Your Word is a Lamp to my Feet, a Light to my Path (Psalm 119:105 NKJV)
At the beginning of this year, the Most High is reminding us, His children through Yeshua (Jesus) as He did the children of Israel through Joshua:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
He promises to be with us wherever we go, in whatever situation whether perilous or peaceful. In addition, our heavenly Father promises to go ahead of us and be our rear guard in our pursuit of holiness (Isaiah 52:10-12) as this is His predestined plan for our lives.
The children of Israel were told by the Most High to follow closely behind the ark of the Tabernacle, symbolic of His presence, so that they would be led and protected by the Angel of covenant (Exodus 3:8) to where He was taking them because they have never been that way before (Joshua3:4). Likewise, we are to cultivate a lifestyle in His presence daily.
Two key things that our heavenly Father requires of us which guarantee His sustained presence are humility and obedient. Scripture reminds us that our Father “resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5 NKJV). Regarding obedience, Yeshua says
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him…If anyoneloves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me (John 14:21-23 NJKV).
As we trust our heavenly Father to lead and protect us throughout the year, may we remember that we also have a part to play in our covenant relationship with Him.
Have you ever thought of the fact that when Jesus was praying just before his crucifixion (John 17) for his disciples and those unsaved who “also I must bring” (as he stated about the yet to be sheep in John 10:16) that the “them also I must bring” included YOU ?
Yes, you who was predestined to be born centuries later and would become born again children of God by the outworking of circumstances in your life?
It is therefore a fact that our pathway to being saved was guaranteed by God to happen because JESUS INTERCEDED FOR US so many centuries ago.
Let us spend quality time meditating on this with immense thanksgiving remembering what Jesus accomplished for us on the Cross of Calvary.
Having a salvation that was secured by way of his High Priestly intercession before and by the act of his death, Jesus is still to this day making intercession for us at the right hand of Father God! What great security we have in Christ! We also have a clear mandate as believers in Christ to be His vessels to bring the unsaved to him. Are we demonstrating the compassion of God in Christ for the unsaved? Are we seeking opportunities to share the gospel?
For most of us, coming to Christ was through someone’s prayers (in agreement with Christ’s at the right hand of Father) and/or hearing someone share the gospel.
Nothing has changed, the Great Commission is as clear as ever, Jesus is still saying to us “I want to use you, for those “also I must bring” (John 10:16) Let us heed to his call for the time is short! The Bridegroom Cometh!!
Below is a poetic prose about the reality of man’s separation from God & God’s quest for man entitled “…Them also I must bring”
When your heart is fully committed to God, every step you take will inevitably be guided and guarded by Him.
“The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him…” (2 Chronicles 16:9 KJV)
These are two points to remind you of God’s faithfulness to the fully committed, not just by their words but their deeds as well:
1. “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. Narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14 KJV).
The LORD will make sure that you are steered back onto his “narrow” pathway if you should stray away from it at any point due to affliction.
The Lord will be your help in times of trouble to make this possible.
The Psalmist (46:1-3) says “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas; though its waters roar and are troubled, though the mountains tremble with their swelling. Selah”.
As one who is in fellowship with His Holy Spirit, He will also give you the ability to discern what is of Him and what is not so that you know when you are on a path He has not led you on.
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” (Gal. 5:16-17 NLT).
God’s will is that you live and walk guided by the Holy Spirit not by your own carnal longings and desires which is under the control of Satan who entices the flesh to take the “wide gate” or “broad way”. This pathway is pleasing to the flesh or carnal nature because they offer what appear to be easy and quick benefits, in the long term however one realises that the so called benefits were short lived, resulted in affliction or heartache and discouragement.
2. The Lord will ensure that you part with those you are in alliance with who
a)do not have the same call of God as you do.
b)are likely to be a hindrance to you one way or another. This is because they could be agents of conflict or contention directly or through others associated with them.
Abraham (then called Abram) had left Haran (Gen 12) with his nephew Lot, travelled with him to Egypt where Abraham’s riches including livestock had increased. Together Abraham and Lot had a large amount of livestock and there came a time that living together and grazing their animals proved difficult as the land was crowded as other communities lived there as well. In addition their herdsmen had began to quarrel among themselves. Abraham took the wise decision to separate from Lot saying
“..Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if [thou wilt take] the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if [thou depart] to the right hand, then I will go to the left…” (Gen. 13:9 KJV).
When we study scriptures closely, it is evident that Abraham’s call by God out of his country, Haran (Gen. 12) did not include his relatives. He was married at the time so his wife was included. It was therefore not surprising that a time came for him and Lot to part and what better time than when the land they occupied could not hold their combined possessions.
Today let us pray, asking the LORD to reveal to us if we are aligned to the wrong person, people or group and the wise steps we should take to dissociate ourselves from those He exposes. We need to take care that when God tells us to do something or go a particular way we are not involving anyone He has not told us to partner with.
Brothers and sisters, when we are fully committed to the LORD, we must partner with Him as He guides and guards our lives and this means we are to walk in obedience and refused to compromise with evil. As long as we know what the truth is according to God’s Word, we should refuse at all costs to live by half truths and lies.
” said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32 KJV).
Today, let us resolve to continue living as dedicated soldiers of Christ marching on fully committed to our commander in chief, the Lord Jesus Christ, helping others to stay in line or line up with us as is the will of God.
You are blessed, determine to stay blessed!
Deborah Esther x
God’s Word & The Power of Confession – Podcast on You Tube channel: Word Virtues for Your Heart
Your positive confessions of God’s Word goes a long way towards sustaining your focus on your God given vision because it changes your mindset; the “I can’t” become “I can” the “I won’t” became “I will…” You will be empowered and so nothing will stop you from doing the good that you know to do (not even yourself – Romans 7) Your impossibilities become possibilities for greater is He (Most High God) who is in you than he who is in the World. I declare and decree a mindset change, a shift for you today and everyday of your life (if you are not already walking in it – more if you are!) so that you will be able to envisage and take hold of all God’s promises for you through His Word and prophetically spoken into your life. Receive that which is yours ! – God’s divine empowerment and peace in the precious name of our one and only Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen!
Believing in Yeshua (Jesus) is the starting point to do works on behalf of Elohim God.
We have the Holy Spirit indwelling us when we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour.
As a result, the Holy Spirit governs our mind and we are restored the life of God that was lost because of the generational adamic sin nature and empowered by this same Spirit that rose Yeshua from the dead.
We are therefore enabled to be and manifest as instruments of the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit answers to Messiah Yeshua who we believe in. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Prophecy is also the testimony of Yeshua.
This powerful treasure within is a treasure that enables us to do the works of God so that His excellency is made manifest in our lives for the glory of His matchless Name.
Therefore because of belief in Messiah Yeshua, we can “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”.
We can build my treasures in heaven and in His strength, we can do all things!
Praise the LORD GOD Almighty!
Other Scriptures referenced: 1Corinth.6:19, Romans 8:6, Rev. 19:10, Phil. 4:13, 2 Corinth.4:7, John 15:26, Romans 10:9-10, Matth.6:20 Quote: Col. 1:10
I woke early this morning and noted that there was a comment Left that I had to moderate. It was placed under my Post entitled “Remembering the Goodness of God”.
At first I was just going to delete it, but I thought, “no I will reply to it.”
COMMENT BY Mypbbooks: 1 Timothy 2:12-14 King James Version 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
My Reply: I have been called as a prophet and teacher by Almighty God. So go tell that to Him who created Paul the Apostle and called Deborah the prophet and several women e.g Kathleen Kulhmann, Cindy Jacobs etc… Many women as men have been and are still a blessing in ministry worldwide, there is no space here to give examples.
God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten son that who so ever (not ONLY MEN) believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). In Yeshua (Jesus), there is no Greek, Jew, Male or Female… (Galatians 3:28) we are all one to fulfil our purposes. Almighty God created Paul and Jesus is greater than Paul.
Know this truth today, as God wants you to be instructed with it, sir, the Apostle Paul made that statement you quote from 1 Timothy 2 in the context of what was happening at the time. It does not mean that all women called by God should stop what they are doing in Service to God who called them; Paul also approved of several women ministers (yet you forget that) which confirms that in 1 Timothy 2:12-14 he was speaking about what was happening at the specific time and not against all females teaching. Even if he genuinely was against females teaching which I doubt (I have stated earlier that there are many examples of his approval) that was his humanly opinion not God’s because it contradicts God’s truth and purpose for all humanity;
The calling of God is not specific to any gender; when Abraham was called, (Genesis 12;1-3)God said his descendants will bless nations, not just MALE descendants. Matthew 28:19-21 the Great commission by Christ to his disciples does not state ONLY MEN should be in service to God, does it?
The five fold ministerial gifts /call to service in Ephesians 4:11-13 is a calling to service of God Almighty for MALE AND FEMALE and is not only for the MALE gender. Therefore your comment with 1 Timothy 2:12-14 under my post in which you attempt to end my calling to teach (people have done worst things to try to silence me, sir) because you think by me fulfilling my calling of God is usurping male authority is not from God Almighty who called me.
Sir, I forgive you but I must state the following:
For you to ignore all Apostle Paul’s references to female teachers/ministers which had no hint of disapproval and just stick to this one scripture 1 Timothy 2 as if it was the sole biblical authority prohibiting female ministers (it is yours and some other people’s false and out of context interpretation of scripture) shows that you need Holy Spirit inspired teaching and to overcome a deepset fear of women in minister which is rooted in false teaching you received.
Females who have blogs and teaching ministries are not usurping a man’s authority, we are doing what God has called us to do. Should we refrain because a man like you feels threatened? And why do you feel threatened instead of focusing on the blessed message God is using us, as well as men to bring to all, you included?
You need deliverance sir, seek God about this. Spend precious time with Him, He will instruct you. Jesus said to his disciples then and this message is for us now; “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free”(John 8:31-32). Seek God alone through the scriptures (I have quoted some here and expounded on them) not false ministers for the truth and you will be set free.
I will never refrain from my God given call to please anyone, male or female, will you?
Psalm 18:28-40,46-49 By these verses rejoice in thanksgiving as you remember who God is to you and what He has done for you – Given you strength to overcome the raging spiritual warfare against you & enlightened you in a dark world. To God be all the glory great things He has done:
Psalm 18:28-40,46-49:
28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. 30[As for] God, his way [is] perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he [is] a buckler to all those that trust in him. 31For who [is] God save the LORD? or who [is] a rock save our God? 32[It is] God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. 33He maketh my feet like hinds’ [feet], and setteth me upon my high places. 34He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. 36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. 37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 38I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. 39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. 40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me… 46The LORD liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 47[It is] God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. 48He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. Thank you Lord !
The journey through the promised land for Israel was a powerful illustration of how God’s people then as now go through the journey of life with a cycle of challenges, problems and obstacles some of which seem insurmountable.
Every step of the way through the promised land was a step of faith, at times their faith was so weak that they murmured, many resorted to idolising a golden calf and some did not even make it to the promised land.
In Joshua 3:3-4 when the LORD told them to follow after the Ark of the Covenant carried by the priests, the Israelites did not know where they were going, as they had never been that way before. They therefore did not know how close or how far they were to the promised land. They had to put their trust totally in God who alone knew the way.
Likewise without God’s leading we do not know what is ahead of us. Without Him we have no idea at what stage of our breakthrough we are in or how long we still need to wait until we receive what we believe God has promised us in personal prophecy or through His Word.
In the wilderness journey the Israelites were led by a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day and received constant counsel and instruction as guidance by God through Moses and then Joshua, as New Covenant believers in our journey of life, we have access to the revelatory realm of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit and gifts of the Spirit. We cannot and should not underestimate the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives to draw us closer to God so that we know Him as well as His will and direction for our lives.
When we trust God, we are willing to obey Him and do so by taking steps of faith through the leading of the Holy Spirit in the direction in which He is leading us.
The greatest steps of faith based on our trust in God we will need to take are at the beginning or at the brink of our undertaking, be it a journey, a new job, a project or a ministry.
I sense this juncture is the point at which Satan reinforces his natural and spiritual armies against our progression, attempting to sabotage our plans and therefore these are times when we should strengthen ourselves through intensified or increased prayer, fasting and praise as well as scriptural meditation.
CROSSING THE RED SEA
An illustration of the intensified danger at the commencement of a journey with the intention of stopping it: when the Israelites had just left Egypt they thought the final plague was enough to keep Pharaoh from pursuing them but they were greatly mistaken for he mobilized his horsemen with their chariots and pursued them! The Israelites were terrified as they realised they had no where to turn, with Pharaoh and his army closing in behind them and the Red Sea before them.
But they served a God who is omnipotent and omniscient. He is the sovereign one Adonai, who always has the last word on any matter, for He is the creator and controller of the universe. God foreknew this would happen and devised a miraculous plan of deliverance which would be one of the all time miraculous testimonies the world has ever heard of and would be recounted from generation to generation. Right before their eyes the Red Sea parted and they were able to cross over safely, however Pharaoh’s horsemen and chariots drowned.
“When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” (Is. 59:19b)
CROSSING THE JORDAN
“The priests who carried the Ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.” (Joshua 3:17NASB)
The nation of Israel had come to the end of their journey and their last hurdle was the crossing of the Jordan River which would take them into the promised land. Here we find another water path as the Red Sea which if but for God would have served as a great obstacle to them moving forward to attain His promises.
As with the Red Sea, the Jordan River (Joshua 3:13) was parted supernaturally by God for them to walk across.
It is worth noting how the Lord kept the waters of the Jordan River on one side; the priests carrying “the Ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan” until all the Israelites had finished crossing it.
At the brink of the Israelites’ entry into the promised land, this imagery speaks louder than words and is very powerful; The Ark and the priests carrying it, speak of God’s presence and “Right Hand” or intercessory might in the midst of obstacles so that a way is made for deliverance or release. It also makes a statement that nothing, not even the laws of nature, can withstand God’s power of intervention for the sake of His people.
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth;…I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.” (Isa.43:19 KJV)
God is today speaking in the same way to us. Our Royal High Priest Jesus and the indwelling Holy Spirit are not only leading the way, but also making intercession for us in the midst of every situation so that a way is made for us to enter into our promises.
God therefore strategises to take us through every hurdle safely. Our part is to trust and obey for the manifestation of a glorious outcome.
TRUST, OBEY AND TAKE STEPS OF FAITH INTO YOUR PROMISES
In both cases, at the beginning of the journey through the wilderness and at the end so as to enter the promised land, the Israelites were blessed with the miracle of the parting of waters so that they could walk across.
The LORD was saying “the greater the danger you are facing, or is advancing behind you, the greater the miracle I will outwork to deliver you and bring you to the place I am sending you”.
How easy is it to cross over parted waters? It takes great trust in the one who parted it to decide to obey them and take steps of faith to walk across, knowing that they will keep it parted until you get to the other side.
The Israelites who left Israel were not the same crowd who entered the promised land apart from two, Joshua and Caleb. God made sure that the crowd who left Egypt with Joshua and Caleb did not receive their inheritance, instead they died in the wilderness. Why? because of their unbelief.
Joshua and Caleb represented a generation who had a different spirit, in other words they trusted God to do what was impossible to man. They were people of great faith in God and fearless of the giants they would encounter in the promised land (Numbers 11). It is therefore this generation that God chose to enter the promised land. When we trust God, we are fearless, quick to obey and activate our faith in Him so that He is glorified. These are the qualities of the Joshua and Caleb generation, qualities necessary to receive and sustain the promises of God.
Friends, let us examine our hearts today and ask ourselves, are we among the Joshua & Caleb generation in these last days before the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
Is there anything “old ways of Egypt” in us i.e. mindsets, attitudes, presumptions, secret faults that must die or be overcome so that we can truly be consecrated unto God as true worshippers.
It is never too late to re-address areas of our lives and put things right so that we attain the fullness of our inheritance in God through Jesus Christ. God reveals to redeem.
Dear Father
Thank you for the promises and destiny you have for me.
Forgive me when I have not trusted you or I have been fearful to take steps of faith according to your word.
I am thankful that as you are all knowing, you have a plan or strategy to overcome every obstacle or danger on my behalf by your mighty power.
I ask that you would help me to stay in that place of trusting you completely with every decision and direction I desire to take knowing that you will redirect my course if it is not your will.
Biblical Exhortations, Devotionals & Poetry 
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