Live Legally

These past days, God has shown me a few things that we should get rid of. Things that are not taken seriously these days by almost anyone of us.

Downloading movies, music and software illegally. Cracking operating software like Windows, other software like Office,  Drawing software etc. These are just some of the things we do that doesn't seem that bad.

So me and my wife went through all of our computers, tablets, phones and we deleted everything we do not have a legal copy of.

There are cases where we take things from work places that would have ended up in the dustbin, but the company policy clearly say that it will be illegal to take home even if it was dumped in the rain to rust; or even printing personal documents without permission.

God shown me that we all have some kind of authority. Having knowledge in a field, gives us authority there and we can be fair or misuse it. High positions is a very big temptation to misuse these kind of authority. The knowledge to get something illegally with out being caught is a good example of misusing authority.

About two days ago, while me and my wife was inspecting our live about these situations, I decided to read Luke 3. God is so faithful, He always confirm what He shares (or convict) with us with His Word.

When God ask us to give up something, He doesn't necessary throw the whole list at us. I think He mostly starts with one thing, and then if we are willing to give it up. He will show the next thing. It is so important that we will be obedient to God if we want to live Holy.

A lot of times we have excuses like; they would have thrown it away anyway; we will buy the product if we like it; it wont harm anyone; its not like we have broken in and stole it; if they didn't want us to crack it, they should have protected it better; and the list go on. A good excuse wont open the heavens with God's blessings.

I had to stop helping people with certain jobs because God showed me that He wants to bless me but helping people to be dishonest wont give God the Glory for theses blessings. Sometimes we tell God, He should provide first if He wants us to live honest. But we should rather live without any before considering the gray line, it will eventually lead us to the dark.

Romans 13 : 1-14 is clear instruction to obey the law. If we can get away with steeling a car and we are sure we wont be caught. Will that make it right?

But the fruits of repentance is to live legally, then we will be Holy. Luke 3 : 8-14

God bless!!

^{Luke 3 : 8} Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
⁹ And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
¹⁰ And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
¹¹ He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
¹² Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
¹³ And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
¹⁴ And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

^{Romans 13 : 1} Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
² Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
³ For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
⁴ For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
⁵ Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
⁶ For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
⁷ Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
⁸ Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
⁹ For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
¹⁰ Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
¹³ Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
¹⁴ But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Pray for your enemies

Last night, I felt like reading from Micah (a book in the Bible). Just when I was finished with the first chapter, a sudden urge came in my hart to pray for a Pastor I know. He was attacked few years ago on his farm in South Africa and he was shot a couple of times and his foreman was killed in this incident. A lot of other bad things also happened witch I don't want to mention. It just felt like I had to ask God to help him to forgive those people and also that his family will too. I don't know if he did forgive, but that's what I felt God wanted me to pray.

This is one of the things that causes racism in South Africa. A man of God should not be racist or have hate in his hart, especially if we want God to use us in the ministry and the most important is to get forgiveness from God. Matthew 6 : 14-15

After I prayed for the Pastor, I continued to read Micah. To my surprise, the next verses explained the situations that is happening in South Africa at the moment. Micah 2 : 1-2 The farmers are being murdered for their property and there are no justest. These murderers have the power in their hands because the country's government doesn't do anything to prevent these or prosecute the farm murderers. Some even suspect the government have something to do with these incidents.

It is bad and I feel sorry for us that went through these tragedies. But the verses that came after Micah 2 : 2, show me that we should pray, not just for the sake of the victims but for the souls of these murderers. The judgement to these people will be heavy and it will be everlasting. Micah 2 : 3-4.

If you feel any unforgiveness in your hart, don't get the attitude that you have to forgive because you want God to forgive but rather ask God to help you to truly forgive. The burden to try to do it on your own will never succeed. God's power is great to mend a broken heart.

May God's will be done.

God Bless!!

^{Matthew 6 : 14} For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
¹⁵ But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

^{Micah 2 : 1} Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
² And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
³ Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
⁴ In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

Dreams about Dreams

On the morning 2th of October 2017, I had a dream where I was working with a colleague. We were very busy during the day driving up and down the petroleum plant to organize the job. Eventually we had time to sit down for lunch. I felt that I need to tel him that there were prophecies over my life that are falling in place and that it all were coming true. But something inside warned me, maybe I shouldn't tell him. Before I could consider the Voice I told him about the prophecies. He got angry and mumbled some words while he was walking away. I then thought to myself, was that the Holy Spirit that warned me not to tell him or fear and maybe it was because he was not ready to hear about these things.

When I woke up, I thought, what could this dream mean? I told my wife and we prayed about it.

Later the day, during my Bible study, I decided to read Matthew 2 : 1-23. I noticed that in verse 12, 13, 19 and 22 God gave warnings in dreams. I thought to myself, I would like if God can give me dreams with direct instructions of what to do and when ext. Just before I wanted to start to pray for dreams from God, a answer riced up in my hart. This was before Christ was crucified, Jesus didn't ask God yet to send the Holy Spirit to live in us. The Holy Spirit give the instructions now and we should pray that we can determine what and when the Holy Spirit is asking us to do.

I then realized God want us to focus more on knowing the Holy Spirit than to want dreams and visions. A dream can be how clear, but if we can not hear the Holy Spirit, then we could miss interpreter it.

Now is this just me or was this message ironic. I had a dream and couldn't understand what it meant. Then God showed me what the dream meant with verses about dreams and I wanted dreams. The meaning about my dream was to pray for interpretation when the Holy Spirit is talking to me and that is more important than dreams witch I was warned about in a dream...

God surely has a sense of humor.

Even though the dream was clear that I need to pray to know when the Holy Spirit was talking, it wasn't clear for me after I had the dream. But God is always gracious to reveal these things to us through the Holy Spirit.

God Bless!!

^{Matthew 2 : 12} And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
¹³ And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
¹⁹ But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
²² But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

Parable of Faith

When I was in youth service, a few years ago. I had to leave my home and live at the youth centre for the years I was studying at church.

The one morning I was laying in my bed, waiting for sunrise, to get ready for the day. While I was talking to God I suddenly longed for my dogs that was left behind at home. I had two dogs, one German Shepherd and a small crossbreed.

The German Shepherd was a loyal dog that was very disciplined. She always listened when we spoke and never charged us for attention.

The crossbreed was selfish and never listened to anyone. He also use to charge and jump on us even though we never gave him attention or patted him. He used to role in any dung he can find and always smelled bad. So bad smelly that we didn't even wanted to touch him.

They were not allowed in the house. The German Shepherd never tried entering the house unless there was thunder on the way. The crossbreed took any chance he got. We tried very hard to get him out when he got in. Sometimes we didn't notice him sneaking passed us. Then he will lay under the couch until we went to bed, then he will sneak through the house.

After a few years we got tired of fighting with the crossbreed to stay outside. Eventually we let him come and go as he pleased. Because it was hard to get him out from under the couch, he slept in the house. He got most of the leftover food and was fed while we were eating. But the German Shepherd was being a good dog outside.

I was missing them so much that I wished I could go and pat them. Yes, even the stinky, selfish one.

While I was thinking about them, God asked. Do you see what faith is?

The crossbreed got what he wanted because he believed he will and never stopped trying. He will also get that pat he always believed he would get when you see him again.

The German Shepherd behaved yes but she lacked faith. She was always scared to go for something she wanted and that made her lack a nice life the crossbreed had. She also had self-pity and believed things would never change for her. The only time she did try to run for your comfort, was when she was scared and had nothing else to lose.

Faith is to go for something you want, no matter what and not to stop trying if you fail. Stop trying means there wasn't faith to start with.

Even though the one was behaving and the other one was bad most of the time. You loved them both.

God loves the righteous and the wicked, the reason God sent His only Son. But what you believe is what you get...

Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Luk 18:2  Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: Luk 18:3  And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. Luk 18:4  And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Luk 18:5  Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. Luk 18:6  And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Kingdom of God

Stay a child, to these belong the Kingdom of God...

The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away!

A lot of times I have heard at funerals that people say "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away"... This however, is the words of Job, not God.

Job 1:21 (KJV)  ²¹ and said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

(Afrikaans) ²¹ en gesê: Naak het ek uit my moeder se skoot gekom, en naak sal ek daarheen terugkeer. Die HERE het gegee, en die HERE het geneem: die Naam van die HERE sy geloofd!

God is the Giver, not the taker.

Jeremiah 29:10-12 (KJV) ¹¹ 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.

¹² Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

 (Afrikaans) ¹¹ Want Ek weet watter gedagtes Ek aangaande julle koester, spreek die HERE, gedagtes van vrede en nie van onheil nie, om julle 'n hoopvolle toekoms te gee.

¹² Dan sal julle My aanroep en heengaan en tot My bid. en Ek sal na julle luister.

And I know a lot more scriptures that show us that God is the Giver, not the taker. Even if you read the book of Job, you will see that God say even if ' you ' take everything from Job... He did not say even if ' I ' take everything from Job. He told that to the enemy (the taker), after satan told God if God will harm Job, then he will not serve God anymore. The devil challenged God to struck at Job and then God told the enemy that the enemy can struck but not kill him... After the enemy stole everything, belongings, family and health. God gave back in double fold.

So do yourself a favor and read the book of  Job. This book just show that we can rejoice in the LORD always for what ever the enemy takes, God gives back and not just what the enemy stole but double fold.

Before we run with a scripture in our heart, we must understand the concept in what it is meant or from whose mouth it came from. Job was in a bad state and so was I a lot of times in my life. I also made the mistake of thinking God will take and punish. But time with God learned me that He cares for us and Job also learned that. At the end of the book of Job, Job apologized for thinking that God was the taker...

There is one thing though I did agree on with Job in this scripture... blessed be the name of the Lord.

New on the blog

First I would like to apologize for not posting on this blog for almost a year now and second for no updates that I have made till know.

I have added a few new chords and lyrics and will update new ones as match as possible. Click on the "Chords and Notes" tab to open them.

If you have any queries, please contact me by lourens.ober@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting my blog.

God Bless.