Author: U1tt9i1d93

Yesterday we saw in Ezekiel 20 how the Lord had given Israel the Sabbath(6 times He called it ‘My Sabbath’) as a sign that He’d made them holy(set them apart for Himself). We also noted God told them, ‘to remove the vile images from before their eyes’ and related this to what is being viewed on various media by us as believers. The Jewish people switch off their Phones, Television and Internet on Shabbat(which begins this evening!), for around  25 hours and this is a challenge to us as believers today. We who have a far better covenant in Christ, paid for by His sacrifice on the cross, the Lamb of God offered in our place.

Ezekiel 20 also gives God’s verdict concerning Israel and their waywardness towards Him and His standards and values.

You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone(‘their hearts were devoted to their idols’ V16). BUT WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND WILL NEVER HAPPEN. As surely as I live declares the Sovereign Lord, I will rule over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm…”. Ezek 20:32, 33

God would not permit Israel to be like the nations(Jewish people have a fear of assimilation/being absorbed into the world and loosing their identity), His plan for the Messiah to come depended on them remaining holy, separated to Him.

I will take note of you as you pass under my rod and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against Me. Ezek 20:37, 38

The rod of God speaks of His discipline(His staff speaks of His comfort) and God tells Israel that He will purge them of those who rebel against Him. God promised Israel that He would bring them back from the nations into their inheritance, Ezek 20:42. I believe that this is also happening in the Nations and the Church today, God is sifting people. We are living in a very crucial time in history and God is ‘bringing a people into the bond of covenant with Himself’. We need to cleave/hold tight to the Lord in these days, remember He doesn’t demand perfection, but faithfulness and love towards Him and His ways.

Please support Father’s Love Ministry and help us to continue our ministry to the Lord. Remember, you’re going where you’re giving, your gifts are seen by the Lord and He is faithful.

You can Donate now on our webpage;

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We are willing to seek the Lord for words of encouragement and direction for those who would like  personal help.

God bless and keep you today.

Ezekiel chapter 20 begins with the elders of Israel coming to sit before the prophet and enquire of the Lord.

God is angry with Israel because they have disobeyed His Laws and commands and desecrated His Sabbaths.

Also I gave them MY Sabbaths AS A SIGN between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy. Ezk 20:12

God actually calls them ‘MY Sabbaths’, 6 times in this chapter. Time set apart for Him; to be with Him.

Orthodox Jews, both in Israel and outside, strictly observe the Sabbath. They switch off their phones, televisions and internet. I remember a leader living in Jerusalem, saying it was such a blessing(so peaceful), to switch off their phone! I believe many of God’s people today, myself included, have become addicted to technology. It used to be that people couldn’t live without their televisions, for example if they broke down. The problem today has increased many fold with mobile phones, tablets and iPads which are always present. This is a major challenge for us to set aside this technology which has been a great blessing and focus on God. God will not be second to anything else in our lives and the way we spend our time shows clearly what or who is ruling over us. Our flesh always want its own way.

And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the VILE IMAGES you have set your eyes on and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, I am the lord your God”. Ezek 20:7

…and desecrated MY Sabbaths. For their hearts WERE DEVOTED TO THEIR IDOLS. Ezek 20:16

It’s not just a question of HOW MUCH TIME we’re spending on this technology, but WHAT WE’RE FEEDING through our eyes and ears, the gates to our souls! Society has changed so rapidly with technology, WHAT WAS UNTHINKABLE ONLY A GENERATION AGO IS COMMONPLACE TODAY.(‘Vile images’ are the norm on our screens). We have to ask who or what is moulding and shaping/the major influences on our lives and the lives of our families today?

Can we learn something vital from the Jewish people, who faithfully switch off the bombardment of this world from their lives for a day of rest every week?

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath”. Mark 2:27

God gave mankind the Sabbath to be a blessing, a day of rest, to reflect and recalibrate our lives. We would be wise to accept His gift and switch off or keep out the world from our lives.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

Christ in us the hope of glory.

It’s never Christ plus something, it’s only ever about the Spirit of God living through us. 2 Cor 3

Paul speaks much to the Corinthian Church about their position as New Covenant believers. He keeps talking about the Spirit(of God) within them/us instead of obeying Law.

You yourselves are our letter(Living Letter), written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 2 Cor 3:3

We are also a letter from Christ to the world of our day; God has written on our hearts by His Spirit. The old saying, ‘people who don’t or won’t read their Bible will read our lives’. People do read the lives of believers and we may be the only letter they’ll ever read, so it’s important that the Spirit of God is seen in us. It’s not about being legalistic and perfect all the time but having a different Spirit to those around us in the world.

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant— not of the letter but of the Spirit, for THE LETTER KILLS BUT THE SPIRIT GIVES LIFE. 2 Cor 3:6. In 1 Cor 8:2 Paul says, ‘Knowledge PUFFS UP, BUT LOVE BUILDS UP’.

It’s not about what we know(which may actually make us conceited), it’s about who we are in Christ and how much His Spirit reigns in our lives that will touch those around us.

Paul goes on to talk about Moses and how the Israelites couldn’t look at his face because of the glory. He calls it the ‘ministry that condemns men’ and says ‘the new ministry that brings righteousness’.

Paul says there is a veil covering the hearts of those who hear the Law but don’t know Christ(how many religious people sit in churches today, dull of mind, with this veil over their hearts? We say ‘Gospel hardened’). ‘It(the veil) has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord the veil is taken away. 2 Cor3:14, 15.

Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is, THERE IS FREEDOM(Praise God, we were made for freedom, not religion). And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect/contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being TRANSFORMED INTO HIS LIKENESS with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:17, 18.

Believers have true freedom in Christ and when His Spirit reigns in our lives, others will be touched for Him.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

 

I have had this verse of Scripture heavy on my heart today. Anne Mccartney

Matthew 16:8.

You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread.
I heard the Father say stop complaining and start praising. Our God inhabits the praises of His people.
He is not a stingy Father.
Start looking up to Him and not down at your circumstances. Change is about to come.
Rejoice again I say rejoice!!

Dying to self, living to the Lord.

With her two daughters-in-law SHE LEFT the place where she had been living and SET OUT ON THE ROAD that would take them back to the land of Judah. Ruth 1:7

Naomi had experienced three deaths(she may have coped with one or even two but all hope was gone), her husband and her two sons. She’d heard that there was food again in Judah and there was nothing left for her in Moab, so she made the decision to return home to her own people.

GO BACK(seems good advice, just go back to where you’ve always been), each of you, to your mother’s home. Ruth 1:8

At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but RUTH, clung to her. “Look”, said Naomi, “your sister in law is going back to her people and her gods. GO BACK with her”. Ruth 1:14, 15

God gives us lots of opportunities to turn back but Ruth refused to go back, she clung to Naomi. This in a sense is the FOURTH DEATH in the Book of Ruth. A young woman gave up life as she had known it, with her people, her land where she’d always lived and her gods, to go and serve her mother-in-law. RUTH CHOSE A RELATIONSHIP(a close relationship) to set the future course of her life. Together they left Moab and walked back to Bethlehem.

Ruth’s destiny was with her poor and elderly mother-in-law. When she clung and held on to Naomi and gave up everything else she’d known she walked towards God’s Plan for her life.

We have to die to our plans for God’s purposes to prevail in our lives and be warned, it can be painful and the path may well be tough! God’s path may seem foolishness to those around us because our lives are working on a different compass. We’re not looking for the easiest or most advantageous plans for self, but for our Devine Destiny. Ruth gave up ALL HER PLANS, literally died to herself and began the exciting adventure of walking out someone else’s plan for her. Her destiny was to become the great grandmother of King David and an ancestor of the Messiah.

Many people may set out on the path the Lord has chosen and make the commitment to walk upon it;

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”. Ruth 1:16

On the first Sunday of January this year I had a significant  dream. Part of it was that the Lord would deal with my flesh and I can see that God has been bringing to death a number of areas in my life, not an easy experience. Not everyone will be as steadfast as Ruth when passing through the fire, the trials of our lives, but GOD IS FAITHFUL. He works to purify us for our good and for eternity.

Father’s Love is a faith based ministry and we appeal for your support to help us with the work. Please donate now at our webpage;

fathersloveministry.co.uk

We are willing to seek the Lord for personal words of encouragement for any who wish them. Please contact our webpage and request a word.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

 

STAY SWEET IN YOUR SOUL (Russ). Pastor Roy Walden Senior

I heard this quote from Russell Walden on ‘Outpouring America’ (new series on Spiritual Fathers/Mothers – Part 1) and it stayed with me. The Lord told Russ to leave his high level ministry position, deputy director of a denomination and serve his father, while working to support himself and his family. Russ was placed in a hidden/obscure role for a lengthy period(God’s dealings with us are thorough) after having having risen to prominence at an early age.

The Lord Himself, had to keep His own heart free of bitterness even while in great pain and suffering, hanging on the cross. Despite the mocking of the religious rulers Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”. He also forgave one of the two criminals hanging there with Him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”. Luke 23:34, 43.

Paul, had to endure great hardship and physical abuse for the sake of the Gospel. Yet some of his own spiritual children in the Corinthian Church, caused him much grief.

So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved?  I wrote as I did so that when I came I should not be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice. 2 Cor 2:1,2,3

David said, “Even my close friend whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me”. Ps 41:9

Often it seems that those closest to us and who have the power to hurt us the most are those used to wound us! Yet David, Paul and the Lord Himself kept their hearts right before God.

Two kings in the Old Testament, Asa who served the Lord for many years and Ahaziah, who appears never to have known the Lord, turned away from Him in anger/bitterness and died in pain and misery.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring (source) of life. Prov 4:23

The painful experiences and God ordained trials of this life will either make us BITTER OR BETTER. Many exclude themselves through anger or bitterness from their God given destinies.

STAY SWEET IN YOUR SOUL!

God bless and keep you this day.

 

 

 

Three things to remember, or commit to memory and declare that God has done for us!

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He has anointed us(1), set His seal of ownership on us(2) and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come(3). 2 Cor 1:21,22

Paul speaks of these three things that God has done from His side to help and enable us to stand firm in our faith, V24

The Anointing – Dear children, this is the last hour;…But you have an anointing from the Holy One and all of you know the truth. …As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you…the anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real… remain in Him. 1 Jn 2:18,20,27.

John speaks about the Anointing to believers as ‘Dear children’ and for ‘this last hour’, a word for us today. God’s Anointing ‘remains in us’ to teach us and be a safeguard for us. We all know things by the Spirit that we don’t know in the natural, through our minds. Don’t dismiss the thoughts which seem to come unbidden, God may be speaking to us.

Set His Seal of ownership upon us – marked us as His own. Company seals are used to authenticate legal or important documents, their mark of approval, not something which is given lightly.

We see way back in Genesis 38:18, Judah, the line for the Messiah, was treating Tamar, his daughter in law unfairly. She became pregnant directly through Judah and gave birth to twin boys; Perez was  recorded in the genealogy Matt 1:3. Tamar presented Judah’s seal, cord and staff to confirm that he was the father of her twins, indisputable proof. God’s Seal on us confirms beyond all doubt that we are His!

Put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come – God has made a down payment or deposit  on each of us(also in 2Cor 5:5), none other than His Holy Spirit living inside us. Jesus said, ‘It is to your advantage that I go away…if I go I will send the Helper to you’. Jn 16:7 NASB.

So God has done these three marvellous, irrefutable things for all of His Children. He has anointed us, sealed us and deposited His Spirit(God Himself) within us, as HIS GUARANTEE OF WHAT’S TO COME! Be thankful and don’t lose heart, we have the great and loving God with us.

God bless and keep you today and every day.

 

 

 

God stands ready to confirm His word and His will and it is a safeguard for us. Don’t be in a hurry to rush ahead, wait for Him to open the door fully before you go through it.

”…so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”. Deut 17:6, 19:15, Matt 18:16, 2 Cor 13:1, 1 Tim 5:19

In Luke 1, eighty verses, a number of things happened twice. Two visitations by the Archangel Gabriel (Zechariah and Mary), two miraculous births, two names from Heaven (John and Jesus) and two prophetic songs (Mary and Zechariah).

When Jesus was born, the rejoicing angels visited the shepherds in the open fields near Bethlehem, to tell them of His birth. The shepherds were nearby and alone when the angels appeared to them.

The wise men from the East came bringing their gifts for the King. They had seen the star that announced His birth and made the journey to Bethlehem to worship the King.

The story of the baby Jesus being taken to the Temple in Luke 2 also provides us with two witnesses to His real identity. The elderly Simeon who was moved by the Spirit and had been told he’d see the Messiah before he died. He prophesied over the child, his mother and the nation of Israel. ‘There was also a prophetess, Anna, very old, who never left the Temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem’. Two devout servants, a man and a woman, testified at Jesus presentation at the Temple.

Through these events God made it very clear that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah, the Son of God Himself, come as a baby to earth. He gave repeated confirmations through many different people that this child was the Lord.

God wants us to know His will for our lives and to follow it, but He also knows and loves us. He wants to reassure us of His care and encourage us in the steps of Faith on our life’s journey. Don’t hesitate to ask Him for His confirmation for your life today and be at peace until the way opens.

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to show Himself strong to those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. 2 Chron 16:9

Father’s Love Ministry is a faith based work and we would appeal for your support to help the Ministry. PLEASE DONATE today on our webpage at;

fathersloveministry.co.uk

We are willing to seek the Lord for personal words of encouragement and direction for those who wish them. A donation is welcomed for this service.

 

 

 

The Water of Life, a Living/Life Giving Water.

The Bible speaks a lot about water and in hot, dry lands natural water is life.

In the early part of John’s Gospel, Jesus spoke to two different groups of people about the ‘Water of Life’.

Jesus answered her(Samaritan woman), “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you Living Water. … but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life”. John 4:10, 14

The Water of Life is meant to bubble up and spring forth in our lives. Natural springs of water are visible, so should God’s life in us be obvious to others.

Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let them come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will FLOW FROM WITHIN THEM. By this He meant the Spirit…” John 7:37,38

The Water of Life, God’s Spirit and Life in us, should be evident to all around us.

Isaiah prophesied centuries before Jesus the Messiah came, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost”. Isa 55:1

God’s invitation is to even the poorest, those who have no money are welcome to drink and eat at God’s Table.

The theme of ‘Living Water’ continues all the way to the last book and even to the last chapter of Bible.

“To the thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. They who overcome will inherit all this, and I will be there God and they will be my children”. Rev 21:6

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city… The Spirit and the bride say, “Come”! And let him who hears say, “Come”!  Whoever is thirsty, let them come; and whoever wishes, let them take the free gift of the water of life”. Rev 22:1, 17

It seems that God is emphasising right to the end of His Word that people can come and drink of this Life Giving Water and the price has been paid by His Son, Jesus our Messiah. What a wonderful, generous God, who wants to have children with Him to share all eternity.

God bless you and may you be blessed this day.

 

 

Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 2 John 8

We have to play until the final whistle/until God calls time. If we once stop going forward with the Lord we are in danger!

I have been looking at the lives of Judah’s kings recently and two of them stand out. They both started well but unlike king David they didn’t finish the course set for them.

Joash had been a good king of Judah, restoring the Lord’s Temple, the heart of the nation. His mentor and father figure the priest, Jehoida lived until he was 130 years old.

As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the Lord . 2 Chron 24:14

After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king and HE LISTENED TO THEM. They abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of the fathers, and worshipped Asherah poles and idols. 2 Chron 24:17

The king’s heart was turned away from God because he listened to people who DIDN’T FEAR THE LORD. One of the strongest influences in and upon our lives comes from other people, people like us! GODLY OR GODLESS INFLUENCE , which will WE choose?

The second king was Asa, King of Judah and he’d fought a battle against a much larger army. ‘The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah’.

They sought God eagerly and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side. … there was no more war until the 35th year of Asa’s reign. 2 Chron 15:15, 19

Asa had enjoyed peace but ‘in the 36th year of his reign, Basha king of Israel(same people as Judah) laid siege to Judah’. After all those years, Asa decided NOT TO SEEK THE LORD but bribed the King of Aram to attack Israel, which successfully broke the siege, but the Lord wasn’t pleased.

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the Earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him(this verse is a great promise from the Lord). You have done a foolish thing and from now on you will be at war. 2 Chron 16:9

Asa imprisoned Hanani the seer, sent to him with the message and completely turned away from God. Somehow the enemy had twisted Asa’s thinking and his heart towards God.

In the 39th year of his reign Asa was was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in is illness he did not seek help from the Lord. 2 Chron 16:13

Our commitment, or covenant, to the Lord must be for our entire lives. Lord may we serve You wholeheartedly and for all of our lives.

Jesus said three times, ‘but the one who STANDS FIRM TO THE END WILL BE SAVED’. Matt 10:22, 24:13 Mark 13:13

God bless and keep you today.