If you feel like you are going through “dry times” with God, such as you don’t seem to hear His Voice much, He doesn’t seem near, your prayers seem to just go out into empty space,… then this is the book for you!”Victory In The Wilderness” by John Brevere.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 AMP”1. But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].
2 For people will be lovers of selfish and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.
3 [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, trouble makers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.
4 [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.
5 For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]. ”
I have two things to say about this passage.
First off, what does it mean in verse 5, “For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they they deny the power of it”?
First off, verses 1-5 is talking about Christians. (Reread verse 4 & 5 if you doubt).
So the Christians will be the harsh, proud, without natural [human] affection, self-centered, lovers of money and (etc) aroused by vain amusements MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD.
So how do we deny the Power of God? When we refuse the conviction of The Holy Spirit and REPENT.
John 16:7-11 AMP
“7 However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].
8 And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgement:
9 About sin, because they do not believe in Me [trust in, rely on, and adhere to Me];
10 About righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God), because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no longer;
11 About judgement, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him.”
The basic way to describe “sin” is to withhold our self from God our Creator.
In other words, we put our will above God’s Will.
We deny Father God the Reverence and Submission due to Him, and rebel against Him instead.
When we fear man (people) and what they think about us, more than fearing (by reverence) what God thinks about us or what He has told us to do.
When we demand our “rights”, above God’s Commands.
When we focus our eyes, ears, hearts, and minds on anything other than God, rather than worshiping Him, loving on Him, talking WITH Him, and asking Him what is in His heart.
When we put OURSELF above God. (AKA selfish, self-centered).
John Brevere said it perfectly in his book, “The Bait Of Satan” by saying, “The most effective way for the enemy to blind us is to cause us to focus on ourselves.” Page 1.
The word, “reprove” (in the KJV, “convict” in AMP) is #1651 Greek in the Strong’s Expanded Bible dictionary means “to confute, admonish:- reprove, rebuke, convince, tell (one’s) fault, convict.
This word means to rebuke another with the truth so that the person confesses, or at least is convicted of his sin. Although convicted, he may not be convinced.”
So people will deny The Power of The Holy Spirit by denying the truth of their heart’s conduction, of their sin.
The two greatest Commandments are found in Matthew 22:35-40. It states to “37 …LOVE The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).
38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.
39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.”
LOVE. Without LOVING God with all you are, and loving all people, we are in sin.
Period.
Re-read 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Do those Christians sound loving? No.
The Holy Spirit will convict us of our unloving hearts, minds, words and actions, if we let Him pierce our hearts with His Words.
We must NOT allow OURSELF (selfish, self centered) ways, (thoughts, words, ambitions, pride, etc) distort our view of God Almighty, The God of Love (see 1 John 4:7-13).
We must humble our hearts before Him. Submit all of who we are (mind, body, heart, body) to Him, and be quick to repent.
Only through His Love, (His Love flowing out of our hearts, minds, mouth and actions) can we truly live as one with Him.
(See John chapters 14-15).
Please read 1 John 4:7-13)
Book suggestions: “The Bait Of Satan” by John Brevere.
“The Secret Of The Stairs” by Wade E Taylor.
This is such a VITAL subject. This is the foundation that every Christian should know, and live, daily, along with LOVE.
I encourage you to get a copy. 🙂
This is how you bring down the walls of hate,… with LOVE! :*)
I would encourage you to read the whole third chapter of Ephesians 3. 🙂
Ephesians 3:17-19 AMP “17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, 18 be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; 19 and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].”
I was wondering what the word, ‘Rest’ from Hebrews 4:11 actually means. So I decided to do a short Periscope on how to use a Bible Concordance and a Bible Dictionary to look up the meaning. I hope this helps your studies more. 🙂
No, you do not need to download Periscope to watch.
A Word I received from Father early this morning, concerning America:
“My heart is for America. But My people have been lulled to sleep when they should be awake, alert and active in prayer and worship. Or they are distracted by the pleasures or problems of life.
The enemy is hard at work to take and keep your eyes off of Me and your ears closed to My Words!
There is a great shaking,… a great shaking, coming to you America. This is a desperate time for you.
You MUST wake up! You must press into Me with all your heart, with ok your mind, with ok your spirit!
Stay alert, stay focused on Me, listen for Me, for I AM Wisdom. I will help you in your time of need!
Does the Military train their Soldiers in the war? No! They are trained BEFORE they do battle to defend their Country.
You, My Children, have been distracted by sleep or entertainment, or problems instead of learning how to fight our enemy!
Don’t the farmers feed their pigs well, give them plenty of water and let them get big,… just to slaughter them?
This is the plan of the enemy! Wake up! Pleasures are not always a good thing!
Training takes work and is uncomfortable, but you will have strategy, ability, rank and My Strength to battle and win if you are willing and obedient to My training.
Stay alert! Stay active in Me. Listen for My orders, for My Wisdom and Counsel, and I will be The Rock that you will stand firm on in your time of need.
There will be a thousand problems going on around you, and you will be able to laugh at the face of it and say, “What is too hard for my God?”
Don’t fall sleep when you are supposed to be awake, prying and worshiping Me, for in the early hours, that is where you will find Me (Proverbs 8:17). In the Secret Place, that is where, I, Wisdom, will tell you things and give you strategy, hope and solutions.
Worship is a weapon! Don’t be fooled! Prayer is communication with Me. You need to hear My Voice, and seek My face as your vital need (Psalms 91, Psalms 31:20, Psalms 27:8).
Wake up America, so that the enemy does not slaughter you as the farmer does to the fattened pig in due season!
Seek Me, for I love you. Seek Me, with all of your heart, mind, spirit and strength, and you will find Me.
I am NEVER far from you.
Seek Me.”
Word from August 8, 2016
I cannot get enough of this song! “WONDER” by Bethel Music.
May we never lose our wonder.
“It Is Well” by Bethel Music. I encourage you to listen and sing along. Sing loud, and let your circumstances hear you! 🙂
Bride & Altar 