Constant Conversation W/God May 18th

Week Of May 16^th Wednesday, May 18^th 2011

AWE- ALMIGHTY GOD!

Romans 15:13

Make My Life Excellent In You-Constant In Your Courage!

My Heart Thoughts From This Song: Worship Wisdom! Changing Me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C2o0jHNRuU&feature=related

You Are Beautiful Mercy Me

You Are Beautiful! You Were Made For So Much More Than This! You Are More Than What Is Hurting You. For All The Lies You Have Held Inside So Long Are Nothing In The Shadow Of The Cross. You Are Beautiful! You Are Made For So Much More Than All Of This! You Are Beautiful! You Are Treasured – Sacred – You Are His! Before You Ever Took A Breathe, Long Before The World Began – You Are The One He Madly Loves – Enough To Die! You Are Beautiful In His Eyes!

My Thoughts About This:

Praying Lord Jesus that we know, we truly know how much You Infinitely love us! AWE-GOD reveal Yourself to us, reveal to us the way You have deeply loved us. Show us how You feel about us this day, tomorrow and forever. WE are Yours! We are Your treasure! We are sacred to You. We are the ones You Madly Love – Loved Enough To Die For! We Are Beautiful In Your Eyes. May we in all our human imperfection – failure – sin realize that we were made for more than this. We were made for You. Father we give you everything that is hurting us, all the lies we have exchanged for truth, we lay them in the shadow of Your empty cross! We are made for You, we are beautiful in You. Jesus! Jesus! We are treasured-sacred, we are Yours! Jesus! AMEN!

Psalm 119:11 Hidden In My Heart…That I might live excellently

Inscribed On My Heart That I Might Believe In You With An Undivided Heart!

Joshua 1:5

I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.

Romans 15:13

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

NIV 1984, ©1984 Copyright © Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Psalm 100:5

The Lord is good and His love endures forever

Daniel 2:20-23 Daniel answered, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever! For wisdom and might are His! He changes the times and the season; He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding [Dan. 4:35] 22 He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him! [Job 15:8; Ps.25:14; Matt.6:6] 23 I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers, Who has given me wisdom and might and has made known to me now what we desired of You, for You have made know to us the solution to the king's problems.

Amplified Bible

Gleaming From Daniel 3- Learning:Growing!

Notes From Daniel CD Beth Moore #3

Daniel 3

1 NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE king [caused to be] made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits or ninety feet and its breadth six cubits or nine feet. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.

2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, the governors, the judges and chief stargazers, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs and lawyers, and all the chief officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had [caused to be] set up.

3  Then the satraps, the deputies, the governors, the judges and chief stargazers, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs and lawyers, and all the chief officials of the provinces were gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4  Then the herald cried aloud, You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,5  That when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer or bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

6  And whoever does not fall down and worship shall that very hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.7  Therefore, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, dulcimer or bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

1. Image Builders Only In Christ Likeness! Where did such a concept as of 90 foot statute come into his mind? King Nebuchadnezzar error was at its zenieth. The inspiration for building this image does not come from the spirit. What inspired him to build it. If Babylon is about anything, it is about building an image. Our culture offers us all manner of image consultant. Magazines, TV, Internet…. All kinds of advice to build up our own image and this is Babylon. Build an image for yourself that is much taller, grander, brighter than present reality. How would we know we are image builders? Has this kind of cultural Babylon defiled us. Conviction, not condemnation, just start to be aware of how Babylon surrounds us so we can have God open our eyes to recognize it. How would we know it? Are we image builders. Are we any different from what we seem? Then we are image builders. In truth in sincerity, in the black of the night are different from what we seem. WE are deliberate about presenting ourselves out that we are not in. WE need to be true. Authentic, we are the same person in the church as we are in the car coming to church. Consistency being the core the heart of integrity.. Nebuchadnezzar was an image builder. Daniel 2:36-40 He built the monument out of gold… 16 years had passed, he knew another kingdom was coming, no sign of it coming. He decided that His kingdom would be the reigning Kingdom. He felt that he had overruled God. He built a monument to himself, an image of gold that said: I am the enduring kingdom. Those He foreknew, He predestined to become like Jesus, we have an image, it is Christ likeness-

My Thoughts About These Verses As I Listen To The Holy Spirit:

My image is not a personal image, it is not a natural image that I must build, it is a supernatural image that God is shaping in my heart, it is the image of His Character, His Truth, His Life. I don't need to build my reputation, my self image can be seen from the Image of God's character He is etching in me. Recognize It! My culture offers me advice to build my image to make me different from what God has created me to be. Don't be an image builder, live truthfully in all sincerity be a person where what you see is what you get! Live Consistently! Am I am image builder? Do I purposely present myself on the outside for what I am not on the inside? Be True To God's Image! The core of my heart of integrity is the consistency of God's Truth lived out in sincerity through me.

#prayer that I don't compartmentalize my life, it all belongs to God – every minute from moment to moment I choose to serve my AWE-GOD! Consistency- Make It So In Me!

8  Therefore at that time certain men of Chaldean descent came near and brought [malicious] accusations against the Jews.9  They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever!10  You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer or bagpipe, and every kind of music shall fall down and worship the golden image,11  And that whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.12  There are certain Jews whom you have appointed and set over the affairs of the province of Babylon--Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.

1. Picture all the officials that have gathered, waiting for the band to play. The Horizon goes flat except for three men standing up. Picture this silhouette. We are missing one of them. Where is Daniel? Daniel 2:48 Daniel was placed in a high position, at Daniel request the King appointed his friends as administrators. Daniel is at His post. They are having to stand up and stand firm knowing this is the risk of their lives without their leader. Daniel has been the strong one so far, but now we see them standing without him. Daniel is exalted to great power and authority. The conspicuous absence of our resident " strong one" is a divine set-up to step up. Often we get ourselves into roles in our group and we stay there. We have a friendship in Christ where one person is strong and you are weak, or other friendship where you are strong and they are weak. Who is our strong one? What happens when the strong one isn't there? Can we receive that it is a divine set up to step up. You will have no idea, what you have in you until that person moves aside and you allow God to show you what He can do through you. Divine set up to step up. There comes a time to step up. When your strong one is not there, step up, you are on… If you have been the weaker party, you don't have to stay that way, if you have always been in charge, step down, let others lead. Respond to circumstances God puts us in. It may be you feel weak, but the circumstances may ordain a time of weakness so you can see the strength of God in you. You have had a divine set up to step up.

My Thoughts About These Verses As I Listen To The Holy Spirit:

In this last trial with Bob being gone and me staying alone, I have had to step up. God has allowed loneliness to overcome me and I am having to learn to step up and fight a good fight of faith. I don't have Bob to lean on anymore for comfort, protection at night, I am learning to lean on God. I am stepping up to a place I have never experienced in my relationship with God because God allowed me to grow through this trial. When the two of us are together, I am the weaker party and I leaned a lot on Bob in ways I did not realize until God separated us for this season and the 1^st thing I did was fall to fear, loneliness and unbelief. I did not stand, I bowed to these images. I have accepted my divine set up to step up and I begin that by bowing down before my God.

13  Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and these men were brought before the king.14  [Then] Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image which I have set up?15  Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer or bagpipe, and every kind of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be cast at once into the midst of a burning fiery furnace, and who is that god who can deliver you out of my hands?16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, it is not necessary for us to answer you on this point.17  If our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.18  But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up!

1. O Nebuchadnezzar, notice the missing title. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, God will save us… even if He does not, we will not serve Your God or worship an image of Gold. They stepped up! It is probably the fire where the image was made. It is one thing to take a stand, but another to stare into the face of an extremely painful death. Immediate death, 10 minutes you will be ashes if you don't worship this idol. Appreciate that. We face fires and some of us are in those fires now. Like finding a lump or mass of some kind and a doctor telling you that it is probably cancer.
2. Senario A:     Delivered From The Fire. So we pray for deliverance. Apostle Paul ask over and over again for the thorn to be removed. He did not remove it. We agree in prayer and ask God to deliver us from the fire. We believe God with everything we have because we know He is able. He is able. We know that. We pray for deliverance. You can be delivered by God doing something miraculous. Delivered from it completely. We want to believe God for this, God can do it, this happens, believe Him for miracles, He works them continuously. His priority is the inner man as He prepares His Bride for Himself. Dividend of Deliverance is our faith is built. In time this miracle will fade if we let it, we start thinking maybe it was a conincidence. For a short time our faith is built
3. Senario B: We can be delivered through the fire. We pray and we begin believing God. WE ask God to deliver us through, get us on the other side of it. John 11:4 Lazaraus. It is for God's Glory so God's Son will be glorified. It will not end in death. 1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, for a little while you suffer grief, these come so your faith, refined by fire is proved genuine. Our faith is refined. Senario A is what we naturally want. It will boost our faith, but not refine it, this takes a fire. We will never escape trials entirely because fiery trials burn the fake out of us. We want to prove genuine and fiery trials bring that about
4. Senario C: We pray and persevere in prayer, doing whatever we have to do until God tells us He has a plan in mind. WE can be delivered by the fire straight into God's arms. If we understood what is before us, we would be more anxious for this. The fact that we don't understand what awaits us, makes this one less desirable. This is a shadow of reality, this is nothing but a breathe, a shadow of the true. This Senario is to live is Christ to die is gain. This is a very difficult place because we don't know about it 1^st hand. Hebrews 12:1-2 We are surrounded by a great cloud of witness, let us throw off and run with perseverance, fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, enduring the pain because of the joy set before Him. Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. Jesus hates the pain death has caused. The last enemy, foe He defeats is death. Jesus appreciates the pain of looking death straight on, He understands. Our faith is perfected, it is made complete, it meets its goal. He chooses this scenario because rewards are at stake, He wants to James 1:12 give us the crown of life, to those who persevere in the face of trials. WE have to get home someway, we are going home some day. As certain as we are born, we ill die it is a process of like dropping a coat and walking straight on. Your inner man never dies, we drop off our physical body and walk on without out it. It is staying awake. Daniel 3:17 Our God is able to deliver us, but if He chooses not too, in perfecting our faith, his goal is another, we still won't worship your God. Even if He does not, we will worship our God. They had death before them, and they still chose to worship God. What Gods are we tempted to bow to when we are not delivered from or to out of. What kinds of Gods: Bitterness, unbelief, anger, self-pity, despair, resentment It does not take a 90 foot image for us to be tempted to bow down. All it takes is for us to think He is not coming through for me and we bow down to the God of unbelief. If death overtakes us and we will be ashes soon, we will not bow down. His circumstances have become a servant of the gospel. When we refuse to bow down to bitterness, despair, doubt, self pity, then our circumstances bow down to become a servant of the gospel. This is faith being perfected. I am going to believe God the last breath. I know my God is faithful, wonderful and good. There are some things worth dying for. Values that transcend our temporary lives.

19  Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury and his facial expression was changed [to antagonism] against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore he commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was usually heated.20  And he commanded the strongest men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.21  Then these [three] men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics or undergarments, their turbans, and their other clothing, and they were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.22  Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame and sparks from the fire killed those men who handled Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.23  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the burning fiery furnace.24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king [saw and] was astounded, and he jumped up and said to his counselors, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered, True, O king.25  He answered, Behold, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt! And the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods! 26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come out and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the midst of the fire.27  And the satraps, the deputies, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered around together and saw these men--that the fire had no power upon their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed; neither were their garments scorched or changed in color or condition, nor had even the smell of smoke clung to them.

1. If you did not feel scared enough, imagine being bound up when you are thrown in a fire. This was not uncommon, burning your enemies during this culture. The onlookers were able to see through the sides of it. The furnace was so hot it killed those throwing them in. Many miracles happened around the big miracle. They lived to get through the mouth of the fire, this was a mini miracle. There are now 4 men in the fire… it looks like the Son of God. There is a fourth man in the fire. Nebuchadnezzar was saying the 4^th man looks like the son of Diety. Commentaries say: The Son of God. There are scholars that believe that this was Gabriel or an angel. The Rabbis believe it is Gabriel. They called it A Son of God or The Son of God. Isaiah 43: God can speak symbolically or literally VS 1 He who created You, fear not for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you , you are mine, when you walk through the fire You will not be burned, because I am the Lord, VS When you walk through the fire… WHEN… we will walk through fires, this is a given. Notice He says: Fear not I have redeemed you, You are mine, when you go through I will be with you. God is always with us, but understand when we go through fiery trials, God is with us. He is in the fire. Theophany: a visible manifestation of God. This could be a preincarnate appearance of Christ. Jesus said: No one has seen the Father, so when Scripture records a visible man like form, it is an appearance of Jesus Christ. Fear not, I have redeemed You, I have summoned you by name: He called them my name in the fire. He called them the names they were given. When we go through the fires, we are the forth man in the fire, we are with the Godhead: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. VS 25 Suddenly they are unbound and walking around in the fire. They are walking in the fire, putting their feet right in front of the other. Keep walking in the fire. The fire only had the power to burn one thing. Only their ropes were burned. Sometimes God will allow us to grow through afiery furnace of tribulation to free us from a long standing area of bondage. We will come out of the furnace unburned but our bonds-chains will be burned. 1 Peter 4:1 Therefore since Christ suffered in His body, because He who suffers in his body is done with sin. What does this mean? A willing cessation from sin. When we grow through a fire, where we suffer for a while, we will come out on the other side with our bonds-chains burned off of us. A dividend of passing through it, we will be freed up from something. Celebrate in advance that He is loosing you from bonds… trust Him. The King calls them out of the fire. Not even a hair of their head was singed, there was no smell of fire on them. They did not even smell like smoke: full deliverance means we do not smell like smoke. When we are embittered and tell others we smell like smoke. You hear their story and you say, I would never have known, you don't even smell like smoke! Believers consider western Christians to be light weights because we are surrounded by our western culture of ease. We smell like smoke because we did not get a new car. We smell like smoke because we did not get the promotion. We smell like smoke because we hold on to bitterness of someone who hurt us for years. We smell like smoke. God wants us to not be lightweights. He wants us to handle tribulation with faith, worship and faith, to have crowns to cast at His feet. We are going to be in eternity forever, we can handle trials for a temporary time. We need to handle the Babylon without becoming a Babylonians. We need to not be defiled by the self indulgent- self centered culture that surrounds us.

28  Then Nebuchadnezzar said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who believed in, trusted in, and relied on Him! And they set aside the king's command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

1. This is the only time the Aramaic word for Trusted is used in the old testament. Why this word? Rehas- Hebrew corresponds to a root that means to lave, wash self, but it is a word that means to trust, so how is it connected. Ministering as a servant at the bath. The hands of the priest were washed before they worshipped God. Ministering as a servant at the bath, to attend upon to trust. It has connections in its root to a lave, bath or a washing at the laver. The way to avoid getting burned is to bathe in God's Presence. If we want to get through a fire without being burned- bathe in His Presence

29  Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, and language that speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses be made a dunghill, for there is no other God who can deliver in this way!30  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Amplified Bible
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

1. This is their last mention in the Word of God, the mention was not to say anything against God. The last mention was in the context of God's fame. What a way to go out. The last sight we have of them is of a God made famous by them. This is how we want to finish up. It is not about us being protected from difficulty. Lord we do not ask you for ease, we want Your fame. Have mercy on us, Lord Jesus. This world is full of trial and suffering. Father may the last context of our names are ever spoken, be Your Fame. Jesus! AMEN!

Week Three Workbook Study Of Daniel By Beth Moore

"Integrity does not develop apart from consistent resolve" God is pleased when we study and pursue His Wisdom, He has great purpose in it!

"My prayer is for the pursuit of God and His Word to become your "magnificient Obsession".

2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, the governors, the judges and chief stargazers, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs and lawyers, and all the chief officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had [caused to be] set up

"My heart aches for myself for, though I can talk a big talk, I've mad a small walk toward unshakable security. In one way or another, an woman in our media-driven, imperfection-defying culture has an invitation to insecurity. In my natural personality, I am fraught with fears-insecurities that are the subject of consistent dialogue between God and me. As much as I've prayed to be completely free of them, God appoints some as thorns in my flesh to insure intimacy, dependency, and humility

My Thoughts About This:

I can really relate to that! Only I need to be more like Beth, I need to take them to God, that is one area I still have compartmentalized. I know Jesus wants my whole life, He does not want me living from compartment to compartment…. He wants all of me. Nothing should be off limits to God. Jesus wants my whole life! No compartmentalized living. God wants all of me=nothing should be off limits to God. http://kimberlymac.blogspot.com

I so can relate to the thorns in the flesh. One of my biggest one now is loneliness, I have begged God to take it from me, to bring me friends here in NC. I have a lot of friends online, but no one here. Since I moved back, my old friends have just disappeared. I have tried to make new friends but have not been successful. Loneliness is my constant thorn, yet now I see the neediness of loneliness presses me into the Presence of God… hmmmmmm it is a good thing! Who would have thunk it! LOL! I may seem light now, but God knows how many times I come to Him, bowing down in tears, completely overcome by loneliness. Every time I come, He meets me, He reveals Himself to me in a new way and gives me the strength to overcome. Yes God does! He appoints some thorns in my flesh to insure intimacy with Him, complete dependence upon Him and of course humility!

The inspiration for building an image does not come from the Holy Spirit!

For us, image building is any way we intentionally make ourselves seem different – usually more than we really are. Image building is the attempt to make impressions that are bigger than we are.

We don't' want to confuse image-building with an honest attempt to look and do our best, but I won't kid you. A fine line separates the two.

My Thoughts About This:

I just realized how much I used to do this… especially before I began a seasoned servant, yet even now at times I fall into it. Exaggerating something that really did happen, to the point of you don't know what is truth anymore. Kind of like saying there was 300 people at the service, when in all truth there were only around 150, but if you keep saying it, you begin to believe it yourself. Exaggeration blurs the truth and makes way for white-lies to masquerade with ease.

"WE are thoroughly programmed in image building-it is hard to recognize the difference between excelling and self-selling."

My Thoughts About This:

Ouch That One Hurt! I have been there and Beth is right, I did not even recognize it. Hmmmmm very interesting. Self-Selling! Lord I pray I stay out of that occupation and always remain humbly in my Kingdom Trade!

Daniel 3:1-7

NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE king [caused to be] made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits or ninety feet and its breadth six cubits or nine feet. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, the governors, the judges and chief stargazers, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs and lawyers, and all the chief officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had [caused to be] set up.3 Then the satraps, the deputies, the governors, the judges and chief stargazers, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs and lawyers, and all the chief officials of the provinces were gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.4 Then the herald cried aloud, You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,5 That when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer or bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall that very hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.7 Therefore, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, dulcimer or bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

VS 2 Nebuchadnezzar invited all the important people – all the leadership and titled people of Babylon. It says nothing about the normal citizen being there.. If you have a Babylonian mentality, important people bowing down to you is the height of self importance. Babylon represents a philosophy. A mentality. We're looking at it somewhat symbolically.

The Babylon Motto: Isaiah 47:8, 10

8 Therefore now, hear this, you who love pleasures and are given over to them, you who dwell safely and sit securely, who say in your mind, I am [the mistress] and there is no one else besides me. I shall not sit as a widow, nor shall I know the loss of children.

10 For you [Babylon] have trusted in your wickedness; you have said, No one sees me. Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart and mind, I am, and there is no one besides me.

My Thoughts About This:

You love pleasure and with excess partake to gross self indulgence, so much so, you have given yourself over to self pleasing. Your life is all about you. You look out for yourself 1st. You make a way for yourself to have everything you want, sparing nothing, all for yourself. You do whatever you want, without any accountability or thought for anyone but yourself. Your head is so big, all you can see is yourself, therefore you are very easily deceived by the enemy. Your morality is whatever I want goes and anything goes. You do as you feel when you feel, as you are lead solely by what makes you feel good, comfortable and satisfied at the moment. You only see yourself and you only take care of yourself, life is completely all about you and what you want being fulfilled in any way you want.

Babylon could be compared in the early chapters of Daniel as a woman trying to lure four young Hebrew men away from their convictions. She seductively tried to woo them into unfaithfulness through ego strokes and over-indulgence.

How does Christ's teaching fly in the face of Babylon's self-absorbed, ego-stroked, over-indulgent mindset?

Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to [Him] and said to them, You know that those who are recognized as governing and are supposed to rule the Gentiles (the nations) lord it over them [ruling with absolute power, holding them in subjection], and their great men exercise authority and dominion over them.43 But this is not to be so among you; instead, whoever desires to be great among you must be your servant, 44 And whoever wishes to be most important and first in rank among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for (instead of) many

Amplified Bible Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

My Thoughts About This:

Servants are not self-absorbed! Jesus said to be great you must be a servant. The Babylon mentality is the opposite, to be great others need to bow down to you. Bablylon says take everything you want from people, Jesus says give all, even your life.

Luke 9:24-25 For whoever would preserve his life and save it will lose and destroy it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he will preserve and save it [from the penalty of eternal death].25 For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and ruins or forfeits (loses) himself?

Amplified Bible Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

My Thoughts About This:

To be self-indulgent is to lose your life, destroy your life. But when you give your life away, God will preserve it. If you gain the whole world at the cost of losing yourself to it, what good is that. The Babylon culture says to get all you can get, lose yourself in pleasure and gain all of the world you can reach in your grasp. Success to Bablyon is getting and indulging, Success to Jesus was losing your life to Christ not the culture.

Babylonian thinkers need others to bow in order to feel tall. Nebuchadnesszr didn't bother bending the knees of ordinary people. Babylonian size egos need bigger strokes than that. They need the strokes of VIPS. Nebuchadnezzar's display heralds some loud questions: do we feel more important when surrounded by those we deem important? Do we feel more important when someone important notices us? Do we like to be seen with those who seem important? Are we name-makers? Or name-droppers? Even the most timid yes to any of these questions nots it s head to Babylonian indoctrination.

My Thoughts About This:

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! I do feel more important when someone important recognizes me. I have been there before, looking to be named by someone important, looking to be recognized by someone important. OUCH! Please change my heart Lord Jesus. It is not a huge thing with me anymore, but like Beth said, it is still there in some measure. When I first became a Christian, it was all over me! I wanted to be recognized, I wanted a title, a name for myself. Now, it is different, yet this in some ways still plagues me.

The need for identity and a sense of significance is as human as our DNA. WE begin this search in pursuit of ourselves only to arrive sorely disappointed. Cavernously empty. The honest sojourner cannot stop there no matter how high he's climbed or what position he's attained. If he does, he will forfeit his soul. In search of truth, he is driven beyond himself until all he finds is God. And in bowing down, he is lifted up.

My Thoughts About This:

Oh this is so very, very true. I have been there and done that and seen so many people do the same. I have seen people so trashed as they realized the messes they have made of their lives and wondered, how did I get to this place? Before I accepted Jesus, I got into bad places in my life, basically because my search for significance dead-ended in myself. In finding Christ, in bowing down I have been lifted up in ways I could not even begin to hope for or imagine! AWE-GOD! At one point of my life I had a pastor tell me I would never account to anything because I did not go to college. He told me basically I would never be promoted any higher on his staff because I had no degree. Everything I did, I did seeking after this pastor's approval. I worked so hard, I was the most hardworking of all his staff. His religiosity, foolishness and cruelty crashed my world and for that I am grateful, because it led me to Jesus Christ Who has always loved me unconditionally, always believed in me and is today all of WHO I have become! Failure! No! AWE-GOD had different plans and purposes for me. God is always being in us and nothing can stop His power, creativity and purposes in our lives. No fools and no one's foolish words will prevail in my life. What God has designed for me will come forth, He will finish this creation by His excellence and through His power. I may only have a high school education, but God is still creating a masterpiece out of my life. I am so humbly aware that without God in me, I truly am nothing! AWE-GOD! He is the all of my everything!

1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you,

Amplified Bible Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

Only in the reflecting pool of the poured-out life can man finally see who he is. Beth Moore

talk it up! twitter

Image Building: Exaggeration blurs the truth and makes way for white-lies to masquerade with ease.

God appoints some thorns in my flesh to insure intimacy, dependency and humility. Beth Moore

Being thoroughly programmed in image building-it is hard to recognize the difference in excelling and self-selling. Beth Moore

No foolish words will prevail in my life. What God has designed for me will come forth, He will finish shaping Me!

QUOTES THAT INSPIRE ME WITH GROWING WISDOM

Once I was sitting upon the shore of a lake. As I sat there I noticed some fish who came up to the surface and opened their mouths. At first I thought they were hungry and that they were looking for insects, but a fisherman told me afterwards that although they can breathe quite well under water they have to come up to the surface every now and again to inhale deep draughts of fresh air, or they would die. It is the same with us. The world is like an ocean; we can live in it, carry on our work and all our varied occupations, but from time to time we need to receive fresh life through prayer. Those Christians who do not set apart quiet times for prayer have not yet found their true life in Christ.
Sadhu Sundar Singh

2 Kings 20:5 Thus Says The Lord, The God Of David Your [Forefather]:

I Have Heard Your Prayer. I Have Seen Your Tears; Behold, I Will Heal You!

God Will Heal You!

Jesus bring Sherri Mo to a completely! They are growing through extreme trial, I pray by Your Spirit You would gain control of this family. Jesus.

Father touch Rebecca's worker and their family. They are growing through a hard time, undergird them, draw them to You Jesus.

Father be with Lily, draw her to You, reveal Yourself to her, may she accept Your Sovereign Will and Your Infinite Love. Jesus!

Father touch Jeff Cox, hold him in Your mighty powerful Right Hand. Heal his heart Lord Jesus! So Be It! Jesus!

Father touch Sherrie by Your Spirit today, draw her to You, reveal Yourself to her today in her everything, may she see You.

Father God, heal Rebecca, give her a good breathing day today. Heal her Trach Jesus by Your Helaing Touch! Jesus! So be It! AMEN!

Father make a way for Bob and I with our mortgages where there seems to be no way. Open the door for us to be freed from the consequences of our impulsive mistake years ago. Jesus.

Father strengthen Bob today, physically, mentally, emotionally be the all in His everything. Guide him, direct him, be His Favor! Jesus.

Lord I pray today I will have a passion for all things You, I pray I will step into the flow of Your Kingdom purpose. Jesus! Jesus I pray my will is trumped today by Your Will! Jesus!

Father be with Joanne, strengthen and encourage her today, touch her daughters, heal them, be with Christine, direct the doctors for her care, guide them by Your Spirit. Take Care of her Lord, undergird her in Your peace. Jesus!

Father Be With BobS- help him deal with his water pipe, give him favor and provide all he needs. Jesus!

talk it up! twitter

Jesus wants my whole life! No compartmentalized living. God wants all of me=nothing should be off limits to God. http://kimberlymac.blogspot.com

Before I accepted Jesus I got into bad places in my life, basically because my search for significance dead-ended in myself

I am so humbly aware that without God in me, I truly am nothing! AWE-GOD! He is the all of my everything!

No foolish words will prevail in my life. What God has designed for me will come forth, He will finish shaping Me!

God is always being in us and nothing can stop His power, creativity and purposes in our lives

Only in the reflecting pool of the poured-out life can man finally see who he is. Beth Moore

Yes God does! He appoints some thorns in my flesh to insure intimacy with Him, complete dependence upon Him and of course humility! http://kimberlymac.blogspot.com

It is my #prayer that Twitterverse rises up this morning with the SON of God and knows His Peace! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf7t3P9ISrE&NR=1

#tworship @worldprayr

Lord we offer up our lives to You today-completely- be at the center of Twitterverse- be found in us all! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_SeUHrqA_o&feature=related

#tworship @worldprayr

#AWE-GOD! You Are His! You Are The One He Madly Loves – Enough To Die! You Are Beautiful In His Eyes! Treasured! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C2o0jHNRuU&feature=related #tworship

Check Out My Website For Further Encouragement-Exhortations From God! Enjoy!

The Bridegroom's Café http://thebridegroomscafe.com

Currently Posted Menu

AUTHOR TABLE******************Be Encouraged!

BREAKFAST TABLE***************Silently Submit    

FAMILY TABLE*******************A New Day

LISTENER TABLE*****************Holy Ground    

MILITARY TABLE*****************Responsibility    

SERVANT TABLE******************Dare To Care    

SMORGASBORD TABLE ***********Only For God