JanMary

1. This was the moment of revelation to the first believers that the gospel included the Gentiles. 2. Without a clear command Simon would most likely not have gone with his visitors as he was still "steeped" in the law and the traditions of Judaism, and only the Lord could remove the blinders and reveal the wonderful news that Gentiles (including me) could be born again by the Blood of Jesus! 3. He relied on and related to those criticizing his actions, the clear directive and command from the Holy Spirit. 4. It takes courage, faith and trust in God's faithfulness in order to obey. 5. In my early years I was given a number of directives that resulted in criticism and retaliation....but I was clueless when I obeyed that criticism would follow. I was just overjoyed to know I was hearing from the Lord and that He was shaping my life and directing my steps. In my later years, because of how He took care of me in those early "events" I've been able to obey, regardless of what may happen as a result. (I decided a long time ago I'd rather face others criticism, disapproval, or anger, rather than disappoint my loving Father.) I also have been able to rejoice over what HE accomplished through the trials. (I've said to those who know what we've been through "I would never want to go through those things again...but I wouldn't want to have missed what the Lord did IN US as a result.)

1. Paul might have followed his own plan, and Gods plan would have been thwarted....temporarily, because I believe Paul knew the Lords voice and God would have prevailed...but It's sad to think if Paul had not been obedient to go to Jerusalem, so much of our Bible written there would be missing! 2. In my early walk I can see me thinking I knew best if someone was headed for pain or trouble. Now that I've been through many trials, losses, testing's and much trouble I would feel compassion for Paul but would keep my mouth shut knowing that It's pain, sorrow and testing which produces faith, perseverance and the fulfillment of God's plans and purposes and the building or our character. (Romans 8:28, and then v.29: that we be conformed to the image of Christ.) 3. If there is a choice to be made, I would say it takes some years of maturity and trust in God. We were not created to seek out pain or discomfort, or to enjoy hardship, so it's only through submission to God's authority that we would choose His will over our comfort. 4. To choose the easy path when there has been a directive, indicates that we are in rebellion, which never turns out well. Gods tests are not pass or fail..they are do overs....we just keep being tested until we arrive at His place for us. About the hard path, which I have been on, the Lord spoke to me this morning: "I'm training you in perseverance, faith and trust in order that your life brings Me glory. The "hedge" around you is for protection and preparation, and though it may feel like it, is not a prison cell." (That was both comforting and reassuring to be reminded that His purposes are being accomplished...and that at the end of this trial He will be glorified...which is also my hearts desire for my life.)

1. It's Impossible to know how Paul felt, but I know how I feel when afraid and hurting....too many times to count! God's love and tender voice feels like warm arms surrounding and shielding me, like being covered under His Warm Wing, snuggled close to His breast...even though it's dark under there! God's voice reminds me I only FEEL alone or forgotten, and that He will NEVER LEAVE ME ALONE FOR EVEN ONE SECOND. He reminds me that though it's true that I was abandoned as a child, He is my forever Father, Papa, Abba, Daddy, Savior, Paraclete, Comforter and guide, Who lives on the inside of me and that I'm "tattooed on His hands" and impossible to forget. 2. God isn't a distant God Who lives in isolation in Heaven. He inhabits the entire universe which is His, and yet He desires an intimate, vulnerable, honest relationship with His children...He lives to intercede for us and lives in us, so knows every thought or word before we think or speak it. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He is love. He is comforter and encourager. He knows what we need and need to hear and when we need to hear from Him. He knows the future, so knows when we need to hear about what lies ahead...where He is, in the future. His correction is never punitive or punishing, but is only for training and is always loving.

1. The wind, earthquake and fire are loud, insistent and difficult to miss! The still small voice is easy to ignore if we're not listening or expecting to hear it. The "chatter and noise" around us can drown it out! 2. The still small voice of God, kind, gentle and loving, comforts Elijah because He hears acceptance and understanding of his exhaustion, depression and fear, rather than a rebuke which would have caused Elijah even more pain and distress. 3. We must learn to listen for, hear and recognize His voice or He's apt to be ignored. I had an experience several years ago, while sitting alone in my car in the winter in an abandoned parking area of a local wilderness area, praying and journaling where I'd gone because it's peaceful and quiet. I was parked facing the beautiful wilderness where I often saw animals, with my back to the entrance. In the stillness I heard: "GO! NOW!" It was "still and small" but URGENT! I put down my pen, started the car and drove around the circle to exit through the short bottleneck driveway which was the only way in or out. I passed a car which was entering just as I was leaving, and as I glanced at the mans face, I saw eyes of pure evil, causing the hair on the back of my neck to literally stand on end! I shivered, realizing the Lord had just rescued me from what only He knew was about to happen to me if I'd stayed. The man could easily have blocked that narrow entrance and I'd have been trapped with no way to escape and no one within miles to hear me if I cried for help. How I thank and praise my Father for having taught me not only to listen for and to hear his voice but to obey, or I might not be here to tell the story!

1. Because Holy Spirit indwells my spirit, He is always available to me as (if and when) I yield my will to His Will and purposes. 2. I can choose hourly, daily to live in my own human knowledge and limitations and flesh or I can choose to depend upon His infinite knowledge and power to fulfill His purposes. He never forces Himself...I must choose to yield to Him. That I am able to choose is where dependence comes in....my will or His? (Lord, may I willingly yield to You in all things! Life is so sweet when I choose your way!) 3. Unless I am desiring to hear His voice, I'm not apt to be listening. The more I listen the more easily I discern His voice.

1. Mt. 14:16,17 And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby that He may remain with you forever, the Spirit of Truth Whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him, know and recognize Him, but you know and recognize Him for He lives with you constantly and will be in you. Mt. 14: 25, 26: I have told you these things while I Am with you, but the Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, in My place to represent Me and act on My behalf. He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. John 16:7, 8: I Am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you into close fellowship with you, but If I go away, I will send Him to you! John 16:13: Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak His own message for His own authority, but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father, and will declare to you the things which are to come and that will happen in the future, and will honor Me and glorify Me, and will draw upon what is Mine and will reveal , declare and disclose, transmit it to you. (Triune Godhead in perfect harmony and unity) 2. Holy Spirit is our built in, God given, GPS (Guide, Paraclete, Savior) for daily living, for guidance, discerning His will, truth and foreknowledge and empowering to do His will and to be His voice and ambassadors to the world around us. 3. Holy Spirit is the voice of God to our inner "man" just as He was for Jesus while on earth. As He promised He is always with us, and in us....we are never alone or on our own!

1. Jesus limited Himself (as our elder brother), to total dependence upon His Father, just as we also are limited until we rely on Holy Spirit for empowering and His wisdom in everything He would face that day...one day at a time, one moment at a time. 2. Jesus was fully God and fully man, yet without sin. He modeled for us how we are to live in reliance upon Him for life and living rather than" leaning on our own understanding, and like Jesus, one day at a time, one moment at a time. 3. I used to think that Jesus "knew" everything because He was fully God....but that's not true. The truth is He was also fully man and limited as we are...and His example is that He was always in tune with His Father to know who, what, where, when and why, so to speak. He lived in constant communion/communication with His Father. He is our forerunner in all things! For example: It was a word of knowledge that revealed Zacchaeus' name and information when He saw him up in the Sycamore tree. He said He did not know the day and the hour of the end times He was describing to His disciples and so on. 4. He relied on words of knowledge, words of wisdom, Holy Spirit inspiration and empowering as He was always listening for His Father's instruction. He also relied on the written Word which He studied as a young Jewish boy and knew the Torah by heart, and could quote it from memory. I love that! The Word of God, in skin, quoting and relying on the Word of God to heal and reach men and women for God. Such an amazing gift that is also available to us...if we're willing to listen.

1: Jesus was up before dawn, spending time alone with His Father in prayer, away from distractions before He began His day and being "about His Father's business". 2. Jesus was fully God and fully man....limiting Himself to dependence upon His Father for wisdom, guidance, knowledge, provision....for everything, just as we are if we're fully committed to Him. 3. Having been refreshed and renewed and fully surrendered to His Father's will before He began His day, enabled and prepared Him to face anything and everything that He would be facing. 4. The disciples were not born again and filled with the Holy Spirit until Pentecost, so their desires were limited and guided by their own insight and limits and what they felt pressure to attend to in the flesh. 5. Yes. I learned years ago that unless I spend the first few hours alone with Him, my day unravels and is spent in frustration without His preparation to face what comes. I have a special quiet place where I go every morning before others are up and about. I sit with Him with my cup of coffee and enjoy His Presence. I also learned all those years ago that He desires an honest, vulnerable, no holds barred relationship with me...just like a healthy father daughter relationship should be. (I didn't have that with my earthly father so It's been a learning process. It's been precious to discover that I can express anger and frustration (in a respectful way) as well as every emotion which He's blessed us with). Recently I said "I'm angry Papa, that after all of the hundreds of prayers I've prayed asking You to motivate my husband to go to the doctor, it's come to this! (advanced basal cell skin cancer, neglected for years, that required major surgery.) I heard "I could have lit a fire under him at any point! This is My timing, trust Me." (He is always right of course!!! This cancer treatment required him to be attached to a pump/vac machine 24/7 for over a month, after painful surgery, extensive nursing care at home, painful treatments for the 7" long 2" deep open wound, loss of dignity (wound is in his groin area), then back to the hospital with serious pneumonia for another stay 4 day stay. During the course of all of this, the Lord has been healing him on the inside...his inner man, which is a beautiful thing to behold and experience. The Lord "causing all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes, Rom 8:28, and v. 29: that we may be conformed to His image. (The gentleness, sweetness and gratitude expressed, the humility and words of praise, hearing "I love you" for the first time in 51 years are the answers to many years of seemingly unanswered prayers...coming all at once! What a Savior we love and worship!) His timing is always perfect!!! 6. The challenge for me if the days demands are pressing in, is to remember to spend as much time listening as I do reading His word and my other devotions and talking, so I can hear His heart for me and for my day before I get going. I journal every day and write down what my concerns and prayers are and His thoughts and impressions and Rhema words are to me. I also write in my Bible, dates and notes when He speaks to me a promise or personal word re: the scripture I'm reading. My Bible has become a record of our relationship, many tear stains...... but such a joy to see the evidence of His faithfulness "in ink" on the pages.