Category Archives: CHRISTIAN VALUES

Are you sharing God’s burden?

December 30, 2021BIBLE TEACHING & STUDY, CHRISTIAN VALUES, DAILY LIFE, THIRD GREAT AWAKENINGFreda Farmer

Image result for free picture of one person harvesting wheat

Below is a sketch of what I believe God wants me to say to you today, dear friend.

God uses dreams.
A dream about the burden of God.
God’s burden – to have equipped laborers.
God’s burden – to have laborers aware they are NOW in a ripe harvest field.
Are you ready to share your faith?
Are you even fishing?
How to fish – at every opportunity.
Do you know how to catch a fish?
Helping someone grow up in Jesus.
What the dream did for me
God says “The workers are few”.
God says the place where you are standing in is a field ripe for harvest.
I must ask myself. . .

God uses dreams. God gave us many examples of how He communicates with us through dreams. Consider the four well-known dreams of Joseph as recorded in Genesis. Consider Matthew 1:20, when an angel told Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, in a dream, to marry Mary. Consider Peter’s dream in Acts 10-11 that salvation includes Gentiles. For good examples of how God uses modern-day dreams, listen to some of Dutch Sheets’ “Give Him 15” podcasts. These are excellent 15-minute devotionals available at www.givehim15.com.

Because I rarely remember dreams, any dream I do remember is special, and when I believe God is speaking through that dream – I pay attention. When God gave the dream described below, I got out of bed and wrote it down – right away! Here is the dream.

A dream about the burden of God. I was in a meeting of the altar workers at my church. The dream was not of a church building I had ever been in, but it was a small and old church. The man who had led the altar workers team had just left the room after announcing he was quitting and moving away. All of us in the small room were sad and shocked. Another member asked me to speak. I do not think I would have spoken had someone not asked me to. I walked to the front and stood at the small, rough-hewn lectern, gripping it as I leaned forward and began to try to speak.

Image result for free pictureof old wodden lectern I could only whisper, though I was trying to yell with all my might because of the intensity of the message. Deeply weeping, in a forced whisper through tears, I said, “After all this time, we still have not been trained in how to lead a soul to Jesus or to the baptism in the Holy Ghost. We still are not equipped to help new believers learn to walk with Jesus.”

Next, the hallway was filled with the buzz of conversation. Someone said, “If you want to hear more, go ask what Freda just said.” But I was still weeping and could not speak when others, besides those on the altar workers team, came into the room and asked me what had happened. Then the dream ended.”

Important background: The day before the dream, I had read in “Born for Battle” by R. Arthur Mathews (an excellent book) that our prayers are so often requests rather than a quest for God and His will, and that we should ask God what is on His heart when we pray. Right then, in my car waiting to pick up my grandsons after school, I was deeply convicted and asked God to start showing me what was on His heart when I prayed. He answered the same night, through this dream.

God’s burden – to have equipped laborers. I believe God is telling me, and you, His burden is to have workers prepared for and working in the harvest field – but they are not. I know this is a call to me, and maybe to you, too. God is asking: Are you ready to lead someone to Christ, and the baptism in the Holy Ghost and on to maturity?

God’s burden – to have laborers aware they are NOW in a ripe harvest field. I believe His burden is also that we be aware the harvest is NOW, that the Third Great Awakening has already begun. The shaking our nation has undergone these last two years has made people desperate. Hearts are ready for Him. Are we aware of that and are we ready to show them the way to Him?

Image result for free picture of hippies In the last great awakening in the 1960s, Holy Spirit came upon people so powerfully that they spontaneously began worshipping and praising God in parks, stores, and classrooms. Unfortunately, when these sincere people, many of them hippies, went to churches to find out more about God and what had happened to them, they were turned away because of their appearance.

America cannot make that mistake again! We must be ready to welcome hearts eager for God—no matter the external appearance. And we must be ready to teach them and show them about Jesus. The prophets are saying the biggest harvest of souls in all time is coming soon. The Third Great Awakening has already begun.

Are you ready to share your faith? I think God is weeping that so many of us have never won a soul to Him, that we never intentionally prepared to do so and that so many are scornful of the gift of speaking in tongues, which includes His power to witness and to live a holy life.

So, I have three questions. (1) Are you fishing – for souls? (2) Do you know how to catch a fish – how to lead a soul to Jesus? (3) Do you know how to help that born-again soul start growing up in Jesus? Can you tell them the basics of what they need to know so that they can press on and do not, like so many, pray for salvation and then fall back into their old life and be lost?

Are you even fishing? You may say “But I am not called to be an evangelist.” Or “I have no training.” I say an emphatic PHOOEY to both those statements. We are ALL called to witness and to share our faith – and to share our faith at every opportunity, “making the most of the time because the days are evil.” We are all called to heed Paul’s admonishment:

Be very careful, then how you love—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, NIV)

As for the second excuse that you have no training, online resources and books abound on how to lead someone to Jesus.

Opportunities to witness abound all around us – with friends, family, casual acquaintances and with strangers. Strangers? YES, strangers! I believe each of us should plant and water seeds throughout every day. Some of those encounters will be planting and watering spiritual seeds planted by someone else but sometimes we get to reap, too! (I Corinthians 3:7-9)

So, how do we “make the most of every opportunity?” We can work God into nearly all conversations if we pray and practice. How? By drawing fish in the sand.

How to fish – at every opportunity. I whole-heartily attest that if you ask God, He will give you ways to work Him into every conversation you have with friends, family, casual acquaintances and even strangers. And He will guide the conversation as to whether the person is open to hear more about Him or whether you are just to lovingly pour a little water on their thirsty heart. He will help you talk about Him and He will show you when someone is not ready to hear about Him.

So, what is this drawing a fish? In New Testament times, believers were persecuted for their faith in Jesus and many were killed. Believers would sometimes trace a fish in the sand when talking with people they did not know. If the other person also drew a fish, it indicated that person might also believe in Jesus.

Ask God and He will show you how to, like early believers, make casual mention of Him in your interactions with people. He will enable you to give a clear sign to each stranger you meet that you are a believer. If they are one also, they will respond with positive comments about God. If they are not yet a believer but are open to hearing about God, they will listen and you will have planted or watered spiritual seed and, sometimes, even more.

I estimate that more than three-fourths of people for whom I “draw a fish”—at work, the gym, repair shop or wherever—respond positively. Less than a fourth say nothing or abruptly change the subject (at which point I follow their conversational lead). In more than 40 years of consistently drawing fish every chance I get, only one person has voiced anger (although I pray many were deeply convicted inside).

Image result for Free Clip Art of Groceries. Size: 104 x 137. Source: clipart-library.com Here are two examples. As I walked to the dumpster yesterday, I saw a man standing beside a plumber’s van. I said “This is a beautiful day! Do you like this cooler weather?” He smiled and said “I sure do!”. I replied, “Me, too! I am glad God gave us such a nice day.” And today at the grocery checkout, I asked “How has your day been?” The young man said, “Real good. How about you?” I replied, “Mine has been good, too. God gave me a wonderful time of Bible study and now I am doing errands before I get my grandsons.”

It has been far, far too long since such an interaction led to salvation but I am praying about that. And quite often these casual mentions of God lead to quick conversations that encourage fellow believers.

Do you know how to catch a fish? Have you prepared yourself to share your faith and lead another soul to God? If not, do so – now! As I said earlier, books and internet resources on evangelism abound. Study and then practice in front of a mirror. For an excellent brief teaching on how to share your faith, search for the “Go and Tell” podcast from November 1, 2021, on the www.givehim15.com website. Or use this link November 1, 2021 (givehim15.com)

Image result for free clip art of index cards with notes You need to memorize the basic Bible truths necessary for salvation so that you can lead someone to Jesus even if you do not have notes with you. You can, of course, easily find “The Roman Road” plan of salvation using your phone to browse the web. However, if the Roman Road or another plan of salvation is in your memory, you can answer questions as those questions come up naturally in conversation. Rest assured, however, that “just” reading the plan of salvation also works! God will use your efforts, no matter how inexpert you feel.

Until you have the five short verses of the Roman Road or another plan memorized, they fit easily on an index card in your wallet.

Helping someone grow up in Jesus. When God gives you the gift of leading someone to Him, can you tell them the next steps? You may not feel like it, but your knowledge of God is far greater than someone who just received Jesus. They are newly born spiritually. They need you to take their hand or at a minimum, point out the way to them. Can you briefly explain Bible study, prayer, worship, fellowship, witnessing, and praying in the Spirit? The baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues gives power to witness and power to live a holy life. More writings on this vital topic will follow soon.

What the dream did for me: I believe God used this dream to urge me to:

[1] Refresh my knowledge of how to share salvation and speak about the baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

[2] Pray, earnestly, for Him to send souls to me who are ready for harvest. To my shame and regret, I had stopped doing this somewhere along my selfish, self-focused life.

[3] Put other writings on hold while I finish what He urged me to write for this website several weeks ago – the plan of salvation and the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

(By the way, this is a good example of why more of us are not winning more souls. It takes effort to get and keep ourselves prepared and to be focused on witnessing. It is easier to do other work for God instead of the detailed Bible study and practice necessary to get and stay equipped to win souls. I am deeply grieved that I neglected this focus so long but eternally grateful for God’s loving conviction and correction.)

God also used the dream to tell me to be more bold about sharing His burden to have His laborers equipped and alert. That is why I am sharing this writing with you. I earnestly pray that you hear-and heed—what I believe the Lord of the harvest is now saying.

God says “The workers are few”. Mathew 9 describes miracles of healing that Jesus did as He went from one place to another, “through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness” (Matthew 9:35, NIV) But listen to what Matthew says next:

^“36When He saw the throngs, He was moved with pity and sympathy for them, because they were bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless), like sheep without a shepherd.

³⁷Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few.

³⁸So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:36-38, AMPC)

Just as much now as then, God is moved with pity and sympathy for the masses of people TODAY who are “bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless), like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36, AMPC) I pray God forces us all out of our comfort zones and thrusts us, as His anointed, zealous laborers, into His harvest.

God says the place where you are standing in is a field ripe for harvest. In John 4, even though He was weary, Jesus took time to give the Samaritan woman the gift of “Living Water.” When His disciples returned and offered Him some of the food they had gone away to purchase, Jesus said:

“My food (nourishment) is to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish and completely finish His work. Do you not say, It is still four months until harvest comes? Jesus told His disciples “Look! I tell you, raise your eyes and observe the fields and see how they are already white for harvesting.” John 4:34-35, AMPC

Jesus was telling His disciples two things that I believe He says to us today: (1) doing God’s will, sharing the good news of salvation, nourishes us. (2) The very place each of us are standing in—the world we interact with every day—is filled with souls ripe for harvest.

I must ask myself. . . I must ask myself—am I equipped to share God’s burden? Am I working in my harvest field?

Image result for free picture of one person harvesting wheat

Update and praise report!!! I began writing this November 24th, the day after the dream and prayed about when to post it. With two days until 2022, I think God said today. Will you add “fishing more” to your 2022 plans?

I have studied and written the plan of salvation in my own words so I could put it on this website. I wanted to have something ready for people to review, when God put me in the path of someone ready to give their heart to Jesus. (That little booklet “The Remedy for Desperation”, will be posted soon.)

And, I am so blessed to tell you that in His very great love and kindness and mercy, God sent me a soul to pray with for salvation! Words cannot express the joy I felt and still feel.

God needs His laborers! Pray, prepare diligently and reverently, and watch, with faith! Woohoo and go God!

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The wisdom and safety of giving thanks

December 2, 2021BIBLE TEACHING & STUDY, CHRISTIAN VALUES, DAILY LIFE, ENCOURAGEMENT, GRATITUDEFreda Farmer

Hammering another verse in. “. . . and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord.” I kept my dripping hands over the sink and leaned to the left, where my printed verses lay open, far enough away, hopefully, to prevent their being splashed as I washed the oatmeal bowl, mug and spoon.

“Hmm,” I murmured as I cleaned out the sink, “Lord, You know I want to be diligent in what I do for You and I do want to diligently think about all the merciful and loving and kind things You have done for me and for all Your children.”

I picked up the paper and carried it with me to the bedroom, putting it on the edge of the bathroom sink while squeezing toothpaste. “So, I see that if I “observe and heed” these things You will count that as diligently considering Your mercy and loving-kindnesses. And I see that it also must be a truly wise thing to do, so I think that would mean especially wise. Oh, Lord! Help me get this verse into my head!”

Why is it wise to be thankful? Sometimes it does indeed feel like I have to hammer verses into my head before they stick – but oh! It is so worth it! Such truths bubble up inside as I meditate/memorize. For example, in Psalm 107:43 I hear God saying that it is truly wise to be thankful and to remember all He has done. Psalm 107:43 tells us:

Whoso is wise [if there be any truly wise] will observe and heed these things; and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord. (AMPC)

What are “These things” the truly wise person will observe and heed? “The marvelous deeds He has done, His miracles and wonders, the judgements and sentences which He pronounced upon His enemies, as in Egypt” (Psalm 105:5, AMPC).

Wisdom—and loving warnings: Psalm 105 to 107. I believe Psalm 105, 106 and 107 can be profitably be considered as one message (although Psalm 106 concludes Book IV of the Psalms, and Psalm 107 begins Book V). I see a thread of God’s teaching woven through these three psalms–the wisdom of earnestly, carefully, whole-heartedly, diligently remembering all He has done for us.

Psalm 105 opens with the command “O, give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His doings among the peoples! (verse 1). We are told to “Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate and talk of all His marvelous deeds and devoutly praise them.” Then we are told to seek Him, to crave Him and His strength and His presence “CONTINUALLY – EVERMORE.” (emphasis added)

Next, Psalm 105:5 through Psalm 106:42 recounts the many times God delivered Israel. Then we read, “but they were rebellious in their counsel, and sank low through their iniquity.” The psalmist is speaking, of course, about Israel’s history of rebelling against God. Yet am I not, in the seemingly small ways I yield to the sinful bent of my human nature, grievously guilty of the same? Time after time, God forgives and graciously delivers me when I repent and cry out to Him, as Israel did. Their doubt, disbelief and idolatry seem so appalling that I might think “I am not as bad as that”. The piercing truth? I am that bad. We all are. Jeremiah 17:9a reminds me: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! “

Nevertheless, God . . . Psalm 106:44 says that, in spite of Israel’s repeated rebellion and wickedness,

“Nevertheless, He regarded their distress when He heard their cry, and He [earnestly] remembered His covenant, and relented their sentence of evil—comforting and easing Himself—according to the abundance of His mercy and loving-kindnesses [when they cried out to Him.] (Psalm 106:44-45, AMPC) (emphasis added)

Image result for free picture of dictionary Notice the detail the Amplified provides here. Earnest means zealous, ardent, eager, or passionate. That is how God thinks about His covenant with us and how He responds to our sincere, repentant cry. Read Psalm 105 to 107 in the AMPC and notice how often “earnestly” appears. God earnestly remembers His covenant with us so we are to earnestly remember what He has done and our covenant with Him.

Notice also, an essential truth about God that is unveiled in the clarifying phrases of the Amplified translation. Consider the words set off by dashes—comforting and easing Himself”–in the middle of Psalm 106:45 above. That tells us that it “comforts and eases” God when He keeps His covenant with us and does not give us the consequences our evil actions deserve. Why? It discomforts Him and troubles Him to cause us pain or suffering. “For He does not willingly and from His heart afflict or grieve the children of men. (Lamentations 3:33, AMPC) God is reminding us here that “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” (Psalm 103:8, NIV)

Remembering these truths helps get me through trials, whether they arise from Satan, the nature of our fallen world or the nature of my human nature. For the former, I remember the things Jesus told His disciples at the Last Supper and that He said I can have peace because He has “overcome the world and deprived it of power to harm” me. (John 16:33). As for the problems that result from my human nature, I bear in mind that God must at times administer corrective discipline–because He loves us and He is a good, good, good Father. I often ponder Hebrews 12, especially verse 6:

“For the Lord corrects and disciplines every one whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.”

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Did you catch the last phrase? God does not just accept us. He welcomes us to His heart and CHERISHES us. He adores us.

Oh, that we would thank and praise God! Next, read Psalm 107 slowly. Psalm 107 opens with a call, a shout, an outburst of joy: “O give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy and lovingkindnesses endure forever! (AMPC) The whole psalm gives examples of His goodness, mercy and lovingkindnesses to Israel. Read Psalm 107 again. Do you see that some verses are nearly identical, specifically verses 8, 15, 21, and 31? After each passage of recalling God’s goodness and mercy, comes another exclamation and outburst of joy:

“Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord His goodness and loving-kindnesses, and His wonderful works to the children of men”

These outbursts are followed by more reasons why we should give God thanks. Clearly, we who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, we “whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary” are to SAY SO! The NLT says it this way: “Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others He has redeemed you from your enemies. (Psalm 107:2) Re-read Psalm 107 one more time. Do you see in these rescue stories parallels of times God rescued you, though you had rebelled against His Words and “spurned the counsel of the Most High”?

A shout, a shriek and a yell. The psalmist obviously feels intensely about what he is saying because the sentence is an exclamation, which can be a shout, a shriek or a yell. This idea is important! O, that we would all be that excited, daily, about what God has done!

“Confess to the Lord” – ?? We are to praise and confess to the Lord “His goodness and loving-kindnesses, and His wonderful works to the children of men!” Webster’s 1828 online dictionary defines confess as “To own, avow or acknowledge; publicly to declare a belief in and adherence to”. It holds the same meaning as in Matthew 10:32-34: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before me, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus Talking to Little Boy That phrase “Confess to the Lord” means we are to talk to God about His goodness and loving-kindnesses and what He has done. In my praise and worship, public and private, am I really talking to and with God? Is my full attention on Him? Am I mindful the Creator and Sustainer of all that was and is and is to come is eagerly waiting to hear my voice? Have I taken time to quiet my mind and shut out distractions so I can give Him my best? Have I prepared my heart to be with Him as carefully as I would prepare my home for a visit with a dearly loved human friend? Jesus, the impassioned Lover of my soul, deserves nothing less.

Safety in giving thanks — what? If I am deliberately mindful of all God has done—throughout history and throughout my personal history, I will be at peace. And if I voice (or “confess”) my love and appreciation and gratitude to Him, if I respect and reverence Him, if I “notice Him, regard Him, honor Him, prefer Him, venerate and esteem Him, defer to Him, praise Him, and love and admire him exceedingly” (from Ephesians 5:33, AMPC) I will surely be in His presence – safe.

Do you hear Him? Listen. God responds when you express your love for Him to Him. Can you not hear the voice of the turtledove? Does a human beloved not respond when you pour out your love and respect and admiration? How much more does God respond when we pour out our love and respect and honor and reverence upon Him?

Still your soul and listen. Hear the Lover of your soul. He says:

“Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me. My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” (Song of Solomon 2:13b-14, NIV)

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O, that we would all be truly wise and daily praise and give thanks to our ever merciful and kind and loving Father!

PRAY – SCOTUS will hear arguments about abortion on December 1st

November 30, 2021CHRISTIAN VALUES, CURRENT EVENTTSFreda Farmer

Abortion is murder. We read about the unbelievable practice in Bible times of sacrificing children to false gods. The same thing happens today. It is called “abortion” because it does not sound as bad as what it actually is – the murder of a baby. It gives men and women a way to have sex and do away with a natural, God-given consequence of intercourse – creating another human being, made in God’s image. This is abominable to God.

“They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing! (Jeremiah 19:5, NLT)

On September 21, the New York Post reported the following:

“The Supreme Court will hear arguments Dec. 1 in Mississippi’s bid to have the landmark Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing a woman’s right to an abortion overturned.

The court issued its arguments calendar for late November and early December on Monday.

Mississippi is asking the high court to uphold its ban on most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. The state has told the court it should overrule Roe and the 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that prevent states from banning abortion before viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb, around 24 weeks of pregnancy.”

So dear friend – PRAY! And I strongly suggest you listen to a 15-minute devotional by Dutch Sheets about this issue, which so grieves the heart of God. It is entitled “Just How Important is Wednesday’s Supreme Court hearing?” Below is a link.

November 29, 2021 (givehim15.com)

If the link does not work for you, go to www.givehim15.com and see the post for November 29, 2021.

Pray! “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” (James 5:16b, AMPC)

What is God telling you to do?

July 22, 2021CHRISTIAN VALUES, CURRENT EVENTTS, HARD TIMES, HOPE, TRUSTING GODFreda Farmer

This title sounds arrogant, I know, but I pray you keep reading. Although not a “famous” Bible teacher or speaker, I have followed Jesus whole-heartedly for 41 years. I do know when Holy Spirit moves on my heart, and He did just that about writing this message.

What is this message about? For more than two years I have listened to what God is saying through modern-day prophets. If you do not believe in modern-day prophets, please keep reading. This pamphlet summarizes some of what God is currently saying through His prophets and some essential facts about our present world that God has revealed. However, you likely have not heard these things if you have been listening to mainstream media.

Please, even if you do not keep reading, work hard on drawing closer to God and hearing Him better – NOW.

Table of Contents

Why listen to prophets?
What are prophets saying right now?
What mainstream media is not telling you and why.
Who to listen to for the truth and how to catch up fast.
What you need to be doing for God – NOW!
Do you think prophets, miracles, speaking in tongues, etc. are not for today?
Be encouraged!

[1] Why listen to prophets? Below are two simple reasons to listen to God’s modern-day prophets.

[A] God warns of coming judgement so people may change their behavior and avoid judgement. Amos 3:7 in the Amplified Bible says “Surely the Lord God does nothing ^[^a^]Without revealing His secret plan [of the judgment to come] To His servants the prophets.” The footnote for that verse explains: “God has always warned of coming judgment in order that people may choose to change their behavior and avoid it. (emphasis added). He warned Noah of the coming flood (Gen 6:13ff); Abraham and Lot of the future destruction of Sodom (Gen 18:17; 19:14); Joseph of the seven-year famine (Gen 41:30); Moses of the ten plagues on Egypt (Ex 7:1ff); and Jonah of the destruction of Nineveh (Jon 1:2; 3:4). . . Various prophets were told in advance about the captivities of the chosen people, and they came to pass because the warnings were disregarded. . . Jonah announced the destruction of Nineveh, but judgment was postponed following repentance. . . “

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is still merciful, kind, loving, and gracious. He still warns of coming judgement so we can change and avoid that judgement.

[B] Believing in God’s prophets brings success. 2 Chronicles 2:20 says:

²⁰Early 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.” (NLT) (Emphasis added)

Image result for Free Clip Art Have Faith in god. Size: 150 x 110. Source: quotesgram.com 2 Chronicles 2:20 in the NIV says “Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 2 Chronicles 2 tells about a time when God’s people had good reason to be discouraged: they faced a vast army. God told them not to be afraid because the battle was His, and the next day He told, Jehoshaphat to encourage the people by telling them to have faith in God and to believe His prophets. Then Jehoshaphat ordered singers to go before the Israelites and praise God. And that was when God caused the enemy to destroy each other. The Israelites were victorious, and all they did was praise and sing to the Lord.

Even so today, without hope for a good future we get discouraged and stop pressing hard after God. Today, just as in Bible times, having faith in God and believing His prophets encourages us and gives us the strength to keep following God rather than standing still or retreating in fear and discouragement.

An essential point about God’s ways, His timing, and so-called false prophets. You may have heard some prophets labelled “false” because they predicted President Donald J. Trump would serve two terms and SO FAR that has not happened. Beloved, consider this: some things that prophets in the Bible foretold STILL have not happened. That does not mean prophets in the Bible were false prophets. Rather, it just shows that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). As 2 Peter 3:8 reminds us, “. . . do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (NIV) Also, remember that God—not us—has set “a time for everything.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NIV).

[2] What are God’s prophets saying right now? This is just a short list.

NOW is the time to focus on your personal relationship with God.
Our real President, President Donald J. Trump, will be reseated and will serve two terms. He is God’s instrument for this time in history.
The greatest awakening and revival there has ever been is starting. Holy Spirit will be poured out on people with such power that they will fall to their knees and cry out for God right where they are—–in parks, schools, businesses, and without sermons or messages.
Churches that have not welcomed the presence of God will not be part of this awakening.
Many spiritual leaders in high positions will be revealed as enemies of God and will be removed from their positions and ministries. This has already begun.
Evil will be exposed and judged world-wide, greater than you can imagine. God has allowed evil to increase—for a time—so that it would become even more obvious and more people would open their eyes and see their need for Him.
No more fence-sitting. Jesus clearly said in Luke 11:23: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (NIV). The Message translation says “This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.” If you support those who approve murdering babies, like Biden, you are opposing God. And if you fail to support those who are trying to stop abortion, you are the enemy, according to Luke 11:23. What else does your failure to “gather with” God allow? All manner of evil that the left and globalists approve of and promote, like homosexuality, pedophelia, human sex trafficking, drugs, violence and the list goes on.
Do you think they are not involved in these things? Would they tell you if they were, or would they hide it and call what is evil good and what is good evil (Isaiah 5:20)? Who do you think motivates them to say that we are being hateful if we do not accept homosexuality? Satan himself. Who and what helps them conceal their sins? Satan, our silence and our failure to act for God. What happened to those who failed to stop Hitler from taking Jews to concentration camps? Think about it.
Joshua 24:15 says you must choose whether you will serve God or the enemy. For too many years God’s church has overlooked and accepted sin and tried to remain neutral. There is no neutral ground. You are either with Him or against Him.

[3] What mainstream media is not telling you. A handful of incredibly wealthy people are working to shrink the population of the world so they can have it all for themselves. This is the deep state Marxist group that controls nations and political leaders, that is using the coronavirus for their evil purposes, and that tried to steal the 2020 election—which is NOT over yet! They gave “free” vaccines to African countries and those vaccines made the recipients sterile. These same ones have held back cures for the coronavirus while millions died.

Yes, covid is real and people have died from it, but why did nobody die of the regular flu since covid began? Why were cures held back? Why were churches considered non-essential during the lock-down when venues with far more contact were left alone?
Why did they say covid was spread by contact and then change their minds and say only masks worked? This covid and mask farce is a trial run, to see how much government control people will tolerate. The ultimate goal is socialist communism which always destroys nations. Consider the millions who died under Stalin and Hitler and other communist regimes.
These wealthy globalists control mainstream media, they seek to destroy all who oppose them, and they de-platform and cancel those who speak out. Is that not communism?
They seek to destroy America through the hatred and lies of BLM, Antifa, critical race theory, the LGBT agenda and more. Do you know the truth about these?
Why did they do nothing to stop the violence in the summer of 2020 and then give federal money in 2021 to mayors who had defunded their own police? Why did mainstream media fail to condemn the violence of 2020 but spread the lie that President Donald John Trump and his supporters instigated the takeover of the Capitol? Why did mainstream media not report that Capitol police were sent home before the “riot” began? Why did they not show video of Capitol police removing barricades, opening doors, and ushering people into the Capitol?
Thousands of illegal aliens, drug and human traffickers and other criminals are being allowed into our country since President Trump’s immigration policies were changed and the wall he had nearly completed along our southern border was not finished. Mainstream media fails to report this.
These are but a few of the many things the left and the media are actively covering up while manufacturing lies about anyone who dares oppose the evil going on in the world. Recently, Biden accused Facebook of killing people because Facebook did not censor comments about covid that the White House considers “misinformation.” The White House is urging social media platforms to censor those with opposing views.
The two people sitting in the White House and many other leaders are puppets of the deep state and will soon be removed from office and President Donald J. Trump will be restored to the seat for which he was elected in 2020.

I have learned all this and much more by listening to God’s prophets. They have been telling truth about things like the fraudulent election and covid long before mainstream media, which only in recent weeks has begun reporting a tiny bit of truth.

[4] Who to listen to for the truth and how to catch up fast: First, stop listening to all mainstream media. Get your news from sources like these listed below.

Daily: govictory/govictorynews.
- 30 minute newscast, Monday-Friday.
Daily: givehim15.com.
- 15 minute call to prayer about current issues
Tuesday and Thursday: https://flashpoint.govictory.com
- 60 minute program with prophets, as well as political, business, government, and church leaders

JUST FOLLOWING THESE THREE SOURCES WILL HELP YOU CATCH UP FAST. I recommend following them regularly, and following those on the list below whenever you can.

Intercessors for America – An on-line community of believers interceding for our nation. If you sign up, you will receive brief summaries of current events and the chance to agree with others in prayer.
Elijah list – elijahlist.com Daily strengthening, encouragement, and comfort through prophetic words, messages, and prophecies.
Elijah streams – elijahstreams.com – Sixty-minute program with in-depth interviews with prophets, with prophetic words and teachings.
Praying citizen – prayingcitizen.com –current events, from a godly perspective, why they matter and how to pray.
Other conservative news sources like Epoch Times.
Listening to a radio station that plays worship music will do much to lift your spirits Try air1.com.

Prophets to listen to: You will find most of these prophets on the platforms listed above but they also have their own websites and/or churches. You can follow them on You Tube, Facebook, etc. as well.

Dutch Sheets – www.dutchsheets.org
Hank Kunneman -www.lohchurch.org
Kent Christmas -www.kentchristmas.org and www.regenerationnashville.org
Mario Murillo – www.mariomurillo.org
Johnny Enlow – restore7.com and often on Elijah Streams
Lance Wallnau – lancewallnau.com
Tim Sheets – timsheets.org
Amanda Grace – often on Elijah Streams

[5] What to do for God NOW.

[1] Image result for free picture of praying person First, focus on growing closer to Him and hearing Him better as your number one priority

[2] Stop listening to mainstream media and start listening to media who present the news from God’s perspective, the sources listed in Section 5 “Who to follow and how to catch up fast”.

[3] Pray specifically for what you learn as you start listening to the prophets and media that give God’s perspective.

[4] Join in on a prayer call. Intercessors for America is a good place to start.

[5] Get involved. Ask God what to do and He will show you. You can start by sharing with others what you learn once you start listening to godly media and the prophets. God may be calling you to run for political office or support a godly candidate who is. I am writing this pamphlet in response to Holy Spirit’s prompting. This is one thing God has shown me to do.

[6] Image result for Free picture Of Phone. Size: 127 x 88. Source: www.theverge.com Call your senators and representatives and state your support for godly issues and your opposition against evil. When they make good decisions or statements, call and thank them. They do pay attention to their constituents. We have the power to vote them in again or vote them out.

[6] If you think prophets, miracles, speaking in tongues, etc. are not for today. . . Space does not permit a Biblical exposition showing that the whole gospel is for today, so please just listen to what I have personally experienced. Although I did not know Jesus until age 29, I grew up in a Southern Baptist church and knew nothing of the gifts of the Spirit and Pentecostal ways except that the “weird” church in town did “weird” things like raising their hands in worship and falling on the floor. A few months after salvation, I began speaking and praying in tongues and have not stopped for 41 years. It strengthens my spirit, assures me I am praying according to God’s will when I do not know what to pray, and brings peace.

As for other aspects of Pentecost, I have been healed, have been “slain in the spirit” (when you simply fall on the floor because the presence of God is so overwhelming), had someone fall on the floor when I was praying for her, have heard countless messages of encouragement through words of prophecy given during church services, and have given encouraging words myself, and have consistently felt the near tangible presence of God during Pentecostal worship and praise.

I could go on but I will just say please give God a chance and see a Pentecostal service. The Lord of Hosts church pastored by Hank Kunneman; Regeneration Nashville, pastored by Kent Christmas; and Oasis Church in Middletown, Ohio, pastored by Tim Sheets, are superb places to start. You have so much to gain and nothing to lose!

[7] Be encouraged! God IS doing mighty things! But unless you have been listening to God’s prophets you likely have become discouraged and possibly even thought things were out of God’s control. Beloved, our God reigns. Period. Nothing has EVER taken Him by surprise, He makes no mistakes, and He cannot lie. God has already started radically changing this world, and you must get ready NOW if you want to be part of this greatest awakening ever.

See the source image

Woo hoo and go God! Go Body of Christ! We have the victory! “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4, NIV) HOOAH!

Note: This message will soon be available as a pamphlet on the Books and More page of this website so you can print it and share it. Or, if you are mad, you can have the satisfaction of ripping it up. Regardless, thank you for listening and please: focus on drawing closer to God – now! Grace to you and may God speed!

Freda Farmer
www.wordsofhopeandhealing.com

Do you know what God will do for you? Psalm 91 – Part 4

April 1, 2021ANXIETY, CHRISTIAN VALUES, ENCOURAGEMENT, HOPE, TRUSTING GODFreda Farmer

“Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, there shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent. For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot.” (Psalm 91:9-13 AMPC)

I cannot “outgive” God. Can you? Now, that is a rhetorical question if ever there were one! Every time I start writing for you, dear reader, God blesses me far beyond anything I could ask or imagine. And that includes the day I wrote this blog, which was the fourth day of record-breaking cold and snow for Texas and many other states. From my desk, I saw snow lining the wide expanse of bare branches in front of the big double window. Piles of snow that had fallen four days before remained trapped in the forks of the bigger branches. Ice coated the smaller branches not big enough to capture snow. I watched, in wonder, as a cardinal, one of my most favorite birds, perched on a snow covered branch – just like Christmas cards I have loved all my life! Those rare snow-bound days gave extra hours for writing and Bible study and motivated me to make more time—when life returned to normal–to just sit down and search out the meaning of passages, new and old, talking with Holy Spirit, trusting Him to lead as I search His Word. By His grace, I have done that. Truly, Romans 8:28 is true!

“Line upon line. . . that concept – again! On that snowy day, as I heard the unfamiliar crunch of snow being shoveled from the sidewalk, thanks to a kind-hearted neighbor, I was looking again at that well-known passage in Isaiah 28–”line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little” . To dig deeply into that passage is a topic for another time, but briefly I see that God says He carefully taught His people that they must depend on Him and nothing else, that He has a “place of rest” for the weary, but they refused to heed His instruction so He will teach them with bitter consequences. Psalm 91 also speaks of that “place of rest”, that secret place of the Most High. Hopefully, we voluntarily seek out the place of rest that God has lovingly prepared, without being pressed there by the harsh consequences of complacency toward God.

Here is what we saw in previous blog posts on Psalm 91, dated Feb. 4, 11, and 25.

V 1-4 If we make God our home, and confidently trust Him THEN He will deliver us and cover us, thus enabling us to find true refuge. THEN
V 5-9 From our chosen position within that secret place, we will not fear, and we will be protected AND
V 9-13 Because we obey and serve God, His angels will protect us and we will do exploits AND
V 14-16 Because we love God deeply and serve Him, He will give us a peaceful, victorious, overcoming, satisfying and long life.

Verse 9: “Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, there shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your dwelling.” Notice the “Because” that starts the passage from verse 9 through 13. The KJV also uses “because” and the NLT and NIV both use “If/then”, which makes the conditional nature of the promises in verses 9 through 13 even clearer. God says that because we stay close to Him and trust Him, He will protect us from evil (harm in some translations), plague, and calamity.

Image result for free picture of nothing shall harm hou With this verse, as often happens when I try too hard to nail down what a verse means, I sense Holy Spirit saying to reflect on different translations and related verses that He has brought to mind, and then move on. So, I will just make note that in John 16:33 Jesus says He has overcome the world and deprived it of power to harm us. To me, that means that although we will encounter the “troubles, trials, distress, and frustration” Jesus said we would in this fallen world, those things will not do lasting damage or harm. Perhaps that is what God means here. Also, in Luke 10:19, Jesus says to His disciples “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (NIV) Such deep truths to ponder!

So, why does God promise us protection from evil or harm, from plagues and calamities? He says clearly that it is BECAUSE we have made Him our refuge and we dwell, or remain constantly, in the secret place of the Most High. Then, in verse 11 He explains how He will do that.

Verse 11: For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. (AMPC)

Image result for free picture of protecting angels The NLT says “For He will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.” Angels are a profound mystery and, obviously, an essential part of all that God does and of spiritual things. (I know that is a woefully inadequate statement.) I know angels are real and that Hebrews 1:14 declares “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” I have never personally seen an angel, but they are mentioned often in the Bible, and that is enough for me! I have friends who have, however, seen angels, and I have learned something of them in the books “Angel Armies: Releasing the Warriors of Heaven” by Tim Sheets and “Angels, God’s Secret Agents” by Billy Graham.

Notice that God says His angels will protect us “wherever we go.” It is important to recall that Satan tried to tempt Jesus to misapply this verse. Read Luke 4:1-13 to see the temptations Jesus endured before beginning His earthly ministry. In Luke 4:9 to 12, Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12 and urges Jesus to throw Himself down from the highest point of the temple. Jesus answers this temptation with another verse, Deuteronomy 6:16 “Do not put the LORD your God to the test.” It is essential for us to follow this example of Jesus. Yes, God’s angels are watching over us, wherever we go, but if we deliberately do foolish things, we are testing the limits of God’s patience and should not be surprised if disaster falls upon us.

Our ways “of obedience and service”. We are promised God’s protection as we go about obeying and serving God. To me, this verse says that If we are living in disobedience or not serving Him, this does not apply.

We will do exploits. When we follow God whole-heartedly, He protects us and, as verse 13 indicates, we will do great things. What could be greater than defeating the enemy of our souls? Holy Spirit led the writer of Psalm 91 to tell us that, if you meet God’s conditions, “You will tread upon the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. (Psalm 91:13, AMPC)” The devil is compared to a roaring lion in 1 Peter 5:8 and in Genesis 3:14 God cursed the serpent, who had tempted Eve.

Image result for free picture of victory Notice that the second half of Psalm 91:13 echoes the first half, saying that not only will we walk upon or trample lions and cobras (NLT) but we will crush them under our feet. Remember the destiny God decreed for Satan in Genesis 3:14-15? Because the serpent had deceived Eve, God told the serpent ”Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (NLT)

And Romans 16:20 encourages us that “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under our feet.” (NIV) When an animal is crushed, it is rendered powerless and dead, unable to affect the world of the living any longer. We do our part to crush the enemy here on earth in our personal life by living a life of loving obedience to God. And as John Gill commented, we can be encouraged by the fact that in heaven, we will be eternally free from the reach of Satan (from the John Gill commentary at Biblestudytools.com)

Next week we will look at the last four verses of Psalm 91 – which include eight thundering “I will” promises from God. What a loving Father He is to tell us how to stay safe under His loving wings!

Image result for free picture of gods protection

Are you under His feathers? Psalm 91, Pt. 2

February 11, 2021ANXIETY, Bible teaching, CHRISTIAN VALUES, DEVOTIONALS, ENCOURAGEMENT, HOPEFreda Farmer

More about the secret place. In studying the first two verses of Psalm 91, we learned that all the rich promises of this psalm are contingent upon our fulfilling the conditions in those first two verses, which are dwelling in “the secret place of the Most High” and trusting God, with confidence, to take care of us.

Surprised afresh by even more truth. I had my little outline ready for the next few verses of Psalm 91, intending to look at the “thens” or the effects of dwelling in the secret place, which we do by habitually loving, obeying Him, and trusting Him. But in getting my three Bibles opened to Psalm 91, in the NLT I saw something powerful: most of this psalm is simply reassurances of God’s love.

His promises make an outline. For me, this entire psalm is about God’s compassionate, merciful, Father heart. It is about His craving to help us know His Father heart better and– in the strength that comes from that knowledge–to live the abundant life, with the confidence and the constant comfort found in His presence. I say that because in this psalm, He is teaching us, in detail, how He will take care of us and He is promising. Notice how often He repeats “He will” and “I will”.

His promise to take care of us is the foundation of this psalm, the truth He keeps repeating in different ways. God’s promises are one way to outline this psalm, one way to structure our understanding of His central message here:

If we love and obey Him, He WILL take care of us.

Each verse (except 1, 2 and 9) describes what God will do for us. Verses 1 and 2 describe our part, but verses 3 through 16 describe what God will do in response. So, a simple outline is:

1-4 — Our obedience and God’s response (summarized)
5-8 — Details about how God will respond — the “He wills”
9-16 – A restatement of verses 1-2, the exploits we will achieve, and seven thundering “I will” promises.

Safe in God’s father arms. In these promises can’t you hear Him pleading to come into His arms, into the secret place of His presence? Can’t you hear Him promising and reassuring, like a parent reassures a frightened or fretful little child? “There, there now. Everything is all right. It is all okay. Daddy is right here. I will help you. You are safe. . .”

And all the while, that Daddy’s strong, father arms are holding that little child close to his chest, enveloping her in the warmth and strength of his own body. You cannot hold a child close without that child feeling comfort simply from contact with your body. The very essence of your physical presence, your strength and power and superior size, brings comfort, just as the warmth of a mother hen’s body, the softness of her feathers, and the soothing darkness under her wings comfort a little chick.

Why so many promises? God could have ended this psalm with verse 4, because verses 1 through 4 give the entire message. However, I believe He continued expounding upon His message because He knew hearing the details of how He will protect us would bring comfort. Father God knew how many millions of His children through the ages would need to hear each of these words. He knew we sometimes need to hear “You are safe” more than once and in more than one way.

To continue with the previous example, when you cradle a frightened or hurt child in your arms, you keep murmuring reassurances, over and over, you instinctively rock them back and forth, and you do all that until the child is calm and at rest in your arms. You do not just say “It is all right” once then put the child on his feet—because you know that child needs to hear your voice and your words until calm returns. You know that child needs time in a safe place, time for heart rate and breathing to slow, and time for human touch to perform its God-ordained work. Just like that child, we need to stay in His presence, quiet and still, for a while.

Image result for free picture of the presence of god

I believe (and this is a thought I approach with utmost reverence and respect) that somehow, in the spiritual realm, God comforts us when we are in His presence by giving us something of the essence of His Very Self. Somehow, when we come into contact with Him, our human spirit and our soul actually touch and are touched by Him and in that touching, He imparts part of Himself, a bit of the essence of Who He is, just as a loving human father imparts something of his physical being to the child he cradles in his arms. We receive that from Him when we stop what we are doing and focus our whole attention on Him.

NOTE: After I had written the first draft of this blog post, I found similar thoughts in “Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ”, a book written by Jeanne Guyon in the latter part of the seventeenth century. How kind God is to us when we seek Him!

God could have made the Bible very short. He could have stated each command and principle one time and given only one brief illustration or story. But, no, like the Perfect Rabbi He is, He repeats things over and over and over, in a multitude of ways. He knows we sometimes need many words from our Heavenly Father, many reassurances, much cuddling, and much time in the secret place of His arms. So, He repeats truth by placing it in numerous places throughout the Bible and in some places, such as the psalms, He repeats a truth over and over, within just a few sentences, like in Psalm 91 when he repeats “I will. . . I will. . . I will. . . “.

Our seeking Him blesses Him. I personally believe that the main reason God tells us, repeatedly, to turn to Him and trust Him is because it benefits us and keeps us safe. Putting the other first is part of true love (I Corinthians 13) and sacrificial love is part of God’s nature (John 3:16).

I think it must also be that the act of giving us comfort and reassurances blesses God. It must be good and pleasant for God when we seek Him out for comfort, when He is the one we turn to when we hurt or are afraid or when a bully, like the enemy of our souls, has threatened harm. It must be a delight to His Father heart, like the surge of relief when you successfully kiss away the hurt of a boo-boo.

Because of the nature of love—and we know that God IS love—giving comfort blesses the One who gives it. God would never do anything from selfish motives but it is somehow built into the nature of things, the way that love works, that it is good for God when we turn to Him for our needs. Somehow, when we let God meet our needs, we do a good thing for Him. That is a jewel to ponder for the rest of this earthly life!

So, with that thought and keeping in mind what verses 1 and 2 teach, let’s examine verses 3 and 4.

Verse 3: “For [then] He will deliver you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.” (AMPC)

Notice the “For [then]” at the start of verse 3. To reiterate, all the promises in this psalm depend upon our doing our part, as God explains in verses 1 and 2.

“He will deliver you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.” God delivers us from the traps of the enemy in two ways: from getting caught in the trap and freeing us after we have stepped into it. I was blessed to see that this was part of the sermon outline Charles Spurgeon used on this verse (The Snare of the Fowler by C. H. Spurgeon (blueletterbible.org)) The seven insights below are from that sermon by Pastor Spurgeon. I urge you to look up the entire sermon at the link given above.

In Psalm 91:3, Satan is depicted as attacking not with persecution and as a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8) but as a snake, an adder, . . . “creeping silently along the path, endeavoring to bite our heel with his poisoned fangs, and weaken the power of grace and ruin the life of godliness within us.”
The fowler (Satan) has numerous kinds of snares, suited for each bird.
The fowler carefully conceals his trap. The non-believer rushes into sin whereas believers are “taken by secrecy.” As Spurgeon says, if the devil knocked on our door “with his horns visible” we would not let him in, but we too often welcome him in when he comes dressed as a gentleman.
“The fowler’s snare is frequently associated with pleasures, profit, and advantage.” Satan makes sin look like fun and look like it will be good for us.
Sometimes the fowler uses the force of an example, a “decoy duck”. The enemy does not send an outright sinner to lead us astray. Rather he “. . . makes use of a man who is pretendedly religious, and who looks to be of the same quality as yourself, and therefore entices you astray. . .” Then if that man goes astray, I am easily trapped in the same snare. “Be careful of your companions. . . follow them no further than they follow Christ. Let your course be entirely independent of everyone else.”
Also, Spurgeon notes that sometimes when the fowler cannot “take his bird by deceit and craft, he will send his hawk into the air to bring down his prey. He will go “a hawking after his prey.”
Finally, sometimes the fowler uses all his tactics at once so that the “bird is beset on every side.”

And from the deadly pestilence (AMPC) or “deadly disease” (NIV). Even without being a historian, I know that in Bible times all types of disease, including many types of plagues, were more common. It is easy to see why Holy Spirit moved on the psalmist to include this promise, is it not? Even though we live in a fallen world, surrounded by temptations and sin, sickness, and death, as we seek God, He delivers us and gives us victory and the peace that comes from God and which is part of God Himself. Take heart, fellow pilgrim! In His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11)! His Word guides us into experiencing part of, while here on earth, the greatest blessing of eternal life—being in the presence of God Himself. Selah, oh, selah!

Verse 4. [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler.” (AMPC) (NIV says shield and rampart.)

Then He will cover you with His pinions.” The first four verses suggest a process, steps we can take with God. (1) We make God our home and (2) trust in Him with confidence, (3) then He delivers us from Satan’s snares, (4) then He “covers us with His pinions” . And, (5) from that place under His outstretched wings, we are empowered to truly trust and find refuge.

Notice that in Verse 2 we say “God is my refuge” and we trust in Him, but Verse 4 says then we shall trust and find refuge. To find refuge means we have to look for it. We have to take action. To put it another way. . .

See the source image I think it is like God, using the metaphor of a bird, stretches out His wings over us and the outermost edges of his wings, His pinions, overshadow us. Remember, verse one says we are under the shadow of the Almighty. Then, like a tiny chick snuggling in as close as possible to the mother hen’s body, once we are safe in the shadow of His presence, if we keep snuggling in closer to Him, then we will find the refuge we seek.

It is like a fuzzy little chick running to its mother when danger approaches. That chick is not safe until the running its little feet are doing positions it under her pinions—the feathers she is stretching out to protect him. And that chick is not truly safe until he snuggles in close to mother hen’s body where, even if the attacker continues to pursue, the chick will be safe while the mother hen defends against the attacker. I have never raised chickens but I am sure a mother hen will fight to her death to protect a chick under her wings.

In my opinion, because God is so merciful and compassionate and loving, He overshadows and protects us when we love and serve Him, but when we press in even closer, He gives us deeper trust and peace. A child who runs to her father when she is afraid benefits greatly just from his nearness but she benefits from the full measure of his love and fierce desire to comfort her only when she has flung herself on him and wound her arms around his neck.

“His truth and faithfulness are a shield and a buckler.” I believe this sentence suggests two ways that God shields us. (1) God protects us because of His nature—He is by nature faithful to His children and His covenant with them–and (2) He also protects us by giving us the ability to remember His nature.

When we have had experiences where God delivered us, we begin to understand His character, and then we can trust Him because He is always, always, always faithful. This is what Psalm 9:10 promises:

“And they who know Your name [who have experience and acquaintance with Your mercy] will lean on and confidently put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek (inquire of and for) You [on the authority of God’s Word and the right of their necessity.] (AMPC)

A little girl playing in the back yard who has run into her father’s arms to get away from the over-excited puppy chasing her feels safe because her father has kept her safe before. She has known only love and comfort in His arms. I am sure beyond all doubt, dear friend, that you have found the same each and every time you have been aware of being in God’s presence, in His arms.

When I read the last half of verse four, another verse that talks about God shielding us comes to mind:

“The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him.” (Psalm 28:7, AMPC)

Other verses that speak of God being our impenetrable shield include Psalm 19:14, 28:7, 29:11. 46:1, 62:7, and 68:28. Pondering these verses and their context is a comfort.

A shield is a piece of defensive armor, and a buckler, according to some sources, is a small shield carried in the left hand and used to deflect blows from an enemy. Other sources say a buckler was a shield that completely covered the body. Regardless, the truth is that God’s protection is complete. He is all-powerful. (Job 42:2, Luke 1:37, and Jeremiah 32:17). And Psalm125:2 encourages us “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people both now and forevermore.” (NIV)

When we exercise our faith in God, we are lifting up the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) and it will “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (NIV).

Our heavenly Father is exceedingly loving and compassionate and “earnestly imprints on His heart” that we are frail, weak humans. (Psalm 103) We do not have to have perfect faith. We just have to try to trust and to run in His direction. If we do, then we will find His strong, loving arms outstretched to us, to scoop us close, and ever closer, under His feathers – until we can truly trust. May it ever be so, oh, our Father!

Image result for free picture of child running into fathers arms

Are you truly seeking?

January 28, 2021Bible teaching, CHRISTIAN VALUES, ENCOURAGEMENT, HOPE, TRUSTING GODFreda Farmer

To seek – ‘to try to locate or discover” (www.thefreedictionary.com)

^“1Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are the undefiled (the upright, truly sincere, and blameless) in the way [of the revealed will of God], who walk (order their conduct and conversation) in the law of the Lord (the whole of God’s revealed will).

²Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are they who keep His testimonies, and who seek, inquire for and of Him and crave Him with the whole heart. (emphasis added)

³Yes, they do no unrighteousness [no willful wandering from His precepts]; they walk in His ways.” (Psalm 119:1-3, AMPC)

My conclusion after an initial exploration of what seeking God means is that truly seeking God takes time and diligent, focused effort. Here are the questions I explored and some conclusions I reached as I searched the Word.

Why do we seek God? Three of the many reasons are: He tells us to, it pleases Him, and we need the safety and blessings seeking Him brings.

God is looking for those who seek Him. How tender is the thought that the Creator and Sustainer of the universe looks over the whole earth for people who seek Him! “The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. “ (Psalm 14:2, NIV).

God eagerly longs to be gracious to us and show us mercy and loving-kindness (Isaiah 30:18.) when we put Him first, when we turn away from all “. . . idols—false gods [from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life.. .”] (1 John 5:21, AMPC)

God keeps our human frailties in His mind with intense seriousness. In Psalm 103, David describes God’s blessings and His mercy and loving-kindness toward our sins and iniquities. Just like a father, God loves and pities those who fear Him because He knows how we are made: “He [earnestly] remembers and imprints [on His heart] that we are dust.” (verse 13-14). Think about that. He imprints–on His heart–the fact of our weakness. How often do you put your hand over your heart when you are deeply touched? Have you not, in deep sorrow for a loved one, felt actual physical pain in your chest? It must somehow be that God’s love for us actually affects His heart. Dear fellow believer, all I can say is “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” (Psalm 139:6, NIV)

Because God knows how we are formed and what we need, He tells us to “Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously” (Matthew 6:33,NLT) and we will have all that we need. Part of seeking the kingdom of God first is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5, NIV) It is wise to do this, to seek God—whole-heartedly. Psalm 14:2 in the Amplified tells me that we are wise and understanding when we seek God above all else.

²The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any who understood, dealt wisely, and sought after God, inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him [of vital necessity].

What does God mean by seek? To seek means to try to find someone or something. Webster’s 1828 Online Dictionary defines seek as “to go in search or quest of” and “to search for by going from place to place.” That implies effort, movement, and making progress toward something. We must make the effort to step out from our current position and then we must keep moving along, following the path that our pursuit creates. How often does the Word tell us to take action? We are told to put on God’s armor (Ephesians 6:11), to lay aside sin (James 1:21), and to trust God (Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 34:8). How often does the Word show us that following God is a process, that it is a journey along a path? 2 Peter 1:3-11 exhorts us to “make our calling and election sure”, to keep growing and work hard to add to our faith one godly quality after another. God describes the path of the righteous person in Proverbs 4:18 (NIV): “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter than the full light of day.”

Other facets of seeking. When you do a word search for “seek, inquire and require”, you find words like crave (2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 105:4) and yearn (Ezra 7:10, Psalm 84:2). And in everyday English, synonyms for seek include explore, pursue, follow, and to look high and low (like the Luke 15 parables of the lost sheep and the lost coins).

Clearly, when God says seek Him, He does not mean thinking about Him for an hour on Sunday and five minutes once in a while during the week.

Are you truly seeking the Lord? Do you desperately require Him, like the person in Psalm 77:2?

Why is “Inquire and require” associated with the word seek in the Bible? I am finding that the more I study the Word, the more I want to study the Word. One fruitful method is pursuing the explanatory words and phrases in the Amplified Bible, which include ideas speakers of the original language would have understood implicitly. For example, when I noticed that “inquire and require” appeared often after the word “seek”, I entered “seek, inquire and require” into the search window in BibleGateway.com.

I found that there are two ways to inquire– to “inquire of and for the Lord.” God caused King Artaxrexes to give Ezra all that he asked BECAUSE “. . . Ezra had prepared and set his heart to seek the Law of the Lord [to inquire for it and of it, to require and yearn for it] and to do and teach Israel its statutes and its ordinances. (Ezra 7:10, AMPC).

To inquire of someone is to ask a question of that person. To inquire for someone is to ask to see that person. So, we ask God questions (we ask of God) and we ask to see Him (we ask for Him, for His presence.)

To require God means He is our vital necessity, something necessary for life itself. This was how David instructed Solomon to love God when he was commissioning Solomon to build the temple.

And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind. For the Lord searches all hearts and minds and understands all the wanderings of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] you will find Him; but ^[a]if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever

Stop and notice how David told Solomon to approach God. David told Solomon to get to know God personally, to understand Him (which requires a lot of interaction), and to recognize His worth, to obey Him and to cherish Him. David told Solomon to do that BECAUSE God understands every single thought and BECAUSE if Solomon loved God that way, then he would be blessed.

And notice that this is how King Asa began his reign. Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God (2 Chronicles 14:2, NIV), he removed idols from the land “ and in verse 4 “commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers [to inquire of and for Him and crave Him as a vital necessity] (emphasais added), and to obey the law and the commandment.”

When something is vital to our survival, like air and water and food, we pursue that above all else. Is God your vital necessity?

We can seek God with confidence based on our needs and the authority of the Word. One chain of thought always leads to another when you plunge into the Word. What an unavoidable blessing! In pondering the previous verses, I saw a diamond of a promise in Psalm 9:10—that after I have personally experienced God’s mercy, I will be able to trust Him with confidence because I know He never forsakes me when I rely on His Word for my needs.

These two concepts—our needs and the authority of God’s Word—are paired in these other verses given below. These verses show me that God will take care of me, will supply my needs and deliver me, when I have a need and when I approach Him on the authority of His Word.

“The authority of God’s Word” is an extremely broad and deep topic about which I have only a partial understanding. Here, in the verses below, I believe it means that we are living in the authority of God’s Word when we are doing our utmost to believe and do what He has told us to. So this means to me that I must obey and seek God with all my heart for His Word to operate, with authority, in my life.

Read these verses below and be amazed at what that blessed way of life includes.

Psalm 27:8–You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. My heart says to You, Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of Your Word].

Psalm 34:4—I sought (inquired of) the Lord and required Him [of necessity and on the authority of His Word], and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (I especially love this verse because it says God delivered the psalm writer from ALL his fears!)

Psalm 34:10–The young lions lack food and suffer hunger, but they who seek (inquire of and require) the Lord [by right of their need and on the authority of His Word], none of them shall lack any beneficial thing.

Lamentations 3:25–The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God’s word].

Notice that Lamentations 3:25 comes after Jeremiah has recalled his great afflictions and then in verses 22 through 24 Jeremiah turns to remembering the reason he has hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23. They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

Dear friend, I, too, say that God is my portion. He is more than sufficient. He is all I need and more, just like a heaped-up plate at a sumptuous banquet. I am satisfied with Him, so I will truly seek Him, and I will wait for Him – with confident expectation!

See related image detail

All-Seeing, All-Knowing

July 6, 2020CHRISTIAN VALUES, DEVOTIONALS, ENCOURAGEMENT, HOPE, TRUSTING GODFreda Farmer

This writing thing. Well, fellow pilgrim, I must say this writing thing is an adventure, with many twists and turns along the way. I intended this poem to be an easy blog post because, lately, writing time has been reduced. Then, I found an answer to something I have pondered for years– how to make poetry more useful.

Writing poetry blesses me because Bible truths come to my mind, but I could not see how to ensure readers saw the underlying Bible truths. Today, I saw the obvious, i.e., just add the explanation into the poem. So, here we go. First, the entire poem alone, and then the poem with Bible truths added in.

And would you do me a favor please? Let me know what you think about this format, either in the comment section below this post or by sending me an email (on the “Email me” tab.) God bless you as you read!

“All Seeing, All Knowing”

All seeing, all knowing, how great is Your name!
It wipes out all fear, all guilt, and all shame.
Oh! Thank You, my Dearest, my beloved Sweet One,
for new life in my soul, through Jesus, Your Son.

May He live deep within by the Spirit’s great grace.
May He guide and correct as I run this great race.
He’ll help me press on. In His strength I’m made whole
forgetting the past, made new in my soul!

No more of old me! That person is dead.
I’m risen with new life, Lord, just as You said!

I’m risen with . . .

. . . new life that arises and shines from within,
that shines through the darkness and keeps me from sin,
that reveals the desires of the flesh and the eyes,
that reveals deadly pride and helps me walk wise.

How I thank You, my Jesus, for all that You’ve done,
for abounding new life, for making us one!
No more are we split by sin’s great divide,
We’re one in the blood that flowed from Your side,

Yes, when I walk in Your way,
when I carry Your Name,
all things are made new, yes, nothing’s the same!

“All Seeing, All Knowing” — Bible Truths Included

All seeing, all knowing, how great is Your name!
It wipes out all fear, all guilt, and all shame.
God sees and knows everything. (Isaiah 40:28-29) That is His nature, part of His name or attributes. A name is a word by which we know or describe someone or something. God’s name means His nature. This is helpful to remember when pondering Scriptures with the “name” of God. For example, Psalm 33:22 (“In him our hearts rejoice for we trust in his holy name”) shows that when we trust in the name, or nature of God, in His good qualities, our hearts will be happy.

When we are adopted into His kingdom, when we bear His name, all fear, guilt, and shame are wiped out. (I John 1:7)

Oh! Thank You, my Dearest, my beloved Sweet One,
for new life in my soul, through Jesus, Your Son.
May God, who gave us new life through the blood His only begotten Son Jesus, shed on Calvary (John 3:16), be the “Fairest of Ten Thousand” to our souls, as the 1881 hymn “The Lilly of the Valley” by Charles Fry says.

May He live deep within by the Spirit’s great grace.
May He guide and correct as I run this great race.
Before Jesus left this earth, He told us that if we truly love Him and obey His teachings, He and the Father will love us and make their home in our heart. (John 14:23)

Image result for royalty free clip art of feet running Let us long for Holy Spirit’s guidance as we endeavor, like Paul, “. . . to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run with patience the race set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1, NIV)

He’ll help me press on. In His strength I’m made whole
forgetting the past, made new in my soul!
Like Paul, let us remember that although we will never attain perfection on earth, we can “press on” toward maturity, putting all our confidence in Christ as we strive to “. . . take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of” us. (Philippians 3:14)

No more of old me! That person is dead.
I’m risen with new life, Lord, just as You said!
As we learn in Romans 6:1-23, when we were baptized into Christ Jesus, our old self was “. . . crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be done away with in order that “we should no longer be slaves to sin “ (v. 4- 6)

So, we can “count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore . . . “ we do not have to let sin reign in our mortal bodies. (v. 11) As we follow Jesus, He frees us from enslavement to sin. We are free from its power. (NLT)

I’m risen with . . .
. . . new life that arises and shines from within,
What a promise 2 Corinthians 5:17 contains. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (NKJV) The AMPC says, “. . . the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away.”

that shines through the darkness and keeps me from sin,
God’s Word cuts through the darkness of our world and lights the way for my next few steps (“Your Word is a lamp to my feet. . . ”) and it also shines light further away, along the path (. . . and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105.) Jesus is the Living Word and when He lives in our hearts – what a bright light we are privileged to have! As I John 1:5b teaches us “. . . God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him [no, not in any way]” AMPC.

that reveals the desires of the flesh and the eyes,
that reveals deadly pride and helps me walk wise
With the light of God–Light that is God–in our hearts, our eyes are enlightened to see sin as sin. And when we use the Sword of God’s Word (Ephesians 6:17), that Living Word penetrates to the deepest part of our hearts and shows us whether the thoughts and purposes of our hearts are good or evil.

“For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immoral] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, AMPC)

How I thank You, my Jesus, for all that You’ve done,
for abounding new life, for making us one!
Although the enemy of our souls, the devil, always seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, Jesus came to give us a “rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, ESV) We have that life when we are one with Him. “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” (I Corinthians 6:17, ESV)

No more are we split by sin’s great divide,
We’re one in the blood that flowed from Your side,
Sin separates us from God. It is a huge chasm we cannot cross on our own. Isaiah 59:2 tells us that our iniquities have separated us from God; our sins have hidden His face from us, so that He will not hear. But, when we are united in purpose with Jesus, when we are one with Him, when we strive to live like Him and pour out our life for others as He did, our life is united with Him in His life, His blood.

Yes, when I walk in Your way,
when I carry Your Name,
all things are made new, yes, nothing’s the same!
When we strive, with all our heart, soul and mind, to walk, or live, like Jesus did, when we make His purposes the focus of our life, we share in His likeness. We carry His likeness, His nature, His Name, to the world. As God shines His light and love through us, He uses us for the sake of His Kingdom. And His presence in our life overflows us with blessings.

Once we give up our old life of sin, we are new creatures, and nothing is ever the same again. It just gets “sweeter as the days go by”, as James Poyser attested in his famous song. May we strive to be “. . . to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:15, Berean Study Bible).

What Prophecy Can Do for You . . . What You Can Do for Prophecy

May 16, 2020ANXIETY, CHRISTIAN VALUES, ENCOURAGEMENT, HARD TIMES, HOPE, TRUSTING GODFreda Farmer

What Prophecy Can Do for You . . . What You Can Do for Prophecy

What prophecy can do for you. Friend, if you do not know what is happening with prophecy today you miss the chance to:

Stay calm as God shows you, through His current-day prophets, why so many unbelievable things are happening,
Hear what God is doing behind the scenes that the fake news never reports,
Increase your faith as you see Biblical as well as modern-day prophecies fulfilled, and
Pick up your spiritual weapons, take your God-appointed place in God’s army, and FIGHT “ . . . against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12, NIV)

Resources about the prophetic. Following is a list of resources to acquaint you with what God is doing today in the prophetic realm. I have found these resources to be truthful, honest, and aligned with God’s Word.

https://marycolbert.us/nation-builders-prayer-host/ – Mary Colbert. Author, Christian activist, ordained minister – National prayer lines dedicated to prayer for the U.S. and for the wisdom of God.

https://elijahlist.com – Prophet Steve Schultz, began this website decades ago. – Prophecies from around the world, news, prophetic resources, etc.

https://sordrescue.com/ – Prophet Mark Taylor – Prophecies, commentary. He predicted President Trump’s election before he was even running. See Mark’s website for details.

www.comemnistry.org – Denise Williams (hosts one of Nation Builders Prayer Calls) – Apostolic intercessor, Prophet, Chaplain and more. She “shares podcasts . . . with teachings, prophecies and words of knowledge as instructed by Holy Spirit.” (from her website.)

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news (The Jerusalem Post) – Provides breaking news from Israel, the Middle East and the World. Learn what is happening with Israel so you can intercede. Remember Genesis 12:3, where, speaking of Israel, God says, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you.” (Genesis 12:3, NIV)

An urgent plea: Please stop listening to the lies and fear tactics of mainstream media. Even if you just skim headlines, you still hear lies that twist your thinking, fill you with fear, and darken your heart to the truth. Get your news from some of the resources above and so-called “far right” sources, like Sean Hannity and Jay Sekulow.

How to Get Involved

First, start getting informed. The list above is a good starter list. Ask Holy Spirit to lead you.
Second, join some of the world-wide intercessory prayer calls, available every day, at various times (see Mary Colbert above.) You can listen silently and agree in prayer; you do not have to pray out loud.
Third, in your daily life pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Pray for our President Donald J. Trump! Pray for our nation and our world! Pray!

There’s TRUTH in them ‘ thar hills!

April 29, 2020CHRISTIAN VALUES, DAILY LIFE, ENCOURAGEMENT, TRUSTING GODFreda Farmer

Here I sit. . . Here I sit, surprised by a gift from God! As I write the first draft of this blog, it is Friday, April 17, 2020, the day after President Trump announced his plans to start reopening our country after the coronavirus shutdown. (Finished this today, 4/29/2020 : – )

So, here I sit, with back and shoulders stiff because my home exercises do not help as much as those at the gym and using the gym’s pool. Here I sit, wheezing although I am taking asthma and allergy medicine to fight spring pollen. I am mindful that asthma, and, uh, age, categorize me as high-risk but I am so grateful for God’s protection and knowing that, if I get the virus, He will take care of me. So, here I sit, day after day, like you, struggling to maintain a semblance of daily life BQ (before quarantine), frustrated with weight gained during extra sedentary time, battling negative thoughts more than usual because relationships with family, friends, and usual activities outside my home are changed.

Yes, here I sit, my hair REALLY interesting, like yours might be since hair salons are non-essential during our corona virus lockdown. Also, my living space is tangled up since I spend so much time here now and asthma has caused fatigue, another good excuse. Besides, housekeeping, much less house fluffing, was definitely NOT my gifting anyway.

Yet I am also, like you, I hope, trusting and relying on God, keeping my heart on Him all day long, proclaiming aloud my gratitude and dependence on His sovereign and loving nature, knowing this will end and that He is turning it for good all over His world.

So, dear reader, today while I sat at my desk, in my distinctly non-glorious surroundings, writing and digging deeper and deeper into the Word about a topic that keeps expanding, doing my writing work for God, Holy Spirit gave me a gift I want to share with you.

Digging deep is a gift. While writing about affliction (a booklet is coming!) and digging deeply into Isaiah 30 today, I froze and stared out the window. The ding! in my mind as the lightbulb went on was nearly audible. I realized that Holy Spirit had been able to explain what Isaiah 30 meant about despising God’s Word because I had stopped and dug deeply, pondering, meditating, thinking hard about what He meant in those verses, looking up definitions, using other translations, etc.

What a gift this gift was! God confirmed that my way of studying the Word, for myself, and the way I study when I write for Him, is the right way for me! I tend to be insecure, so having that thought as tangible as a white box with a huge Tiffany-blue bow on top was a true treasure.

So what is digging deep? I remember Bible study as a new believer. One of the first times I sensed Holy Spirit giving me understanding (little old me!) was late at night, after my daughter had been bedtime-storied three times. Stretching my exhausted, single-parent self on the bed, I resumed my Bible reading from the night before, with Proverbs 2:1-5:

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure (underline added),
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. (NIV)

I remember staring intently at verse four. Then I rested the open Bible on my chest, the navy blue New International Version my Mother had given me when I found Jesus. I stared at the ceiling a long time. Thoughts rolled through my mind. “How do you dig for silver? And hidden treasure? Ah! You have to dig and keep digging. You do not find silver or hidden treasure without hard work.” I was thrilled that God would use His Word to speak to me directly. And it is just as thrilling each time, after all these years! How good God is to us!

That night, I understood the passage on a surface level (no pun intended) and have pondered it often, each time, gaining more insight. But today, it was like brand new, as I thought more about it.

Digging deep takes time and effort. You do not search for silver or hidden treasure by digging one scoop of dirt, flipping it to the ground, then walking 10 yards and digging another shallow scoop, and so on. Neither do you find treasure by walking over the land and scuffing the surface with the toe of your boot. You find treasures in God’s Word when you do like He says and search for it because it is covered up, hidden, and you cannot even see it, much less pick it up and claim it as your own and profit by it, until you do a lot of digging. And! You will not dig deep unless you have faith that something is there, waiting for you, lovingly prepared by God. And! you will not even be there trying to find treasure unless you have faith. It is all by faith!

God has an abundance of truth treasures stored up for each of us. Proverbs 2:7 says, “He hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous (those who are in right standing with Him); He is a shield to those who walk uprightly and with integrity.” (AMPC)

How to search–DIG DEEP– for wisdom. Many beloved pastors, Bible teachers and other mature saints have found God’s gold and silver and shared it with us. How do they tell us to mine for wisdom in the Word? Below is a composite of suggestions that have helped me greatly.

[1] Before you begin, pray and ask God for wisdom (James 1:5-8) and commit your study time to God.

[2] Find a list of Scriptures about your biggest area of personal need.

[3] Dig deep and keep thinking and talking with the Lord as you dig.

[4] Meditate on and memorize the verses that Holy Spirit emphasizes for you the most.

[5] Collect your personalized verses in one place and review them regularly.

Five steps to dig deep. Below are details of the five steps that work well for me. If you have used other methods and want to share them, please email me by using the “Email me” tab on the website, or the comments section below this blog post.

Step 1: Before you begin, pray and ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) and commit your study time to Him. If you “commit to the Lord whatever you do. . . He will establish your plans, (Proverbs 16:3, NIV). As the NLT phrases it, “. . . your plans will succeed.”)

Step 2: Find a list of Scriptures about your biggest area of personal need (e.g., worry, anger, faith, etc.) To make your list, use a concordance, the alphabetized index in the back of most Bibles. You can also use the internet to find a list of Scriptures by typing into the search window, for example, “Bible verses about anger”. But BE CAREFUL! Your search results will include several internet addresses to click on that, in addition to listing Bible verses about your topic, also give someone’s ideas about that topic. Unless you know or can easily see that the individual shares your faith in the God of the Bible, just write down the book and verse and move on with making your list. Even if you do know that person is sound in the faith , it is far better to get your list, then go directly to the Word, God and you alone, and let Holy Spirit speak to you, personally, through the Word.

I also recommend that, unlike the dude in the clipart above, you make just a short list and then dig into the Word. Do not obsess about the list!

Trust God’s ability to communicate with you more than you trust your doubts about yourself. God will lead you to find just the verses you as an individual need. He is the same One who led Israel, who numbers the hairs on your head, who has written your name on His heart and Who holds the universe in place. If you seek Him with all your heart, He promises you will find Him. (Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13). God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18).

Step 3: Dig deep and keep thinking and talking with the Lord as you dig.

Read your first verse or verses slowly, over and over, and the verses before and after it that seem connected. Pay attention to connecting words, like: therefore, because, for, since, for example, that, then, in order that, so that, so, etc.
Then, be still and just think about what it means. Ask God to show you. Take time for just you and God and His Word.
After, and only after, you have paused to think, with God, about what the text means, use other tools. Look up cross references noted in the text. See what a Bible dictionary and an English dictionary say. Look up not only the definition but also synonyms and plug those words into the verse. Look up antonyms. If God uses figurative language, like comparing the work of Holy Spirit to the wind, as in John 3:8, pause and ponder what you know about wind or look it up. Ask God to explain, and He will, just as Jesus explained His parables to His disciples.
Use commentaries and other study aids, but again, use caution because all writers are human. Commentaries and Bible handbooks can be a great help because they describe cultural context, customs, geology, archeology, church history, etc. So, do use them. I recommend the highly respected Halley’s Bible Handbook, which has sold more than 6 million copies. However, there is no substitute for trusting the God of the Word of God to speak directly to you. Ensure that you spend the bulk of your study time in the Word, rather than any other book, no matter how good it is. Use other non-Bible time to read those supplemental writings.

God obviously is The Supreme Teacher, He loves to teach, and He loves to fellowship with you, to be close to you. He wrote you a love letter, and He is longing to explain those parts that you do not yet understand. Why? It helps you, helps others, and it brings Him pleasure to be closer to You. And do not worry that the enemy might lead you to misunderstand. If you make mistakes, God will correct you. Imagine a young son asking his carpenter father to teach him how to build a bench. Would that not give both father and son great delight? And would not the father show his son the best way to hold a hammer and saw a board?

See the source image

Keep chewing on your thoughts about those verses, just like a contented cow in a field, working on her cud. Keep thinking and asking Holy Spirit to help you understand. If you seek wisdom, you will not be disappointed. In Proverbs 8:17 wisdom is personified as a woman who says “I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me. Proverbs 8:17, (AMPC)
And I urge you, dear friend, please do not say that this will not work for you because . . . you are not studious by nature, not able to hear God, lack time or self-discipline, not smart enough or any other flaming arrow of untruth (Ephesians 6:16) the enemy might shoot at your mind! Holy Spirit will show you personally how to dig deep into His truth, and you will know it when He does it. He will use whatever things are available to you and work for you.

Step 4: Meditate on and memorize the verses that Holy Spirit emphasizes for you the most. Digging deep is part of meditating, pausing, taking time, thinking about, pondering, and exploring what God means in a Bible passage or a word or a phrase so that you can apply it to your own life. Meditating brings blessings (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2, Psalm 105:2)

Meditating on God’s Word is part of loving Him with all our being. Deuteronomy 6 in the NLT is labelled “A Call for Whole-hearted Commitment.” I urge you to read the entire chapter. Moses reminds Israel that they are to follow God’s laws carefully so that things would go well with them and their children. Moses reminds them that the LORD alone is their God, then he says, “And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” (verse 5)

Notice that right after Moses tells them that, he then tells them to meditate on God’s Word all day long. That says to me that doing so is part of loving God with all my heart. Moses said the people must commit themselves wholeheartedly to God’s commands. They were to “Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your foreheads as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Verses 7-9). Then Moses goes on to talk about the blessings God will pour out on them.

Writing some of your personalized verses on index cards, taping them around your house and car and carrying them with you sounds, to me, similar to how Moses instructed Israel to keep God’s Word visible to their eyes all day long. Doing so tremendously blesses me and lots of others I know. Notice the picture of the hand and arm phylacteries above. They were certainly visible reminders, to the person wearing them and to others who saw them.

[5] Collect your personalized verses in one place, and review them regularly, so they do not fade away. I like to think of Bible study as the privilege of being in school with God as my teacher, for all my life. Throughout a school year, teachers lead students step by step through the basics of a subject, often pausing to repeat and review what was just taught. Why? Review and repetition imprints new knowledge more deeply into the mind. Quizzes and tests serve the same purpose because students are required to recall what they have learned, thus making a deeper neural pathway in their brain. Part-way through the school year, students have reviewed the basics so often that they know them. They can then build more knowledge on top of that solid foundation imprinted in their minds.

Digging deep brings innumerable blessings. Chapters 1 through 9:12 of Proverbs explain the benefits of wisdom and how to obtain it. Can you hear the earnestness of God’s heart? This discourse begins with God pleading “Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.” (Proverbs 1:23, NLT). Halfway through, God says “Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgement.” ( Proverbs 4:7, NLT). God summarizes this discourse on wisdom by saying:

“And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful. Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it. Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. But those who miss me injure themselves. All who hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:32-36)

One last observation. Proverbs has 31 chapters. Each month has 31 days. Hmmm. . .