drainbusters

[steveezekiel]

SPIRITUAL GROWTH 1

8 THEREFORE He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” 11 AND HE HIMSELF GAVE some to be APOSTLES, some PROPHET'S, some EVANGELISTS, AND some PASTORS AND TEACHERS, 12 FOR THE EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST, 13 TILL we all come to the UNITY of the FAITH and of the KNOWLEDGE of the SON OF GOD, TO A PERFECT [mature] MAN, TO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST; 14 THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE CHILDREN, TOSSED TO AND FRO AND CARRIED ABOUT WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, BY THE TRICKERY OF MEN, IN THE CUNNING CRAFTINESS OF DECEITFUL PLOTTING, 15 BUT, SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, MAY GROW UP IN ALL THINGS INTO HIM WHO IS THE HEAD—CHRIST." Ephesians 4:8,11-15 (NKJV)

To be perfect in the Scriptural term means to be matured. To arrive at spiritual manhood, or become a man or an adult spiritually—a spiritual person.

The stages of spiritual development correspond or parallel with the stages of physical development. We would like to consider Three stages of spiritual growth or development in this teaching: babyhood, childhood, and adulthood.

I. Babyhood (1 Peter 2:2). "FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV).

The above mentioned Scripture is one of the messianic Scriptures found in the old testament. It was about Jesus Christ. He was first of all born a child before He became a Son.

The first Adam was created a Man, an adult, but he did miss it (1 Corinthians 15:45). He disappointed God!

Now, when the last Adam was to be sent, He had to come like a baby, and He grew up to become a Son, an adult: 39 SO WHEN THEY [Joseph and Mary] had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40 AND THE CHILD GREW AND BECAME STRONG IN SPIRIT, FILLED WITH WISDOM; AND THE GRACE OF GOD WAS UPON HIM. 51 THEN HE [Jesus, as a child] WENT DOWN WITH THEM [Joseph and Mary, His earthly parents] AND CAME TO NAZARETH, AND WAS SUBJECT TO THEM, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 AND JESUS INCREASED IN WISDOM AND STATURE, AND IN FAVOUR WITH GOD AND MEN" (Luke 2:39,40,51,52).

So, Jesus the Son of God, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, was born a child and grew up to become a Son. He was first a child before He became a Son!

Whoever comes to Christ, accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, was born as a child into the family of God.

Such a person would grow as they get or receive the sincere or pure milk of the Word of God: "AS NEWBORN BABES, DESIRE THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD, THAT YOU MAY GROW THEREBY (1 Peter 2:2 (NKJV).

1 AND I, BRETHREN, could NOT speak to you as to SPIRITUAL PEOPLE but as to CARNAL, AS TO BABES IN CHRIST. 2 I FED YOU WITH MILK AND NOT WITH SOLID FOOD; FOR UNTIL NOW YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE IT, AND even now you are still NOT ABLE." 1 Corinthians 3:1,2 (NKJV)

Those who are older, who have been in the family before the arrival of the baby are responsible for the growth of the new born baby.

The characteristics of a new born baby:

Innocence "THEREFORE IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Saviour], HE IS A NEW CREATURE [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; THE OLD THINGS [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. BEHOLD, NEW THINGS HAVE COME [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]" (2 Corinthians:17 Amps).

Babies had no past. THROUGH the new birth, your past is wiped away, you become a new person before God. Thus, you may be ignorant of any number of things in the new found faith.

Ignorance. This is the second characteristics of a new baby, a type of a new Believer.

Babies put whatever they see in their mouths because they are ignorant. THE New Believer who is aspiring to grow up might not be able to differentiate what to be put in his or her mouth, what to eat, and what not to put in their mouth, what not to eat.

A Baby would always need the care and the attention of the adults, to watch and guide, and see to it that the baby does not put any poisonous thing in his or her mouth.

A Baby who is immature, who could not discern, would not be able to differentiate a poisonous thing from the real food. Thus, babies needed help that they may not be poisoned and be lost.

In most cases, Poison would not look like a poison, that is, It would not appear poisonous, and it might be mixed with food to make it attractive or desiring. ANY immature Believer, a baby Christian, could ignorantly take a poison, Thus, care should be taken. SOME who are babies, the immature ones, had ignorantly taken poison in a quest for seeking knowledge: "DO NOT BE CARRIED ABOUT WITH VARIOUS AND STRANGE DOCTRINES. FOR IT IS GOOD THAT THE HEART BE ESTABLISHED BY GRACE, NOT WITH FOODS WHICH HAVE NOT PROFITED THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED WITH THEM" (Hebrews 13:9). READ: Romans 16:18; 1 Corinthians 14:20; 2 Timothy 2:18

Irritability or irritableness. It also means pettishness or impatience—quick excitability to annoyance, impatience, or anger.

Babies are known for irritating habits. They do things that could be annoying. They often have temper tantrums. THIS characteristic is found in whoever is a baby Christian.

Because a baby has to grow, such has to be weaned from taking milk and begins to take solid food. If a child is properly weaned, such has to turn their faces from the bottles. GOD expects those who are babies in the faith to grow and turn from the bottles and start to eat solid food (Hebrews 5:12-14).

Milk is not enough for strength, solid food is required as the baby Grows: 13 FOR SOMEONE WHO LIVES ON MILK IS STILL AN INFANT AND DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. 14 SOLID FOOD IS FOR THOSE WHO ARE MATURE, WHO THROUGH TRAINING HAVE THE SKILL TO RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG" (Hebrews 5:13,14 (NLT).

You will not fail in Jesus' name.

If there is any ailment in your body as you read this piece, I declare your healing now in Jesus' name.

The Affliction will never rise again in Jesus' name. Peace! TO BE CONTINUED

STEPS TO SALVATION

Take notice of this: IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15). a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20). b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10). c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!

[woven-in-christ]

“Do not, therefore, fling away your [fearless] confidence, for it has a glorious and great reward. For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised. FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE [the one justified by faith] SHALL LIVE BY FAITH [respecting man’s relationship to God and trusting Him]; AND IF HE DRAWS BACK [shrinking in fear], MY SOUL HAS NO DELIGHT IN HIM. But our way is not that of those who shrink back to destruction, but [we are] of those who believe [relying on God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and by this confident faith preserve the soul.”Hebrews‬ ‭10:35-39‬ ‭amp

[yourgodmoments]

Two Paths to Eternity - part 3

While we continue upon the blessed path, as eternity approaches, the fruits of our godly walk will open our eyes to the everlasting promise:

The one who lives righteously and speaks rightly, who refuses profit from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his hears from listening to murderous plots and shuts his eyes against evil schemes - he will dwell on the heights; his refuge will be the rocky fortresses, his food provided, his water assured. Your eyes will see the King in his beauty; you will see a vast land. Is.33:15 - 17. CSB

Yet even upon the cusp of our approach to the City of God, we must be wary; because the devil will never give up until we enter the heavenly gates - assaulting our free wills until that moment, hoping for a change of heart. The enemy wants us on his accursed path. He will threaten, make promises, and shower us with lies, saying that Christ will never return. Satan will hold our sins up in front of us to make us feel unworthy for salvation.

It is at these very moments that we must cling to the mercy and forgiveness of our Savior, and to the promise of His deliverance. The devil is no match for our God:

…the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Rm. 16:20 NKJV

Do not rejoice over me [amid my tragedies], O my enemy! Though I fall, I will rise; thought I sit in the darkness [of distress], the LORD is a light for me. Mic. 7:8 AMP

So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. Jas. 4:7 AMP

Still, the devil may return and threaten you with hell itself - claiming that it is your destiny (not!). Why not? Because God is covering your journey:

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me… Ps. 23:3, 4. NASB

We must shake off our worldly attachments and keep our eyes on the prize:

But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then], these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life]. But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him - a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ… Phil. 3:7, 8. AMP

“…For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight.” Lk. 16:15 CSB

When we walk our godly walk, we must stop at every opportunity to put our biblical knowledge to work; otherwise, it avails us not at the gates of heaven:

Knowledge [alone] makes [people self-righteously] arrogant, but love [that seeks the best for others] builds up and encourages others to grow [in wisdom]. 1 Cor. 8:1 AMP

Christian love is a doing:

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Jn. 14:15 NASB

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. Jas. 2:26 NASB

When you make those stops along the way, to serve God by serving others, your path to eternal grace is covered by the love of Jesus. Remember too, that there are many ways to serve, the chief one being to share the gospel, so that when we reach the end of our journey, we will have done our part in filling the kingdom of heaven with new brothers and sisters in Christ:

“Already the reaper is receiving his wages and he is gathering fruit for eternal life; so that he who plants and he who reaps may rejoice together.” Jn. 4:36 AMP

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Gal. 6:9 ESV

Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours…we [do it to receive] an imperishable [crown that cannot wither]…so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others , I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service]. 1 Cor. 9:24, 25 & 27. AMP

Above all and through all, if we keep the faith, we cannot be kept from reaching the end of our journey:

Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Eph. 6:16 AMP

The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - whom should I dread? Ps. 27:1 CSB

We are walking on the blessed path to eternity, forsaking the path to the eternal curse:

…our way is not that of those who shrink back to destruction, but [we are] of those who believe [relying on God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah], and by this confident faith preserve the soul. Heb. 10:39 AMP

Finally, the grace of God, the love of Christ, the exhortation of the Holy Spirit and the angels, will merge with your faithfulness, godly behavior and perseverance; and you will stand victorious at the gates of the City of God. And God eagerly awaits every child:

…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. Is. 62:5 NKJV

Praise God, you have arrived!

…the city was pure gold, transparent like clear crystal. Rv. 21:18 AMP

…you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels [in festive gathering], and to the general assembly and the assembly of the firstborn who are registered [as citizens] in heaven, and to God, who is the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous (the redeemed in heaven) who have been made perfect (bringing them to their final glory), and to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant [uniting God and man}… Heb. 12:22 – 24. AMP

‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ Rv. 19;9 NASB

Goodnight and God bless.

[kenbowe]

28 Then one of the scribes [an expert in Mosaic Law] came up and listened to them arguing [with one another], and noticing that Jesus answered them well, asked Him, “Which commandment is first and most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The first and most important one is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (life), and with all your mind (thought, understanding), and with all your strength.’ 31 This is the second: ‘You shall [unselfishly] love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to Him, “Admirably answered, Teacher; You truthfully stated that He is One, and there is no other but Him; 33 and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to [unselfishly] love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he answered thoughtfully and intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one would dare to ask Him any more questions. 35 Jesus began to say, as He taught in [a portico or court of] the temple, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself said [when inspired] by the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord (the Father) said to my Lord (the Son, the Messiah), “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies under Your feet.” ’ 37 David himself calls Him (the Son, the Messiah) ‘Lord’; so how can it be that He is David’s Son?” The large crowd enjoyed hearing Jesus and listened to Him with delight. 38 In [the course of] His teaching He was saying, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes [displaying their prominence], and like to receive respectful greetings in the market places, 39 and [they love] the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of distinction and honor at banquets, 40 [these scribes] who devour (confiscate) widows’ houses, and offer long prayers for appearance’s sake [to impress others]. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

Mark 12:28‭-‬40 AMP

[teresaschultz-author]

I am living proof: That Jesus died for all of my sins - past, present, and future, - “But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (AMP) That if you raise a child with the knowledge of Christ, they will always return to God. - “Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (AMP) That God relentlessly pursues us. No matter how far or how hard we run, He will always bring us back. - “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?” Matthew 18:12 (AMP) That God sees us no matter where we are and cares deeply about us. - “Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are God Who Sees”; for she said, “Have I not even here [in the wilderness] remained alive after seeing Him [who sees me with understanding and compassion]?” Genesis 16:13 (AMP) That God can and will use a prodigal daughter with deep scars and a rebellious heart, not in spite of, but because of who she is. - “Then a woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink”... (Jesus said) “But whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. But the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life.” ...The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not get thirsty nor [have to continually] come all the way here to draw.” ...“I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ—the Anointed); when that One comes, He will tell us everything [we need to know].” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you, am He (the Messiah).” Now many Samaritans from that city believed in Him and trusted Him [as Savior] because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” John 4:7, 14-15, 25-26, 39 (AMP) #livingproof https://www.instagram.com/p/B3a5sJKBkZO/?igshid=nufmkxa8ywvg

[marlaluster]

Emptying the cliptray on the new phone. ....

1. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/caribbean/grenada/articles/Tourist-murder-on-Grenada-one-of-Caribbeans-safest-islands/ 2. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwUk1p-Bt_o/?hl=en 3. https://www.instagram.com/bewhoyouposttobe/?hl=en 4. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6922141/Zara-Holland-continues-sun-soaked-Barbados-trip-luxurious-Sandy-Lane-hotel.html 5. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news-journalonline.com/news/20190414/woman-trying-to-save-drowning-boy-injured-when-she-jumps-off-daytona-beach-pier%3ftemplate=ampart 6. Beach Pier By Patricio G. Balona Posted Apr 14, 2019 at 9:39 PM Updated Apr 14, 2019 at 9:44 PM Hanna Pignato, 19, of Daytona Beach, injured her back and broke her foot when she jumped from the Daytona Beach Pier on Saturday evening in an attempt to save a drowning boy. [News-Journal/Patricio G. Balona]▲ Hanna Pignato, 19, of Daytona Beach, injured her back and broke her foot when she jumped from the Daytona Beach Pier on Saturday evening in an attempt to save a drowning boy. [News-Journal/Patricio G. Balona]▲ A mother on the beach screaming. A little boy bobbing in and out of rough waves, possibly drowning. The sight terrified 19-year-old Hanna Pignato, so she jumped off the Daytona Beach Pier into the sea on Saturday evening to try to save the child. "I was just thinking that could be my little sister I would hope someone would save," Pignato said with a deep sigh, lying in her hospital bed Sunday afternoon. "So I jumped." Pignato, a surfer and swimmer, 7. https://www.google.com/search?q=rastafarian&oq=rastafarian&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.8309j0j4&client=ms-android-mpcs-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8 8. Ras·ta·far·i·an /ˌrastəˈferēən/ Learn to pronounce adjective 1. relating to a religious movement of Jamaican origin holding that blacks are the chosen people, that Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was the Messiah, and that black people will eventually return to their Africa. noun 1. a member of the Rastafarian religious movement. Rastafarians have distinctive codes of behavior and dress, including the wearing of dreadlocks, the smoking of cannabis, the rejection of Western medicine, and adherence to a diet that excludes pork, shellfish, and milk. Feedback Translations and more definitions Knowledge Result 9. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rastafari 10. Rastafari is Afrocentric and focuses its attention on the African diaspora, which it believes is oppressed within Western society, or "Babylon". Many Rastas call for the resettlement of the African diaspora in either Ethiopia or Africa more widely, referring to this continent as the Promised Land of "Zion". Rastas refer to their practices as "livity". Communal meetings are known as "groundations", and are typified by music, chanting, discussions, and the smoking of 11. There are an estimated 700,000 to 1 million Rastas across the world; the largest population is in Jamaica, although communities can be found in most of the world's major population centres. The majority of practitioners are of black African descent, although a minority come from other ethnic groups. 12. world religion, not because of the number of adherents that it had, but because of its global spread.[7] Many Rastas themselves, however, do not regard it as a religion, instead referring to it as a "way of life".[8] In 1989, a British Industrial Tribunal concluded that 13. Beliefs Edit The Liberty Bell Temple in Los Angeles was established by Ed Forchion Rastas refer to the totality of their religion's ideas and beliefs as "Rastalogy".[18] The scholar of religion Ennis B. Edmonds described Rastafari as having "a fairly cohesive worldview";[18] however 14. I think this is from yesterday, this picture. Im probably having some concern about something w my face or something is seeming bothersome or something w stuff tge devil does etc. But i dont remember exactly which thing was of concern at this point. But i think i didnt post the pictures because i felt tormented by the devil obsessing w my face n how i look. I thought i could post them another time. Then i saw these just now when i was trying to picture the line. The devil just was indicating me getting upset is supposed to be what the line could be. It was like making something come to mind about that. It said it had to stop doing it. 15. The devil making a bad look to the pictures further, an ashen look than when i first saw them. But i took some pics of this side of my face in the bathroom. Its not very prominent looking, the look of a line. I didn't know what it was the other one time i saw something. I thought it could be something on my face like a smudge or something. Then the devil was bringing my attention to the area again today. It seems its the devil because it seems not normal i notice it. It seems i wouldn't really see it or something. It was pressing a long time -- a break here. But the devil was pressing a long time ago that i could get a vein on my face from getting upset. Its probably something written here on it. But it keeps threatening that me getting upset now will further make a problem w the vein. 16. The devil appearing to be adding darkness to this picture from yesterday which was not supposed to be any sign shown then of the vein because i was just taking a picture of myself. I did not know it was supposed to be a vein then actually, i just was aware from the bathroom a moment ago now today. "I have to actually stop doing it then because i wasnt here," the devil said. 17. PEOPLE ALSO ASK Why are the veins on my face so visible? Can broken capillaries on the face go away? Broken capillaries are commonly seen on the face and legs, and unfortunately, they will not fade away or heal with time.May 17, 2017 Broken Capillaries and How to Make Them Go Away - Blog | METRIN https://www.metrin.com › blog › broken-... More results What causes spider veins on face? 18. https://www.google.com/search?q=vein+in+face&oq=vein+in+face&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.3285j0j9&client=ms-android-mpcs-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8 19. https://www.google.com/search?q=blue+vein+on+face+african+american&oq=blue+vein+on+face+african+american&aqs=chrome..69i57j33.21902j0j9&client=ms-android-mpcs-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8 20. These spider veins are also caused by the increase in blood circulation. They will usually appear on the face, neck, upper chest and arms. ... Spider veins appear more often in Caucasian women than in African American women. Skin Changes During Pregnancy - American Pregnancy Association American Pregnancy Association › skin-c... Feedback

[apostleshop]

If this Enterprise is from God, you can never destroy it.

Great News has been shared on https://apostleshop.com/if-this-enterprise-is-from-god-you-can-never-destroy-it/

If this Enterprise is from God, you can never destroy it.

“So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself.  But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him.”  (Acts 5: 38 – 39).

Every year after Easter, I look forward to this narrative from  Acts 5: 34 – 42.  It reinforces my faith.  I heard it at the beginning of my Journey of Faith and I relish to hear it again at this time in the Easter Season. You may call it the Gamaliel Principle text.  Gamaliel was a famous teacher in Israel at the time of the death of Jesus.  He was the teacher of St Paul and a member of the Sanhedrin.  He laid down a principle of discerning God’s will in complex situations based on astute historical analysis. Divine action in history is predictable, he opined.

Members of the the Sanhedrin accepted Gamaliel’s advice but went ahead to flog the Apostles in order to intimidate them.  You may call this state terrorism.  Read on to see if they succeeded.

“After recalling the apostles, they had them flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.” (Acts 5: 40).

“So they [Apostles] left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.” (Acts 5: 41).

These men have tasted the Holy Spirit and were transformed by the experience.  Instead of quitting….

“All day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Messiah, Jesus.”  (Acts 5: 42).

“What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?”  (Acts 8: 31).

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].”  (Romans 8: 37 AMP).

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[khanslantern]

2016 in Books

Since starting this blog, I’ve done a year-in-books post every year, whether it’s before Jan 1st or after. Every year, the first thing I do when I log on to Goodreads.com in the beginning of the year is set up the reading challenge. Usually, people put in a number a bit higher than the previous year. I do something different. I put in 10. Here’s why I do that. I don’t exactly consciously think…

[phanchazmo]

But our way is not that of those who shrink back to destruction, but [we are] of those who believe [relying on God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and by this confident faith preserve the soul.

Hebrews 10:39 AMP

https://bible.com/bible/1588/heb.10.39.AMP

[countymn]

Review: Minnesota Orchestra offering a masterful 'Messiah' | minnesota.allembru.com

[kenbowe]

36 “But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son [in His humanity], but the Father alone. 37 For the coming of the Son of Man (the Messiah) will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the [very] day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not know or understand until the flood came and swept them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be [unexpected judgment]. 40 At that time two men will be in the field; one will be taken [for judgment] and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken [for judgment] and one will be left. 42 “So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore, you [who follow Me] must also be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.

Matthew 24:36‭-‬44 AMP

[yourgodmoments]

Jesus and the Religiose

One of the meanings of ‘religion’ is, ‘a particular system of faith and worship.’ Religion is a man-made construct, to attempt to explain God and have a relationship with Him.’ ’Religiose’ is defined as being ‘excessively religious.’  

When Jesus began His ministry in Judea, the temple in Jerusalem was a place of worship for Jehovah God, the God of the Old Testament Bible. The New Testament had yet to be written. (Still the same God.)

The religious focus in that temple was centered around the behaviors that one would live by, to satisfy God. These were primarily found in the Torah, i.e. the first five books of the Bible, which were written by a Holy Spirit-inspired Moses, referred to as the Mosaic Law.

Those doing the teaching of the Law were called Pharisees, widely believed to be the first ‘rabbis,’ or at least their forerunners. The problem, in Jesus’ time, was that many of the Pharisees added their own personal ‘interpretations’ to the Laws. Put bluntly, they twisted the scriptures to suit their own purposes, and became fervent taskmasters over their laity - punishing them if they did not live up to them. The Pharisees became religiose.

This did not set well with Jesus, because what they did ran against God’s word with regards to keeping His word pure:

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, not take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God…” Dt. 4:2 NKJV

The first time Jesus voiced His displeasure with the Pharisees was when He was dining with His latest convert, the apostle Matthew. He did so by speaking a parable to Pharisees that were present (they’d been following Him around, worrying that their control over the people was being usurped by Jesus’ teachings and miracles):

“No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old one is good.’ “ Lk. 5:36 - 39. ESV

Jesus was describing a process that was well known and understood by the people living at that time - saying that using a new piece of cloth to patch an older one will tear away from the old if it has not been previously ‘preshrunk’ with a combination of pressure, heat and moisture. He’s trying to get the Pharisees to see that the old forms of Judaism could not contain the New Covenant message He was bringing, because His message was not a patch for the old one.

Similarly, Jesus spoke of the fact that new fermenting wine must be put into new goatskins, because the outgassing of fermentation would cause the old skins to swell to the bursting point. It is metaphorical reference to the fact that the Pharisees can’t mix His message with theirs and that they are not spiritually able to receive His.

Finally, the last sentence in the parable alludes to the Pharisees’ stubborn preference for their old ways, which will ultimately deny them the kingdom.

Jesus has another confrontation with the Pharisees in the temple - they, being angry with Him for previously healing a cripple at the pool called Bethesda. He responds by pointing out their scriptural ignorance regarding the coming of the Messiah:

“…the very works that I do - bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me…You have neither heard His voice at any time, or seen His form. But you do not have His world abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” Jn. 5:36 - 40. NKJV

Even though Jesus is chiding them for their disbelief, you can see that He is offering them eternal life at the same time. They refused…

Jesus took issue with the Pharisees again, during His Sermon on the Mount:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For I truly say to you until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Mt. 5:17, 18. ESV

Jesus is refuting the Pharisees’ claim that He was trying to invalidate the Mosaic Law. Christ was sent from God to open the eyes of the ‘spiritually blind,’ in order to give them the full understanding of all Scriptures so they could walk their best with His Father.

He blasts the Pharisees again:

“Therefore whoever relaxes on of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called the least in heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Mt. 5:19, 20. ESV

He is telling the crowd listening to His sermon that the Pharisees have so distorted the laws of God that if they follow them, it will jeopardize their chance for salvation. Furthermore, He offers an example of a law that the Pharisees had twisted:

“You have heard it said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” Mt. 5:43 NKJV

The first part of that sentence, ‘You shall love your neighbor is a quote from Moses (Lv. 19:18). The ‘hate your enemy’ part was added by the Pharisees, and thus, not scriptural.

Jesus continued to have run-ins with the Pharisees throughout His ministry. He finally reveals their evil nature:

“Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.’ “ Mk. 7:6, 7. NKJV

“You leave the commandment of God and hold to the traditions of men. You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of of God in order to establish your tradition!” Mk. 7:8, 9. ESV

Ouch! That must of stung. Jesus is alluding to the worthlessness of their traditions - those ascribed by them to have the same authority as the Mosaic Law, even though the Pharisees made them up.

Jesus gathers a crowd around Him to crystalize the nature of the Pharisees and their meaningless rituals:

“…there is nothing outside a man [such as food] which by going into him can defile him [morally or spiritually]; but the things which come out of [the heart] of man are what defile and dishonor him.” Mk. 7:15 AMP

Later, Jesus tells them of their ultimate fate for their hardened hearts and their fake religiosity:

“You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” Jn. 8:19 NKJV

“I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot go”…”You are from beneath; I am from above, You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die for your sins.” Jn. 8:21, 23, 24. NKJV

There are still religiose people today - pharisaical, re-writing scripture, judging portions to of it be false, seeking approval and status for their piety and denying the Christ-road to salvation. As you can see, without repentance, things will not go well for them.

That’s why it is so important to bring the message of salvation to as many as we can. What they do with it is up to them…

If we stick to God’s word and live by it, our salvation is assured.

Goodnight and God bless.  

[yourgodmoments]

Are You Baptized in the Spirit?

Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Jn. 3:5 CSB

Jesus told Nicodemus that a water baptism was required. It is a symbolic enactment of being born again. The immersion signifies burying your old sinful self, and the ascension from the water implies your new birth as a cleansed holy child of God by the cleansing blood of Christ. It does not sanctify you, but it is a public declaration of your discipleship to Jesus that God requires for you to enter His kingdom – baptized in the name of Jesus for remission of sins.

But what’s Jesus talking about when He refers to being ‘born of the Spirit?’ It is synonymous with being ‘baptized with the Holy Spirit’ or ‘filled with the Holy Spirit.’ We are first introduced to this concept by John the Baptist as he was baptizing, prior to the inauguration of Christ’s ministry:

“As for me, I baptize you with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self – your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment).” Mt. 3:11 AMP

Obviously, it includes the endowment of the Holy Spirit. The believer generally seeks this out after the water baptism, commonly facilitated by the prayers of a church elder. Some churches expect the receiver to begin talking in tongues. We’ll come back to that. Others are content to accept the prayers and claim their Holy Spirit baptism. However, the Bible suggests repeatedly that this Spirit baptism does involve a ‘certain ‘experience.’ It is also said to be the time when whatever gifts of the Spirit are conveyed upon the believer as an enhancement for their part in advancing the kingdom.

It is a volitional request to the Holy Spirit to dwell within in us and have free and total reign over our spirit. Jesus attested to the Holy Spirit baptism as an event of great change:

“I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.” Lk. 24:49 AMP

Indeed, the first time the Holy Spirit manifested upon the first church, all the recipients did speak in tongues – declaring the gospel in multiple languages in an environment filled with travelers from other nations. Thus, the church was advancing the kingdom.  

But, don’t get hung up on speaking in tongues. Everyone receives different gifts from the Holy Spirit:

Now there are [distinctive] varieties of spiritual gifts [special abilities given by the grace and extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers}. And there are [distinctive] varieties of ministries and service, but it is the same Lord [who is served]. And there are [distinctive] ways of working [to accomplish things], but it is the same God who produces all things in all believers [inspiring, energizing, and empowering them]. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good. 1 Cor. 12:4 – 7. AMP

It is the Holy Spirit who determines what gift(s) that you get. Be content with that:

But the one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 1 Cor. 12:11 NASB

The most important thing to remember is that the Holy Spirit, who even know what God thinks (1 Cor 2:10, 11.), gives you the gift that best serves you in serving God:

“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NASB

The Bible tells us that the apostle Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit on multiple occasions when he was advancing the kingdom. Some biblical scholars suggest then that we should pray for that filling before every use of our ‘gifts’ to do God’s work – not because He’s not there, it’s to petition His power:

Don’t neglect the spiritual gift within you, [that special endowment] which was intentionally bestowed upon you [by the Holy Spirit] through prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands on you…Practice and work hard on these things; be absorbed in them… ! Tim. 4:14, 15. AMP

So now we’re ready. What must happen to receive this Holy Spirit baptism? Let’s go back to Peter again:

[This process is a paraphrase of a 1910 book entitled The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, by R. A. Torrey, that inspired this post and the two others before it. If you’re interested in an in-depth exposition, it is a FREE read online at The Project Gutenberg; (Gutenberg.org)].

“Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 CSB

The framework within your repentance* and confession must rest then, is your faith in who Christ is, and the salvation He provided on the cross, which also positions you to receive the Holy Spirit. *And the repentance must be your best attempt to avoid allsins, for the Holy Spirit baptism to take place. So, ask God to reveal any sin that you may be clinging to, so that you may walk in your best obedience, coming from your greatest effort to surrender to His will.

Next, you must have a sincere yearning for a Holy Spirit baptism, coming from your realization that you need it:

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, who those who believed in Him were to receive… Jn. 7:37 – 39. NASB

Yes, we do receive the Holy Spirit when we believe in Jesus, but the Holy Spirit baptism, as we have looked at, is an additional aspect, whereby the Spirit fills you with your spiritual gifts to forward the kingdom. For this to happen, you petition God in prayer:

When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly. Acts 4:31 CSB

Lastly, (but concurrently through the whole process), we must apply our faith in the receiving of our prayerful appeal:

This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us. And if we know [for a fact, as indeed we do] that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we [also] know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us] the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 Jn. 5:14 – 15. AMP

You’ve met all the requirements. As with your faith in your salvation, even though you may not feel any different, so it may be with your Holy Spirit baptism. For myself, that was the case; and yet, within months afterwards, I began to discern that I was gaining a gift of ‘teaching’ the word of God, (Eph. 4:11-13), writing and coming back to re-read it, knowing that I couldn’t have written that by  myself. Your gift will manifest when it is time. No one has the exact same experience. You were promised your Spirit baptism, you will receive it…

Goodnight and God bless.

[yourgodmoments]

How Do You Tell Others About the Good News from God?

First, you have to ask them if you can share it with them.

You may come up against objections. They might reply with, ‘I don’t believe in that stuff.’

You’ll never get anywhere if you make them wrong. Instead, you could simply say, ‘Got it. Would you like to tell me your thoughts about how we got here and what happens when we die?” Somewhere in their response, will be an opening.

You could say, ‘I’ve heard that said before as well. For me, I found out a different way of looking at life and how you can get more of it, or, what may cause you to lose it. Would you like to hear about that?’

If they adamantly refuse, they’re too attached to this world and the little ‘god’ that corrupts it. Walk away and tell yourself, ‘Next!’

“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.” Mt. 7:6 NLT

They might say that they have had a bad experience - either in a church, or having been targeted by some so-called ‘Christian,’ who made them wrong for their beliefs.

You might reply with, ‘I’m really sorry you had to suffer that experience. Unfortunately, some people mess up. That was certainly not in line with the true Christian approach. May I quickly share what that is and how it has changed my life?’

Okay, you’ve got your foot in the door. Let me offer you one path of evangelism:

‘I’ll bet you are similar to all of us on this planet, in that we all want to know the answers to the big mysteries of life. That is because God put an innate hunger in our hearts to seek out our Creator, how He does things, and what He has in mind for us:’

“I will imprint My laws upon their minds [even upon their innermost thoughts and understanding], and engrave them upon their hearts [effecting their regeneration. And I will be there God, and they shall be My people.” Heb. 8:10 AMP

‘God’s words constitute His ‘laws,’ which are found in the Bible. He gave these to 40 different people, from all walks of life, in three different languages, from three different continents - over a period of 1500 years.

He sent this knowledge by way of His Spirit, which tells us how to have the greatest life possible, and one without end. And in reading HIs word, we come to know Him and His Son - Jesus.

The Bible’s historical accuracy has been proven archeologically; and unlike other religious writings, it presents God’s prophecies about future events, that actually came to pass. Also, many scientific facts are presented within it - long before their human discovery.

It is, in reality, a love letter from God to all of His children - His ‘Good News.’ That good news is that God loves us, He created all of the goodness on this earth so that could have a great life. He planned it in such a way that you can have that best life when you learn from Him how to live it.’

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Is. 55:9 NASB

“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jer. 29:11 AMP

‘This God we are talking about, is too vast to describe with a name. In fact, He refers to Himself as ‘I Am,’ because He is all-encompassing and indescribable. The original Hebrew has been anglicized to two different names: Yahweh or Jehovah.

God is eternal, and He designed the entire universe and all that is in it. Then He spoke it into existence through Jesus, who is referred to as the ‘Word of God.’ Jesus was created by God before time, from Himself as a Spirit-being - exactly like His Father, and unified with Him in every way.

God loves us and all He wants from us is to love Him back, which we do, when we live by His ways. God’s ways for living our best life, which also glorifies Him, can be boiled down to two commands:’

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’” Mt. 22:37 - 39. AMP

‘Think about it. If we follow those instructions, we’d have a love-filled life and world. They constitute our most holy moral compass.

That’s exactly what God wanted from Adam and Eve when He created them. Unfortunately, they listened to the lies of a corrupt angel, who convinced them that they too could be gods. So, they disobeyed God (which is called a ‘sin’), and their souls (personalities) became corrupt; and the seeds of that corruption have been passed down to every succeeding generation.

This is why we have a fallen world with so much evil and suffering and death. There was never supposed to be death, but it is a price that we pay for our sin; and we all sin. God does not allow evil to exist - we generate it when we rebel against Him. God is allowing this phase of time to proceed, to show all generations of peoples that we, by ourselves, cannot attain the perfect, pure and holy goodness that He originally created us with.

Yet God loves us with an undying love:’

‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back (change your way of thinking), turn back [in repentance] from your evil ways! For why should you die…? Ezek. 33:11 AMP

‘Yet thousands of years have proven that we are unable to do this on our own. So, God in His infinite compassion, sent His Spirit-Son to the womb of the virgin Mary, to become Jesus Christ the Messiah, (also called the Son of Man), to reveal God in human form. He is the only human ever to live a sinless life. He spoke for God, taught us all about His Father, set a perfect example for how to live by God’s will, and most importantly, gave His life for all of humanity throughout the ages - giving HIs blood to cleanse us from our sins.’

“…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin].” Mt. 20:28 AMP

‘That penalty, as we’ve already seen, is death. And Jesus is the only way to be free of it:’

“I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Jn. `14:6 AMP

“Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced]…” Jn. 3:18 AMP

‘What we are being told is that if we have faith in Christ, in who He is and what He’s done, and do our best to walk in His ways, all our sins are forgiven. Why is that important? Well, as you can also see, there is coming a ‘great sifting’ - which will occur at the end of time.

Three days after Jesus died on the cross, He was resurrected from the dead; and 40 days after that, He ascended to Heaven to reunite with His Father. But, He’s coming back!

When He does, He will separate those who did their best to obey God and kept their faith in Christ, from those who chose not to:’

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory and majesty and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of HIs glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him [for judgment]; and He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right [the place of honor], and the goats on His left [the place of rejection].” Mt. 25:31 - 33. AMP

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come you blessed of My Father [you favored of God, appointed to eternal salvation], inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Leave Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (demons)…” Mt. 25:34 & 41. AMP

“Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal [unending] punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by HIs remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life.” Mt. 25:46 AMP

‘Obviously, it seriously behooves us to be on the side of Jesus. But here’s the urgent caveat: unless you accept Christ either before He returns, or you die, (nether of, you have any knowledge of the time), whichever comes first, you have lost your ticket to heaven.

So, I’m standing for your salvation and I am offering you the chance in this moment to allow me to pray with you, so that Christ can enter your life and we can be children of God together for eternity…’

As I said in the beginning, this is just one way - just saying. And you know, we are all called by Jesus Himself to do this. (Mt. 28:19)

Goodnight and God bless.

[yourgodmoments]

Waiting on God is the Hardest Part

Sometimes we have to wait for God’s presence, or for Him to act on our behalf, because we haven’t been holding ourselves accountable for our behavior. This is especially so if our actions have run contrary to His word. In this case, He distances Himself from us, and maybe throws a little discipline our way to get us back on track. We are always just a confession and a repenting, away from God’s restoration:

Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins? Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD! Lam. 3:39, 40. ESV

Moreover, even in our darkest hour, we can always depend upon the love, mercy and steadfast faithfulness of our God - who covers us with the limitless grace that we could never earn on our own.

Our loving God takes no pleasure in dishing out the discipline (justice) that we (during our slip and falls) have forced His hand to administer. He only does that to save our lives:

For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. Lam. 3:31 - 33. NKJV

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lam. 3:24 - 26. NKJV

Another time that we may have to wait on God, is for answered prayer - especially because we want them granted within our desired timeline.

Jesus tells us that whatever you pray to God for, in His name, Christ will make it happen. (Jn. 14:13, 14.) The caveat is that what you pray for must align with God’s will and not be detrimental to you or others:

You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. Jm. 4:3 NASB

Or, you may be holding a grudge against someone at the time of your prayer. God will not answer your prayers while you practice unrighteousness. (Mk. 11:25)

The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous. Pr. 15:29 NKJV

But God can turn you around in a heartbeat through His mercy, after He first hears your repentant prayer:

He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, he shall see His face with joy, for He restores to man His righteousness. Job 33:26 NKJV

And then the door is open:

…the Lord has set apart for Himself [and dealt wonderfully with] the godly man [the one of honorable character and moral courage - the one who does right]. The Lord hears and responds when I call to Him. Ps. 4:3 AMP

Lastly with regards to prayer, you may need to shore up your faith to get it answered:

…whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mt. 11:24 ESV

Nevertheless, even after you have met God’s conditions for answered prayer, you may still have to wait. Why? Because God loves you so much, He is going to wait until you are ‘positioned’ in your life (i.e. have the maturity and understanding) to use HIs blessing to get the utmost out of it and to accomplish His will in you - and that’s a good thing.

The last thing we may have to wait on God for, is His promises. And as far as I’m concerned, His biggest promise is about gaining the presence of Christ to usher us into eternity. In our eyes, this has been a long wait. And if we think it has been long, let’s consider our ancestors.

It was approximately 3500 years ago when people were first introduced to the Messiah by Moses - when they heard that He was going to take out the devil. (Gn. 3:15). Later, Moses also revealed that Jesus would come from the Hebrew people and speak for God. (Dt. 18:18).

The Hebrews waited another 400 years to get more information, when they find that Christ will come from the line of King David of Judah. Three hundred more years’ elapse until the people learn more about their Messiah from the prophets Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah and Daniel. Another 500 years’ pass before the Hebrews hear more about the ‘Anointed One.’ So many generations of people waited for their Deliverer. Regardless, many stood fast in faith:

By faith, Noah, being divinely warned of things not seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark…and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called out to the place which he would receive an inheritance…By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child who she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off, were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Heb. 11:7, 8, 11 & 13. NKJV

They (and many more) had faith that God’s promises would manifest in the right time.

A little over 2000 years ago, Jesus did come, and many beheld the promise. Yet a little over 30 years later, Jesus was caught up to HIs Father - all according to God’s plan and promises.

So here we wait:

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I hope in Him!” The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. Lam. 3;24 - 26. NKJV  

(Still, thank God that we have access to Christ now through the Holy Spirit.)

But regardless when Jesus physically comes, (and He most assuredly will), the promise will be fulfilled at just the right time:

“Surely I am coming quickly.” Rv. 22:20 NKJV

Waiting on God can be hard; but He is a promise keeper. They will be fulfilled for you at the right time. To help that time come about, prepare yourself. Just as it was said in the movie Field of Dreams, “When you build it, he will come.”

For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising your faith to, develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding), and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness… 2 Pt. 1:5 - 7. AMP

Goodnight and God bless.