November 2006 Log

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Nov ,2006
The Valley of Decision

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Isn't it interesting that the strong winds, the turbulence, the storms often found in 'The Valley of Vision' (Isaiah 22), often are the things that bring about decisions which reveal the true ruler of your heart?

The Valley of Decision, as described in Joel 3:14, is a place of judgment. The Lord gathers all nations and brings them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat means the LORD judges. In this context multitudes are standing in the Valley of Decision, but it is God who does the deciding, not man. It is a Valley of Judgment, the decision for or against Jesus has already previously been made.

God Will Battle Jerusalem's Foes
1Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you.

2For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.

3Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.

4In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.

5You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!

7For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light.

8And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.

God Will Be King over All
9And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.

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Nov ,2006
The Valley of Vision

5 The Lord, the LORD Almighty, has a day of tumult and trampling and terror in the Valley of Vision, a day of battering down walls and of crying out to the mountains.

VALLEY OF VISION
Taken from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions
edited by Arthur Bennett
http://www.oldlandmarks.com/puritan.htm

LORD, HIGH and HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
... where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
... hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
... that the way down is the way up,
... that to be low is to be high,
... that the broken heart is the healed heart,
... that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
... that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
... that to have nothing is to possess all,
... that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
... that to give is to receive
... that the valley is the place of vision.
LORD, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
... and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
... thy life in my death,
... thy joy in my sorrow,
... thy grace in my sin,
... thy riches in my poverty,
... thy glory in my valley.

This chapter refers to the city of Jerusalem as "the valley of vision," because God reveals Himself to His people here. Isn't it interesting to find the words "valley" and "vision" in the same sentence? How can one see anything from a valley -- unless the Lord reveals it? Think about it … most of us would not go to the lowest place to see. But isn't this exactly the way the Lord works?

Think about the valleys in your own life. Isn't in the valleys where you grow the most?

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

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Thank You Lord for sending Your light into even our darkest valleys. Help us to alwyas choose You, to bow low before You.

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Nov 16,2006
Strong Winds

Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.

The image of a strong wind blowing a ship. Strong winds can be very turbulent. Have you ever been on a ship during a storm?

If I were on a ship in a storm, I know my first tendency would be to grab for the rudder -- the control -- and hang on tight.

It's our natural inclination to try to control and manipulate, especially in a strong wind or storm.

This is just the opposite of what the Lord tells us. We need to give the rudder -- the control -- to Him. He alone knows the way thru the strong winds, thru the turbulence, thru the storm.

This need to be in control can prevent us from receiving all that God has for us. Today surrender all to Him, be fully obedient.

For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.

... To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

Thank You Lord that You are always in control. When we find ourselves 'sailing' thru a storm, remind each of us of this. Help us 'take our hands off the rudder' and surrender control to You. Help each of us rest in the knowledge that You are sovereign and Your plans are best.

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Nov 15,2006
Behold the Lamb

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Why does a particular kind of Christian personality-type appear so eager to see God wipe people out? Why are some self-proclaimed prophets overly keen to see blood (but never their own!) spilt in the name of the wrath and judgement of God?

"I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live." (Ezekiel 33.11)

" 'Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?' But He turned and rebuked them, and said, 'You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.' " (Luke 9.54)

"The Lord...is not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3.9)

It will be given to few of God's "mouths" in the Last Days to proclaim the holy and just judgements of the Lord. And the validity of the prophecy will be determined by the conditon of the prophet. If he lusts and craves for the destruction he predicts to take place, then he is not true. The authentic will be exactly like the Prophet Amos, who upon "seeing" the severe chastisements of God coming upon Israel, cried out on two occasions,

"Lord God, please pardon...please stop! How can Jacob stand, for he is small?" The Bible records that "the Lord changed His mind...relented...about this. 'It shall not be,' said the Lord." (Amos 7.1-7)

In the Last Days the true seers will be found (after much searching) on their faces, employing their own poor, salty tears holding back the flood-tide of God's just judgement, which they know only too well must in the end break through into history.

This 'rings' so true. It also seems to be an answer to my question about the dogs.

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

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Nov 13,2006
Send Your Fire

Psalm 118:27-29
The LORD is God,
and He has made His light shine upon us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will give you thanks;
You are my God, and I will exalt You.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His love endures forever!

Holy Spirit send your fire, send your oil

Breathe the breath of life

Mighty wind blow

Blow across the gardens

Sweet fragrance blown, carried and spread abroad

Mighty wind blow where you will

Sweet fragrance, sweet incense, let it rise

Let it rise, a pleasing sacrifice.

Holy Spirit send your fire, send your oil

Breathe the breath of life

Sweet fragrance, sweet incense, let it rise

Breathe the sweet fragrance of life

The aroma of Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15

But thanks be to God,

who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and

through us spreads everywhere

the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

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Nov 13,2006
Who Is the Dog?

Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.

This parable is interesting in light of the warnings about dogs. This catches my attention:

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Nov 10,2006
Hidden Treasure

Accept the Word
Incline your ear to wisdom
Apply your heart to understanding
Seek as if seeking silver
Search as if searching for hidden treasure
Ask, Seek, Knock and you will find

The Spirit searches all things, knows all things
Deep hidden treasures of God
The Spirit of truth guides
Guides on every good path
Guides on ways previously unknown

No eye has seen
No ear perceived
No mind the glorious riches of Christ has conceived
But to those who love the Lord
Who trust in Him completely

Hidden treasure is revealed
Ask, Seek, Knock and you will find
All things opened to you
The mystery of God in Christ's mind.

The greatest treasure we can find is Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Proverbs 2:1-5
My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,
and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"—
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

John 16:13-15
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

Colossians 2:2-3
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
... we have the mind of Christ.

Promises kept. Hope renewed. Blend with the new song that he sings for you. Greet this day with joy. Be not afraid. He has redeemed. Glory streams from heaven. Grace has not forgotten. Break the bread. Drink the wine. He touched. Kneel before the risen Lord. Heavenly host sing hallelujah! He is Holy. There is gold midst the hay. Smell the aroma of life. Be near us. Bless the children. Call to the Lord of all creation. Hear his word given to your heart. Sorrow is left in the dust. Run to worship. The throne awaits you. He can hear your steps in the hall of faith. Your treasure will not rust. It is hidden under wings at the seat of mercy. Your gift is received. Winter winds will not move you from Holy fire. The waters stir. Break forth! Pain and promise meet. The curse is broken. Blessing! That Holy night is a glorious never-ending day. Hear the angels sing to the family. Seek! Sister and Brother sing with them. We see the tree of life. Fathers have faith. Mothers ponder this Word. We circle at the cradle of living fellowship. Let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Taste the good things of the Merciful One. Noel! Noel!

Isaiah 42:9-10
Behold, the former things have come to pass,
Now I declare new things;
Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
Sing His praise from the end of the earth!

The hiding place, the secret place within the Lord's manifest presence; this is the place where hidden things spring forth and are revealed. Do you not perceive them?

Declare His praise!
Sing to the Lord a new song
Let it spring forth
Rivers in the desert
Drink to His chosen people
The work of His hands
Sing to the Lord a new song
Accept the Word
Incline your ear
Hidden treasure is revealed
Ask, Seek, Knock and you will find
All things opened to you
The mystery of God in Christ's mind
Declare His praise!
Sing to the Lord a new song.

Isaiah 43:18-21
Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
The beasts of the field will glorify Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My chosen people.
The people whom I formed for Myself
Will declare My praise.

Isaiah 48:6-7
You have heard; look at all this.
And you, will you not declare it?
I proclaim to you new things from this time,
Even hidden things which you have not known.
They are created now and not long ago;
And before today you have not heard them,
So that you will not say, 'Behold, I knew them.'

Psalm 19:14 (The Message)
11-14 There's more: God's Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
Keep me from stupid sins,
from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

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Nov 9,2006
Peace, Peace They say

Watch out for the dogs
These dogs with mighty appetites
Always hungry
They all turn to their own way
Each seeks his own gain
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'Peace, Peace' they say
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But there is no peace to be found
No balm in Gilead
No physician there
No healing
Wounds go undressed

Seek the Lord while He may be found
Stand at the crossroads and look
ASK for the ancient paths
ASK for the way that is good
ASK and then walk in His way
ASK and follow His lead don't be afraid.
He IS peace, He IS the way

Stand at the crossroads and choose today
Choose Jesus
He is the Way!

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An interesting 'string of coincidences' ...

I woke up this morning from a dream where I was being chased by dogs. This was so vivid. It may have been on my mind because a few weeks ago the Lord used the following as a warning to direct someone's path, it clearly showed which way the Lord wanted them to turn. He clearly directed them away from a path that I believe would have led to their destruction.

Philippians 3:2
Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.

This together with that dream prompted me to look up more scripture on dogs. This is what I found:

Isaiah 56:9-12
Come, all you beasts of the field,
... come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
Israel's watchmen are blind,
... they all lack knowledge;
... they are all mute dogs,
... they cannot bark;
... they lie around and dream,
... they love to sleep.
They are dogs with mighty appetites;
... they never have enough.
... They are shepherds who lack understanding;
... they all turn to their own way,
... each seeks his own gain.
"Come," each one cries, "let me get wine!
... Let us drink our fill of beer!
... And tomorrow will be like today,
... or even far better."

Doesn't this sound like 'prosperity preaching'?

"Tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant."

or
'Peace, Peace' they say ...

Jeremiah 6:13-14
From the least to the greatest,
... all are greedy for gain;
... prophets and priests alike,
... all practice deceit.
They dress the wound of my people
... as though it were not serious.
... 'Peace, peace,' they say,
... when there is no peace.

Jeremiah 8:20-22
"The harvest is past,
... the summer has ended,
... and we are not saved."
Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;
... I mourn, and horror grips me.
Is there no balm in Gilead?
... Is there no physician there?
... Why then is there no healing
... for the wound of my people?

Small Straws In A Soft Wind
by Marsha Burns

November 9, 2006: I have made a way in the wilderness, a path in your desert, that will lead to your destiny. You can choose to not move forward and stay where you are, or you can take the first step and then one step at a time after that in achieving your purpose in My kingdom, says the Lord. You are virtually at a crossroads, and things will never be the same again. You have choices to make; be wise, and follow My leading in every situation. Seek Me for direction and wisdom, and I will show you the way. Do not be afraid.

Psalms 78:52
But He made His own people go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

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Jeremiah 6:16
This is what the LORD says:
... "Stand at the crossroads and look;
... ask for the ancient paths,
... ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
... and you will find rest for your souls."

Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
... call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way
... and the evil man his thoughts.
... Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
... and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

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Nov 5,2006
Harvest Fire

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Nov 3,2006
Wave of the Spirit

Job 39:19
Do you give the horse his strength
or clothe his neck with a flowing mane (thunder)?

2 Samuel 5:20
'As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me.'

Isaiah 28:16,21
So this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
       See, I lay a stone in Zion,
       a tested stone,
       a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
       the one who trusts will never be dismayed.

The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim,
       he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon—
       to do his work, his strange work,
       and perform his task, his alien task.

2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

The imagery of the above verses describe the strength and power the goes along with a move or wave of the Holy Spirit. The strength and power of the white 'war horse', and a 'mighty thundering wave of water'. WOW!

David said the above verse (2 Sam 5:20). So that place was called 'Baal Perazim'. David named the place ba'al_peratsiym (in Hebrew). He gave the place a name taken from the Philistine language and culture - calling Jehovah 'Baal Perazim' or 'Lord of the Breakthrough', possessor of the breaches.

Only the solid foundation of God -- only those with the seal of the Lord. The verse from 2 Timothy 2:19 goes with the cleansing power of this mighty wave. All that is not of the Lord will be washed away.

Isaiah 28:1-2
Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim's drunkards,
       to the fading flower, his glorious beauty,
       set on the head of a fertile valley—
       to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!
See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong.
       Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind,
       like a driving rain and a flooding downpour,
       he will throw it forcefully to the ground.

Revelation 19:6
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.