dickbraswell

Word for Today:  October 9

Use what you have. Begin where you are.

David, the sling shot boy, did not wait until he had something else or something better… he took what he had and trusted God to make it work…  He took his staff… his sling… and five smooth stones.  He did not wait for something better or delay for more equipment to arrive… He used what he had.

You can take what you have and defeat the devil today.  If you have been waiting for something else you have been waiting in vain.  Some are waiting for more faith…. more strength… more favorable circumstances… more money…  but God wants you to take what you have and use it to overcome the devil.

You are a New Creation in Christ Jesus and you can do all things through Him.  You have more than enough right now to overcome the devil. Remember… the devil’s biggest and best is still no match for the smallest and weakest in the Kingdom.   Jesus said: “He that is least in the Kingdom is greater than John the Baptist…”

David took what he had and partnered with God. And that, friend, will always give you the advantage over the powers of darkness.  Any warfare with the devil is always unfair to the devil…  he always has the short end of the stick and is at the mercy of the weakest Believer.

What you have is enough.

Just. Use. It.

Word for Today:  October 8

Has God ever come to the RESCUE for you in the past?

Has He ever gotten there in the “nick of time?”  Just consider the many times He has reached down and picked you up.  Held your hand.  Helped you to your feet again.   Remembering the Faithfulness of God in the past is a great deterrent to discouragement and despair in the present.  IF God was there then, He is there now.  If God was able then, He is able now.

Are you ready for deliverance?  Have you come to the place of casting all your care on Him?  Will you “give up” with your own efforts and trust God Totally?

An experienced mountain climber got caught on the face of a mountain.  He had fallen and dropped to the very end of his life line.  It was dark.  It was beginning to snow and a blizzard was approaching.  He hung on in the blinding snow and in the dark.  He knew he could not survive the night exposed on the mountain side.  He was not really a praying man, but he began to pray:  “Dear God, please help me.  Tell me what I must do to be delivered.  Speak to my heart and give me some direction… if you don’t I’m going to die.”

The voice of God spoke to him and said:  “Let Go.”  The climber refused because he was afraid.  He was convinced that if he turned loose he would fall thousands of feet to his death.

They found him the next day hanging on the end of the safety line… frozen to death.  One foot below his dangling feet was a ledge… a ledge large enough for him to find refuge from the storm and deliverance from certain death.

Let Go and trust God

A Prophetic Perspective of Present Day Global Events

Ezekiel 36 – 39

The Book was written while Ezekiel was exiled in Babylon (Iraq) approximately 600 years before Christ

His ministry extended over twenty-three years  595-573 B.C. 

He was contemporary with Daniel and Jeremiah, and probably also with Obadiah.

His prophesies deal with:

                The captivity of Israel and the destruction of Jerusalem

                Judgment on other nations for their part in Israel’s sin and rebellion

1. In the Last Days Israel will be Re-Born

37:11  Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

37:12  Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

37:13  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

37:14  And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

36:24  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

2. In the Last Days Israel will be Restored

36:33  Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.

36:34  And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.

36:35  And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.

36:36  Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.  (and He has!)

3. In the Last Days Israel will be Re-United

37:15 ¶  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,

37:16  Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

37:17  And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

The Divided Kingdom (Judah and Israel) becomes One Kingdom in the End Time…

4. In the Last Days Israel will be Re-Gathered

37:21  And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

37:22  And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

5. In the Last Days Israel will be Invaded by Armies from the North

1 ¶  Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

2  And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:

AND… “in the last days…”

Restored Israel will be Invaded by Gog and his army… (Eze 38)

38:14 ¶  Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

38:15  And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:

38:16  And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

“Gog” is a person.  The “Chief Prince” of a group of nations.

“Magog” is an assembly of nations that will be led by Gog in the invasion of Israel in the last                                          days.

Magog, Meshech and Tubal were sons of Japheth (remember the sons of Noah and the “table of nations” in Gen 10?)  They are the ancestors of the people of northern Eurpope…  (the Russians, Muscovites, Cappadocians, etc)

Gog, in the land of Magog, the chief prince of (Rosh), Meshech, and Tubal, will invade the restored land of Israel from the North, with a powerful army of many nations. (38:1-9)

Their intention will be to plunder Israel, which will be dwelling in security. (38:10-16)

But when Gog and his army (from the north) invade Israel, they will be destroyed by the wrath and judgment of the Lord.

On the mountains of Israel Gog with all his hosts and nations will be destroyed by the wrath of God.

The inhabitants of the cities of Israel will spend seven years in burning the weapons of the fallen foe, and seven months in burying the corpses in a valley.

In the meantime all the birds and wild beasts will fill themselves with the flesh and blood of the fallen

What is the meaning of this?

 This is a global conflict that will end this age.

This is a war that will be like no other war in all recorded history.

This will be a group of nations led by a “mad man” with the intent of destroying Israel and Israel’s God.

This battle will be the “mother of all battles” and will be won in an instant.

God will intervene and destroy Gog, Magog and all the nations set in array against Israel

This could well be the Biblical “Battle of Armageddon”… the Apocalypse

Gog and Magog may well be the antichrist and his gathered forces that will attempt to overthrow Israel and destroy Israel’s God

NOW… where are we in all of this??

At this moment in history, all eyes are on Israel and Iran.  They are in the vortex of an impending conflict.

BUT… The USA and Russia are also key players in this end-time scenario.

Iran is hell-bent on destroying Israel… and has publically declared that it will “wipe Israel off the map…”

Iran is driven by an Islamic Mad Man who believes it is his mission in life to create a world-destroying war in order to bring back the Islamic “messiah.”

In light of this… Israel is poised for an immediate pre-emptive strike to defend itself… and rightly so.

Ahmadinejad has vowed to wipe Israel off the face of the map.

He has asked Muslims to envision a world without the United States.

He believes that Israel is the Little Satan and the U.S. is the Great Satan.

He believes the end of the world is just a few years away and that it is his mission to bring it about.

Iran is developing its nuclear capability and could literally be weeks away from deploying missiles with atomic warheads.

Today, for the first time in two thousand years, we are seeing all these signs come true, and the rebirth of Israel is the most dramatic sign of them all. We can, therefore, have confidence that Jesus’ return is closer than ever. What’s more, we can be confident that our generation will not pass away before we see this remarkable event occur.  (Mat 24:24)

No other generation in history has been able to say that, but we now can. It is true that Jesus cautions us not to speculate on the exact day and hour of his return. But we are encouraged to watch current events closely and know when the clock is running out.

Word for Today: October 7

_{Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.   Joshua 1:1-2}

_{Notice what God tells Joshua: “Take possession of what I have given you.”  Every place… I have given unto you…  It is there for you.  I have saved it for you and provided it for you.  It is a land of abundance.  It is a land of plenty.  It is a land of rest and success.  It is a place of healing and health.  It is a land of safety and security.  It is a land of deliverance and protection.”}

_{God has purchased awesome possessions for you through the Blood of His Son, Jesus.  The victory has been won and the prize has been captured.  It is for you and it is for me.} 

_{However, you will never have these possessions until you go over and take them.  They will never benefit you until you make up your mind to get up, go over and take possess them.  By action, by force and by faith.}

_{The devil is “squatting” on what is legally yours.  he will stay there and laugh at you until you get up and go over and take it back.  he will homestead on it until you get mad enough, brave enough, faith-filled enough to go in and kick him out.  Get up and go over.}

Word for Today:  October 5

Right Choices

Those who make right choices will succeed and live and those who make wrong choices will fail and die.

Every success is the result of making right choices and every failure is the result of making wrong choices.

God has given us help and direction in making right choices.  He has not thrown us out in the water and left us to swim or drown.  He has not cast us aside with no means of help or direction.  God has given us assistance through:

• The Word of God
• The Church
• The Holy Spirit
• The Five-fold Ministry Gifts (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers)
• Revelation Knowledge
• The Gifts of the Spirit
• The re-born human spirit directed by the Holy Spirit

Everybody is involved in choice making.  All of us.

Every day we make hundreds of choices.  Every single choice we make will produce good or bad, help or hindrance, life or death.   God’s Word tells us to Choose Life.

If we do we live.  If we don’t we won’t.

Word for Today:  October 3

Here are some Lies that many Believers have bought into:

• It’s a lie that you are a victim of circumstances.
• It’s a lie that you are helpless and can do nothing about your situation. (According to the Word is no such thing as “I can’t help it.”)
• It’s a lie that you are locked into impossibilities and hopeless conditions.
• It is a lie that “things will never change.”
• It’s a lie that you must be miserable, sad, depressed and defeated most of your life.
• It’s a lie that you must stay sick.
• It’s a lie that you must continually live in lack and need.
• It’s a lie that your family cannot be saved and delivered and that they will never love and live for God.
• It’s a lie that you can never change.
• It’s a lie that your marriage is beyond repair.
• It’s a lie that you will never have a good job, and that you will never make a decent living.
• It’s a lie that you will never be out of debt. (Unless you disobey the Word regarding your money, your giving and your spending.)
• It’s a lie that you must always live under a curse.
• It’s a lie that you will never get better, feel better, become stronger, stop worrying, overcome fear, or be a success.
• It’s a lie that you can’t.
• It’s a lie that it’s impossible.
• It’s a lie that you are weak.
• It’s a lie that you are a loser.
• It’s a lie that Prayer does not work.
• It’s a lie that it is “too late.”
• It’s a lie that things are going to get better in the world.
• It’s a lie that God does not care.
• It’s a lie that miracles never happen anymore.
• It’s a lie that God does not speak today.
• It’s a lie that the government and welfare will be your unfailing security.

“Fear Not” is the most reoccurring command in the Bible.

Fear believes the lie.

Faith believes the Word

Word for Today:  October 2

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh…Gal 5:16.

Right living is a decision.  People choose the way they live.  They can determine what they do, what they say and what they yield to.  The devil has no power to make anyone sin.  Sin and sinful living are the results of decisions and choices that are made.

No temptation is irresistible.  No trial is too much or too great or without a way of escape for the Believer. (1Cor 10:13)  The bottom line is the quality of life you are now living is the direct result of decisions you have made.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace…     Rom 8:5-6

In this hour of compromise and moral failure, decide to live right.  Decide to resist the wrong and embrace that which is good, honorable and right.

It takes no courage to get drunk or smoke dope or pop pills or shoot up.  It takes no talent to be mean, ugly and violent.  But it takes old fashioned backbone and intestinal fortitude to resist the temptations of the flesh and to stand for God and what’s right.

If you want to live and not die… choose to live and choose to live right.   Walk in holiness, purity, honor and integrity.  Determine to present your body to God as a living sacrifice.  (Rom 212:1)   Refuse to hang out with so those who tempt you and lure you do stuff you know is not in the will of God.

Walk in the Spirit.

And you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh

Word for Today:  October 1

The natural world and the spiritual world.

We need to understand the Natural World as it relates to and exists with (alongside of) the Spiritual World.  Most people do not realize that there are literally two Worlds presently existing side by side.

One is the Natural World (the world we can see and touch and taste and hear and feel).  It is the visible, natural, physical world.  This is the world we live in and the world that our mind (soul) and our body understands and interacts with.  This world is easy to perceive because it is connected to our reasoning… our senses… our sight.   It can be experienced and understood by the natural faculties of man.  However, the “natural” man cannot receive (understand) the things of the Spirit of God because they are “spiritually discerned…” they relate to the Other World…The Spiritual World.

But the natural man (psuchikos) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor 2:14

But he that is spiritual (pneumatikos) judgeth (investigates, examines, searches and discerns) all things, (as to whether they are Truth or Fact…)  1 Cor 2:15

Believing God begins in the Spirit and manifests in the Natural.  The Spiritual World effects change in the Natural World because it is more real and more authoritative.

What we make as a determined and conscious act of our human will starts things happening in the Spiritual World.   When it (our faith) explodes as a Revelation coming out of our Spirit, it produces change in the physical, natural world.  And in everything that relates to it.

The Spirit of God and the Truth of His Word are always more Powerful in operation than the natural and physical facts that are happening all around us.

Truth has more power than Facts