DOUBT, DO WITHOUT!!

Has God ever told you something and you know without a shadow of a doubt that he told you? Then you find yourself questioning it a few days or weeks later? I know this has happened to me many times in the course of my walk with him. Matter of fact it happened just last week.

I love the way God has a way of opening our eyes to our shortcomings, not to judge us or make us feel condemned, because He is a loving God and only wants the best for us, sometimes it hurts when we do see where we have missed it.

I had just been in the midst of praying and I was questioning something he had told me a few times over that was going to come about in my life. (Sometimes we worry too much about where we are going, in life instead of stopping and enjoying the very present moment of where God has us)

As I got into my living room (I pace when I pray) I heard a loud voice in my spirit, “DOUBT DO WITHOUT”.

Well the truth of the matter is that I did not put two and two together at the time, it was a few days later as I was studying out the word “doubt” that I saw this study was for me (as usual) and it was connected to the questioning I had done that day. Sometimes we sheep are not only a bit stupid, but we are slow also.

So with that I want to share with you all, as I know there will be a few that can relate to this.

This study has a few rabbit trails so hopefully you will not get lost.

Our study starts in Matt.8:23-27(calming of the storm) up to this point the only disciples that were with Jesus were 4, Peter being one of them. (Matt 4:18-21)There was Jesus asleep and a storm comes and the disciples were all afraid, so they awoke him and said LORD we are going to perish! Here is the first account in the gospel of Matthew where Jesus says why are you fearful O ye of little faith? This is the start of a journey of not only one mans lack of faith, but a few  as they walked with Jesus,  we will go through this account and see this man Peter and how he was towards Jesus.

It seemed that Peter was the one always in the forefront of each scenario.

So as we trail off to chapter 9 of Matt. We see in verse 9 Matthew is called, and then it is in chapter 10:1-5 that all 12 disciples are assembled.

Back to chapter 8

 Mat 8:26 and he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

 That means “puny faith”, this was the first statement from Jesus concerning their lack of faith. If you read the book of Matthew you will see the big picture. Chapters 8-14 are about some parables, and then there was a life raised from the dead, healing and deliverances. As we get to chapter 14 we see the feeding of the 5000,now this is amazing as I thought on this, all they had was 5 loaves and two fishes, now remember there were woman and children BESIDES the 5000 men, that is a lot of people to eat off of 5 loaves of bread and two fishes!! And then there were fragments that were left over enough to fill 12 baskets full!! Wow!! How could the disciples possibly not have faith after that?

As we go down to verse 22 in the same chapter, we see another scenario very similar to chapter 8, but this time Jesus is not asleep on the boat but he is walking on the sea towards them, and of course they were all afraid.

Mat 14:26  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

Mat 14:27  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Mat 14:28  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

It is Peter who answers Jesus and says… if it be you let me come on the water, that sounds a bit like doubt, And of course when he got his eyes on the winds and the big waves he started to sink, well we all know that if we take our eyes of the Master in any of our given situations we will sink!!

Praise God! Jesus always has his hand extended to catch us when we fall!!

Mat 14:31  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

So here is the scene, the same day that Jesus fed the 5ooo with only 5 loaves and two fish was the same time that they entered the ship, then evening came and the storm was present. Where the heck was their faith??

I do not want to be so bold or nervy to say that I sure would of  walked on the water without any doubt, but really after seeing all those people fed with only two fishes and 5 loafs of bread, I would think that Peter would have had more faith! As we will see though Peter is an example to all of us how we waver with our faith towards God, maybe some of you can say you do not waver, and that is good, I know I cannot say that, I very much can relate to Peter and how he thinks, praise God there is hope for people like me!!

So let us look at the meaning of the word Doubt and then ask “why did Peter doubt”?

Doubt-to mentally waver(in opinion) comes from the meaning “twice” primary numeral “two”, It means “double standing” (implying uncertainty, which way to take (believers who faith is small)”to hesitate” “stagger”

Jas 1:2  Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;

Jas 1:3  Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience.

Jas 1:4  And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.

Jas 1:5  But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

Jas 1:7  For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord;

Jas 1:8  a double minded man, unstable in all his ways.

I know James was one of the disciples on that boat, and I was thinking as I read this in James that he must have been thinking about Peter when he wrote this, how that night on the boat was all about faith, so he used it as an analogy to compare what doubt is like, surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

Then we have the faith of Abraham;

Rom 4:18  Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Rom 4:19  And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb;

Rom 4:20  yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God,

Rom 4:21  and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

It is possible to have a strong faith, I know for myself something has happened to me after going through his study, my faith has increased, the story of the disciples is there not to only tell us of the accounts of Jesus, but they are our example, they were human and had jobs just like us, and families like us.

So why did Peter doubt?

I believe he doubted because Peter was to much of a thinker, he was torn between the supernatural and the reality of life, just as the meaning of the word doubt means to mentally waver in opinion, that is exactly what he did, he tried to figure it out, I believe Peter was carnal, there had not yet been a conversion with him (as we will see further into this study) he reasoned in his mind, but faith does not reason, faith is action!! As soon as we start to reason, we have entered the “doubt” realm, the place where NOTHING HAPPENS!!!!

I know I am guilty of this even after 29 years of walking with God, now I can say, but Peter had no excuse because he was walking side by side with the Master, after all he saw him, touched him, spoke with Him followed him in the flesh for 3 years, if the mind is not renewed and the heart is not exposed to see its true colors, then we will always lack the faith.  Glory to God, we are on a journey and God is leading us to greater things, greater faith! He sees mans frailties and is patient with us because he looks at the heart and sees the hunger.

So lets travel to chapter 15:15-16 we have Jesus talking to the Pharisees and he is addressing their hypocrisy. As he is explaining to the multitudes, he says “Hear and understand” vs. 10.Then we see in verse 15 Peter asks Jesus to declare to them the meaning of the parable. Jesus response was “are you also without understanding? I wonder if Jesus was getting a bit impatient, with them and there lack of faith and understanding?

The word understanding there means-mental perception, and apprehension to perceive with thought, discern, reflect.

It is almost like Jesus is saying can you just use your noggin and think a bit and even reflect over the last few days and see all that my Father in heaven has done around you!, I know he probably did not have that attitude ,but I think I may of thought like that if I was Jesus.

No sooner after that account of the walking on the water feeding the 5000, do we see another account of the feeding of the 4000.Matt. 15:32-39

Here they question him again!!! Mat 15:33 and the disciples say unto him, whence should we have so many loaves in a desert place as to fill so great a multitude?

Thank God I am not Jesus because truthfully I think I would be slapping them up the side of the head by now!! (Just kidding) So then we go onto chapter 16:5-12 here they forgot to take bread when they got to other side, and Jesus warns them about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, again they were void of understanding and lack of faith! Jesus goes on to remind them of the miracle of the feeding and how it was not reflecting that at all but that he was referring to the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 Mat 16:7  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no bread.

Mat 16:8  And Jesus perceiving it said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have no bread?

I think up to this point Jesus finally thought I have to ask them “who do you say that I am”? Of course Jesus perceives everything, he is God after all, but He challenged them, it allowed them to do a bit of soul searching and say “I am following this man who does miracles and heals, and I find I am still lacking the faith to believe in Him”.

And of course it is Peter who speaks up and says, “Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living GOD”

Mat 16:17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.

Mat 16:18  And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Mat 16:19  I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

So here we see Peter had a “light bulb” experience, or as we say it a revelation. Even though he wavered back and forth with his faith it was here  that the  Father revealed to him that Jesus was the Christ, but no sooner did he jump back into the carnal reasoning and try to correct Jesus in saying He would not suffer,Matt.16:21-28.

Back to the name change, Jesus saw the character change in Peter, he does not see who we are so much but who we will become, thank God for that, He takes us the way we are and he changes us into what he wants us to be. Peter means “rock” Jesus was prophesying to Simon Bar-jona, Has God told you things about yourself things he sees you accomplishing? Promises? I am sure he has, now hang on to those “Rehmas” and speak them, pray them and believe them!

Jesus was declaring to Peter  the authority that  he would be given, keys represent authority, but Jesus knew Peter was going to go through some rough waters before he actually walked in the greater revelation of knowing Him.

Ok so now hopping over to chapter 17 we see the transfiguration and the scene where the disciples could not cast out the demon. The reason I am showing you each experience with the disciples is to see how they really had no excuse to their lack of faith, but at the same time I do not want to sound like if I was in their shoes I sure would have faith, because the truth is I do not know how I would respond seeing what they saw.

 So the disciples could not cast out the devil, now Jesus is saying faithless, not little faith, that is  the opposite of little faith at least with “little faith” you have some faith, but now he is telling them they have no faith, which is the meaning of an unbeliever!

Mat 17:16  And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

Mat 17:17  And Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him hither to me.

Mat 17:18  And Jesus rebuked him; and the demon went out of him: and the boy was cured from that hour.

They asked why could we not cast out the devil?

Mat 17:20  And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

 That word unbelief, is the same meaning as “O faithless”-the act of disbelieving, the lack of acknowledgement of Christ, It means disobedience.

Unbelief is disobedience! It is an act, just like faith is an act, so if we choose to act out of unbelief we are sinning!

Now Jesus says in the last verse “howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. In other words if you are having a problem with believing, Jesus says pray and fast! I know for years I was taught that it was the demon that comes out with pray and fasting but that is not what it means. If you look at Isa. 58 the fasting chapter, and read about the fast that God has chosen you will see that in verse 7 of that chapter it says the kind of fast that God has chosen is to not hide thyself from thy own flesh. Fasting with prayer will deliver your flesh creature of not only unbelief but of many other critters that oppose the way of Jesus!

Let us look more closely at “if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed” Now I have also been taught that if your faith is as small as the seed of a mustard you can do anything! First of all if my faith was as small as that seed then I would see more happening, I think. If you look at the actual seed and see how it is the smallest of seeds in the garden, but when it is planted in rich soil it will reproduce with extraordinary rapidity, and it will grow out of all the other plants 10-12 ft high!

Do you understand? Read the parable of the sower Matt.13, It is all about the soil! If your heart is  the soil and your soil is fat and rich and healthy your faith will grow into such a bigger and greater faith! Break up your fallow ground, there are a lot of hearts that the ground is hard and crusty, a heart that does not want to change is not a good state to be in ,nothing will grow in that kind of soil!!

Jer 4:1  If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

Jer 4:2  And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

Jer 4:3 For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

Jer 4:4 circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

››››Keep this scripture in mind.‹‹‹‹‹

Jesus used these analogies in the word to say the “the kingdom of God is likened to a grain of mustard seed”

If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed. These are comparisons, so we have to look at how that seed functions, it is not how small it is but how big it grows.

Ok so now we can go to chapter 21:18-22 and we have the account of the unfruitful fig tree; Jesus curses it because there was no fruit on it, and the disciples marveled.

 Mat 21:20 and when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, how soon is the fig tree withered away!

Mat 21:21  Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

Mat 21:22 and all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

The word doubt there means-oppose, (by implying to decide) denoting a channel or act, conclude

So in other words  you decide to believe in your heart anything is possible, but you have to decide, make a choice, which you will act in … faith or unbelief.

Remember faith is action; doubt is reasoning and mulling things over to long in your mind until you no longer believe, and SEE NOTHING!!!

Turn to Matt.26:31-46, it is the account of Peter telling the LORD that he will not deny Him, so spoke all the disciples. Then in verses 36-46 is the account where Peter could not keep his eyes open for one hour in the garden of Gethsemane. We see the weakness of the human nature thus far in not only Peter but many of the disciples, and how quick Peter was to speak of his commitment to Jesus. It was up to that point that Peter saw himself for who he really was. In Luke 22 is the only account where Jesus says that Satan wants to sift Peter.

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Notice Jesus never called him Peter, Peter, why? Because Simon means “to hear” intelligently, obedience, consider, carefully.

In other words, LISTEN TO WHAT I AM SAYING!!!! Up to this point Peter had not gotten it, Jesus was wanting his full obedient attention ,as he was about to go through something, that something was a whole lot of shaken!!

Now Notice Jesus did not say he was going to deliver him from the grip of Satan, but that his faith fail not, Peters weakness was his lack of faith, but Jesus was going to pray for him, that his faith fail not, did you know Jesus is interceding on the right hand of the Father for you that your faith fail not? Glory to God we have an advocate who continually stands in the gap for us! 1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Peter was going to have to go through that sifting, I know that because Jesus says “when you are converted” there can be no conversion less there is a sifting! What was Peter’s conversion, and when did it happen? First let us look at the meaning of the word, Converted- to revert, to turn, revolution; revolution in the Webster’s Dict. means this; the act of revolving, one complete turn, any fundamental complete change. Peter had a mental change,(the mental change came after the weeping bitterly) when he denied the LORD, three times it was after he remembered the words of Jesus and he wept bitterly. Wept-means to wail out loud, bitterly- means violently.

Mat 26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

Mat 26:70 but he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

Mat 26:71 and when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

Mat 26:72 and again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

Mat 26:73 and after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.

Mat 26:74 then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

Mat 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Peter repented, that is what converted means. He was converted when he saw the state of his heart and how he had rejected the Christ the One he followed for 3 years or so, and watched this man who knew to do miracles. Have you ever repented with wailing and bitterness? I know I have and after it was then that there was a revolution. You see it is after we are converted that we can strengthen our brethren; it is then that we can encourage and identify with one another. This was Peter’s time where he broke up his fallow ground (remember Jer.4:1-4).

There is so much more we could talk about on faith and doubt, I know for me my heart has not only been changed in this writing, but has been strengthen by Peter, knowing that the disciples were just like us, and if they can overcome so can we, let us go onto greater faith believing and trusting in the One we serve and knowing that he will always get us to destination.

In His Service

      Michele

THE THINGS THAT ARE PREPARED

It seemed wherever I read or whatever I watched I saw the scripture 1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

It seemed to me the LORD was trying to show me something, and as usual I sought Him concerning it and as usual I was a bit frustrated, in not hearing right away. So on Wedsday morning of this week he spoke to me in the morning and said, “For such a time as this have you been brought into the kingdom of God” Then I heard “Esther”

Well that took me on a very quick study as I was planning on sharing this on Fridays meeting, The LORD is always faithful to supply! What I was hearing the LORD say was that “It is time for my church to prepare, so that they can receive what I have prepared”. Church do you know what God has prepared for you?

If we look at the context of 1Cor. We see Paul was addressing not a spiritual people but a people who were still carnal, (1 cor.3) In verse 12 of chapter 1 it says we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Then in vs.14 he says but the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolish to him neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned.

Let me ask again do you know the things the LORD has prepared for you?

Are you spiritual or carnal? If you are spiritual then you will know the things God has prepared for you. The natural mind cannot even begin to sort out let alone understand what those things are, we have to be spiritual to hear and see. Just because you are saved and can talk about the LORD and know a bit of bible does not make you spiritual!

What God has prepared for us can only be received if we get ourselves to be spiritual; the problem is that many Christians are still yet carnal. So let us look at what he is saying in all this, the word prepares means:

PREPARED-2090-“TO PREPARE”,MAKE READY,OF THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ORDAINED BY God, future positions of authority, the coming kingdom, salvation personified in Christ, future blessing, divine judgments on the world, a preparation of oneself for every  good work.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.

2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge (cleanse thoroughly) himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

We are being prepared for good works in the Kingdom of God, if a person purge himself of these things he will be meet for the Masters use, what was Timothy meaning there? Purge thyself from what things? Words, profane and vain babblings. The foundation of Christ is sure and the LORD knows them that are his. In a great house (church) there are many types of Christians, but the ones who are purged from these things will be used for the Masters use, and prepared for every good work, Glory!! Are you willing to purge yourself so  that you will be brought into the things God has prepared for you, this is the work that is happening in the body of Christ at this hour, may we have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying for us in this time of the kingdom living!

Luke 1:17  And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared(make ready, prepared, of preparing oneself for war), for the Lord. Here it is talking about repentance.

The message of repentance is ringing in the land, not once again, but is always ringing; the problem is not everyone is willing to answer. Those who hear his heart in this hour are being prepared, a people who are made ready.

Let us go to the book of Mat 22:2 the kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

Mat 22:3 and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Mat 22:4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

Mat 22:5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise :( read the rest 6-14)

One of the things God has prepared is his dinner, (comes from a meaning best) (God has prepared the best for those who were invited) at the marriage for his son, many were called but they were busy, this is how it is today, the marriage of the Saviour is here, the dinner which is the communion of fellowship the getting acquainted with the Bridegroom is waiting but everyone is to busy. How sad the dad must feel no one wants to come and fellowship with his son, everyone is too busy building their ministries, everyone is to busy tending to their families, to busy cause they have to work, to busy cause they have to take care of the affairs around them to busy cause they are worrying about their lives here, and what their futures hold, they are just to busy! Those that were invited did not want to come, many are called few are chosen, If we so neglect the call of the LORD, he  will bid others who will answer the call.

Mat 22:11 and when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment

Garment- apparel (literally or figuratively): - array, clothe (with), endue, have (put) on.

A primary preposition denoting (fixed) position

The guest that tried to stay at the wedding was not endued with a fixed position in Christ; he was trying to be a part of the wedding without the requirements of proper attire. How dare we thing we can be a part of the wedding and not take the responsibilities of being dressed for the occasion!

Rev 19:7 let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made she ready.

Rev 19:8 and to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, these are the true sayings of God.

The true bride will make herself ready, she will not resist in getting ready, she will take care as to prepare herself  she will array herself in fine linen,(righteousness, not her own righteousness for they are but filthy rags, but the righteousness of her Saviour)

Zep 1:6 and them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.

Zep 1:7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.

Zep 1:8  And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.

Strange -Adulterous, different, - alien, foreigner, strange (-r, woman). (Prov.23:33; Prov.5:3; Prov.2:16 Pro 23:33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Pro 5:3 for the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

Let me at this point say the strange woman is the false word, false teaching that is roaming in the Christian circle, it is words spoken that Jesus never spoke, or words taken out of context, it is the false church the religious system, it is the covering of adulterated words!

Zep 1:9 in the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

Zep 1:10  And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

Zep 1:11  Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.

Zep 1:12  And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.

There is complacency in the church, a message of comfort, numbness to the truth, laziness, no fear of God. To be settled on your lees is not to care, or be concerned. That is the present state of the church, but it is not the present state of the bride, as she is busy getting ready for the marriage to her Groom!

The ten virgins; five were ready five were not ;( read the whole parable)

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Mat 25:2 and five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Mat 25:3 they that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Mat 25:5 while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Mat 25:6 and at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Mat 25:7 then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

Mat 25:8 and the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

Mat 25:9 but the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

Mat 25:10 and while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready (same meaning as prepared) went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Mat 25:12 but he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Isa 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Isa 61:11 for as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Jewels-(to complete, prepare, accomplish, something prepared that is any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress. Vessel or weapon) armor.

The bride will prepare herself as a vessel for her King.

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

We are a holy city, a royal people, who should be adorned as a bride!

Why do we need to prepare?

For such a time as this, have you been brought into the Kingdom!!

Which brings us to the story of a woman who could probably never imagined what the future held for her.

Here is a King who had a feast to show the riches of his glorious kingdom and excellent majesty, he invited both great and small. (1:1-5)

(Keep in mind the similarities as to what the LORD has been saying thus far)

Queen Vashti refuses the command of the King, so in the place of the Queen the king’s servants suggest that they gather up all the young virgins and bring them to the palace to be prepared for the King. Esther was pleasant from the very beginning, she found favor with the keeper of the women, and she had not even seen the king yet. Due to the kindness she obtained from him, she was given things for the purification; this lasted for 12 months according to the manner of the women, six months with oil and myrrh and six months with sweet odors and with other things for purification. When she was brought to the King, the King loved her (2:17) Above all women she found favor and love.

Let me at this point say that if we as the bride purify ourselves of the things of this world and the things that weigh us down, and things that are not truth, we will find  favor and grace. We are being purified for things that God has prepared that is beyond our understanding, we will be prepared for things that we cannot even begin to imagine, for such a time as this have you been brought into the Kingdom of God, it is very important that you search your hearts and see if you have been wasting time in the things that God has not prepared, but have been prepared by man.

Esther was brought into the palace for such a time to see the Jews, her family set free from their enemy, Esther chose to take a stand no matter what the cost,(4:16) (4:11)

As she ended a three day fast she put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the kings house, now remember she was not suppose to be there, she could of died, but she put on her royal apparel!! Glory to God!! She knew her position, she knew in her heart she reigned because of the favor and the preparation that had taken place. She knew the realm in which she abided in!

Royal-a rule, a dominion empire, kingdom realm, reign

5:2 says and it was so (to come to pass) because of her purification and readiness, which gave her the favor, it came to pass that the King granted her favor.

Three times the King asked her “what is your petition”? Know to day church that as you purify your hearts and lives that the King of Kings will grant you favor and delight in you to bring about all that he has prepared for you , for such a time as this have you been brought into the kingdom of your God!

So because of this there was a feast prepared in honor of the victory (9:17-22); 26-28)

This was the feast of Purim, it was not one of the national feasts but it is still recognized today amongst the Jews, the spiritual reality of the feast represents the principal of Jesus delivering his people.

The ‘Feast of Purim’ represents the principle of Yahweh delivering Israel. The principle of deliverance can be traced throughout the scriptures.

Israel was in bondage to sin and death under the Law of Moses and it was the Messiah’s job to deliver Israel from this psychological death (Gal. 4:3-5). He was the sacrificial lamb that brought an end to sin (Jn. 1:29).

It was the Messiah’s resurrection and outpouring of the Holy Spirit that regenerated the human soul. Israel rejoiced at being released from Haman’s death decree. Likewise, all of mankind rejoiced that the Messiah redeemed us from the curse of spiritual death that we were under as a result of Adam’s and Eve’s transgression. Paul said that the Messiah would: “…deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Heb 2:15).” In principle, we can see that anytime we are delivered from an adversity in life, which has us in bondage, this is truly the ‘Feast of Purim’ for each of us.

I find it truly amazing how God works, because when I received this from Him I did not know the month of March is the time of celebrating this feast (the month of Adar is March), So I hear the LORD saying this is a time to be joyful as you are being purged from the things that hold you back, and celebrate that you are being prepared for the things that he has prepared for you, because you love him!!

In His service Michele