Happy New Year!

Posted on December 30, 2021 by PoppaFarmer

Happy New Year, Beloveds of God! ?

2022 will be here tomorrow night. And here we are still navigating life in a global pandemic. Every day brings new concerns but we must remember we’ve made it this far and we will make it through because God is with us.
The Word tells us how, and why, Almighty God became a human named Immanuel which literally translates to ‘God with us.’
He reduced Himself totally into the form of a seed planted into the womb of a woman and entered this world exactly as we do. He went on to live a life full of challenges just like we do. He did it that way so that we would know that there is nothing we face that He hasn’t faced. He became one of us and lived the way He did so we could know for certain he relates to all of us.
And in the midst of all the challenges, He carried on with His grand purpose: To teach us, by example, how to love and the lengths that love will go to.
In the first chapter of the Gospel of John we are assured that “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Jesus was both man and God. Just like us. And we can dare to say that because He told us again and again that we were like him, children of God, who existed in God and God in us. We are to receive that knowledge and walk with the same purpose our Jesus did, as lights, shining in the darkness of the world we inhabit.
And let us focus, too, on the rest of what John says. That the darkness has not overcome the light. That is our assurance that we will get through our challenges be they pandemic size or personal. We can overcome because He did. He showed us the way. The dawn will break. Of that we can be sure.
Keep walking with Him each day of this new coming year, and forever more. Exhibit love the way He showed us with all those in your life.
Let us put our hope and faith into our Lord of Love as we travel on. He is the answer to all questions and all our needs. He is the Word. He loves you dearly. He has shown us the way.
Love to you always.
Again, HAPPY NEW YEAR, ?
Poppa B
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Merry Christmas

Posted on December 23, 2021 by PoppaFarmer

Merry Christmas, Beloveds. What a wonderful time it is as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. I am sure you are already immersed in the blessings of giving and receiving as the moment is quickly approaching. My family and I were blessed with a wonderful meal from a dear friend last night. We got a call from her sweet son that it was delivered and waiting on our front porch. Totally unexpected. So very precious. Thank you more than words can say.?

Ancient prophets said that a Savior would come. The great prophet, Isaiah, wrote centuries before the birth of our Lord Jesus that He would.
He said, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel – which means ‘God with us.'” Isaiah 7:14
700 years later, a young girl was selected to be the mother of this baby who would be the Son of God. I love that she was the unusual choice. Not a reigning queen as people might have expected but an incredibly young girl from a poor family. From the beginning, God was making points with every development in this story. To choose Mary as the vessel to carry his one and only beloved son shows us His favor can fall upon any among us.
We’re told in the Gospels that the angel, Gabriel, was sent to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.
“The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.’ ‘How will this be’, Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.'” Luke 1:26-35
We know, too, that Joseph was told about Mary’s part in God’s big plans for humanity in a dream. He obeyed God by marrying her even though both of them were being judged because of what appeared to be an illegitimate pregnancy. They were called to Bethlehem for the Baby Jesus to be born, then lived a life in service to the child and God.
The Word tells us, those life altering events occurred around 2,000 years ago, and it tells us what will happen in the future when this baby born into lowly circumstances returns as The King He became after fulfilling His life’s purpose.
We wait, we are excited, we are blessed with great anticipation of when our Christ Jesus shall come again. We do not know when, but He will.  Because our Father’s Word tells us so. Therefore, let us celebrate His birth and the miracle of what He did for us. Let us celebrate the gift that is ours forever, an eternal life of glory with God, because He came to show us the way there.
Merry Christmas, my Friends. May all of your great dreams come true as you believe. Know with your whole heart and soul that God loves you as you and yours celebrate.?
Poppa

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MERRY CHRISTMAS! God’s Great Gift to Us…

Posted on December 16, 2021 by PoppaFarmer

Can you believe it? We are almost there. Christmas!

What a wonderful time. The symbol of giving, the Christmas trees, are being brought in and decorated. Some have one tree and some have several. My daughter loves to display many. But she sacrificed one to a friend in need this year, then helped decorate it for the single mother and her young child. My children and grandson are into the season, big time, as are millions who will celebrate with traditions like gathering with family, eating, watching movies, playing games, perhaps sharing the Christmas story from the Word…
Oh, that wondrous story! When God gave us the greatest present of all time in the form of another child born into “poor,” but divinely designed, circumstances: our Jesus Christ. Of course, like so many things considered in today’s world, people are divided about whether the nativity story is even true. And in this era of attempting to never “offend” anyone, there are many who want “Christ” taken out of Christmas.
And it is certainly their choice to celebrate the holiday, or not, any way they choose. As it is our right to celebrate what we believe.

As we acknowledge and celebrate what the day truly symbolizes next week, let us always remember His Word.  As we are told, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:16-17)
The world was in need and our God gave us the gift of salvation. Salvation comes in learning to live and love the way God did. His son is that very clear example.
To Christians, He says. “The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession.” (Deuteronomy 7:6) It was exactly because we are treasured, that He sent His Son to show us the way. To show us the depths of love… how far it will go. We are to watch and imitate. This is His magnificent present to us if we chose to accept it. It is our prayer that all will but we are not to condemn those who do not.
Our Abba Father loves each of us completely but, with that other extraordinary gift He has given us, it is our call, whether to accept Christ as Lord and live for Him, that brings us to an amazing life altering relationship with our God of Love that only that belief can bring.
Never be ashamed to keep “Christ” in Christmas. To acknowledge the extraordinary gift He gave us by saying “Merry Christmas” out loud. Reveal Christ in Christmas through sincere love and positive actions of concern for others in need. There are so many. Rather than living divided over greeting etiquette, simply live in love the way our Jesus did. He spent a lot of time meeting needs where those in his path had them. We can do the same. Like my daughter, Tamara Salem, and the tree. This is one tiny example of our Father’s Love being shown to someone who needed it. We need only open our eyes to those around us to find those needs and do what we can in the spirit of love to meet them. So often, we see that this time of year and, really, isn’t that the best part about it?
I say let us keep the beauty of Christ in Christmas going on every day. Not just once a year but every day.
As Elvis once sang, “Why can’t every day be like Christmas?” Why not? It is up to us.
Love you so, Sweet Children of God. MERRY CHRISTMAS! May all of your wonderful dreams come true and may you make dreams come true for others too.?
Poppa B
Posted in Comfort, Deuteronomy, Encouragement, Featured, Good News, John | Comments Off on MERRY CHRISTMAS! God’s Great Gift to Us…

“The Lord delivers His Own.” Psalm 34

Posted on December 9, 2021 by PoppaFarmer

Hello Loves, ?

I have sentimental writings that I keep as I am sure you do. Each day as I am doing my Bible Study, I look back at a piece that blessed me in the past. I may have written it myself or it may be inspiration that came from someone else. But everything Glorifies our Great Lord of Love. It is all stacked together, so I never know which piece I will pull up. This morning as I looked, I saw something I want to share with you. A reminder of the things God sometimes does for us. I wrote it after I woke up one morning in 2014, knowing the world was different, then recognized some of what was happening from when I’d had a stroke a few years before. I wrote some notes as I got up:
May 15  “It seems as if I were hit with a light stroke last night. My left arm and left hand do not have the control”
May 16  “Having to retrain fingers to type. Must show them where the keys are.”
May 17  “Hand, fingers, arm – better. But still have to be watched. Hand and arm fall down if not focused on. Expecting total healing to “manifest.” I know I am already healed! Thank you Lord!”
May 19  “Better – Stronger – But, the Lord is reminding me of how frail the flesh is. He is my Strength, He is my Flesh, He is my Plan, He is my Provider – All is well as I look to Him every day, and throughout the day! He is my Great Shepherd – I shall not be in want!
May 22  ” Healed, and made Whole! Full use of hand and arm today.”  God is SO Good.
As I’d been reading Psalm 34 daily, which says “I SOUGHT THE LORD, AND HE HEARD ME, AND DELIVERED ME…” I was led by the Lord to receive all that He was telling me.  I received it. I was healed. I was good to go. He had totally delivered me. He is Wonderful.
I’m encouraged about God’s nature of goodness as I reflect back on what He showed me then. I encourage you to read this great Psalm, or any place the Lord leads you to today. Those impressions we feel as we read His Word are communications from our Creator. Always remember, our God of Love wants only the best for you, and is with you moment by moment as you walk in this life. He has paid a great price for you because you are of great value to Him. Receive all that He has for you. Love Him in all things as you go.?
Poppa
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We’re still here… Now What?

Posted on December 2, 2021 by PoppaFarmer
Dear Ones,

We celebrated Thanksgiving last weekend and now find ourselves entering the season where we celebrate the child who came into the world to show us what Love looks like. ?

What a wonderful time it is to thankfully reflect on all of the treasures that are ours in that child who became our Christ Jesus.

We have so much to be THANKFUL for during this time, even as we continue to endure Covid. Sadly, we have lost many many people throughout the world to this horrible disease and, while we mourn them, we can simultaneously give THANKS to still be here today and rest in the knowledge that the Lord has a purpose in our presence. Let us use each day of that gift to bring glory to Him and to serve those in our life.

We who are still here are here for a reason. I do not know what it is in particular for each of you, but know that leaving our raw hearts open allows us to get closer to our purpose and helps us understand how to use each day for a “good.” That good may be large in scope if we help humanity at the national or global level or it may be small as we look to the needs of those right in front of us – our family and friends. But whatever we can do for the good of those in our lives should be done as we can.
To conduct ourselves as channels of help for our fellow man, in this time when humanity desperately needs to come together, allows others to live more fully so that they, too, can appreciate each day, as we get to ourselves. That ultimately aids in opening that connection of gratitude between us and our God which serves all of us by providing the gift He wants us to have most of all – PEACE. Peace in the knowledge that He loves us and holds us and has us even in the midst of our suffering and loss. What greater purpose could there be for any of us than to be used by God to keep showing what Love looks like? Serving becomes an honor then, doesn’t it?
As the Lord spoke through the Apostle John, as seen in John 3, verse 2, He said, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
It is clear that His wish for us is that we prosper in all things. He wants good for us all. Each day we are given comes with His desire for us to live well and for us to reach others with His Love. Let us do that for those in our lives and on this planet in big or small ways, with all our body, soul, and spirit, as we celebrate all the many things we can and get to do for others, if we will answer the call to serve in these last few weeks of 2021 and as we move into 2022.
I pray for happiness for you and those in your life this holiday season, God’s Beloveds. I pray for peace that passes understanding for those of you entering this season with uncertainty or grief. Know that I care, whatever your circumstances are. Let us all attempt to bless one another, moment by moment, as we go forward. ?
Poppa B.
Posted in Encouragement, Featured, John | Comments Off on We’re still here… Now What?

Jesus said, “My Grace is sufficient for you.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Posted on November 18, 2021 by PoppaFarmer

Hello Loves, ?

In 2 Corinthians 12, The Apostle Paul told of his amazing trip to Heaven. He writes: “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know – God knows. And I know that this man – whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know – God knows- was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.”
This is part of a fantastic message about how amazing and perhaps terrible things coexist in us at times. Paul, the same man that was given the gift of an actual glimpse of Heaven is the same man who goes on to tell us there is a thorn in his flesh that our Lord has allowed to reside in him. He prayed about it three times asking the Lord to remove it, but the answer was a resounding “no.” Not the “yes” Paul wanted. There are many thoughts on what it was, or could have been, but it is never clear. The thorn is a metaphor for the ongoing challenges most of us have. Paul states that our Lord of Love told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul goes on to say, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest in me.”
Although God did not remove whatever Paul’s physical affliction was, He promised to use it to demonstrate HIs power in Paul as He does so often with us. A show of power in weakness. The fact that God’s power is displayed in people with problems should give us courage. Though we recognize our limitations, we should not let them defeat us. Instead, we should turn to our Lord to seek pathways for effectiveness despite our “thorns.” We learn to rely on Him for our effectiveness, rather than simply on our own energy, effort or talent.  This is where He has the opportunity to meet us in the middle. To teach us something of how His power can compensate in the midst of our lack. Someone once said, “Our weakness not only helps develop Christian character, it also deepens our worship, because in admitting our weakness, we affirm God’s strength.” God wants us to understand “His strength” so that we might begin to comprehend the power that is ours to tap into when we need it.
May we join Paul in celebrating what we have been given, not in perfection, but in revelation. Perfection of the flesh can and does come sometimes as we pray and work towards that goal. It’s wonderful when that happens but always fleeting. Our imperfections, on the other hand, invite a special intimacy between us and God. We simply ask the Lord to give us what we need and depend on Him to meet that need in whatever way He chooses. That dependency establishes trust in Him and the path He sets us on for our ultimate good. He may heal us totally, or may choose to keep challenging us. Either way, His Grace is sufficient and brings an outcome we can fully trust.?
Poppa B.
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God’s Power, Love and Wisdom continually Revealed by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2

Posted on November 13, 2021 by PoppaFarmer

Hello God’s Beloveds, ?

The Holy Spirit is with us continually. He comes INTO us when we accept Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Word says “He will be in us, and with us, forever.” We are ONE with Spirit, our Abba Father, and Jesus.
I love the messages the Apostle Paul and so many others have given us about Spirit. In Chapter 2 in the Book of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle wrote: “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” He means that his gift of speech came not from him as a man but as a result of the life changing words Spirit inspired him to say to the ancient Corinthians.
The Holy Spirit, like Jesus, was given a mission for our world. It is literally the bringer of God’s Power and Love and Wisdom, given to each of us who acknowledge Christ Jesus as Lord. He is the means by which we come to understand the nature of our God of Love and our own purpose and contributions that Spirit gives us to offer humanity.
The Apostle Paul goes on to say, “However, as it is written: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived – the things God has prepared for those who love Him – these are the things God has revealed to us BY His Holy Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by the human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2: 9-14)
When we invite Christ into our lives, we become a “new creation.” We are given “the mind of Christ” by Spirit. We no longer think as we did, or do as we did without the Jesus, Abba Spirit trilogy within us. We are certainly not perfect, but they are, and we are, mercifully, given the opportunity to grow into perfection… them in us is exactly what helps us grow. We are human and will say and do things “of the flesh,” but if it is not what it should be, our Lord of Love will bring it up to us to correct at some time. And He will give us the ability to do so. That is exactly the “impressions” we feel within ourselves at times. That is Spirit communicating.
The Lord has told us, as we see in the Gospel of John, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you ALL things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:26-27) The Lord told us, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the 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 glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you.” (John 16: 12-14).
Spirit glorifies Jesus by showing us how to live by continually pointing back to Jesus again and again. This is necessary because God embodied his precious Son to show us exactly what love is. Spirit’s job is to keep us forever aware of that knowledge and teach us how to participate in it.
The Trinity loves us So. They will never leave us. Spirit is constantly teaching. Let Him lead. Let us listen. Let us grow in the knowledge He provides.
Be blessed in all things and in all ways. ?
Poppa B.
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“Salvation is found in no one else.” Acts 4:12

Posted on November 4, 2021 by PoppaFarmer

Hello Loves, ?

There is a need in most people to know what will happen to them when they leave this life. Some people think we simply die. End of story. Others, however, feel there’s a life we can have after this one. Uncertainty lies at the heart of the question for most people. The Lord, however, wants us to know the answer. Our Abba (the Hebrew “Abba” means Daddy) wants us to know He has given us life now and forever through Jesus Christ, who he embodied here on Earth. To give us a glimpse of Himself, the depths of His love for us, and proof of life after death through the resurrection. He then gifted us with the Holy Spirit to connect and minister to our own spirits so that we can know, for certain, there is more to life than the physical realm.
I love the way we are given the truth by the Lord. How he left us with the power to utilize our miraculous gifts from Spirit, whose basis cannot be explained in this realm.
Like in the Book of Acts, when the great disciple Peter healed a beggar, lame from birth, who was taken to the Temple every day and left to beg for money to survive. We see in Chapter 3 of Acts that Peter and John were going to the Temple for afternoon prayer when this beggar saw them and asked that they help him. But instead of money, Peter gave Him the ability to walk. He introduced the beggar to the power of Jesus…
The Word tells us that Peter looked at him and said, “Look at us! So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ Taking [the beggar] by the right hand he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with [Peter and John] into the Temple courts walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the Temple gate called Beautiful and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” (Acts 3:4-10)
We are shown two things here: One, that followers of Christ are given supernatural gifts of the Spirit that are to be used to enhance the lives of those around them and two, that when a man asked for what he thought he needed to survive in this world, tangible money, what he was given by Christ’s followers was a powerful and undeniable introduction to “the savior.”
I urge each of you to read of this incident given to us in Chapters 3 and 4 in Acts. It goes on to tell of Peter and John then being arrested for bringing full life to this man who had a crippled life and what they did next. As they were brought before the rulers and elders and teachers of the law, they saw their very serious dilemma as yet another opportunity to tell the story of Jesus and the truth they brought. They said, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to man-kind by which we must be saved.”
People get turned off at the idea that only Christ is the true path to salvation. But I would implore you to consider that if God Himself embodied Jesus and that is the example we are to look to as we move through life, then we can anticipate for ourselves that, just like Him, the earthly journey did not end with the death of His physical body. In fact, that body was resurrected, transfigured, and ascended into the heavens. Let us not forget he also told a man being executed next to Him that “on THIS DAY I will see you in Heaven.”
God’s whole purpose in taking the human form of Jesus was to show us how to live this life and what can be in the next. As always, our Abba is attempting to help us.
Jesus is our Lord of Life, the Savior who brings eternal Salvation and everything needed as we look to Him as our example. Let Him reveal the answers to life and how to use your gifts as you walk with Him daily. It is the way to peace about both the here and now and what will be.
Poppa B. ?
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“Luke, a Gentile Physician, a man of God.” Luke and Acts

Posted on October 28, 2021 by PoppaFarmer

Hello Loves, ?

Do you realize how wonderful and important you are? As a child of God, you are indeed. Lets talk about sharing that knowledge with our fellow humans through our gifts and look to a man called Luke as we consider how God uses each of us. Luke was a physician who became a man of God. He’d already given his life to helping and healing people’s bodies, but when he “met” Christ through his close friend the Apostle Paul and, we suspect, Jesus’ mother, Mary, he began to attempt to minister to Spirit, Soul, and Body realizing they function best when all are whole. He is the only known Gentile author in the New Testament. He wrote two books as he explored “knowing” the Holy Spirit, God the Father, and our Magnificent Messiah. He did not seem to know the impact or reach his work would ultimately have but he acted on what God called him to do as a writer. He wrote a wonderful book of the Gospel, around A.D. 60, which of course is “Luke” in the New Testament, and followed that up with a beauty called “Acts” between A.D. 63 and 70, one of the prized connecting links between Christ’s life and the Church.

Ironically, Luke wrote both of these books to just one man called Theophilus (“One who loves God”), because he wanted this man to know the wonderful things the Spirit had shown him as he was living out his powerful transformation. Luke asked the Lord to speak truth through him to those in his world. The Word tells us that he spent many days with Paul, even when Paul was in prison, because the apostle was one of the only ones that held most of the truth to be told at that time.
In the great Gospel, “Luke,” he wrote about Jesus, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Disciples, Herold the great, Pilate, Mary Magdalene, and more. In “Acts”, he wrote of Jesus, Peter, John, James, Stephen, Philip, Paul, Barnabas, Cornelius, James (Jesus’ brother), Timothy, Lydia, Silas, Titus, Apollos, Agabus, Ananias, Felix, Festus, Agrippa, himself, and many others. That tells us people matter. Through an in depth look, he offers a picture of the diversity of people that were part of Jesus’ story. Perhaps so that we, today, might catch a glimpse of ourselves in those early believers and witnesses and how we “fit” into The Great Story. He was a gifted man of detail the Lord impressed to bring the Truth of Christ to us all. His namesake book within The Gospels is credited as being the most comprehensive of any written. He stresses Jesus’ relationships with people, emphasizes prayer, miracles, and angels. He records inspired hymns of praise and gives a prominent place to women that was brought out and about by Jesus. He loved the Lord and wanted the world to know about Him.
The bottom line was that he was simply a man that wanted to “tell the Good News.” This is a calling for most followers of Christ. Luke’s “way” was through writing. Maybe you’re a writer. Maybe you have the gift of speaking well. Or maybe you’re a visual artist. Whatever your gift may be, each of us who have “met” Christ have a story to tell that can touch others. Let us always be aware of that fact and be prepared to share the wonderful news of God’s Love for each of us. Or listen to that voice within that encourages us to that end in new and creative ways. Each story is vital and helps the world when shared with one or many. It is the purpose behind “the gifts” that are given to us by Spirit.
Love you so, Precious One. YOU are an important part of the Lord’s plan to tell the Good News to all. Christ loves us. So many do not know that. Let all who will listen be told.?
Poppa B.
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“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue.” Isaiah 50:4

Posted on October 21, 2021 by PoppaFarmer

Hello God’s Beloveds, ?

While considering “gifts” from God, the “Gift of Speaking” is on my heart today. I believe the primary purpose of this particular gift is to offer encouragement. To use our ability to speak to build one another up and to provide answers to life’s tough questions. When we help in that way, we “lift” people into all that they have the potential to be. Or maybe we simply help them get through one more day and that is no small thing sometimes. But often we do not speak when given opportunities to pass on the secrets of peace because we don’t know how to say such things. Yet the prophet, Isaiah, once said: “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well – instructed tongue to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” – Isaiah 50:4
For some the gift of speaking comes “naturally.” It’s a built in talent. For others, it can be developed. The Bible encourages us to desire the gifts. To ask for them. When we do, the Spirit of God transforms us in the process of receiving and utilizing them. His gifts are freely given in order for us to share the knowledge we possess with those in need of it. So often, we encounter those who believe in Jesus and His ways, or want to, but do not grasp the magnitude of who they really are in relationship to God. Or the power that belongs to us all through Him. Or the immeasurable love He has for us. That is why we need the “speakers” of the world. To explain to people how to overcome and experience their lives to the fullest, With very specific words the Spirit inspires. A map of life-giving words if you will.
Isaiah desired to be in tune with God. He sought His counsel often and got very real answers. God loves to engage with us, we are designed for it, and I suspect much of what we need for our own journey is there for the asking. If you desire that your speech, your words, be used in service to others, try reading a verse from His Word like the one above before going to bed. Say ‘Goodnight’ to the Lord, by asking specifically for the words you need to join the speakers of truth and encouragement in our world. Then see if you don’t awaken with Him offering a ‘Good Morning’ back by giving you ordained words to share with others as you go through your day.
I’ve experienced this often and find that as I go through the day, He continues to “speak” to me. Sometimes it is a clear impression in my mind; sometimes His truth is wrapped in something else. The sound of another speaker’s voice who teaches me, then I teach another in turn. But the bottom line is He is with us completely and will find ways to explain the mystery of Himself; the one who wants us all to understand the depths of His love for us. It starts with us desiring and receiving the gifts He offers. He takes every step with us, speaking in a myriad of ways as we go. Let us always listen, learn and pass it on when we get the chance. It is a beautiful way of doing life for ourselves and enhancing the lives of others.
I love you dearly.  Be at peace with and in our Sovereign Lord. He has much to tell us.  ?
Poppa B.
Posted in Featured, Good News, Isaiah | Comments Off on “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue.” Isaiah 50:4