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Watchtower of Faith

Have you ever found yourself in a place where you didn’t know how to pray?  I have, somewhere in life, we may find ourselves praying the way King Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah did in,

II Chronicles 20:12 (AMP);

“O our God, will You not exercise judgment upon them?  For we have no might to stand against this great company that is coming against us.  We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

As King Jehoshaphat and all of Judah stood before The Lord, with their “eyes on” The Lord, the answer that the King and Judah needed was given to them.  We read about it in,

II Chronicles 20:14-15 (AMP),

“Then the Spirit of The Lord came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.”  “He said, Hearken all Judah you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat.  The Lord says this to you;  Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude;  for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

Though King Jehoshaphat and all of Judah, “did not know what to do”, they knew Who did and chose to keep their, “eyes” on The Lord.  In other words, they were observing their situation from a “Watchtower of Faith,” and they received their answer!  What is a “Watchtower of Faith”?  Here is the answer the Lord revealed to me in prayer;

Watchtower of Faith = Is the platform of expectation that is built upon the intercession of the Saint, a Born Again Believer in Jesus Christ.

This is where “Expectation becomes our Intercession.”  An exciting hope-filled truth that The Lord recently shared with my husband Mark during a recent time of our Intercessory Prayers together.  Though King Jehoshaphat reigned during Old Testament times, the principle of, “our eyes are upon You,” is the same principle of, “Expectation becoming our Intercession;” this is our, “Watchtower of Faith”!  Do you know where that, “Watchtower of Faith” is located?  The Apostle Paul writes to us about it,

Ephesians 2:6 (AMP);

“And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (The Messiah, The Anointed One).”

You see my friend when you and I accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are literally co-seated with Him! This means that we share a place of Intimacy with Him where we can literally through His Word and prayer, “keep our eyes on Him””!  It is from this seated Heavenly position, this seat of intimacy that we are ensconced in, “The Watchtower of Faith.”  We not only observe, we reinforce our God-given victories from this safe place of active rest as we allow “Expectation to become our Intercession.”

Now for “the rest of the story” regarding King Jehoshaphat’s and Judah’s astounding victory in II Chronicles 20:22-24 (AMP);

“And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were [self-] slaughtered”;  “For [suspecting betrayal] the men of Ammon and Moab rose against those of Mount Seir, utterly destroying them.  And when they had made an end of the men of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.”  “And when Judah came to the Watchtower of the Wilderness they looked at the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none had escaped”!

From this Watchtower of the Wilderness which had become their “Watchtower of Faith” because they had chosen to, “keep their eyes on The Lord”, King Jehoshaphat and Judah were able to witness first hand the deliverance of The Lord on their behalf.  So significant was their deliverance that it took them three days to carry away the spoil!  We read about it in II Chronicles 20:25-27 (AMP);

“When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil, they found among them much cattle, goods, garments and precious things which they took for themselves more than they could carry away, so much they were three days in gathering the spoil.”  “On the fourth day, they assembled in the Valley of Beracah.  There they blessed The Lord. So the name of the place is still called the Valley of Beracah [blessing].”  “Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat leading them, to Jerusalem with joy., for The Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies.”

I say, pray and decree over your life my friend that because you like King Jehoshaphat and all of Judah have chosen to, “keep your eyes on Him” that you are safely ensconced in a “Watchtower of Faith” where “your expectation has become your intercession” and has generated the Power of The Living God to move Mightily on your behalf!  That no enemy, no obstacle and no human or spiritual delay will keep you from safely arriving at your Valley of Beracah your personal Valley of Blessing In The Matchless All Powerful Name of Jesus!

Establish the foundation of your personal “Watchtower of Faith” with this confession. Say this with me…..

My Expectation is my Intercession, and I choose to,                                                                                                  “Be Strong and Live Free…..”Boldly For Him”!

 

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

 

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Surrogate Christianity

He’s an old man desperate for an heir. Weary from the wait of a long-promised legacy, Abram finds himself questioning God.  “Could it really be that this Eliezer of Damascus, a servant born in his own household would now be his heir…..?”  The reply of The Lord takes him by surprise!

Genesis 15:4-5 (AMP);

“And behold, the Word of The Lord came to him, saying, This man shall not be your heir, but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir.”  “And He brought him outside [his tent into the starlight] and said, Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to number them.  Then He said to him, So shall your descendants be.”

As these words echoed through his thoughts, the memory of The Lord’s recent visit still fresh in his mind, he stares at the beautiful face of the frustrated woman in front of him. Abram wished he had the courage to overcome the fear that kept him from telling his wife about the Blood Covenant that The Lord had just made with him.  Yet he knew that Sarai had been pushed beyond her ability to trust him, after all, it was his idea to have her lie to Pharaoh and the rest of the Egyptians in order to spare his life.  A decision that almost cost their marriage!  With that integrity now violated, Sarai’s heart could no longer hold the pressure of unresolved hurts, anger and a lifeless womb.  The bitterness that drove the following irrational suggestion from her heart through her lips, would forever change the course of history and the lives of those closest to her!

Genesis 16:1-2 (AMP);

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children.  She had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar.”  “And Sarai said to Abram, See here, The Lord has restrained me from bearing (children).  I am asking you to have intercourse with my maid; it may be that I can obtain children by her.  And Abram listened to and heeded what Sarai said.”

Completely distracted from the Covenant that The Lord just made with him, Abram embraces the alternative of Sarai’s suggestion and agrees to have intercourse with Hagar for an heir.  The result….?… Surrogate Nation!”  The Substitution of God’s Covenant plan through Abram in exchange for the works of his hands.  In modern New Testament terms, “A Substitute for Jesus Christ” has just been conceived!

In order to clearly understand the meaning of what God is wanting us to learn through this passage of scripture, I am going to share with you the definition of each word in the term, “Surrogate Christianity.”

Surrogate =
: to appoint a successor, deputy, or substitute for oneself
: SUBSTITUTE

Christianity =
a): the religion derived from Jesus Christ, based on the Bible as sacred
scripture, and professed by Eastern, Roman Catholic, and Protestant
bodies
b): conformity to the Christian Religion
c): the practice of Christianity

* Above references are from Merriam-Webster.com

The enemy of our soul has a goal and that is to get us to, “mourn for what we haven’t lost.”  He does this by having us view long-awaited, yet to be fulfilled, promises of God for our life through, “The Eyes of Grief.”  If he is successful, he knows that we will do exactly what Abram and Sarai did.  Take matters into our own hands through “Substitution” and birth an “Ishmael.”

It is the “Ishmael” the “Substitutions” for God’s Promises that we birth that often causes us the most grief and sorrow in our lives.  Now is a good moment my friend to see where we are in the birthing process of our Covenant Promises from God.  Let’s ask ourselves the following questions:

What specific Covenant Promise of God have I been waiting for the longest?
Have I begun to view that Covenant Promise through, “The Eyes of Grief?”
Am I taking matters into my own hands?

No matter how we answer the above questions, we can be encouraged with this truth, that though we may have birthed an “Ishmael”, there is undoubtedly an “Isaac”,  the fulfillment of God’s Covenant Promise in our future!  How do I know that this is true? The Bible tells me so!  Let’s read Genesis 17:19 (AMP) together;

“But God said, Sarah, your wife shall bear you a son indeed, and you shall call his name Isaac [laughter]; and I will establish My covenant or solemn pledge with him for an Everlasting Covenant and with his posterity after him.”

This same Covenant is now Our Covenant through Jesus Christ!  No matter how many “Ishmaels” we have birthed in our life, God has our, “Isaacs” waiting for us!  His Covenant with us can never be revoked because the Blood of His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, has ratified that Covenant at Calvary Forever!

This is our time my friend to Go Forth and Birth our “Isaacs” Boldly For Him!

 

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

 

  • Photo by Cristian Newman
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Pillars of Salt

One last look that’s all she wanted, after all, she had some fond memories of this place.   Secretly deep down inside she really didn’t believe that this city or any of the other cities in the region deserved to be destroyed.  “After all didn’t her husband Lot choose to settle their family in the city of Sodom because of all the vast resources before them?  Yes, there were some bad things that happened here, but didn’t bad things happen everywhere?”  With these thoughts racing through her mind, her steps slowed down to a resistant pace.  “Lot was Abraham’s nephew, surely God would take all of this into consideration and change His Mind…Wouldn’t He?”  Now weighed down with these heavy thoughts, …..she glanced up squinting, barely able to see Lot and her daughters, they were so far ahead of her.

The Angel had strictly warned them all not to stop or look back, however, the reasoning that started in her mind had now become an act of the heart.  With one assumptive act of fatal rebellion, Lot’s wife turned, looked back and became a “Pillar of Salt!”  A standing memorial of unbelief, rebellion, and death to this day.  One that our Lord Jesus Christ asked us to remember with these direct words in Luke 17:32 (TPT);

“Don’t forget the example of Lot’s wife and what happened to her when she turned back.”

Genesis 19:26 (AMP) records this sad lesson for us,

“But [Lot’s] wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Why did Jesus ask us to “remember what happened to Lot’s wife?”….because “She died in the day of her deliverance!”  You see my friend the enemy will try to get you and me to turn back to the things that God is trying to deliver us from, so that we like Lot’s wife, “Die in the day of our deliverance, and become like a “Pillar of Salt.”

Now is a good time to take a few moments of reflection and ask ourselves these questions:

1. What is God trying to deliver me from?
2. Is there something tempting me to turn back to my past?

The truth is, God never intended for anyone to become a “Pillar of Salt.”  You and I have been created to be “Free Flowing Agents of The Holy Spirit.”  Agents of Freedom and Deliverance for others, as we ourselves walk in freedom and deliverance.

Matthew 5:13-16 (AMP) gives us some encouraging insight from the Heart of God regarding this truth;

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, it’s quality), how can its saltness be restored?  It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.”  “You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”  “Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.”  “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven.”

There is an interesting footnote in the Passion Translation regarding this scripture, it states that,

“Rabbinical literature equates salt with wisdom.  After speaking of salt, Jesus speaks of lighting a lamp.  It was a common practice in the time of Jesus to put salt on the wick of a lamp to increase its brightness.  The “salt” of wisdom will make our lights shine even brighter.”

The Passion Translation pg. 17 footnotes for Matthew 5:13 a.

So how do we not lose our “saltiness”?  That’s a great question!  Here’s a couple of steps that will help us,

1. We do exactly what The Lord Jesus asked us to do in Luke 17:32 (AMP) we,
“Remember Lot’s wife!”
2. We do exactly the opposite of what Lot’s wife did when it came time for her to participate with her deliverance.  We obey without delay!

In essence, because Lot’s wife had a heart fixed on the darkness that was behind her, she could not recognize the “wisdom” or see the “light’ of deliverance that was before her. My friends, we have the mandate to be the “salt and light” of this world, “A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden.”

No matter how tight or dark our situation may seem right now my friend, we must resist the temptation to turn back and become galvanized like, “Pillars of Salt.”  We must remember that our obedience to God’s Wisdom for our deliverance, illuminates the path of deliverance for someone else as well.  This is how our, “Moral excellence and our praiseworthy, noble and good deeds are recognized while, “ALL of the Honor, Praise and Glory are given to our Father God Who is in Heaven!”

Dear Friends, this is our day to “Be Strong and Live Free”……..Boldly For Him!

 

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

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Inner-Action

Recently I was driving in my car when I heard The Voice of The Holy Spirit say to my heart, “I want to talk to you about prosperity.”  I said, “Okay Lord please speak to me, I want to hear what you have to say.  He then started sharing with me some things about “The Soul” of prosperity.  That prosperity is definitely much deeper than “financial gain” or “material possessions”.  As He started to share these truths with me, the scripture 3rd John 2 (TPT) came to my thoughts:

“Beloved friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and that you continually enjoy good health, just as your Soul Is Prospering.”

The last part of that scripture really jumped out at me and I knew that The Lord was un-locking some deep truths for me to grasp, study and share!

Several nights later I had a dream where I was having a conversation with a young girl when she replied, “For me it’s all about the inner-action”.  Upon waking up I had an, “Aha Moment” where I knew by The Holy Spirit that I needed to prepare to share This Word. He then gave me the definition of the word “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.

The soul is the seat and activity center for our, “Inner-Action”.  This is where the relationship between our mind, our will and emotions is played out on a daily basis.  In other words we will continually display what our soul relays to our heart, the activity center for our mind, will and emotions.  God knowing the importance of this inner- relationship, has been talking to mankind about it for a long time.  Let’s read in Proverbs 4:23 (TPT) what He has to say to us about this subject;

“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.”

The most common Hebrew word for heart is used in this scripture it is the word, “levav” “It includes our thoughts, our will, our discernment and our affections.”  (TPT) Notes, pg. 960 (TPT).

Housed within Proverbs 4:23 (TPT) is the revelation of the, “Heart and Soul” connection.  The Inner-Action of our mind, our will and our emotions and how “they affect all that we are.”  Recognizing and understanding this vital truth is paramount, “to the welfare of our innermost being.”  You see my friend, WE MUST LEARN to harness our mind, our will and our emotions to The Leadership of The Holy Spirit by, “guarding the affections of our heart”.  Then and only then can we Safely and Effectively represent The Kingdom of Heaven to this lost and dying world.  A world that is hurting so badly and in need of the Pure Healing Love of The Gospel of Jesus Christ poured into them, by Pure Vessels of The Most High God.

The word Harness is defined in Macmillan’s Dictionary this way,

Harness = “To get control of something in order to use it for a particular purpose.”

This brings us to a very important question, “How do we harness our mind, our will and our emotions, (our soul) to The Leadership of The Holy Spirit so that we can fulfill our God given purpose?  The insight that we need in order to answer this question is found in
2nd Corinthians 10: 3-5 (TPT);

“For although we live in the natural realm, we don’t wage a military campaign employing human weapons, using manipulation to achieve our aims.”  “Instead, our spiritual weapons are energized with Divine Power to effectively dismantle the defenses behind which people hide.”  “We can demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God.  We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to The Anointed One.”

The Power of these scriptures when read, apprehended, studied and applied will enable us to overthrow and destroy those, demonic strongholds or as the Aramaic also translates, “rebellious castles”; centers of opposition to the light of The Gospel, “the defenses behind which people hide.” Ref. (TPT) Notes, pg. 502 (TPT).

The Atomic Bomb that obliterates these demonic strongholds, “rebellious castles,” hiding places of the enemy in our lives if we allow him, is clearly revealed to us in
Hebrews 4: 12-13 (AMP);

“For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.” “And not a creature exists that is concealed from His Sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the Eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.”

When we Boldly speak what God Speaks which is His Word, The Bible, we are then wielding a Mighty Two Edged Sword.  This Two Edged Sword is Alive and Full of Power and gives us the assurance that when wielded with confident authority in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ, we can uproot and demolish every “rebellious castle”, potential hiding place of the enemy in our lives.

This overcoming “Inner-Action” my friend is “The Soul” of true prosperity, which gives us the Grace To Be Strong and Live Free…..Boldly For Him!

 

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

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The Expected End

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith The Lord, thoughts of Peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)

Several weeks ago, I heard the phrase, “The Expected End” come clearly to my thoughts from The Lord.  As I began to think about what He was speaking to my heart, I was led to  the above scripture. The more I began to study this scripture, the more I realized how important it is to God that you and I understand that He has an, “Expected End” for each and every one of us.  An “Expected End” that He has thought about long before we took our first breathe!  Jeremiah 1:5 (AMP) explains this truth even further;

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating  you [and] I appointed you as a Prophet to the nations.”

My friend this Word is not just for the Prophet Jeremiah, this Word is for you and me too!   God is Encouraging us that He Has ALREADY Approved of us and that HE Has ALREADY Chosen us for a very specific purpose!  For Jeremiah his “Expected End” was as a “Prophet to the nations”, for you and I that “Expected End” will be whatever specific calling God has placed upon our life.  As the scripture above reveals, that Calling is a literal Appointment by God Himself!  Just as the President of the United States or of any nation has been elected and appointed to his or her office, you and I have been chosen and appointed to our office, our calling by God.

The Apostle Peter gives us some sound advice regarding this in 2nd Peter 1:10 (AMP);

“Because of this, brethren, be all the more solicitous and eager to make sure (to ratify, to strengthen, to make steadfast) your calling and election; for if you do this, you will never stumble or fall.”

We have a God given responsibility my friend to move in the direction of that “calling and election”. To make decisions that promote and live in harmony with God’s will for our specific purpose, and not to make decisions that will cause us to “stumble or fall”.

In order to successfully walk this out, we must never forget that Housed Within The Thoughts of God are Blue Prints that strategically lead us in the way that we should go.  As we hear and heed The Thoughts Of God for our life we will mature, develop and implement with accuracy that “Divine Appointment” that has been placed upon us.

So how do we hear, heed and rightly discern The Thoughts of God for our life?  So glad you asked!  It is vital as Born Again Believer’s in Christ Jesus, that we recognize that we have The Mind of Christ!  1st Corinthians 2:16 (AMP) gives us an exciting description of this reality;

“For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge?  But we have the Mind of Christ (The Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His Heart.”

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our spirit man, (which is who we really are) is made NEW (Born Again).  We are then instantly infused with The Mind of Christ by virtue of Him Living Within Us!  Time for a PRAISE BREAK right now!!!! Glory….Hallelujah!!!

Recognizing that we, ”hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His Heart”, comes as we cultivate a genuine intimacy with The Lover of our soul, Jesus Christ.  Our hearing in His Presence is heightened as we develop the habit of listening for His Voice in our heart (our spirit) through prayer and through the discipline of reading His Word, The Holy Bible.  We are then equipped to fully obey what He shares with us.  Jeremiah 33:3 (AMP) is a beautiful illustration of this fact;

“Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).”

Beloved of The Most High God, He is beckoning to you and I right now, desiring for us to go deeper into His Presence, deeper into His Word so that He can share some, “Great and Mighty things, fenced in and hidden which we do not know.”  Will we answer His Call and choose to go deeper in Him?  That is a question that we must answer daily, sometimes minute by minute and moment by moment.

The priceless reward?  The Apostle Paul says it the best in Philippians 3:10-11(AMP);

“[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquitted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His Resurrection [which it exerts over Believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]” “That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].”

This my Fellow Sojourner of The Most High God is our True, “Expected End”!

Happy New Year Mighty Expectant One, as you go forth in 2019 equipped through His Presence and His Word to live out your, “Expected End… from The Beginning”, my prayer is that you will,
“Be Strong and Live Free Boldly For Him”!

 

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

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RESILIENT

“When you use this, you will be younger and shinier”, said the persuasive salesman to the prospective customer.  Wow!  A lotion that will make me “Younger and Shinier”!  I was almost pulled into the vortex of their conversation as I walked by.  After all, who wouldn’t want to be “Younger and Shinier” by the mere application of this, miracle lotion!  Thank God I came to my senses quickly and kept on walking!  I have to admit though, that I admired this salesman’s commitment to his product.

Recently, I was reminded of this salesman’s claims of being made, “younger and shinier” by using his product, when the Lord brought the word, “Resilient” to me along with this scripture:

Psalm 34:5 (TPT);

“Gaze upon Him, join your life with His, and joy will come.  Your face will glisten with Glory.  You’ll never wear that shame face again”.

The Lord is clearly interested in us being made, “younger and shinier”, not through superficial means however but in a “Resilient” manner.  He is letting us know, through His Word that when we look to Him we will literally, “Glisten with Glory”, from an inward joy because we have chosen to, “Gaze upon Him” and “join our life to His”.  The results of this kind of total trust, love and commitment to The Lord?  “You’ll never wear that shame face again”.  Shame will age you, my friend, on the other hand, keeping our gaze upon Him, “The Author and Finisher of our faith”, (ref. Hebrews 12:2 (b) are rejuvenating!

The definition of the word Resilient is, “Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions”.  The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines Resilient this way, “Capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture”.  Perhaps one of the most impacting descriptions of the word Resilient from The Merriam Webster Dictionary is this, “Implies the ability to recover shape quickly when deforming force or pressure is removed”

In Acts 14:19-20 (TPT) we witness an incredible event in the life of Paul the Apostle, one of the most “Resilient” men that ever lived:

“Some of the Jews who had opposed Paul and Barnabas in Antioch and Iconium arrived and stirred up the crowd against them.  They stoned Paul and dragged his body outside the city and left him for dead.”  “When the believers encircled Paul’s body, he miraculously stood up!  Paul stood and immediately went back into the city.  The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe”.

Talk about “recovering quickly when deforming force or pressure is removed”!  The Apostle Paul is the epitome of the word “Resilient” and we can learn a lot about being resilient from his life and testimony today.  As a matter of fact, Paul reveals to us in his own words in 2nd Corinthians 4:8-10 (TPT) the cause and effect of a “Resilient” life.

“Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed.  At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option”.  “We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us.  We may be knocked down, but not out”.  “We continually share in the death of Jesus in our own bodies so that the Resurrection life of Jesus will be revealed through our humanity”.

The Apostle Paul went through so much, yet he did not grow weaker, he grew stronger and more “resilient” as he learned to “lean not on his own understanding, but to acknowledge God in ALL of his ways”.  Ref. Proverbs 3:5-6. ”  You are more “Resilient” than you think!  Just keep getting up no matter what the trial, test or challenge may be.   Like the Apostle Paul, Jesus wants to reveal His Resurrection Life through your humanity!  Continue to keep your gaze upon Him and you will, “never have to wear that shame face again”!  Yes, my friend, your Resilient Best Is Here to Stay, because God through His Son Jesus Made The Way!  As a matter of fact, don’t be surprised if you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror looking more,
“younger and shinier”every day!
                                            Questions For Your “Resilient Glow”.

1. How quickly do you recover from offense and tribulation in your life?

2. How do you respond to offense and tribulation when it comes your way?

3. What can you do to improve in your relationship with others?

4. Is there some area of your life that you need to get up and just keep
going in?

 

© 2018 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

 

 

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The Power of A Promise

With their husbands now dead and her sister-in-law Orpah going back to Moab at Naomi their mother-in-law’s bidding, Ruth made a decision to not go back with Orpah.  Instead she “clung” to Naomi, “her promise” and made a vow to her and God with these words:

Ruth 1:16-17 (AMP);

“And Ruth said, Urge me not to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge.  Your people shall be my people and your God my God.” “Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.  The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts me from you.”

By honoring Naomi, Ruth activated “The Power of a Promise”, (God’s promise to her).  On the other hand, Orpah chose to kiss Naomi and turn back, in doing so she kissed her God-given promise goodbye!

Dear friend, when you and I cling to our God-given promises, hope for that promise is conceived within our spiritual womb.  A promise can never be carried to full term and birthed without hope.  Somewhere In Ruth’s marriage to her husband the, “Revelation of Hope” became the “Power of the Promise” of her Marriage Covenant.  Ruth knew that the Covenant of Marriage that she made was not just with her now dead husband, the Covenant of Marriage that she made was with God Himself and therefore lived on!  Ruth understood that what God Promised to her while her husband was alive, would now be fulfilled for her although her husband was dead.  Indeed, “A threefold cord is not easily broken.” Ref. Eccl. 4:12b. (NLT) You see, Promises from God don’t die, they will always be fulfilled as long as we don’t lose our hope and give up on the Promise, as Orpah did.

Though the enemy has contended hard for our God Promised “Inheritance”, when we keep our eyes on Jesus and follow the instructions of the Holy Spirit, which is a type and shadow of Ruth following Naomi’s daily instructions, we too will be led to our “Kinsman Redeemer”!  God takes great delight in seeing His Promises fulfilled in our lives because He knows that when that happens we too will become a catalyst of fulfillment for that same promise coming to pass in someone else’s life.  This is how we co-create with The Greater One Who Dwells Within Us!

In the last chapter of the Book of Ruth, we read an astonishing historical account of the genealogy of Obed, the son…”The Promise” that was born to Ruth and her, “Kinsman Redeemer”, Boaz:

Ruth 4:17 (AMP);

“And her neighbor women gave him a name saying, A son is born to Naomi.  They named him Obed.  He was the father of Jesse, the father of David [the ancestor of Jesus Christ].”

When Ruth clung to Naomi, her faith created the spiritual umbilical cord that would reach into the womb of future generations and birth, “The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Ultimate Kinsman Redeemer”!

Faithful One, it is time to CLING to your God Given Promises and follow through on long-delayed instructions that seem impossible to do.  God, Himself is The Power behind your Promise and He is waiting to deliver ALL that He has seeded in your spiritual womb so long ago before time even began!

As you recognize, “The Power of YOUR Promise” and step out in faith, realize that this is Our Time as The Body of Believers, The Modern Day Church to, “Birth Boldly For Him”!

                                           Where are you in the Birthing Process of Your Promise?

I have personalized the following questions for you.  Take some time with God and ask yourself where you are in the process.  Allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate your path.

  1. Am I being faced with a tough decision that I need to make right now?  One that could potentially take me in two different directions?
  2. Have I taken the time to pray about this decision and hear what God has to say about it?
  3. Do I believe that God wants to fulfill His Promises to me and through me?  Why, or why not?
  4. When was the last time that I experienced, “The Power of a Promise” being fulfilled in my life?
  5. Have I ever been the catalyst for, “The Power of a Promise” being fulfilled in someone else’s life?

*Mighty One of The Most High God, I want to encourage you that as you go through these questions, keep a journal and please don’t allow the enemy to discourage you in any way.   Know this, that your promises are “YOUR” promises, they may not look like, sound like, or even project like someone else’s;  that’s because they are not supposed too!  God fashioned you just the way you are, “for such a time as this”!  I can hardly wait to see and hear what your, “Spiritual Baby” looks and sounds like!  Congratulations!

 

© 2018 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

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Dislodging Distractions

In January of 2016, I was praying, and listening to The Lord, while preparing to minister at a local church.  He gave me the following Word, which I am now compelled to share with you.

“Distractions are violations of the spirit and they cause you and others to stumble.  They are used by the enemy to stir up strife and sow discord among the brethren and among men because they bring division to your spirit.  Distractions will cause you to walk in a double-minded manner that will leave you empty-handed and empty-headed.  The mind of Christ is always single-minded and single focused.”    

The impact of this Word in my own life and those that received it have been life changing!  The testimonies that I heard touched my heart, as I witnessed God do a deep work in the lives of His sons and daughters.

What is a distraction?  A distraction is simply defined as, “A thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.”

The synonyms for the word distraction lets us know why they are so deadly and why God is so opposed to them in our lives.  Here are several of them, “frenzy, hysteria, madness, insanity, mania, etc.”  These are all indicators of living a distracted life.

What causes distractions?  Mark 4:18-19 (AMP) clearly answers this question for us;

“And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word.”  “Then the cares and anxieties of the world and “DISTRACTIONS OF THE AGE,” and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.”   

How do distractions affect our relationship with God?  James 1:5-8 (AMP) gives us the answer;

“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, he feels, he decides].”

Regarding distractions, the book of James has much to say about the repercussions of being double-minded.  It is sobering to see for ourselves the fruitlessness of an “unstable and unreliable and uncertain” life.

How do we, “Dislodge Distractions”?  Apply His Word!

Dislodge is defined in the Merriam Webster dictionary as, “to drive from a position of hiding, defense or advantage.”  “To force out of a secure or settled position.”  When we wield the Word of God against those hardened places of hidden distractions in our hearts, we are actively driving out those distractions from their “secure or settled positions” in our lives.

What scriptures can I use to, “Dislodge Distractions”?  The following scriptures will get you started.

1st Corinthians 2:16 (AMP),

“For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge?  But WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His Heart.”

Colossians 3:1-3 (AMP),

“If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His Resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the Right Hand of God.”  “And SET YOUR MINDS and KEEP THEM SET ON WHAT IS ABOVE (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.”  “For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Colossians 3:16 (AMP),

“Let the Word [spoken by] Christ (The Messiah) have its home [IN YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts.”

Dear friends, I call you “Mighty and Undistracted.”  As you continue to search His Word and Abide in Him, you will “Be Strong and Live Free….. Boldly For Him”! 

 

© 2018 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

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Fresh Oil

The car engine blew up and everything went into slow motion.  With angry flames shooting from under the car’s hood reaching for the sky, I glanced over at my friend riding with me, the look of surprise, shock, and horror on her face told the whole story.  Suddenly a white pick-up truck appeared on my left and the driver started motioning for me to pull over to the side of the road.

We were in the middle of a miracle and didn’t even know it!

Psalm 91:11 (TPT) says it this way: “God sends Angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go, defending you from all harm”.

To this day I can’t tell you how the flames stopped, the name of the guy, the (Angel), who I really believe helped us, or how I was able to calmly park my car on the side of the road.  What I do remember is a young guy around my age walking over to the car, he asked us where we were going and I told him, he then said that he was going to that exact same area which was a good four hours drive from where we were at that moment!  He then asked us if we wanted to get in the truck and that he would take us to wherever we needed to be, and that my car would be okay where we left it.

In a daze, my friend and I followed his instructions and got in the pick-up truck, the rest of the ride was a blur.  However, I do remember him offering some insight and feedback on the car.  He said that the car engine probably blew up from a lack of proper oil changes….I don’t remember EVER taking that car in for an oil change!  I SHOULD have known better!

The moral of this true story?  My car needed to have had regular, “oil changes” in order for the engine not to blow up and put me and my friend’s life in danger.  So it is with our walk with The Lord, without “His Anointing”, “His Fresh Oil”, The “Holy Spirit” CONTINUALLY empowering us, our lives can explode into an angry blaze of, “self-effort” and “self-preservation”.  Only to end in the smoldering ruins of “dead works” and “lifeless idols”.

How do we avoid this spiritual crash and burn?  The answer can be found in,

Psalm 92:10 (TPT): “Your Anointing has made me strong and mighty. You’ve empowered my life for triumph by pouring fresh oil over me.”

There are several important points that God provides for us in this scripture that will keep our lives well oiled and running smoothly here on earth.

First of all, it is the recognition that it is “His Anointing” not our own human efforts that provide us with the strength and might that we need in order to run our race well.

Secondly, our lives are empowered for triumph by a continuous flow of “Fresh Oil”, a conscious continual yielding of our live’s to The Holy Spirit’s guidance on a daily basis. This permits Him to cleanse us, heal us, correct us, strengthen us and as I learned the hard way, protect us in our life’s journey as we abide in His Presence.

Thirdly notice that the Psalmist says that “fresh oil” is poured OVER us.  My friend we are not just sprinkled with His Anointing we are Drenched and Saturated with Him as we yield to the ongoing leadership of The Holy Spirit in our lives!  King David gives us a beautiful illustration of this truth in,

Psalm 23:5-6 (AMP), “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.” “Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days The House of The Lord [and His Presence} shall be my dwelling place.”

This Mighty Child of The Most-High God is how we can, “Be Strong and Live Free….Boldly For Him”!

Is It Time For “FRESH OIL”?  Let’s do a systems check and find out.

1. Do you have the motivation and strength to carry on?
2. Are you easily provoked to anger and impatient with those around you, even total strangers?
3. When was the last time that you really enjoyed “The Presence of The Lord”, and sensed “His Pleasure” in you as His beloved son or daughter?
4. Are you allowing, “The Joy of The Lord to be your Strength and Stronghold”?  Ref. Nehemiah 8:10.

 

© 2018 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”

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HighSight

I can remember so many times growing up my mom telling me to have “foresight,” to think about my actions and what the repercussions of those actions would be.

As a Born Again child of God, we can now, “exercise foresight” as the Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:15 (AMP):

“Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual Blessing) in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it.”

I now have the privilege along with you, if you have made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, to exercise “HIGHSIGHT,” a term that the Lord revealed to me several years ago as I was sitting in a business meeting and listening to the conversation taking place around me.  As I prayed and asked the Lord about the term “HIGHSIGHT,” He immediately led me to Ephesians 2:6 (AMP):

“And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together {giving us joint seating with Him] in the Heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, The Anointed One.)”

What the Lord revealed to me is that the term, “HIGHSIGHT” refers to our ability to see clearly from the vantage point of our joint seating with Him in the Heavenly Sphere!  Glory to God!

When we as Believers in Christ Jesus rest in this seated position with Him, we will be able to clearly see with laser accuracy the landscape of our live’s from Heaven’s perspective.  Think about what it is like to look out of an airplane window.  From your seat on the plane you can look down upon the geography of the landscape below and see everything within that terrain from cities, houses, pools, cars, parking lots etc. and even people depending on the altitude of the plane.

From your Heavenly Seat with God, (and there is no Higher Altitude than this), His perspective for your life comes into full view and you will be able to clearly see with your “Spiritual Eyes”…. your ”Kingdom Eyes,” the path that God has already “Planned Beforehand” for your life here on Earth.  Ephesians 2:10 (AMP) illuminates this truth for us:

“For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His Workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, {Born Anew} that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He pre-arranged and made ready for us to live.]”

By exercising “HIGHSIGHT” from our seated position with God in the Heavenly Sphere, we develop through the intimacy of the Holy Spirit our, “Kingdom Eyes”.  As all of our senses both spiritually and naturally are awakened to His Presence, we become consciously aware that He is actively leading and guiding us throughout our days, weeks, months and years on earth.

Romans 8:14 (AMP) is a beautiful description of this truth: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

As children of The Most High God, let us daily take our seated position with Him in the Heavenly Sphere utilizing the, “HIGHSIGHT” those “Kingdom Eyes” that perfect vision of Heaven that God has given us access to:

“Press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and Heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.”  Philippians 3:14 (AMP)!

 

Key Questions for Kingdom Seers:

1.)  What do you see when God speaks to your heart?

2.)  Are you experiencing clear vision, double vision, blurry vision or no vision in your walk with The Lord?

3.)  If your Spiritual sight is impaired, what could be the “spiritual cataracts” that are keeping you from seeing properly?

 

© 2018 Clare Matthews – Boldly For Him. “All Rights Reserved.”