The Hot Winds of Testing

Pastor Joel at Lakewood Church 

God doesn't stop every challenge and on the other side is a new level.

Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

Luke 8:12‭-‬15 NKJV

You'll be tested no matter who you are. 

Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Ephesians 6:13‭-‬15‭, ‬17‭-‬18 NLT

Don't be moved by what's not changing.

Here's what I've learned: I know God is on my side not by the storms he stopped, but by the storms that didn't stop me. You can't judge God's favor by the storms he kept you out of, but by the storms he brought you through.

I know you are pleased with me, for you have not let my enemies triumph over me.

Psalms 41:11 NLT

The scripture says you will go through the fire, and not be burned. You will go through the waters, and not drown. You will go through the famine, and not go hungry. Don't get discouraged over what God is bringing you through. He won't allow you to get in a difficulty that he can't bring you out of.

In the scripture three Hebrew teenagers wouldn't bow down to the king's golden idol. He was so upset, he was going to have them thrown into a fiery furnace. You talk about the hot winds of testing. What they were up against seemed impossible. They could have panicked, fallen apart, "God, we were being our best, doing the right thing, why did this happen"? It's a test. God allowed the difficulty not to defeat them, but to establish them. They said, "King we're not going to bow down. We know, our God will deliver us". If they would have stopped there we would think that's great, they had faith, they believed. But what they said next shows us their real attitude.

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."

Daniel 3:17‭-‬18 NLT

Sometimes God will keep you out of the fire, other times he'll make you fire proof and send you into the fire. You may be in the fire now, you feel those hot winds of testing. You need to remind yourself, like these teenagers those flames can't harm you, that trouble can't take you out, those people can't stop what God has ordained - it's a test. 

When your roots go down deep, God will make things happen that you couldn't make happen. You'll defeat giants that are much bigger, accomplish dreams that seem impossible.

If it feels like it's too much, that's because you're stronger than you think, it's because your destiny is greater than you think. He's getting you prepared for things much bigger in your future, for favor, influence, opportunity that you've never seen. Don't wilt in the trouble, dig down deep. It's not too much for you, you can handle it, you've been armed with strength for this battle. You are full of can-do power. The forces that are for you are greater than the forces that are against you.

Biosphere 2 Project.

It's in a big dome that cost 150 million dollars. They made it to study how the earth functions, and to learn more about how we can make improvements. It has 3 800 species of plants and animals, including a rain forest, a savannah, and a desert. They discovered that in this biosphere trees grew much faster than trees outside the dome. They were taken aback at how rapidly they grew, but before the trees reached their full height they fell over. They couldn't withstand their own weight. They realized, in this biosphere they hadn't replicated the wind. It was always calm and peaceful, never any strong winds, never any storms.  Because the trees didn't have to withstand any wind, their roots didn't develop properly, and they had a deficiency in what they called stress wood. Stress wood helps the tree grow stronger and more solidly. Without it the trees can grow fast, but they can't survive. The wind is essential for the tree to flourish, and become what it was created to be. In the same way without these hot winds of testing, without storms, without difficulties, our life would be easier, but we wouldn't develop properly. We wouldn't be able to carry the weight of what God has in store.

Don't complain about the wind, it's strengthening you. Those hot winds of testing can be uncomfortable, we don't like it, but your roots are going down deeper. You're developing, courage strength, fortitude. Those winds are not there to break you, they're there to make you. They're helping you become who you were created to be.

Airplanes

It's interesting that airplanes don't take off with the wind, they take off against the wind. The airplane needs the resistance of the wind to get lift. Are you complaining about winds being against you, when in fact God is going to use those winds to give you lift? That challenge may look like it's going to stop you, but really it's going to promote you. Don't get discouraged because you're in the hot winds of testing, that tells me you're about to lift off, you're about to see things you've never seen, go places you've never gone. Past the test, keep standing, keep doing the right thing.

David

After David defeated Goliath king Saul asked him to come to the palace and be one of his armor-bearers. When Saul wasn't feeling well, he'd have David come in and play the harp. David was faithful. He served Saul with excellence, always gave it his best, but Saul was jealous of David. He didn't like the fact that David was getting all this recognition. One day while he was playing the harp, Saul throw a spear at David trying to kill him, barely missed. David had to flee for his life. He spent months in the desert on the run from king Saul.  Here David hadn't done anything wrong. He could have said, "God, this isn't fair, where are you"? But in those hot winds of testing David kept doing the right thing. He had a chance to kill Saul, to get revenge, but he wouldn't do it. He knew Saul was anointed to be king, and David wouldn't touch God's anointed. As David kept passing the test, his roots were going down deeper, his character was being developed, he was showing God what he was made of. That's what prepared him to take the throne and do great things.

Jesus

Even Jesus had to go through these hot winds of testing. You would think he would have it easy, God would surely favor him, keep him from opposition, from bad breaks. But he had to pass these same tests. People he loved walked away. Peter denied him. Thomas doubted him. The religious leaders made fun of him. In the Garden of Gethsemane he was overcome with despair so much so, that he swept great drops of blood. When he was crucified, the scripture says (Matthew 27:45), "Darkness fell across the whole land from the sixth to the ninth hour". As he hung there, the sun refused to shine. It was a dark moment and without that dark moment, we wouldn't have salvation. Even Jesus asked why God had forsaken him.

It's significant that the scripture tells us darkness covered the earth from the sixth to the ninth hour. The writer wasn't just giving us a time frame so we would know chronologically when it all happened, God was showing us just as he sets a time for you to come into the dark moment, he sets a time for you to come out of it. Can I tell you? Your ninth hour is coming. The dark moments are not permanent. The hot winds of testing don't last forever. You are close to seeing things turn around. You are close to a breakthrough, close to your healing, close to meeting the right person, close to victory like you've never seen.

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

Romans 8:18 NLT

-Jeniro on the go!
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Keep On Walking

We have the promise in our heart but most of the time God doesn't do things instantly.

10 sufferers of leprosy were asked to do something that didn't make sense after asking Jesus to heal them.

Taking a good look at them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus' feet, so grateful. He couldn't thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.

Luke 17:14‭-‬16 MSG

Leprosy was very contagious and sufferers were asked to stay away from people so they could have argued or talked themselves out of it.

They ran out of wine and Jesus told them to fill up pots with water.

Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. Jesus and his disciples were guests also. When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus' mother told him, "They're just about out of wine." Jesus said, "Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn't my time. Don't push me." She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, "Whatever he tells you, do it." Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus ordered the servants, "Fill the pots with water." And they filled them to the brim. "Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host," Jesus said, and they did. When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn't know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, "Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you've saved the best till now!" This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

John 2:1‭-‬11 MSG

Is God asking you to do something that doesn't make sense?

Had they not filled up those pots there would have been no wine.

Elijah

One day the wife of a man from the guild of prophets called out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead. You well know what a good man he was, devoted to God . And now the man to whom he was in debt is on his way to collect by taking my two children as slaves." Elisha said, "I wonder how I can be of help. Tell me, what do you have in your house?" "Nothing," she said. "Well, I do have a little oil." "Here's what you do," said Elisha. "Go up and down the street and borrow jugs and bowls from all your neighbors. And not just a few—all you can get. Then come home and lock the door behind you, you and your sons. Pour oil into each container; when each is full, set it aside." She did what he said. She locked the door behind her and her sons; as they brought the containers to her, she filled them. When all the jugs and bowls were full, she said to one of her sons, "Another jug, please." He said, "That's it. There are no more jugs." Then the oil stopped. She went and told the story to the man of God. He said, "Go sell the oil and make good on your debts. Live, both you and your sons, on what's left."

2 Kings 4:1‭-‬7 MSG

Make room for it even when you see no signs of it. Plan for it, talk like it, act like it

She could have said, sir you heard me wrong, I only have a little oil... but she was obedient!

God is not moved by what's not moving.

Joshua watched his mentor part the red sea so he mimiced Moses' actions in faith but the waters did not part so he just kept walking! He didn't know God was about to do something that he'd never seen!

Are you going to get your feet wet?

The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away.

Psalms 114:3 NLT

God said to Joshua, "This very day I will begin to make you great in the eyes of all Israel. They'll see for themselves that I'm with you in the same way that I was with Moses. You will command the priests who are carrying the Chest of the Covenant: 'When you come to the edge of the Jordan's waters, stand there on the river bank.'" Then Joshua addressed the People of Israel: "Attention! Listen to what God , your God, has to say. This is how you'll know that God is alive among you—he will completely dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. Look at what's before you: the Chest of the Covenant. Think of it—the Master of the entire earth is crossing the Jordan as you watch. Now take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe. When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the Chest of God , Master of all the earth, touch the Jordan's water, the flow of water will be stopped—the water coming from upstream will pile up in a heap." And that's what happened. The people left their tents to cross the Jordan, led by the priests carrying the Chest of the Covenant. When the priests got to the Jordan and their feet touched the water at the edge (the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest), the flow of water stopped. It piled up in a heap—a long way off—at Adam, which is near Zarethan. The river went dry all the way down to the Arabah Sea (the Salt Sea). And the people crossed, facing Jericho. And there they stood; those priests carrying the Chest of the Covenant stood firmly planted on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground. Finally the whole nation was across the Jordan, and not one wet foot.

Joshua 3:7‭-‬17 MSG

I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

Psalms 37:25 NKJV

You have armor for moving forward.

What awaits you if you just keep walking 

Don't try to figure it out just keep expecting.

-Jeniro on the go!
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Victory Begins in the Dark

At 12am nothing looks different. If you didn't have a watch you wouldn't know that it was a new day.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

Genesis 1:1‭-‬2‭, ‬8 NKJV

That's what faith is about. If day started at sunrise everything would make sense but midnight makes no sense. That's why you have to walk by faith and not by sight.

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV

The very moment I call to you for a father's help the tide of battle turns and my enemies flee. This one thing I know: God is on my side!

Psalms 56:9 TPT

Psalms 56:9 NKJV

One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn't escape.

Acts of the Apostles 16:16‭, ‬22‭-‬23 NLT

Paul and Silas were doing what they were supposed to be doing but were sent to jail.

They could have been down and depressed.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.  Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Acts 16:25‭-‬30 KJV

Don't go by what you feel, go buy what you know. God starts the day in the dark. God's timing is not our timing.

And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Psalms 50:15 KJV

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Luke 12:32 KJV

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

Job 1:1 KJV

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

Job 10:12 KJV

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:  Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

Job 8:20‭-‬21 KJV

What if the darkness you are going through is not the darkness of the tomb but the darkness of the womb?!?!

God is using that darkness to birth something!

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,

Psalms 30:11 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.30.11.NLT

When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! Then all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the trials the Lord had brought against him. And each of them brought him a gift of money and a gold ring. So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.

Job 42:10‭-‬12 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/job.42.10-12.NLT

When you go from pm to am nothing looks different.

Until we rock again,
🤘 P E A C E, L 💚 V E, & R⚡P S T⚡X 🤘

-Pound Pro Jenny

Ready to Rise

We all have things that can push us down but we're never meant stay down.

We were created to  overcome!

We have bounce back!

Don't, enemy, crow over me. I'm down, but I'm not out. I'm sitting in the dark right now, but God is my light. I can take God 's punishing rage. I deserve it—I sinned. But it's not forever. He's on my side and is going to get me out of this. He'll turn on the lights and show me his ways. I'll see the whole picture and how right he is. And my enemy will see it, too, and be discredited—yes, disgraced! This enemy who kept taunting, "So where is this God of yours?" I'm going to see it with these, my own eyes— my enemy disgraced, trash in the gutter.

Micah 7:8‭-‬10 MSG

This problem didn't come to stay it came to pass.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.

Psalms 40:2 NKJV

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:11 NKJV

The enemy's best will never be enough.

Palm Trees bend so they don't break

Trees generally snap, or at least lose a few branches, when faced with hurricane-strength winds. Not palm trees. These staples of the tropics typically bend during gusty weather.

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psalms 92:12 NKJV

After the storm you won't look like what you came through. The storms strengthen the Palm Tree's root system with a greater capacity for growth.

Down is not my destiny. 

After listing his shortcomings he said this

Therefore I will look to the Lord ; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.

Micah 7:7 NKJV

A caravan had been traveling long before Joseph's brothers plotted against him in jealousy. That caravan kept him from being left for dead. He kept honoring God and living in good character so after going from the pit to the prison, he was in the palace.

Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."

Genesis 41:44 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/gen.41.44.NKJV

Joseph had his coat of many colors taken away which probably upset him but God had something better ahead.

How many of us are longing for the robe of many colors when we knew we were favored and loved.

But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

I Corinthians 2:9 NKJV

You'll be so blessed and favored that your enemies don't recognize you. 

Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, "Where do you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food." So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

Genesis 42:6‭-‬8 NKJV

Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.

Psalms 68:1 NKJV

When you let God arise you make him bigger than your problems.

It's important to keep a song of praise in your heart. Take the time that you'd usually spend to worry and turn it to worship.

Even if you brought the troubles on yourself you can still bounce back.

The Prodigal Son, Jacob, leaves his father's farm to seek his fortune in the city. ... With a group of followers gathered about him, Jesus tells the parable of the Prodigal Son, Jacob, the younger son of a successful farmer, begs his father for his inheritance so he can go to the city and become a rich money lender.

"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Luke 15:17 NKJV

"But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

Luke 15:22 NKJV

The prodigal son had to make a decision.

For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

Proverbs 24:16 NKJV

Until we rock again,
🤘 P E A C E, L 💚 V E, & R⚡P S T⚡X 🤘

-Pound Pro Jenny

Software Update

When we download new software, it usually requires a reboot. You have to stop what you're doing and restart the computer. It can be inconvenient but afterwards, the computer usually runs better.

God wants you to come out of this with better productivity. Sometimes the reason we aren't passionate is because we are operating on new software.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17

Where the spirit of the Lord IS not where he WAS! don't let the good keep you from the better!!

The people were thirsty and GOD told Moses to gather everyone around the rock where God told him to strike a rock and water flowed! The same thing happened later but God asked him to speak to the rock.

 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord's presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."13 These were the waters of Meribah,[a] where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.

Numbers 20

Just because something happened one way doesn't mean that's the way it will always be.

You can't keep striking the rock.

What made you successful 5 years ago might not keep you successful.

If you don't innovate, you will evaporate.

When God asked him to speak to the rock the instructions probably didn't register and he went on auto-pilot. You have to stay sensitive.

The old software was good for that time.

The manufacturer is always making improvements to help make the product operate better.

It's up to us to take the download.

You can think to yourself, my phone is fine I don't need the update because we don't want to be inconvenienced!

This is a new day! It's time to make some changes. New favor. New friendships.

Couple was recently married and her husband noticed that whenever she made ham the wife would cut the ends of the ham off. She asked why and the wife said that my mother would always cut the ends off and she'd make the best ham in all of the world. So the husband called his mother-in-law and asked why she cut the ends of the ham off, she said, " my mother would always cut the ends off and she'd make the best ham in all of the world". So the husband called his grandmother-in-law ans asked why she'd cut the ends off. Grandmother said, it was too big for my pot!

Sometimes we're stuck in traditions and old mindsets that have been passed down. That's why it's good to reevaluate old mindsets. Could it be that your software is contaminated? Things that have been passed down are limiting you!

God moved out of the temple and into us.

But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6

Step into the new way. The better way.

The boll weevil decimated the South's cotton industry, but the city of Enterprise found prosperity instead by planing peanuts which boll weevils didn't like!

 Matthew 27:51 New International Version

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split

God is getting you programmed for the amazing future.

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#ElderPartyMonth

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude, don't complain.
Maya Angelou

Vision without action is a daydream.
Action without vision is a nightmare.
(which one is worse?)

Do you tweet? Me too, find me here. Also, find me on Facebook.

TheJRochelle about.me/jeanicia.elder

The Shaking is for Shifting

Pastor Joel @ Lakewood Church

The Pandemic is shaking things in reality causing us to be shaken on the inside. It doesn't take a pandemic, this happens with any change: a death, a layover, etc...

It may look like a setback but it's a setup.

Saul approved the stoning of Stephen. Some faithful followers of the Lord buried Stephen and mourned very much for him. At that time the church in Jerusalem suffered terribly. All of the Lord's followers, except the apostles, were scattered everywhere in Judea and Samaria. Saul started making a lot of trouble for the church. He went from house to house, arresting men and women and putting them in jail.

Acts 8:1‭-‬3 CEV

Jerusalem. A holy city for Jews (see also Jews), Christians (see also Christian), and Muslims; the capital of the ancient kingdom of Judah and of the modern state of Israel. The name means "city of peace." Jerusalemis often called Zion; Mount Zion is the hill on which the fortress of the city was built.

You're on the verge of something better than ever.

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

Acts 8:4‭-‬7 NKJV

If Philip hadnt left Jerusalem then none of that wouldn't have happened.

And there was great joy in that city.

Acts 8:8 NKJV

The best is still out on front of you. 

He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing.

Job 8:21 NKJV

For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

Psalms 18:39 NKJV

God can shift your desires.

Delight yourself also in the Lord , And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalms 37:4 NKJV

Flourishing can come out of a shaky time.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Proverbs 13:22 NKJV

God doesn't change and he is the giver of all good the thing. Source vs. Resource

They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

Psalms 37:19 NKJV

God keeps track of the decent folk; what they do won't soon be forgotten. In hard times, they'll hold their heads high; when the shelves are bare, they'll be full.

Psalm 37:18‭-‬19 MSG

God is into multiplication.

God won't let you get into a situation 

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.

Acts 16:26 NKJV

New doors, new relationships, etc...

Devon Franklin at Lakewood Church

Marriages and communication is having to be readjusted.

Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.  Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.
Colossians 3:13‭-‬17 CEV

• Ask what your spouse is afraid of. Underneath a lot of curt comments is fear and that fear needs to be unearthed.

• Ask for forgiveness and give forgiveness. With all of the unknowns an unstable environment had been created but let love be the connective tissue that holds your relationship together.

• Accept your spouse for where they are not where you want them to be. When we have a "why can't you just" POV that creates more tension. Acceptance can be the key to propelling your spouse to where God wants you to be.

Nick Nilson at Lakewood Church

I will give you treasures hidden in dark and secret places. Then you will know that I, the Lord God of Israel, have called you by name.

Isaiah 45:3 CEV

Dark places can be scary but often that's where valuable things are buried.

When the COVID pandemic started shutting things down the rodeo was one of the first things hit. That hurt a lot of vendors because the HLSR was a resource they used to make income. Someone decided to create an online market for those vendors and now they are seeing more income than before.

Don't confuse a resource with The Source

Tasha Cobbs at Lakewood Church

Don't be moved by what you see, be moved by what you know. 

Until we rock again,
🤘 P E A C E, L 💚 V E, & R⚡P S T⚡X 🤘

-Pound Pro Jenny

You have the cure.

One of the problems with the Corona Virus is that there are no antibodies.

Diseases that were treated years ago aren't around anymore. Once you have the cure you don't have to worry about the disease anymore.

2000 years ago the antidote to spiritual diseases was developed by our Savior.

My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.

Proverbs 4:20‭-‬22 NLT

For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.  Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Jeremiah 8:21‭-‬22 KJV

Sheep's blood provides rattlesnake anti-venom

The blood of sheep in South Australia is being used to develop rattlesnake anti-venom for a UK-based biotechnology company. Protherics is developing the treatment at a property at Mintaro in South Australia's Clare Valley. About 2,000 sheep are injected with rattle snake venom each month and the venom anti-bodies are collected later from their blood. Protherics operations manager Rob Mugford says Australian sheep are being used because they are free of diseases like scrapie and foot and mouth. "You could not guarantee that if you took scrapie free sheep from out of Australia and put them onto a property in the UK that you'd be able to maintain that scrapie freedom," he said. "Our company did look at it, but it was a lot easier to have the sheep in Australia do all the work here and we ship the serum back to the UK for processing. "We start with a much lower dose and slowly ramp it up, so that they increase their amount of antibodies they produce until we get a hyper-immune animal that is producing a significant quantity of rattlesnake anti-venom or anti-bodies," Mr Mugford said. 

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

Hebrews 2:14 NKJV

So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

Numbers 21:6‭-‬7 NKJV

But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

Acts 28:5‭-‬6 NKJV

A honey bee sting is a suicide mission for the worker. Because of the barbs on the stinger, it becomes embedded in whatever they have stung. When the bee pulls away from the victim, the stinger and venom sac are left behind. This is catastrophic for the bee and will cause its death.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:55‭-‬58 KJV

Until we rock again,
🤘 P E A C E, L 💚 V E, & R⚡P S T⚡X 🤘

-Pound Pro Jenny