice ancient tribal religions… who are also decent, conservative, and hard-working and who love “their” nation, culture, or society.

There are countless others in every inhabited area upon this earth who love their culture, the ways of their forefathers, their nation, so much that they would defend it to the death. In every country or nation or tribal area, there are countless “decent people” who would even send their sons and daughters to their untimely death to protect what they have… or think they have. There are countless peoples who train their off-spring to have good educations, jobs, and careers… to climb high, to have a better life than the parents.

But, what does the Word of GOD say? HE+ says this:

For what shall it profit a man,
if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul?
Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark 8:36,37



There are uncountable other non-Christians in every country who do not rob banks nor kill their neighbors, who honor their aging parents, and love their children. These are good values, yes, and all societies have them.



However, The LORD JESUS CHRIST doesn’t blend in
with any culture, sub-culture, society, or nation…
although Scripture teaches that the Church will be
formed out of every language, tongue, people, and nation!

HE+ calls us OUT of our cultures, whatever they may be,

in order to be ONE with HIM+.


Are we Christians supposed to be a blended people… or a separate people?

We are peculiar people. We are strangers and sojourners upon this earth just like Abraham was… we do not put down our roots here, but upward, into that Holy City whose Maker and Builder is GOD. The LORD JESUS said:

If the world hate you,
ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:
but because ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you. John 15: 18,19



Yes, we Christians should be a hated people… hated, not because of criminal activities or ill-manners, but because of our righteousness before GOD.

Even without saying a word, the worldlings around us should be able to sense the difference. The HOLY SPIRIT should be resting upon us and within us so strongly that, without saying a word to anyone, any worldling around us should feel a bit uneasy, somewhat uncomfortable for their lack of holiness.

We should notice they start to talk about their philosophies of “God”

or their “good works” of whatever variety they have.

However, the hungry souls around us will be drawn unto CHRIST JESUS. They will be drawn to HIM+ when we lift HIM+ up within us … as we yield unto CHRIST JESUS… as HE+ fills us with HIMSELF because we are turning away from the world. The hungry souls will have conviction fall upon their lives and they will cry out to The LORD to help them. They will know something is missing from their lives.

They will be pricked in their conscience to do something about amending their relationship with the Living GOD. HE+ is drawing, drawing them unto HIMSELF+… as we have lifted HIM+ up.


How do we become this hated people?

We simply separate ourselves from the world and follow CHRIST JESUS.

We separate from the world’s ways, styles, labor and life-styles.

We learn to work for The LORD where HE+ wants us to labor. We learn to live in such a manner that we present a visible yet silent witness to those around us. We set our homes, our dress, our recreation

to reflect CHRIST JESUS and to bear witness to HIM+ at all times

… including holiday times and visits with relatives.


We just simply separate. We will be hated enough.



Then, O then, will we be able to discern what is the “will of GOD”

for our lives, in so many situations and in so many particular details

about which the Scriptures are quiet.



What a relief to be in the center of GOD’s will.
It is the peace the world cannot give, nor can it take it away.





Let us pray:

Gracious Heavenly FATHER, Beloved SON, and Blessed SPIRIT, I
so long to be in the center of Thy Will. I want to be where You are, O LORD. Help me to turn away from the distractions of worldly things. Help me to forsake the world’s values. By the power of Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT help me to desire that holiness without which no man shall see GOD.

Help me to align myself with Your Word in every instance, even if I must disregard my own thoughts and cultural values. Grant me strength to reflect CHRIST instead of the world in my life-style. I re-commit myself to serving THEE+ with every thought and desire that is within me.

Thank You, O FATHER, for Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT to lead me into all Truth. Strengthen me to walk in it now and not be afraid to be hated because I am different for Thy sake. This I pray in the name of Thy Precious SON, JESUS CHRIST, Who+ was hated for my sake, so that I might know THEE, the One True GOD, Who loveth mankind. Amen.

Lenten Meditation 10
For the Year of Our LORD, 2.15.2008

The Prayer of our LORD for His+ Followers,

Whom HE+ now calls Brethren:

And now I am no more in the world,
but these are in the world,
and I come to thee.
Holy Father, keep through thine own name
those whom thou hast given me,
that they may be one, as we are.

And for their sakes I sanctify myself,
that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe
on me through their word;

That they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one:

I in them, and thou in me,
that they may be made perfect in one;
and that the world may know that thou hast sent me,
and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

The Mouth of The LORD hath spoken it;
The Apostle John recorded it

(in chapter 17, verses 11 and 19-23).

Let us strive to be ONE with HIM+.

LENTEN MEDITATION 8--- A HOLY, UNBROKEN MARRIAGE

LENTEN MEDITATION 8

Being one with CHRIST, in the unity of the The HOLY SPIRIT, in communion with our GOD and FATHER, is the goal of our Christian walk.

It is the true “holy” marriage.

Anyone--- rich or poor, single or wedded, young or old, imprisoned or free--- can be in this holy union, this holy marriage. Furthermore, all human beings are predestinated for it… although not all accept HIS+ proposal. Sadly enough, most indeed do reject such a union.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie,
and do not the truth.

But if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. I John 1: 6-10

It is NOT our failures and faults that break our fellowship with CHRIST.

It is our hiding.

We do like Adam did and hide from HIS+ Face, breaking our communion with HIM+.

If we come to CHRIST JESUS
the moment we are aware
that we have gone against HIS+ Word and HIS+ Will,
then neither satan nor our Adamic nature nor our flesh
will be able to drive a wedge between us and our LORD.
Only our HIDING from HIM+ can do this.

Our fellowship with HIM+ will continue, perhaps with great shame and humility on our part… but with great love and compassion on HIS+.

Our goal is to STAY IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST
through every failure, every error, every fault, every situation.

No matter the reason for our stumbling, we return immediately in repentance to the ONE+ Who+ loves us best.

We do not take advantage of HIS+ grace.

Staying in close communion, in unity, with HIM+ brings Life because…
HE+ is our life. Why bother to hide away in darkness, in death, to nurse our woes…to secretly nourish our pet sins… or to indulge in Self-pity, even for a short time?

It will only make the repentance harder than it should be,
the struggle longer than it ought to be,
and grieve the HOLY SPIRIT more than is necessary.
~ ~ ~

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER, God of all mercies, God of all Truth, I ask for the grace of conviction to fall upon me from Your hands. I am sorry for the times I have broken fellowship with You, for the times I have hidden from Your face. I am ashamed of all the times I have pouted and refused to give it up. Please forgive me for behaving as though Your Holy love is not enough to make me happy. Thank you, Holy FATHER, for wanting me to stay close to You… even me, such as I am.

Thank you for your great mercy through the Blood of Your Beloved Son, JESUS CHRIST. Help me to stay in unity with You throughout this hour, this day, and on into Eternity. I praise You, O Holy FATHER, in the name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST, through the power of Your HOLY SPIRIT, both now and forever. Amen.

LENTEN MEDITATION 7

LENTEN MEDITATION 7

No, my young student did NOT come back to class eager to tackle the skill he miserably failed. (See Lenten Meditation 6).

With his reading material in front of him, he watched the clock, doodled with his pencil, took awhile to locate the correct page in his reading folder, and told me about his weekend. All the while, I was waiting to hear his determination re-surface … the determination to tackle that hard part, that part that caused him to hurt and me to ache, that part that was the means of his failure.

He avoided it assiduously.

But there I sat, smiling and listening and waiting for him to realize that he had to do what must be done… and only he could do it. I, the teacher, could not give him the determination to “get it right this time” if he didn’t will to do it better… if he didn’t will to tackle it with all his might.

When the LORD gives us lessons to learn, don’t we act this very same way ? Those hard lessons of life:
· giving thanks when every security but HIM+ crumbles;
· forcibly rejecting the spirits of depression, resentment, self-pity, and anger;
· turning our backs on those chronic situations with dear ones who refuse CHRIST JESUS as LORD … and continuing on to serve HIM+ with joy and delight regardless of unanswered (as of yet) prayer.

By all means, let us draw CLOSER to The LORD in these heart-wrenching situations, doing always those things that please HIM+. Yes, lay the state of affairs before HIM+ Who+ Made the Heavens and the Earth… but you go on unfettered in heart to serve HIM+. Never let these troubles break your union with HIM+. HE+ is your strength and your very sanity!

Listen to these words of wisdom, sung by Betty Jean Robinson, a warrior of GOD who has come through unmentionable heartaches … and stayed true to The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

I have one desire when I go out to meet HIM+
and lay my sheaves at HIS+ feet.

Just to hear HIM+ say, “Well done, faithful Servant
Enter in and be one with ME + .”

One with HIM+! One with JESUS ! Oh, I long
To be one with HIM+

To enter in to the HOLY of HOLIES, Oh, I long
To be one with HIM+

I plead the Blood, that blessed cleansing fountain,
That I may be one with HIM+.

Secure I rest upon His+ Holy Mountain,
Free to be one with HIM+.

My soul desires that sweet communion,
Oh, I long to be one with HIM+.


Let us pray:

Precious Savior, I come to you, bringing nothing except my little self. Draw me close to you, dear Savior. Help me not hide when I have pain to deal with. Grant me Thy power to walk through this life doing always those things that please THEE+. Look upon my reluctance to obey Thy Dealings with me, granting me a vision of your
good cheer and love. Thank you for lifting the burden from my heart and helping me when I truly cannot help myself. Oh, what a precious Savior THOU+ art!

In the name of The FATHER, The SON, and The HOLY SPIRIT. Amen.