Living Sacrifice Before The LORD

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
1 John 1vs9

“Do not present an animal with defects because the LORD will not accept it on your behalf.” -Leviticus 22:20(NLT)

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The Levitical Laws, more specifically in this case the ceremonial laws, were a foreshadow of what was acceptable worship and what was unacceptable worship.  In order for an animal sacrifice to be made, the animal had to have NO blemishes, NO defects, NO sickness.  The animal had to be perfect.  If there was the slightest flaw or imperfection in the animal being presented, the animal sacrifice would be rejected by God as shown in this verse, “…the LORD will not accept it on your behalf.”

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As I found myself reflecting on this passage of Scripture this morning, I was reminded of another passage in Romans 12:1(NLT), which states, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”
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We’re told in the Word of God to be perfect as He is perfect, to be holy as He is holy.  When we keep that in mind, we will be careful how we live our lives because ALL that we do is worship to God.  Our sacrifices must flow out of hearts consecrated, wholly devoted to God.
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REFLECTION:  The LORD will not accept less than the best. We cannot present the sacrifices of our talent, time, praise, effort and the like to the LORD if we are living lives defiled by pretense and hypocrisy. We cannot present ourselves in worship to the LORD if we are half-hearted in our obedience to Him. When our sacrifice to the LORD is blemished and defective, like the animal sacrifice spoken of in Leviticus 22:20, then we will be the kind of sacrifice He rejects.

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Our LORD is the King of kings. For all of Who God is and for all that He has done, how can we present ourselves to Him as living sacrifices if we are defiled with sin? Sin cuts us off from God, and therefore, when we recognize our sin, we must come before God with humility to repent and turn from our wicked ways, aligning our thoughts with His, so that we will be the kind of living and holy sacrifice He will find acceptable.
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Our God will forgive us and restore us when we come before Him with the spirit of humility, bowing before Him.  His Word tells us in 1 John 1:9(KJV), “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
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PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  You are worthy of my very best, and I’m sorry for giving you leftovers rather than giving You my very best.  I humbly ask for You to forgive me, and remind me always that I am to be holy as You are holy.  Father, before You, I have no excuses, and I am asking that You cast me not away from Your Presence but renew a right spirit within me.  I give myself into Your hands, committing myself to You and to Your ways.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Linda A. Knowles

“No, O people,

the LORD has told you
what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right,
to love mercy,
and to walk humbly
with your God.”
Micah 6:8(NLT)

You Rescue Me

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

psalm 113

YOU RESCUE ME

Written By Linda A. Knowles

I will praise You in the morning,

And I will praise You in the night,

even when it seems there is no hope in sight;

For You, O God, are my Deliverer,

And You are my Strength;

And You, O Lord, are the One Who Rescues Me

from the hands of my enemies.

“I will praise the Lord at all times.  I will constantly speak his praises.  I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.  Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.  I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.  Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.  In my desperation, I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.  For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.” –(Psalm 34:1-7NLT)

 

Simply At The Sound Of His Voice

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
SOUND

“The enemy runs at the sound of your voice.

When you stand up, the nations flee!”  –Isaiah 33:3 (NLT)

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No words have given me greater comfort in recent months than this verse because it reminds me of the greatness of our God and His goodness, that all He has to do is speak, and His voice will send the enemy running. It doesn’t matter how many enemies surround you, all God has to do is speak.  That is how awesome our God is.  He speaks, and His voice, just the sound of His voice, sends the enemy running.
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In Revelation 14:2(NLT), the Word of God tells us, “And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together.”
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That is the God we serve.  He is Omnipotent and He is everywhere.  He knows all your comings and goings.  You never need to fear what comes your way because the God you serve never slumbers or sleeps.  He is never weary or tired.  He does not faint, and He does not stumble or fall.
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REFLECTION:  When you find yourself surrounded by enemies, remember the Captain of the Heavenly Hosts has commanded His angels to encamp about you (Psalm 34:7, 91:11).  He will not let your enemies triumph over You. Second Kings 6:17(NLT) tells us, “Then Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!’ The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”  Your God prepares a feast for you in the presence of your enemies (Psalm 23:5).  Do not fear because greater is He that is in you than He who is in the world.
PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, Your perfect love expels all fear, and You have not given me the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  Thank You for being my Protector and the One Who Gives His Angels Charge Over Me.  Lord, open my eyes to see You have surrounded me with Heaven’s Armies.  Fill me with courage and with strength.  Remind me always my hope is found in You alone.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Linda A. Knowles

“And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.” -Ezekiel 43:2(KJV)

Grieving The Holy Spirit

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

HOLY SPIRIT

 

I found myself in Acts 5:1-11, a passage I couldn’t get away from.  Lately, I’ve thought a lot about what it truly means to grieve the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit is so holy that He shrinks back at the slightest sin.  If we viewed sin as the Holy Spirit does, we would be more cautious in behavior and in words.  For me, when I look at the story of Ananias and Sapphira, I can see how serious sin is in the eyes of God and His Holy Spirit.

 

Amongst the believers, no one lacked anything because the believers were helping those within the body of Christ also called “The Church,” taking care of each other when they saw those in need.  In Acts 4:34-35, we can see it states, “There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need,” using Barnabas as an example (Acts 4:36-37) who had owned and brought the money to the apostles.  In Acts 4:32, it states, “All the believers were united in heart and mind.  And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.”  In this passage, we see the believers helping those in need in any way they were able.  As God had blessed them, they were blessing others.  It was up to each believer as to what they could do with the money from the land they had sold.  They could have done what they wanted with their property as well as their money, and it was up to each believer to decide how much each would give or what each would do with their property.

 

Now that brings us to Ananias and Sapphira…  Just like everyone else, they had a choice as to what to do with their cash and possessions.  “But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property.  He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount.  With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest,” (Acts 5:1-2 NLT).

 

Sapphira and Ananias, instead of being upfront and truthful, conspired together to deceive the Church.  The sin was not in them wanting to sell their property.  The sin was not in them keeping back part of the money.  The sin was the deceptive masquerade they put on before the Apostles and the Church.  Acts 5:3-4 states, “Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart?  You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.  The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished.  And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away.  How could you do a thing like this?  You weren’t lying to us but to God!’”

 

The Holy Spirit exposed Ananias’ deception.  We can see this by the words given to Peter to speak, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart?  You lied to the Holy Spirit…  How could you do a thing like this?  You weren’t lying to us but to God!’”  If we don’t have God’s approval, then we have absolutely nothing.  The Spirit of the Living God does not approve of deception in any way, shape, fashion, or form.  We need to always remember that “Truth stands the test of time; lies are soon exposed.”

 

The consequence of Ananias lying to the Holy Spirit can be found in Acts 5:5-6, and it states this, “As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died.  Everyone who heard about it was terrified.  Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.”  That’s how serious a matter it is when one deliberately chooses to set out to deceive his/her brethren, when one deliberately chooses to conspire with another or others to do evil, when one chooses to sin rather than doing what is right before the eyes of God.

 

Sin is transgression of God’s law.  ALL sin is transgression of God’s law, and He is not impressed with posturing or masquerades or pretense.  In the presence of the Living God, everything is laid bare, fully exposed.  He commands truth and holiness.  God doesn’t have suggestions, but He does have commands.  We are to follow those commands as outlined in His Written Word.  Love for God is keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.

 

What happened to Sapphira?  I wonder if her response to Peter would have been different had she known what happened to her husband, but Scripture states Sapphira didn’t know what happened.  Acts 5:7-11 says, “About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.  Peter asked her, ‘Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?’  ‘Yes,’ she replied, ‘that was the price.’  And Peter said, ‘How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.’  Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.  Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.”

 

I know these are rather sobering thoughts, but as I have been thinking about this for the last several days, I find myself humbled and in awe of God who has given us His Word so that we might know all we need to live a life pleasing to Him.  Our God is very merciful and compassionate, but our God is the God of Justice, the God who demands honesty in the innermost parts.  It’s not enough for those attending places of worship to have ambitions of being a disciple of Christ.  Either you are a disciple of Christ or you’re not.  You cannot have it both ways.  God is not impressed with pretense, hypocrisy, or showmanship.  If you are putting on a show simply to keep up appearances or just to gain the approval of man, God will eventually strip off your mask.  You cannot expect to be blessed when you are living a life of disobedience to God.

REFLECTION:  “Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness,” (Matthew 23:28).  Who are you when no one is watching?  Are you living two lives –one life in your place of worship and another life outside of your place of worship?  Being Christ-like is a lifestyle, not an act of showmanship.  When you go before God, do a deep self-examination, letting God show you if there is anything within you that offends Him.  Let Him show you if there is anything you need to repent of.  “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it,” (Isaiah 30:15).  Repent of your wicked ways, turning to God, and have Him cleanse you from your sins.  It is only in surrendering to God that you will find rest.  God is your Savior, and when you submit to obeying Him and walking in His ways, that is where you will find liberty.  When you confess and repent of your sins, you have this assurance found in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the God of Truth, and You are the God of Justice.  Lord, I’m sorry for being pretentious, for caring more about gaining approval of men instead of seeking Your approval alone.  I’m sorry for grieving Your Holy Spirit.  Father, I have sinned against You and You alone.  Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.  Have Your way in my life, and come reign in me.  I’m truly sorry for sinning against You.  Please don’t cast me away from Your Presence because I am nothing without You.  Wash me clean with the Hyssop of Heaven and I shall be made clean.  Please forgive me, and have Your way in my life.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.” -Isaiah 63:10

Our Cornerstone

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

ephesians

“‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ ‘Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.'” -Luke 20:17-18 (NLT)

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These words are comforting for those who are in Christ.  Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone, Our Sure Foundation as we can see in Ephesians 2:20 (NLT), “And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.”  Those in Christ will inherit eternal life while those who reject Christ are already judged and the wrath of God remains on them as told to us in John 3:36(NKJV), which states, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Those who reject Christ will not be able to stand when judgment falls on them, and they will be crushed under the weight of it.
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When you have Jesus, you have all that you need.  The world could fall in around you and as long as you have Jesus, you have all you need. He is your All-In-All.  Let me say this again:  WHEN YOU HAVE JESUS, YOU HAVE ALL YOU NEED.
“In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.”
-Isaiah 33:6 (NLT)

As you walk along the Narrow Road, you may find yourself struggling, but keep your eyes on Jesus.  Continue to let Jesus be your Guide.  Let the Lord instruct you.  He is your Sure Foundation, and when you allow your life to be built upon Him, you will NOT be disappointed.  Whatever is holding you back, give it over to Jesus. In Matthew 11:28-30(NLT), Jesus tells you, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me the privilege to be able to come before You.  You are the Good Shepherd, and I thank You for being my Guide and my Instructor.  You are my Rock, the Chief Cornerstone, my Sure Foundation.  Lord, these days are evil and are becoming worse and worse.  Give me discernment to know right from wrong.  Fill me with the wisdom that comes from You alone.  Teach me the Fear of the Lord and how to revere You.  Lord God, this world has nothing for me.  Nothing compares to You for You are glorious and majestic, worthy of all praise and honor.  You are the One I long for. Help me to always see Your Word is Truth.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.'” -Isaiah 28:16

Being Tempted Is Not A Sin

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him..” -Mark 1:12-13 (NLT)

Psalms_119-11

Temptation always comes, and while being tempted is not a sin, giving in to the temptation is a sin.  The Word of God goes so far as to say that if we are tempting someone that is sin as well and states, “…Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting,” (Matthew 18:7 NLT).  We are never to use someone’s weaknesses against him/her to tempt him/her to commit sin against God.  In other words, look out for the best interests of others and encourage them to progress in their walk with God.
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We are not to rejoice when someone trips up and falls into temptation.  We are, however, to spur each other on, not play on the weaknesses that the other has.
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With all that being said, Jesus gave us an example of how to handle temptation and what we should do when faced with temptation.  We are to respond with “It is written,” which is why it is so important to daily be in the Word of God studying, thinking about the Scriptures, applying the Word to our lives, and hiding God’s Word in our hearts in order to combat temptation and to live a life pleasing to God. 
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Let’s look at how Jesus handled temptation:
“Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.  And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’  Jesus responded, ‘The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” -Luke 4:9-12
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Jesus made it very clear for us to know that the devil is the father of lies and no truth can be found in him, and that is recorded in John 8:44 (NLT), which states, “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
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The devil twisted the Scripture to tempt Jesus when he said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off!  For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.'”  Jesus knew the Scriptures well and knew Satan was twisting the Scriptures.  God does protect, and that is truth.  God will command His angels to watch over and guard us;  However, we are not to take the promises of God lightly nor should we ever be so careless in thinking that if we jump off a building that God will keep us from going splat on the ground.  Jesus, rightly dividing the Word of God, gave us this clear demonstration of how to wield the Sword of the Spirit when we’re faced with temptation.  Jesus responded by saying, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.'”  
REFLECTION:  “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You,” (Psalm 119:11 BSB).  Do you have daily time reading and studying the Bible?  Do you truly know the Bible?  Do you walk in obedience to the Word of God?  The bible is not a buffet where you can choose what you like and what you don’t like.  You need the entire counsel of God, not just some of His counsel.   The Word tells you how live a holy life, tells you everything you need to know to inherit eternal life, and the Word of God teaches you how to handle temptation, and instructs you as to what God has given you to overcome whatever may come your way.  “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth,” (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT).  As a child of God, hiding God’s Word in your heart and clinging to His truth will help you in your life. However, it is absolutely vital for you apply the Word of God to your life, to live the Word of God out loud in your life, not just when temptation strikes. It is not enough to be exposed to the Word of God. It is not enough to read the Word of God. You must be applying the Word, and you must be living out the Word in every aspect of your life. You must be obeying God’s commands especially if you claim to love God and claim to be His child.  When you truly know the Word of God, you will know when half-truths come your way and know if someone is twisting the Scriptures.  Hide His Word in your heart so you might not sin against Him.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the God of all Truth.  I ask You to help me remain steadfast in You, to keep my feet from slipping.  Lord, teach me Your ways and Your truth.  Help me to always rightly divide Your Word.  May I always hide Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.” -Isaiah 50:7 (NLT)

Satisfaction In GOD Alone

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
though none go with me

“The LORD will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.” -Proverbs 10:3 (NLT)

When you trust GOD, you do not need to worry.  You have no reason to because the LORD your GOD takes care of you and He is the One who meets every need you have and sees the deepest desires of your heart.  The Word of GOD says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need,” (Matthew 6:33 NLT).  When you are delighting yourself in the LORD by loving Him with all your heart and following Him wholeheartedly, you are blessed of the LORD.

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Satisfaction cannot be found in anything or anyone else.  Satisfaction can only be found in GOD.  Those who depend on GOD and rely upon GOD alone will always find themselves satisfied.  Because of GOD, through CHRIST, you have been made complete, made whole, which means you have all you need in GOD.  He is your All In All.
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The other side of that:  GOD does not satisfy the wicked.  The ungodly are self-reliant, do not have reverence for GOD, and live for themselves.  Living in disobedience to GOD and His ways and showing disdain toward GOD and His Word brings destruction.  “Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame; but those who are faithless without cause will be disgraced.” (Psalm 25:3 BSB).
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For all who are led by the Spirit of GOD are children of GOD.  The Spirit of the Living GOD (Holy Spirit) has been given to you to guide and lead you into all truth.  He is your Comforter, residing in you, a child of the Most High GOD, “The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him,” (Ephesians 1:14 NLT).
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REFLECTION:  Are you finding satisfaction in GOD or do you look to other things to satisfy you?  Do you truly understand that satisfaction is found in GOD alone and He is the only One who can satisfy your every need and longing?  “Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing,” (Psalm 34:9-10 NLT).  Having reverence for GOD and the things of GOD begins first with the fear of the LORD.  To fear GOD is to have deep respect for Him. The deepest need every person has is his/her spiritual need for GOD. The Word of GOD says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” To be poor in spirit is to recognize your need for GOD and your need for the Savior.  When you fear the LORD, you have wisdom because the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.  

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the Only One Who Can Satisfy the deepest longing of my heart and soul.  You are the Only One able to breathe life into me.  Draw near to me as I draw near to You, and let me learn true reverence and holiness in Your presence.  With joy, let me drink deeply from the Well of Salvation as I cling to You and Your truth.  Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I might be able to discern what is pleasing to You and what is not pleasing to You.  Guide me into all truth, and open my eyes to see what You want to show me and open my ears to hear You speak clearly.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.  I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.  Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.  I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.  I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.” –Psalm 63:1-5

He Knows The Hopes of the Helpless

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
nahum_1.7_nlt_border_wallpaper

“LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.” -Psalm 10:17 (NLT)

The LORD is with you, and He sees you when it feels like everything is surrounding you or even when it feels like everything is caving in on you.  The LORD your GOD knows those who are your enemies are arrogant and proud, and even though it seems all is well with them, they are not well.  The wicked will perish.  Though trouble surrounds you, the LORD is delivering you out of your troubles.  The LORD is the GOD of all comfort, preparing a feast before you in the presence of your enemies.
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We can take comfort in the presence of GOD.  Our GOD is the One we can run into because He is our Strong Tower, and when we run into Him, we are safe.  He is the Cleft of the Rock who shelters us in the time of storm.
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REFLECTION: “The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him,” (Nahum1:7 NLT). In this passage of Scripture Nineveh had slipped back to their old ways and was now worse than ever before.  Nineveh had reason to be terrified because Nineveh was contending with GOD.  The words in this context of this passage may be disconcerting to the unbeliever, but to those of us who believe, it is great comfort.  Because we trust in GOD, living for Him, though we may find ourselves in a situation where we feel helpless, remember GOD is sovereign.  He is still on His throne, and He upholds you with His righteous right hand.  We are not left without hope no matter what the situation, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.  The LORD is our Helper, our Strong Refuge, and our GOD is so very good.

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Keep trusting in GOD.  Keep pressing into GOD through prayer.  Keep on in steadfastness and walking in obedience. Through your GOD, you shall do valiantly. You are victorious.  You are the Child of the Most High GOD, and you are a conqueror. Your GOD does NOT fail.
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PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the GOD who never fails.  You are the GOD of Victory.  Thank You for teaching me about Your protection and Your faithfulness.  Thank You for making me victorious.  Thank You for being My Father.  You, O GOD, are my Helper, and LORD, remind me You are my Refuge and my Strong Tower and that I need not fear because You have empowered me to persevere through my trials and to triumph over my enemies.  Continue Your work in me, and make me a light for You in this dark world; and may I be a living testimony to proclaim Your faithfulness and Your goodness to those around me.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57 (ESV)

Time To Check In Our Baggage

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

WORRY-ANXIETY

Is being anxious a sin?  Yes, it is.  Anxiety is as much of a sin as lying, stealing, cursing, bitterness, resentment, and anything that satisfies the lusts of the flesh.
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Anxiety and Worry are synonymous.  If you are anxious, you are worried, and if you are worried, you are anxious.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary characterizes anxious as “extreme uneasiness of mind or brooding fear about some contingency:  WORRIED, resulting from or causing anxiety: worrying.”
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The Scriptures speak about being anxious.  Anxiety involves lack of trusting in God and lack of putting our faith in Him.  Anxiety will make us focus on our problems, trials, and circumstances; Anxiety doesn’t allow for us to look to God first and foremost.  Anxiety, like any other sin, will wear us out and drag us down into the muck and mire, wallowing in ourselves.
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Jesus has a most awesome prescription to handle anxiety.  This is what His prescription is and is shown to us in Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT), “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”
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Did you see that?  Jesus is not asking or suggesting.  He’s not making a recommendation.  Jesus has just given a direct command.  In a nutshell, He has just told us to come to Him (HELLO HE IS WELCOMING US TO THROW ALL OUR ISSUES ON TOP OF HIM), all of us who are weary and carry heavy burdens. Let’s take Note Jesus’ commands to us:  (1) Come to me, (2) Take My yoke upon you, (3) Let me teach you.  And if we follow those commands, look at the promises:  (1) Jesus will give us rest, (2) He’s humble and gentle and will show us what to do, and (3) He will give us rest for our souls, (4) Jesus doesn’t topple us over with manmade rules and manmade traditions.  His commands are not burdensome and what He tells us to do and gives us won’t weigh us down.
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Jesus also said to us as shown in Matthew 6:34 (NLT), “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”  Even the Apostle Peter urges and tells us to, “Cast all your anxiety on him for he cares for you.”  Anxiety comes with a whole host of emotions.  If we’re anxious, we will end up being scared, and if we end up getting scared because we’re anxious, then we’re going to end up being sad.  If we end up sad because we are scared because we’re anxious, we’re going to end up confused.  If we end up confused because we’re sad because we were scared because we’re anxious to begin with…  Well, we can see where this is going…
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bag-man7
We end up looking like this gentleman in the photo to the right -weighed down by multiple suitcases, unable to barely take a step, and when trying to take a step land on our faces because the load is too much to bear.
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Christ is our Yokebearer, and He can handle whatever baggage we have to give Him.  He is the Lord who is Savior and the One Who Has Redeemed Us.  Our God is the One Who Delivers Us from all our troubles (Psalm 34:19), and there is nothing like giving it all over to Him.  Part of surrendering our lives to Christ is trusting Him in all things, to trust His love and His heart for us.  He is looking out for us.  He is the One who tells us, “Come to me.”
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When we shift our focus back on to God and begin to praise Him, we will find our cares lifting as we surrender our anxiety to Him.   As we continue to praise the Lord and lift our voices in song to Him, we will find all the things of this world become so insignificant in His presence.  The Lord Your God never slumbers and never sleeps, and He is the Shepherd of our Heart!
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
TIME TO CHECK IN OUR BAGGAGE
Heavenly Father, You have been the Shepherd of my Heart.  You always take care of me. You have not forgotten me because You, O LORD, have engraved my name in the palms of Your hand.  I confess my sin of anxiety before You, O LORD, and ask that You forgive me as I am giving all of my cares and concerns to You right now in Jesus’ name.  I thank You that I am able to look to You, knowing You are my Redeemer and Deliverer, trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross who shed His blood that I would be healed and set free.  Thank You for being my Yokebreaker.  Help me to always put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that my soul need not be downcast because my hope is in the Lord.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Linda A. Knowles
“To all who mourn in Israel,
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness,
they will be like great oaks
that the Lord has planted
for his own glory.”
(Isaiah 61:3 NLT)

Your Words Are Sweet

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

Psalm 119vs124

“I am your servant; deal with me in unfailing love,

and teach me your decrees.”

Psalm 119:124 (NLT)

YOUR WORDS ARE SWEET

By Linda A. Knowles

 

Like Mary, O God, let me sit at Your feet

to devour the Words that You speak

For Your Words are like honey on my lips

And Your decrees ever sweet.

Deal with Your servant gently, O Lord,

and teach me Your ways;

That I may listen to all Your commands

to take heed of and obey.

 

Sometimes I Wonder…

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

JOB

“Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?”

-Job 21:7 NLT

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; Do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”

-Psalm 37:7-9 NLT

“I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.”

-Isaiah 48:10 NLT

Sometimes I wonder why it always looks like the wicked succeed, then I’m reminded that the wicked are not succeeding because they are perishing. One can be wealthy and successful by every worldly standard and yet be spiritually bankrupt. Success in the eyes of God is vastly different from how the world sees it. God takes you to heights unknown when you are following Him and He blesses those who are walking in obedience to Him.

There may be trials along the way to get to the destination God has for you, but those trials teach you endurance and perseverance. You are not refined in the times of good, but you are refined in the furnace of suffering. God is the one who will make you come out as gold. Just remember to keep your eyes and your mind fixed on the Author and Finisher of your faith, and He will be the One who gives you perfect peace as you keep trusting in Him.

REFLECTIVE PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You, O God, are the Author and the Finisher of my faith.  I will continue to keep my eyes and my mind fixed on You because in You alone there is hope and peace.  You are the True Joy Giver.  You are the One who upholds me with Your victorious right hand, and You have made me more than a conqueror.  Lord, help me to always remember that no matter what comes my way, no matter what circumstances I find myself in, You will be the One who shapes and refines me and brings me forth like gold.  Guide me as I walk along this narrow way for Your grace is the wall of protection around me, the netting that catches me when I’m falling, and Your grace is my covering.  Lead me to the destination You have for me.  Help me to carry out the tasks You have assigned me, and may my spirit always yield to You alone.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Much love to you all,

Linda A. Knowles

Give Rightful Place To GOD

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

Psalm 139vs23-24

Idols cannot give us life.  GOD, however, is the Creator;  He is the Giver of Life.  “…yet my people have exchanged their glorious GOD for worthless idols,”  (Jeremiah 2:11).   An idol is anything or anyone that takes away GOD’s rightful place in our lives.  To exchange GOD for temporal things is foolishness.  Why would we exchange GOD who is the glory and the lifter of our heads (Psalm 3:3) for something else that is incapable of giving us life, for something which fades or withers away, something which eventually breaks (1 John 2:17).  Why exchange GOD who is eternal for other things which are not lasting?

“You must not have any other god but me.  You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.  You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.  I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected–even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.  But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.”  -Exodus 20:3-6

Since we are commanded not to have any other gods but the Almighty GOD then we must take hold of GOD, and cling tightly to His truth for He is our Sustainer (Psalm 54:4) and He is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19).  When we love GOD, with our whole heart and soul and mind, we won’t want to hurt or displease GOD.  We demonstrate our love for GOD by giving GOD His rightful place in our lives and obeying all He has commanded us to do.  First place in our lives is not for anyone or anything else.

GOD alone is sovereign, worthy of all glory, honor, and praise for Who He Is.  He is worthy because He is GOD and has demonstrated His love and mercy to us by bestowing His love and His blessings lavishly upon His children.  GOD is to be our First Love.  Nothing can give us lasting joy except for GOD, and there is nothing that can replace GOD in our lives.  We can try to replace GOD in our lives, but that would be breaking GOD’s commands which would displease GOD and cause us nothing but heartache.

“So that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel.  For because of their idols, they are all estranged from ME.” -Ezekiel 14:5

“So humble yourselves before God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come close to God, and God will come close to you.  Wash your hands, you sinner;  purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between GOD and the world.  Let there be tears for what you have done.  let there be sorrow and deep grief.  Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” -James 4:7-10

Let’s not pull away from GOD, but let’s be faithful to our GOD and not dessert Him for things which are fleeting.  Instead, let’s worship Him in spirit and in truth, giving Him our very best because He gave us His very best, loving Him because He first loved us.  GOD is worthy of us following Him wholeheartedly.  We should never give Him our leftovers, but give Him all the honor due Him because He is GOD. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are Sovereign.  There is no other who compares with You for You are glorious and majestic in all Your ways.  Forgive me for the times I have put other things before You.  I never want to displease You.  Help me to always remember that You alone are GOD and You want the best for me.  Thank You for allowing me the privilege to be able to draw close to You.  Thank You for being mindful of me and for lavishly loving me.   Thank You for forgiving me.  Because I love You, I will do as You command and walk in Your ways.  Guide me into all truth.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles