Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
HE maketh me to lie down in green pastures: HE leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: HE leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name's sake.
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The way of God is very different from the way of man.
Isaiah 55:9-11
For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and MY thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
So shall MY word be that goeth forth out of MY mouth: it shall not return unto ME void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and MY thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
So shall MY word be that goeth forth out of MY mouth: it shall not return unto ME void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
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From the time we are born, humans lead us in their way which they often learned from other humans.
After we are born again, God gives us portions of HIS word to lead us and reconstruct our thinking in HIS ways according to HIS purpose for us.
Some are put in the church to care for the church. Others are put on earth to care for their own households. Men and women are given talents by God and are led to exercise those talents.
All who are of God are given HIS Spirit to lead us and guide us as God wills. The leading differs according to the calling and the purpose of God for us on this present earth. We yield to God and that calling as we hear from the Holy Spirit and follow what HE brings to our attention.
The Holy Spirit usually speaks to us by giving us thoughts, ideas, and scriptures.
We get where God wants us in our various lives by hearing the will of God by HIS Spirit and by focusing on that which God brings to our mind by HIS Spirit.
We can certainly trust God to lead us to the exact way where HE wants us.
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The Holy Spirit searches the heart of God to show us the will of God so we can develop in what God wants for us.
I Corinthians 2:9-14
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
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What is the first scripture you recall coming to mind in your life?
This is the Holy Spirit bringing that scripture to your mind, showing you the way to go.
As you look at that scripture, you have the first step, the first concept in righteousness.
You think on that way, that scripture, for a season, allowing that direction to lead you and to work it's way into the actions you take in your life.
God gets you from then to now and to future by bringing scriptures and concepts to your mind, recreating you in the image of God and getting you to do HIS own purpose for your life.
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Here is what the Holy Spirit does throughout the life of the believer.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
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By HIS Spirit, God leads us and gets us where HE wants us according to HIS purpose for us.
The first scripture I recall came to me when I was about 5 years old. We did not attend a church and did not have Bibles in our home, although my parents didn't speak against Bible, we just didn't have Bible.
One day I went to my favorite aunt, a Church of Christ member.
I asked her this question.
"Where in the Bible does it say, ' The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want?' "
That shows us the concept God had placed on my life even at a very early age, approximately 5- years- old.
God was going to be my caretaker, leading me, watching over me. There would be no lack in my life.
Of course I didn't set my sails by that scripture. It just told me what was going to happen to me. Looking back now, I can see this.
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In God's timing, when I was approximately 37-years-old, I was born again.
After you were born again, what scriptures were you given by the Holy Spirit to show you the way to go?
(You likely didn't know it was Holy Spirit doing this.)
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I was given several scriptures, all of which were teaching me how to speak when I spoke.
John 5:30 Jesus said: I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear (from God), I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
(God taught me to speak that which I heard in my ear ... Holy Spirit leading me.)
I Corinthians 2:1-5 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Joshua 1:5-9 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
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I had no idea I would be speaking to the church nor writing. But God was training me according to His purpose.
By those scriptures God gives you along the way, God trains you according to HIS purpose for you on this earth.
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In 1982, God, by HIS Spirit, reminded me of II Thessalonians 2, to teach me about antichrist.
In 2016, God revealed to me by HIS Spirit antichrist in the church today and the apostasy in the church and what it all meant.
God said one word to me to show me: "restraint"
I realized this was in II Thessalonians 2, NASB.
II Thessalonians 2 NASB
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?
6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
(I saw immediately that which restrained antichrist from the church was the scripture. Jesus: the Word ... When scripture was removed from the churches, antichrist would move in to the church group.)
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only HE (Jesus the Word, the scripture) who now restrains will do so until HE is taken out of the way. (the falling away of the church from scripture)
8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;
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This is the reason ministers would not repent when I showed them their misuse of scripture in the gathering of the church.
This information helped me greatly. They could not repent for they were antichrist in the church.
Antichrist was not one man but was a spirit in many men who cast aside portions of scripture and thereby approved sin in the church.
I began to announce antichrist in the church, the apostasy, which had to happen before Jesus could return.
I suspect none of you had the scriptures called to your attention through the years that I did. That is because God was going to use me to announce the apostasy so the church could be warned and informed.
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By that which God gives us by HIS Spirit, we move into the role God ordained for us, fulfilling God's purpose for us during our lifetime on this earth.
If you will consider scripture brought to your mind during the past decades you will see your role.
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