Unbelief is evil

HEB 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

The provocation that they speak of above: 

NUM 21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

This may seem like a strange prescription for something as deadly as a snake bite but God is big on the symbolism thing. Let's look at what Jesus reveals about this scene: 

JOHN 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

to put things in perspective, the Israelites by this time in the dessert in Numbers 21, had already seen many miracles that God had performed for them. God was feeding them with the manna however, it was not good enough for them. They had been walking through the dessert long enough, to believe that Pharaoh had better provisions for them in Egypt and had forgotten what it was like to be enslaved by him. There was a false sense of security growing among them.  They would have rather of gone back to the slavery that God had freed them from in order to feel a temporary sense of satisfaction. They were basing their beliefs on what they were able to see in the natural, rather than remembering what God had done for them already and having faithful expectation of what He had promised them for their future. Instead of relying on God to meet what they needed at that time, they had grown impatient and rose themselves up to a position of knowing better than God what they needed the most. They no longer trusted in God's faithfulness to see them through to the promised land. A land so much better than anything that they had seen up to that point in their lives if they would only remain faithful to God and not grow weary. 

Does this sound familiar? When I think of the thoughts that the devil was filling their minds with, I think of the fiery darts that he shoots at us when we are most vulnerable. It is our shield of Faith (belief) that protects our hearts from letting these darts penetrate. His plan seems to be the same, to have us believe that God is holding out on us, rather than allowing us to have time in between our blessings so that He is able to build the character that is needed within us to sustain them once we have them. 

The devil likes to derail our Faith train by urging us to focus on what we are able to see with our physical eyes and figure out by reasoning with our minds, rather than having the eyes that are able to see those things things that God has promised will be fulfilled in His perfect timing by ways that we know not, in His strength and not ours. It is not important that know the plan, we know the One that does. 

So what kept the Israelites that perished from following a very simple set of instructions in order to have life? They thought they knew better (pride) or they were too scared to obey or they simply did not believe it would work. In regards to the serpents being as thoughts that come from the devil, I can see how we would need to expose each and everyone one of those thoughts (lies), so that we are able to better hold them up them in judgement to the Truth that lives in our hearts. If we do not choose to look at the lies for what they are, they will continue on as our truth rather than His Truth and we will perish if we allow it to continue on for too long. 

Birth in the Spirit happens when we truly BELIEVE in God's Words over the lies of the devil and ourselves.This sets us free from the bondage that many things of this world have to offer us if we should put our desire for them in front of our desire for His Truth.  

Measure all things that you desire against the plumb line of our God and His Words. If they do not line up, cast them aside for they will prove to enslave you and make you miserable in due time. 

Lastly, know that you are saved if you believe in the promise that you shall have everlasting life in the name of Jesus Christ and what He has done for you. Salvation is something that you will never attain without Him. Receive His Grace today and rest in Him. 

John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

48 I am that bread of life.

49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

A Grocery Store Encounter

It was rather cold Saturday night and I was leaving a friend's house from watching a movie. I didn't want to go to the grocery, it was late and I was tired however the weather report is calling for icy rain Sunday and so I thought I had better go ahead and take care of it.

I rushed in and had planned on grabbing what I needed and running back out. As I was turning the corner of the Little Debbie's display, I noticed a woman in an electric scooter  trying to reach past her basket, (that was the fullest basket I had ever seen),  and grab some of the divine treats that laid before her. She was struggling and so I asked her if I could help. She seemed so relieved that someone was there but I could tell she didn't want to accept my help. More often times than not, people want our help and are afraid to ask. I am willing to take the chance for that reason of the slim chance that someone take offense when I just go ahead and help them.

It didn't take her long to become comfortable with the idea of having the help. Her cart was so full and I only had a small cart myself that I was in the process of overfilling. I ran to get yet a third cart for us and it did not take her long to fill it.

As I was helping her, it became clear why I was there. I believe that there are some things that can be coincidences but there are others, that you know are divine appointments. She was clearly grieving the loss of her Mother that used to grocery shop with her. She had been cancer free for 3 years but is getting ready to go back in for another surgery in  a couple of weeks for something else that was spotted.  As we talked, I shared some things that I was going through and it was as if her countenance moved from heartbroken to delivered, happy and free.. She told me that she didn't know that there could  ever be someone out there like her, dealing with the same issues. One thing that stood out to me about her is that she had been a hard worker all her life. She sent her two children through a private school and while she was married, her husband did not work or help her with anything.  She had mentioned several times how strong her Mother was and that she wished she was strong like her. The husband that she has now loves her dearly and told her that he wanted her to only work one job and not three any longer. He could see it was taking it's toll on her. She was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago and had to stop working in order to begin her healing process. After she had mentioned several times that she wished she was as strong as her Mother, (her Mother was a worker too), I reminded her that sometimes in life, it takes more strength to rest when we are called to rest than to continue to push ourselves to try to prove a point. Our bodies need rest when we are sick, it is how they heal. The look on her face was as if it was the first time that she had heard that concept. While I enjoyed hearing her story, I was exhausted and so after a good hour or so I walked her up to the counter and helped her checkout and wait for her husband.

I still had grocery shopping to do and I didn't realize that the store closed at 1:00AM. So, it was a surprise to me when I started to finish and they announced that it was time to bring the final purchases to the front of the store..The girl that was at the checkout that had just seen me walk through with the woman that I had just met. I feel she was so touched that I had helped the lady, she asked me if I needed to grab anything else that I didn't get to pick up. We started to talk and found that we had a lot in common as well.

Thank God for the coupons that were going to expire, that led me to that store rather than the one that was right by my house. He always has an adventure for every one of us if we are willing to see it. I will never forget the joy in her voice and smile on her face when she called her husband,  to tell him how excited she was to meet someone just like her. It was well worth the trip.

The Battle of 5 Armies .. spoiler alert wait until you have seen the movie to read

This blog will start out with two older blogs... 

BLOGGED 5/5/13, 6:43 PM

on Tuesday 3-19-2012 at 12:32PM, I received a birthday gift from a dear friend of mine. It arrived in a silver box with my full name engraved on the top. It reminded me of the type of gift box that may have been like one that the three kings had presented to Jesus so long ago. Inside there was a black velvet pouch that had another pink velvet pouch inside of that. This pouch had a set of silver dog tags in it. The top plate has a trellis like design and a cut out heart so that you can see through it to the bottom plate. The front of the bottom plate has my Army Serial number art323, my position Disciple of God (DOG) and the back of that same plate has HOPE 111 engraved on it. When the top plate is directly aligned with the bottom, you can see the words OF GOD inside the heart that is on the top plate. The initials are smaller case to remind me to stay humble. The message of HOPE 111 was a revelation that God had shared with me a few years ago that I had shared with my friend.

 

I remember before this package had arrived that day, I was in the restroom at work and when I looked in the mirror, I had acknowledged that the outfit I was wearing reminded me that I am in the Army of Lord. It was a black T shirt with a silver Jesus Fish and Capri's that had camouflage on them.

 

Some may call this a coincidence but I know that it was not. It was a confirmation for me that I am a part of His Army. It was as if He was handing me the dogs tags Himself.

 

For the last few years I had made it a point to have dinner on Monday nights at my Mom's, (who lived with my Grandma),. I brought my son with me, and eventually my Brother started coming and he would bring his girlfriend. Once Kyle started to date someone, he would bring her as well. Eventually, my brother started bringing his friends at times. Everyone had always been welcomed in that house and my loving Mother with a gift of serving had made it a feeling of home for all.

 

When I came to my Mom's house that night, I had noticed that every single person that was in the house had camouflage on. This was actually pretty unusual and even my Mom had it on. Granted hers was a Disney shirt with blue camouflage but camo nonetheless, LOL.

 

As I am writing this story now, I do so with a smile in my heart mixed with sadness and revelation. There has been much turmoil on my Grandmothers side of the family in the way of the siblings. They are all very kindhearted, loving people however the family was steeped in religion that bore it's natural fruit of judgement and condemnation, rather than love and mercy towards each other. Needless to say, once my Grandmother passed last year, it has only gotten worse. I am not sure why my Grandmother did not  leave the house to my Mother who moved in with her and had taken care of her but I suppose it is not my place to judge her actions. I stand with a broken heart watching the family succumb to the spirit of Greed in ways that I could have never imagined. I guess in my heart, I thought they would do the right thing and let my Mom have the house. You see the house would not be if she had not moved in. Grandma could not make the payments so, she asked my Mother to move in with her. I love all of my family and I will always strive to believe the best and try to convince each of them to believe the same in each other. My Mom did not expect to be given the house, and agreed that the siblings are entitled to their inheritance. Over the last year I have seen and heard things that have really stretched my Faith. I have been moving my Mother for the last couple of months who is now an hour away from me :-(.. Life has been very hectic for me. I went from not having to suffer much loss to suffering a great amount of loss and it seems to continue to be more and more. It dawned on me today that the worst of this started right after I received my dog tags and how appropriate that I went to that house after having received them and all of my immediate family who are in this battle, were wearing camo as well.

 

Today is a colder rainy day. These are the types of days when I seem to be able to hear God the clearest. After feeling as if God has been anywhere but in my midst for the last few months, I watched the Hobbit this AM and then I read a book and prayed. It was through all of these vessels that God spoke very clearly to me. There is a scene in the Hobbit where there are Eagles that rescue the gang and sweep them away to a safe place on top of a mountain. They are able to see their homeland from this high point, that they have been trying to save on their journey. A dragon was able to steal it away from their ancestors when their kings heart became set on gold. I thought to myself, why didn't they just fly them over all the way? It was still a very long journey from where they were.  I heard, because they will not be  prepared to fight the battle unless they take the entire journey. For it is on the journey that they will experience trials that will teach them what cannot be taught by words. It is our trials that make us stronger, not our comfort. It is the time that it takes to make the journey that gives us the chance to have these experiences.  If we lean in closer to God during these times and wait for Him with a Hopeful Heart, we can win the battle and the Kingdom He has promised us!

The last memory that I have on the last Monday we all shared together in Grandma's house was all of us hugging in a huge pact like formation telling each other that we love each other jumping up and down being goofy. My Mom who was sitting in a chair at that time even jumped up and joined in. I remember thanking God for giving me that memory to hold onto. I was hopeful that God by way of miracle would let my Mom keep the house. It appears the answer at this time is no but things are not always what they seem. Please if you are reading this post, pray for the peace of all in my family in the Will of God and restoration.. I pray for your peace in your life in the Will of God as well.

AND NOW TO YOU the reader.........................................

 

I was prompted to share this story with you and felt a prompting to relay a prophetic message to you. This post is anointed to get a Word to you today. If you are reading it, it is not by coincidence or chance. You were destined to read it and let it serve as a confirmation for you. There are feelings that you have already had on your heart about the spiritual warfare that is in our country and all around the world. You have seen the signs and YES, THIS IS WAR! God has been and will continue to prepare you for this battle. You are enlisted in His Holy Army. The best weapons that you have are your relationship to our Father, love and mercy. You look around and see pain all around but don't worry and keep pushing forward in FAITH and TRUST. God will work ALL things out for the good of those that LOVE HIM. Do not choose to let your heart grow cold in distrust in His Promises. WE NEED YOU! HOLD THE LINE!  

IN LOVE AND SERVICE,

art

BLOGGED 4/28/14, 10:26 PM

A friend of mine sent this to me today on a Facebook message: 

1 Peter 4:8. Love covers over sin. Praying that you feel loved and peaceful and safe today. Light always overcomes the darkness and love covers sin. Let your light and your love do their thing today!

Tonight I watched this movie. It was the first time that I was unable to remember the movie that had come before it in a three part series. It dawned on me while watching it that I had posted about The Hobbit part one, An Unexpected Journey.. I decided however to watch the rest of part two before I looked to see what it was. 

In part two, there is a girl elf named Tauriel. I felt as if He was telling me that I am like this elf but have lost sight of the power that I posses in Christ. She had a quest of her own in this movie and that was to keep darkness from settling over the land that she was fighting with a man that is like a brother to her, Legolos. In one part of the movie, she is healing a man name Kili, (whom she later grows to love) and a bright light shines from her as she is doing so.  I do not want to spoil too much of the movie since it is a newer release. Tonight, it is cold and rainy out. How fitting for God to speak the same message to me over again through the same movie on the same kind of a night.  I really needed to see this message again. I am supposing there are others that need it as well..Remember, we are all like Tauriel and Legolos on the same quest.

BLOG January 12, 2015 

Last night, (another cold and rainy night),  I was watching .. The Hobbit, ( The Battle of the 5 Armies), with my son. 

In the middle of it, he said I wonder why the Eagles don't just come in and take them where they need to go? I knew the answer to this one.  I had blogged about this when the first one came out. It was kind of neat to me that he said the same thing that I had wondered myself a couple of years ago and when he said it, it reminded me so that I was able to see it all come full circle.

There is a battle scene at the end of this movie. Elves, dwarfs and man fighting against each other over the castle with all of the gold. All willing to die over it. As they begin to fight, the very real unseen enemy of all of them, show up and they all begin to fight him together instead of one another. I pray that in the same way, at the end of times all will see the devil for who he truly is and stand up and fight him together rather than turning on each other. 

The Elfen girl Tauriel , (that I had mentioned in a my last blog) lost the man that she loved, she was crying and said to the man that was like a Father to her, " if this is what love feels like, I no longer want to feel love". Why does it hurt so bad? He responded, "because it was real". This was an interesting thing for him to say because earlier in the film, he had told her that the love that she felt for this dwarf was not real. He did not want it to be because dwarfs and Elfs did not get a long. I suppose he no longer was blinded by his illusion that he wanted to hold onto. 

Another interesting note is that the smallest person in the movie,  that had the least amount of courage and respect of other's was the one that was chosen by the Grey Wizard Gandalf go on the mission with them, leaving him miles away from his comfortable homestead. He saw what no one else was able to see in him, including the hobbit himself. As you watch the trilogy, you see him growing in strength and courage that rivals all of them. It is greatly because of him that the journey was a success. As he starts to say goodbye to Gandalf, he tells him that he was just going to leave quietly and asks Gandalf to say goodbye to the other's for him. He didn't need to however because every single one of them were standing there to say their goodbyes with tears in their eyes. He had earned their respect because of the love and loyalty that he had shown to every one of them.That is what was inside of him all along that made him the courageous warrior that he had become. It was only through the journey of trials that he was able to become on the outside, what Gandalf saw on the inside.

I am not sure about you but the enemy has been sharpening his blows on my family and I. It has been getting worse and worse from the moment that my Grandmother passed away. I see it all around me with my friends and just everything in general. Right now the strongest people in His Army are suffering many trials but let us hold fast remembering, it is not comfort that strengthens us but adversity. 

The power inside of us to defeat the darkness is love..God is love. Hope is the anchor of our souls that leads us to love God, ourselves and one another.  While real and true love hurts when it is lost, it is what keeps us alive and living rather than just being here physically but not connected spiritually. It is through this connection that we find our passion and the true meaning of our lives and it brings Heaven here to Earth.  Keep the Faith and do not grow weary for our redeemer lives and will raise us on Eagles Wings. HOLD THE LINE! 

The lady of the golden wood Elf, in a part of this movie was telling the spirit of Darkness , you have no power here, you are nameless. Very powerful statement. 

LUKE 18 KJV 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?