12-04-05 Deuteronomy 33:29

Deuteronomy 33:29 (KJ21)
Happy art thou, O Israel! Who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places."

Deuteronomy 33:29 (NAS)
Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, Who is the shield of your help, And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies shall cringe before you, And you shall tread upon their high places.

Deuteronomy 33:29 (NIVUS)
Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places.

Deuteronomy 33:29 (NLT)
How blessed you are, O Israel! Who else is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your protecting shield and your triumphant sword! Your enemies will bow low before you, and you will trample on their backs!

At one time you were on a crooked and uneven way, but then you changed your course. You gave the control of your life into the hands of Adonai, the Lord God. He set you right and put you on a straight path, which made it easier for you to advance and progress. Many now pronounce you happy and blessed.

With the blood of His very own Son, the Lord has saved and delivered you. Jehovah has liberated you and made you victorious, a champion who prevails over your enemies; for He is your shield that covers and surrounds you. He is always ready to defend you; for you are one of His chosen people. Look to God Almighty for His help and support.

Your majestic God wields His sword against your enemies. He lays them waste and they remain desolate and in ruins. He smites them down, but He raises you up. He makes you triumph over them those who tried to deceive you will themselves be deceived. They will be disappointed and fail in their schemes. All that they do will be insufficient. You will tread upon their high places and march triumphantly over their battlefields.

12-03-05 Psalm 5:10

Psalm 5:10 (KJ21)
Destroy Thou them, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels. Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against Thee.

Psalm 5:10 (NAS)
Hold them guilty, O God; By their own devices let them fall! In the multitude of their transgressions thrust them out, For they are rebellious against Thee.

Psalm 5:10 (NIVUS)
Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.

Psalm 5:10(NLT)
O God, declare them guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps. Drive them away because of their many sins, for they rebel against you.

Men, who do not commit their lives to Adonai, the Almighty God, live according to their own purposes and devices. They deliberate and counsel with and among themselves; they take their own advice, resolving to follow their own guidance. These people set themselves up as their own 'god'. They act in pride and arrogance.

They do not realize that following their own ways will ultimately cause them to fall. They will be judged by their own mistakes and found wanting. God will find them guilty and sentence them to punishment; for they have trespassed and offended the Lord.

These men are rebellious and sinful; they have mounted a revolt against the Lord and Master of the universe. They have broken away from the One who loves them and have committed an abundance of transgressions. The Lord has banished them from His presence and their lives have become bitter and unpleasant. Through their disobedience, they suffer grief; they are outcasts, headed only for destruction and death. If they continue in their sin, they all shall perish.

However, if they turn away from their own counsel and seek God's help, He will have mercy on them. He will save them from their sins, making their lives sweet and pleasant again. Instead of being cast off, they will be held dear in the heart of God.

12-02-05 Exodus 20:6

Exodus 20:6 (KJ21)
and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments.

Exodus 20:6 (NAS)
but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Exodus 20:6 (NIVUS)
but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:6 (NLT)
But I lavish my love on those who love me and obey my commands, even for a thousand generations.

Many people have the misconceived idea that Adonai is waiting for them to make a wrong step so that He can punish them. It is true that the Almighty is a God of justice, but His judgments are righteous and perfect.

However, you have discovered that the Lord your God desires to show you His love and mercy. He actually fashions goodness and kindness for you. He does not desire to reproach you or to put you to shame; instead He celebrates your life. God's mercy faithfully flows as a river over you and you are enveloped in His love.

Now you are one of thousands who love God; He names you His friend. You belong to the Lord and He teaches you of Himself. Keeping and observing His commandments is your delight. He has commissioned, appointed, and ordained you, putting you in charge of His code of wisdom

12-1-05 Psalms 3:3, 6

Psalms 3:3, 6 (KJ21)
But Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me, my glory and the lifter up of mine head...I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about.

Psalms 3:3, 6 (NAS)
But Thou, O LORD, art a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head...I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about.

Psalms 3:3, 6 (NIVUS)
But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head...I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.

Psalms 3:3, 6 (NLT)
But you, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high...I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.

Jehovah is the Lord God and He has always existed. He is the Sovereign Ruler and is the Master and Owner of all that He created. Like the scaly hide of a crocodile, He is a shield and defense for you. When the enemy's darts come against you, they bounce off of your shield. The Lord hides you like a thick hedge, which is so thick that nothing can cut through it.

The Lord causes you to shine with glory and splendor. He makes you weighty and honorable in the sight of others. He gives you abundance, riches, and promotion. You are of noble birth and you prevail against your adversaries. Adonai has raised you up and you mount up with wings like an eagle. Your life does not breed worms; instead you are of high rank--a captain, a chief, and a priest among men. As you trust God, He will always bring you out on top!

Therefore, you do not need to be afraid or fear those who array themselves against you. Even though thousands of enemies have encircled you, compassing you about on every side, you do not need to dread; for you know that God is your shield and defender, the glory and the lifter of your head.

I Should Not Be Alive!

A friend of mine shared with me this morning that he had heard that there is a new program on the Discovery Channel, called "I Shouldn't Be Alive." or something along those lines. Well, I could be a guest on that show, because something happened to me 20 years ago that should have killed me.

Back in 1986 when I lived in Tulsa, OK, I had to have a hysterectomy due to a large fibroid tumor. The amazing thing in this story is that 2 weeks before my scheduled surgery, on a Sunday or Monday night, my appendix burst. Even though I left work the next day and went to the hospital with severe pain, after some tests, which did not reveal my burst appendix, I was sent home with muscle relaxers.

The following Saturday, I went to a production at the Mabee Center at Oral Roberts University. To get to your seat in the Mabee Center, you have to walk down steep steps. After walking down those steps, I started experiencing pain again. When I walked back up the steps, at the end of the program, I almost passed out. A friend took me to the City of Faith hospital, which was right across the street.

Every time I stood up, my blood pressure went down. The doctors thought that I was bleeding in the tumor, which is not unusual, I guess. Anyway, they sent me home to bedrest, until my surgery scheduled for the next Friday. I had to eat a lot of liver that week to build up my blood. By the time I went to the hospital, I had bled so much that they had to give me 4 units of blood, before I could have surgery.

When they finally performed the surgery, they discovered my burst appendix from the 2 weeks before. I had a burst appendix with the accompanying poison and infection from that and I was bleeding internally--2 fatal conditions--and yet the Lord kept me sovereignly alive for those two weeks and for the most part, I did not even realize that I was that sick. Even though the doctors thought the tumor, which weighed five pounds, put pressure on my appendix to burst it, they also thought that it was what kept me alive because the poison from the appendix was absorbed into the tumor. Isn't God amazing?

I need to remember this story often, when I think things are hard now. How much worse could they get than what happened to me in 1986?

If you find yourself in a life threatening or devastating situation today, turn your eyes and heart to the Lord God. He loves you and will take care of you. The Bible says that He is no respecter of persons, which means that He does not just reserve His blessings for certain special people. God wants to bless your life and help you. Just let Him!

11-30-05 Exodus 31:3

Exodus 31:3 (KJ21)
And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship,

Exodus 31:3 (NAS)
And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship,

Exodus 31:3 (NIVUS)
and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts—

Exodus 31:3 (NLT)
I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts.

Adonai, your Almighty God, loves you so much that He freely gives you of His very own Spirit. When He breathes on you, you receive quick understanding. Because His life fills you, you can anticipate and enjoy what your life has in store for you. Through God's Spirit, you can accomplish and fulfill much that you may otherwise hesitate in doing; for the Lord furnishes all that you need. What you lack, He replenishes and He wholly satisfies you.

The Lord your God makes you wise in your mind, in your words, and in your actions. He teaches you from His word so that you can become wiser still. From Jehovah, you receive intelligence and discretion. You have understanding when your reasonings are under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Your diligence in seeking the Lord's kingdom makes you cunning and you have skillful discernment for whatever situations you confront. Your power to observe and recognize good and bad is heightened. You have knowledge in areas in which you used to be ignorant. You are capable of giving wise advice and answers to those who come to you with questions.

As Adonai's messenger and deputy, you are skillful in whatever you do or say. You are an ambassador of the King and your employment is always fruitful and blessed. You gain property as a result of your labor and business. Your workmanship is admired by all and you know that it is due to God's Spirit filling you with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.

11-29-05 Jeremiah 23:22

Jeremiah 23:22 (KJ21)
But if they had stood in My counsel and had caused My people to hear My words, then they should have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings.

Jeremiah 23:22 (NAS)
But if they had stood in My council, Then they would have announced My words to My people, And would have turned them back from their evil way And from the evil of their deeds.

Jeremiah 23:22 (NIVUS)
But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.

Jeremiah 23:22 (NLT)
If they had listened to me, they would have spoken my words and turned my people from their evil ways.

As a minister of the gospel, you have an awesome and weighty responsibility. You need to have an intimate relationship with Adonai, the Lord God; so that His conversation with you will be familiar. You must remain steadfast on the foundation of God's word that has been laid in your life. Attend to the King, waiting in His presence, to fulfill His slightest demand. When you are in close fellowship with Jehovah, you will receive His secret counsel.

You are the Lord's messenger and are appointed and ordained of Him. After you receive the counsel and guidance of God, you have the power and the authority to speak God's word to the people and nations around you. Since you have hearkened to and obeyed the voice of the Lord, you can now declare His commandments and promises; for you understand His heart and His will.

Those who hear you will be persuaded to consent and agree; they too will yield to His warnings and pleas. They will turn away from their evil way of life and return to their Maker and Redeemer. They will no longer deal severely and ruthlessly with their fellow man, but they will commit their lives to serve the Lord God. Your example, through word and deed, has changed their lives from hardness, harshness and sin to a life of gentleness, kindness, and righteousness. What was broken has been restored and repaired.

11-28-05 Daniel 12:3

Daniel 12:3 (KJ21)
And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12:3 (NAS)
And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:3(NIVUS)
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12:3 (NLT)
Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever.

As a child of God, you already have access to the wisdom of the ages. The Spirit of God gives you the power to be prudent and circumspect. The understanding that you gain through God's word allows you to prosper. When you need to make any important decisions, the Lord gives you insight and comprehension, so that you can consider each possibility. In this way you will always have the success that you seek.

Through the wisdom that you have received, you have the ability to admonish, warn, and teach others about what the Lord God expects. You shine as one of the brightest lights in the firmament

Others recognize your greatness, which comes through God's wisdom. They see your strength and the abundance that marks your life. As a captain and chief, you lead others in the way of righteousness; you reveal the salvation and vindication that the Lord God has already provided through Yeshua, the Son of God and Messiah. This salvation will last forever, as the stars in the sky.