Category: current times

Posted on

The High Road of Humility

Often, the road less traveled is “The High Road of Humility.”

Intoxicated with pride, he circles “The Holy Mountain of God.” Every move he makes sends brilliant light shafts reflecting off the jewels adorning his body. Subtle glee escapes the lips of his heart as he whispers within himself, “Surely I can be greater than The Creator!”

Ezekiel 28:13-15 (AMPC);

“You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the carnelian, topaz, jasper, chrysolite, beryl, onyx, sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald; your settings and your sockets and engravings were wrought in gold. On the day that you were created they were prepared.” “You were the anointed cherub that covers with overshadowing [wings], and I set you so. you were upon the Holy Mountain of God; you walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire [like the paved work of gleaming sapphire stone upon which the God of Israel walked on Mount Sinai],” “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until iniquity and guilt were found in you.”

From blameless to boastful, the enemy’s fall from “The Mountain of God” is swift and eternal!

Isaiah 14:12-16 (AMPC);

“How you have fallen from Heaven, O light-bringer and daystar, son of the morning! How you have been cut down to the ground, you who weakened and laid low the nations [O blasphemous, satanic king of Babylon!].” “And you said in your heart, I will ascend to Heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit upon the mount of assembly in the uttermost north.” “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like The Most High.” “Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol (Hades), to the innermost recesses of the pit (the region of the dead).” “Those who see you will gaze at you and consider you, saying, is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms?”

An alarming lack of humility today can be traced back to the fall of the “son of the morning!” Like the enemy, being enamored with our talents, gifts, and abilities leads us to think that we can be “greater than The Creator!” Forsaking “The High Road of Humility” for “The Pit of Pride.”

THE PIT OF PRIDE

Our contempt for God and man grows in this ditch of self-deception and pride.

Proverbs 16:18 (AMPC);

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Mesmerized with pride, we are blindsided by haughtiness, causing us to “crash and burn” amid our earthly race! Staying on “The High Road of Humility” will keep us “Alive and Well” for The Glory of God!

Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

HAUGHTY = Blatantly and disdainfully proud: having or showing an attitude of superiority and contempt for people or things perceived to be inferior.

Proverbs 30:13 (TPT);

“There is a generation rising that is so filled with Pride they think they are superior and look down on others.”

Perceiving people to be inferior to us diminishes their value, causing us to disregard their presence in our lives. By becoming “Perpetrators of Pride,” spiritual and natural bullying becomes an unconscious way of life for us as we seek to enforce our significance over our Brothers and Sisters in The Lord.

A Perpetrator of Pride

The Apostle Paul was a violent “Perpetrator of Pride” before his dramatic encounter with The Lord on the road to Damascus. In the Book of Romans, “God graces Paul to speak a warning about pride.” A warning filled with wisdom that we need to hear and embrace NOW! Heeding this warning empowers us to grow in our relationship with God and others.

Romans 12:3 (TPT);

“God has given me grace to speak a warning about pride. I would ask each of you to be emptied of self-promotion and not create a false image of your importance. Instead, honestly assess your worth by using your God-given faith as the standard of measurement, and then you will see your true value with an appropriate self-esteem.”

My friend, self-promotion, and pride walk hand in hand. If our accomplishments and opinions become the standard by which we judge the lives of those around us, deception will imprison our hearts. By distancing Ourselves from The Voice of The Holy Spirit, pride feeds the propensity to become cold, cruel, and demanding! We don’t know it all! God has strategically placed us within The Body of Christ to accomplish HIS WILL. We need each other’s input in our lives! No man, woman, ministry, or business on this Earth has all the God-given answers necessary at this late hour in human history.

Romans 12:4-5 (TPT);

“In the human body there are many parts and organs, each with a unique function.” “And so it is in the Body of Christ. For though we are many, we’ve all been mingled into One Body in Christ. This means that we are all vitally joined to one another, with each contributing to the others.”

A “Spiritual Vitality” awakens in The Body of Christ when we stay joined to one another in the Love of God. This Supernatural “Life Flow” allows us to safely contribute our God-given gifts and talents within The Body of Christ. While synergistically receiving in return from the skills and talents of our Brothers and Sisters in The Lord.

Ephesians 4:16 (TPT);

“For His Body has been formed in His Image and is closely joined together and constantly connected As One. and every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.”

My friend, we must remember that no one gift has a monopoly within The Body of Christ. Each of us is a Living Expression of God’s Will and Purpose “on Earth as it is in Heaven.” God created us to work in unity for His Glory.

It’s time for a systems check, my friend.

ARE WE TRAVELING ON “THE HIGH ROAD OF HUMILITY?”

ARE WE RECEIVING INPUT FROM GODLY MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR LIVES?

IF NOT, IT’S TIME TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS.

So often, we refuse to “ask for directions” with the matters of our heart because we doubt God’s Will and Intent for our life. This lack of trust and humility keeps us isolated and vulnerable to enemy attacks, provoking us to take matters into our own hands.

Proverbs 18:1 (TPT);

“An unfriendly person isolates himself and seems to care only about his own issues. For his contempt of sound judgment makes him a recluse.”

For further clarity, let’s read Proverbs 18:1 (AMPC);

“He who willfully separates and estranges himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire and pretext to break out against all wise and sound judgement.”

Breaking fellowship with God and man is never a good idea, my friend. As the enemy broke fellowship with God through the pride of his heart, he set up a blueprint for “mass deception.” One easily reproduced as we shun “The High Road of Humility” for “The Low Road of Self Gratification.” Traveling on “The Low Road of Self-Gratification,” we encounter Billboards of Seduction, promising us lasting fulfillment as we exit onto service roads of death and destruction!

Pride is a tomb of insecurity built by fear. It will choke the very life out of our purpose if we give it a place in our hearts!

How do we avoid “The Low Road” of the “Self Life?”

There is an answer, my friend, found in 1st Peter 3:8 (TPT);

“Now, this is the goal; to live in harmony with one another and demonstrate affectionate love, sympathy, and kindness toward other believers. Let humility describe who you are as you dearly love one another.”

Does “Humility Describe Who We Are…..As We Dearly Love One Another?”

This critical question is, in reality, an evaluation of our hearts we must ask ourselves honestly. Why? Because it brings us face-to-face with The Living God! The One True God Who Humbled Himself for us so we can live!

Philippians 2:8 (TPT);

“He humbled Himself and became vulnerable, choosing to be revealed as a man and was obedient. He was a perfect example, even in His Death—a criminals death by crucifixion.”

Why would we think we are superior to another individual created in The Image of God if Jesus Christ does not believe that way?

Galatians 5:26 (TPT);

“So may we never be arrogant or look down on another, for each of us is an original. We must forsake all jealousy that diminishes the value of others.”

There is “VALUE” in “each of us,” my friend. Peter teaches us in 1st Peter 3:8 that “living in harmony with one another is a goal we should set our hearts on.” When we make it a habit of living this way, we develop an “affectionate love” for those around us. Obediently walking on “The High Road of Humility” as we choose to:

Be Strong and Live Free……Boldly For Him!

© 2023 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

Photo: Johannes Hofmann

Psalm 133:1-3 (AMP);

“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” “It is like the precious oil [of consecration] poured on the head, Coming down on the beard, Even the beard of Aaron, Coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body].” “It is like the dew of [Mount] Hermon Coming down on the hills of Zion; For there The Lord has commanded The Blessing: life forevermore.”

Posted on

The Springs of Life

“The Springs of Life” flow from a well-guarded heart.

Proverbs 4:23 (AMPC);

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard for out of it flows The Springs of Life.”

“The Springs of Life” is the Protected Reservoir of God’s Presence housed within our hearts through Jesus Christ. Once we are “Born Again,” it becomes our “sacred duty” to keep “The Springs of Life,” Holy and Pure, flowing freely through our lives, Quenching the thirst of a world parched from the pressures and distractions of life.

ARE YOU THIRSTY?

Exhausted and thirsty, the sun beats down on her face, and the jar is heavy, yet she has grown accustomed to this grueling routine. Usually, no one is at the well during this time of the day; looking ahead, she is startled to see a man sitting there. With apprehension clouding her thoughts, she moves slowly towards the well. Un-prepared for what occurs next, she wonders, ‘Who might this stranger be?’

John 4:10-15 (TPT);

“Jesus replied, ‘If you only knew Who I Am and The Gift that God wants to give you-you’d ask Me for a Drink, and I would give to you Living Water.” “The woman replied, ‘But sir, you don’t even have a bucket and this well is very deep. so where do you find this Living Water?” “Do you really think that you are greater than our ancestor Jacob who dug this well and drank from it himself, along with his children and livestock?” “Jesus answered, ‘If you drink from Jacob’s well you’ll be thirsty again and again,” “but if anyone drinks The Living Water I give them, they will never thirst again and will be forever satisfied! For when you drink The Water I Give you it becomes a Gushing Fountain of The Holy Spirit, Springing Up and Flooding You with Endless Life!” “The woman replied, ‘Let me drink that water so I’ll never be thirsty again, and won’t have to come back here to draw water.”

In this beautiful story of God’s Revelation Grace, Mercy, and Redemption, Jesus Christ offers the Samaritan woman at the well, “Living Water,” “Springs of Salvation,” that she doesn’t know she needs but has been thirsting for all along! The result? Drinking deeply of “The Springs of Life,” she boldly shares the “Good News” with the rest of her village, and they Believe!

John 4:42 (TPT);

“Then the Samaritans said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you told us, but now we’ve heard Him ourselves and are convinced that He is The True Savior of the world!”

When “The Springs of Life” flow from a pure heart, they become a “Gusher of Life” to the world around us! The Samaritan woman’s village is transformed by the heart of a True Worshipper!

John 4:23-24 (MEV);

“Yet the hour is coming, and is now here, when the True Worshippers will worship The Father in Spirit and in Truth.” “For The Father seeks such to worship Him.” “God is Spirit, and those who Worship Him must Worship Him in Spirit and Truth.”

A guarded heart is a heart that Worships The Lord “in Spirit and Truth!”

HOW DO WE GUARD OUR HEARTS?

My friend, we find the priceless answer to this lifelong question in Ephesians 6:14 (TPT);

“Put on Truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in Triumph. Put on Holiness as the Protective Armor that covers your heart.”

The Amplified Bible unlocks Ephesians 6:14 even further for us;

“So stand firm and hold your ground, HAVING TIGHTENED THE WIDE BAND OF TRUTH (personal integrity, moral courage) AROUND YOUR WAIST and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (an upright heart).”

Walking in truth provides us with the “personal integrity and moral courage” that it takes to stand victoriously in life. The Bible Directs us to “Put On The Breastplate of Righteousness,” which is a “Holy Upright Heart Before God.” As the Components of our Spiritual Armor come securely into place, “The Springs of Life” flow freely through us. Bringing Truth that Transforms the environment around us.

TRUTH THAT TRANSFORMS

“The Truth that Transforms” the Samaritan woman’s village starts with the transparency of her heart to answer The Lord’s request truthfully!

John 4:16-18 (TPT);

“Jesus said,” Go get your husband and bring him back here.” “But I’m not married,” the woman answered. “That’s true,” Jesus said.” “for you’ve been married five times, and now you’re living with a man who is not your husband. You have told the truth.”

HOW ABOUT US, MY FRIEND?

Are we “Worshipping The Lord in Spirit and Truth?” Answering His requests transparently and truthfully?

Do “The Springs of Life,” flow freely through our hearts, bringing transformation to those around us?

Are we committed to “Guard our hearts with all vigilance and above all that we guard?”

When the Samaritan woman honestly answers The Lord’s request, the Purity of her heart is revealed as she Worships The Lord “in Spirit and Truth.”

THE PRESENCE OF TRUTH

There is something about “The Presence of Truth” that is Transforming. It is also Comforting, Cleansing, and Compelling at the same time! Especially when “The Springs of Life” flow unhindered from someone who has had their “innocence restored!”

Colossians 1:20 (TPT);

“And by The Blood of His Cross, Everything in Heaven and Earth is brought back to Himself – back to it’s innocence again.”

My friend, The Crimson Flow of Divine Love that Bled out from The Broken Body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, restores us “back to innocence again!” He paid a GREAT PRICE for “The Springs of Life,” to flow freely through our lives! The truth is all of us like the Samaritan woman encounters The Lord at “The Well of Our Need.” He waits at this “place of decision” to offer us His “Living Water” in exchange for the unquenchable thirst of our humanity. A longing that is never satisfied apart from “The One True God!” WHO IS “THE SPRINGS OF LIFE!”

THE SPRINGS OF SALVATION

Perhaps you are at “The Springs of Salvation” today, my friend. “The Well of Need,” and you know it’s time to decide to drink “The Living Water” of Eternal Life. The innocence you have lost and mourned is waiting to be restored to you again. If you are ready for “The Springs of Life” to flow freely through your heart, please join me in repeating out loud the following prayer of salvation. A prayer of commitment to God lets the whole world know you are His! 

“Jesus come live in my heart and be my Lord and Savior. I repent for the sins of my past and denounce my former way of living without You. I now receive “The Living Water of Eternal Life.” Thank You Jesus That I am Born Again! Restored to innocence again!”

CONGRATULATIONS, MY FRIEND! YOU ARE NOW A CHILD OF THE ONE TRUE LIVING GOD AND MY BROTHER OR SISTER IN THE LORD!

John 8:31-32 (MEV);

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed in Him. ‘If you remain in My Word, then you are truly My disciples.” “You shall know the truth, and The Truth shall set you free.”

Be Strong and Live Free with “The Springs of Life” flowing through you……..Boldly For Him!

© 2022 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

Photo: Nadine Marfurt

***PLEASE NOTE, If you just made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, contact us at: info@tradewindministries.com and let us know that you invited Jesus Christ into your heart today.

Posted on

Cities of Light

Matthew 5:14 (AMPC);

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

As Born Again Believers in Jesus Christ, we are literally “Cities of Light!” Beacons of Hope to a lost and dying world! When the world sees us, they should see “The Light” of Jesus Christ beaming from our lives!

John 8:12 (AMPC);

“Once more, Jesus addressed the crowd. He said I Am The Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have The Light which is Life.”

Living in “The Light of God” keeps us from “walking in darkness,” Playing spiritual, “Hide and Seek.”

HIDE AND SEEK

Matthew 5:15-16 (TPT);

“And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, It’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light.” “So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in Heaven.”

It’s not the time to play “Hide and Seek” with our light! Nor is it a time to “dim our light” in fear, living “low beam” lives of compromise. As Christ-followers, we are to be “Bold Cities of Light” Shining Brightly For The Kingdom of God, wherever we go! Rejecting the pull of the world to revel in sins darkness where we used to roam. God has called us “Cities of Light” to “A Mission of Light!” To live so brightly in the world that “the commendable things we do” for The Kingdom of God is easily recognized. “Then they will give their praise to our Father in Heaven!”

Ephesians 5:11 (TPT);

“And don’t even associate with the servants of darkness because they have no fruit in them; instead, reveal Truth to them.

A MISSION OF LIGHT

Ephesians 5:8-9 (TPT);

“Once your life was full of sin’s darkness, but now you have the very Light of our Lord shining through you because of your union with Him. Your mission is to live as children flooded with His Revelation-Light!” “And the supernatural fruits of His Light will be seen in you-Goodness, Righteousness, and Truth.”

The wattage of God’s Revelation-Light that Heaven has deposited into one Born Again Believer’s Heart as a “City of Light” is beyond Atomic, my friend! It is CATACLYSMIC to the realm of darkness! Why?…… Because” God is Light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all!” Ref. 1st John 5 (b).

When The All-Consuming Light of God shows up on the scene through our lives, Powered by His “Goodness, Righteousness and Truth,” darkness is exposed, and people are saved from the “sleep of death!” The result?……our “Mission of Light” is accomplished in Jesus’ Name! To God Be The Glory! My friend, we must not forget that He has entrusted us with “The Language of Light” that we can successfully carry out the “Mission of Light.”

THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT

Ephesians 5:13-14 (TPT):

“Whatever The Revelation Light exposes, it will also correct, and everything that reveals truth is light to the soul.” “This is why the Scripture says, “Arise, you sleeper! Rise from your coffin, and The Anointed One will Shine His Light into you!”

As “Cities of Light,” it is our vital privilege to become fluent in “The Language of Light.” Why?…… Because of this Divine Principle of Truth:

“The Language of Light Speaks Loud and Clear In The Darkest of Nights.”

As “Cities of Light,” we are meant to speak, “The Language of Light” Loud and Clear to The Darkest Night of an unbeliever’s soul!

Indeed, at a time and hour when Earth least expected it, “The Language of Light Spoke Loud and Clear!” When Jesus Christ Breathed His Final Earthly Breathe and said, “IT IS FINISHED,” REF. JOHN 19:30 (B); CALVARY BECAME THE SIMULTANEOUS CATACLYSMIC EXPLOSION IN HEAVEN, ON EARTH, AND IN THE SPIRIT REALM THAT OBLITERATED THE POWER OF DARKNESS ONCE AND FOR ALL!

At that Divine, Heaven Appointed Moment, every man, woman, and child that would ever say yes to Jesus Christ as LORD and SAVIOR have the opportunity to become an unconquerable, “City of Light!” With the power to pierce darkness by speaking, “The Language of Light!” Which is “The Language of Revelation Truth and Freedom” that brings the dead back to life, spirit, soul, and body! My friend, we can now speak “The Language of Light” into the darkness of men’s souls, as we rule with “The Government of Light!”

THE GOVERNMENT OF LIGHT

Isaiah 9:6-7 (MEV);

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us, a Son is given, and The Government shall be upon His Shoulder. And His Name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” “Of the increase of His Government and Peace, there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to order it and to establish it with Justice and Righteousness, from now until forever. The zeal of The Lord of Hosts will perform this.”

In The Kingdom of Heaven, there is a “Government of Light,” and the ruling class is YOU and me!

Matthew 28:18-20 MEV);

“Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on Earth.” “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in The Name of The Father and The Son and of The Holy Spirit,” “teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you.” And remember, I Am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

“The Great Commission,” described for us in Matthew 28, is still our Commission today, my friend. God has vested us as “Cities of Light” with “His Authority!” Why?…. To work, THROUGH US, to be “The increase of His Government and Peace.” This impartation is how The Kingdom of Heaven perpetuates, of which there “Shall be no end!” Glory to God! As Born Again Believers, WE ARE “The zeal of The Lord of Hosts” who performs HIS WILL on Earth as “It is in Heaven!” How?…. Through our obedience to “Go and make disciples of all nations.”

As “Cities of Light,” there is a powerful principle of Truth that equips you and me to rule and reign within “The Government of Light,” and we find it in 1st Timothy 6:12 (MEV);

“Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, to which you are called and have professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

“Cities of Light,” “Fight The Good Fight of Faith!”

The Apostle Paul knew that by learning how to “Fight The Good Fight of Faith,” you and I keep the “Light” of God’s Presence Shining Bright in our lives! My friend, we are the only ones who can dim that “Light.” God through His Son Jesus Christ paid a GREAT PRICE for you and me To Be His Called, “Cities of Light,” The most incredible “Light Show,” (displays of His Power and Governmental Authority) that this world would EVER witness and encounter! “Not by might, nor by power, but By His Spirit.” (Ref. Zechariah 4:6.b)

REFUGE FOR LIFE

Has your light dimmed, my friend?

Have you grown weary “Fighting the Good Fight of Faith?”

If so, let me encourage you with THIS LIGHT FILLED TRUTH:

1st John 4:4 (MEV);

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He Who is in you is Greater than he who is in the world.”

“AS A CITY OF LIGHT, YOU ARE A REFUGE FOR LIFE!”…..And, “He Who is in you is Greater than he who is in the world!”

In John 10:10, part (b), Jesus states, “I came to give life and life more abundantly.” Part of that abundant overcoming life works through us as “Cities of Light!” “Refuges of Life” filled with the same CATACLYSMIC POWER that Jesus Christ walked the Earth with!

My friend, where will those in darkness find “The Light of Life,” “A Refuge for their souls? God is encouraging us not to fear, quit, or be intimidated! As the “Eternal Flame” of God’s Presence and Power shines brightly within us, “The Language of Light” will speak loud and clear through us!

Now is the time to:

Be Strong and Live Free as “Cities of Light”…….Boldly For Him!

© 2022 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

Photo:Timo Volz

Check out “Bible Strong” Life Network For Women.

Posted on

Perfect Peace

Did you know that in a world filled with turmoil and strife, you can have “Perfect Peace?”

Isaiah 26:3 (AMPC);

“You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.”

We learn from this scripture an important truth.

“To the degree that the Mind of Christ develops in you is to the degree that you will have, “Perfect Peace.”

1st Corinthians 2:16 (AMP):

“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND and PURPOSES OF THE LORD, SO AS TO INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His Thoughts and Purposes].”

A Covenant of The Mind

“Perfect Peace” is a “Covenant of the Mind.” “The Mind of Christ” that has been ingrafted within our Spirit by The Love of God! How?….. Through The Shed Blood of Jesus Christs’ Sacrifice at Calvary. At the moment of our salvation, we are granted eternal life along with the gift of “Perfect Peace.”

John 14:27 (TPT):

“I leave the gift of peace with you—My Peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but My ‘Perfect Peace.’ Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!”

Merriam Webster Dictionary:

PERFECT = Being entire without fault or defect.

PEACE = A state of tranquility or quiet. Freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts.

COVENANT = A written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties, especially for the performance of some action.

MIND = The element or complex of an individual that feels, perceives, thinks, wills, and main reasons.

The Blood of Jesus Christ shed at Calvary “SEALED” the “Covenant of The Mind of Christ” within us as Born Again Believers. This inheritance of “Perfect Peace” is ‘without fault or defect.’ This Divine Love Gift to The Body of Christ enables us to be ‘free from disquieting or oppressive thoughts.’ Jesus Christ did not give us a weak, superficial peace. He paid a Great Price that gave us “His Peace.” This Divine, “Perfect Peace,” when followed, provides us with the COURAGE to be His Ambassadors in a world filled with fear and uncertainty. Conversely, if we choose to rely on the “fragile peace” of the world, we will not experience God’s Best for our lives.

A Fragile Peace

Worldly peace is a fragile peace that can easily shatter. When you and I choose to be comforted by this superficial peace, we ‘yield to fear.’ This causes us to no longer live in “Perfect Peace,” enjoying our “Covenant of The Mind of Christ.” In this weakened state of embracing the “fragile peace” of the world, we become double-minded. People who think and reason in opposition to “The Mind of Christ.” When this happens, we need to quickly repent and ask God for His Wisdom before it’s too late!

James 1:5-8 (AMPC);

“If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the Giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.” “Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.” “For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from The Lord,” “[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].”

The danger in continuing to live in a state of “Double-mindedness” is that we forfeit our gift of “Perfect Peace.” This causes us to “receive nothing from The Lord.” When this happens, we tend to blame God and others for the missteps in our lives, rather than facing the truth that we have become “unstable, unreliable and uncertain in everything that we [think, feel and decide.].” The Good News is that “The Prince of Peace” has patiently been waiting for us to follow His “Perfect Peace” through the Leadership of The Holy Spirit.

Our Hero The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is our God Given Hero. He helps to “save the day” as we live our lives in His “Perfect Peace.” Relying on The Holy Spirits’ Leadership in our everyday decisions develops “The Mind of Christ” within us. The result? We become sure-footed and stable in our spirit, soul, and body so that others can follow our example. Yielding to the Holy Spirit is how we are “guided by His Thoughts and Purposes” throughout our everyday lives.

Are you allowing The Holy Spirit to be “YOUR HERO” and lead you in your everyday decisions?

Romans 8:14 (AMPC);

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

In John 14:26 (AMPC), Jesus gives us a beautiful description of The Personhood of The Holy Spirit, Who is The Spirit of The Living God;

“But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.”

Developing The Mind of Christ

The Holy Spirit “teaches us all things.” As we yield to His Teachings, we will “Develop The Mind of Christ,” through the Word of God, The Holy Spirit “will remind us, and bring to our remembrance) everything He has told us.” When The Holy Spirit Speaks, He always communicates The Heart of The Father for every aspect of our lives. The Holy Spirit will NEVER violate the Written Word of God. If He did, He would be breaking the gift of “Perfect Peace” that His Son Jesus Christ gave us, and He is not about to do that! “Developing The Mind of Christ” is so vital to The Heart of Father God so that we can learn to walk in “Perfect Peace.” When we do this, we can rest assured that we are now, “living, moving and having our being in Him.” Ref. Acts 17:28 (a).

Walking in Perfect Peace

My friend, you and I are learning that “Walking in Perfect Peace” is a matter of The Mind—our “Covenant of The Mind of Christ” within us. Perhaps one of the most significant examples of walking in “Perfect Peace” comes from the Apostle Paul. From a cold jail cell in the ancient city of Philippi, Paul, a prisoner in dire circumstances, pens a word of “Perfect Peace” for you and I to follow.

Philippians 4:6-9 (TPT);

“Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell Him every detail of your life, “then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.” “So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every Glorious work of God, praising Him always.” “Follow the example of all that we have imparted to you, and The God of Peace will be with you in all things.”

This word of instruction and encouragement from Paul has become my prayer for you, my friend as we choose to,

“Be Strong and Live Free In ‘Perfect Peace’………Boldly For Him”

You will also enjoy reading “A Flood of Healing”

© 2021 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

Photo: Nadine Marfurt

Posted on

Breaking Bitterness

Hebrews 12:15 (TPT);

“Watch over each other to make sure that no one misses the revelation of God’s Grace. And make sure no one lives with a root of bitterness sprouting within them which will only cause trouble and poison the hearts of many.”

While preparing to write this blog, I heard the following statement from The Holy Spirit:

“YOU MUST BREAK BITTERNESS BEFORE IT BREAKS YOU!”

Stunned, I realized then that this is an urgent warning to all of us from The Heart of God!

What Is Bitterness?

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, Someone bitter is angry and unhappy because they cannot forget bad things that happened in the past.

How Does Bitterness Break Us?

First and foremost, bitterness will cause us to miss the revelation of God’s Grace, as stated in Hebrews 12:15. Without a revelation of God’s Grace, His Love will not be a tangible reality to us, and we will never be able to comprehend or receive true forgiveness for our sins. We will also be unable to extend Christ-Like Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness toward another individual who has sinned against us. Living in this perpetual state of un-forgiveness creates an atmosphere of torment in our souls and will manifest in our lives. This heavy load of bitterness then becomes a beast of burden that we carry around within us, and it will eventually break us.

Matthew 11:28-30 (TPT);

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me, I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis.” “Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me.” “For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.”

This Word is Good News, my friend! Though the weight of bitterness will continually try to break us, God has an answer for us as we learn His Ways.

How Do We Break Bitterness?

Through Forgiveness!

The Oxford Languages Dictionary offers a simple and concise definition of the word forgive.

FORGIVE = Stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for (an offense, flaw, or mistake).

Matthew 6:14-15 (TPT);

“And when you pray, make sure you forgive the faults of others so that your Father in Heaven will also forgive you.” “But if you withhold forgiveness from others, your Father withholds forgiveness from you.”

This scripture is astounding! You and I can cause GOD TO WITHHOLD HIS FORGIVENESS FROM US, WHILE OUR PRAYERS GO UN-HEARD! When we choose to withhold forgiveness from someone who has hurt us or that we perceived has hurt us, we are planting a root of bitterness within our hearts. Unforgiveness keeps our prayers from effectively being heard by God! By not breaking bitterness, we forge a, “Barrier of Bitterness” over our hearts that repel the Love of God and His Blessings from flowing freely in our lives. Ultimately, if we refuse to identify and repent of bitterness, we will reject God and His Plan for our life!

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (MEV);

“For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” “Then you shall call upon Me, and you shall come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” “You shall seek Me and find Me when you shall search for Me with all your heart.”

Bitterness is spiritual cancer that can spread quickly by stealing our future and killing our hope. Thus, causing trouble and poisoning the hearts of many, starting with ours! A poisoned heart is a divided heart. It is imperative that you and I consciously recognize and BREAK BITTERNESS BEFORE IT BREAKS US! The survival rate of the God Given relationships in our lives depends on our willingness to forgive decisively and quickly.

Recently I heard a teaching from a well-respected, trusted minister of The Gospel who shares some valuable eye-opening insight regarding the root of bitterness. He described bitterness as undeveloped murder. Another way that he put it is, bitterness is murder in diapers. This minister then went on to relay a story that impacted me. During his ministry, he had counseled two different people on two different occasions, who were believers. They came to him for help to break free from the root of bitterness. However, these individuals were so consumed with the “Spirit of Bitterness,” that they both ended up killing people and are now in jail after rejecting his help! My friend, These brutal acts of murder are a sobering account of “The Root of Bitterness” in action.

1st John 3:15 (TPT) describes the minister’s tragic story for us;

“Everyone who keeps hating a fellow Believer is a murderer,” and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”

The message from The Lord is loud and clear, my friend. We must ”Break Bitterness Before It Breaks Us!”

1st John 4:20-21 (MEV);

“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For whoever does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” “We have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

What Barriers of Bitterness are weighing you down?

Is there anyone, or perhaps even yourself that you need to forgive?

Are you, “Breaking Bitterness or is it Breaking You?”

If Breaking Free From Bitterness has been a battle for you, please join me in the following prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, I recognize today that I have been carrying the heavy burden of the sin of bitterness and un-forgiveness. I come to You and lay it down at Your feet. Please forgive me for walking in bitterness and un-forgiveness toward_________________(name the person or persons).

By an act of my will, I release them now and choose to forgive them for hurting me. Father God, If I have unknowingly hurt someone, I ask that you bring their name to me now, and I ask that you forgive me for hurting them in Jesus’ Name! Direct may path to restitution for the pain and hurt that I have caused them in this situation.

Lord, I now receive the total cleansing, healing, strength, and refreshing that comes from Your Presence as I walk with an upright heart before You, in Jesus’ Name! Amen! I Love You, Lord!

II Chronicles 7:14 (AMPC);

“If My people, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

Be Strong and Live Free as you Break Bitterness………….. Boldly For Him!

© 2021 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

Photo: Niel Taelman

Posted on

Birthing A Deliverer

Can this be happening? She’s pregnant again! All Hannah wants to do is run into her tent and hide! Peninnah’s taunts are becoming unbearable; every word is a vindictive razor that cuts at her weary, barren womb.

Safely out of sight, crying uncontrollably, Hannah buries her head into a pillow, trying hard to forget that she is in a polygamous marriage. Emotionally exhausted, she wonders how her husband Elkanah could have taken Peninnah as a secondary wife?! Isn’t Hannah “worth more to him than ten sons?” If it weren’t for the laws of the land, Hannah’s love for God, and devotion to Elkanah, she would have left for Jerusalem a long time ago. Yet, there is a Deep and Holy desire that has been growing in Hannah’s heart for years, and she won’t be denied!

Spiritual and natural pregnancies can sometimes be uncertain because you don’t readily see that you are pregnant, so you forget you are. All you know is that suddenly you feel overwhelmed, uncomfortable, and challenged. What you may not realize is that there is a “Peninnah,” an assignment of the enemy dispatched against you!

Why?

To keep you from “Birthing a Deliverer!”

Merriam Webster Dictionary:

DELIVERER: One that saves from danger or destruction.

Never forget that nobody else can “Birth The Deliverer” that God has called you to, “For such a time as this!” Ref. Esther 4:14 (b). The fruit of your womb is a God Sent Solution to a lost and hurting world! An answer that has the ability through God to “save from danger or destruction.” Don’t allow the taunts of a “Peninnah” cause you to question or miscarry your God-Given Deliverer!

Who is “Peninnah?”

The meaning of her name is “coral,” in this instance, the razor-like coral that has the potential to wound or kill if touched, cut and left untreated.

1st Samuel 1:1-7 (AMPC)

“There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, named Elkanah, son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.” “He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.” “This man went from his city year by year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were the Lord’s priests.” “ When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give to Peninnah his wife and all her sons and daughters portions [of the sacrificial meat]. “But to Hannah, he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had given her no children.” “[This embarrassed and grieved Hannah] her rival provoked her greatly to vex her because The Lord had left her childless.” “So it was year after year; whenever Hannah went up to the Lord’s House, Peninnah provoked her, so she wept and did not eat.” “Then Elkanah, her husband, said to her, Hannah, why do you cry? And why do you not eat? And why are you grieving? Am I not more to you than ten sons?” “So Hannah rose after they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat beside a post of the temple (tent) of the Lord.” “And {Hannah} was in distress of soul, praying to the Lord and weeping bitterly.” “She vowed, saying, O Lord of Hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid and [earnestly] remember, and not forget Your handmaid but will give me a son, I will give him to The Lord all his life; no razor shall touch his head.”

Hannah is upright before the Lord. She doesn’t ask God for revenge against Peninnah or Elkanah, She asks for a “Deliverer!” A son that she vows to give back to The Lord as a Priest. That is what the scripture means when Hannah prays, “no razor shall touch his head.”

The sharp “coral” edge of Peninnah’s cutting words and Elkanah’s indifference to Hannah’s barrenness could not defile Hannah’s heart! Hannah is determined to “Birth A Deliverer,” A son who will one day replace Hophni and Phinehas, the evil sons who serve as Priests under their father, Eli. Hannah’s prayer so moved God that He “remembered” her request.”

1st Samuel 1:19-22 (AMPC);

“The family rose early the next morning, worshiped before The Lord, and returned to their home in Ramah. Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife, and The Lord remembered her.” “Hannah became pregnant and in due time bore a son and named him Samuel [heard of God]. Because she said, I have asked him of The Lord,” “And Elkanah and all his house went up to offer The Lord the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow.” “But Hannah did not go, for she said to her husband, I will not go until the child is of age, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before The Lord and remain there as long as he lives.”

Hannah could have asked for a son that she could raise as her own, yet she chose the greater and made a decision to “tithe” her womb by offering to God the best. Her “First Born” son. Hannah understood that her pregnancy was a “covenant” between her and God. What an important truth that you and I must remember. Whenever we are pregnant with a Promise of God, we are pregnant with a “Covenant of God.” There is Covenant in our womb, and that Covenant must come forth In Jesus Name!

Merriam Webster Dictionary:

COVENANT: A written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties, especially for the performance of some action.

How do we safely carry our “Covenant Promises” to full term and have a healthy delivery?

By being committed to the process! You see, when God calls you to pregnancy, He calls you to the process. Every pregnancy has a process from conception to gestation to the water breaking to the actual birth. In both spiritual and natural pregnancies, you may have cravings at each stage of the process. Feed your growing baby with the right spiritual and natural nutrients to create a safe and nurturing environment that develops a healthy baby and makes way for safe delivery.

Like Hannah, our pregnancies are also prophecies. With each prophecy is a God-Given Promise with a name. For Hannah, the name was “Samuel,” for you; the name could be Sarah or Peter or the cure for cancer or the name of a new business or ministry or the preparation process for marriage; the list is endless.

What we have to keep at the forefront of our minds is that the enemy hates our pregnancies. He will always send a “Peninnah” our way to discourage or miscarry or abort those God Given Promises, which are His Prophecies in Motion for our lives.

Ephesians 6:12 (TPT);

“Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage.”

Why does the enemy hate your pregnancy so much?

The enemy hates your pregnancy because he knows that, “You Are A Deliverer,” one called to “Birth A Deliverer!” Our wombs nurture spiritual and natural assignments of God’s Presence, Power, and Purpose! Think about it, when you were born your mother, “Delivered” you. She was and is a “Deliverer” who “Birthed A Deliverer,” YOU!!! I sense by The Holy Spirit that I am to remind you of something VERY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW:

“THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN UNWANTED PREGNANCY IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN!”

No matter what the circumstances were or are surrounding your birth or pregnancy, God wants you to know that HE IS LIFE. Therefore THE LIFE that you carry in your womb is a Covenant With Him! You Are Pregnant With The Covenant of God and that child that promise must come forth In Jesus Name!

Psalm 139:13-18 (AMPC);

“For you did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.” “I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.” “My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].” “Your Eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book, all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape when as yet there was none of them.” “How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” “If I could count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awoke, [could I count to the end} I would still be with You.”

Beautiful, Precious Friend, God Is With You!

“Be Strong and Live Free…..As You Go Forth and Birth Boldly For Him!”

© 2021 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

Photo By: Andriyko Podilnyk

Posted on

Unshakable Hope

Did you know that as Born Again Believers in Christ Jesus, that you and I have a “Hope Chest?” I’m not talking about a cedar chest filled with “earthen treasures.” I am referring to a “Heavenly Hope Chest,” an “Unshakable Hope,” that God wants everyone to know.

Merriam Webster Dictionary:

UNSHAKABLE = Not possible to weaken or get rid of, Not able to be shaken.

HOPE = To cherish a desire with anticipation to want something to be true.

Colossians 1:23 (b) (TPT);

“Never be shaken from the Hope of The Gospel you have believed in. And this is the glorious News I preach all over the world.”

How does our hope in The Gospel of Jesus Christ remain unshaken?

We continue to advance in Faith.

How do we advance in Faith when everything around us is being shaken?

By tapping into our “Heavenly Hope Chest.”

Where is our “Heavenly Hope Chest” found?

Colossians 1:26-27 (TPT) lets us in on this “secret surprise”;

There is a divine mystery, a secret surprise, that has been concealed from the world for generations, but now it’s being revealed, unfolded, and manifested for every Holy Believer to experience.” “Living within you is The Christ Who Floods you with the expectation of Glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a Heavenly Treasure Chest of Hope filled with The Riches of Glory for His people, and God wants everyone to know it!”

Jesus Christ, The Son of The Living God, is “embedded within us!”

Merriam Webster Dictionary:

EMBEDDED = Attached to a military unit or group for some purpose (such as covering a conflict or providing expert advice.)

Oxford Languages Dictionary:

EMBEDDED = (Of an object) fixed firmly and deeply in a surrounding mass, implanted.

In this case, my friend the PersonHood of Jesus Christ is “The One” fixed firmly and deeply within the surrounding mass of our spirit man’s heart when we invite Him to be our Lord and Savior.

This is powerful, Jesus Christ, through salvation has been “IMPLANTED” within us!

Not only that, He is our “Ever Present Help in a time of trouble.” Ref. Psalm 46:1. He covers us in every conflict that may come our way, always providing us with “Expert Advice” just when we need it! As we choose to stay connected to Jesus Christ, Who is our “Heavenly Treasure Chest of Hope,” drawing our strength from Him, we will remain faith-filled and rock-solid in The Kingdom of Heaven. This stance of faith enables us to become reliable, joyful dispensers of “His Divine Unshakable Hope,” wherever we go! Glory To God!

While praying and asking God to make this word, “A revelation from His Heart and not merely a human explanation,” He shared something very profound with me about Divine Hope…..

WE ARE GOD’S HOPE CHEST!

When The Lord shared His Word with me, I was surprised and began to ponder it throughout the day. Early in the morning, when I woke up, I continued to think about what He had shared with me and then I asked The Lord:

“God, how are we YOUR Hope Chest?”

Immediately came The Reply of The Lord:

“I have placed Eternity within the hearts of men, IN HOPES that man would live for ME!”

Wow! God Has Hopes! I had never heard that before. I got excited with expectation! The Lord then gave me the following scripture:

Ecclesiastes 3:11(AMPC);

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”

Can you see this friend? The whole worth of Heaven has been, Divinely Deposited within us because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvary! We are “God’s Hope Chest,” a “Heavenly Treasure Chest” filled with “The Riches of His Glory!” This is our “Unshakable Hope” in The Gospel of Jesus Christ that lives within us! As men and women created in The Image of God, The Lord has implanted a yearning for Eternity, a “sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy!”

Jeremiah 29:11 (AMPC);

“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts, and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you HOPE in your final outcome.”

Do you know what God Has placed in His Hope Chest for your life?

My beloved friend, God Has Eternal High Hopes For Us! He has filled His “Hope Chest” that is you and me with His “thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give us HOPE in our final outcome!”

Why is this so important to The Heart of Father God that you and I grasp this revelation?

Proverbs 13:12 (AMP) holds the key to our answer;

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a TREE OF LIFE.”

God knows that our flesh, the enemy, and sometimes the decisions of others can detour the timing of our hopes and dreams from being realized. The result? A spiritually sick heart, which is a confused heart. When the spiritual Heart becomes confused we can potentially “skip a beat,” regarding life-altering decisions. This can cause us to misjudge the people around us and misstep the path that is before us. However, when we stay “In Sync with God,” the desires, hopes, and dreams that He has for our lives will be fulfilled. Why?….. because the root system for our “Unshakable Hope” stems from “The Tree of Life Himself,” Jesus Christ! This is how everyone will know that we are “God’s Hope Chest” and give Him ALL The Glory For Eternity!

Ephesians 6:10 (AMPC);

“In conclusion, be strong in The Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].”

“Be Strong and Live Free with an Unshakable Hope now and into Eternity…..Boldly For Him!”

© 2021 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

Photo By: Lena De Fanti

Posted on

“Insulated”

For years I have held back the following personal testimony, mostly in silent contemplation, sharing it only with a handful of people. It wasn’t until December 2020 that I sensed a release from The Lord to share it publicly. My prayer is that we all continue to embrace the Invaluable Power and Presence of God’s Eternal Word Spoken through “Our Mouth” no matter what situation we face.

Matthew 24:35 (TPT);

“The earth and sky will wear out and fade away before One Word I Speak loses its power or fails to accomplish its purpose.”

It was one of those late-night flights from Dallas, Texas, to Honolulu, Hawaii. Mark had just finished his final session in the recording studio for his “Still Waters Run Deep” project, and we were excited to get back home. The lights recently dimmed by the Flight Attendants, everyone began to settle down for the long ride ahead. The peaceful hum of the Jet engines created a soothing lullaby causing weary passengers to doze off. SUDDENLY like a BULLHORN FROM HEAVEN, THE AUTHORITATIVE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT URGENTLY and LOUDLY DECLARED in my Spirit

“THERE IS A TERRORIST ON THIS PLANE”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FULLY ALERT and ALARMED, I remember thinking what!!!!!!!, a Terrorist! As I clutched the arm of my seat, a horrific fear that I had never experienced in my entire life, before or since began to overtake me. I quickly turned to Mark, who was quietly resting. I wanted to tell him what I had just heard from The Lord, BEFORE I COULD EVEN OPEN MY MOUTH TO SPEAK, THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT INTERJECTED, DIRECTING ME “TO NOT” SPEAK OUT LOUD WHAT HE JUST SHARED WITH ME AND TO “IMMEDIATELY” START PRAYING PSALM 91.

In quick obedience to The Instruction of The Lord, I began to quote Psalm 91verse by verse. Visibly shaken and still unsure of what was going on, I began to wonder if this was the specific reason that He had me memorize this passage of scripture several years earlier.

The more I quoted Psalm 91, the calmer my spirit became, though I remained on guard and cautious, looking over my shoulder from time to time. Getting up from my seat to go to the restroom, I could not resist scanning the plane with my eyes to confirm a sense of “normal.” As The Peace of God “INSULATED” me, I made my way back to my seat and buckled in for the remainder of the flight home, I never did say anything to Mark that night.

The mornings in Hawaii are a beautiful gift from God, and this one was no different. As I arrived at work, I suddenly wondered, “where is everyone?” Finally, the Office Manager greeted me and promptly told me that I could go home. As I questioned her why, she looked at me strangely and said, You don’t know? I replied, no. She then proceeded to tell me that several planes had flown into The World Trade Center in New York City and The Pentagon in DC. Potentially the White House and that America was under attack!

Somehow with the time zone difference and me rushing to get to work on time, I had missed the devastating news. Like the rest of the Nation, I am stunned, horrified, and in complete shock! September 11th, 2001 is a nightmare of epic proportions and one of the saddest events of American History. So, I leave the office in a state of numbness, my thoughts race back to the plane ride home that Mark and I had taken just weeks earlier, and what occurred during that flight, there is a pit in my stomach.

Throughout the ensuing years, there has been a myriad of questions that have bombarded my mind from time to time, but the Lord has Graciously answered some, others only Heaven will reveal. What I have come to realize, though, is with every fiber of my being, there was a Magnitude of God’s Divine Protection, Through His Spoken Word, which Insulated me…….and others at a very intense moment.

Proverbs 30:5 (ESV):

“Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”

At the moment that God released His Instruction to me and I obeyed, reciting Psalm 91 verse by verse, His Power and Presence released as “A Wrap-Around Shield of Protection.” To God Be The Glory! This is how God “Insulates” us with “His Word” as WE SPEAK HIM from our HEART through our MOUTH, as He Directs us.

What does it mean to Insulate Us?

Here is the Cambridge Dictionary definition of the word insulate.

Insulate = To Cover and Surround something with a material or substance, to stop heat, sound, or electricity from escaping or entering.

God’s Word Spoken through our mouth is Creative Power and Substance. “The Insulation” of His Divine Protection, Provision, Wisdom, and Favor for whatever may be needed, in our life, according to His Will. My friend, this is how His “Wrap-Around Shield of Protection” becomes our confidence. It activates and “Insulates” us for everyday life.

Hebrews 11:1-3 (NKJV) says;

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” “For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.” “By faith, we understand the worlds were framed by The Word of God so that the things which are seen, were not made of things which are visible.”

You see friends, our trust and total reliance on The Word of God Spoken through our mouth no matter what we can see, taste, touch, hear, smell, or even “feel like” is what will ultimately provide you and me with “a good testimony” like, “the elders” of faith that have gone before us! I can personally attest to that plane ride decades ago that I felt anything but courageous or overcoming. It was ONLY “HIS Word” spoken through me, “not mine” that created the “Substance,” the “Faith,” “The Frame,” “The Insulation” and ultimately the “Divine Protection” that calmed the atmosphere.

Why is speaking The Word of God so important?

Here is our answer,

Psalm 107:20 (AMPC);

“He sends His Word and heals them and delivers them from the pit and destruction.”

God can’t Send forth His Word to bring healing or deliverance, “from any pit or destruction” unless we Open our mouth and “Speak His Word,” which releases His Manifest Presence, (His Personhood) into the atmosphere surrounding the obstacle or obstacles that we may be facing at the time. Yes! His Words, coming out of our mouth my friend can alter History! Go back and read Joshua 10:12-14, in your Bible where this Mighty Man of God commanded “The sun to stand still,” in order for the Israelites to win an important victory, and you will see what I am talking about!

I have witnessed Father God Show up, time and time again when I have implemented this vital truth in my life! However, when I have failed to implement this principle in my life or have been delayed or distracted in utilizing The Word Of God against the attacks of the enemy, I have experienced some serious and costly setbacks. My friend, the cry of my heart in sharing this testimony with you, is to remind us of the importance of learning to be quick in our obedience to The Instructions of The Lord at ALL TIMES! Our life could depend on it, and for many of us, it has!

How do we learn to operate in this principle?

Through Obedience.

1st Samuel 15:22-23 (AMP);

“Samuel said, Has The Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of The Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim (household good luck images). Because you have rejected the Word of The Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

Here the Prophet Samuel is informing a disobedient King Saul of the penalty of doing things, “his way,” (disobedience) versus “God’s Way,” (obedience). You see my friend, anytime we choose to do things “our way” outside of The Will or Direction of God for our lives, we are actually, “Rejecting God” through our disobedience. When we do this, we reject His Safety and Protection for our lives! If we continually live this way, outside of God’s Will, rejecting His Safety and Protection for our lives without making an, “About Face of The Heart,” we will, like this Ancient King, “lose everything!”

What Instructions has God given you, my friend If any, that you have yet to acknowledge or follow-up?

Are there any areas in your life that you do not sense God’s safety and protection?

Have you allowed your decisions to replace God’s Direction for your life?

Is there a passage of scripture or scriptures that The Lord has impressed you to study or memorize?

My friend, I want to encourage you to invest some time with The Lord, Listening to His Heart for Your Life. See what He has to say to you, then quickly follow through on any instructions that He has given to you. Your life and others may one day depend on it!

Psalm 119:11 (AMP);

“Your Word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

BE STRONG AND LIVE FREE……….BOLDLY FOR HIM!

© 2021 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

Photo By: Joanna Nix

Posted on

Open Heart Test – Part One

Two Kings, two hearts, two test’s with two very different outcomes. 

Perhaps the greatest test that you and I will ever take will not be taken in a classroom setting, sitting at a desk or administered to us by a teacher on-line.  Where will it be taken then?  It will be a test of the heart, taken as we go through everyday life.  “This “Open Heart Test” my friend, may be one that you are right in the middle of taking right now, and not even aware of.        

Emboldened by his past successes and pumped with pride, King Asa impatiently motions for Hanani the seer to approach him in the Throne Room.  Expecting an accolade from The Lord for his latest building projects of the cities of Geba and Mizpah, King Asa sits smugly with his arms folded in front of him, lifting his finely chiseled chin he stares down his regal nose at the awaiting seer.

Hanani knows in his heart that there are great risks to this assignment of The Lord, yet as it is with every true voice of God, he has counted the cost and lives for no earthly reward. Indeed, much damage had been done to The Kingdom of God because of King Asa’s rebellion to enter into a league with Ben-hadad King of Syria; now it had to be dealt with!  Undergirded by prayer, fasting and a bold love for God, the courageous seer opens his mouth, instantly The Penetrating Word of The Lord shoots forth as a Blazing Arrow of Holy Righteousness, hitting the target, “King Asa’s hardened heart of rebellious pride!”  

Un-surprisingly delivering the Word and Judgement of God to an enraged King brings a swift repercussion to Hanani, yet he has no regret for his obedience to The Lord!  Indeed Hanani’s confident assurance for the outcome of his life, is secure in the fact that these crucial words of truth and the judgements given are not of his own manufacturing, they belong to The Lord.

Rather than receive the rebuke of The Lord and repent for his spiritual adultery, King Asa hardens his heart even further and foolishly chooses with one quick decision to jail Hanani.  Tragically, King Asa fails this, “Open Heart Test,” without realizing that you cannot jail the truth! The repercussions for his actions would live on!

II Chronicles 16:1-10 (AMP) is the astounding account of this dramatic story;

“In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha King of Israel came up against Judah, and built (fortified) Ramah intending to intercept anyone going out or coming in to Asa King of Judah.”  “Then Asa brought silver and gold out of the treasuries of The House of The Lord and of the King’s house and sent them to Ben-hadad King of Syria, who dwelt at Damascus, saying,”  “Let there be a league between me and you, as was between my father and your father.  Behold, I am sending you silver and gold; go, break your league with Baasha King of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.”  “And Ben-hadad hearkened to King Asa and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.”  “And when Baasha heard it, he stopped building Ramah and let his work cease.”  “Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.”  “At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa King of Judah and said to him, Because you relied on the King of Syria and not on the Lord your God, the army of the King of Syria has escaped you.”  “Were not the Ethiopians and Libyans a huge host with very many chariots and horsemen?  Yet because you relied then on The Lord, He gave them into your hand.”  “For the eyes of The Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him.  You have done foolishly in this; therefore, from now on you shall have wars.”  “Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison [in the stocks], for he was enraged with him because of this.  Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.”

“When leadership fears truth, corruption begins.”  This word given to me by The Lord several months ago, applies so well to the life of King Asa, as it does to ours today, if we choose the way of hard hearted rebellion as he did.     

You see my friend, the corruption of King Asa’s heart and reign over Judah began long before God sent Hanani the seer to confront him.  The corruption of King Asa’s heart began the moment he disconnected from God as his “True Source,” and looked to the, “strength of man” the King of Syria for his deliverance.  What is so devastating about this true life account of epic self destruction, is that King Asa takes “the silver and gold out of the treasuries of The House of The Lord and of the King’s house,” treasuries that he once valued with his “Whole Heart” and uses them to bribe the King of Syria with!”  In essence, “King Asa deifies himself” above The One True God as a source of provision and protection to another “man!”  Oh how far he had fallen and didn’t even know it!!!

How could this happen?  Why did it happen?  King Asa had so much going for him, how could he so easily forget the past victories that God had given him when he sought The Lord with his “Whole Heart;” and now think that, “the strength of man,” could deliver him?

There is something so deep happening here my friend!  When I went to The Lord in the middle of writing this blog and asked Him these questions, He quickly brought King Asa’s mother to my thoughts, the former Queen Maacah, whom King Asa had removed from position as Queen Mother earlier in his reign. The Lord then shared this startling revelation with me:

“HE REMOVED HER FROM POSITION, BUT NOT FROM INFLUENCE”!!!!!!!

Instantly my spirit was open to The Word of the Lord!

Friends, I want to share this revelation with you exactly in the same manner in which The Lord shared it with me.

II Chronicles 15:16-17 (AMP)  “Also Maacah, King Asa’s mother, he removed from being Queen Mother, because she had made an abominable image for [the goddess] Asherah.  Asa cut down her idol, crushed it, and burned it at the brook Kidron.”

Here in verse 16 is where King Asa, “REMOVES HIS MOTHER FROM POSITION.”

“But the high places were not taken out of Israel.  Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was blameless all his days.”

“However, here in verse 17 is where King Asa, “RETAINS HER INFLUENCE.”

The demonic influences from King Asa’s mother had been planted like poisonous seeds in King Asa’s heart, when he did not take, “the high places out of Israel.” 

Though he had removed her from position of Queen Mother, he did not remove the, “influence” of her position from his heart or from his eyes, still leaving the nation of Israel defiled.  He allowed those poisonous seeds of rebellion, idolatry and pride to have a place in his heart. When King Asa came under pressure in the natural realm, those seeds of rebellion, idolatry and pride, that were sown in the spiritual realm, came to fruition as a harvest of death and self destruction!  Inevitably it would cost him everything!

1. My friend, are there any demonic influences that you need to remove from holding a “position” in your life?

2. Have these seeds of “influence” been allowed to remain or grow in your heart?

If so, uproot any leftover seeds of corruption from the past. You don’t want any residue from any evil influence that could catch your eyes, or change your heart.

You see my friend we are not playing a game called life we are walking out a, “God Planned  Purpose” for our lives! “Everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” in our hearts and lives must be taken down or they will take us down!  Ref. 2nd Cor. 10:5.

I am prompted by the The Holy Spirit as I am writing this, that some of you, like King Asa, have removed from “position” a source of evil from your lives. However, their “influence” is still “active” in your life, therefore the enemy is just waiting for an opportunity to bring a harvest of self destruction to pass in your life!  My friend, my prayer for you is that you will take this word “to heart”, and quickly make the necessary adjustments spirit, soul and body that are needed in order to remove and eradicate every, “influence of evil” that has been sown by these sources from your life and heart!

Please pray the following prayer with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I submit my life and heart to You.  Please show me any evil seed that has been planted in my life and heart that would cause me and others to stumble and fall short of the plans and purposes of God.  I ask You Father God that every one of those seeds of rebellion, idolatry and pride be uprooted in Jesus Name!  I now make a fresh commitment to Plant Your Word  in the soil of my heart today, Father God, realizing that You Alone Are THE Source, and Final Authority of my life.  I repent of placing myself and others above You in any way Lord, and I receive Your Divine Forgiveness Now in Jesus Mighty Name!  Amen and Amen!

Now my friend you can,

“Be Strong and Live Free…………..Boldly For Him!”

Proverbs 4:23 (TPT);

“So above all guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are.  Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.”

*Next months blog will be part two of this message.”

© 2020 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

Photo by : Antonino Visalli

Posted on

“Alive and Well”

In this time of upheaval and uncertainty, God is sending a message of HOPE that is LOUD and CLEAR…..that IN HIM WE ARE, “ALIVE AND WELL!”

Friend, as I was praying about and thinking about writing August 2020’s blog, The Lord reminded me of the blog that He instructed me to write and publish in December of 2019. As I went back and re-read that blog, I felt impressed to re-publish it this month.

Why? I realized that, this blog, “Alive and Well” was and is a, “Forerunner of Encouragement” to us as we continue to walk out the days, months and years before us, “Strong and Free…..Boldly For Him!”

Much Love,

-Clare-

“Christ’s Resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the Place of All Power, Honor, and Authority!” “Yes, feast on all the treasures of the Heavenly Realm and fill your thoughts with Heavenly Realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.” Colossians 3:1-2 (TPT)

At the beginning of 2019, The Lord instructed me to write two specific blogs to start the New Year. January’s title is, “The Expected End” and February’s title is, “Inner-Action”.  Now as we have come to the last month of the decade, and are about to embark on what I believe will be a “Whole New Era” for the Body of Christ in the coming years; The Lord redirected my attention back to these two blogs.

As I re-read what He had to share with us through these writings, I became keenly aware that these blogs encapsulate what He is now saying to us through this last, “Boldly For Him” blog of the year. With 2019 quickly coming to a close, The Lord wants us to know that as we approach 2020, that no matter where we are or what we may be currently facing, that as Born Again Believers in Jesus Christ, the reality of our, “Expected End” is that we are, ”Alive And Well”, In Him as we recognize, renew, develop and mature our, “Inner-Action” to the truths that are shared with us in Colossians 3:1-2 (TPT).

To fully grasp what The Lord is now saying through this blog, I think it’s important for me to refresh us on the definition of “Inner-Action.”

Inner-Action = The relationship between the mind, the will and the emotions and how they are displayed in an individual’s life through their interaction with God and others.

You see my friend we are entering a time where everything that can be challenged will be challenged regarding what we believe about our identity In Jesus Christ. It is an Era, a decade, a time that will see much fruit as well as much loss within The Body of Christ. Why?….. because of the very pressure that is coming in the days ahead that will cause many to continue to be deceived, stumble and fall in their individual and corporate walk with The Lord. That is why it is so important my friend that you and I, “fill our thoughts with Heavenly Realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.”  Ref. Col 3:2 (TPT) 

What we learn and who we learn from can greatly affect what we believe about our God Given identity In Christ Jesus. So much so that the Apostle Paul gave the following instructions to his spiritual son Timothy who was an Evangelist and Pastor in the ancient town of Ephesus:

2nd Timothy 2:15 (AMP);

“Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.”

The Word of God and the Truths that have been “Rightly Divided” and “Accurately Taught” to us must become so “Deeply Rooted Within Us”, that no matter what distraction, adversity or challenge may come our way; we are confident that we can live our lives as one who is “Alive and Well” because of the TRUTH that “Christ’s Resurrection IS OUR Resurrection too!” Ref. Col 3:1 (TPT)  

Understanding and accurately applying this passage of scripture in Col 3:1-2, in our daily walk, as Believers is paramount to a healthy, “Inner-Action” with God and others. An overcoming “Inner-Action” that will lead to Total Victory in every area of our lives, Spirit, soul, and body, in the coming days ahead. To God Be The Glory!

How does this Biblical Principle work in our lives?  

Colossians 3:3-4 (TPT) gives us the answer;

“Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away with God in Christ.” “And as Christ, Himself is seen for Who He Is, who you are will also be revealed, for YOU ARE NOW ONE WITH HIM IN HIS GLORY.”

This is not just a figure of speech my friend these are the Words of God Himself and the REALITY of Who We Are In Christ Jesus! According to the Word of God, we as Believers, have “severed the tie to this life.”  Meaning we no longer are bound or have any obligation whatsoever to live a defeated life of sin, sickness, poverty, shame, etc.!

Can this be proven by the Word of God? 

Yes, let’s see what He has to say to us in Colossians 3:5-9 (TPT);

“Live as one who has died to every form of sexual sin and impurity. Live as one who died to diseases, and desires for forbidden things, including the desire for wealth, which is the essence of idol worship.” “When you live in these vices you ignite the anger of God against these acts of disobedience.” “That’s how you once behaved, characterized by your evil deeds. But now it’s time to eliminate them from your lives once and for all-anger, fits of rage, all forms of hatred, cursing, filthy speech, and lying.” “Lay aside your old Adam-self with its masquerade and disguise.”

God went to great lengths for you and me my friend to be, “Alive and Well” through the Crucifixion of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior! You see, Calvary not only Confronted, but CALVARY also DEFEATED EVERY FORM of sin, sickness, poverty, and disease for all men, for all time…PERIOD! Calvary did not console the enemy, by fearing him and accepting his slander against the Shed Blood of Jesus Christ. Calvary Confronted and Cast the evil works of the enemy out forever!

This is The Resurrection Power of 1st Peter 1:24 (TPT);

“He carried our sins in His body on the Cross so that we would be dead to sin and live for righteousness, Our INSTANT healing flowed from His Wounding.”

Therefore my friend, you and I as believers in Christ Jesus are not to console the enemy by fearing him and caving in when he attacks us with sin, sickness, poverty, and disease, we are to confront him with The Living Word of God and cast him out of our lives, spirit, soul, and body! It is not through our strength that we do this, it is through “The Blood of Jesus Christ”, that was Shed At Calvary. My friend, it is “The Good News” of His Resurrection Power that RESIDES WITHIN US that gives us, as Believers in Christ Jesus, the AUTHORITY AND THE RESPONSIBILITY to Confront and Cast out the devil and all of his evil works from EVERY area of our lives!

Did God give me this responsibility?

YES! Jesus Himself tells us about this “Priceless Privilege” in the following passages of scripture:

 John 14:12-14 (TPT); 

“I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in Me, will do the Same Mighty Miracles that I do—Even Greater Miracles than these because I go to be with My Father!” “For I will do whatever you ask Me to do when you ask Me in My Name. And that is how the Son will show what the Father is really like and bring Glory To Him.” “Ask Me anything in My Name, and I will do it for you!”

Mark 16:16-18 (TPT);

“Whoever believes the Good News and is baptized will be saved, and whoever does not believe the Good News will be condemned.” “And these miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will drive out demons in the power of My Name. They will speak in tongues.” “They will be supernaturally protected from snakes, and from drinking anything poisonous. And they will lay hands on the sick and heal them.”

Never doubt my friend the Power of The Name of Jesus spoken out of your mouth as a Believer in Jesus Christ! It is the same power and authority that was given to the first Disciples! As modern-day Believers it is our turn to do what these Forefathers of Faith did, to take the healing power of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world, to “lay hands on the sick and heal them”, this includes laying hands on yourself!  This Mandate is how we perpetuate the Eternal Message of Calvary! A Precious “Blood Bought” Message that Forever Speaks that, WE ARE, “Alive and Well” and Empowered to,

“Be Strong and Live Free…..Boldly For Him!”

© 2019 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”