On The Matter of Faith

Faith is an interesting positioning of the human heart. On one hand it stretches the heart to higher levels of trust and obedience; most often before empirical evidence is available. On the other hand it pleases God.  For us to embrace faith, of which its substance is hope, we align with the open door into the Kingdom of Heaven and do then easily move into that realm of the " not seen". Once present there, we gain such revelation with understanding which does stretch the human mind, and awakens our spirit.

Faith effects my heart, challenges my mind, and quickens my spirit. My having faith does please my God, My King.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,  the evidence of things not seen." -  Hebrews 11: 1

"Therefore He who supplies the spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ~ just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham." - Galatians 3: 5-9

Last night during the gathering of saints at Global Harvest Church, Pastor Bo Walker made a comment that God always sees in the now. Events and people are with Him and before Him always in the present. Our past is before Him now. Our future is before Him now. Our current breath, thought, act, is before Him now! He sees all that not through the filter of time but through the filter of  His son, Jesus The Christ. It is you and I who have a perspective of past, present, and future and because of this filter you and I will categorize and address places, events, people, and indeed revelations through the filter of "time".

That said, fourteen years from this coming April (2014) Bob Westbrook wrote a teaching regarding " "Damascus Annihilated" (April 9, 2005) posting his work in an online blog titled "Trumpet Sounds".

In my personal opinion there were are some good and useful insights there as to how to look at world events as we venture into the new year of 2014. There are things coming we need to be aware of and for which we need to prepare. Let us prepare not as fear my try to ditate but only as Holy Spirit guides. That way we face the future in perfect peace.

I personally have just read "Damascus Annihilated" for the very first time. It may seem odd to you but not to me that I am just now coming to read something, I believe, is playing out on the World's stage even as we breath. In God's kingdom, timing of revelation is often as much a mystery as that being revealed was before it was revealed. You should get some kind of prize if you followed that. Alas no prize for you from me though. May the revelation of that what is coming be your prize.

I am placing here the link to "Damascus Annihilated" by Bob Westbrook April 9, 2005,( http://www.trumpetsounds.com/isaiah17.html ) that will take the reader to that article/teaching at the "Trumpet Sounds" page.  I must confess that I have more than one reason for using my blog to post this link. Mostly so I can easily access it in the future. Also by doing this here I follow the permission to use "Damascus Annihilated" as stipulated by Mr. Westbrook, and last but not least partly for you the reader as you may benefit form what this insightful teaching reveals from Bible prophecy out of Isaiah 17.
Maranatha, my friend.

RH

An Appeal Unto Heaven Is Better Than A Good Cussing!

A man once was given a job to do that he was physically able to do, had the understanding of how to do the job, even had a clear personal motive with vision of what was to be accomplished by his labor. However, he did not have the tool, an axe, that was needed for him to perform the task at hand, felling a tree. So he entered into covenant with an owner of an axe. He would borrow the axe, use the axe, and return the axe.

He went to work.

In the course of his carrying out the task the axe head came off the handle and going into the river by which the man was working, it quickly sank out of his sight and out of his reach.

The man became distraught because he could no longer perform the task, meaning his vision, his goal which motivated him could not come forth and he realized he was without resources to obtain another axe to complete the task and honor the covenant he had entered into with the owner of the axe.

No doubt in my mind the man went to cussing and praying. Lets be real and honest … the first thing that usually enters my thoughts when something like this happens is not prayer … nope, sorry folks but I go right to the nature of who I am … my father’s son and I was also a sailor.

After the cloud from that rather one sided conversation disappears I then go to prayer. Don’t judge me. Stay focused on the story. When the worker's prayer came it was not elaborate. There were no flourishing words rolling off his tongue. No clever catch phrases sure to capture the attention of God. Just a few desperate words from an undone heart.

Amazing to me is that God had already made provision for this man, even before the event happened and before he prayed. Sound familiar?

Get this! From this man’s heart and then from his mouth came an appeal to Heaven!

God acts. Yahweh has a true prophet on sight; by the way the prophet was there at the request of this worker and all his co-laborers ( reference 2 Kings 6:1-7).

The Spirit of God instructs the prophet to do something that made absolutely no sense to human logic and the out come was something that was doubly impossible and completely unable to be understood in the natural.

God instructs the prophet to cut a stick and take to the river’s edge and then toss that stick into the approximate area the worker had indicated where the axe head sank.

This done the next action is something that only God can do … from its submerged hiding place the axe head rises to the surface of the water of the river and floats in clear sight and reach of all there to witness this act of God. The prophet instructs the worker to collect the iron axe head from the water. At this the worker kneels by the river’s edge and takes hold of the axe head; did I mention that this is a solid iron object that should not be floating on water.

The worker was able to complete his task reaching his personal goal and also honor the covenant with the owner of the axe head all because God cared enough to intervene on the man’s behalf.

Why would God care to do this? The answer is both simple and complex and in my opinion can be stated in this way: Yahweh had entered into a covenant with the forefathers of the worker and the prophet as well. Yahweh acted according to the covenant HE was in with that man’s forefathers and the descendants of the forefathers of which this worker was as well as the prophet. Even though the worker lived generations after God entered into the covenant with Abraham he reaped the benefit of the covenant. That is how covenant works, generation to generation to generation.

So why am I writing this … America has lost the axe head, or tool, it borrowed to do a task, lead the nations in the way of righteousness (note I did not say perfection) and can not find it!

Unless God intervenes on the behalf of America, America will not be able to continue the task. It seems impossible that America could be in this place so divided, bewildered, dismayed, unable to lead. The axe head is there it is just not visible … it is just out of reach … America needs God to intervene and cause the axe head to float. Yahweh entered into a covenant with our forefathers as they made an appeal unto Heaven in the early workings of forging this nation America.As our forefathers began to take on the oppressing tyranny that would hinder the purposes God has for America they in unity of mind and heart made an appeal unto Heaven and now once again America must make an appeal unto Heaven. For that is the simplicity and complexity of the matter. An appeal unto Heaven may not make sense in the natural. Logic of men may press for another way that is more sensible to human reason, but An Appeal To Heaven is the only solution to America’s dilemma.

By the way, I stopped my cussing about this and have gone to praying. Just saying. RH

　

At age 63 I am setting at my desk writing from reflections of how blessed I am. Married to the same woman for going on 43 years, two beautiful daughters who honor and respect their mother and I, two son in law’s who love them and honor them, two beautiful, gifted, and God fearing grand-children. I must mention years of good health, steady job from which I retired in 2011, same for my wife and my children and children’s children, well except for the retirement thing. However, Denise is working on an exit plan from her long term employment. We have set a few goals along the way and met most of them but honestly for us it has been a journey of faith, hope, and love. It has been good.

There is a very simple reason I can say that and it does not come from having a lot of processions or lots of money or because I am an American.

Now that said, this journey of our family has not been without struggles. Struggles with each other, extended family, friends, co-workers, school teachers, church folk, complete strangers (most of those being drivers of the other car). Like everyone else I spent a lot of time looking for the reason and or the cause of our struggles; in other words I wanted someone to hold responsible, to blame, to bring to accountability and last but not least experience justice for all the “suffering” and “pain” from broken hearts, lost dreams, misplaced or unfruitful plans and delays (some traffic related).

God took his fair share of the blunt of the hot wrath from The Rev. Rog. So did my wife, children, co-workers, peers, and the list could go on. Yep, I dodged the bullet as much as I could just like many people but also like many I came to post-struggle places that can only be describe, by me, as fields of grace and streams of mercy. Once my eyes were opened to where I had arrived I realized that it was me myself and I that opened the door for a lot of those struggles; those of my own as well as those suffered and endured by my wife, children, son-in-law’s and, grand-children, again the list could go on.

Now honestly I realized, after the amazement of my having found myself there, I was not the cause of the majority of my personal and the other’s struggles. Why? Well, Life on this plain is a struggle. It is suppose to be. It did not have to be that way, Eve could have listen to the earlier voice that had spoken wisdom to her about the forbidden fruit, Adam could have intervened and exercised a husband’s protective covering over his wife and stopped her (gently). In other words the original mom and pop could have resisted the serpent’s taunt and tease thereby avoiding the fall, but they did not choose that path. The fall happened and as it has been said before, the rest is history.

Now you may be thinking “Ok, The Rev. Rog is on the path of wrath again!” Laying the blame upon a dead and gone couple who can not defend themselves.” Well, not really. All that the original mom and pop could have done to avoid struggle I could also do now or could have done in the past if only I would have listen to Holy Spirit. That is what I meant by coming to realize that I and I believe you too are continuously brought to a broader place than our struggle or struggles we are currently in because once resting in fields of grace by the streams of mercy we can come finally realize there is a much greater need than to know the reason for struggles and or who caused a struggle in the first place. The revelation of my need, and I believe for all of us, is to forget and forgive.

Forget the offense and forgive the offender. This practice is not original with mankind. No, originally it was practice by God, not Allah, Buddha, or any other false god conjured up over the ages by mankind. No the God I speak of is the one true and living God, Yahweh. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, The God of Israel.

So, my journal thought today ends with this, we will always have struggles but there is a place of complete rest as we work and walk through each struggle. A place of Yahweh’s making that is broader than where we were in the place of the struggle. Here anyone you and I can come to learn the forgetting and forgiving nature of Yahweh and are shown, since you and I are made by Him in His image, that you and I can practice the same practice as He. Here in this place of rest in grace and mercy I can overcome, and so can you, every struggle.

Indeed, life is good!

Isaiah 33:20-22

The Voice (VOICE)

²⁰ Ah, just look at Zion! The city where we celebrate,
where we make our God-appointed feasts.
You’ll see a Jerusalem at peace, untroubled, undisturbed,
like a permanent tent with stakes driven deep and ropes that never break.
²¹ There, the Eternal, so splendid and regal,
will be for us a place of broad rivers and wide canals.
No large boats will pass through them—
no mighty ships will sail their waters.
²² For the Eternal One is our Judge; He has prescribed our laws;
He rules over us, and He is the One who will save us.

　

Writings on my Personal Meditative Reflections Regarding a Dream and Vision of 2/28/2012

Writings on my Personal Meditative Reflections Regarding a Dream and Vision of 2/28/2012




Psalm 3

Attribute: God the Father = Salvation = Victory in the Face of Defeat: applied personally to the individual saint.



Personal Note: since 3 seems to be a recurring number in this dream/vision I had this past Tuesday It seems good to me and a valid idea for the purpose within this writing to make verse 3 key:



“But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.”



In this verse there are three (3) points recorded in David’s faith statement. David declares and proclaims of God:

“…a shield for me”

“…my glory…”

“…the One who lifts up my head”



But I had to notice to whom David is making his faith statement ( my label or tag ). David statement appears to be made directly to God ( Ps 3:4)



What do most of us wish to accomplish by talking out loud to someone? Let me offer these thoughts:

Communicate what it is we actually think, sense, or feel

Understanding gained by that someone of our thought, sense, or feeling

Usually we are in personal relationship on some level with that someone and seek their support



These objectives would be the same if we were writing instead of speaking but our emotions come to bare when we speak out loud.



So I believe it is important to note that David is speaking out loud directly to God with intention of “going on record” with God by declaring and proclaiming his heart felt faith statement. In other words …David declares and proclaims his faith statement that goes ends with something like this: “God, my Lord and my King … I believe what you say about yourself and fully agree and now stand before you in the midst of my greatest enemy out manned, out gunned, and seemingly out witted … but You, O Lord, my God, are my salvation (Ps 3:7 &8) Arise now and save your servant! O Lord to whom salvation belongs you have smote my enemy and broken his jaw! Your blessing is upon your people!”



Now on what basis has David formed his thought, sense, feeling to declare and proclaim? Truly he built a foundation for his faith statement upon God’s declaration and proclamation about Himself ! Look at Isaiah 43:11-13.

“I, even I am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you: Therefore you are My witnesses, says the Lord, that I am God.! Indeed before the day was, I am He: and there is no one who can deliver out of My Hand; I work, and who will reverse it?

Isaiah 44:8 reads what God declares and proclaims of Himself: “Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? Your are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.”



It gets down to the consecrated goodness of this the Glory of God is the glory of His people and His people will have no other God besides I AM! (Isaiah 43:12)



David gaze was set upon The One who could save him because That One was Salvation … no graven image for David because there was no salvation in the graven images he could have made! (Isaiah 44:9&10)



The Holy Spirit has shown me this of where FCF is now meeting:



There were two Angels dispatched to this property years ago … they were given the assignment to cover and minister to all those saints generation after generation that were summoned by Holy Spirit to gather upon this site to worship, praise, serve, God. Unto each generation these two Angels have bee faithful to carry out their mission … to impart courage and strength to those saints. The names of the angels are Courage and Strength and that is because this is their charge over this Godly place and Godly people. The have not left their post … they are at post located approximately in the center of this property and represents where the original boundary marker was set at Father’s declaration over this place. From that marker they administer to the leaders and body that steward this open portal of Heaven.



To whom much is given much is required and Courage and Strength bring it!





Psalm 30

Attribute: God the Son = Glory = Praise for Dramatic Deliverance: Applied to the Body of Christ Corporately



Note: Again since the recurring number of three (3) seems revealed in this dream/vision I want to note verse 3 of this Psalm:



“O Lord, You have brought my soul up form the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.”



Again three points seem the emphasis here but of these the declaration and proclamation is of resulting action taken by God. Think Redemption of our dammed souls by the taking out of the hands of death our soul by the work of Jesus, The Christ:



…brought my soul up from the grave …

…kept me alive…

…that I should not go down to the pit…(Depths of Sheol the abode of the dead Ps 86:13)



I want to note again that this is from my personal thoughts … based on scriptures in these three Psalm, 3, 30, 33 as well as using other scriptural references to amplify or enhance my understanding of what I sense Holy Spirit is saying at this time from the passages. Any Reader including myself must weigh these words with scripture and by going to Holy Spirit to test these words I write to benefit.



It seems there is a shift in attitude form 3 … David was found to have no foreign god before him and he could be a witness of I AM. Here David begins to be that witness giving testimony of the astounding change in him wrought by I AM the Savior. Compare verse one of chapter 3 and then verse one of chapter 30 and note the change of focus! In three (3) David is well aware of his enemy and is overwhelmed. In thirty (30) David is clear and focused on the Glory of God’s presence that David now finds himself enveloped by and the results of that Glory over his circumstances.



Chapter 30 is David’s declaration and proclamation of the greatness of God who personally came with all His Glory and delivered! Praise and worship naturally come forth up out of David’s delivered soul and a sound is released that can only come from the redeemed: “you have turned for me my mourning in to dancing, you have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory (soul) may sing praise to you and not be silent. O lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.”

This is important to note that there is a recurring reason God delivers, heals, saves. So that we my be witness of His Glory and to be a witness that He is I Am.



Jesus said to the 120 disciples to go to Jerusalem, gather in the upper room, and to wait there until they received power … Holy Spirit. Once they received the power they would be witness to Jerusalem and to the world that I AM.



We are to have no other god before us only I AM. We are to have no other agenda to work form or for but I AM. We are not to be silent in the earth nor before the heavens of the Glory of I AM. For we have been healed, delivered, redeemed to be living testimony of I AM.



One last thought regarding Psalm 30. Verse 10 (number 10 speaks of completeness ) says “Hear, O Lord, and Have mercy on me, Lord, be my helper!” What will complete us is this just as the 120 had to wait on Holy Spirit to empower them we too need Holy Spirit to empower us to be witness of Jesus The Christ that was … and is … and is to come Jesus.



I think my favorite verse is in five ( number 5 speaks of grace ) “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”



…I get overwhelmed by the darkness and I believe I am alone…

…I cry out in faith to the Lord and make my case…

…If I die I will no longer be a praise unto or a witness of Truth that is I AM…

…grace comes and covers and I am a mountain that can not be moved…



What else can I declare or proclaim but this:



“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord My God, I will give thanks to You forever.”







Psalm 33

Attribute: God the Holy Spirit = Rest from works = Knowing God Considers All Man’s Works: Applies to a Nation or a Tribe or a People



Note: The dream/vision focus was on 3, 30, 33 as I have said earlier. Interesting thought occurred to me as I began to more closely look at Psalm 33; that thought to at the root number 3 but progress the reading by 3’s; what I mean is 3,6,9,12,15,18,21. It was interesting how that progressing read. Meanwhile, verse 3 has these three points:

…sing to Him a new song…

…play skillfully…

… with a shout for joy…



I and my wife were fortunate enough to have attended The Call as it gathered in Memphis, TN some years ago. While there I had an occasion to hear Ray Hughes teaching on worship and praise and one thing stood out to me and really locked into my spirit that when we give praise and worship out loud the noise we make becomes light which ascends into the heavens and goes right into the presence of Father and envelopes Him with greater light. I remember vividly thinking: Wow! The noise I make when I worship and praise becomes light and gives more glory to Father! Wow! I got really louder at that moment cranking it up for Him!



I still crank it up for Him. It has become my personal mission to put as much light (Glory) upon Father as I possibly can while I have breath to give Him!



When the revelation of that teaching coupled with a vision Holy Spirit had already given me of what praise and worship going on 24/7 before Father’s presence in Heaven looks like and sounds like … well … let me say the dots got connected and I have not been the same since.



So verse 3 sets the tone of our worship … focus on song, playing instruments, loud shouts!

Verse 6: One possible meaning prophetically for the number six is “human labor contrasted with God’s rest” that is our labor is not necessarily to put God to rest i.e. “Lord, I got this let me work you rest.” No it is “Lord, my working for you is in vain unless I learn to rest in You and let you work” This coupling of human and divine is pictured in creation. God created in what we know as six days and upon the seventh day He rested. We did not have a thing to do with creation … we were part of the to do list that God had for His work of creation. When we read verse six we see that:



“ By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.”



Verse 9: Again God at work:

“For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” (Reference Gen 1:3)



Note: human labor just did not play a part in this.



Verse 12: Shifting to a correct foundational thinking that is know as wisdom for a people or tribe or nation:

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, and the people (tribe) whom He has chosen as His own inheritance.” (Reference Exodus 19:5)



Verse 15: About the sons of men it is determined that

“He fashions their hearts individually; He considers (understands) all their works.”



Oh, that the reverse could be true that is that we sons of men could come to understand His works and simply come to rest from ours …



Verse 18: Here is a comforting thought for the nation, people, tribe that trust in the Lord:

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy…”



Verse 21: Trust in relationship is like glue that bonds together two different pieces … like labor and rest.



We work or labor for Him and rest in Him that our works will be complete and not in vain. But where to labor, how to conduct our labor, that is from Him and for Him there in is the rest in Him for those who labor with and in Him.



“For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.”





Closing Thought and Prayer:



“Let Your Mercy, O Lord be upon us, Just as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:22

Concealed Things Exposed

I never know when it will happen but happen it does. Suddenly without warning in the midst of a personal experience that small still voice of the Holy Spirit is heard and then the  down load of information begins.

Sometimes it is within a daily routine that I have experienced forever. A small seemingly insignificant blip occurs out of the oridinary ... I see something that my eyes have missed for as long as only the Lord knows how long!

Let me explain, this morning I woke, got up, put on my robe, stepped out of the bedroom door making my way to the kitchen walking the path I take ever morning ... and in an instant my eye catches the tiniest quick flash of light on the floor next to the baseboard on the wall to my left just a few feet ahead of my steps.

It happen so fast that I lost its location because I had passed whatever it was that caught the light quickly ... but my mind was intrigued and I had to know what caught my eye!

I had to back up two three times and re-trace my steps each time to catch it again ... there is a reason for this and it is not because of my aging eye sight. I had to find my original steps again on the daily path I take so that the light which exposed the tiny sliver of glass (from a broken picture frame that fell off that wall a year or so ago) and my line of sight would once again line up correctly. Only then could I catch the play of light on the otherwise invisible object.

Immediately the Holy Spirit began teaching ... Only when light is present can the hidden object be revealed. Only when my steps aline on the path of my journey correctly, that is to be in alinement with the light upon the object,  will I be able to see the otherwise invisible object. An object that needed to be revealed, apprehended, and removed from the path so as not to endanger myself or others.

Truth, a tiny sliver of glass can be painful on contact. If it becomes embedded in the foot or heel, it can cause difficulty in walking due to its presence and if untended, infection will set in and well I could spend some time here on how I have personal knowledge and experience with embedded slivers of glass in flesh. I will spare you the details.

The Holy Spirit reminded me of a verse of scripture Matthew 10:26:

“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known."

In reading the whole of that chapter you will get the context ... the Lord is speaking to the twelve disciples sending them out to the towns and people of Israel. He warns them He is sending them as sheep among wolves. Their journey will not be easy. Why? Because they have aligned with Him, who is Light, and as it is for the teacher so shall it be for the students for the students are not above the teacher.

The Teacher needed the Holy Spirit to guide His steps so as daily to be correctly aligned with Light so that things hidden in darkness and otherwise invisible to sight, but none the less dangerous, could be revealed. How much more do we students need the Holy Spirit to guide us on our daily journey to stay line up correctly with the Light.

Isaiah 9:2 reads: "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned."

Lets us walk in the Light.

A Vineyard's Seasons ... From A Husbandman's Persepective

The vineyard planned ... at the right location in the correct season. Husbandman's Dream
The vineyard planted ... at the right time in the correct season. Husbandman's Investment
The vineyard pruned ... at the right time in the correct season. Husbandman's Decision
The vineyard cultivated ... at the right location in the correct season. Husbandman's Work
The vineyard collected ... at the right time in the correct season. Husbandman's Harvest
The vineyard cuttings ... taken at the right time in the correct season. Husbandman's Dream

For if one has an ear to hear ...