“Following in the footsteps of Jesus” showing full extent of our love to our family in Christ

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The Lord revealed to my heart that we need to follow His example of how He showed the disciples his love for them.  This one thing we are lacking to do in remembrance of Him.  Jesus told us to break bread in fellowship with one another regarding the Lord’s supper, but before this, Jesus humbled himself as a servant to his disciples to wash their feet.  Then He explained how they don’t understand what He did but will at a later time and further told of how they called Him Lord which is true, but also He showed them an example to follow regarding love for one another.  Though we do have the Lord’s supper in dividing the bread for remembrance of the Lord’s body and drinking the cup regarding the new covenant in His blood, we are not washing one another’s feet in showing love for one another like He has done in John 13: 1-17  It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.  Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.  The evening meal was being  served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciple’s feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”  Jesus replied,  “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”  “No, ” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”  Jesus answered,  “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”  “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”  Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean.  And you are clean, though not every one of you.”  For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.  When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place.  “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.  “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”  

Jesus is clearly telling us that we are no better than him to wash one another’s feet to show love like He has done.  Jesus, being our Lord set the example to the disciples He taught while on this earth before His death on the cross.  The disciples continued the teaching of Jesus to other disciples that believed in the gospel message when they were alive on this earth, and now the words of Jesus are still true and do not change.  Paul instructed Timothy regarding widows and taught washing the feet of the saints along with many other good deeds in 1 Timothy 5:9-10 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.    As disciples of Jesus, we should continue to hear and do what Jesus commanded us to do in John 13:34-35  “A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

“LIAR, LIAR: PANTS ON FIRE” These words are entering my mind about Satan

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As a kid I used to hear this term used about those who were caught lying.  Today has been a rough day for me as Satan the father of lies has been attacking me.  God already knew that he would do it and is allowing for this to happen.  Depression is my weakness and this is being used by God to refine me in the fire.  As bad thoughts entered my mind, God reminded me of His Truth, that Satan is a liar and he will be placed in a fiery furnace one day.  The Lord is bringing me to this verse to read for encouragement in my walk with Jesus and to share for others who are struggling with different attacks from the father of lies and his demise in Revelation 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.  They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.  As children of God, we will be brought to God’s truth as Satan will not be able to keep deceiving us.  He may temporary trick us, but ultimately the children of God will know the Truth and reject the lies of the devil.  The Lord is also bringing me to read in Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish the saving of many lives.  This verse is what Joseph said to his brothers, but also it is true regarding evil done by the enemy and for the children of God that  He will bring good out of all things for those who love Him.  Romans 8:24-28 For in this hope we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has?  But if  we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait patiently.  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of  the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance to God’s will.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

“The Lord weighs motives of the heart” This is urgent, the time is drawing near

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The time is drawing near and Jesus will return soon!  This is an urgent message from the Lord as He alone guides my heart to write this!  Seek the Lord regarding your own heart, test your self to see if you are in the faith, so you can stand firm until the very end.  Jesus will come soon!  God’s timing is different than ours, for only He knows the day and time and I only am being told that it is soon.  “SOON”  to the Lord is not the same as we call soon; It could be longer time-wise, but also, it could be quicker time-wise.  This is urgent, please folks, listen to God!  Check your heart with God in the name of Jesus, for He only knows the depths of our hearts, seek Him so your heart will be aligned with His.  Proverbs 16:1-9, 11, 16-33  To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.  All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.  Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.  The Lord works out everything for his own ends–even the wicked for a day of disaster.  The Lord detests all the proud of heart.  Be sure of this:  They will not go unpunished.  Through love and  faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.  When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.  Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.  In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.  Honest scales and balances are from the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making.  How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!  

The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.  Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.  Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.  Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.  The  wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.  Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.  Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.  The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.  A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.  A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.  A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.  He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.  Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.  Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.  The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

“Warning!” Stay away from astrology, which is worship of the sun, moon,&stars Isaiah 47:12-15

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Horoscopes, fortune tellers, fortune cookies, magic spells, sorceries of all kinds will bring  you down into death.  Do not be partakers of them for they are a false god.  You cannot serve both the false gods and the True Living God.  This is not a harmless gesture, it is of the devil and will get you away from God.  Urgent warning from the Lord, please take heart the seriousness of these wicked gods in Isaiah 47:12-15 “Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored since childhood.  Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror.  All the counsel you have received has only worn you out!  Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you.  Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up.  They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame.  Here are no coals to warm anyone; here is no fire to sit by.  That  is all they can do for you–these you have labored with and trafficked with since childhood.  Each of them goes on in his error; there is not one that can save you.   These words are true and it is a very dangerous trick of the devil to read them or go and  listen to what they have to say.  Those who claim to reach the dead, use witch craft, sorcery, magic, use the stars to predict the future are worshiping false gods and if you read or listen to anyone else, then you are a partaker in their wickedness and listening to teachings of the devil.

Those of you who read this for fun, please listen to God as He detests these wicked worshiping of false gods.  Horoscopes and Astrology are worshiping the sun, moon, and stars.  The Lord loves you and wants you to return to Him and get rid of any and all wicked things.  Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  Philippians 1:9-11 and 2:14-15  And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ– to the glory and praise of God.  Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

“The will of God the Father who is in heaven” Only those who do God’s will inherit the kingdom

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Take heart these truths in God’s Word in Matthew 7:21-23 “NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, ‘LORD, LORD,’ WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT ONLY HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.  MANY WILL SAY TO ME ON THAT DAY, ‘LORD, LORD, DID WE NOT PROPHESY IN YOUR NAME, AND IN YOUR NAME DRIVE OUT DEMONS AND PERFORM MANY MIRACLES?’  THEN I WILL TELL THEM PLAINLY, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU.  AWAY FROM ME, YOU EVILDOERS!’  These words from Jesus are very true and he says very clearly that only those who do the will of his Father who is in heaven will only be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Does this mean that the gifts of prophecy, miracles, and driving out demons is not the will of God for today’s times?  Certainly Not!  These gifts are still a part of the New Testament Church from the Holy Spirit of God who comes in the Name of Jesus to give according to His Will.  1 Corinthians 12:7-11 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

This is a matter of the heart with regard to these gifts and without love, these are only used by evil demons to do the will of the evil one, Satan.  Those who are without love are the ones who are possessed by evil demons with these powers and thus do not do the will of the Father who is in heaven.  1 Corinthians 13:1-13 IF I SPEAK IN THE TONGUES OF MEN AND OF ANGELS, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I AM ONLY A SOUNDING GONG OR A CLANGING CYMBAL.  IF I HAVE THE GIFT OF PROPHECY AND CAN FATHOM ALL MYSTERIES AND ALL KNOWLEDGE, AND IF I HAVE A FAITH THAT CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I AM NOTHING.  IF I GIVE ALL I POSSESS TO THE POOR AND SURRENDER MY BODY TO THE FLAMES, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I GAIN NOTHING.  LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND.  IT DOES NOT ENVY, IT DOES NOT BOAST, IT IS  NOT PROUD.  IT IS NOT RUDE, IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, IT IS NOT EASILY ANGERED, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.  LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH.  IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES.  LOVE NEVER FAILS.  BUT WHERE THERE ARE PROPHECIES, THEY WILL CEASE; WHERE THERE ARE TONGUES, THEY WILL BE STILLED; WHERE THERE IS KNOWLEDGE, IT WILL PASS AWAY.  FOR WE KNOW IN PART, AND WE PROPHESY IN PART, BUT WHEN PERFECTION COMES, THE IMPERFECT DISAPPEARS.  WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD.  WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME.  NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE.  NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN SHALL I KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN.  AND NOW THESE THREE REMAIN: FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE.  BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.

The love in the hearts of those who are the children of God will shine directly to others out of love for the Father who is in heaven, they will do His Will because their hearts will desire what God desires and this is directly from the Holy Spirit of God that indwells in the believers.  Those who have the Father’s love in their hearts  will not do His Will out of selfish ambition, but simply out of love to share.  Take heart these words from Jesus in Matthew 25:31-40 “WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES IN HIS GLORY, AND ALL THE ANGELS WITH HIM, HE WILL SIT ON HIS THRONE IN HEAVENLY GLORY.  ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE GATHERED BEFORE HIM, AND HE WILL SEPARATE THE PEOPLE ONE FROM ANOTHER AS A SHEPHERD SEPARATES THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS.  HE WILL PUT THE SHEEP ON HIS RIGHT AND THE GOATS ON HIS LEFT.  THEN THE KING WILL SAY TO THOSE ON HIS RIGHT, “COME, YOU WHO ARE  BLESSED BY MY FATHER; TAKE YOUR INHERITANCE, THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD.  FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING TO EAT, I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING TO DRINK, I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU INVITED ME IN, I NEEDED CLOTHES AND YOU CLOTHED ME, I WAS SICK AND YOU LOOKED AFTER ME, I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU CAME TO VISIT ME.”  THEN THE RIGHTEOUS WILL ANSWER HIM, ‘LORD, WHEN DID WE SEE YOU HUNGRY AND FEED YOU, OR THIRSTY AND GIVE YOU DRINK?  WHEN DID WE SEE YOU A STRANGER AND INVITE YOU IN, OR IN NEED OF CLOTHES AND CLOTHE YOU?  WHEN DID WE SEE YOU SICK OR IN PRISON AND GO TO VISIT YOU?’  “THE  KING WILL REPLY, ‘I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WHATEVER YOU DID FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE BROTHERS OF MINE, YOU DID FOR ME.’