Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

Today I went to a retirement home. I talked to one man named Rizzy. After the prayer I prayed for him was over, he started telling me about how he used to be a Christian on fire for God but strayed away. While he he was telling me this, he started tearing up, but when I told him he was going to heaven, and his sins were forgiven he started laughing and smiling.

Hey Guys, I have been wanting to get in touch with you for years. Back in 95 I started to watch God T.V and to my delight I came across your ministry amongst others. I was greatly moved by Rodney’s testimony and also the anointing that is upon the ministry, I would watch Rodney and Ironical minister under the anointing and would be so touched. I never did speak out Lord touch me with it, I just used to sit and drink it in, until one day in 1997 I was heading up a public meeting and the same anointing that is on you both HIT ME in such power i ended up on the floor along with a number of other people attending, it was awesome, there where people all over the place, some where crying, some where laughing, there where people on the floor rolling under the chairs, they where even stuck to the floor, also i couldn’t speak properly for 3 days but whenever i did manage to get a grip the anointing would flow again and touch whoever i was talking to at the time. One night in particular i was watching Revival at the River in my lounge and the Spirit of God hit me so strong He said ” It will be similar” although i have never quite understood what that was supposed to mean i just know that my life has NEVER been the same since, whenever i watch you guys and hear the worship God touches me in an awesome way that is amazing, i needed to share this with you as the Lord has been forever faithful in my life. I pray Gods continual guidance, strength and favor upon you both as you seek to serve the Lord and help to bring in the end time harvest. In His Service by His Grace Marlene Bartlett Founder of WOW UK Ministries Women of Worth

Danielle F
N/A Florida United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

With favor and God’s wisdom we brought an entire lunch room to the Lord. Always arriving at nursing homes at lunch time. Today the Holy Spirit gave us the wisdom to not only minister to one or two people at one time, but lead double digit numbers of people to God. Praise God!!

Glory to God! my testimony is this I am very Glad for the Fire of God Pastor Rodney the Beginning of this year were filled with many trials first me and my child was thrown out of the home where i was renting the two women from the church that I had taken in completely turned against me along with my landlord who was a friend. then on the 12th of April I was in a car Accident and now here comes the Big one on Monday of this week I Became a Victim is a internet Nigerian scam which landed me in Jail Yes that’s right I was arrested for worthless travels checks which i did not know was counterfeit now the good part after I was processed into the unit they put me in a cell with a young lady that had not eaten in three days at first she was very quiet so i just prayed God I know that I am here for someone because sometimes you will end up in some unlikely places just to do what the Lord has charged you to do so while we were on lockdown I asked her had she given her life to Christ and at that instant she begin to cry she told me that she had just started to get her life together and that every time she started to do good bad things would come up so I began to minister the word to her I read to her John 10:10 also Romans 8:1 and I told her that now was the time to get it right and I went through the script with her she gave her life to Christ right there then the got up and had dinner Praise the Lord! then there was another young lady who was very hurt and crying and I began to minister to her as well she got saved too as soon as I was done with the last young lady they called my name and told me I was going Home. Pastor Rodney I thank God for the Fire and the Word of God because without it there is no other way to live and i never look at things in the natural because God is Supernatural and that’s where I want to live in His presence on fire1 filled with the Holy Ghost! SOUL WINNING HOLY GHOST RAMBO Love you Laura W

Selena L
N/A Florida United States

300 Foxes – Samson’s Revenge

In Judges chapter 15 verses 4 + 5

Samson took 300 foxes and set fire to their tails and let them loose in the fields of the enemy and destroyed their crops.

 

I see this as a great story of wisdom in destroying the enemies fields

( the works of the devil)

 

I am looking for 300 foxes ( Evangelists to put fire in their tales ) and see them loose in the enemies fields decimating the works of the devil by the fire of the Holy Ghost.

 

One of the things that I got to think about concerning this was the fact that when he caught the foxes, lets say that there was a fox with one eye – he did not let that stop him from his quest – he just set fire to the one eyed fox and turned him loose – now I understand that they went in two’s, however I want to prove a point here. 

 

Then let say he caught another fox that had mange – his hair was falling out – that did not stop him he put fire on his tale and turned him loose.

 

Another was crippled in 1 leg and he limped – so we see he basically had a 3 legged fox – however with fire in his tale even a three legged fox moves – foxes with fire in their tales move with a sense of urgency.

 

Then lastly let say he caught a fox with no teeth – that did not stop him – he put fire in their tales – 

 

What am I trying to say – if you are a one eyed – hairless, crippled, toothless fox – there is nothing wrong with you that the fire of God would not cure.

 

Don’t look at your failings and shortcomings and setbacks but allow the Lord to light your fire and run through the enemies fields and reek havoc and bring in the harvest of souls for the time is short and Jesus is coming very, very soon

 

Please come to the Calling all Evangelists conference in Tampa -http://www.revival.com/www/r.aspx?p=39 and let the Lord touch you a fresh and use you – we need you – Jesus needs you – the Harvest is ripe – the time is now.

 

IF NOT NOW – WHEN ?

IF NOT YOU – WHO ?

 

It’s time to bring in the great harvest of souls!

 

The Christian’s life should reveal the truth of who Jesus Christ is. In that way, it can provide a godly example and legacy for future generations. What can we pass on that has lasting value?

Love for God’s Word. We want those who know us well to be able to say, “I remember how important Bible reading was to them. Their actions showed that they trusted what Scripture said. I know they tried to make their decisions based on biblical principles.”

 

Dependence on Prayer. Is our prayer life visible to our families, friends, and those within our sphere of influence? We want them to recall our reliance on God through prayer. The remembrance of us on our knees or clasping a partner’s hand while earnestly seeking God on some matter will be a powerful testimony. The answers that we receive and testify to will encourage them to follow our example.

 

Importance of Worship. Our families and others do notice what priority we place on worshipping Christ in a local church and the sacrifices we make to do so. Our children will also absorb the “unofficial” lessons we teach by our behavior as we get ready for church and afterwards as we return home.

 

Attitude Toward Money. When we give tithes and offerings to our church, even in hard times, we will be showing others our commitment to God. Our actions will impart to their thinking the importance of giving to God first.

God wants us to invest our lives in ways that bring honor and glory to Him. In so doing, we will also be developing a rich spiritual inheritance to give to others.

Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us.  Hebrews 12:1 AMP

 

We have a great cloud of witnesses, who have gone on before us, who led and paved the way for us, who made sacrifices, some paying the ultimate price, to uphold the truth and lift Jesus up, who are watching us over the banisters of heaven. We owe it to them and ourselves to strip off the worldly stuff that wraps itself around us to trip us up and the weight of sin that is so easy to pick up and so difficult to get rid of.

 

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2 AMP

 

The devil will try to lure and distract you with all kinds of sins and temptations and unfortunately some people are very easily distracted. If you want to do the right thing, you need to look away from all distractions and keep your eyes on Jesus. Jesus is our example. He did not give in to temporary temptations, He had His eye on the prize and the joy that was set before Him, and therefore He endured the shame and pain of the cross. We are His joy!

 

Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. 4 You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood.  Hebrews 12:3-4 AMP

 

Jesus struggled so intensely against the temptation to disobey God and not go to the cross that He sweated blood. You haven’t resisted sin till you sweated blood yet. When you look at what Jesus endured at the hands of man, you can encourage yourself and keep your spirits up, knowing that your trials are nowhere near as bad as His. He made it through and so will you.

 

And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal and encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him; 6 For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. 7 You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? 8 Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God’s children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all]. 9 Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] and respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live? 10 For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness. 11 For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness–in conformity to God’s will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God]. 12 So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees.  Hebrews 12:5-12 AMP

 

As a child of God, it is important for you to allow God to bring correction to your life, knowing that He has your best interests at heart. God only corrects His own children. If He doesn’t correct you, you are not His. Just as an earthly father disciplines and corrects his child, whom he loves, so God disciplines and corrects you by His word and His Spirit. He also allows you to reap what you have sown and face the consequences of your actions and choices. At the time you are being disciplined, it is not pleasant, it is painful. But afterwards, if you submit to it and allow God to train you, it will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

For when the world with all its earthly wisdom failed to perceive and recognize and know God by means of its own philosophy, God in His wisdom was pleased through the foolishness of preaching [salvation, procured by Christ and to be had through Him], to save those who believed (who clung to and trusted in and relied on Him). 22 For while Jews [demandingly] ask for signs and miracles and Greeks pursue philosophy and wisdom, 23 We preach Christ (the Messiah) crucified, [preaching which] to the Jews is a scandal and an offensive stumbling block [that springs a snare or trap], and to the Gentiles it is absurd and utterly unphilosophical nonsense. 24 But to those who are called, whether Jew or Greek (Gentile), Christ [is] the Power of God and the Wisdom of God.  1 Corinthians 1:21-24 AMP

 

The world, with all its earthly wisdom, is not wise enough to recognize and know God. As in Paul’s day, there are some people who are never satisfied no matter what they see – they always want more proof than what they have already seen before they believe. Then there are people who are educated beyond their intellect; they are so smart they are stupid; they have already decided that if they can’t see it, hear it, feel it, taste it, or smell it, it does not exist. These kinds of people regularly resist and oppose the work of God in the earth. If you are truly a believer, you know that the Spirit realm is very real and that the preaching of the gospel is not foolishness, but it is the power of God and the wisdom of God. It has the power to radically and positively transform lives.

 

It is human nature to want approval, to want others to like us and accept us. The devil tries to get us to back off of the power of God and the word of God by caring too much about other people’s opinion. It doesn’t take much to stop some people. They are so afraid of man’s disapproval that sometimes they won’t even admit to being a Christian. Jesus said that if we are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us.

 

For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.  Mark 8:38 NKJV

 

If God is real to you, if you are full of His word and you know His power, then you can be bold to proclaim the gospel to everyone no matter who they are or what they believe.

 

Both to Greeks and to barbarians (to the cultured and to the uncultured), both to the wise and the foolish, I have an obligation to discharge and a duty to perform and a debt to pay. 15 So, for my part, I am willing and eagerly ready to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, 17 For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith.  Romans 1:14-17 AMP

 

Before Paul had an encounter with the power and presence of God on the road to Damascus, he was a proud Pharisee called Saul. He was ruthless in the defense of his beliefs, leading the movement to destroy all Christians and eradicate Christianity. He was there when Stephen was martyred and stoned to death. After Jesus appeared to Paul and he was saved, set free and filled with the Holy Spirit, he was bold to proclaim the gospel and lift up the Name of Jesus. He had experienced the power of God and he knew that it was real. Now he became the one who was persecuted, harassed and tortured for his faith in God. Jesus had done so much for him, heaven was so real to him, and he was going to obey the call of God on his life no matter what the cost.

 

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel. He knew the power of the gospel; that it is real; that God always confirms His word with signs and wonders following. He felt the call of God to preach boldly and unashamed to all people, no matter what their viewpoint, no matter whether they received it or not. He knew that it was not his reputation on the line, but God’s. He knew that it was not his job to make people believe – they had to make that choice for themselves – but his responsibility was to preach and demonstrate the gospel and give people the opportunity to believe and receive. He could not afford to be ashamed of the gospel because people’s lives depended on it – their eternity depended on him enduring the lies, the persecution, the beatings, the hardships, and even the threat of death – so that they could hear the gospel and be saved from their sins.

 

The people of the world are waiting for the people of God to stand up boldly for the sake of the gospel and bring salvation, healing and deliverance to a lost and dying world!

 

One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a rich and influential woman lived, who insisted on his eating a meal. Afterward, whenever he passed by, he stopped there for a meal.

 

9 And she said to her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God who passes by continually.

 

10 Let us make a small chamber on the [housetop] and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then whenever he comes to us, he can go [up the outside stairs and rest] here.

 

11 one day he came and turned into the chamber and lay there.

 

12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. When he had called her, she stood before him.

 

13 And he said to Gehazi, Say now to her, You have been most painstakingly and reverently concerned for us; what is to be done for you? Would you like to be spoken for to the king or to the commander of the army? She answered, I dwell among my own people [they are sufficient].

 

14 Later Elisha said, What then is to be done for her? Gehazi answered, She has no child and her husband is old.

 

15 He said, Call her. [Gehazi] called her, and she stood in the doorway.

 

16 Elisha said, At this season when the time comes round, you shall embrace a son. She said, No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your handmaid.

 

17 But the woman conceived and bore a son at that season the following year, as Elisha had said to her.  2 Kings 4:8-17 AMP

Shunem was a city in the tribe of Issachar that lay in the road between Samaria and Carmel, a road that Elisha often traveled. One day as Elisha passed through town, a rich and influential woman who lived there insisted that he stopped for a meal at her house. She did not give him an opportunity to say no thank you — she would not take no for an answer — she was going to be a blessing to him whether he liked it or not.  Fortunately, he liked it.  And after that, when ever he passed by, he stopped there for a meal.

 

She was not only rich and influential, but she was obviously deeply committed to the Lord.  She recognized that Elisha was a prophet of the Most High God and, out of respect for God, she desired to be a blessing to his prophet. She asked her husband for permission to provide a special room furnished with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, exclusively for Elisha’s use. 

 

Not only did she feed him, but she provided a private accommodation for him to use any time he needed it. This woman did not do this with any ulterior motives.  She did not do this so that she could brag to her friends that the prophet stayed in her house. She did this because she loved God, she recognized his messenger, and she simply wanted to bless the prophet, and in so doing, she blessed the Lord.  She did not expect anything from Elisha in return, she simply did what she felt was right.

One day while Elisha was lying upon his bed, in the rich woman’s house, he began to wonder what he could do for her.  I believe that the Holy Spirit stirred him up to begin to think about it.  He had some political influence and so he asked her if there was anything that he could do for her. He offered to use his influence for her in the king’s court, but she politely declined.  She did not need favor from man — she was already well connected politically.  What she did desire — only God could give her!

If Elisha could not intervene for her in the courts of men, he wondered if he could intervene on her behalf in the courts of heaven.  Elisha servant, Gehazi, thought he knew what she needed and told Elisha.  She was married, but had no children, and now her husband was old. Obviously it was very painful for her that she had borne no children, but she had had to give up on that dream.  She put it behind her and went on with her life and yet, deep down in her heart, the desire was still there. So Elisha told her that at the same time next year she would hold a son.  She became very emotional and said to the prophet, “Please don’t mess with my emotions — only speak the truth to me because I cannot bear to be disappointed once again after all this time.” Sure enough, the next year, against all odds her son was born.

Many times people only do what’s right in order to impress other people and to be seen of man.  Often they will only bless those who can bless them in return and do them some special favor. Before they do anything they always ask, “What’s in it for me?” They are selfishly motivated and they will never have the blessing of God on their life. Because the Shunammite woman honored God by being a blessing to his prophet, God went out of his way to bless her and to give her the secret desire of her heart. She did not pursue recognition or a reward — she pursued God — therefore God stirred up his prophet to speak out her heart’s desire and He blessed her with a baby boy — something that was impossible in the natural! 

When you go out of your way to bless God and to be a blessing to His people — then he will pursue you and go out of His way to give you the desires of your heart — even if they are impossible in the natural!

 

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  Romans 10:12-14 NIV

 

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

 

13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

 

14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

 

15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” 

 

16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?

 

17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert?

 

18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?

 

19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.   Hebrews 3:12-19 NIV

 

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

 

2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 

 

3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.'” And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world.

 

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.”  

 

5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

 

6 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.  Hebrews 4:1-6 NIV

 

Everyone must have the opportunity to hear the gospel so that everyone may have the opportunity to receive the Word of God and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. If you have a heart that hungers for the truth, you will recognize it when you see it and hear it. God’s Word is truth (John 17:17).

 

For all those who have heard the truth, recognized it and received it, there are others who have heard it and yet they rejected it. Because of unbelief, they could not enter into God’s promises and His blessings. Because they had no faith in the Word they heard, the message was of no value to them. Even though God’s Word is true and full of power, it can do nothing for the doubter or the unbeliever.

 

It is the same Word preached to all and yet it works for some and not for others. Why? Because some believed and some refused to believe.

When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

 

55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?

 

56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?”

 

57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”

 

58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.  Matthew 13:54-58 NKJV

 

Mark 6:6 says that, “He marveled because of their unbelief.” Jesus was shocked and amazed at unbelief. Most people are shocked when someone actually believes in the Word of God, but God is shocked when they don’t! So many people, all over the nation of Israel, were healed, delivered, raised from the dead and made whole, and yet these people, in Jesus’ home town, received nothing from God. This proves that people don’t receive miracles – not because God does no miracles – but because of their unbelief.

 

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years,

 

26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.

 

27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.

 

28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

 

29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.

 

30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

 

31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?'”

 

32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.

 

33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

 

34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”   Mark 5:25-34 NKJV

 

Because this woman had FAITH in the anointing on Jesus and faith in the power of God on His life, she believed that if she touched His clothes, she would be healed. Because of her faith, when she touched Jesus, she drew on the anointing and He felt power go out of Him.

 

Many people were touching Him, but only one drew the anointing out of Him and received her healing. Your faith makes all the difference. God has made many wonderful promises, but it is YOUR faith that draws on the anointing and power of God that makes the promises come true in your life!

 

As it is written, He who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little did not lack.

 

16 But thanks be to God Who planted the same earnest zeal and care for you in the heart of Titus.

 

17 For he not only welcomed and responded to our appeal, but was himself so keen in his enthusiasm and interest in you that he is going to you of his own accord.

 

18 But we are sending along with him that brother [Luke?] whose praise in the Gospel ministry [is spread] throughout all the churches;

 

19 And more than that, he has been appointed by the churches to travel as our companion in regard to this bountiful contribution which we are administering for the glory of the Lord Himself and [to show] our eager readiness [as Christians to help one another].

 

20[For] we are on our guard, intending that no one should find anything for which to blame us in regard to our administration of this large contribution.

 

21 For we take thought beforehand and aim to be honest and absolutely above suspicion, not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men.  2 Corinthians 8:15-21 AMP

 

If you consider yourself a Christian, if you are a born-again child of God, you are obligated to live according to the Word of God – it is your duty and your privilege. It is very important that you are honest in all things, especially money. You ought to conduct yourself in such a way that you are above reproach and above suspicion. Paul said that he provided for honest things (KJV), which means that he took thought beforehand – he planned and he aimed – to be honest and absolutely above suspicion in financial matters. He did this in the sight of God and of man.

 

If you want to be honest before God then you must be completely and absolutely honest, for He sees everything you do and He knows what is in your heart – you cannot fool Him. Paul said that he planned, he took thought beforehand, and he aimed to be honest. You have to have a plan, you have to set a standard for your life so that when the occasion arises that your character is tested, you do not have to then decide how to conduct yourself, because you have already decided to do the right thing.

Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time?

 

46 Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is that servant whom, when his master comes, he will find so doing.

 

47 I solemnly declare to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

 

48 But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, My master is delayed and is going to be gone a long time,

 

49 And begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken,

 

50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour of which he is not aware,

 

51 And will punish him [cut him up by scourging] and put him with the pretenders (hypocrites); there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.  Matthew 24:45-51 AMP

 

God gives everyone of us a chance to prove ourselves and to prove what is in our heart. He gives us authority and responsibility and then He leaves us alone to do it. He does not stand over us and nag or beg, He does not force us, but He leaves us to prove our faithfulness and integrity.

 

In this parable, before the master leaves, he puts his servant in charge – he gives him authority over the other servants and the responsibility to take care of them and to provide food and supplies at the proper time.

 

The faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant is honest and he does what is expected of him even though no one is watching over him, because he knows that the master could come back at any time and he wants to please him. If that same servant was foolish and wicked, he would take advantage of the situation and instead of doing his duty and taking care of his fellow servants, he would get drunk and beat them.

 

The problem is that when his master came back, unexpectedly, he would be in big trouble. His master would discover that he had been unfaithful and dishonest and he would punish him and put him with the other hypocrites.

 

Abstain from all appearance of evil.  KJV Abstain from evil [shrink from it and keep aloof from it] in whatever form or whatever kind it may be.  AMP 1 Thessalonians 5:22

 

You need to be faithful and honest at all times because God is watching over you. You need to run away from evil – even the appearance of it. If you avoid even the appearance of evil, you will protect yourself from evil itself. Run from evil and choose to do right and the blessing of God will be on your life.

 

 

After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites to fight against them? 2 And the Lord said, Judah shall go up; behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.

3 And Judah [the tribe] said to [the tribe of] Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my allotted territory, so that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your territory. So Simeon went with him. Judges 1:1-3 NIV

 

Judges 1:4-36 tells us what each tribe did with their enemies. Judah and Simeon drove out or killed all their enemies except for those inhabiting the difficult valley basin, because they had chariots of iron. The Lord was also with the house of Joseph, who went up against Bethel. However, the tribes of Benjamin, Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan, did not do as they were told. All these tribes of Israel lived alongside these heathen nations and used them for forced labor instead of driving them out or destroying them together with their altars to idols and demon gods. Therefore the Israelites picked up their evil customs and their bad habits.

The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3 Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be [thorns] in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.”  Judges 2:1-3 NIV

 

The Israelites were in covenant with Almighty God, a covenant He swore never to break. For them to make covenants with the ungodly was completely unacceptable. Because of their disobedience, these nations became thorns in their sides and their gods became a snare to them. If you won’t deal with the root of sin, disobedience and bad habits in your life, and get rid of them by the power of the Holy Spirit, they will harass you all the days of your life. And there is nothing God can do for you until you make the decision to completely obey God in your life.

Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 9 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger 13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 In his anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.  Judges 2:8-15 NIV

 

Because Joshua’s generation did not completely obey God, they did not set a good example for their children. Because they lived amongst the enemy, their children were influenced by the culture and beliefs of their enemies. When that generation died, the new generation – who did not know the Lord or the great things that He had done for their fathers – began to serve the gods of the ungodly, the Baals and the Ashtoreths. Because of their rebellion, God sold them into the hands of their enemies and never again empowered them to defeat their enemies. Instead they were doomed to live in great distress.

 

The sad thing is that they had all the wonderful promises they needed from God. Because they would not listen to Him, because they would not believe Him or obey Him, He could do nothing to help them or bless them, but He had to leave them to their own devices. Even today there are many Christians who do not believe God’s Word or obey Him, and yet they see Him as either the source of their problems or at the least as a God Who does not see or hear or care, when all along, they are the problem and the source of their own troubles. God is no respecter of persons – He gives us all the opportunity to serve and obey Him and be blessed or to go our own way and be cursed. It’s your choice – if you are smart, you will make the choice to serve God all the days of your life.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NIV