Clarity and Discernment

"Many adversities come to the one who is righteous, 

but the Lord delivers him from them all." 

(Psalm 34:19)

Which voice are you listening to most, the voice of the world or the voice of the Lord??

God of Clarity and Discernment,

Thank you that you are faithful in all you do. Your Word is right and true and you love justice and righteousness. Thank you for your unfailing love. Thank you for deliverance from our enemies, especially the enemy of our souls. Sometimes the enemy speaks in quiet, simple ways as he did to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Sometimes the enemy speaks in loud, pompous ways as he did when Hezekiah's kingdom was threatened. Sometimes the enemy speaks in the chaos of our world and circumstances in ways that make it hard to hear the Voice of the Lord. Give us spiritual ears to hear your Voice, your Word, and your Truth. Put to death the lies of the enemy. Help each of us to hold fast to you - to follow your Word and your Way, so that, when our adversaries come against us, we are delivered by you. Give us overflowing insight, understanding, wisdom, and especially discernment in this day. In the strong name of Christ we pray, Amen and Amen!

"For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love." (Psalm 33:4-5)

"I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.
I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
that I will follow your righteous laws.” (Psalm 119:104-106)

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God really said, “You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?”’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.”’ The serpent said to the woman, ‘You certainly will not die! For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.’ When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked.” (Genesis 3:1-7a; NASB)

"5 Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6 He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. 7 And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. .... 17 The king of Assyria sent his supreme commander, his chief officer and his field commander with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They came up to Jerusalem and stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field. 18 They called for the king; and Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went out to them.

"19 The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: “‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? 20 You say you have the counsel and the might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?.....28 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand. 30 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ 31 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern, 32 until I come and take you to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death! Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ 33 Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?"

"...When King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah [the prophet], 6 Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7 Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.’”

"...32 Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:
‘He will not enter this city
or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
or build a siege ramp against it.
33 By the way that he came he will return;
he will not enter this city, declares the Lord.
34 I will defend this city and save it,
for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.’
"35 That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew." (2 Kings 17-19)

Day 13 - Intense Treatment - Jesus's transformation in our lives leads to good living

Jesus,

The example of love and giving that you taught on and exemplified is amazing - and impossible.  I know myself.  So, help me to know how you view good and evil so I can make discerning choices as to how to interact with other people.  Purify my heart so the fruit I produce is good fruit.  When I am persecuted, give me grace and mercy to bless and pray for my enemies.  Help me to overcome evil with good and, as far as it depends on me, to live at peace.  May your transforming, renewing power overtake my mind.  Motivate me in a new way so my faith will strengthen and operate at an increased level. Build my faith so I have more love.  In your name I pray, Amen. 

- love heals someone, even if it breaks man's rules

- blessed are the poor, hungry, or grieving for they will be satisfied with laughter in the kingdom of God

- blessed are you when people hate you, exclude you, insult you, and reject your name as evil because you follow Jesus

- love your enemies and do good to them

- do good to those who hate you

- bless those who curse you

- pray for those who mistreat you

- do to others what you want them to do for you

- be merciful as God is merciful

- do not judge or condemn, but forgive and give generously

- a good heart produces good fruit

- offer yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God

- do not conform to the pattern of this world

- be transformed by the renewing of your mind

- know what is evil and what is good - hate evil/love good

- be devoted to one another

- honor one another

- keep your spiritual fervor

- be joyful in hope

- be patient in affliction

- be faithful in prayer

- share with those in need

- practice hospitality

- bless and don't curse those who persecute you

- rejoice with the joyful, mourn with the sorrowful

- live in harmony with one another

- hang out with people of low position

- don't be conceited

- don't repay evil with evil

- do what is right in the eyes of God

- live at peace with everyone, whenever possible

- let God take revenge

- overcome evil with good

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

6 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2 Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

3 Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Twelve Apostles

12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Blessings and Woes

17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,

    for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 

Blessed are you who hunger now,

    for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now,

    for you will laugh.

22 

Blessed are you when people hate you,

    when they exclude you and insult you

    and reject your name as evil,

        because of the Son of Man.

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

24 

“But woe to you who are rich,

    for you have already received your comfort.

25 

Woe to you who are well fed now,

    for you will go hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

    for you will mourn and weep.

26 

Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,

    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Love for Enemies

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”  (Luke 6 NIV)

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  (Romans 12 NIV)

Idea from:  https://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word_pf.html?ID=25704 

Logjam

Spiritual logjam.

Angst.

Confusion.

Am I being stubborn?

Desiring discernment.

Wanting to do the right thing.

Not in unity with others.

My spirit all balled up.

My husband and I are making a major decision about a home for our family. I am one of a team of people searching for God's choice for a new pastor for our church. Two MAJOR decisions I am a part of, both with huge implications.

I pray for wisdom. I yearn for guidance. I cry out to God - HELP ME.

My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷ And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
⁴⁹ For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
⁵⁰ And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation. (Luke 1 NKJV)

My soul magnifies the Lord.

My soul MAGNIFIES God.

Magnify, God.

God gets bigger.

I get smaller.

More God.

Less me.

Less me.

More God.

Fill my confusion with you.

Help me know what to do.

Protect my thoughts.

Give peace to my spirit.

My spirit rejoices in God my savior.

He HAS done great things for me.

He is mighty.

His name is holy.

His mercy is on those who fear him.

Merciful blessings.

Merciful peace.

Merciful wisdom.

Magnified God.

May your will be done and your Kingdom come.

Amen.

The God of glory thunders

 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; 
       worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters; 
       the God of glory thunders, 
       the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

The voice of the LORD is powerful; 
       the voice of the LORD is majestic.  (Psalm 29:2-4, NIV)

God, may we hear your voice and recognize it in the thunders and in the whispers.   --- AMEN

Anointed for ministry

 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, 

       because the LORD has anointed me 

       to preach good news to the poor. 

       He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, 

       to proclaim freedom for the captives 

       and release from darkness for the prisoners,

 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor 

       and the day of vengeance of our God, 

       to comfort all who mourn,

 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— 

       to bestow on them a crown of beauty 

       instead of ashes, 

       the oil of gladness 

       instead of mourning, 

       and a garment of praise 

       instead of a spirit of despair. 

       They will be called oaks of righteousness, 

       a planting of the LORD 

       for the display of his splendor.  (Isa. 61 NIV)

Isaiah said this....Jesus claimed it...May God give you the sense of having the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord upon you...And may you know exactly what GOD is calling you to today, this week, and in this season of your life.  May you be a blessing and may you be blessed.  Amen.