Month: March 2025

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when dreams come true at last, there is life and joy. Proverbs 13:12, The Living Bible

Unfulfilled or unmet expectations can literally leave us feeling ill, but when  some desires are granted it can provide a great lift to our spirits and change how we look at ourselves and the world around us. Barnabas, (Son of Encouragement), was a great inspiration to the apostle Paul. God can and does things for us, but in my own experience He also uses other people to help us along the paths He has for us. Be grateful for those who help and encourage you in this life, for there are many more who will speak negatively and tell us why we can’t achieve our goals and dreams.

Yesterday began quietly, but turned into an eventful day. It started when I decided to set aside a modest amount of extra money for the Lord and His Kingdom. That very evening something I’d been ‘looking for’ suddenly appeared online at an affordable price. I contacted the seller and who was very helpful and drove a distance to buy the item. (Yesterday a close friend blessed my wife and Father’s Love Ministry with a financial gift. Later that day they were able to make a sale which blessed their family business.) The Lord seems to be doing things ‘in Doubles’ in our lives at the this time.

GOD ANSWERS PRAYER AT THE SPEED OF OBEDIENCE! Graham Cooke

Steve Shultz quoted this last night after the two blessings described yesterday. I’d met Graham Cooke and he was in our home many years ago. At a recent conference not far from us I looked across a large room and saw an English prophet whom I hadn’t spoken to for many years. Speaking in a meeting on the following Sunday she told how the first time she’d come to N.Ireland was with Graham Cooke and that I’d opened a door for her to minister here in the land. That was a Double, a confirmation from the past.

If God prompts you to do something, please obey Him without delay. He waits for us to take that first step towards Him and meets our needs as soon as we obey. His response time depends on the speed of our obedience.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

⁴⁸ Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses ⁴⁹ and said to him, “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing. ⁵⁰ So we have brought (VOLUNTARILY) as an offering to the Lord the gold articles (VALUABLE TREASURE) each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, SIGNET RINGS, earrings Numbers 31

Has God blessed you in a particular way lately and have you stopped to thank Him for His goodness and Faithfulness to you and/or your loved ones? This chapter begins with God telling Moses to choose a thousand men from each tribe and the priest Phinehas, was to lead them into battle against the Midianites. (Moses was soon to go home after leading Israel to victory) Israel were victorious, as we should be in any battle the Lord calls us to enter. They killed the five kings of the Midianites and put to death their enemy Balaam, the prophet who cursed people for money. Numbers 31:8

When the commanders of Israel’s army realised that not one single soldier had died in the battle against Midian, their hearts were moved to bless God and to present a Thanksgiving offering to Him. DON’T BE SLOW IN THANKING GOD for the blessings He gives you!

Gideon’s Ephod

²² The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

²³ But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”²⁴ And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.) Judges 8

Gideon was once again called by the angel of the Lord to deliver Israel from the Midianites and he also won a great victory. After the battle Gideon asked that each man give him an earring from their share of the plunder, however this would ultimately prove unwise for his whole family, perhaps leading to their eventual murder.

²⁷ Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. (GOD NEVER TOLD HIM TO DO THIS, MAN’S IDEA) All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. Judges 8

So RINGS played an important part after Israel’s two victories over the Midianites. (Once again this all follows Anne’s recovery of her lost ring on Sunday past)

 

²² When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a GOLD NOSE  RING weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. Genesis 24

Abraham sent his chief servant (a type of the Holy Spirit), to get a wife for his son Isaac from the land of Ur, present day Iraq. The servant prayed for God to guide him and laid out ‘a fleece’ before God.

¹⁴ May it be that when I say to a young woman, “Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,” and she says, “Drink, and I’ll water your camels too”– let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.’ Genesis 24

Rebekah came at once and fulfilled the condition that the chief servant had set and he blessed her with a nose ring and some bracelets. The first step in acquiring a wife for Isaac, his master’s only son was the giving of golden gifts to the future bride. The giving of the ring and bracelets is mentioned three times in this chapter of Genesis. The nose ring and bracelets became part of the bride price for Rebekah, they were much more significant than she could have imagined.

⁴ So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the RINGS in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. ⁵ Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them. Genesis 35

The fourth reference to Rings in Genesis occurs when Jacob is about to go up again to Bethel, the place where he saw angels going up and down to heaven. Before he could go up and settle there he told all the people in the camp to get rid of the foreign gods and they also gave him the RINGS in their ears. AFTER they’d separated themselves from their idols the fear of God came upon the people around them and they were left in peace. Rings often represent a solemn binding to someone or something. When they’re not of God and represent something opposed to God, they should be got rid of.

⁴¹ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’ ⁴² Then Pharaoh TOOK HIS SIGNET RING from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. Genesis 41

The fifth and final mention of a RING in Genesis is when Pharaoh confirmed Joseph as the ruler in Egypt. Joseph wore the RING as a symbol of his authority over the land where he’d been a slave. God is surely raising up His People today to rule and reign on the Earth, just as certainly as Joseph was ruler in Egypt!

My wife lost her ring on Sunday, not a good start to the week, but praise God we found it again and rejoiced in its return. Rings have great significance in many cultures, they often symbolise things of great importance. The wearing of a ring should not be taken lightly but rejoice in the honour of doing it rightly.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says, “REJOICE WITH ME; I HAVE FOUND MY LOST COIN.” ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’ Luke 15

This was my wife’s story yesterday, she’d  lost a ring of sentimental value, but praise God she found it again. Once she realised she’d lost her ring, everything else stopped and she started to search frantically for it.

Luke 15 repeats the same message three times, the lost or missing sheep, the missing coin and lastly, the missing son. The shepherd had to search outdoors, the woman indoors and the prodigal return a long way from home. (John Wimber used to talk about pre Christians, those who just hadn’t found the Lord yet). The chapter begins with two groups of people, ‘the tax collectors and sinners gathered round to hear Jesus’. ‘The Pharisees and teachers of the Law muttered’, they were not happy with what the Lord was saying. In a sense these two groups were reflected in Jesus Parable of the Prodigal son who came back from such a long way to his father’s house.

²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. (HE FOUND HIS WAY HOME WITH A DECISION TO RETURN IN HUMILITY!)

‘But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms round him and kissed him.

²¹ ‘The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” (HEAVEN REJOICES WHEN GOD’S CHILDREN FIND OUR WAY HOME!)

The younger son returned with nothing, he had no standing as a son before his father. So what happened next? Did his father keep him at arm’s length and remind him of all his faults and failures, NOT AT ALL.

²² ‘But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. (COMPLETE CHANGE OF IDENTITY, NO LONGER ALONE AND IN POVERTY, BUT AN HONOURED SON) ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate. Luke 15

But his older brother couldn’t stand to see him accepted and his return being celebrated. It triggered something unloving and unlovable in him.

²⁹ But he answered his father, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. Luke 15

The older brother looked to ‘Past Performance’, he considered he’d earned his father’s blessing. The older brother was a type of Self-Righteousness. He wanted the failed younger son to be punished for his actions. (Like the Church of Ephesus in Revelation 2 last week, Truth but no Love. Looks ugly.) It’s dangerous to compare ourselves with others and judge ourselves by others. Everything belongs to the Father and we get to share in His goodness. The world cannot stand it, nor understand this Love.

Self-Righteousness can be downright ugly, rooted in the selfish fallen nature.

The Father’s Loving Kindness, Hebrew Hesed, is so lovely and gracious in contrast.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

²¹ To the one who OVERCOMES, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I OVERCAME and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ Revelation 3

The Lord didn’t have any good to say to the Laodicean Church, their greatest weakness was that they had become lukewarm and He disliked this intensely. This is especially important to Believers who have been involved in church life for a longer period of time, we must guard against becoming stale. In all seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3, the Lord issues the same challenge, ‘To the one who OVERCOMES’! While we are on this earth, in the Presence of Sin, we must CONTEND FOR OUR FAITH!

¹¹ I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ¹² The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. Revelation 3

Even to the exemplary church in Philadelphia, the Lord instructed them to, ‘Hold on so that no one, (man or devil), would steal their crown. This is a real battle with much at stake for every one of us. We cannot afford to lower our Guard, hence Jesus’ parables to watch and pray.

¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3

Hebrews 12:11 tells us that, ‘No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but later it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it’. The Lord tells the Laodiceans to pay attention to His Voice and His Discipline. If they’re willing to open themselves to Him then He will be able to help them, but He’ll never force His will on anyone.

Johnny Enlow gave a good example of this in his talk on the churches in Revelation. (Elijahstreams 3 March 2025) He said we are all running a race and there will be hurdles along the way that we have to come over or overcome. Those who can hurdle well will go forward with the Lord, but those who hit the hurdles will experience pain. A couple of the hurdles he mentioned were unforgiveness and disappointment. Some people drop out of the race completely because of these two things, but the challenge for everyone is to get over the hurdle, without the pain and continue to run our race. We all need to accept the Lord’s discipline and correction to do this properly. Don’t drop out of your race, there’s a crown for you if you continue to the finish line.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

⁷ ‘To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ⁸ I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word (TRUTH) and have not denied my name. (LOVE) Revelation 3

Philadelphia, means ‘brotherly love or fraternal affection’. The American city of this name was founded in October 1685 by the Quaker William Penn, but the original city called Philadelphia in the Bible is no longer known by that name in modern day Turkey.

We saw in Revelation 2 that the Lord complimented several good things in the Church in Ephesus, but He rebuked them because they had left or lost their first love. He told them that they had to repent and do the things they’d done at first or He would come and remove their lamp stand. Interesting that the Church is represented by a Lamp Stand, we are called to be salt and light in this dark world. (Chorus: This little light of mine, I’m gonna let shine…)

Philadelphia was one of only two churches that the Lord didn’t call to repent in Revelation. The other was Smyrna, which is a type of the ‘Persecuted Church’. Philadelphia was a Church that walked or functioned in LOVE AND TRUTH, as seen in verse 8 above. Johnny Enlow said Ephesus was a one-legged church, they’d majored so much in uncovering sin e.g. false apostles that they’d LOST THEIR FIRST LOVE. Philadelphia, which we saw meant ‘Brotherly Love’, kept hold of the Truth, but walked in Love. THEY WERE A BALANCED CHURCH. The Church to which we belong should be committed to both, according to the Lord’s words in Revelation.

Finally, I have a memory from many years ago, when the Lord gave me the first part of verse 8 in a church meeting. A minister and his family had only recently come to N.Ireland from living in Southern Africa. He was sharing in a meeting in the Church we attended and the Lord had called him to organise a prayer march around this province for peace. (The troubles were still ongoing in N.Ireland at that time) The Spirit began to move in the meeting after the preaching and people were sharing different words. I shared the verse above;

⁸ I know your deeds. SEE, I HAVE PLACED BEFORE YOU AN OPEN DOOR THAT NO ONE CAN SHUT. Revelation 3

The Lord had given the same scripture to this brother before they left Southern Africa and it encouraged him for what lay ahead when he received it again. God used it to strengthen him and his family at a time of great change in their lives. God also spoke words of comfort to the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia because they were standing firm and honouring Him in the face of opposition.

¹⁰ Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Revelation 3

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

⁶ The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
    BUT KNOWLEDGE COMES EASILY TO THE DISCERNING. Proverbs 14

⁶ Cynics look high and low for wisdom—and never find it;
    the open-minded find it right on their doorstep! Proverbs 14, The Message Bible, MSG

I was struck by the second part of this verse in Proverbs 14, that Knowledge Comes Easily to the Discerning. I believe that we can benefit much from speaking this over ourselves and also our children and grandchildren e.g.

Knowledge comes easily to John or Mary, insert the name you want blessed.

Kat Kerr said on a recent broadcast that we should ask God for ‘Understanding’, so begin to declare this today.

⁵ let the wise listen and add to their learning,
    and LET THE DISCERNING GET GUIDANCE Proverbs 1

¹⁰ Where there is strife, there is pride,
    but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Proverbs 13

³¹ Whoever heeds life-giving correction
    will be at home among the wise. Proverbs 15

²⁵ Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
    rebuke the DISCERNING, and they will gain knowledge. Proverbs 19

I also believe that there is much benefit in being Discerning, and we should listen to those who have this gift. They may not always get it right, but often those with Discernment see the right way in situations which others are not aware of.

¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes;
    but one who is poor AND DISCERNING SEES THROUGH THEM. Proverbs 28

May the Lord bless us with greater discernment and understanding today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

⁴ Yet I hold this against you: YOU HAVE FORSAKEN YOUR FIRST LOVE. ⁵ Consider how far you have fallen! REPENT AND DO THE THINGS YOU DID AT FIRST. Revelation 2

The apostle John was taken into heaven and was given a powerful revelation by the Lord, extending to the end of the Age. Revelation chapters 2 & 3 speak of the Lord’s judgment on seven churches in Asia Minor or modern day Turkey. The birthplace of the New Testament Church has been seriously eroded by the devil, through persecution and false religion.

The first of the seven churches was the Church in Ephesus and the Lord began His revelation by selecting the things for which the Church could be praised.

² I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. ³ You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Revelation 2

The Lord praised the Church in Ephesus for their, ‘hard work and perseverance, for testing and exposing false apostles and for enduring hardships in His name and not growing weary’. That’s a lot of praise pluses, or benefits, but then the Lord begins to speak of things He’s not happy with, namely, ‘they’ve LOST THEIR FIRST LOVE’, of the Lord Himself.

Johnny Enlow called Ephesus a, ‘ONE-LEGGED CHURCH’. They had the leg of truth in place, but they didn’t have the leg of Love for the Lord. (Elijahstreams 3 March 2025)

³⁶ ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’

³⁷ Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. Matthew 22

While He was on earth Jesus said the most important thing was to Love God with our whole heart. Those who love won’t break God’s Law, like the man we mentioned in an earlier blog, who was delivering people using the Lord’s Name. Jesus told the disciples not to rebuke such a one, because he was for them and not against them.

Ephesus was a Truth based church who’d exposed false apostles, but the Lord rebuked them for losing their Love for God. Western culture and perhaps other cultures today are knowledge based, with much emphasis on learning and academic achievement. Daniel spoke of the increase of knowledge in the Last Days, Daniel 12:4

The Lord is shaking this world system and the Church today and many things are being brought to the surface. The Church in Ephesus had some positive characteristics, but their hearts had become closed to their God, which is a dangerous place to be in. We need to realise that in ourselves we deserve nothing and that we depend on God’s goodness for everything. This may be a good time to take inventory and to show God that we truly love Him above all things. Hallelujah

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

29 ^1-2 Bravo, God, bravo!
    Gods and all angels shout, “Encore!”
IN AWE BEFORE THE GLORY,
    IN AWE BEFORE GOD’S VISIBLE POWER.
Stand at attention!
    Dress your best to honour him! The Message Bible, MSG

I like the wording in the Message Bible for the opening verses of Psalm 29, another of David’s great psalms to the God of Israel. David begins by addressing the heavenly beings surrounding the throne of God in heaven. He tells them to, ‘Ascribe to the Lord GLORY AND STRENGTH, due to His Name’. David must have been shown the throne of God and those around the throne and His response was to tell those ‘gods and angels’ to worship the true God. More people today are being taken to heaven, God is preparing His Church for what lies ahead, the outpouring of His Spirit in tremendous power. The worship of God coming forth on the earth will ascend right up to His throne in heaven.

³ The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵ The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. Psalm 29

The psalm continues with SEVEN VERSES ATTRIBUTING SEVEN TIMES THE POWER AND MAJESTY OF GOD’S VOICE. Seven is the number of completion and perfection;

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

² By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 2

In the last line of this section in psalm 29:9, describing the attributes of God’s Voice, David returns to those worshipping God in His temple.

⁹ The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
    and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’ Psalm 29

David concludes the psalm by reminding us that God sits enthroned over the whole earth, He reigns over all the creation. He says God sits enthroned over the flood, which can represent the nations, ‘The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, ARE PEOPLES, MULTITUDES, NATIONS AND LANGUAGES’. Revelation 3:17

¹⁰ The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord is enthroned as King for ever.
¹¹ THE LORD GIVES STRENGTH TO HIS PEOPLE;
    THE LORD BLESSES HIS PEOPLE WITH PEACE. Psalm 29

David concludes that despite everything he faced and that Israel and the Church face, God’s throne is above it all!  We need to remember and give thanks that OUR GOD REIGNS OVER ALL.

May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.