Month: July 2020

Jehoshaphat(Yahweh has judged), a good king of Judah whose influence was remembered after he died.

He was a son of Jehoshaphat, WHO SOUGHT THE LORD WITH ALL HIS HEART. 2 Chron 22:9

When Jehoshaphat began his reign the Word says he ‘walked in the ways of David. He did not consult the Baals but SOUGHT THE GOD OF HIS FATHER DAVID’. 2 Chr 17:4

He did receive a rebuke from Jehu the seer, 2 Chr 19:3 after he went with Ahab, king of Israel, to fight with him at Ramoth Gilead. ‘Should you help the wicked  and love those who hate God’? God had a low opinion of Ahab and Israel. But even in this rebuke, God’s seer said, ‘… and YOU HAVE SET YOUR HEART ON SEEKING THE LORD’. Jehoshaphat made mistakes in his allies/friends and suffered loss through it!! God however acknowledged that he had SET HIS HEART TO SEEK HIM, something that marked his life and reign.

Jesus replied, “LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND”. Matthew 22:37

Out of his heart to seek the Lord, in the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent teachers of the Law of God throughout Judah to teach the people. 2 Chr 17:9 ‘He went out again among the people… and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers’. 2 Chr 19:4 When we put God first in our own lives there will always be an OVERFLOW!! We don’t live in a vacuum, our families, friends and those around us are touched and affected by our lives.

Jehoshaphat, true to his name, also set up judges in Jerusalem and the cities outside. He told these judges to ‘judge in the fear of the Lord’ 2 Chr 19:6,7,9,10 and ‘warn the people not to sin’. HOW MUCH OF OUR OWN JUDGING WOULD CEASE, IF WE TOO WERE TO JUDGE IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD?

The story of Jehoshaphat’s life ends in 2 Chronicles 20:37 with the building of a fleet of trading ships with Ahaziah, king of Israel(an evil king). God told him through Eliezer the prophet, that because of his wrong alliance with the king of Israel(second time he’d done this with a king of Israel) that the ships would be destroyed and they were. He had a blind spot in relationship to Israel, his cousins, that caused loss in his life.

Interestingly the Bible talks about the Valley of Jehoshaphat (the Valley of Yahweh’s judgement) where God will gather the nations for judgement. It’s also known as the ‘Valley of Decision’ Joel 3:14-21

Set our hearts to SEEK THE LORD TODAY AND MAY THERE BE AN OVERFLOW TO THOSE AROUND US.

God bless and keep you today and every day.

 

 

 

 

On Him we have set our hope, that He will continue to deliver us, as you HELP US BY YOUR PRAYERS. 2 Cor 1:11

Paul, the apostle and father to the Corinthian Church, despite their many problems, asked them to partner with him/us ‘by your prayers’. Paul began his second letter by telling them about the comfort they had received in their suffering.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 2 Cor 1:8

God had delivered them… ‘and many will give thanks on our/your behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the PRAYERS OF MANY. 2 Cor 1:11

Paul and his companions had faced death in their work for the Gospel. God had rescued them because of the prayers of many people. Prayer sent Heaven to their rescue.

I read a story recently about John Paul Jackson(before he went home to the Lord) who became very ill on a ministry trip. He was so unwell that he couldn’t continue the ministry, probably ill unto death. A short, brown skinned man appeared in his room and prayed for him/laid hands on him and he was healed. He later asked the Lord who the man was and where he’d come from? The Lord showed him a vision of the man on his knees in prayer in his house. He was telling the Lord he was getting older and hadn’t done much in his life for Him. He wondered if the Lord even remembered he was there, in his home in Central America? The Lord told John Paul that because of the man’s prayer he’d sent him to heal him. He also told him that he was going to credit everything that John Paul did in his life from that time forward to the man who’d saved his life. Quite a reward for a hidden believer in an obscure location, but heaven’s ways are higher than ours.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there… Rom 15:30,31

In another letter to believers, Paul again asked for prayer to be rescued from unbelievers(some brothers and sisters are putting their lives on the line daily to speak for the Lord). He also asked for prayer that his work will be accepted by the saints in Jerusalem, a very different setting.

The main thing about prayer is that we need to do it, set aside time and begin. Is there someone or some ministry that you have a connection with, that needs your prayer support? You will draw closer to the Lord if you take time to pray and your work will be shown in eternity. An apostle of Paul’s status asked for prayer support, so there’s no doubt sincere prayer is a great blessing.

May God bless and keep you today as you remember others before the Lord.

 

(Continue to)STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH 1 Cor 16:13, 15:58

Paul is drawing to a close his first letter to the Corinthian Church and he tells them twice in a few verses to ‘STAND FIRM’ and ‘Let nothing move you’.  It was obviously important to Paul and the Lord, that all his hard work in establishing the Church in Corinth would not be wasted. Two of the greatest weapons of the enemy are disappointment and discouragement, he tries to use all sorts of difficulties to beat us down and keep us downcast. But many times in the Word, Paul exhorts us and fellow believers to ‘STAND FIRM’.

Once, some time ago, when returning from a night visit in hospital I decided (or more likely was led) to go to a friend’s house for the end of a Sunday night meeting. I was feeling a bit down after the hospital but soon after I came into the meeting the Lord began to speak to me about a stranger, we’d never met before, in the meeting. I was shown that they had an apostlic calling on their lives and it was important to the Lord that they ‘STOOD FIRM’ and didn’t give up on it. Even apostles, prophets and other ministers can become dejected and downcast by the attacks of the enemy(the gift of encouragement can be very valuable, though it’s often downplayed). On this night an Apostle  was encouraged and ‘Took a Stand’ to go on with the Lord.

Paul is encouraging us to STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH AND LET NOTHING MOVE US, something we have to set ourselves to do(and say to ourselves, speak it out and decree it when facing opposition, I WILL STAND FIRM AND NOTHING WILL MOVE ME!) no matter what our circumstances. We can also encourage others going through difficulties, not to give up, but to STAND FIRM IN THEIR FAITH. God has put us together in His body to support and encourage one another, it’s good to look out for our brothers and sisters and help them when possible.

In Paul’s days, right at the beginning of the Church Age, there was intense opposition to the founding of the new body. I believe, at the End of Age, we too are entering a time of growing opposition to Christ’s body and need to really take hold of Paul’s words.

Be on your guard; STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH; be courageous, be strong. Do everything in love. 1 Cor 16:13,14 NIV

Keep your eyes open, HOLD TIGHT TO YOUR CONVICTIONS, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping. 1 Cor 16:13,14 MSG

Keep your eyes open for spiritual danger; STAND TRUE TO THE LORD; act like men; be strong; and what ever you do, do it with kindness and love. 1 Cor 16:13,14 TLB

Other ‘STAND FIRM’ verses;

He(the Lord) will KEEP YOU STRONG to the end, 1 Cor 1:8

…the Lord makes us STAND FIRM in Christ, 2 Cor 1:21

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. STAND FIRM, then and do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery. Gal 5:1

Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to STAND YOUR GROUND, and after you have done everything to STAND. STAND FIRM THEN… Eph 6:13,14

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

 

On this Gospel we take our stand 1 Cor 15:1

The Gospel according to Paul – For what I RECEIVED(Paul received it directly from Jesus Christ, not from any man! Paul was the key writer of the New Testament, his knowledge of Christ and His death and sacrifice came first hand. Gal 1:12) I passed on to you as of first importance or at first. Good news should be shared, ask the Lord for opportunities to tell others/Divine appointments about Jesus. We can be witnesses, tell others how we met Him and what Jesus means for us personally.

… that Christ DIED for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was BURIED, that he was RAISED on the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Cor 15:3

Paul immediately lists for the Corinthians those who were eyewitnesses to Jesus resurrection, very important verses;

… and that he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 1 Cor 15:5-8

Paul had reminded the Corinthians that it was this Gospel, ‘on which you have taken your stand. By this Gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you..’ There are some basic truths in the Word of God on which we dare not compromise and the Gospel given here by Paul is absolutely central. We as Believers must hold fast to our testimony about Christ. Apostasy, ‘turning away from revealed truth’ , is a mark of the End Times/our times.

Paul continues to talk about the resurrection from the dead. The Corinthians were Greeks and their mindset was that the body was inferior to the mind. We see this today in Western Society, with the false distinction of blue collar(manual worker) and white collar(intellectual or professional worker). Paul was correcting the Corinthians and telling them that they and we will have a resurrection body, recognisable but superior to the physical body. He referred to Christ’s resurrection as, ‘the firstfruits’. It’s good to realise that the believer’s future will be, to be with and like the Lord.

God bless and keep us until He returns.

 

 

SOUL FOOD for the weekend, chew on these for a while when you have time.

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth TO STRENGTHEN THOSE/SHOW HIMSELF STRONG ON BEHALF OF THOSE whose hearts are fully committed to Him. 2 Chron 16:9

The Lord is looking for people to bless today.

But as for YOU, BE STRONG AND DO NOT GIVE UP for your work will be rewarded. 2 Chron 15:7

Have a blessed weekend.

Accounts of 3 women in the Bible mentioned in Jesus’ life.

We looked yesterday at the story of the widow of Zarephath who was given a hidden ministry by God. She was responsible for feeding Elijah, the national prophet to Israel and the one man who could command the drout to lift. Her test was to literally GIVE HER LAST food to Elijah, ‘but  first make me some bread’ and only then could she and her son eat. Elijah only came to her home for a short time, but his presence opened the door to God’s provision for her family. He also raised her son from the dead. Jesus mentioned this widow from Sidon(along with Naaman the leper, a Syrian) centuries later in the synagogue In Nazareth and the people were incensed. Luke 4:26 They couldn’t accept God had chosen to withhold blessing from the Jews and instead bless foreigners. God is Sovereign and creator of all, He will choose to bless and use some very unlikely people in our own days!

At the end of Mark 12, following discussion on ‘the Greatest  Commandment’ and ‘Whose Son is the Christ’ we find four short verses(Ch 13 is ‘Signs of the End of the Age’). Wedged between these hugely significant topics is the brief story of the ‘widow’s offering’ at the Temple(she was probably Jewish). Jesus deliberately sat down and watched the people putting their money into the Temple. Rich people came and ‘threw in large amounts’, but again Jesus singled out a poor widow ‘WHO GAVE ALL SHE HAD TO LIVE ON’(she was probably there because she had no husband to give her offering). Jesus called His disciples to Him to tell them this widow had given the most. Kingdom finances took a different view of the giving, the poor woman gave all. We know nothing more of her after this, but if the Son of God publicly praised her sacrifice, I believe she too would have received God’s provision. God’s Word tells us of these two women, who GAVE THEIR ALL.

In John 4, we read of Jesus encounter with the Samaritan Woman at the Well of Sycar. She came to draw water at midday, the hottest time, which might suggest she wasn’t welcome when others were there. Jesus asked for some water, Jews didn’t eat or drink with Samaritans. In the following discussion Jesus revealed her past, five husbands and now with someone to whom she wasn’t married but He didn’t condemn her. Instead He told her He was the awaited Messiah, she’d spoken of the Messiah first. She went back to her village and told them, SHE GAVE AWAY LIFE AND TRUTH to people who probably looked down on her. But they believed her and came to meet Jesus and accepted He had come to save the world.

Three women, two foreigners and probably one Jewess, none of high standing, but all recorded in the Bible. They all believed God in their own lives and situations and were willing to stake themselves and their futures on Him.

Three nobodies who became three somebodies in the story of the Kingdom of God – the only one that will count.

It would be encouraging to receive donations to support the work of the ministry. Please support Father’s Love Ministry and donate today at;

fathersloveministry.co.uk

We are willing to seek the Lord for personal words of encouragement and direction for those seeking them. Once again donations would be welcomed for this work.

Thank you for your support and God bless you today.

 

Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you(Elijah) with food. 1 Kings 17:9,10

Israel and the whole region were suffering under a severe famine because of the prophet Elijah’s decree(no more rain) and things were desperate. When Elijah ‘came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks’. He asked her for some water in a jar and a piece of bread(a big ask from a stranger in a drout). Then the widow begins to tell him her plight, she only has enough flour and oil left for one last meal for her and her son, they’re going to eat it and die(she didn’t know Almighty God still had a plan for her life).

How many believers are so downtrodden and lacking in hope today that we think there’s nothing left for us? But the Lord’s plan for the widow and her son was not death, but life. The prophetic was about to break through into her situation, though she lived outside Israel(God’s people). Elijah told her to first make ‘a cake of bread for him and bring it to him and then make something for yourself and your son’. Give away some of the precious little you have left and then came the prophetic decree;

For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: the jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land. 1 Kings 17:14

She did what Elijah said and what God had commanded. Sometimes our salvation is our calling and it’s not always the public ministry that’s most important. The whole area, Israel and beyond, were in a desperate state. This widow had been given a hidden ministry, to feed one prophet! That was her entire responsibility, she may not have known that Elijah held the key to the drout. Many hidden, faithful servants, known only to the Lord, will be richly blessed after their service here is over.

Faithfulness in difficulty rewarded. In verses 12 and 13, before Elijah prophesied, it’s the woman and her son, but in verse 15;

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her FAMILY. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:15,16

Her family, usually the extended family, were fed through her obedience.

Jesus Himself referred to this widow in Luke 4:26 while speaking in His home town of Nazareth. He told the people that Elijah hadn’t been sent to a widow in Israel, but to this widow in Zarephath. God is Sovereign and chooses whom He pleases to serve Him. The Jews tried to kill Him but the time and place were wrong so they couldn’t touch Him then.

A hidden ministry and unnamed widow, known only to the Lord, but she saved her family.

For truly I say to you that those who give you a drink of water because you belong to Christ will not lose their reward. Mark 9:41

God bless you today in your service to Him, nothing is forgotten.

 

For God is not a God of disorder but of PEACE. 1 Cor 14:33

So, we come towards the end of the ‘prophetic sandwich’ of chapters 12, 13 and 14 to the Corinthian Church. Paul has exhorted them to seek the ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ to build up one another and the Body. His final word to them on this subject is that the result of moving in the gifts should not be disorder or confusion but Peace. He’s telling them and us that disorder is against the very nature of God Himself.

In Philippians, Paul also talks about the ‘Peace of God’, in the context of prayer, ‘Don’t be anxious, Pray(turn to God)’.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard(like an army garrison guarding a fort!) your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6,7

The Peace of God, ‘which transcends all understanding’; we may not always understand things with our minds but we can know in our spirits if something is of God. If we begin to lose our peace, we need to turn to the Holy Spirit inside and ask what is of Him! It’s my belief that we are entering an age when there will be many signs and wonders and discernment will be key. We will need the witness of the indwelling Spirit of God to confirm what’s of Him(God is never divided).

In my old Bible I have written above 1 Cor 14, three simple tests for prophecy, which I believe were from Derek Prince.

1. Does it agree with the written word?

2. Does it uplift Jesus Christ(the Holy Spirit’s job)?

3. Does it edify/build up God’s people?

D.Prince also had a saying, ‘eat the fish/the meat, but spit out the bones’. We need to practice turning to God and asking Him to show us what’s meat, to eat with thanks and what’s bones, to spit out and avoid harm!

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. 1 Cor 14:39,40

Paul concludes with the same exhortation as in verse 1, ‘be eager to prophesy, but everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way’. It may get noisy and appear a bit messy, but if people are being blessed, healed for example and Jesus is being honoured and uplifted(rowdy doesn’t mean it’s not of God, religious spirits hate our freedom in the Spirit), the enemy will never do that! We can be sure God’s Spirit is moving in the midst.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

Follow the way of Love AND eagerly desire spiritual gifts, 1Cor 14:1

Paul has just given a wonderful exposition on Love to the Corinthian Church, in 1Cor 13, but he adds an ‘AND’, eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. In 1Cor 12 he told them that the gifts should operate in unity, as one body. The gifts represent the power of God flowing in the body and when real power comes it must be properly channelled to be effective. Power outside the proper channels can do more harm than good, it needs to flow in Love and promote unity.

Paul encouraged them to ‘eagerly’ desire the gifts(plural), but especially the gift of prophecy. Why was prophecy so important?

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 1Cor 14:3,4

Paul spends some time distinguishing between the gifts of tongues and prophecy, but prophetic words given in a meeting are to build up the whole body. Speaking in tongues is between an individual believer and God and Paul says it’s a way of building ourselves up in the Spirit. Surrendering our tongues to the Holy Spirit gives freedom to our spirit and removes the control from our minds.

I would like everyone of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified. 1Cor 14:4,5

My take on these verses is that tongues with interpretation does the same thing as prophecy, it edifies those hearing it, because they understand the interpretation. Prophecy is a wonderful gift and it’s worth highlighting that the Kings of Judah and Israel had their own personal prophets, people who were skilled in hearing from the Lord. I have been greatly blessed in my own life with revelatory prophetic words and strongly recommend believers to seek it out for themselves. Personal Prophecy is about guidance in finding and fulfilling our calling.

Paul makes several other noteworthy statements in these verses;

For if I pray in a tongue my spirit prays… 1Cor 14:14. I have heard a prophet to the nations saying he prays in tongues for 1-2 hours daily and telling young people to pray in tongues before going to bed. Opens their spirits to God’s Spirit as they sleep.

Praising God with your spirit… 1Cor 14:16 Singing and worshipping in the Spirit.

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 1Cor 14:18. Paul the apostle was blessed by the gift of tongues, so should we be.

May God bless and keep you today.

 

HOLY, root meaning- set apart, separated unto the Lord(but how much are we separated to the Lord?)

A friend was taking some online teaching over the weekend and one of the main issues being highlighted was what we as believers are feeding our minds and souls. One point was that the news on the media always carries ‘fear’, especially recently with the virus, but many other negative things. Everything we watch, listen to and interact with will leave a residue in our souls. What we continually think on is who we really are! Selah(KJV) – pause and consider.

The online teaching emphasised the need to be filling our minds with the Word and things of God, to allow them to shape us. On 6 May I did a blog around Phil 4:8,9 entitled ‘Think on these things’ giving different Bible versions of these verses(still on webpage fathersloveministry.co.uk). They were told that God would do(be able to do) more for us if we were aligned with Him.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Phil 4:8

On Friday last a football/soccer player and manager called Jack Charlton died aged 85. He was a centre back on England’s World Cup winning team and later became manager of the Republic of Ireland’s national team, against all odds for an English man to manage Ireland! He proved Ireland’s most successful manager and raised the team to new levels(European Championship and two World Cup qualifiers).

One of the players said they changed the way they played and the ‘GOALS AGAINST rate dropped hugely’. Charlton, a central defender, stopped them giving away ‘easy goals’. He said ‘Many games were lost, rather than won’. How many easy goals do we give away by not guarding our hearts?

ABOVE ALL ELSE, GUARD YOUR HEART, for it is the wellspring of life. Prov 4:23

Ireland played together as a team as never before, became difficult to beat and won many matches. Christians talk about being in unity(united), perhaps we need to consider how we are playing for the team? Charlton’s team, from a small nation, had all to play his style of game and work as a unit for one another; he was their manager. This also meant that some more gifted players who couldn’t or wouldn’t adapt to playing this way were dropped. There is only one head in the Body and He alone knows the winning strategy for the Church. It’s not always the most talented who play the leading roles but the most committed. I read or heard somewhere that the great evangelist, Rheinhard Bonnke, was the Lord’s third choice to send to Africa.

Charlton’s main tactic was to pressurise opposing teams, go forward relentlessly and play in their half and penalty area, causing them to make mistakes. This type of game was physically demanding on the players but the team began to win. Again if we consider how many believers today, I’m speaking to myself here as well, are content to coast along in our comfort zones and never really exert ourselves for the Lord. Corrie ten Boom said something like, ‘too many teas and cakes and too little prayer’. It takes commitment to play on a winning team!

Guard our hearts, don’t give away easy goals.

We are part of Christ’s body(our team), playing together.

Keep going forward in the Lord, the opposition is vulnerable.

God bless and keep you today.