Category: Getting Help

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HOLY SMOKE!

(A Powerful Shifter)

By: Praying Shepherdess

Approximate read time: 3-4 minutes

No, No, No! Don’t put out this fire! Get out the firepan (for holding live coals)!

Intercession, prayer, pleading or making request before Abba (our Heavenly Father), CAN make a BIG difference! It’s one “column of clean smoke” you don’t want to snuff out! Take a look at this:

I looked for a man among them who would make up the hedge and stand in the gap before Me for the land so I would not destroy it, but I found none…Ezekiel 22:30

Check this out:

Aaron intercedes (to go or come between) for a rebellious complaining people, running through the crowd with a fire-pan that has incense burning on it. With that act, a plague, that has already killed 14,700 people is stopped! Numbers 16:46-50 (17:11-15 Hebrew Bible format)

Abraham intercedes for any righteous people who might be living in Sodom. The angels agree. There weren’t ten righteous, but before destroying the city, the angels did bring Lot and part of his family out. Genesis 18:23-33 (19:15-17 Hbf)

Moses intercedes many times for a rebellious complaining people with the effect of God averting the deserved judgment! Numbers 11:1,2, 12:11-15, 14:11-20, 21:7-9, Exodus 32:11-14 (to name a few)

Fast forward:

Time of great tribulation – we see the firepans/censers and incense again. Revelation 5:8, 8:3,4

They are mentioned before the seals are opened, and again before the trumpets are sounded.

The prayers/intercessions of the righteous are caused to ascend with the smoke of the incense to be presented to God. Revelations 8:3,4

Could we possibly make a difference in the outcome of some things?

Are the prayers of the humble remnant a part of why/how there is a shortening of the time of tribulation, and/or some other aspect of the “wrap-up?” (See Matthew 24:22, Mark 13:20) Just a thought.

Think about this:

It was prophesied, as instructed by YHWH, accounted in the book of Jonah, that Ninevah would be destroyed for its wickedness. In response the people in Ninevah turned from their wickedness. YHWH forgave them, and God’s judgment was averted.

When Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s tree stump dream, Daniel counseled Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:24) to turn from his sins and to reach out the poor and needy (signifying his heart truly was aligning with God. See Isaiah 58,🕐 1:27, 5:16, II Samuel 22:21). Daniel let him know that his turning from sin and turning to God’s ways perhaps would avert the judgment that had been revealed to him in the dream.

Think of this:

In light of Ezekial 22:30, is it possible that the prayers of Stephen, requesting, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” “moved” God to extend His grace and invitation to Saul, a zealous murderer of the followers of Yeshua, for a life-changing redemption?! It certainly changed his life for the better, and made life easier for others! Acts 7:58,59, 9:1-22

I’m reminding us that sometimes God will avert His judgment because someone is interceding.

The plea of a righteous person is very powerful, working effectively! James/Yaacob 5:16c

(I have heard someone teach, though, that when a “Woe” is pronounced it is a sure thing; the judgment will happen.)

So, on the “other side” of the firepan, God has made mankind with a free-will, freedom of choice. He still honors that installment today.

What we loose on earth is loosed in heaven. What we bind on earth is bound in heaven. That’s why what happened to Ahab happened to him! He continually chose to follow evil (was in agreement with), and the court of heaven finally issued a “warrant for his arrest” (demise, done, dead – No more)! I Kings 16:30-33, 21:25,26, 22:19-22, II Chronicles 18:18-21, Matthew 18:18

As it says in Ezekiel 22:31, 33:20, Zechariah 1:6, Revelations 18:6 (and dozens of other places), God gives back to us according to our own choosing. He is righteous in doing so! Revelations 16:6,7, 19:2…

And yet,

He desires that each of us turn from those things in our lives that don’t line up with His heart, His mind, His will, His ways.

He encourages us to “CHOOSE LIFE!”

And, it seems that He is often open to the opportunities that come when someone chooses to intercede for those who are in danger, or heading in a dangerous direction!

We see these things in Deut 30:15-20, Ezek 22:30, 21:30,32, 18:23,32, 33:11

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, says Adonai YHWH, and not that he should return from his ways and live?!…

For I have no pleasure in the death of the one who dies, says Adonai YHWH. Therefore, turn yourselves back and live!

The last part of Ezekial 22:30 is the “kicker:”

…I found no one

[to stand in the gap; to come in between the offender and the effect he has coming to him; to intercede; to pray]

therefore I have poured out My indignation upon them.

D i d y o u h e a r t h a t?!

…therefore [because no one was willing to intercede] I have poured out my indignation upon them.

Some sobering things to consider.

Would we be willing to humble ourselves before God and say, with Isaiah,

I am unclean!

And then, as God is graciously cleansing us and inviting us to serve Him in His kingdom, to say,

Here I am, Lord –

USE ME!

If we would stand in the gap, whose life might be changed for the better, and those around him?

What tremendous impact could we have for, and what delight could we bring to our deserving King?!

********************

Pass it on!

Copyright: Praying Shepherdess

This article may be shared only in entirety, or excerpts (which maintain author’s concept), changing nothing, and with entire copyright and permission notice included,

and only for free,

and is granted only to anyone wanting to share the awesomeness of our Creator, the supernatural God of the Bible, YHWH Tsebaoth!

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Discipleship Getting Help Holy Spirit Kingdom of God Ministry

Changing Life Seasons

Photo by Andreas Dress, on Unsplash.com

In a recent exploration among fellow Spiritual Companions, I described my current cycles of growth where I felt aerated—like ground broken up for planting fresh crops—good and necessary for the long term and a difficult process in the moment.

I’m getting older and am cutting back on taking on new projects. I am getting help to manage the household; all because I’m discovering that I have less energy than before. Having to make such changes is hard.

Yet, making these changes helps me focus more on my calling to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God that Jesus preaches, and help activate people at The Miracle Café in the highlands of Panama, where people learning how to minister are helping others experience miracles of healing and restoration in other areas of their lives.

Earlier, I knew a transition was in progress for me. At first, it was difficult. More recently, I knew through Holy Spirit that my spirit was confident. Even though my soul—my mind—did not consciously know what the transition was towards.

I guess that’s a sign of growth. There was a time I didn’t trust so well, and I would have tried to insist on knowing what was going on and understanding the process before I would choose to trust the process. Now I trust God more completely. (That is good progress, I am sure of it.)

Feeling like ground that was too hard and not yet ready for planting while being plowed—was still difficult though.

There will be more changes. Change is always in progress. For me, spring is not so far away now. Other seasons will follow.

A deep help for me was being asked key questions and seeking to answer Spiritual Companions and Holy Spirit. Being encouraged helped me put this into words, and I understood with greater awareness and consciousness. Support, friendship, and encouragement helped.

Spiritual Companionship is a great and necessary help for me and all of us. We go through transitions easier and better with such help, even when they are challenging.

Transition and change can be painful, difficult, wonderful, and joyous in any combination. 

Transition is much more productive as we seek help through Holy Spirit, which is often easier and faster when we have the encouragement, help, and support of Spiritual Companions.

We all go through transitions and many changes. It is easier and faster, and more joyous for us with excellent help. Yet, seeking help from Holy Spirit is easy and effective with help from Spiritual Companions.

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Conversation with God Disciple Making Discipleship Evangelize Faith Friendship Getting Help Gospel Jesus Joy Kingdom of God Ministry Prayer

There are Multiple Biblical Ways to Salvation

John Benitez – Unsplash

Those of us who use even a somewhat Evangelical approach to salvation have a few prayers that we encourage so that someone can experience salvation.

The Bible takes a different approach. So much so that the most frequent method to attain salvation in the bible is one I’ve never seen or heard of being used with a potential convert. By hindsight, this is a bit astounding.

Yet in real life, it makes perfect sense. And the usual prayers are used for several good reasons.

It really is wise and good that we get to know more consciously about Jesus, and Jesus as our Lord. And that this be expressed clearly in our prayer.

So what is this most frequently mentioned method of achieving salvation in scriptures that is so unused for making converts? It’s actually a method frequently used by the rest of us.

A very common prayer, used by many of us when we need help, when we need and want to be saved. Just seldom used to help someone become a convert to Christianity.

What is this frequently used approach for getting help when most needed, but seldom if ever used to help someone become a convert?

It’s simply this: call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved.

Biblical theology is probably wider and more inclusive than our theologies. God is certainly more broad minded than we are.

And this illustrates very well how some things are taught about to us and for us in scripture from many angles, in many ways. And we tend to focus on one way, sometimes proof-texting, yet even so, we tend to focus on one very good way. But God and scriptures offers more options than we often think about and sometimes more options than we even normally trust or believe in.

Thank you, Lord, for being so broad minded, for thinking differently than we do, for being more loving and generous than we yet are able to grasp.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for giving us eternity to continue to get to know you and your love. We need you. And we need eternity to explore and learn about your love and your depth. Thank you, Lord!

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Getting Help Healing Holy Spirit Jesus Prayer Prayer, Intercession, Angels,

Jesus Teaches How to Pray

Jesus Teaches us – Intimately and Personally

Jesus will teach you how to pray – if you ask and also pay close attention to whatever it is you experience next. I’m still learning a lot, and he always surprises me. Here’s a recent example.

A good friend was lighting a heater, there was an explosion, and his eyes hurt so much he could not open them. So he went to the hospital emergency room.

I asked Jesus how to pray for him. I saw a thick white line out in front of my eyes; I was seeing through the face of the person who was hurt. Normally, I’d ignore such a strange thing to see, continuing to ask for an answer and looking for one. Which would mean I would miss the answer Jesus had already given.

I’ve learned that the first thing I experience after asking is literally the answer as to how I am to pray. So I prayed by seeing that thick white line in front of my eyes, as I identified as though being the person who was hurt.

This made no sense to me. Even more than usual, this made no sense to me. But I’ve been learning that what I experience first, after asking Jesus how to pray for someone or something – is my answer, and this is literally what I am to do.

This morning the line was far thinner. And I continue to pray this way, seeing that white line, no longer thick, as if through the eyes of my friend who had been hurt. Jesus is healing him.

I also realize that even if I am mistaken in how I am seeing what Jesus says about how to pray, when I pray as I am shown, I am praying with faith.

And I realized my friend is getting better, and I knew he would be okay. And I am to continue to pray this way, enforcing the answer to my question about how to pray in this situation, for this person, until the answer is completely enforced and his healing is complete.

Jesus will also teach me when I’m done, if I am attentive to this issue. He sends Holy Spirit to give me what I need.

And for most of my life I’ve missed the answers he’s given, I suspect, because his answers surprise me so much, seem so unusual and unexpected. And because I had not thought to ask how I should pray; I presumed I knew how to intercede – without asking Jesus and paying close attention to what he says to me through Holy Spirit.

I am slow…but I am learning.

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Getting Help Key Article Kingdom of God Miracles Prayer

Ask for Kingdom Rule

Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God is where everything works the way it did in Paradise, Eden. God rules, with love and gives hope, always.

So when you have a problem or difficulty, Ask for the Kingdom of God to rule in that part of your life. (Or even better – all of your life!)

Expect good miracles.

Expect God’s rule to replace that of Satan’s.

So simple. Easy. Effective!

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Getting Help Hearing God Lessons Ministry Prayer, Intercession, Angels, Success

Ask

Asking Increases the Opportunities for Experiencing Answered Prayers

It’s important to ask God – in many situations.

And I forget, far too often; and sometimes for far too long.

I remember a time when I had a business problem that I had no idea how to handle. I suffered and worried about it for about two weeks. Finally, in frustration, I went for a walk by the river which hear my house.

When I went out the door, it finally occurred to me to ask God for help. I had an intention to ask. (An intention can be a kind of prayer. What happened next is a powerful sign that this is so.)

As soon as I had formed an intention to ask God for help, I got a “download” through Holy Spirit. Suddenly coming into my mind were all the ideas I needed to solve the issues I had been worrying about.

I could not help but think to myself that if I’d only thought of asking earlier, I could have had the help I needed, much sooner.

I was grateful for the help, glad for the ideas that were just what I needed and that I could not come up with by myself.

It also embarrassed me.

And worse, this sort of thing has happened all too often since then.

After 71 years, I finally came to understand that I could and should ask Jesus how to pray for people and for situations. To pay careful attention to what I experienced next, to consider that an answer unless it was against the character of Jesus. So far, it has always been a wonderful answer. And I am responsible to continue praying until that prayer answer is fully enforced. This has changed my life.

Why it took me so long, I have no idea. And I had long wanted to minister like Jesus, doing as I am shown and as I hear. And all I had to do was to ask. (He sometimes answers in other ways, too.)

I’ve had family problems, money problems, health issues, business issues – many problems. I am not the only one – we live in a broken world full of all kinds of problems.

Ask God. Have an intention: ask!

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Create Discipleship Faith Getting Help Hearing God Holy Spirit Intercession Joy Prayer Purpose

Intention & Intuition

Intuition reveals what or how, intention helps you accomplish your target

Here’s an interesting and fun way to look at Intention & Intuition.

From the point of view of how we humans experience things, intention and intuition are the same thing, but going in different directions. Let me explain. And try to put this into words.

Especially when experienced as the Still Small Voice of God, we experience deep intuition as something that comes into us from outside. We receive it on the inside, but it doesn’t really come from us.

We experience intention as something inside us with which we want to use to change the world outside of us.

Intuition comes from outside of us into the deep center of us, often transforming us. Intention goes out through our deep center into the world outside of us, changing the world.

(I’m trying to put into words things that are far deeper than words. Not everyone will describe these experiences the same way.)

Intuition is heard or experienced through our Still Center, a place of stillness that feels like the very center of our being. This is where we experience the Small Still Voice of God. We experience intuition as coming from outside of us into the inside.

Intention is felt or experienced through our Still Center, as something that is already inside of us and with which we intend to affect the universe outside of us. We experience intention ad coming from the inside of us and going out into the world.

It’s an odd and unusual thought, but intuition and intention have far more in common than has been recognized. They might even be the same thing, just coming from and going to opposite directions.

In terms of how humans experience two-way conversation with God, intuition is vital for hearing from God. Praying in the Spirit may be related to intention. I have often prayed with intention, especially after hearing from God.

Hearing from God and praying to God seems very much related to intuition and intention, at least sometimes.

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Discipleship Faith Friendship Getting Help Pain Purpose

Improve & Transform Terrible Memories

Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist - in pictures
Father and son observing Comet Pan-Starrs in Massachusetts

There is a straightforward way to transform terrible memories, which I just recently discovered and noticed through a Facebook friend, Henry Kanu, who lives in Sierra Leone.

This works so well for me because I already have experience with and belief in a particular promise of God: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good”, Romans 8:28a., ESV.

Henry Kanu and I were discussing and exploring this promise, when Holy Spirit prompted me to test this out and prove it to myself – even further.

So I thought of two memories that I considered terrible memories of things I had experienced. (My wife’s unexpected death and a painful childhood time.) Then I applied God’s promise to those two memories.

Remarkably, they no longer seemed like terrible memories; there were just precursors – things that happened first, before God tuned those experiences into good things – which I can now easily notice and appreciate. I am grateful for what has happened.

Applying God’s promise literally transformed the memories from being of things I felt were bad – into memories of how God made good out of those things. I literally remember and experience the blessings that God gave as a result of these experiences.

They no longer were terrible memories for me.

If you have enough experience &/or enough trust in this promise from Romans 8:28a, I believe this transformation can easily happen for you, too.

And if you need more experience with this promise, I recommend you do two things. First, meditate on God’s promise. Second, remember some specific things that are terrible memories, and notice how God turned these experiences into something good for you.

After doing this for a while, see how the promise may help you transform a memory of something that felt bad, and that you thought of as a terrible memory.

I believe you will notice as I have, a memory of something you thought of as being bad and that felt bad – can be transformed by applying God’s promise of Romanss 8:28a.

Oh – and it’s an excellent idea to give thanks for the improvement and transformation to Jesus. And to praise him for this. Which will have the side effect of nailing down the transformative experience of a bad memory into being the start of something good that God has done for you.

Thank you, Henry Kanu. And most of all, thank you, Jesus Christ!

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Getting Help Key Article Learning Prayer Spiritual Warfare Worship

It is Your Response that Matters

Your response protects you from Satan’s attacks. (jon-tyson-mr9qc7VLnek-unsplash)

You can be a First Responder!

Our Lord cares about how you respond. While what happens to you is not always within your power to control, your response is always within your power. Why does Father care so much about your response?

It’s an opportunity for faith, which pleases God.

I hope I can learn this well and deeply, it will change my life and I believe it can change yours. And this lesson is being brought to me these days in multiple ways, and I would be foolish not to learn.

Worship is our key response. Which opens doors to so much else.

I got sick: this is a call to worship my Healer.

I had financial pressures: this is a call to worship my Provider.

I have a family member who is under tremendous pressures: this is a call to worship my Creator.

(My special thanks to Amanda Rankin who teaches such things as this and who provides timely, needed and loving reminders. May everyone be blessed to have a good friend like she is.)

See the pattern? Problems are literally a call to worship the One who provides help and everything that we need.

You could simply ask for help. Worship as a first response is better; not only is such worship an implied request, it has side effects on you: greater faith. Puts our Lord highest, instead of making idols in your heart out of what you desire.

Putting righteousness and the Kingdom first, all of these other things are added to you.

And…asking for help after you have worshipped connects you better to the One who Helps. Puts the King first instead of your need. Allows and assists you to receive help better from your Helper.

Worship God — what a wonderful first response!

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Discipleship Getting Help Jesus's Communication Joy Kingdom of God Prayer

Weary? A Slightly Surprising Answer

Rest in Christ

28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30; https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11&version=NRSV

When you are weary, rest and relief is available. It may be a little different than expected, though; Jesus is often surprising.

I’ll get right to it, no fooling around and being careful and slow. Here it is: he will give us rest. Especially as we add to ourselves some of his qualities. Such as being gentle and humble of heart.

When we are learning from Jesus and allowing him to take our (heavy) yoke, not only is he stronger than we, he is also being gentle and humble of heart.

Which means we are not being proud, when we ask him like this. Not being proud, when we are being gentle and humble of heart.

I don’t know about you, but when I am weary and find rest, by hindsight is is easy for me to be clear: while I was weary I had been being proud. Carrying a heavy burden and being proud about it.