Sometimes we feel like we moving backwards in life instead of forwards!

One day, when I was having a yarn with hubby I gazed at one of my clocks and found that the time was almost two hours ahead of the normal time, so I went and corrected the time.

As I gazed at the clock, I think the Holy Spirit revealed that sometimes in life we are like this clock.

We go a bit ahead of ourselves, probably not in agreement with God's will and God reaches out and puts us back into place.

As I was dwelling on this thought, I wondered what things could make us feel like we are heading backwards rather then forwards.... maybe loosing a job, going through a sickness, loosing a loved one or moving to a place that we never thought of moving.

So whenever we feel we are moving backwards perhaps consider these verses:

Proverbs 3: 5-6

PSALM 40: 1-17

James 1: 2-3 and Romans 5: 3-4

It is good to remind ourselves that when we pray,  for more of God and less of us...we should expect to go through change/training/trials that is for our own benefit.

So if we are ready to be more like Jesus... expect the unexpected and if we are not ready...don't pray that prayer!


                                   

                                     

Two kinds of armor

Armor of the World

Sometime last week as I was walking home with my daughter it was revealed to me that there's two kinds of armor in this world one that belongs to darkness and one belongs to God.

I thought I'd put up these images to clarify the differences.

When we are in the world we allow all sort of things to enter our minds therefore, there's no helmet because of this pride is a sin that dwells in the mind for those who have the armor of this world.

I think the Holy Spirit also revealed that when we get together with those who have the world armor, we will naturally be testing each other out.

The person who has the armor of the world will first judge our appearance, then condemn us if we don't meet their "criteria"...E.g. if I have my armor of the world on and I see a lady with blue hair the first thing that crosses my mind is, ''what a weird lady and her hair colour doesn't even match her shoes!"

But if we have the armor of God on the first thought we'll think, "Lord, I pray you protect this beautiful woman whom you have made..."

I also heard that when we come into such contact we must first test others. I wondered how and saw two people talking to each other from a bird view. One was wearing a dark armor the other armor of light...the person was kind of shinning!

God's word says that when we are in Christ we are hidden in him [Colossians 3:3]! Which means we looks similar to the above picture...when we deeply think about this if we remove one part of our armor...it will be obvious that we are "stepping out" of light and Satan can actually see the exposed area and attack it.
NO WONDER JESUS SAID: "PRAY WITHOUT CEASING!"
 - 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 

                                         

The person in the armor of light then mentioned about the weather and the person in the world armor said, "Horrible, another rainy day."[testing the spirit] Then the person wearing the armor of light said, "well, it's good God is watering his garden".

This made me exclaim in my heart with amazement! And it dawned on me that anyone who has the armor of darkness will do or say anything opposite to those who have the armor of light.


Armor of light

It's amazing finding things like this as we yearn and seek God and try to understand his word because his word says; "that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." - Colossians 2: 2-3


The more this subject is studied and reflected upon the more the Holy Spirit reveals deeper things and I pray that he doesn't stop revealing the hidden treasures that come with his word.

It also dawned on me that sometimes I take of certain parts of my armor therefore, exposing my carnal nature and a perfect target for the enemy. So if I take out my helmet of salvation...by not praying or committing my day to God... I'm attacked with nasty thoughts, anger coming out of my mouth and letting myself listen to things that will feed my soul rather then my spirit.


The Holy Spirit then showed a bible gold nugget in Colossians 3 which reads:

Put On the New Self

3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.[c] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away:anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love [my favourite part, I will continue to love others by words and actions even if they think I'm weird because Jesus loves me and it is right for me to share that love...that unconditional love - not expecting anything back (reminder to me)], which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And letthe peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

So to conclude, be careful with what armor I choose to put on and test others to see what armor they have on so that I can minister or impart the word of truth unto them just as James 1: 19 says: "So then,[a] my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;"

Jesus rides the donkey and the colt

When I read Matthew 21: 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.

I was amazed to find out that Jesus rode on two animals..."donkey and the colt". 

For many years I thought Jesus only rode the donkey. But with careful reading ...Matthew says, "donkey and the colt".

The first thing I did was sit up on my bed and exclaimed in surprise then I texted Jane (My wombmate). 

Anyways, I had to reflect and ponder on this and wondered why these two creatures and why a mature animal and a babe animal.

Google Image: Donkey and Colt in Nazareth 

Then it dawned on me...The mature donkey symbolises the end of things and the babe colt symbolises the beginning of things then another dawning happened. A bible verse picture was put in my head...no doubt by the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 1: 11 Which reads, "saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,"...

Another verse: Job 33:29 "Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man. 

The above verse made me think about the story of Balaam, his donkey and the angel in Numbers 22 ...it took three times for the donkey to try avoid the angel, Balaam hit her three times and the angel had to stop Balaam three times.

Then Balaam had three prophecies and three blessings for the people of Israel. 

Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

22 Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lordtook His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. 24 Then the Angel of theLord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. 25 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again. 26 Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!”

30 So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?”

And he said, “No.”

31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lordstanding in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. 32 And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. 33 The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

34 And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”

35 Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory. 37 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”

38 And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.” 39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth.40 Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

Below is a kids cartoon of the Balaam story.