Tag: STRUGGLE

Articles, Jeanette Porter

JEALOUSY AND RIVALRY

| Jeanette

JEALOUSY AND RIVALRY

I would like to thank my heavenly Father for making this ministry possible, and giving me the grace to follow Him. 
Our Scripture reading is found in Genesis Chapter 37, and Ephesians 5:28-33.

When we think of jealousy and rivalry, our minds go back to times in our lives when we have seen this in action.  Could be, our actions, or the actions of others around us, or it could be what we hear from the media; but wherever we hear it, or experience it, we know it is rampant on this globe.

It is very important we know what the Bible has to say about it, so we can avoid it.

Jealousy means:  Possessiveness, resentfulness, morbid suspicion, mistrust, and flaming anger.
Rivalry means: Competition, opposing, striving to win, struggle to surpass, contest, battle of wills.

Wow!

You might say, “I read in the Bible where it says, God is a jealous God.”
You’re right.  We are going there first.
Exodus 20:5,6 —-Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them (referring to idols),nor serve them: For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third  and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
      and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.
God said it. I am a jealous God.
God will not give His glory to another.
He will not tolerate a rival near His throne.
He is not jealous as the Greeks thought;  of mere success, or greatness; but He is very jealous of His own honor, and will not have the respect and reverence which is due to Him, given to other beings or objects.

What about family ?
There has always been jealousy and rivalry in the family:
Marital
Siblings
Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law
and so on —-

There has always been jealousy and rivalry in the Church family
And jealousy and rivalry in the work place.
But God wants us to get above that and come out to freedom from this torment, because …jealousy has torment… attached to it.

Let’s look at a family situation in Genesis 37:4,11,18,28,31-32,35, where jealousy between brothers causes much pain to the family.
Our story begins when Joseph was only seventeen years old.
He was shepherding the flock with his brothers, and brought his father a bad report on them. (verse 2)
Jacob loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age and made him a coat of many colors. (verse 3)
4-  And when his brethren saw that their father loved him  more than all his brethren, they hated him and could not speak peaecably to him.
5-  And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren (brothers): and they hated him yet the more.
He had dreamed they had bowed down in respect to him. (verse 7)
This caused them to hate him more. (verse 8)
In verse 9 and 10, he dreamed another dream, and told it to his brothers and his father. But his father rebuked him and said to him, What is the meaning of this dream that you have dreamed?  Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow down ourselves to the earth and do homage to you?
 Verse 11 —- Joseph’s brothers envied him ; but his father observed the saying (his father took notice of the saying and pondered over it) 
Although Joseph was seemingly trying to do the right thing, and his brothers were doing evil things, it seems to me these kinds of dreams should have been kept in his heart, and not shared with his brothers.
We see here to, his father did correct him when he needed it.
In our day and time we would call this a dysfunctional family, because the other brothers were the sons of two other wives. (verse 2)
Joseph was their half brother.

One day, when the brothers were feeding and shepherding their father’s flock; Israel told Joseph, “Go see whether or not everything is all right with your brothers and with the flock, and report back to me”. (14)
     18 – And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
And they said to each other, “Here comes this dreamer, and master of dreams.  Let us kill him and throw his body in some pit ; then we will say to our father, some wild beast has devoured him; and we will see what will become of his dreams!” (verses 19,20)

Reuben heard it and said, let’s not kill him, for Rueben’s plan was to rescue him, and take him back to his father.  Reuben said, “Shed no blood.”  So they took him and stripped him of his coat of many colors and cast him in a well-like pit with no water; and sat down to lunch. (verses 21-25)
25-  When they looked up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, going on their way down to Egypt.
26-  And Judah said to his brothers, What do we gain if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?”
27-  Let us sell him to the Ishmaelites.  And they sold him for twenty pieces of silver, which is a sermon of it’s own, because Jesus was betrayed and sold-out for twenty pieces of silver: —- but let’s go on.
28-  And They took Joseph into Egypt.
29-  Then Reuben , who had not been there when the brothers plotted to sell the lad, returned ; and behold, Joseph was not in the pit.
31,32- They killed an animal, dipped it in the blood and sent it to their father.
34-  And Jacob tore his clothes, would not eat, and went into mourning.
35-  His sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said “I will go to my grave to mourning for my son.”
And his father wept for him.
36-  And the Midianites, and Ishmaelites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh.
39:2- But the Lord was with Joseph. 
As the story goes on we see Joseph being put down and then being lifted up to the number one place next to Pharaoh.

God had given to him the gift of interpreting dreams, and used this gift to lift him up to this great position to eventually help his family in a time of famine, to keep them alive, and because his family had to come to Egypt where they could buy food, they in due time, did bow before Joseph, because reigned next to Pharaoh.
H
In this story, we see sibling rivalry in the worst degree.  Jealousy and rivalry which led to hate and anger and a conspiracy to do harm followed by lies to cover-up. After which, grief filled the family.

Many do not actually carry-out what they think to do to their siblings, but to hate them shows what is in their heart.

Christians struggle with jealousy at times, which brings on curses and severe problems to come upon them, if not dealt with.
I can think of other accounts of jealousy that arises in families, such as one family member is more prosperous than the other.

A Mother-in-law may be jealous of her Daughter-in-law, or the other way around. Sometimes they may see each other as rivals for his attention.
I tell you, this should not be going on in the life of a Christian..  It is walking in the flesh.  This brings so much trouble into the family that does not need to be there.  Get over it!  It grieves your relationship with God.
Woman of God, understand this: the love the son has for his mother, is different from the love he has for his wife.  To try to cause division between either of these two relationships will backfire on you.
Listen to this Scripture in Ephesians 5:28-33 —-So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
      For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: (or just like the Lord does the Church).
      For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.
      For this cause (or this reason) shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
      This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.
      Nevertheless let everyone of you in particular (or personally) so love his wife even as himself and the wife see that she reverence (or honor) her husband.
Mother-in-laws sometimes think their son or daughter could have done much better in choosing their spouse: but many times they are looking at the faults of the in-law, and they fail to see their child’s imperfections.
There should be a love bond between in-laws because of the marriage bond of their child to the one they choose. 
God If that child of yours is so perfect and intelligent and such a magnificent Christian, why do you think they made such a bad choice?
Think about it!
I tell you, if more time was spent trying to understand, and praying for that child’s spouse, there would be more peace and harmony in their lives, as well as your relationship with your child; not to mention the relationship between you and God.
If there is no harmony in the family, the children pick-up on it and become like you.
I am sorry to say, jealousy and rivalry are rampant in the Body of Christ as well as in family life.
This shouldn’t be.  Allow the Holy Spirit to convict you and change you into that person that overlooks the faults of others.

Pray this prayer with me: Father, I want to be like Jesus. Help me to deal with any jealousy or rivalry in my life.  I repent of it. I know it hurts my relationship with You. Please forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness.  Bring harmony in every area of my life. In Jesus Name I pray.  Amen.
   

 

     

 

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

AT THE APPOINTED TIME

| Jeanette

MANY PEOPLE STRUGGLE FROM HEARING FROM GOD, AND TODAY I BELIEVE YOU WILL BE ENLIGHTENED ON THIS SUBJECT.

GENESIS 8:14 – IS ANYTHING TO HARD FOR THE LORD? AT THE TIME APPOINTED I WILL RETURN UNTO THEE, ACCORDING TO THE TIME OF LIFE, AND SARAH WILL HAVE A SON.                            GENESIS 21:1,2 – AND THE LORD VISITED SARAH AS HE SAID, AND THE LORD DID UNTO SARAH AS HE HAD SPOKEN. FOR SARAH HAD CONCEIVED AND BARE ABRAHAM A SON IN HIS OLD AGE, AT THE SET TIME OF WHICH GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM.

THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD “APPOINTED” IS, ASSIGNED OR ARRANGED.

HOW MANY OF US HAVE HEARD FROM THE LORD, AND BECAUSE IT DIDN’T HAPPEN WHEN WE THOUGHT IT SHOULD, WE SAID,”MAYBE THIS WAS IN MY MIND; MAYBE I DIDN’T REALLY HEAR FROM GOD.”

THIS IS WHEN DOUBT COMES IN AND FAITH GOES OUT.

II SAMUEL 17:14 —-HERE WE FIND ABSALOM, TRYING TO TAKE OVER DAVID’S KINGDOM; BUT DAVID WAS CHOSEN BY GOD AS KING. AND EVEN THOUGH DAVID IS RUNNING IN THE NATURAL, HE KNOWS HIS APPOINTMENT—-FOR THE LORD HAD APPOINTED TO DEFEAT THE GOOD COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, TO THE INTENT THAT THE LORD MIGHT BRING EVIL UPON ABSALOM. 

     15:31 – AND ONE TOLD DAVID, SAYING, AHITHOPHEL IS AMONG THE CONSPIRATORS WITH ABSALOM. AND DAVID SAID, O LORD, I PRAY THEE, TURN THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL INTO FOOLISHNESS.

DAVID HAD A REBEL SON, ABSALOM, WHOSE PLAN WAS TO TAKE OVER THE KINGDOM GIVEN TO HIM BY GOD. FOR THE PROMISED SEED TO COME : JESUS, WAS TO COME FROM THE LOINS OF DAVID.

ABSALOM TOOK COUNSEL FROM TWO MEN, BUT HE ACCEPTED THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, ONE OF DAVID’S COUNSELORS WHO JOINED IN THE CONSPIRACY WITH ABSALOM AGAINST DAVID, THE KING.

WHEN SOMEONE TOLD DAVID THAT AHITHOPHEL, HIS OWN ADVISOR, WAS BACKING ABSALOM, DAVID PRAYED, “O LORD, PLEASE MAKE AHITHOPHEL GIVE ABSALOM FOOLISH ADVICE.” 

AS SOON AS HE HAD FINISHED PRAYING, AND HAD REACHED THE TOP OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, WHERE PEOPLE WORSHIPPED GOD, DAVID FOUND HUSHAI THE ARCHITE WAITING FOR HIM. BUT DAVID TOLD HIM, “IF YOU GO WITH ME, YOU WILL ONLY BE A BURDEN. RETURN TO JERUSALEM AND TELL ABSALOM, I WILL COUNSEL YOU AS I DID YOUR FATHER. THEN YOU CAN FRUSTRATE AND COUNTER AHITHOPHEL’S ADVICE. SEND WORD BACK TO ME WHAT IS GOING ON.”

SO WHEN DAVID’S FRIEND, HUSHAI, ARRIVED, HE WENT IMMEDIATELY TO SEE ABSALON.

ABSALOM ASKED HIM, “WHY AREN’T YOU WITH DAVID?” AND HE ANSWERED, “BECAUSE I WORK FOR THE MAN WHO IS CHOSEN BY THE LORD AND BY ISRAEL, AND ANY WAY, WHY SHOULDN’T I? I HELPED YOUR FATHER AND NOW I WILL HELP YOU!”

THEN ABSALOM TURNED TO AHITHOPHEL AND ASKED HIM, “WHAT SHALL I DO NEXT?” AHITHOPHEL TOLD HIM, “. GO SLEEP WITH YOUR FATHER’S WIVES, FOR HE HAS LEFT THEM HERE TO KEEP THE HOUSE. THEN ALL ISRAEL  WILL KNOW THAT YOU HAVE INSULTED HIM  BEYOND RECONCILATION, AND THEY WILL SUPPORT YOU.”

SO ABSALOM DID EVERYTHING AHITHOPHEL TOLD HIM, UNTIL ONE DAY AHITHOPHEL ASKED FOR TWELVE THOUSAND MEN TO GO AFTER DAVID AND KILL HIM WHILE HE WAS DISCOURAGED.”HE AND HIS TROOPS WILL BE THROWN INTO A PANIC AND EVERYONE WILL RUN AWAY,” HE SAID. BUT ABASOLOM ASKED HUSHAI HIS OPINION.

“WELL,” HUSHAI REPLIED, “THIS TIME I THINK AHITHOPHEL IS MISTAKEN. YOU KNOW YOUR FATHER AND HIS MEN; THEY ARE MIGHTY WARRIORS AND ARE PROBABLY AS UPSET AS A MOTHER BEAR WHO HAS BEEN ROBBED OF HER CUBS.

YOUR FATHER IS AN OLD SOLDIER AND ISN’T GOING TO SPEND THE NIGHT AMONG THE TROOPS. HE HAS PROBABLY ALREADY HIDDEN IN SOME PIT OR CAVE. WHEN HE COMES OUT AND ATTACKS AND SOME OF YOUR MEN FALL, THERE WILL BE PANIC AMONG YOUR TROOPS AND EVERYONE WILL START SHOUTING THAT YOUR MEN ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED. THEN, EVEN THE BRAVEST OF THEM WILL BE PARALIZED WITH FEAR, BECAUSE ALL ISRAEL KNOWS WHAT A MIGHTY MAN YOUR FATHER IS AND HOW COURAGOUS HIS SOLDIERS ARE.’

“I SUGGEST YOU MOBILIZE THE ENTIRE ARMY OF ISRAEL. AND I THINK YOU SHOULD PERSONALLY LEAD THE TROOPS. THEN, WHEN WE FIND HIM, WE CAN DESTROY HIS ENTIRE ARMY, SO THAT NO ONE IS LEFT ALIVE.”

THEN ABSALOM AND ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL SAID, HUSHAI’S IS BETTER THAN AHITHOPHEL’S.” FOR THE  LORD HAD APPOINTED TO DEFEAT THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, WHICH REALLY WAS  THE BETTER PLAN; SO HE COUD BRING DISASTER UPON ABSALOM. —-AND HE DID.

WHEN GOD GIVES US A WORD, THAT HE IS GOING TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE, IT IS BEST FOR US TO KEEP OUR MOUTHS SHUT UNTIL THE APPOINTED TIME, AS WAS IN THE LIFE OF ZACHARIAS AND ELIZABETH (LUKE 1). THE ANGEL TOLD HIM WHILE HE WAS DOING HIS SERVICE TO GOD IN THE TEMPLE, THAT HIS WIFE, ELIZABETH, WOULD HAVE A SON NAMED JOHN. BECAUSE OF ZACHARIAS’ UNBELIEF THE ANGEL STRUCK HIM DUMB UNTIL THE APPOINTED TIME.

WHEN GOD DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING, HE HAS A PURPOSE AND A PLAN HOW HE WANTS IT CARRIED-OUT.

THE BEST  THING WE CAN DO, IS WAIT IT OUT UNTIL IT COMES TO PASS. IT IS VERY EASY FOR US TO GET INTO UNBELIEF. WHEN WE GET TIRED OF WAITING, WE CAN BRING AN ISHMAEL INTO OUR LIVES, AS DID ABRAHAM AND SARAH. THEN WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE ACTIONS THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

WHEN THE PROMISE DOES COME, WE FIND WE CAN ENJOY IT LIKE GOD PLANNED IN THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO ISHMAELS TO DEAL WITH.

WHEN WE BEGIN TO QUESTION GOD—-WE SHOULD BE SAYING, “GOD, I TRUST YOU WITH JUST THE RIGHT TIMING, AND I TRUST YOU WITH WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND ME.”

IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER, ESTHER’S UNCLE, MORDECAI HAD TOLD HER. “NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO ACT. NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO REVEAL YOURSELF.”

ESTHER 4:14 – FOR IF THOU ALTOGETHER HOLDEST THY PEACE AT THIS TIME, THEN SHALL THEIR ENLARGEMENT (OR HELP) AND DELIVERANCE COME FROM ANOTHER PLACE; BUT THOU AND THY FATHER’S HOUSE SHALL BE DESTROYED: AND WHO KNOWETH WHETHER THOU ART COME TO THE KINGDOM FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS?

BY MAKING HER MOVE AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, SHE DESTROYED ALL THE ENEMIES PLANS.  

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As They Were Able To Hear It

| Jeanette

…AS THEY WERE ABLE TO HEAR IT.

 

Do you struggle with the question: What is my role in God’s kingdom?
“I desire to be the best I can be in every area of my life, But where are those older women who are supposed to teach me? I want to please God. I want to be a godly example in my home, Help me!
Well, this program was birthed by God, to do this very thing.
I will try to answer your questions.

Mark 4:33
And with many such parables spake He the Word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

After reading this verse of Scripture, I kept meditating on the last portion …as they were able to hear it (Or, as much as they were ready to understand).
You know how sometimes you are reading and all of a sudden a verse just jumps out at you?
Well, this is what happened.
So, I decided to do some homework.
I was impressed to search the Scriptures and commentaries for it’s fullest meaning.

The Bereans are called more noble than those in Thessalonica, because they received the Word and searched the Scriptures daily. (Acts 17:11).

Have you noticed How our the Holy Spirit teaches us things as we are ready to receive them? We are all on different levels with Him.
Some are not ready to receive some things from God yet, while others are like the Disciples in verse 34b …and when they were alone, He expounded all things to His Disciples.

The disciples were on another level with Him; and out of those twelve, there were three who seemed to be on a higher level than the others.
(Matthew 26:36,37 -Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder.And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy (downhearted).
Now, look at Matthew 17:1,2 – And after six days Jesus took Peter, and James, and John his brother up into a high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
John 13:23 – Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus Loved.This is referring to John, to whom God gave the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1a). We will also remember at His crucifixion, he put His mother into John’s care (John19:26,27).

The disciples were a chosen dozen, of whom Jesus chose out of His followers to a new level of communion with Himself. They stayed close to Him to stay in His presence, to grow in wisdom, knowledge and understanding about His kingdom, and He explained the parables to them privately. – Of course we know one of these betrayed Him. He knew the crowd wasn’t ready for it, and some of them were just following His teachings for the loaves and fishes; they really didn’t want to know Him or even understand the mysteries of the parables.
Some were even there to catch Him in something so they could have Him killed. Sounds like some of those today who feel like their calling is to police the true ministers of God.

I tell you, I have seen a lot of this!

How can we grow-in-the-Lord if we are always questioning the content of the messages of true men and women of God?
I am not talking about those who are in error, I am talking about what I call spiritual jealousy, where one is trying to prove how right they are and how wrong the other brother is.

Acts 5:38,39 – And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men and let them alone: for if this counsel (or message) be of men, it will come to naught (nothing): But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
It’s like a war of Words; assassination in the ministry, when they don’t even know about the level the other man is on with God.
You could be wrong, you know.
You could be coming against the work of God.
Our battle is with the devil and demons, not with flesh and blood.
Trouble not the Father, with these emotional outbursts: you will damage your own ministry, and keep the flow between God and you hindered.

In John 16:12 Jesus told His disciples …I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear (or grasp) them now.

Even the disciples had more to learn. Jesus knew they couldn’t grasp them at this time, but He would send the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth.

I was growing in the Lord before I received the precious experience of the Holy Spirit Baptism.
I was so hungry and thirsty for all of God I could get.
I still am.
I didn’t really know what was to take place, because my teaching did not include this wonderful experience.

After I was filled, There was a greater understanding of the supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and His gifts.
This is what some who have not yet experienced Him, call “hype;” and other things that I will not repeat.
Believe me, He is real and will lead us into all truth.
Why should we settle for just a portion of God and not experience His fullness.

God began to open-up the Scriptures more and more to me and move me up to another level with Hi. And deliverances began to come into my life.
I had power to witness , like never before.

Believe me, there is a great difference in your understanding of the things of God when the Holy Spirit fills your life.
Growing is a process, and experiencing God is also a process of levels. We move from one level to another.
After we are free, there is no stopping us. We are so in love with Jesus and so hungry for God, we could eat the red print off the Bible.

Ask Jesus to fill you with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. He will. You will experience more of God.
This is not a devil as some say.
I’ve never seen a devil that could make me love Jesus more.
All the devils had to leave.

We are all instructed to do something for God. We are saved for more than just a fire escape, or hell prevention. We are saved with a purpose for our lives.
As we grow in-the-Lord, He will reveal to us things in our lives that need to be gotten rid-of.
I can imagine it like a creek or stream of water, in which a whirlpool is circling in the midst. Have you seen what I’m talking about?
During my tom-boy years, I would go down to the creek behind my house and swing across it by holding on to a vine. You know, -like Tarzan.
One day I noticed a big swirl in the water and I kept watching as trash and debree began to surface.
This is how the Holy Spirit begins to work with us to get impurities out of our lives. He causes us to see and recognize in ourselves, as we are able to bear it: those thing that are not pleasing to Him.
If we don’ know they are there, how can we confess them?
We confess them and repent. And He, with His mighty power, reaches down and scoops them out of our lives.
Again and again, as we allow Him to do this, He brings us up to a new level with Him.
Ask Him to fill you with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Search out the Scriptures in the book of Acts with an open mind.
Ask Him, and He will fill you.
This gift is for the believer only. It is free.

Pray this prayer with me:
“Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. I ask You, if there is anything in my life that is not pleasing to You, please take it out. Expose it to me now. I confess it to You, and ask You to remove from my life any hindrances, any sins that keep me from by best with You. Forgive me, and fill me with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. My desire is to go to the highest level with You that can be reached. Amen.”

We can stay free, if we stay out of things the Word of God shows us to leave alone. We also need to keep that personal relationship with God alive, by spending time with Him in that “secret place”.

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

LOVE YOUR HUSBAND

| Jeanette

LOVE YOUR HUSBAND

Woman of God, do you struggle with the question:
What is my role in God’s kingdom?
I desire to be the best I can be in every area of my life,
But where are those older women who are supposed to teach me?
I want to please God.
I want to be a godly example in my home.
Help me!
Well, this message was birthed by God, to do this very thing.
I will attempt to answer your questions.

I am only a woman myself, with your same desires.
God has dealt with me to write this message just for you.
You may not even be a Christian, but the Lord somehow prompted you to follow this site.

No marriage can work without God in the center of the home.

As we go through the Scriptures together,
I ask you to have your Bible open.

Today we will be studying Titus 2:4 –
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.
I want to zero in on a portion of this verse.
…that they may teach the young women to…love their husbands…
Why would we have to be taught to love our husbands?
There must be some of us who have a problem in this area.
If not, it wouldn’t even be mentioned in the precious Word of God.

I feel we need to love our husbands in three areas:
Phileo (in the Greek) which is friendship love
Agape (in the Greek) which is the God kind of love
Awhab, (pronounced aw-hab’, in the Hebrew) Which is sensual or romantic love

In our hearts, we must have more love for our husbands than anyone on this earth, because we are supposed to love them in three areas
whereas we only love all others with two kinds of love.

The God Kind of LoveLadies, love that husband first with the God kind of love.

Begin to look at him as God sees him.
The way you get to this place, is to put God first in your life.
God requires time with you; and you can’t really be a woman of God without it.
My secret place with God is early in the morning, in the sunroom of our home. – I get my Bible, study material, and my journal and spend time with my Lord alone.
Sometimes I write prayers to God in My journal.
Many times things have come up during the day I would not have reacted to in the right way, except that God had given me a Scripture or inspiration that helped me to walk in the Spirit that day.

If we love the Lord our God with all our soul and all our might,
He will help us to love our husbands the way He planned in the beginning.
God will help us show respect to that man so our children will do the same.

The God kind of love is not selfish nor jealous.
The God kind of love can only come from our Creator.
So ask Him for it.

Friendship love
This kind of love should have been the love with which your relationship began; and should continue throughout your lives together.
Our husbands should be our best friend.
Treat him that way, he will warm up to it.
It is a proven fact that there is still a little boy inside every husband.

We should desire to be with them more than anyone else on this earth.
Many young women make the mistake of “switching friends” when the children come along. The children become our best friends and the husband feels pushed aside.
Girl, why did you marry that man in the first place?
Because you just couldn’t live without him. Well, what happened?
You who work outside the home, might say, “The children need all my attention when I get home.”
You that are stay-at-home moms say “I have been with these children all day, I don’t feel like giving my husband special attention when he gets home. I’m exhausted”.

Spending time with God each day can help you to put your priorities in order. Don’t forget, you chose that man to be your husband.

Romantic or Sensual Love
This kind of love is just as important as the other two because God sanctioned it for husband and wife together (only). Courtship before marriage is a time to learn things about each other and spend time with the one God has led to you.
It seems to me there is too much sexual contact experienced during the courting period in this day and time.
Sensual love is only to be experienced by husband and wife.
It is a gift a bride and groom give to each other after the wedding ceremony.
It is ordained by God and should be kept alive all the days of your lives together. It is wonderful and is worth waiting for.

I will sum-up this message today with these words.
Many women want to choose there own way of doing things, but I have found through trial and error, over the years, that the Word works.
Human intellect always thinks it’s right, but throughout the years, as man has come back to the Biblical point of view, they have found stability in it’s principles.
We know, as a woman of God, the power of the Word and the power of prayer, has brought us into a greater insight and revelation of the Lord’s intentions for us, which is always good: what is best for us.

God’s Word never fails.
His plan is to bring us to the place He wants us to be as wives.
He shows us the correct way, which cannot be improved upon.

Your own way might work for a while, but rebellion to God’s Word brings a curse with it every time. We can receive a curse or a blessing.
We all should desire God’s blessings.
This is my desire for you also — blessings!

My prayer for you is, that you will put into practice what you have learned today, with God’s help.

I speak blessings over you; spiritually, physically and financially.

The Word of God says:
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (3 John 2)
This is God’s will for you.

Let’s look at a bad marriage example
Laura is married to a young man she doesn’t even like.
When they were dating, he was very affectionate and attentive.
He also sent her gifts, but she knew nothing about him.
It happened so quick, she was swept off her feet.
They were married soon after they met,
but she really didn’t know him.

She began to see traits in him she had never noticed before.
He was jealous. He soon became violent and beat her many times.
She is trapped.
What happened?

We need to know more about those we become attracted to.
We should only become interested in a man of God,
not some one who only professes to be a man of God.
Ask questions before you get too interested.

You who are already married, don’t make the mistake of trying to change him to be what you want him to be.
That never works.
Ask God to do the changing each time you see something about him you don’t like.
Pray for him.
Maybe it’s you. Maybe you are too sensitive, so pray the same prayer for yourself.
“Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. Help me and my husband to be the woman and man of God you created us to be.
Help our friendship to grow, that we might have a greater understanding of each other”.

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

THE BRUISED REED

| Jeanette

SOMETIME BACK, THIS PHRASE, BRUISED REED, CAME INTO MY SPIRIT AND KEPT COMING OFF AND ON UNTIL I SEEMED TO FORGET IT.

BUT SHORTLY AFTER, MY LORD SPOKE TO ME IN MY TIME WITH HIM, TO MEDITATE ON THIS AND KEEP THINKING ABOUT IT UNTIL HE OPENED IT UP TO ME.

I AM SURE MANY SERMONS HAVE BEEN PREACHED ABOUT THE WORD “REED” CONCERNING THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR LORD, BUT I SENSED HE WANTED TO SHOW ME MORE CONCERNING HURTING PEOPLE, WHETHER SAVED OR UNSAVED.

SO, THIS IS THE MESSAGE. I WILL SHARE IT WITH YOU AS HE OPENED IT UP TO ME.

REED IS MENTIONED IN THE SCRIPTURES MORE THAN BRUISED, BUT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING SAID, WE WILL LOOK AT BOTH MEANINGS AND HOW THEY ARE USED.

BRUISED MEANS, CRACK IN PEICES; CRUSH; DICOURAGE; OPPRESS; STRUGGLE TOGETHER.

REED MEANS (BY RESEMBLANCE), A ROD FOR MEASURING; SHAFT; TUBE; STEM; CANE; REED;CALAMUS (A SLENDER, CLIMBING PALM PRODUCING  CANES); A STALK.

ISAIAH 42:3 – A BRUISED REED SHALL HE NOT BREAK, AND THE SMOKING FLAX SHALL HE NOT QUENCH: HE SHALL BRING FORTH JUDGMENT INTO TRUTH.

I GET FROM THIS SCRIPTURE, THAT THE BRUISED AND BROKEN; THE CRUSHED, DISCOURAGED, AND OPPRESSED STRUGGLING SOUL IS NOT WORTHLESS TO THE LORD.

MANY TIMES WE MARK PEOPLE OFF AS NO-GOOD; BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT RELATIVE YOU LOVE DEARLY WHO IS AWAY FROM THE LORD? OR WHO IS GOING THROUGH THE MOST HORRIBLE TIME IN THEIR LIFE? DO YOU MARK THEM OFF? NO! YOU TRY TO HELP THEM. YOU PRAY FOR THEM, AND HOPE THEY WILL GET HELP OR CHANGE.

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THEM TO CHANGE. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WORTHLESS SOUL WE THINK IS USELESS TO THE LORD, OR EVEN ONE WHO HAS HURT YOUR FAMILY TO THE PLACE THAT YOU WISH THEY WERE DEAD? WHAT ABOUT THEM?

JUST AS GOD FORGIVES US, WE HAVE TO FORGIVE THEM BEFORE BITTERNESS SETS IN AND MANY ARE DEFILED (HEBREWS 2:15).

HOW WE ACT AFFECTS THOSE WATCHING OUR LIVES.

AS WE APPROACH THE CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD, WE NEED TO BE MUCH IN PRAYER CONCERNING THAT PERSON IN OUR FAMILY WHO CAUSES THE MOST TROUBLE, AS OUR FAMILIES COME TOGETHER.

MANY TIMES THEY ARE FEARING THEMSELVES, HOPING THEY DON’T SAY THE WRONG THING, AND WISHING THEY WERE DEAD, SO THEY WON’T EVEN BE IN THE PLACE TO CAUSE TROUBLE.

THEY SOMETIMES ARE DEALING WITH THEIR OWN SECRET PAIN AND WE JUST SEE THEM AS A BIG PROBLEM WE WISH WOULD JUST RESIGN FROM THE FAMILY OR GO AWAY.

FAMILY GATHERINGS SHOULD BE A TIMES OF PEACE AND JOY. SO WHAT DOES A PERSON DO WHO DREADS FACING THAT PERSON WE DISLIKE SO MUCH? WE ARE ALL AFFECTED!

SEARCH YOUR HEART. MAYBE YOU ARE THE ONE WHO CAUSES THE PROBLEM BY YOUR UNBELIEF, YOUR LACK OF TRUST THAT GOD CAN HANDLE ALL OF THIS, AND YOU BEGIN SPREADING YOUR CONCERNS THROUGH-OUT THE FAMILY.

EVENTUALLY, A FIRE IS STARTED, AND ALL ARE CONCERNED, AND EVEN DREAD THE GATHERING. THIS SHOULD BE A TIME OF LOVE AND HEALING.

BEGIN NOW. PRAY FOR THAT PERSON YOU DISLIKE.

THEY COULD BE THAT SMOKING FLAX JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT HERE, …AND THE SMOKING FLAX SHALL HE NOT QUENCH…

IF JUDGMENT COMES UPON A PERSON, GOD IS THE ONE WHO WILL DO IT. NO MATTER WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO YOU OR YOUR FAMILY, THEY STILL HAVE SOMETHING IN THEM THAT GOD LOVES. THERE MAY NOT BE A FIRE THERE, BUT THERE IS STILL SMOKE THAT REPRESENTS THERE COULD BE A FIRE IF YOU PRAY FOR THEM; AND GOD, IN TURN, KINDLES THAT FIRE, AND MAKES THEM INTO WHAT HE WANTS THEM TO BE.

JAMES 3:8,9a,10,19,25 –

      …AND IF YE FULFILL THE ROYAL LAW ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF, YE DO WELL:

     BUT IF YOU HAVE RESPECT OF PERSONS, YE COMMIT SIN…

      FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL KEEP THE WHOLE LAW, AND YET OFFEND IN ONE POINT, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.

      WHEREFORE, MY BELOVED, LET EVERY MAN BE SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH:

      FOR THE WRATH OF MAN WORKETH NOT (DOES NOT PRODUCE) THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.

      BUT WHOSO LOOKETH INTO THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY, AND CONTINUETH (OR LIVES)  THEREIN, HE BEING NOT A FORGETFUL HEARER, BUT A DOER OF THE WORK, THIS MAN SHALL BE BLESSED IN HIS DEED.

JESUS DIED FOR THAT PERSON YOU DISLIKE SO MUCH.

NO MATTER HOW WORTHLESS OR USELESS IN THE WORLD’S SIGHT, EVERY PERSON IS IMPORTANT AND WORTHWHILE TO GOD.

ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU THE ROOT OF THEIR PROBLEM. TRY TO UNDERSTAND THEM, EVEN IF THEY ARE DEAD WRONG ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL. DON’T BE INTIMIDATED BY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE DOING, BUT PRAY THEY WILL SEE THEM THROUGH GOD’S EYES LIKE YOU ARE TRYING TO DO.

MATTHEW 12:9-20 – AND WHEN HE WAS DEPARTED THENCE, HE WENT INTO THEIR SYNAGOGUE:

      AND, BEHOLD, THERE WAS A MAN WHICH HAD HIS HAND WITHERED. AND THEY ASKED HIM, SAYING, IS IT LAWFUL TO HEAL ON THE SABBATH DAYS? THAT THEY MIGHT ACCUSE HIM.

      AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, WHAT MAN SHALL THERE BE AMONG YOU, THAT SHALL HAVE ONE SHEEP, AND IF IT FALL INTO A PIT ON THE SABBATH DAY, WILL HE NOT LAY HOLD ON HIM, AND LIFT HIM OUT?

      HOW MUCH THEN IS A MAN BETTER THAN A SHEEP? WHEREFORE IT IS LAWFUL TO DO GOOD ON THE SABBATH DAYS.

      THEN SAYETH HE TO THE MAN, STRETCH FORTH THINE HAND. AND HE STRETCHED IT FORTH AND IT WAS WHOLE, LIKE THE OTHER.

      THEN THEN PHARISEES WENT OUT AND HELD COUNCIL AGAINST HIM, HOW THEY MIGHT DESTROY HIM.

      BUT WHEN HE KNEW IT, HE WITHDREW HIMSELF FROM THENCE: AND GREAT MULTITUDES FOLLOWED HIM, AND HE HEALED THEM ALL;

      AND CHARGED THEM THAT THEY SHOULD NOT MAKE HIM KNOWN:

      THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY ISAIAH THE PROPHET, SAYING,

      BEHOLD MY SERVANT, WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BLOVED, IN WHOM MY SOUL IS WELL PLEASED: I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL SHOW JUDGMENT TO THE GENTILES.

      HE SHALL NOT STRIVE NOR CRY; NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS.

      A BRUISED REED SHALL HE NOT BREAK, AND A SMOKING FLAX SHALL HE NOT QUEINCH, TILL HE SEND FORTH JUDGMENT INTO VICTORY.

HERE WE SEE BRUISED REED MENTIONED AGAIN WHERE JESUS QUOTES FROM ISAIAH 42:3.

JESUS IS SO GENTLE THAT HE WILL NOT BREAK A BRUISED REED, NOR QUENCH SMOKING FLAX. WHAT OTHERS WOULD TREAD UPON OR CAST INTO THE FIRE, HE WILL STOOP AND PICK UP AND SAVE; WHAT OTHERS WILL CRUSH AND QUENCH IT’S DYING SMOKE, AS THE REMNANT OF A TAPER, HE WILL NOT QUENCH; BUT WHERE THERE IS LIFE, HE WILL GIVE LIGHT, AND WHILE THERE IS LIGHT HE WILL SUSTAIN IT. HIS TREATMENT OF THE BELIEVER WHO IS THE WEAKEST, AND, SO TO SPEAK, LEAST ALIVE, IS MARKED BY LONGSUFFERING AND GENTLENESS.

WHEN THE MAN CAME INTO THE TEMPLE WITH THE WITHERED HAND, JESUS KNEW IF HE HEALED HIM ON THE SABBATH DAY, HE WOULD BE CRITICISED BY THOSE, HIS ENEMIES, WHO WERE JUST WAITING TO TRAP HIM.

JESUS KNEW WHAT HIS ENEMIES WOULD DO, BUT HE HEALED THE WITHERED HAND ANYWAY. 

IF ONE PERSON ACTS LIKE JESUS AT YOUR FAMILY GATHERING THIS YEAR, IT WILL INFLUENCE OTHERS  TO DO THE SAME, BUT IF THAT REBELLIOUS PERSON WHO CAN’T FORGIVE, STARTS SOMETHING, DO LIKE JESUS DID, DON’T EVEN TRY TO DEFEND YOURSELF. LET THEM SAY WHAT THEY WILL, AND GET BUSY IN ANOTHER ROOM. SOMETIMES SILENCE BRINGS CONVICTION. NO ONE CAN HAVE A HOT ARGUMENT WITH THEMSELVES ALONE.THEY WILL LOOK FOOLISH!!!

IF ANYONE KEEPS LOOKING STEADILY INTO GOD’S LAW FOR FREE MEN, HE WILL NOT ONLY REMEMBER IT BUT WILL DO WHAT IT SAYS, AND GOD WILL GREATLY BLESS HIM IN EVERYTHING HE DOES. (JAMES 1:25 LB).

MERRY CHRISTMAS!I HOPE THIS WILL BE YOUR BEST EVER. MAY THE SAVIOR LEAD YOU AND ME THROUGHOUT THE THE HOLIDAYS AND ALL OF LIFE.     

       

  

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