How to play anointed music

Anointed means to "smear." (As in oil, but also, as in His Spirit, all over you) A person is first given gifts, even if they don't use those gifts for God, He gives them anyway, "Without repentance." Then when He calls someone to use a particular gift for Him, He then anoints that person to use that gift for Him, and then His Spirit flows through that person, which is where we Christians can "bear witness" with God's Spirit that indeed the Spirit of God is flowing through this "Chosen vessel of Mine." King David had a "Heart after God" and often times we see God filling David's mouth with praise. His prolific songwriting, or song receiving, is made evident to us through the Psalms, many of whom were penned by David as he worshiped God as a shepherd boy. Often times we tend to confuse talent with anointing, or God's call on someones life. Elvis started out singing hymns in his mom's church, and his mom loved that. Elvis rebelled against God and except for a few of his Gospel records, we still feel God's anointing, but often times we feel his giftings more. One of my personal favorites is Phil Keaggy. When, in his own words, he was trying to be "a little Beatle," he and his friends grew tired of it, and then as Buck Herring told me with Phil's release of True Believer, he was "Back worshiping God." (Though I would say Find Me in These Fields, Phil's and my favorite of the Beatlesque releases, was definitely closer to the worship category.) Phil was made to worship the Lord, and anytime he strays from that, God's anointing is felt a little less than when he worships God through his voice and guitar. Keith Green could not feel God's anointing on his records unless he played them "live" in the studio, recording both vocal tracks & piano at the same time. He was just trying to be obedient to what The Spirit was telling him to do, that was the hallmark of Keith's life. We were made to worship God with our voices and instruments, this is what makes Jesus music full of Jesus. Operating in God's anointing is different for each of us because it requires us to be obedient to what He has called us to do. Maybe instead of an entertainer Elvis was supposed to be a worship leader in the first mega church! How do we hear God's voice, and then produce music for Jesus? First, commit your life to Christ, and pray a prayer of committing your life to Him, something like: "Jesus, I admit that I have sinned, I have done wrong things, and I ask You to forgive me. I believe You died and rose again and that Your blood washed away my sins. I now commit to following You, serving and loving You, and I will live for You all the rest of my life, in Jesus Name, Amen." Once you've committed your life to Christ, then we pray that He would fill you with His Holy Spirit, in Jesus name. Once He's filled you, you now can receive His words of life that He alone has, and He can produce in you His Jesus words, His Jesus Music, His life giving gifts that He has given you, and longed for you to use them for Him, for His purpose, for His glory! Once you have been filled with His Holy Spirit, then you need to discern what His call is for your life. If it is to use your musical gifts for Him, then pray about how He would have you progress in fulfilling His will for your life, because remember, it's not about you, it's all about Him. As He fulfills His purpose in you, everything you do to the glory of God, He will use. You may spend the rest of your days singing songs of life to just your children. You may go on the road and work really hard and never get that record deal, but you may lead thousands to Christ. Or like David starting out, maybe your audience will be a bunch of sheep on a hill somewhere.

Tree's without fruit

Today's lesson is about bad fruit, and trees that can't produce good fruit. If we reject the Word of God, or put man's words above God's Word, then it's end is a spiral death with no hope. I was just with a group of men who do not believe the Word is true, accurate, or that the events like the death and resurrection of Jesus is even true. Before I met with them I was reminded of the scripture when Jesus sent out the disciples two by two, "Shake the dust off your feet..." if they don't receive you. (Matthew 10:14) One of the men I met with even quoted that scripture after our meeting, as if it was a good thing they were doing, rejecting the Word. They forget the verse after: 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! So I left. The funny thing is, not only did their beliefs not match what the Word says, even their own book of doctrine doesn't! So what is their foundation? Matthew 7:24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” And it's fall was great...I don't want my friends to fail, get hurt, or leave Christ, or His word, because I know what can happen if they don't repent. I loved them too much not to say something. "Lord, please heal us, save us, deliver us from our own minds, deliver us from satan and his deceptive power. Let us think the thoughts of God, for His thoughts are powerful, right and good. They alone can set the captives free. Your Word oh Lord, Your Word alone. In Jesus name, amen." Study thanks to ICR & their daily "Days of Praise" April 25, 2014 Fruitless Trees “Woe to them! . . . trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” (Jude 1:11-12) Many illustrations in Scripture compare the responsibility of trees to bear fruit and the responsibility of Christians to produce righteousness. The reason for the frequent comparisons is that “a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Luke 6:43). It is easy to tell what kind a tree is because “every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes” (Luke 6:44). Jude is making the point, however, that there are “trees” planted amidst the orchard of God’s Kingdom churches that have withering “fruit” or have already been rooted up as worthless, fruitless, and twice-dead. These trees have absolutely no place among the healthy trees. At best they scar and mar the beauty of the orchard, and at worst they spread their decay and rot throughout it. Another very important point is that trees that have withered or cannot produce good fruit are not salvageable. All of nature demonstrates and reinforces the eternal principle that “every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit” (Matthew 7:17). Such dead, fruitless trees are to be “hewn down, and cast into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). The common thread in all of these several pictures by Jude is the damage that can be done by ungodly “tares” among the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30), fig trees that should be providing nourishment but do not (Luke 13:6-9), and plants that are choked by “cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches” (Mark 4:19). All of these can spread the “leaven” through the whole “lump” and undermine the work of God (Galatians 5:9). HMM III A few scriptures since this was written: “[They are] raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame.” (Jude 1:13) “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt” (Isaiah 57:20). Paul warned the Corinthian church about those who dealt with “hidden things of dishonesty,” were “walking in craftiness,” or were “handling the word of God deceitfully.” In vivid contrast, Paul and his co-laborers openly displayed “the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2). Like Jude, Paul forecasts only destruction for these kinds of people. They brag “in their shame” and have their mind set on “earthly things” (Philippians 3:19). “Foaming” at the mouth is frequently connected with demonic oppression in Scripture (Mark 9:17-18; Luke 9:39; etc.). Medically, the symptom is seldom positive. Perhaps Jude is offering a glimpse of the devilish source of such “raging” and raising a further alarm. As I read that last line, written in today's "Daily Praise" for ICR, I was astonished that one of the men who I met with actually did this everytime he got upset. He foamed at the mouth, and would get livid about evolution, and other anti God statements. He was the one that would not allow me to pray for the three men I was meeting with. So glad God has power over the enemy, and it's His wisdom I choose to trust in, in Jesus name, Amen.

Waterless clouds and broken cisterns.

There are men among us, people who teach lies, who have rebelled against God's truth, and who now are offended when people speak the truth. They teach that the bible is not the Word of God, that it was written by men, and it is fallible. I have even been with a group of "christian men" who do not believe in the literal death and resurrection of Christ, and forgiveness through Christ's blood. I am even being called to answer for my beliefs on this, even today. I have heard many times that the Cross of Christ offends, but this is the first time I have been confronted with it by "christians." I am reminded of Christ facing His accusers, or Luther standing before his catholic brethren. People that teach that the Word of God is not true, are broken cisterns, that hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water. They are clouds without water. Jude 1: 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Paul warned Titus about many “unruly and vain talkers and deceivers” who must be stopped so that “good men” would become “sound in the faith” (Titus 1:8-13). Thus, Jude compares those who hinder “the faith” to those who appear to represent godly pursuits and character but are empty of the refreshing and guiding power of the Holy Spirit and void of biblical wisdom and insight. They are “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14) and “serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18). (The last few paragraphs were from my daily bible study, from this morning. The broken cistern concept came from an ICR mag that came in the mail yesterday, that I felt led to read last night. The Lord is confirming His word, even before I speak.) But I have prayed for this men, these "waterless clouds" and " broken cisterns" that the Holy Spirit would teach them, and that the truth would set them free, and that I, if I get the opportunity, would through kindness and love speak to them, for it is God's kindness that lead me to repentance, and it's only His kindness that can do it again for us all. Pray for me, that I would love these men, that I like Christ, would even be willing to lay my life down for them.

US Dakota War and us

My friend, Elden Lawrence, just wrote his newest book on the U.S./Dakota war. The book is titled: Stepping off the Keelboat: An Inside Look at the U.S.? Dakota War. His great grandfather, Lorenzo, saved white people, and after delivering them to Ft. Ridgely he said to them, "Now I have brought you prisoners all safe where you will live; and thank God He has helped me do it. And you too must be greatful to God. Remember when you were fleeing for your lives, in your hiding places you could all pray to God every morning, and He heard you, and I am glad. So now as long as you live you must remember that, and worship God." After Jesus died and rose again, He commissioned His followers with this: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.[c] (Mark 16) Lorenzo was a hero, rescuing many whites even at the risk of his own life, and he commissioned them to follow God. I hope and pray they did. Jesus not only saved us, but He gave up His life in so doing. I pray that we would live out His words above, and love and serve Him with all we have.

God's way

In pride we can't take over God's plan. Korah and 250 men of valor tried to do this with Moses. (Numbers 16) They claimed to be just as holy as Moses. Then God was angry with them. He challenged them with their interpretation of God's word, and the men lost. The ground opened up, swallowed them alive into the pit, and the ground closed up after them. This all happened on the eve of God's people being delivered into the Promised Land. It's just like the enemy to come in at the very wrong time, but that's what he does. We cannot fulfilled God's plan for our lives by our flesh, it is only by God's designed authority that we can enter into the promised land. Jude 1:5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. Apostates Depraved and Doomed 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about[c] by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” Apostates Predicted 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. Maintain Your Life with God 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Then we can enter into God's promises: Isaiah 62: God's promises for you and I from Isaiah 62: 62 For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns. 2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the Lord will name. 3 You shall also be a crown of glory In the hand of the Lord, And a royal diadem In the hand of your God. 4 You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, (My delight is in her) and your land Beulah; (Married) For the Lord delights in you, And your land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you. 6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, 7 And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. 8 The Lord has sworn by His right hand And by the arm of His strength: “Surely I will no longer give your grain As food for your enemies; And the sons of the foreigner shall not drink your new wine, For which you have labored. 9 But those who have gathered it shall eat it, And praise the Lord; Those who have brought it together shall drink it in My holy courts.” 10 Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples! 11 Indeed the Lord has proclaimed To the end of the world: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.’” 12 And they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; And you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken. God's way. Lord not my will be done, but Your will be done in Jesus name, Amen.

The true story of Noah.

Noah was a type of Christ, or messiah. A type of Jesus to come. The Bible even says Noah was a perfect man. Now read his true story. Genesis 5:32-10:1 New King James Version (NKJV) 32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 6 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. 3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive[a] with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5 Then the Lord[b] saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah Pleases God 9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. The Ark Prepared 13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” 22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. The Great Flood 7 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. 2 You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; 3 also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” 5 And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth. 7 So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, 9 two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— 14 they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. 15 And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. 16 So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in. 17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit[c] of life, all that was on the dry land, died. 23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days. Noah’s Deliverance 8 Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 3 And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. 4 Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen. 6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore. 13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. 14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried. 15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark. God’s Covenant with Creation 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. 22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.” God’s Promise to Noah 9 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.[d] 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man. 7 And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it.” 8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: 9 “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants[e] after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. 11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.” Noah and His Sons 18 Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated. 20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. 21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 Then he said: “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren.” 26 And he said: “Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem, And may Canaan be his servant. 27 May God enlarge Japheth, And may he dwell in the tents of Shem; And may Canaan be his servant.” 28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29 So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died. Nations Descended from Noah 10 Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood.

The Storm is Passing. It is!

This morning I was on a walk, and there was a giant storm passing me overhead. There even seemed to be blue sky's right in back of it! This last year has been a storm, and the Lord has promised to deliver us through it, and He has. Now we stand on the edge of it with an assurance that the last year He has not left us, He has miraculously provided for our every need, He has been amazing. He told us to give when we couldn't afford to give, and He blessed and multiplied that seed, three fold, four fold, and even much more. Numerous times He told us to give, and then He blessed the gift, even before we gave sometimes. He has been, and always will be, faithful. Thank You Lord, I look forward to how You want to move in us these coming years. In Jesus name, thank You, Amen."