Songs of Joy

Esther Mui has just put out a new album called "Songs of Joy".  About this work, she says:

This selection of Scripture passages put to song wholly resound with praise towards our God and the joy that comes from being in communion with Him. May the words of the psalmists, prophets and apostles uplift your spirits.

Let us remember that joy comes from Him alone, our God of mercy and our defense. Let us be glad in Him and give thanks to Him because he is the deliverer of our souls - our Wonderful, Mighty God. May we be vessels of honor for His glory and praise!

May this be a blessing to you and may Esther & her family continue to be blessed of the Lord for their ministry.

Broken Ribs

In Don't Forget Deborah - Part 3 (The Beauty of Submission), I wrote the following:

When God was creating woman, He took one of Adam's ribs in order to form her. This small point is not insignificant. Again, God does everything for a reason.

The ribs provide one main function: protection for the heart and the lungs. Both the heart and lungs are critical to the life of the body, yet the nature of their work requires that these organs be soft, delicate, and pliable (and thereby in need of protection).

The heart keeps blood flowing, ensuring that life reaches other parts of the body. It also provides a place of refreshing where the blood can get re-oxygenated or revived in order to continue its work. As such, the heart needs to be sensitive and flexible enough to the respond to the body's electrical impulses regarding contraction in order to keep the blood pumping. It is strong and is one of the largest muscles in the human body. It is an involuntary muscle meaning we do not have to consciously tell the heart to beat. It is created to anticipate the needs of the body and does so automatically.

The lungs are the place where gas exchange occurs within the human body; it collects the oxygen needed to give energy to the blood and expels toxins such as carbon dioxide. Similar to the heart, the lungs must be elastic enough to inflate/deflate as needed to support the inhaling and exhaling of air. Again, the lungs are involuntary muscles and expand/contract without willful thought by nature of their design.

The heart and lungs work around the clock, processing on average 8,000 - 9,000 liters of blood and air respectively a day. When they don't work properly, it impacts the whole body's ability to function as it should.

Understanding the functional purpose that these delicate organs serve and how vital their work is to the health of the body, it is clear to see why God - in His infinite wisdom - encased the heart and lungs under the protection of the ribs.

However, what happens when the ribs are broken?  I mentioned in a recent comment that God has been emphasizing obedience lately.  A number of women have even written this month to ask what it means to obey their husbands. Further, I have seen other women claiming to be obedient to God, but rejecting patriarchal authority and going off in rebellion against Him.  They are in fact in "obedient" to a perverse demon spirit, even while claiming to be serving the Lord.

Take time to listen to this message.  The calling of women is so evident in Scripture that you would have to want to be blind not to see it.  Only those who enjoy rebellion and do not want to be cleansed from sin will turn a deaf ear.  If there is any resistance in your soul to this, then that is the very thing which God is trying to deal with in you.

It is past time to get this right.  We need to examine ourselves to see who - and whose - we truly are.  We must lay bare our hearts before God and be desperate enough for deliverance that we are willing to deal with those things that God despises.  It is time for women to once again become life in the church by joyfully understanding and embracing who we are designed by God to be.

The following message from Pastor Gary C. Price at Omega Ministries considers just that and is entitled, "Broken Ribs".   I have seen first-hand how insidious this is and how it perverts a woman from being a handmaiden of the Lord into being a religious witch & whore.  It pretends to be submissive, but uses subtlety, manipulation, and false authority to do what it pleases and get its way.

What is a common theme for those who fall prey to this deception?  Self-idolatry.  Whether you exalt yourself (think more highly of yourself than you should) or debase yourself (operate in a spirit of rejection), both are forms of self-idolatry.  One's entire existence is focused on what you think, how you feel, what you want, and how people treat you.  It is time to get out of self if we truly want to be saved and to be used by God to reach the lost.

My Brothers & Sisters, this is no small thing.  It is not about some pastor having a problem with women or some blogger always posting about the spirit of Jezebel.  It is a biblical, methodical review of Satan's attempt in these last days to raise up a rebellious spirit in women using a religious cloak of "spiritual inspiration" to willfully lead God's people into sin (Revelation 2:20).  God doesn't give us warnings for no reason.  Only one who wants to wants to remain blind and spend an eternity in Hell will turn a deaf ear to His call for us to "come out of her".

An illustration of Baphomet.

• Each of the following statements are true:
• Women can be effective ministers and preachers of the Gospel.
• There are gender-specific roles in the Body of Christ according to the Scriptures.
• The world - and its god - is working feverishly to remove gender distinctions in the earth.  This is reflected in the image of Baphomet.
• There is a spirit that will almost cause a woman to be enraged about being a woman.
• The Devil's scheme is to put you to sleep spiritually, infiltrate your mind, and lead you through thought transference.
• People make the mistake of letting their life and experiences define their existence.  This is idolatry. It is not about what someone has done to you, but what you have done to God.  If you have anything against your mother or father, then you are already off course.
• People spend a lifetime trying to understand what the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil are.
  
  The Tree of Life represents the patriarchal governmental authority of God as indicated by it displaying 12 fruit (Revelation 21:12-14, Revelation 22:2).  
  
  The Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil depicts dualism; two competing natures indwelling one being.  This dualism is also seen in the Baphomet as well as the yin yang symbol.  There is no right and wrong, but each person chooses for themselves what is good or evil, independent of God.  Man is governed by his own mind and not the authority of God.
• God made woman as a helpmeet - a helpful friend, companion, or reflector - for the man.
• Woman was taken out of man (Genesis 2:23).  It is impossible to take something out of something else, and the thing you took out be greater than what you took it from.  For example, the answer for 5-3 will never be greater than 5.  No baby being born is ever greater than its parents.  These are just principles of basic logic.
•  A woman is always to be under authority (I Corinthians 11:10; I Timothy 2:12).  A girl is to be under the authority of her father until she is given to her husband, at which point she comes under the authority of her husband.  This is symbolized by her leaving the last name of her father and taking the last name of her husband.  If there is no father or husband, than another male member of the family is to take that place (Deuteronomy 25:5; Ruth 3:12-13; Luke 20:28-33; I Timothy 5:3-5). 
  
  If there are no male family members to take this responsibility, then it becomes the responsibility of the church (Acts 6:1-6, I Timothy 5:16).  This is further evidence that there is organized structure in the church.  Pure religion is to take care of the fatherless and widows because there is one thing that both lack: the covering of a patriarch (James 1:27).
• The heart and mind of God right now is to return the church to patriarchal order because that is where His power flows.  You cannot conquer the powers of darkness outside of that authority.

• The serpent deceived Eve, convincing her that she could be a god herself by knowing good and evil.  He pulled Eve out from under the governmental authority she had been given: Adam.  What was the immediate result? She turned on Adam, seeking to make him into what she had become; a rebel against God. 
• You can be brainwashed by any demon if you are in the flesh.  This is why Satan continuously tries to tempt you to get into the flesh.
• Adam wasn't far away when Eve was tempted; he was "with her".  Even though it was the woman who was deceived, God still demanded accountability from Adam because he was the authority God had put in place.  What was is response?  To throw her under the bus rather than be responsible.  This is all fallen man can do, sacrifice the woman at the first sign of danger or trouble to protect himself.
• The Scripture never says that the forbidden fruit was an apple or any other physical fruit.  Neither does eating a physical piece of fruit allow your "eyes to be opened" to know good and evil (Genesis 3:7).  Fruit is representative of the character traits of spirit beings.
• Eve means life, and every woman should bring life to an environment.
• Women must really examine themselves to see what it is in them that makes them contend with their husbands instead of submitting to him.
• A man must sacrifice himself for his wife, protecting and edifying her.
• The problem in many marriages is that the husband and/or wife has soul ties from old relationships.
• Women must reverence their husbands, which means to be in awe of.
• Women who step from under Godly authority become the opposite of what women were designed to be, becoming vessels of death.
• God does not hear your prayers when you are out of order (I Peter 3:7).

• The text in I Corinthians 11 is not about a woman wearing a head covering.  It is about women being "covered" by proper authority (I Corinthians 11:3).
• The Holy Spirit has been shut off from full manifestation in the church because Jezebel and Ahab are ruling the church.
• The legacy of a Jezebel and Ahab spirit is matriarchy; its offspring are harlots and abominations.
• In Jezebel and Ahab's day, the Lord sent the prophet Elijah to confront the matriarchal system of perversion and restore the order of patriarchy by reestablishing Godly government as represented by the 12 altar stones for the sons of Jacob (I Kings 18:21).  Only then did the fire from Heaven fall and the curse of the drought end.
• The last word for the Old Testament in Malachi is that - before Jesus' return - God would send Elijah the prophet to turn the hearts of the father to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers.  Again, God is demanding a restoration of patriarchal authority amongst His people or else He will smite the earth with a curse (Malachi 4:5-6).
• Before the first coming of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah and preached repentance to the people to prepare them for His coming (Luke 1:17; Mark 6:14).  Repentance is literally the turning of the hearts back to the Father, as seen by a restoration of patriarchy in the hearts.
• Before Jesus comes again, God is sending those with the spirit of Elijah to preach repentance, a returning of the hearts back to patriarchal authority (Acts 17:30).
• The false doctrine of matriarchal authority in the church introduces you to the "depths of Satan" (Revelation 2:24).

Broken Ribs - Part 1 from thelatterdays on GodTube.



Broken Ribs - Part 2 from thelatterdays on GodTube.


Broken Ribs - Part 3 from thelatterdays on GodTube.

The Joy of the Lord

"[[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!" Psalm 21:1

My family has been dealing with a situation for which we have been asking God for wisdom and guidance.  This week, we have been meeting with "experts" at a center, seeking to understand the scope of what we are dealing with and options for addressing it.

Our first day at this center, a stranger approached me and started a conversation.  In part she said, "This place is so anointed.  The Lord has definitely led you to the right place."  I said thank you and we parted ways.  I then prayed in my heart to the Lord, "Lord, if that was supposed to be some kind of confirmation for me that we are to follow the advice of these people, then I am sorry but you are going to have to make it more clear than that.  That just didn't do it for me."

The next day, another stranger came up to me and started speaking.  In part, she said, "This place is just wonderful.  I can't speak more highly of it.  With the Lord's help, you will find all that you need here."  Again, I responded, "Thank you."  However, yet again, something was missing.  While comforting, reassuring, and encouraging, the words these women spoke just did not resonate with my spirit.  They were nice platitudes, but did not have the power that words from the Lord usually have.

You see, everybody has a "word from the Lord" these days, but they are not all from the Lord.  We must seek to be in tune with God at all times in order to know what is of Him and what is not.  A word is not from God just because it makes us feel good or tells us nice things we want to hear.  The enemy himself can even transform himself into an angel of light in order to lead you astray (II Corinthians 11:14).  A real word from the Lord will slam into our souls, confront our perceptions, and bring about a major change and assurance within us.

I began to question the Lord more urgently.  "Lord, Friday is the day we get the feedback from these experts and their recommendations, yet I feel no closer to knowing what we should do."

"The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him."  Exodus 15:2

While at that center Thursday morning, I was reflecting on God's word and His goodness.  All of a sudden the Holy Spirit welled up within me and literally filled me with such amazing joy.   It was such an unspeakable joy that I seriously thought I might start shouting praises to Him at the top of my voice right then and there.

I jokingly said to the Lord, "Lord, is this what it is like for you to return the joy of my salvation?  I had better get a hold of myself or I am going to start shouting & dancing around this place right now and they will surely put me out!"  But I honestly could not contain it; joy over the Lord was just bubbling up from my spirit.  I began to pray out loud, thanking the Lord and praising Him, for I could not hold it in.  I felt empowered to face and conquer anything; it was truly a supernatural experience.

"Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." Psalm 32:11

By the end of that day, my joy had been forgotten and I was dejected; in pain, physically sick, and full of questions.  "Why, Lord, was I in this situation?  What was the purpose of all of this?  It just doesn't make any sense." It had really been a trying day and I had been pushed to my physical limits.  I still had no word which I felt was from the Lord.  I was still as confused as ever abut what to do.

That night, my pastor sent me a link to the video below with a one word instruction, "Listen."  And listen I did.

As I listened to Pastor Wilkerson speak about the importance of having joy while going through a trial - and not just when God brings you out of it - I knew it was a word from the Lord for me.  It illustrated exactly what God had already shown me earlier that day.  How could my pastor have known the message I needed to hear?  How could he have known exactly when to send it?  It could only be the Lord.

You see, that morning, I had been so filled with joy that I couldn't even think about my own circumstances.  In the midst of a center filled with sickness, disease, and death, I felt like leaping for joy.  I was overcome with thankfulness and gratitude for all the Lord had done for me, but most importantly, for Him being who He is.

So this is the kicker: what had happened by the end of the day?  What had changed to cause my joy to fade?  Was not the Lord still the same Comforter, Deliverer, and Almighty God I had praised in the morning?  Absolutely He was.  It was I who had changed, not Him.  I realized that I had let my circumstances and what I was going through erode away my joy, and I became determined not to let that happen again.  I will not again let the Devil steal my joy!

Yet, Satan doesn't give up easily.  That night he sent me a nightmare where someone was chasing me and trying to kill me.  He was trying once more to have a spirit of fear gain a stronghold in my heart.  But when I awoke the Lord said, "Whose report will you believe?"

On Friday, we went back to that center changed.  Instead of being overwrought with our own situation, we were renewed in faith.  We actively  prayed with and for others regarding whatever issues they had.  My husband spoke with such vigor about the Lord, that it prompted others to ask, "Are you a preacher?"  Neither were we fearful of the coming report from the "experts".

Yet as I said before, the Devil doesn't give up that easily.  As we waited to hear the report, they brought in female chaplains from their "Pastoral Care" unit.  Each of these women tried to use the Scriptures to get us to do what the experts felt we should do.  They assured us that God allows us to make the choices in our lives.  That God had placed these experts in our lives for a reason and we could just pray for God to have His hand in whatever they recommended.  I don't have to pray to know God's will, they said, for God is with me and will be with whatever decision I make.  These were all religious lies.

Let me tell you something: there is a major difference between religion and true relationship.  Religion seeks its own way and deceives itself into believing that God will bless it.  It attempts to use God like an accessory to bless what they already want to do in their defiled hearts, appending God to their desire to fulfill their own will.  That is not faith.  Those in true relationship with the Lord seek and desire to know His will, and obey that.  True faith is trusting God and believing Him, even when you do not understand.  There is a choice we face as Christians, but it is not a choice to do as we please with God's blessing.  It is a choice to either obey Him or not.

Once we set this straight with the chaplains, the experts began with their report.  As I listened to the report, it was abundantly clear how the hand of the Lord was with me...and had been throughout this entire trial.  The situation we faced had not spread one bit, but had been unnaturally contained these past 7 years.  The experts had no explanation for it.  I was reminded of how even the oceans have to obey the Lord, going not where they please, but maintaining the boundaries established by the word of God (Job 38:11).  I remembered how God gave Satan license to test Job, but placed limitations on what he was allowed to do.  Satan not only needed permission from God, but he could not surpass the restraints God put upon him.  Even in our trials, we are never at the mercy of the Devil, but God remains in control.  Is there anything too hard for our God?  There is absolutely not!

"Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy." I Chronicles 29:9

While there is much meat from Min. Wilkerson in this short sermon below, there were two things in particular that stood out to me personally.

1. God has led you to this crisis.
   
   This statement really gave me pause for consideration.  I had to acknowledge that I had doubted at times.  I had wondered whether the Lord had forsaken me, or whether I had somehow angered Him.  The Devil had whispered in my ear many a times that God would not deliver me, that He had let me down and would not rescue me in my despair.  That I could not depend upon or trust Him.  Did I try to fight these thoughts?  Yes!  But they had served their purpose, sowing seeds of doubt in my soul.  If it only takes the faith of a mustard seed to move mountains, then how much seed is needed to undermine our faith?  I had not fully embraced that this situation was not a judgment against me, but one that God had ordained for His purposes to be fulfilled within and through me.  Not all trials are the result of sin (John 9:1-3).  Further, a deliverance that is seemingly delayed is not a deliverance denied.


2. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him
   
   At the end of the day, all that matters is that I please the Lord.  I spoke to the experts and said, "My life is the Lord's and He can do with it whatsoever He chooses.  I am not afraid of death.  The only thing I fear is disobeying my Lord.  I know that as long as I do His will, all will be worked out for my good." 
   
   My husband stated, "This present life is not all that there is.  We need to be concerned with where we will go after this.  This is not about playing games.  I used to be a knucklehead before I got saved, but I know that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father or one will be damned.  These are sober times and we need to be for real with the Lord."
   
   We preached to the experts for quite some time.  Some of them stared at us with eyes of hatred while others listened.  Yet, we spoke all that God put on our hearts and told them of His power, mercy, and grace.

I write all of this, not to focus on my own story, but to encourage you.  No matter your situation or hardship, you can still have joy...God desires you to have joy and provides the way for you to have it!  Joy is not trying to work something up or even to pretend that we are okay in the face of trouble.  It is being filled with the Spirit of God.  As we keep our eyes focused n Him, even in the midst of our troubles, we will be filled with His joy.  There is a purpose for your existence; and believe it or not, there is even a purpose in your trial.  Don't let Satan use your circumstances to steal your joy, but praise the Lord even now for He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever!

In addition to the message below from Min. Wilkerson, here is a link to a message from his son:  Jesus Can Still Do This.