The King James says,  “also he hath set the world in their heart.”  The word translated world is owlam (Strong’s Hebrew 5759). In Hebrew, owlam signifies a far distance: and example being the distance to the horizon.  If I set out on a journey to reach the horizon, I will travel for days, months, years, a lifetime, but I will  never reach it. It will always be further out, beyond my reach.

Sunset at Myrtle Beach SC

God has placed this longing to reach  owlam, eternity, distant horizons, the end times, the Omega Point, the Convergence, Utopia, Paradise, The great awakening,  Cosmic Consciousness, Nirvana, the Age of Aquarius, The New Jerusalem, Heaven – or as the Vulcan’s say, Sha-Ka-Ree – within each of us.

Romans 2:6,7
6 [GOD] Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Two terms: Immortality, and eternal life

The Greek word translated immortality is Strong’s 861, arphtharsia meaning imperishableness, immortality, incorruption. 1 Corinthians 15 speaks of the resurrected, immortal,  spiritual,  incorruptible body.

Immortality is a future event for us. We will all have to die first before we get our spiritual bodies. But we who are believers in Jesus have eternal life right here, right now. We don’t have to wait for death or a rapture event to have the life of God in us. We have it now.

John 6:47:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

There are 5 components of the Eternal Life:

1. Knowing that our sins are forgiven.
2. Walking in holiness, the character of God
3. Knowledge that our prayers are answered.
4. Fellowship with God and our brothers and sisters.
5. Shalom, the peace of God.

If we can but grasp this treasure we have in jars of clay, we will live this life on Earth as victorious, triumphant,  conquering, vanquishing, productive, and fruitful witnesses for Christ.

To You belongs all the glory and honor. There is no God but You. I worship none but You. I do not consider the idols of those who know You not: they are not even real.

You are my hope and my salvation. You are the fortress I run to when I am afraid.  I know You will keep me safe. I know You will provide for me every good thing.

I am one of the saints in whom You take delight: I am the apple of Your eye; I am beloved, I am cherished, I am Your child.

You have determined my days. You brought me into this world and You will carry me out when it is my time. I am confident in the knowledge that there is no pestilence, no terror, no disaster which can rob me of life. I am secure and at peace with the portion and the cup You assigned for me.

I praise You Lord. You are not silent. Your spirit speaks to me. It guides me. You are my counselor and my teacher. I will make time in my day to listen to Your voice. I will train my mind to pray constantly. I will pray without ceasing. I will pray and not faint. I will anticipate and relish You presence at all times. If You are always before me, always behind me, to the right of me, to the left, above and below me holding me up, what shall I fear?  Who shall I fear? How can I be shaken? What terror, sickness, disaster or demon from Hell can move me?

I will rejoice in Your presence and Your love. I will rest secure. I have no fear that You will leave me or forsake me. That is Your promise and You are not a mere man who will renege.

This life is not all that there is.  This life is not all that I have hope in: I am not such a foolish one. This life is but a tiny slice of eternity. In You I will live forever.

Because I have set my love upon You O Lord, I know You have delivered me.
Because I have known Your name, You have set me on high,
I know I can call upon You, and You will answer me;
You will be with me in times of trouble;
You  will deliver me  and honor me.
With Eternal life You will satisfy me,
And show me Your salvation, Dabar YHVH, Yehoshua, Yeshua, Jesus

In His name I pray, amen.

I desire above all things that I may be filled with the knowledge of You and Your will. This is not a worldly form of knowledge. It is not to be found in books or through philosophy, but it is  spiritual in nature.

I desire not just knowledge, but wisdom  that I might walk in a manner worthy of you. That I may bear much fruit through the manifestation of  agape love.

I desire to be strengthened by your glorious power and might that I may be patient and longsuffering, as I manifest this agape. As I perform the  good works for which you created me with cheerfulness and joy.

I thank you for what you have made me. I am a saint, part of a royal priesthood, an heir with Jesus, a child of God. I am a son of Light. You have delivered me from the kingdom of darkness where every wicked spirit and foul thing has dominion and you have conveyed me mind, body, soul, and spirit into your marvelous kingdom. The kingdom of Light.

My body has been swept and adorned. I will not vacate your temple. I will be filled with the Spirit. I will speak to my soul and to my brethren the saints in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. I will sing and make melody in my heart to the Lord.

And I will give thanks always for all things  in the name of my Lord, Savior, and elder brother, Jesus the Anointed,  one Your Dear Son.  He who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  By whom were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.

The One who is before all things, and by whom all things consist. The head of the body, the church.  The beginning, the firstborn from the dead; preeminent over all things. The One by whom  all things were reconciled:  whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

This same Jesus is presenting me as holy,  without blame, and without reproof  in his sight.  This is My Gospel which I declare.

I  receive, comprehend, and declare the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations. Hid from the intellectuals, hid from those who seek so-called hidden knowledge but which really is the doctrine of demons.  This mystery I declare and treasure: Christ in me, the hope of glory.

If Christ is in me and I in Christ, I am a new creature. Old things are past. All is new. You, my Lord are the focus of my meditation. My thoughts are centered on You. My mind is steadfast on You and I enjoy peace — perfect peace. The kind of peace which comes from recognizing and trusting only Your  Voice. Though I may hear other voices, I listen only to You.

You are my shield and protector from pestilence and destruction. You  strengthen me inwardly  that I may fight of the physical and spiritual attacks of the wicked one. Your armor  enables me to stand in face of any attack of the enemy. No plague, nor pestilence, nor sickness, nor demonic oppression can touch me  because You are my habitation.
Thank you Father.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Abba, Father

You, O Lord, are my salvation and strength. You are the source of my inspiration: the reason my heart sings, my mouth shouts, my feet dance, and my soul rejoices. I rejoice over your kindness towards me, the length, width, depth, and height of your love.

I trust in your word. I have witnessed Your power. You and I have a track record. I have seen time and again how You have worked mightily, miraculously, and, wisely in my life: straightening out the crooked places, smoothing out the rough spots and the demolishing all the obstacles in my way. My present suffering is before me, yet I will stand back and see Your salvation.

My healing is sure. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. I shall live, and declare the works of the Lord. Open up to me the gates of my future and I will walk through them with boldness and assurance – not in me, nor in my own ability, but in Your mighty Spirit which works within me.

I long to be with You but I place my body completely at Your disposal. I will live and be a blessing to all I come in contact with. To those who need hope, I will share the reason for the hope I have.

To those in need of consolation, I will console them with the consolation I have received from You.

To those who need strength to make it through another day, I will introduce them to the Source of My strength. The One in whom I can do ALL THINGS.

To those who need prayer, I will offer the fervent, effectual prayer of a righteous one. Not my own righteousness, but that which is mine in Christ Jesus.

Those those in despair, I will rejoice and praise You with song and thanksgiving with all the fervor and abandon of David.

It is day and not night. I must be about my Father’s business. I will do the work that He for-ordained that I should do before the foundation of the world. Your perfect word equips me for every good work. Your Spirit gives me dynamite power I need to be Your witness to the world.

I choose life. I choose blessing. I choose service. I choose to do your will. My flesh will follow my renewed mind.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

To you belong all the power and all the glory. There is no God but you.
My Yesha.  God who saves. My salvation.  Yshw’ah. Yahweh is Salvation.

You are my Father and Lord, My Protector and my Guide. You are the Good shepherd who attends to me, a the speckled and spotted lamb that you loved, delivered and placed in your flock. I have no lack. I am safe from all enemies.

You direct my path. I am not worried about my destination: You will never mislead me or misguide me. Where ever you take me I am willing to follow. For I know I will find there love, peace, and consolation.

If I come to you with my soul  heavy with the cares of this world, you will lighten my load. If I am weary of crying, you will wipe away every tear. If I am weakened and distraught from sickness and disease, you will lift up my head and speak to my spirit hope and deliverance

In Spirit, I am healed from all afflictions. I am a holy, pure, spotless soul redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb.

In my darkest moments you are there. When  men can offer me no hope, you are my hope and my refuge. I can not fear any evil because I am not alone. The Omnipotent one is by my side. I am not afraid of the terrors in the daytime nor the pestilence lurking in the darkness. There is no demon, no disease, no disaster you cannot deliver me from.

In the midst of my trial your Spirit flows over my like anointing oil. You are training me for battle. You are preparing me to war against every power, every principality, every thought, every imagination which would dare exalt its self against the knowledge of God. My thoughts imprison and make them obedient under the Anointed One, Christ.

I know you have wonderful plans for my life. I have a future and a hope. There is much for me to do and to be here on this earth. I long to be with you, Lord, but it is needful that I remain and be a blessing to the body and to those who you have purposed I minister to.  My best days are now and tomorrow.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a woman
A woman who was hurt and torn by parents and siblings who seemed to be so needy but beyond her ability to help. But who resolves to raise her children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a young woman
who has witness devastating turmoil in her family. Unfaithfulness, selfishness, bitterness, lack of love. But she looks within finds the God given strength to smile. To excel at school. To pray and meditate upon the word. She has learned that there is one who will never leave her nor forsake her. Who has nothing but thoughts of love and peace towards her and promises her a future and a hope.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a woman
who is little in her own eyes but who allows the very big God within her to guide here and direct her as she works as a resource and a consolation to people all over the community.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man
who faces a number of mountain high obstacles to enjoying a peaceful, productive, and spiritual life for himself and his children. Though at times the the way seems dim, he does not give up. He trusts in God who is working within and so he keeps fighting, he keeps struggling. As as he does, the light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter and brighter and larger and larger and nearer and nearer.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a woman
who as struggled with past relationships and been hurt. Though the hurt was in a public fashion, she did not withdraw into the shadows, but launched a church and a ministry which is poised to bless the world.

What is your parable of the Kingdom?

I am grateful that you hear me. It is my desire to know you, your way, and your will. I know because your word tells me and Your spirit agrees with my spirit that if I ask according to your will, you hear me and will grant my request. The word of God is complete salvation and peace. My every need is met. I can face the pressures of this day knowing that  You  are with me.

I resolve to renew my mind. I take charge of my body. My appetite submits to my will. My will submits to the Holy Spirit within me. I will live a consistent, disciplined life. Though this body is temporary and I look forward to my perfect, glorified body, I will appreciate and  care for this fearfully and wonderfully designed temple over which you have made me steward.

I resolve to renew my mind to be able to focus my sight upon what is unseen to the physical eye, yet can be felt, examined, and handled with my spiritual senses. I am free from worry and anxiety because I trust my God. The peace of God surrounds and permeates my being. I know I am loved and cared for.

I resolve to renew my mind that I may  be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; of the love of Christ. A love which passes knowledge.  I am filled with all the fullness of my God.   My broken heart is healed. My joy is renewed. I know what true happiness is.

I resolve to renew my mind with the knowledge that You give those You love- and I know you love me — a full and restful night’s sleep. I wake up refreshed and ready for  whatever the new day may bring.

I resolve to renew my mind and  keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. I present my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto You. My recreated  spirit longs to do this very thing: for this is the most reasonable, practical, sensible and logical way I can serve you. The Holy Spirit purifies me spirit, soul, and body that I might be a fit and righteous vessel for my Lord.

Thank you Father: For Yours is the kingdom the power and the glory.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

The Scripture:

And the Prayer:

I command my soul to be still and quiet. God is at work  delivering me from the aggravations and stressors which once plagued me. Fear is an enemy I will never see again. Want and envy are vanquished. Insecurity is removed from its high place in my mind.  Self-reliance is exposed  for the lie and the burden and the trap it really is. Worry is exposed as a lack of faith and trust. I am not afraid nor am I bothered by those who can only hurt me physically. No one can take from me what God has given me.

I view my situation with spiritual eyes, not eyes of flesh. I am:

• hard pressed, but not crushed
• perplexed, but not in despair;
• persecuted, but not abandoned
• struck down, but not destroyed.

God will fight my battles. He will fight for me and I can enjoy true peace. I do not lose heart. Though outwardly as it appears I am are wasting away,  inwardly I am are being renewed. My aggravations are light, temporary, vaporous. God is working through them. As I walk in the spirit with full reliance and trust in Him, my  light and momentary troubles are achieving  an eternal glory for me that is so marvelous, I can’t find the words to describe. I  fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. The Lord will fight my battles. I will rest and enjoy Sholom.

• Recruited
  • Before the foundations of the world. Ephesians 1:4 he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love
  • In our mothers womb Jeremiah 1:5, Isaiah 49:1
  • While we were yet in our sins. (Romans 5:6-11)
  • Called and drawn by God John 6:44
  • At the right time
• Inducted –Federal law requires everyone who enlists or re-enlists in the Armed Forces of the United States to take the enlistment oath.
  • Baptized in water and the Spirit Matthew 28:19
  • Receiving the Holy Spirit as an earnest Ephesians 1:13,14
  • Becoming Sons and Daughters of God, subjects of the Kingdom John 1:12,13
• Trained
  • Taught by the Holy Spirit 1 John 2:27
  • Taught by trials and sufferings James 1:2-4 (esprit de corps group spirit; sense of pride)
  • Taught by the elders in the faith Ephesians 4:11-16
  • Taught by obedience though and through suffering Hebrews 5:8 *Jesus’ example
• Commissioned
  • Disciples given “Great Commission” to preach the gospel of the Kingdom throughout the world. (Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) varies)
• Equipped
  • Weapons II Corinthians 10:3-4 (Kathairesis destruction/extinction)
  • Signs and wonders follow verifying the word Mark 16:15-18,Acts 4:30
  • God equips us for the work He commissions us for
  • Spirit guides us into truth, directs, shows us things to come John 16:13,  Isaiah 30:21 (errors to the left)
  • Spirit gives us word to speak Matthew 10:19,20  1 Corinthians 2:4
  • The scriptures our guide II Timothy 3:16,17  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
  • Elder members of the body as guides
• Deployed
  • Everyone a mission field determined by God Acts 1:8 ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
  • Jerusalem
    • The home front
    • Churchianity
  • Judea
    • Believers who need the their faith fanned
    • Babes in Christ
    • Those wandering from the faith
  • Samaria
    • The so-called heretics, apostates
    • The pseudo-Christian faiths (JW, SDA, Mormons)
  • The ends of the earth
    • The unsaved
    • The new age, the Muslim, Hindu, animist, pagan, Wiccan, Buddhist, the atheist/agnostic
    • or those with no religion at all
• Promoted
  • Humility rather than aggressiveness or a competitive spirit is rewarded
    • Luke 14:11, For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled. And he who humbles himself shall be promoted.
    • James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will promote you.”
    • 1 Pet. 5:5-6, God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
  • Self-control
    • 1 Corinthians 9:24,25  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible
  • Endurance
    • Endurance and patience are attributes of a winner
    • ”The race is not given to the swift nor the strong but to those who endureth to the end.” ??? no such bible verse, but
    • Ecclesiastes 9:11 11 ¶I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
    • Zechariah 4:6: … Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
  • Obedience
    • I Samuel 15:22: And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
    • 1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
    • God does the exalting (Thou shalt toot thine own horn lest it shall  be tooted not)
    • Joshua 3:7  “And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.”

• Commended
  • II Timothy 4:7-8  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing
  • God is glorified in promotion: Revelation 4:9-11  9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
  • Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24
  • Matthew 24:14:And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

]]> http://expectedend.com/2008/11/22/soldiers-in-the-army-of-the-lord/feed/ 0 http://expectedend.com/2008/11/16/mens-moment-encouragement/ http://expectedend.com/2008/11/16/mens-moment-encouragement/#comments Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:30:19 +0000 allen http://expectedend.com/?p=118 Although the fig tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vines;
the labour of the olive shall fail,
and the fields shall yield no meat;
the flock shall be cut off from the fold,
and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength,
and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet,
and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.
Habakkuk 3:17-19

I watch in amazement sometimes at the things professional athletes are able do with their bodies when the situation calls for it. To the runner’s left is the sidelines, to his right and in front of him are defenders, dug in and with outstretched arms. The runner with the ball then leaps up and over the defenders into the end zone. Likewise, in basketball, I’ve seen  players dives for  loose balls:  leaping over the scorer’s table and into the stands. Momentum carries him forward, yet the player avoids stepping on spectators or tripping over seats, rails, or steps. The amazing agility athletes possess  is  due to their natural athleticism and, more importantly, the years of practice and drills. When the need arises, atheletes are able to make their bodies do what their mind decides must be done in the present situation. And their bodies perform because they are disciplined.

Habakkuk makes a bold declaration of faith in the Lord. In good times and in bad times, he determines to rejoice in the Lord. It is easy to rejoice in the Lord when things are going well. But when bills are due, the economy is bad, little Jaquan or Quandrica wants a laptop or iPhone for Christmas and the money is not there: It is hard for the praise to come out. It gets stuck in the throat somewhere.

Perhaps there is a need to practice praise, practice rejoicing. Paul says to “Rejoice Always, again I say Rejoice!” We should strive to make praising, rejoicing, and thanksgiving a  constant part of your life. We should discipline our minds to  bless God continually for small things and big things. We should practice rejoicing in the Lord for the victories we experience daily and for all the times we are delivered out of tough situations.  We must train our minds  — our praise and rejoicing  muscles so to speak — to be able to spot all the big and small ways we are blessed each and every day.

Making rejoicing  a regular practice will help us see that day by day, we are becoming more agile, our reflexes sharper, our peripheral vision wider, and we become more able  to handle sticky situations which use to defeat us in the past. We are able to act Godly and victoriously in any situation. We become confident – not in ourselves  — but in the fact that God is our strength and he will make us as agile and as fast, and as alert and as strong as a deer, so that we are able to avoid the tricks and traps of the devil. We are able to climb over mountains which would have limited, frustrated, or crushed us in the past. We will be able to over come in the midst of worlds troubles because our foothold is sure, our faith is strong, and our God is our strength.