From Joseph Meriweather
Today I would like to say that yesterday I did not ¡!Bridle my mouth as
it say in psalms 39:1 I Said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not
with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with Biddle while the wicked is
before me.
I had ask the wife to do something and she refuse and she start mocking
me. Before I know it I was cursing uncontrollable. I was so angry. Then I
ask God to forgive me. That very night I dream I was so drunk I could
not stand up. Then I woke up. I kept thinking I was not sober in the whole thing
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
Which of us haven't done things similar to this ...
As I read Joseph's report, God reminded me of Ephesians 6 ... I believe God was saying to put on the whole armor of God daily ... We dress ourselves in this armor just as we dress ourselves in clothing before we go out. We wouldn't think of going out without dressing physically. I believe God is saying that we must dress ourselves in spirit daily before going out among people of this world. We must figure out a way to do this in our lives.
Eph. 6 ... 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Overcoming and keeping ourselves is work. We are in the most difficult of all wars. It doesn't look like war. There are no guns, in most of our lives. There are no planes, bombs, enemy dressed in uniforms ... so we tend to relax and get sloppy ... and even think we don't need to meditate daily on scripture since there "is no problem" ... We don't see problem so we don't pray. We pray when we are strongly aware of problem ahead. But we don't see problem until we run into the problem.
Things are going to get much worse toward the end. Paul says: 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; II Tim. 3
Paul tells us this: in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; II Tim. 3
Jesus said it would get so bad no flesh would be saved, unless the days were shortened. But for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Mt. 24:22
==========
I've been through terrible battles with individuals, several individuals over short space of time and close together. In each battle, God helped me to deliver messages and to endure.
Then God began restoring me for the work to which I am called by getting me to focus on certain scripture. As I stopped and seriously considered these scripture over a two day period I was strengthened and reestablished by God in the way I was to go. (Each of us must allow God to work with us by settling down and looking at those things that stand out to us as we read the Bible or the scriptures on the blog.)
First, we must relax and read Bible (or blog). We have to calm down. What's the hurry? Our flesh tries to get us to stop reading and do those many secular things about us. I often have to make myself slow down in order to dress properly in the Word of God.
==========
Here is how God worked with me.
I was reading the blog, that which was published that day.
II Tim. 3:14 ... 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned ...
I began thinking "of whom" I have learned ... Who taught me to do what I do? I know it was God who taught me what HE wanted me to do in the body of Christ. And I've been doing it for more than 30 years. Many times I am discouraged and want to quit. It is very hard work contending with individuals to turn them to God's way. But it is God who wants me to do this and taught me how to do this. I began thinking of the many things God used, the scriptures, to teach me what to do and how to do it. By the time I finished considering this, I knew I had to continue doing this.
The next day, God continued to reinforce what HE wanted me to do. I was reading the blog and the following stood out to me. Paul said in Titus 1:3 ... 3 But hath in due times manifested His word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
God chose to manifest HIS word through preaching ...
1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
And like Paul, that preaching is committed to me by the commandment of God ...
I considered how I had been taken into heaven twice and merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, twice ... equipped by God for this work.
Then I was put on radio by an angel speaking call letters of the radio station to me as I slept in the night, awakening me to the work God wanted done.
Then 30 years later, in a dream, God showed me to do the work we now do on the blog.
I have to continue.
This when I went on reading the blog, I saw this instruction: Titus 3 ... 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
I stopped and considered what this was saying.
- Continue as you have been taught
- Exhort them: urge earnestly by advise and warning
- Convince them: cause someone to believe firmly in the truth of something ... The root meaning of "convince" is to overcome / to conquer ... leaving no margin for doubt
gainsayers are those who speak again / those who oppose
==========
Also this in Titus 1 stood out to me ... "rebuke them sharply" that they may be sound in the faith ... v. 13
I looked into the meaning of the word "rebuke" ...
- express sharp disapproval or criticism of someone because of their behavior or actions / force them back / repress / cause them to back down
rebuke is the strongest of the corections among the words admonish, censure, reprimand, reproach, scold.
Sometimes you must take very strong action based upon the severity of that which they are doing. Other times you can simply "admonish" them, a gentle warning. It all depends on what they are doing.
By the time I worked through this I knew again what God wanted me to do.
==========
Each of us must seriously address scripture daily. Think on that which is said. Look up key words in dictionary for God can use this to expand your thinking on that scripture. Take time to look into scripture daily. By this God leads us and strengthens us by HIS Spirit daily. Even then it can blow up in our face but God always restores us when we step on a bomb.
It does take daily work, I find.
And we have to consider our way. There may be some things it is better if we do not do. There might be TV shows it is better not to watch. There might be people it is better not to talk with.
We do whatever we have to do to overcome this day. And focus on today, not tomorrow. Take care of today. That is very important.
And we can really be helped by remembering this.
Jn. 10 ... Jesus said ... 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
God keeps us to salvation ... we are commissioned to overcome daily through God ... We dress ourselves in HIM, in HIS Word.
As we think on HIS Word daily, we succeed in all that we do.
Psalm 1 ... 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
We who have the Spirit of God are, as Paul says, "well able" to overcome. We overcome through God as we think daily on God.