Trying Times - “IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST”
by
Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (5/29/2013, 6/1/2013, 6/15/2013)
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Ephesians 6:17, KJV [The Christian's armour]).
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12, KJV [The Christians' rest]).
“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (I Thessalonians 5:8, KJV [Comfort against persecution]).
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus, How about that faith! Too many moons ago, I found myself engaged in a baptist church, (Jeremiah 30:21, KJV [Restoration of Israel: “And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD”]) delivering a testimony, a heartfelt remembrance of time spent in absence of them. And I said, “ I've been on the battlefield and the axe is laid at the tree. I don't know, if, you understand, then, you would know, what it is that I mean, so I speak to those of understanding.” It was not too many days that I received the testimony of a prophet, out of California. Well, I am in constant communication, almost daily, you could say with this particular prophet, like the others from elsewhere in this country; of course, in the absence of one prophet reaching out on one day, another reaches, in prayer, prophesying, standing on the word of God, on the battlefield, with me because usually, the mail arrived in spite of the rain.
Many prophets write me but this prophet, finally addressed the battlefield, breaking the back of sickness, toil and strife, unleashing the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17, KJV [The Christian's armour]), to heal the people [“The Battle of Sickness (Jehovah-Rapha (Rophe): The LORD is my Healer and God will release His healing virtue! “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5, KJV [Messiah's sufferings foretold]). I don't put too much stock in unadvisedly chatter but I put my trust in the unadulterated truth of Christ Jesus. For fighting a good fight, without research into cause bears no fruit; if there be a cause to unravel, then, fight so that all might know justice was decidedly served, not man's unadvisedly chatter but that the presence of God, in the presence of Christ Jesus and the Holy Ghost, released His healing virtue! “Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips” (Psalm 106:33, KJV [The people's rebellion in the time of Moses]).
I know those people, who lack understanding, perhaps or by chance, think of physical beat down, when I say I am on the battlefield, and seemingly know little to naught (nothing) about spiritual warfare. “(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)” (Job 8:9, KJV [Job speaketh in anguish]). Do you know the God of your fathers? “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever” (I Chronicles 28:9, KJV [Solomon chosen to build temple]).
In the Spirit, we must fight for our life and for the lives of others, on the battlefield “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against spiritual
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wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12, KJV [The Christian's armour]). Seemingly, it is more apparent to us, in flesh than in Spirit, that we are the only ones, who boasted of our journey in fighting the good fight to finish. You are not the first Christian to boast of his journey to finish the course set before him. “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is” (I Corinthians 3:13, KJV [Manner of Paul's preaching]).
Apostle Paul said:
“As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this
boasting in the regions of Achaia” (II Corinthians 11:10, KJV
[Paul excuseth his boasting] … “Of the Jews five times received
I forty stripes save one (verse 24). Thrice was I beaten with rods,
once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day
I have been in the deep;
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils by mine
own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city,
in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among
false brethren;
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger
and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those
things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the
care of all the churches” (II Corinthians 11:24-28, KJV).
Like Paul, the prophet saw me on the battlefield, confronted with not only The Battle of Sickness, calling on Jehovah-Rapha: The LORD is my healer, praying for God to release His healing virtue, also, he saw me confronted with The Battle of Poverty, calling on Jehovah-Jireh: The LORD is my provider, praying to God for a release of supernatural provision, standing on, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus “ (Philippians 4:19, KJV [Paul thanketh God for faith]. Today, it became apparent to me, more than ever before, Jehovah-Jireh, was present, in my life. Earlier in the week, I spoke to my cousin and he promised to purchase me tomato plants from the feed store. However, he knows I do not waste the seeds of fruits.
Well, although my cousin promised the tomatoes, Jehovah-Jireh's presence was made known when I sliced the tomato my cousin brought the last time he came by, picking out the seeds. As the seeds fell to the tray below, I quizzically stared down at what appeared to be a vein but it was not animal meat, to be a vein, it was a stem with roots and a curled up green leaf, a tomato plant already growing inside the tomato that he came with (Praise God)! In retrospect, reflecting on days gone by, I thought how the pea plants will open to growth, if, any moisture swells the pea, then, the pea bursts open to a plant but it was my first time seeing a tomato sprout into plant while still inside the unopened tomato fruit. Amazingly, my cousin decided he would not disturb me since I said I planned to rest on Saturday, taking the Sabbath day as a day of rest, as God commanded. Jehovah-Jireh, still delivered the tomato plant on Saturday as my cousin promised to do (God is a great God)!
How about that faith! The measure of a woman's faith, is it possible, that it is the same measure of a man's faith and begs the question, Can God supply my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus? I was not looking for a sign, to prove God. I just received the blessing of his glory, knowing that far greater blessings, believing to receive, were about to manifest in my life.
Is it the ability to believe (belief) that spirals out of control and drives the faith or it is the faith that drives the ability to believe (belief) or is the ability to believe (belief) and faith one and the same? This is a mouth full of thoughts to feed on; probably digested best in small portions. Works without faith, is dead. Well, is the ability to believe (belief) without faith, dead?
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We are going from the tangible (works) to the intangible (ability to believe [belief]), here, yet the tangible and the intangible, are measureably faith. James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, Jesus' brother, did the same, used the tangible and intangible to demonstrate faith, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26, KJV [Concerning respect of persons]). So, the works of a man is measured by the faith of a man. You need the works of a man to measure the faith of a man (for without the works of a man the faith of a man is not measurable).
Let's digress for a moment, in time, so that you begin to know more about faith than when you first stepped inside to question your inner man about your heartbroken thoughts. We do not want to leave you dead, in unbelief, simply because you did not grow in knowledge:
In the Merriam-Webster Dictionary says, “believe
means:
(1) : to have religious convictions,
(2) : to have a firm conviction about something: to accept as true
(3) : to hold as an opinion : suppose.
The reference says, faith means:
(1) allegiance to duty or a person : LOYALTY,
(2) : belief and trust in God,
(3) : complete trust,
(4) : a system of religious beliefs.”
Now, we must exercise our skills to sort through information, to decidedly know; to grow in knowledge. Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ says, “But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” (I Peter 3: 18, KJV [Certainty of Christ's judgment]). We know that both the ability to believe (belief) is the same as faith in not only having religious … but a system of religious … Possibly, I think we could gain clarity by researching the meaning of conviction. The reference says, conviction means (1) : the act of convicting especially in a court, (2) : the state of being convinced : strong belief. There we have it, through further research that both believe and faith is not only having religious strong belief but a system of religious strong belief.
If, those battles were not enough, for a woman, like me, then, also, the prophet saw me on the battlefield, confronted with The Battle of Hopelessness, calling on Jehovah-Machsi: The LORD is my refuge, praying for restoration of hope, standing on, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1, KJV [The church's confidence in God]). To add insult to injury, an egregious matter, he saw me in war on the battlefield, confronted with the Battle of Addiction, calling on Jehovah Tsidkenu: The LORD is my righteousness, praying for God to set me free, standing on, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36, KJV [Christ answereth the Jews]). Weighing me down to flesh even more, trying to bind me, those battles hard fought were, the prophet saw me confronted with The Battle of Fear, calling on Jehovah-Sabaoth: The LORD of HOSTS; the LORD is my strength, praying to God to fill me up with His limitless love, standing on “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7, KJV [Timothy exhorted to constancy]). Burdening me down, a little more, also, he saw me confronted with The Battle of A Troubled Spirit, calling on Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is my peace, praying to God to fill me with His peace, standing on, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3, KJV[Exhortation to confidence in God]. Lastly, he saw
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me and said The Battle of Loneliness, confronted me, so that I might call on Jehovah-Shammah:
The LORD is present, praying for God to surround me with His presence, standing on “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18, KJV [Privileges of the righteous].
In times, like those and times like these, when we fight in the presence of Christ, for our life and for the lives of others, we must fight the good fight and keep our eyes on Jesus, knowing sometimes it takes two or three to come together, join in prayer, holding hands, on the battlefield. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (I Peter 4:10-11, KJV [Exhortation to Godliness]. Also, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” (II Timothy 4:7, KJV [Paul's charge to Timothy]). Also, “I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days” (I Samuel 25:28, KJV [David is pacified]).
For there was a man, whose woman was not in subjection to him and denied him love of the flesh to quench the lust of his flesh yet she sought to rule over him by denying him the love he had an addiction for and could not set himself free from; she sought to take all his property, exclaiming, “I am the wife” but could it be deception because she does not say, “I am his wife or I am your wife”. She only says, “I am the wife.” Moreover, she binds him by using his heartfelt virtue that makes him feel honor as a man and says, “I had your children.” Surely, The Battle of Addiction is a hard won battle in the war of love but once free, Christ Jesus says you are free, indeed (John 8:36, KJV [Jesus answereth the Jews] but this man is so addicted to the denied love of the flesh, corrupted mostly by cultural beliefs that love should not be enjoyable just done, he rejects freedom from her, truly, and embraced the bondage of lust, conflicted in his heart, as he added one woman after the next; if one would not do, then another one would. Herein lied the cliché phrase, “one is as good as another”. I heard one man say, “It could have been you” to his lover when she was unavailable to satisfy his needs.
There are many married men and some women, too, prowling in the night, howling at the moon, denied love at home, searching for lust of the flesh, in the streets of the world, in unbelief of God's love and unbelief of God's power to heal them, for their failed plan of marriage to provide them with all the love they needed, rejected them. Reject back, is what the Spirit says and what the king in the story of Esther did when his queen rejected him (The book of Esther). Amazingly, the same women who reject their husbands proudly adorn themselves with hair and apparel; looking good for the world. “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornaments of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great prize. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement”(I Peter 3:3-6, KJV [Duty of wives and husbands]).
“For battles like these are merely darkness, sending your husbands and some wives, “after strange flesh are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7, KJV [The profession of faith]. “Raging waves of the sea, foaming out of their own shame; wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 1:13, KJV). “And of some have compassion, making a difference” (Jude 1:22, KJV).
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God is present (Jehovah-Shammah). He is with us. His spirit is with us. God spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:16-18; 3:9, 13, 16-17, KJV). The LORD appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day (Genesis 18:1, KJV). God spoke to Jacob between Beersheba and Haran when he lighted upon a certain place to rest for the night (Genesis 28:10-11, KJV [Vision of Jacob's ladder]), God appeared on Mount Sinai and spoke to Moses (Exodus 18:18, KJV)...
“Firstly, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre, after resurrection – first appearance (St. John 20:18, KJV [Christ's resurrection]); next, Jesus meets the women (Mary mother of James, Salome, and Joanna) on their return to the city – second appearance (St. Matthew 28: 8-10, St. Mark 16:8, St. Luke 24: 9-11, KJV), Jesus seen by Peter (Cephas, I Corinthians 15:5 – third
appearance (St. Luke 24:34), seen by the two disciples on way to Emmaus – fourth appearance (St. Mark 16:12, 13, St. Luke 24: 13, 35, KJV), later, after eight days, Jesus came again to the disciples and Thomas who missed him the last time, was there (St. John 20:26-29, KJV [the incredulity of Thomas] (Jesus appears to the ten, Thomas being absent) – fifth appearance (St. Mark 16:14, St. Luke 24: 36-49, St. John 20:19-23), to the disciples came Jesus and stood in the midst, and breathed on them so that they received the Holy Ghost (St. John 20:19, 22 KJV [Christ's resurrection]), Evening of Sunday after Easter day, Jesus appears to them again, Thomas being present – sixth appearance (John 20: 24-29), The eleven go into Galilee, to a mountain appointed. Jesus appears, and commands them to teach all nations – seventh appearance (St. Matthew 28: 16-20, St. Mark 16:15-18, KJV), Jesus shows Himself to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias, he stood on the shore, -eighth appearance (St. John 21:1-24, KJV), Seen of above five hundred brethren at once (I Corinthians 15:6), probably along with the eleven – ninth appearance (St. Matthew 28:16), He is seen by James, then by all the apostles (Acts 1:3-8; I Corinthians 15:7) – tenth appearance. In all, 538 (549 if the eleven (Matthew 28:16) be distinct from the 500) persons are specified as having seen the risen Saviour: also, after His ascension, St. Paul (I Corinthians 15:8)” (Holy Bible, n.d.).
In reflection, the salvation history of woman reminds us, Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3:13, KJV), Sarah laughed at God (Genesis 18: 12-13, 15, KJV), Hagar despised (competed against) Sarah; for the wrong of Sarah's decision was upon her when she gave Hagar to Abraham. Hagar had to flee away pregnant with Abraham's child, Ishmael (Genesis 16: 5-11, KJV), Rebecca switched Jacob for Esau to take Esau's blessing (Genesis 27:15-23, KJV), Rachel took her father's idol god when she left with Jacob (Genesis 31:30, 32, 34, KJV, [Laban pursueth Jacob])... Esther replaced Queen Vashti, who refused to come at King Ahasuerus' commandment by his chamberlains (Esther 1:11-22, KJV [A queen to be chosen]). In trying times, like these, we find an even stronger need to draw nigh to God, so he will draw nigh to us...than ever before, forgetting the past...as we press toward the mark for the prize... and run our course to the finish (James 4:8, KJV; Philippians 3:13-14, KJV; II Timothy 4:7, KJV).
