Article Depo

If we believe we are in the last days, we need to quit calling God’s messengers ‘false prophets’ (Je.25:4). Hell, fire, and brimstone preaching is not a prophet’s passion, but the result of other’s unbelief. Prophets feel whatever God feels and are honor bound to warn unbelieving people they also love.

For fear of an antichrist or Jonestown type experience, leaders hush prophets by whatever means possible; all the while, feeling justified. And, people continue to believe whatever they are told.

\”And (they) say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.\” Mt. 23:30

Most prophets dare not come out of the closet. ‘If we talk to God, we are spiritual. If God talks to us, we are scitsophrenic.’

While many truly have a heart for God’s people, they error in deciding when, who, and how people can serve (becoming Pharaohs, creating spiritual wounds) when all they would need do is to listen for the Spirit and let God sit on their throne. The Spirit cannot lie.

It makes no difference how one is qualified, as faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it. For, it is God who builds HIS church.

Instead, pride is placed upon one’s knowledge and abilities; forgetting such will pass away. You might notice who Jesus would become angry with (not the spiritually weak, poor, sick, or lame) but leaders who kept them that way.

God will do whatever it takes to make sure those who are saved will be saved. When I asked how many prophecies have to come to pass, God answered, \”As many as it takes.\”

\”For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another,\” Mt. 24:7-10.

While people look to giant earthquakes, they are missing that the very foundation of their families are being shaken; the center of their world. The famine is spiritual, and they are starving for prophets to be allowed to show them the way, Re.22:6.

Prophecies are happening individually, everywhere, while the church sleeps on. We are Jews who worship in Spirit and truth, and adopted Israelites (Ro. 9:4).

With all the religions in the world, it is insulting God to think any have all the answers. There is only one omnipotent, all knowing God. Stop telling God what He believes. Do not believe everything you hear and let us not quench the Spirit before God has had a chance to speak.

If your life is not peace, it would be good to consider what is really going on. God wants His throne back. If you really want to see revival; Let My People Go, so they can serve God.

Perhaps peace begins once we realize we are all in the same boat and God gave us gifts to help each other find our way.

If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.

Set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.

God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.

Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good. I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things. Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name. Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also.

Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.

Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness … Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children … Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets … and all these things shall be added unto you … how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

If you are a salesperson (not only because it is your job but, you actually happen to be good at it), just think. How many sales did you make last year? Last month? Last week? A lot? Probably, you would have sold more in a better economy. Though still, you likely sold way more than you can readily remember. Was that 100 customers? 1,000? 100,000? More?

Imagine if you were to use that same great charm to sell Jesus? Wow, what an impact!!! Now, multiply that by a few years and that is really a lot of changed lives!!!

Ok, so maybe you are not a salesperson. How are you at advertising? Isn’t it fun to continually have more ideas of ways to reach just one more customer and often thousands!? Just think how the world would view differently if you were to use all that creativity to say … advertise God.

Can’t you just see it, now, a neon light in every public restroom? Oh, we could have so much fun! Soon, the idea would catch on and God’s name would be on every pair of tennis shoes, on every bath robe. There is no place people couldn’t go without being reminded of God and, wherever He’s included, that is that much less room for Satan.

Is that too active for you? Ok, let us say you are a writer, an artist, a musician. You have wares to share, so do it. If you haven’t been discovered already, odds are that you are not going to win the Mr. or Miss America pageant by keeping your gift hidden. Just think of the thousands and hundred thousands your gift could already be ministering to. And, when you give to God, He gives you more! Why not go for the world title!?

What is your gift? I am about certain that you have at least one. So, your health isn’t cooperating. That is pretty common, these days. In fact, the devil must get his jollies at the ways he convinces us that we can not serve. Are you not about tired of it, too?

You do have a telephone, don’t you? How about a computer? And, there is, still, the old fashioned snail mail. Ask God to show you something you can do. That will teach the old fart a lesson!

If you use the gift God gives you, He will give you another one, too! Then, when you use both gifts for the Lord, He will double it again, and again! There is no longer any reason to whine about how others are more gifted than you. Get going! One gift is a good place to start; at just your speed. How do you think I ended up with so many different gifts!? It really works!

And, do you know what else? Now, this is really cool! If you make just one person smile, they will feel happier and will, in turn, make at least a couple more people smile. Then, you have two new people smiling who will, in turn, make two more people smile. You started with one smile, which was yours. And now, that seed has already multiplied seven times, when all you did was smile!

The same is true in sharing joys of the Lord. Each time you minister to someone, they will find opportunity to share it again. It’s kind of like the Energizer bunny. It keeps going and going. Some seed multiplies a little, some up to a hundred fold. It could even be more!

Thank God that we don’t have to count how much our seed gets multiplied. All we have to do is offer the seed and God will take it from there.

I, often, wonder if the person who led Billy Graham to the Lord had any idea what they had done. One seed multiplied more times than anyone but God can count. Have you ever thought to realize it could be your seed that will reach the next Billy Graham?

Just think of all the good we could accomplish were we to quit letting others tell us that we can’t. Why, we could change the world … if we would just think.

\”Take, eat: this is my body which is broken for you: do this …\”

The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female? And the Pharisees said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

If thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

But from the beginning it was not so. God created man in his own image; male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The husband is the head of the wife, but Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. Which he wrought in Christ … and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body.

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. For God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. For the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.



If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. Continue ye in my love. John 15:7-9

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And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.

And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?

Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom. For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him? Hath thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.

Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power.

Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.

Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.

He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength: Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me. And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.

O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured.

Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?

Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

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. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

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To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

If God is truly God and in control of all things, then the battles we face, whatever they be, are really only in the mind.

The devil is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. The only power the devil has is to roar, except we give him power over our minds.

Whatever we hope to accomplish, by carrying weights and burdens, is futile. These are yokes God never intended us to carry. The battle belongs to the Lord. In some instances, we have to let go before He is free to take over.

When one has a larger family (in order to keep peace, harmony, and sanity), structure and self-discipline become almost mandatory for all parties therein. In addition, having come from an abusive past, dissention of any kind threw mom into a tailspin. Perhaps as a result, she was always teaching about what love is and anything less was never going to be acceptable. Though, her plan of defense accomplished multiple purposes at the same time; keeping both house and home together for however the Lord might call upon our family next.

And being that mom also had the gift of teaching, one always knew there was purpose and benefit in her rules. The lessons that constituted our daily chores went something like this …

People tend to be polite, not only to others they do not like but even to those that actually make them angry. They’ll even work at it, as to how to remove themselves from a situation in which they really feel like exploding. And, most generally, that is considered to be a good thing, to maintain one’s composure amidst adversity. However, they tend to take those bottled up frustrations home with them, then take it out on ones they love the most; which makes no sense. Why would you work harder toward giving a right response to people you don’t even care about than you do when upset with those you love? And, why would you want to keep hurting the people you really love and need?

Family is to stick together, to love each other, and to be there for each other. When you make family your enemy, you will always eventually lose. Besides, you may need them to be there for you, some day.

It is never ever ok to hurt the people you love. Acts of unkindness would be responded to with penalty and fighting met with even further resistance; no exceptions.

1.) Part of being a valuable member to society is to take responsibility for your own actions, instead of leaving whatever mistake or mess you make for others to have to deal with. And, not only is it not very loving to expect mom to be your maid but, in the real world, there will be no one to fix your messes or mistakes.

So, a good place to begin learning accountability is this … if you make a mess, it is yours to clean up. In fact, this doesn’t even count as a chore. This is your responsibility as a person, in addition to chores.

2.) Laziness is an ugly spirit, void of love; exemplary of one’s lack of wanting to be a participant of the whole. Not only is it unkind and sometimes hurtful to neglect at other’s expense, but it is also dirty, unsanitary, and thoughtless of anyone besides themselves. Therefore, it will not be tolerated.

Every child is to have one age appropriate chore assignment per day, at least week days (whether that assignment includes more than one chore or not); excluding the kitchen.

Then, if an additional family project is needed, it might be taken up on a weekend (everyone pitching in); wherein mom made working together fun and the job got done faster, too.

Being a part of a family is not something you can opt out of, just because you don’t feel like it. Parents don’t even get to take a day off from being a parent when they’re sick. So, a child’s lack of initiative is not be a viable excuse. If said chore is not done on the given day, unless otherwise pardoned, that child could be gotten out of bed at mid-night, if need be, to get it done.

Note: the daily chore should be lighter provided item #3 is also implemented.

3.) Learning to work as a team is a necessary tool for life.

Upon age of ability to learn, every child would have a part in the preparation of meals and or clean up of the kitchen; without complaint.

Those who participate in the preparation of a given family meal may or may not be excused from cleanup, depending upon fairness and necessity.

Children may have the option of choosing their particular kitchen chore(s), provided that works toward the benefit of the whole; final decision is up to adult(s), which decision may or may not alter daily and may also depend upon an individual child’s need to learn a new task.

No one is excused from kitchen detail, unless otherwise pardoned, until the entire project is complete. Therefore, it is to the benefit of the whole to help each other toward completing needed tasks. And, it goes much more smoothly when everyone makes up their mind to get along.

4.) If children have such excessive penned up energy but what they can’t seem to stop picking on each other or a general running off of the mouth which seems to be controlling them, these precious angels must have a serious physical problem they need our help with.

Therefore, except a stronger response is deemed necessary, each and every verbal and physical unkindness will be met with an additional chore that is to commence being accomplished from the moment so assigned. Of course, this law of consequences is only offered as a means to help them work off some of that penned up energy.

In such event, the first chore is to be minute. Then, if the behavioral issue is not immediately resolved, kindly let them know they can complete another chore when they get that one done. This procedure is to be continued, slightly increasing the degree of pressure, with each offense, until a task can be completed (from start to finish) without sounding off or otherwise having acted out.

The remarkable thing is that most children catch on really fast. And, you thought it couldn’t be done.