9-2-06 2 Chronicles 20:20

2 Chronicles 20:20 (KJ21)
And they rose early in the morning and went forth into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God; so shall ye be established. Believe His prophets; so shall ye prosper."

2 Chronicles 20:20 (NAS)
And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God, and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed."

2 Chronicles 20:20 (NIVUS)
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful."

2 Chronicles 20:20(NLT)
Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, "Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed."

There are many "get rich quick" schemes or scams available. Fulfilling the "American Dream" drives many of us to try any or all of them. Some work for some people and some do not work for anyone except the original promoter. There is only one sure and lasting way to success and prosperity, which the nation of Israel has discovered.

To start your journey, you need to rise up early in the morning and go forth with purpose to seek your desired result--success and prosperity. Your way may lead you into a wilderness, but you should keep on going. It is also important to listen to and obey those whom the Lord has set up as your rulers and governors. God has placed them in their position and He often speaks to you through their words. As you continue along, praise to the Lord should inhabit your dwelling and peace should be your goal.

Now comes the most important phase of your journey. You must learn to trust and believe in Jehovah the Lord. As you remain faithful to Him, you will find all of the support and nourishment that you need. He will confirm and uphold you each step of the way. He will establish and make your steps firm. If you should stumble, the Lord will pick you up and carry you. You can rely on Him to help.

Not only should you believe in the Lord, you should trust His spokesmen and prophets, for they are under the influence of His Holy Spirit. Listening to and heeding their words will cause you to advance and progress. They are profitable to you, for they will help you to succeed and prosper. You can be assured that if you follow these steps, you will not fail, but will be blessed.

9-1-06 Jeremiah 15:19

Jeremiah 15:19 (NAS)
Therefore, thus says the LORD, "If you return, then I will restore you—Before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, But as for you, you must not turn to them.

Jeremiah 15:19 (NIVUS)
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.

Jeremiah 15:19 (NLT)
The LORD replied, "If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak words that are worthy, you will be my spokesman. You are to influence them; do not let them influence you!

Have you ever gotten off track? Perhaps you did not know that you had strayed, but you soon found that you were lost. The easiest way to get back to where you started is to simply turn around or repent and go back the way you had come. When you decide to repent and return, then Jehovah the Lord has promised to take you back to your starting point, back to the place where you should be.

Even though you lost some time while you were straying, you will find that when you return, the Lord will allow you to stand before Him as you did formerly. You can approach His throne without any shame or reproach, for Adonai has appointed you to attend Him.

You have been ordained to go forth in the name of the Lord and to deliver those who are precious to Him. You will lead those He values away from the worthless and vile. These, like you, are esteemed and highly prized by Almighty God. They are not insignificant and the Lord will not squander them with those He despises. As you open your mouth to speak of all of God's goodness, you will cleave in pieces all that has bound these glorious and precious jewels, so that they can return to the Most High God as well.

8-31-06 Jeremiah 20:11

Jeremiah 20:11 (KJ21)
But the LORD is with me as a mighty, fearsome one; therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail. They shall be greatly ashamed, for they shall not prosper; their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

Jeremiah 20:11 (NAS)
But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.

Jeremiah 20:11(NIVUS)
But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.

Jeremiah 20:11 (NLT)
But the LORD stands beside me like a great warrior. Before him they will stumble. They cannot defeat me. They will be shamed and thoroughly humiliated. Their dishonor will never be forgotten.

Sometimes you need someone to stand beside you to help and give you support. You need a Champion. Jehovah the Lord is a good choice to fill this role. He is strong and mighty. He is powerful enough to prevail against anyone or anything. To you, He is awe-inspiring and to your enemies, He is terror-striking. Because they dread Him, they will tremble in fear. Those who pursue and persecute you will stumble, stagger, and totter before the Almighty. They know they are weak and feeble and He will easily overthrow them. They cannot prevail against the Most High: they do not have the strength or power to endure against Him.

You enemies will be put to shame; they will be disconcerted and disappointed in their harassing attempts. They do not know how to act wisely or prudently; therefore, they will not prosper or have success. Their disgrace and reproach will last forever. Because they act dishonorably, they will receive only confusion and insults. Their humiliation will never be forgotten or ignored.

You, however, will never be put to shame and humiliated, for you have chosen the Lord God as your Champion. With your trust in Him, you will always be safe and secure.

8-30-06 Isaiah 49:4

Isaiah 49:4 (KJ21)
Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain; I have spent My strength for nought and in vain; yet surely My judgment is with the LORD, and My work with My God.’

Isaiah 49:4 (NAS)
But I said, "I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity; Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the LORD, And My reward with My God."

Isaiah 49:4 (NIVUS)
But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand, and my reward is with my God."

Isaiah 49:4 (NLT)
I replied, "But my work all seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose at all. Yet I leave it all in the LORD’s hand; I will trust God for my reward."

From the Garden of Eden, men have had to work for their living by the sweat of the brow. This curse has been the downfall of many men, families, relationships, and even nations, for out of it has been born what the world terms "workaholics." These people believe they are the only ones responsible to keep body and soul together. They do not know that there was One--Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus the Christ--who took the curse of sin on Himself, so that mankind can go free.

Have you ever worked until you are exhausted, faint, and weary? At this point in your labor, what words do you let come out of your mouth? Are they words of hope or words of despair? Do you declare that your toil has been worthless, empty, and vain? Do you feel as if your have poured out your strength to no purpose? Do you believe that your power, substance, and wealth have been consumed and wasted? Perhaps this leaves you confused and desolate. Your efforts seem transitory and unsatisfactory. You think your expectations have led you astray into a wilderness.

This is when you need to remember Jehovah the Lord and what He has already done for you. He took the judgment for your sin, so that you can have justice. Your sentence and punishment became His. Now instead of a curse, you receive a reward for and in your work. Your labor is not vain, especially if you have dedicated it unto the Lord. You, therefore, should continue to work heartily, as unto the Lord, for He promised to prosper all the work of your hands.

8-29-06 Isaiah 27:6

Isaiah 27:6 (KJ21)
He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

Isaiah 27:6 (NAS)
In the days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom and sprout; And they will fill the whole world with fruit.

Isaiah 27:6 (NIVUS)
In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.

Isaiah 27:6 (NLT)
The time is coming when my people will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole earth with her fruit!

Most people want to attain to some level of success in their life-times and most people go about it in the wrong ways. They do everything they can to promote themselves. They grab onto the corporate ladder and begin to climb. Sometimes they have to climb right over someone else to get to the top and at other times they have to hold on with all of their strength while someone else climbs over them. This way to achieve success is stressful and not secure.

However, you have found the only way to enter into permanent and lasting success. You have entered into the will of the Lord for your life by drawing near to Him. When you come near to Adonai, He brings you into His house to dwell safely and securely. There you begin to take root and grow. Like Jacob, the Israel of old, you have discovered that God is the only one who always causes you to prevail. You do not have to grab onto another's heel to get ahead. You do not have to hold others back, so that you will be seen.

When you put your trust in Jehovah the Lord, you will begin to sparkle and shine. You will blossom as you begin to flourish in His presence. You will attract the peeps and glances of others; they cannot help gazing at you, for they see the glory of the Lord resting on you. You have found the way to break out of the norm and fly above your peers. You will shoot forth sprouts that will bud and bloom.

When the faces of the world turn toward you, they will see that you are full and satisfied, for you are bearing an abundance of fruit. Everything that you try to accomplish will be complete. Nothing will be left undone in your life, for the Lord has made you to be exceedingly productive. While others are in decline and are turning back, you are developing into a leader of men.

8-28-06 Psalms 10:5, 6

Psalms 10: 5, 6 (KJ21)
His ways are always grievous; Thy judgments are far above, out of his sight; as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, "I shall not be moved, for I shall never be in adversity."

Psalms 10: 5, 6 (NAS)
His ways prosper at all times; Thy judgments are on high, out of his sight; As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them. He says to himself, "I shall not be moved; Throughout all generations I shall not be in adversity."

Psalms 10: 5, 6 (NIVUS)
His ways are always prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are far from him; he sneers at all his enemies. He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me; I’ll always be happy and never have trouble."

Psalms 10: 5, 6 (NLT)
Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They pour scorn on all their enemies. They say to themselves, "Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!"

The wicked man believes that his way will lead him to unlimited prosperity and wealth. It is the love of money that drives him to perform his evil deeds. However, his path will only lead to grief and anguish. In the end he will only find travail and pain. He will twist and writhe in his anxiety and fear. In time his journey will bring him distress, suffering, and torture. He will see the judgment and justice of the Lord God, if he continues in the way in which he is going. He will be sentenced and punished, for he has acted proudly and exalted himself. Although he set himself high above others, inside he is rotten and wormy. He will be bound with the same bonds which he used to tie up others.

In his heart, the one who is hostile to God thinks that he will never be shaken or moved. He did not think he could be overthrown or dislodged from his place. He will be greatly shaken. He will totter, slip, and drop from his supposed high place. You, however, have put your trust in Adonai, the Most High God. Your feet are firmly placed on the solid Rock, who is your salvation for all of eternity. The wealth and prosperity that the wicked seek will be yours in abundance. Though he is bound forever and ever, you shall be free and blessed.

8-27-06 Isaiah 62:10

Isaiah 62:10 (KJ21)
Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people. Cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.

Isaiah 62:10 (NAS)
Go through, go through the gates; Clear the way for the people; Build up, build up the highway; Remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples.

Isaiah 62:10 (NIVUS)
Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations.

Isaiah 62:10 (NLT)
Go out! Prepare the highway for my people to return! Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders; raise a flag for all the nations to see.

Have you ever gotten to a place in your life when you know that you have to press on no matter what? You know that to go back would be going against God's will, but you are still apprehensive about continuing along the path. Now is the time to make a decision to go on and to go through whatever opposition you are experiencing. You should set your feet to march on, to cross over that invisible line into a place of overflow. You are in covenant with Jehovah the Lord and He has already passed through each part before you. His plan for you is advancement!

Gates lead into cities, towns, marketplaces, public meeting places, palaces, castles, and temples. All of these are spheres of influence and power. Therefore, when you come to a gate, simply open it up and go through to the other side, for you are called to turn people back to Adonai, the Most High God. You can influence them to turn away from their sin, so that their path is clear once more and they no longer walk in darkness.

You have the opportunity to lift up a highway before the peoples and nations. You know that if they follow along this road that they will be exalted, highly esteemed, and prized by Almighty God. You also help as you remove the large and small stones in their path, so that nothing can trip them along the way. As you lift and exalt the Lord God, your life becomes a standard for others to follow, for you display His glory.

Therefore, go through, go through the gates. You will find your true destiny on the other side.