March 17

What a reading packed with lessons today! God is awesome!

First of all – teach the Lord to your kids and grandkids! The advantage that we have is that God’s mighty miracles happen all the time! Only believe and you will see them at your hand, and we can tell of God’s great exploits through US, so our children will know the Lord! In fact, take them with you to minister! My children will only forget if I cease to tell them and bring them with me to minister. Who else is going to teach them the fear of the Lord except one like me who has been sternly corrected and felt the sting of God’s discipline? (That is always done for my benefit).

Secondly, the Lord kept the enemies of the Israelites around to “prove” Israel. He knew that they needed “a reason” to turn to Him, and He used people like the Philistines to do it. Isn’t it interesting that it took 80 years of bondage? Well, maybe the bondage was comfortable for a time – hmm… sounds like us. Here is the lesson: God will NOT let me reign in complete authority if I remain rebellious and follow other gods, like the God of Terry! They worshipped other man-made gods, I (we) worship myself (ourselves). Worship comes from “worthscipe” and then “worthship” to “worship”. It is ascribing “worth” and in this case ascribing more worth to it (self – self desires – doing what you want, living in a way that you want), than to God. There is no competition, there is either God OR self, God OR money… When anything takes God’s place of prominence in the people who have a covenant with God, then God uses the enemies of God, (other people, additions, sexuality, poverty and other enemies) to subdue us. Why can’t we use our authority in Christ? Because the enemy has gained more authority than us! By our rebellion (ie. Getting drunk and partying) the spirits that are against us gain more authority than us in that area BECAUSE of our rebellion. Don’t you see that God uses this to bring us back to Him? He has done it dozens of times in my life. Not with drunkenness, but I have been broken before Him by whatever I have allowed into my life in order that I would submit that part of my life to Him. (ie. Heart arithmia caused by stress brought me to a submission of my schedule). Then, the freedom comes! My authority in Christ rises up and I defeat my enemies (in the strength of God) – Hallelujah!!!

Oh God keep me from giving myself over to anything but you – but if I do, please use my enemies to bring me back to your feet.