* God is the only one I can fully trust for HE knows the future.

Some people will want to help us but they might not be able to do so.  They do not know the future, but God knows the future.  Other people are actually enemies of God, doing fleshly plans, and trying to get us to do what they do.  Some would lead us but they do not know the will of God for us.

When God gives me a word, I know I can do that plan safely.

The devil brings his thoughts to steal, kill, and destroy me.  (John 10:10)

Humans bring their own ideas, but those ideas are risky,

It is only God that I can fully trust!  

Ephesians 4:21    If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: (the Word)

*****

James 1:5   If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

I can say to a human, "You might be right."

But when God brings me a word by HIS Spirit I can "know" that word is right.

Seek God.  Ask God.

Proverbs 3:6   In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and HE shall direct thy paths.

(When we are trying to hire someone to do something, there could be a "hidden agenda".  Therefore ask God what to do.)

***

II Timothy 3

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of Whom thou hast learned them;

***

Jesus says:

Matthew 24

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 

(They come saying "Jesus is Lord", and because they say that we tend to listen to them, and they deceive many.) 

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many (for the Word of God) shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

*****

* I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

To me, Jesus is The Word and The Word is Jesus.  When I have a word from God on the issue of this life, I have the strength I need to go forward in that word.  Also the Word from God, given by the Spirit of God, shows me what to do in the matter at hand.  And the Word from God by the Spirit of God comforts me in difficult times.

The Word is everything to me ... I can't imagine living without The Word.

This Podcast contains specific examples of the Word brought to me by the Spirit of God, especially in difficult times.

*****

Philippians 4:13   I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

***

Psalms 16:8   I have set the Lord always before me: because HE is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Isaiah 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

***

Psalm 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

***

Psalm 119:130   The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

James 1:5   If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

***

Acts 17:28   In HIM we live, and move, and have our being;

_^***

It would be impossible for me to live on this earth without hearing that Word that comes down from above, from God.  It is everything to me.  That Word that comes down from God is the rock upon which Jesus builds the church.

Jesus says:

John 6:

33 For the bread of God is HE which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

35  I am the bread of life:

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught (by) God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned (from) the Father, cometh unto me.

48 I am that bread of life. 

50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, 

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven:

53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven:

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

***

Romans 8:14   as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

***

John 14:26   But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

*****

* Turned over to a reprobate mind.

Christians who do not keep God into their knowledge are turned over by God to a reprobate mind.  They do their plans without considering God.  Then they partake of evil and not good.  They destroy themselves by their own willfulness.

*****

Romans 1

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

***

Galatians 6

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

***

I Corinthians 9

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

***

Luke 21

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

*** 

Matthew 24:12-13   And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

*****

* Is God unfair to women by HIS New Testament rules?

As far back as Adam & Eve, God set different rules for men and for women.  And in the New Testament Bible, God set different rules for men and for women.  Is God unfair?  Or is God right?

*****

Genesis 3

Penalties of God upon sins:

14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

16 Unto the woman HE (God) said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

17 And unto Adam HE said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

***

Jesus says:

Matthew 5:32   But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

* The faithful wife who has been divorced commits adultery if she remarries while her husband is living.

* The husband who divorces the faithful wife will be the cause of her adultery if she remarries.

* The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

***

I Corinthians 7:10-11  And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:  But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

***

Mark 10

11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

***

Romans 7

1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

***

Mark 10

6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;

8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

***

How do the two become one flesh?

I Corinthians 6

15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

At the time of sexual intercourse the two become one flesh.

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

*****

* Haven't we done enough sin in the past? Do we desire to sin even more in the time ahead?

The rules of God in the New Testament Bible keep us from doing more sin when we follow these rules.  We free ourselves from sin as we choose to do the NT Bible.  Also we keep our flesh from ruling over us as we do the NT Bible.

A young man once said, "The Bible is so legalistic."

God said to me:  "Men of this world want freedom to sin.  But we of the church want freedom from sin."

The Bible is freedom from sin when we do the scriptures.

*****

Matthew 7   Jesus said:

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

***

Hebrews 6

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

***

I Corinthians 5

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

---

11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

***

Hebrews 10

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for HE is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 

30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

***

II Peter 2

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire

*****

* Humans often view God as unfair. Humans judge God but in the end God will judge humans forever. We must adjust to the righteousness of God before it is too late.

In the Old Testament, we have many examples of actions of men and righteousness of God.  We can see how God views the works of men by these writings.  Humans often judge God as being unfair.  But God is always righteous and our view of God is often the image of our own fleshly minds.  

It is very good for us to adjust our view to that which we see in the Holy Bible for it is right and we need to put ourselves on God's side before the day that we will be judged by God.

II Corinthians 5:10-11   For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;

*****

The way God judges:

We will be judged by the New Testament Bible, the way God views that which we do on this present earth.

II Corinthians 5

9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; 

***

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

***

King David commits adultery and murder.  God judges.

David desired Bathsheba, another man's wife.  Uriah, her husband, was at the front with the army of Israel fighting for Israel.  David had sex with Bathsheba and she was then "with child" by David.  The child could not be Uriah's child because he was with the army.  So David had Uriah brought back to Jerusalem, assuming that Uriah would go to his own home and be with Bathsheba.  

But Uriah did not return home.  Uriah could not stand doing this while the army was fighting.  David even made Uriah drunk to get him to return to his home.  But that did not work.

So David arranged to have Uriah killed.  In fact David murdered Uriah by the hands of the enemy army.  

II Samuel 11

1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?  

4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite.  And Joab sent Uriah to David.

7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.  

(Dissimulation:  for David's real interest was in getting Uriah home so he would have sex with Bathsheba and cover the fact that she was with David's child.")

8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.

But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?

11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.

13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he (David) made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

***

God sees everything and judges:

I Samuel 12

1 And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:

6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.  

The prophet of God pronounces judgment from God upon king David: 

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in HIS sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.  


Penalties pronounced upon king David:

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised ME (God), and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

11 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 

12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 

***

13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.  

15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

After 7 days, the child died.

It may seem unfair to some that God killed the child while allowing David to live.  But people who view this judgment that way are very immature and twisted in their thinking.

If we sin, we hurt others.  David knew the child was ill because of his own sin with Bathsheba.  David even knew that he caused this to happen to the child.  David watched for 7 days as that child died because3 of his sin.

Be warned:  Adultery and fornication are terrible sins and bring much harm to many people.

"Love toward your neighbor" would never permit you to do adultery or fornication.

And you might live to see the consequences of your sin.

***

It was a far greater penalty upon David for him to see his child die than for him to die.

Much truth comes as we view these Old Testament examples.

I Corinthians 6:18  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

*****

* God shows details are important to HIM.

Christians can be very careless in serving God.  The examples in the Old Testament show us how important it is to do "all" the words of instruction given by God.  And these OT examples show us how important it is to do that which God says to do.  

In this Podcast two outstanding examples from the Old Testament are present for us to help us to see God as HE really is instead of continuing in our own imaginations concerning what God will do or will not do.

These are life saving examples for the church today.

*****

Moving the ark of God:

II Samuel 6

1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.

4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

8 And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.

9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?

10 So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

11 And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household.

***

Why did God kill Uzzah?

There are instructions from God which must be followed.  God killed Uzzah because he was not authorized by God to touch the ark of God.  Nor was he authorized by God to move the ark of God.  Only the tribe of the Levites were authorized by God to do spiritual service to God in the Old Testament.

The second time David tries to move the ark of God, David follows the instruction given by God concerning moving the ark of God.

I Chronicles 15

1 And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto Him for ever.

3 And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord unto his place, which he had prepared for it.

4 And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites: 

---

11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.

13 For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought HIM not after the due order.

(We have to do things as specified by God.  Details set forth by God are critical for us to do.)

14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.

15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.

***

God is very detailed in HIS instructions for the church.  Here are the New Testament instructions concerning those who are ordained by Jesus to be ministers in the New Testament church.

Ephesians 4:11-12   And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

***

Church bishops and elders are the same office in the New Testament Bible:

I Timothy 3

1This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;  

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.  7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Titus 1

Paul says to Titus:

4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.  

7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;  

(elder and bishop are the same office in the NT church and these words are used interchangeably.)

8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

***

In the New Testament Bible, we see that ministers are free to marry if they desire to do so.  

Peter was married.

Matthew 8:14-15  And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, HE saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And HE (Jesus) touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

Peter also had multiple children for Peter said he was an "elder" and such had to be the husband of one wife, having faithful children.

***

Saul, king of Israel, fails to do "all" of the instruction from God and God swiftly removes the kingdom from Saul and removes the Holy Spirit from Saul and brings an "evil spirit from the Lord" to Saul.

I Samuel 15

Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.

8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

(Thus Saul did not "fully" obey God.)

---

I Chronicles 15

10 Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying,

11 It repenteth ME (says God) that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following ME, and hath not performed MY commandments. 

And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night. 

--- 

Saul comes to Samuel saying, "I have obeyed the commandments of the Lord."

I Samuel 15

12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord. 

14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 

(God had already told the prophet Samuel that Saul did not fully obey HIM.) 

15 And Saul said, They (Saul blames the people of Israel who were with him.) have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.   

(But Saul is king and in charge of those people that he now blames.) 

16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night.

 And he (Saul) said unto him (to Samuel, the prophet), Say on.

17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?

18 And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?  

20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.  

(God told Saul to destroy all but he did not destroy Agag the king of Amalek.)

Saul blames the people again. 

21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, HE hath also rejected thee from being king.

24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.  

(But Saul is king.  He is in charge of the people and responsible as the king.) 

25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.

26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. 

27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. 

28 And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for HE (God) is not a man, that HE should repent.

30 Then he (Saul) said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.

31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the Lord.

32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.

33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel. 

---

God takes HIS Spirit, the Holy Spirit, away from Saul and gives the Holy Spirit to David.  And God brings an evil spirit "from the Lord" upon Saul.

I Samuel 16

1 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. 

And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto ME him whom I name unto thee.

---

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him (David) in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 

14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

***

God turns them over to a reprobate mind because they did not keep the Word from God in their minds:

Romans 1:28   And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

***

We must fully follow God, doing all the words spoken to us by God.

We cannot just do some of the instructions but must be very careful and diligent to do all those words spoken to us by God.

Saul is a strong example for us today in the New Testament church.

*****

* When you think your prayers have failed.

Recently it appeared my prayers had failed.  I was devastated!  But even if God didn't answer my prayers on this subject, I was determined to hold onto my faith in God.  

"Though HE (God) slay me, yet will I trust in HIM."  (Job 13:15)

This is a report of this story of holding onto God even when it seems we have failed.

*****

April 18, 2020  ... Story of what seemed to be a failure in prayer ...

Prayers over my house in Texas which has been on the real estate market since January 2019

*****

Open vision from God concerning Texas house received in approximately March, 2019.

***

Prayer during the peak time of the Coronavirus: 

Prayer in March, 2020 ... "To God:  Is there anything you want me to change concerning the sale of the house in Texas during this Coronavirus?"

I very earnestly sought God in prayer.  And I felt God showed me to put a "sale price" on the house, lowering the price of the house for 1 week."

I did this immediately.

It was the peak of the time of the Coronavirus in the United States.

I contacted our realtor and told her to lower the price by $50,000 immediately.  (This was approximately March 29, 2020)

She did that and in two days we received an offer on the house which had not sold since my accident on December 6, 2018.

The buyers were moving from Colorado to Lubbock, Texas, to teach at Texas Tech University.

(I had moved from Texas to Colorado on February 24, 2019, the day I was released from the rehabilitation hospital in Lubbock, Texas, after my accident.)

We accepted the offer on the house.

The married couple had 10 days to back out of the offer.

On the 10th day, they asked us to give them a 3 day extension, which we did.

At the end of the extension, they asked for a second extension of 24 hours which we did not grant.

They then backed out of the offer.

***

Our realtors quit the following day after we failed to grant the requested extension, saying, "We think the time has come to part ways with you."

This happened on the morning of April 15, 2020

Wes Graham, a realtor friend in New Mexico, reported the following to me the same morning our realtor quit us.

Wes said (by email):  "I awoke at 3 a.m. last night ... and "something" said, "The agent is working against Joan."  (the woman real estate agent in Lubbock)

I prayed and laid back down and I had a clear message:  "Joan must change realtors."

Thankfully, Wes reported this to me that morning after he heard this.

***

I went through serious problem examining my prayer and my faith in God.

If we pray according to the will of God our prayer will be answered:

I John 5:13-14    And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, HE heareth us:

And if we know that HE hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

***

I went through about 2 days of "depression", feeling my prayers concerning the Texas house were denied by God.

"What had I done wrong? (in prayer)"  I questioned to God.

My prayer was not answered, it seemed.

And then I felt the following:

I felt I had no business speaking to the church about prayer or about following the Holy Spirit when I couldn't even get my prayer answered concerning that house in Texas.

I just sat in my room and did nothing.

* By HIS Spirit, God reminded me of how HE saved me in 1975.

* Then God reminded me of how HE had transported me into heaven after I was saved in 1975.  

I was transported into heaven in the night while I was sleeeping.  I was "merged" into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, with God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.  (And a few nights after this first happening, the same thing happened a second time in 1975.)

* And I reviewed those things God had taught me concerning the Holy Spirit since 1975, and how I still believed those things, even if my own prayers concerning this house in Texas had not been answered.

Where then did my faith in God stand?

I decided to hold onto those things God had taught me, as Job held on when HE said:

"Though HE slay me, yet will I trust in Him."  (Job 13:15)

But I felt I had no business trying to speak about prayer when I couldn't get my own prayer answered.

I didn't pray for these people to buy the house but I had prayed that they wouldn't get "cold feet" concerning the house.

***

I decided I would not write on blog nor would I record Podcasts.

But that same morning, I agreed with God to broadcast one more Podcast, entitled, "Following God by HIS Spirit"  (Broadcast on  4/16/20)

I knew what God had taught me about the Holy Spirit and how to follow HIM by HIS Spirit was correct teaching.

John 14:26  Jesus says ... But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13  Jesus says:  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

I Corinthians 2

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

***

April 15, 2020

After our relators quit, we hired another realtor in Lubbock, Texas.  He got the house listed again on MLS.

This time we raised the price of the house by $7,000, because we had learned of additional expenses we would have to incur in selling that house.  Through the previous offer, they hired an inspector and we had his report and saw the things we needed to do to the house.  Also we knew we had to pay for survey which we had not known about, and we would also have to pay for waranty as required by buyer.  So we raised the price of the house to cover these expenses.

***

Four days after the previous buyers cancelled the offer on the house, these buyers returned, wanting to purchase the house, only now the price of the house was $7,000 higher!

We explained what had happened.  The sale price which they had before was only for 1 week.  They had tied up the house for 2 weeks before backing out of the offer.

And because of their inspection and the additional expenses, we raised the price of the house and it would now cost them $7,000 more than the original sale price.

Upon the recommendation of my realtor friend in Clovis, New Mexico, we gave these buyers 5 hours to accept the new "higher" price on the house.

They accepted the higher price and bought the house, setting a closing date of May 15, 2020.

***

Not only had my prayer been answered, but an open vision which I had received from God in approximately March, 2019, had been fulfilled.

The open vision:  March, 2019

God often gives me a word of knowledge (spiritual gift: I Corinthians 12:8) by showing me a vision of that which is going to happen.

This is similar to the vision given by God to both Cornelius and to Peter reported as follows:

Acts 10

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,  2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord?  

And he (the angel) said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.  5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,

18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

***

My vision of March, 2019:

In this vision, I saw a man driving down the street on the north side of the Texas house.  The man looked at the house and drove past the house.  Then this man stopped, backed up, and sat at the north side of my house staring at the house.

I felt God was showing me there would be someone who considered buying my house but passed up on the house ... but he couldn't let the house go ... he backed up and looked again.

I felt in April 2020, this is exactly what happened.  They made an offer, then backed out of the offer, then came back again and made a second offer, even though that house was $7,000 more.

The buyers took the house at the new "higher" price.

***

My prayer had been answered,  though at first it seemed it had not been answered.

And that vision which I believed to be from God concerning my Texas house had happened just as I had been shown it would happen.

***

Sometimes we just have to have faith in God in spite of that which appears to be happening contrary to our prayers.

*****