Joshua 1:7-9 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Have not I commanded thee?
(Didn't God tell you to do this? Are you following God's Spirit in this?)
Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
(When God, by HIS Spirit, told us to do what we are doing we can know God is with us wherever we go.)
(Didn't God tell you to do this? Are you following God's Spirit in this?)
Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
(When God, by HIS Spirit, told us to do what we are doing we can know God is with us wherever we go.)
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We,
as NT church, follow the laws and commandments of God set forth in the
New Testament. We also can count on the many promises of God from the
OT for these are also valid for the church today.
We
know what to do in the specific issues of this life because God shows
us the way as the Holy Spirit reminds us of scripture or concepts of
God.
Therefore,
we do not stumble about as the people in this world stumble about as
they trust in their own wisdom and in the wisdom of man.
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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.
And
we can recognize the wisdom that is from God because we are told in the
following scripture the characteristics of that wisdom that is from
above.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above
is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full
of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Therefore I know the plans of God in the matter are simple, easy to do, not costly, without guile.
Also God's wisdom is "pure" ... free from bias and revenge and self seeking.
Also God's wisdom is "pure" ... free from bias and revenge and self seeking.
When a plan is otherwise, I know it is not God's plan for me, so I can pray and seek HIS will for me in the issue at hand.
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A man in our little church group, was considering building another storage shed to store his stuff.
As he thought on this, the following (from Holy Spirit) was brought to his mind:
"Why don't you just get rid of the stuff?"
- easy
- simple
- not costly
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Another example:
I was in my car while waiting at a signal light.
A pickup loaded with firewood came along side of me. I looked at that firewood and began thinking how much I would enjoy having a wood burning fireplace in my house. (I had gas logs.)
The thought came: "You can have that."
As I thought on this I realized I could change my fireplace to wood burning. My physical condition would allow this. Financially it would be no problem. There is a fireplace store in my town and they could make this change for me.
And above all, I felt that idea for change was given me by God by the Holy Spirit.
That is all I needed to be able to go forward in confidence.
I made immediate change and have used the wood for about 4 years.
When I believe I have God's plan and have assurance the idea is from God, I have the strength and courage to go forward with the plan.
Paul said:
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ (the Word from God) which strengtheneth me.
The word from God to us brought by the Spirit of God to our minds can be a scripture but it also can be an idea.
The only problem is our own flesh can bring us desires and the devil can bring ideas to our minds. We know how we feel inside, if we've been longing for that item or that change. If we have, then it might be our own flesh leading us to do this thing. In such cases, we can ask God to help us, to stop us if the idea is not from HIM. We can also ask God to remove the desire from our hearts if the idea is not from HIM.
So we have to examine the thoughts and be assured through prayer that the idea is from God.
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God has often led me through dreams and through godly happenings.
January 10, 1980, while I was sleeping in the night, a trumpet-like voice spoke 3 words into my ear, awakening me from sleep: "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS"
I began praying.
KWJS was a radio station. I said to God, "Are YOU showing me to go on radio? I wouldn't know how to do that."
Immediately a gentle thought from the Holy Spirit of God came to my mind:
"Call the radio station manager."
I called the radio station manager that same day as soon as the business office was open.
The station manager told me to send an audition tape, 29 1/2 minutes long.
I made a tape exhorting the church in ways of God and sent it that same day to the manager of KWJS.
Within 5 days I was broadcasting exhortations to the church on radio.
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In March, 2012, I was given a dream. A woman was singing to a group of people. I said, "It's a little voice, but it's a nice little voice." Then in the dream I realized it was a way to communicate with the church and the thought of a blog on Internet came into my mind.
One of our church members, Pam Padgett, had been a computer programmer at FedEx.
I called Pam and asked her if she could set up a blog.
She did and within 3 days we were writing exhortations for the church on this blog: Jesus Ministries Exhortations
It is a little voice to the church ... but it is a nice little voice, just as I was shown in the dream.
* It costs us nothing.
* The writings go all over the world immediately.
* We can exhort the church daily.
Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 10:25 exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
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Joshua 1:9 ... God says: "Have not I commanded thee?"
I think in the above examples we can say with great assurance that it was God who told us to do these things.
This really helps me to have the courage and strength to do these exhortations.
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How to I know what to write?
God, by HIS Spirit, reminds me of scripture and various subjects and by this I know what to write daily.
I don't look for something to write. I depend on God to show me by HIS Spirit bringing the subject to my mind. And by faith in God, I start writing. I just begin with that given me by God and write that, and as I am writing often I am reminded of another scripture or subject and I write that.
It is all done by the Spirit of God.
Therefore it is God who wants you to hear these things I write.
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Let me emphasize again this about the Holy Spirit.
Unless we are led by the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing of God.
Jesus said:
John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Once I showed this scripture to a Baptist woman. She asked, "Who did Jesus hear from?"
I replied: "God."
Jesus always heard from God and did what God wanted and said what God wanted spoken.
We are exactly same on this earth.
The Holy Spirit of God dwells in us to show us the heart of God on the issues at hand. I Corinthians 2
We continually hear from the Holy Spirit and are led by the Holy Spirit and follow that which is shown us by the Holy Spirit as HE brings thoughts and concepts and scripture to our minds to show us what God wants us to do.
We have the information from Jesus in the Bible telling us what the Holy Spirit will do for the person of God.
The Holy Spirit does the following:
- HE teaches us all things (John 14:26)
- HE reminds us of all Jesus has said (John 14:26)
- HE guides us into all truth (John 16:13)
- HE shows us things to come (John 16:13)
That which the Holy Spirit does is the power of God in us. As we hear from HIM and do acts appropriate to that which HE shows us, we move into righteousness in the sight of God and in time we come into both prosperity and good success.
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
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