~~Becka

Do you ever wish we all possessed stable assessments about our own level of humility (measured in "humils")? Then we could feel less precarious talking among ourselves about our achievement-to-humil ratio. I'm so glad the Father seems to value me anyway, despite my questionable ratio. And I don't want to talk about it.

Tender Reed » Just ask Job! Perhaps God is bragging about you too!

Love & blessings...Tender Reed

Nothing to brag about here; nothing to write home about. I've got Paul's "greatest sinner of all" beat by a long shot; of that, I am certain. They've already got the letter with all of my failings recorded. I'm as human as they come.

Others here like you He very well could be bragging about - very likely in your case, Tender Reed. :O) If we could all learn to measure our words & learn to be a humble man like you.

Me on the other hand... not so much. More like, "He's doing what AGAIN?!!! He never learns." <shakes head>

Oh, well. You can visit me in the slums when we get there. :OP

Love & blessings...Tender Reed

Study your Bible and you will discover these same patterns in the lives of all of God's people. In case after case, when God began to fulfill his promise, the roof seemed to cave in first!

Think of Daniel and the three Hebrew children. They gave themselves to a life of holiness and separation from the world and all its pleasures. Daniel pledged himself to a life of prayer, tears, and intercession, but what did that get him and his three Hebrew friends? Testing just before victory!

You don't go from the prayer closet to some mountaintop victory—you go to the lions' den. You don't go from consecration to a life of ease and blessing only—you go to the fiery furnace. These men were not afraid to face pain and suffering, because they knew it always ended in God having his way. Through lions and red-hot furnaces to God's perfect will!

Think of Elijah. God gave him a glorious promise of a spiritual awakening in the land; of an outpouring of abundant rain; of a new day of victory for God's people; and the overthrow of Ahab and Jezebel. But look at all the confusion that broke out after the promise was given. Jezebel threatened his life, chasing him into hiding in the mountains. Wicked forces killed the prophets of God and the land continued in wickedness and drought. In fact, the Word of God seemed like a hoax.

Can you imagine how confused Elijah must have been? “What kind of answered prayer is this? I'm left all on my own. Where is the Lord? Has his promise failed?" And all the while God was doing exactly what he said he would do. The confusion would soon pass and the answer would be forthcoming.

Christ left his disciples a promise that could have seen them through all the confusion and pain, but they were too broken up in sorrow to remember. He had told them: "After I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee" (Matthew 26:32).

In other words, "Don't try to figure it all out. Don't question the time of confusion. It's not your battle. God is at work! When this is all over, I will still be going before you. Your shepherd will still be there." What an encouraging word!

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/13288
Fair use for educational and discussion puposes ~

Love & blessings...Tender Reed

It is almost too fantastic to take it all in. What strikes me in such a word is that if he counts every tear of mine, then how precious is my blood to him—my livelihood—my needs.

Until we are persuaded in our minds that God takes special notice of each and every affliction which we endure, it is impossible we can ever obtain such confidence so as to believe that he would put our tears into his bottle. Can we believe that truth—that the God who numbers every hair on our heads and bottles every tear—will he not then interpose on our behalf?

Hear this word in your spirit: Every tear you have shed over past sins, every tear shed in times of afflictions and stress, every tear shed over lost souls is written in his book.

You may say, “I don’t weep. I seldom shed tears.” I believe in soul tears—only God sees them—inward, silent tears shed often in times of trouble and need.

Not one of your tears has been wasted! Not one is in vain. To believe in God is to believe this incredible truth!

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/12726
Fair use for educational and discussion purposes ~

When I was in high school we lived in a Connecticut suburb of NYC, and I heard David Wilkerson when he spoke in our town. Probably 1968. IIRC, he was being hosted by one of the women in my mom's Bible study group, so I heard all the "inside" details. Unfortunately they are long-since forgotten!

After I graduated, we moved to the Chicago area, and one of my summer-Christian-fellowship friends found out Nicky Cruz was speaking fairly close by (possibly Downers Grove), so we all went to hear him. That was probably 1971.

World-renowned evangelist Nicky Cruz recounts his first time meeting Rev. David Wilkerson and his conversion from gang leader to child of God.

Nicole xo

Most sermons during the Dark Ages focused on damnation and God's wrath. The popes and priests preached a gospel of works and the people performed a variety of deeds to try to find peace with God. They traveled for miles to bow to shrines, knelt in worship before stone icons, repeated long prayers, fondled prayer beads. Yet all these things only increased their bondage and brought deeper darkness to their souls.

People then knew nothing of the benefits and blessings available through Christ's victory at Calvary. Even today, with all the teaching available on the subject, the majority of Christians still do not understand many important aspects of Christ's work for us, that is, what it means to be "in Christ."

As a shepherd of the Lord's flock, I occasionally preach on hell, damnation and God's wrath. But more and more I have become convinced that the only way I can lead God's people to victorious living is to preach the blessings and benefits of "being in Christ."

The fact is, being in Christ is the only foundation upon which true holiness and righteousness can be built. Without this foundation, we will rely on our flesh to try to produce a form of holiness in ourselves. But true holiness is obtained only through knowing the riches of God in Christ Jesus.

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12). Only God's grace can teach us the kind of theology that leads to holiness—and no works can ever produce that.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/20644

Right now, I believe God is speaking a warning to New York City. And I wrestled with His severe word as I prepared this message. I prayed, "Lord, is this really going to happen?" Again and again, I heard the still, small voice: "Preach it - warn! Those who want the truth will receive it!"

Dear saint, this warning is not meant to scare anyone. It's meant only for you to take to the Lord and pray. This is what I believe the Lord showed me:

Thirty days of chastisement will fall on New York City such as the world has never seen. God is going to let down the walls! There will be unimaginable violence and looting - over a thousand fires will be burning at the same time, throughout the city and its boroughs. Times Square will be ablaze, and the flames that ascend into the heavens will be seen for miles. Firetrucks will not be able to handle it all!

Trains and buses will shut down for a few weeks. Billions of dollars will be lost. Broadway shows will stop completely for weeks at a time. It will cause businesses to flee the city in an unstoppable hemorrhage. The violence will be so ferocious, it will shock the whole world. Our streets will be lined with not just the national guard, but our country's militia. Los Angeles' fires were confined to a few sections of that city - but New York will be ablaze in all its boroughs!

Such things are expected in Third World countries, but not in a civilized nation like the United States. Yet in not too long a time afterward, New York City will go bankrupt - the world's "queen city" cast into the dirt! It truly will become a Third World city - a city of poverty!

When will all this come about, you ask? All I can say is, I believe I will be here when it happens! And when it happens, no matter where we are - in our apartment or on the job - we are not to panic or fear!

No offense to "Brother Marchus", but if God wrote that thing... He really needs to work on His poetry skills.

In regards to David Wilkerson:

I'd have to agree that what we've seen from Hurricane Sandy is not a fulfilment of what he foresaw. "1000 fires"? As far as I'm aware, only 80 have been confirmed in NY. Not only that, but despite the huge amount of damage done, this can't really be termed "devastation". It's bad, yes... but it's not THAT bad.

David Wilkerson's prophecy has always sounded tribulational to me... and such a scenario during that 7 years wouldn't surprise me at all.

Doves, A prophetic Word by Brother marchus
The Lord gave him on 08/10/2012:

"For all that of old that you have heard
Shall NOW come upon the earth as a swift bird;
Darkness shall come as you approach the end of the year
For nations shall be covered with fear.
The seals are breaking fast
And the cup of iniquity overflows at last
For My warnings to America have fallen on deaf ears
And now men shall choke on their own tears.
Because they have rejected My life
Soon they shall eat of the fruits of their own strife.
The streets shall become graves in the night
But you must prepare to hold your place without fright.
By November hidden deceptions will become clear as water
And chaos shall begin the slaughter.
From the skies shall come a sign
With My Kingdom will it's time to align.
Pillage and plunder shall come to the cities and towns
And the enemy shall try to take away your crowns.
The East and West shall see My hand,
And who shall escape the mystery in the middle of the land?
They have mocked My Word and My Name;
Did they think My judgments are a game?
Stand up My prophets and cry aloud in boldness;
For I now judge America's coldness.
The blood of the innocent cries aloud before My throne
But now in great power comes the little stone.
For My hand shall come swift against your sin
I gave you time to enter in.
But in your filth you chose your course
Now see the Revelation horse.
The angels of correction now ride fast and hard
America, you have played your final card.
Did I not call you out oh land of the Eagle?
I called you to be holy, royal and regal!
But you forsook Me for idols and pleasure above all;
Now I will bring you down to barely crawl.
Let tears come to the eyes of My watchmen
For the time of reaping of your national sin.
For the FULNESS of evil shall now play out
As your heart oh America is ever so stout.
I have sent My prophets to warn
But your heart was only one of scorn.
From Hollywood to the White House shall you now see
All of Satan's plans he has for thee.
Did I not call you to come out of her and repent?
But you still reject the watchmen and prophets I have sent.
Because you chose to eat of the pleasures of sin
You shall now find My judgments on your food supply within.
You have opened your borders to the foreign order
Now you shall see the enemy surround every border.
The terrorists shall soon arise from their posts
And you shall see the dirty bombs and terrors from the sky come to your coasts.
The man in your capital house shall now show his true face
As you see him greet those of a fallen AND foreign race.
Many saints shall soon be hunted as prey;
But in My secret place they now must stay.
What must we do cries those of a hearing ear
I will show My elect My supernatural protection the end of this year.
For at the end of the year and in 2013 you will see the weakness of your nation
But I warn you not to give place to deception and frustration.
Perilous times you will go through
Never can it be the same for the red, white and blue.
Oh major cities of every nation
You are about to see the worst destruction since creation.
The controllers shall soon openly show their arrogant plan
Upon the screens and radios they shall taunt every man.
Creatures "of the night" shall be among you commonly in the day
But I will give My elect the power to make them their prey.
People will begin to disappear in the night season
Oh your government knows well the reason.
I will make the month of December
A time for the whole world to remember.
The feathers of the Great Eagle shall be stripped this Fall
And Lady Liberty shall never again stand tall.
Baby George and others before him paved the way
Now Obama shall see his day.
JFK was the last true man for a truly white house bold and free
All those that followed did not have a TRUE heart for Me..

http://www.stevequayle.com/index.php?s=33

There's something MUCH bigger coming and we all need to be well grounded in the word and in believing that God will bring us through.

God bless and keep the faith.

(New York 1000 fires burning)

For myself, as much as there have been a lot of improvements in my life over the last three years, there have still been trials and satan has especially been after me these last few months, planting seeds of doubt about my salvation, whether God truly loves me etc.  As a few of you are aware, I had posted a prayer request because I was in a lot of pain. I was praying and crying out to God for healing and no relief came. I finally ended up going to see a doctor which did the trick, but the devil was whispering, "your God doesn't heal, see? You begged and pleaded, what kind of God allows his daughter to suffer that kind of pain?" I thought about it a bit and then I said, "no! I am not going to listen to you satan. Maybe I was being tested, maybe this pain was from you to see what I would do with it, and even though my Father in heaven chose not to heal me directly, I know that He does love me. He died for me!"  That ended that onslaught, however, on the weekend, satan once again had me in his cross-hairs, making me question the salvation and motivation of my own husband! It's a long story but basically satan has been trying to break up our family for years now. And quite frankly his tactics are getting really boring! LOL  he is desperate because he sees that the end is so close and he sees how we are raising our children to love God and he sure can't have that. 

I am so thankful for each of you here, I learn so much and sometimes you guys make my head spin with info (especially the math stuff! LOL) but I know that this is like another family for me to lean on.  Can't wait to meet each one of you in person. POOL PARTY AT MY MANSION! 

He will lie to you that God has taken His Holy Spirit from you, that you are paying for past sins.

SOOO true, especially for some members of this very board.  Don't listen to Satan's lies!  That's what they are -- LIES.

Christ Himself said in John 14:16:

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever"

He will NEVER take His Holy Spirit from you.  The Comforter is yours forever.  We MUST believe this if we are to believe we have eternal victory over Satan in Jesus!

Don't let Nasty Boy sideline you from being a warrior in Christ.  Your inheritance in Jesus doesn't rest on our feelings, praise God!  \O/  If our salvation is by faith alone, so too is our inheritance, as our inheritance IS our salvation!  So it matters not what you "feel".  Everything rests on the promises of God.  He never lies, so you can rest that His Word is truth.

I believe this is why it is by FAITH we are saved, because our feelings are so fickle and fleeting.  All we can do is trust and plod on, no matter if we "feel like it" or not.

~~Becka

needle me wrote:

I have been saying for over a year now that we are ALREADY making bricks without straw....taxed beyond belief and expected to somehow feed ourselves and keep on driving those cars to work on fumes, keep on working the 40 hour work week, keep on paying those taxes.  And it is only getting worse out there, folks. 

SURELY our deliverer is coming.  SURELY!

I agree with you, needle me. Funny you've been saying that for a year. I've been thinking the same. Bricks without straw.

Imagine how it will be during the trib. Bricks without mud.

I hate to say this -- and I don't know a happier way to phrase it -- but I'm becoming increasingly aware that American patiotism, at best, borders on pride ... the sort of pride that credits our own achievements rather than God's gifts and favor.

BINGO!!!!!!!!!  You are absolutely right!  I was getting this just this morning:  The "You Didn't Build That!" statement?  Guess what?  Without God, we couldn't build anything.  The people have forgotten that, and our Government knows it but wants to take credit and push God off the throne....Anti-Christ spirit, alive and well on planet earth and in America today.  I don't buy that all the government officials are clueless about God. No, I believe many are fully aware...and have given themselves to evil.  Of course, I would have to say they are deceived on some level which after much desensitization, is very very deep.  Generations deep.  But there are people in government positions that are willing participants, living off the people who, with Gods help, make all this happen, skimming the creme off the top. 

I have been saying for over a year now that we are ALREADY making bricks without straw....taxed beyond belief and expected to somehow feed ourselves and keep on driving those cars to work on fumes, keep on working the 40 hour work week, keep on paying those taxes.  And it is only getting worse out there, folks. 

SURELY our deliverer is coming.  SURELY!

the first  "hard hit" was 2001,  and still no repentance . Just increased patriotism , no revivals.

I hate to say this -- and I don't know a happier way to phrase it -- but I'm becoming increasingly aware that American patriotism, at best, borders on pride ... the sort of pride that credits our own achievements rather than God's gifts and favor.

And at worst, American patriotism borders on idol-worship.

It's not always the case ... but way too often.

sometimes you feel like an old rhinestone in a ring that is turning green .

 Thank you for the encouragement tonite .

much love in Christ , bon

thank you for post .

bon

“O you afflicted one,
Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,
And lay your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
Your gates of crystal,
And all your walls of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
And great shall be the peace of your children.
In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
And from terror, for it shall not come near you”
(Isaiah 54:11-14).

What an amazing prophecy! The “colorful gems” mentioned in verse 11 are jewels. If you know much about jewels, you know that a diamond was once a piece of coal that has been worked on for years by the elements. God’s Word is telling us: “Your afflictions are meant to change you into something beautiful—something precious to Me!”

The “pinnacles [windows] of rubies [agates]” mentioned here are a type of quartz, made transparent by fire. The “windows” aspect has to do with eyes or vision. God is saying that trusting Him through your afflictions will give you clear vision and discernment. It will allow you to see into the unseen with crystal clarity.

Many scholars believe the phrase “gates of crystal” reads more accurately as “gates of pearl.” Pearls are formed from a grain of sand in the belly of an oyster. The grain is injected with fluid, then grated and irritated until it becomes a pearl.

Think of all the grating, irritating friction in your life. What is God doing? He is making a pearl! Every pearl is a memento of suffering, pain, friction.

I believe Isaiah is talking about the beauty of Jesus Christ in this passage. In other words, affliction, when allowed to accomplish its work, brings about a people who shine forth the beauty of Christ’s character. It makes us more and more like Jesus.
 

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/17022

It was a time of hope and rejoicing. Everyone cried, “Hallelujah! We are finally free! God has heard our cry and our bondage is over. Praise to Him!”

Yet, what happened next? Things only got worse. Israel’s bondage became absolutely unbearable. They were given no straw for making bricks and they endured heavy beatings from their taskmasters. Pharaoh raged at Israel’s leaders, “Get out of my sight. Back to work!”

Moses could not believe this terrible turn of events. He cried out, “God, why are You treating Your people this way? You haven’t delivered us at all; in fact, things are worse than ever. You haven’t kept Your Word and nothing You promised is happening.”

You must understand, the devil knew Israel’s deliverance was right at the door, so do you think he was going to sit by and not make one last attempt to wear out God’s people? The worsening of Israel’s condition wasn’t God’s doing. Rather, it was Satan rushing about madly—hurrying his work before the hour of deliverance came. Likewise, whenever the devil sees you driven to your knees, he knows your deliverance is at hand and he is not going to sit by in those final moments before victory comes! Instead, he will intensify your temptations. He will enflame people against you and send lying spirits to falsely accuse you. He will lie to you that God has taken His Holy Spirit from you, that you are paying for past sins. He will try to flood you with all kinds of guilt and condemnation.

If you are praying, but things are only getting worse, start rejoicing because your deliverance is at hand!
 

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/17021

Fair use for educational and discussion purposes ~

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

We would all be consumed
Because of our wickedness,
Had it not been for God’s mercies.
They are fresh and new every morning.
God is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger,
And of great kindness.
Soft in heart to those who repent,
He retaineth not His anger
Because He delighteth in mercy,
Pardoning iniquity.
He delights not in the death of the wicked,
But offers universal mercy
To every transgressor;
But let him who receives mercy
Be merciful.
Blessed are the merciful:
For they shall obtain mercy.

Read more

Fair use for educational and discussion purposes

I love David Wilkerson. What a man of God! He loved Jesus so much! He is with the Lord now :)but we can still learn from his messages.

Here is one of them on the Second Coming.

http://holydesperation.com/compliations/theSecondComing.mp3

Blessings to all

Love & blessings...Tender Reed

by David Wilkerson

[May 19, 1931 – April 27, 2011]

by David Wilkerson

[May 19, 1931 – April 27, 2011]