Reallife: RECIPES FOR SUCCESS WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL ISSUED: WEE...

Reallife:  RECIPES FOR SUCCESS WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL ISSUED: WEE...:   RECIPES FOR SUCCESS WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL   ISSUED: WEEK OF 13/01/22 TOPIC: Second Part.  When God appears to be in waiting for mode whilst we...

 RECIPES FOR SUCCESS WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL 

ISSUED: WEEK OF 13/01/22

TOPIC: Second Part.

 When God appears to be in waiting for mode whilst we are running out of Patience😓😨😰😣!!

SCRIPTURE VERSE:

Joshua 6 Tree of Life Version 

 6 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of Bnei-Yisrael—no one going out and no one coming in. 2 Then Adonai said to Joshua, “Look, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty warriors. 3 Now you are to march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. So you are to do for six days. 4 Seven kohanim will carry seven shofarot of rams’ horns before the ark. Then on the seventh day you are to circle the city seven times while the kohanim blow the shofarot. 5 It will be when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the shofar, have all the people shout a loud shout—then the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up, everyone straight ahead.” 6 So Joshua son of Nun summoned the kohanim and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant. Let seven kohanim carry seven shofarot of rams’ horns before the ark of Adonai.” 7 Then he said to the people, “Move forward, march around the city, and let the armed force march ahead of the ark of Adonai.” 8 And it was so. After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven kohanim carrying the seven shofarot of rams’ horns before Adonai went forward and blew the shofarot, and the ark of the covenant of Adonai followed them. 9 Also the armed force went before the kohanim who blew the shofarot, and the rear guard came behind the ark, while the shofarot continued to blow. 10 But Joshua ordered the people saying: “You must not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you ‘shout!’ Then you will shout.” 11 So he had the ark of Adonai go around the city, circling it once. Then they came into the camp and spent the night there. 

 REFLECTION BASED ON SCRIPTURE:

🏹The waiting period in our journey of faith is ESSENTIAL for understanding the ways of God. After six days of waiting, three million Israeli immigrants were now poised to enter their inheritance: Canaan Land! They had arrived at the outskirts of the Sinai desert, having left Shittim at the other side of river Jordan.

This was certainly Captain Joshua's conviction! You see Joshua had had a first-hand directional experience with Adonai, the Lord God almighty. In the account of this experience in Joshua Ch 1 Adonai, had instructed him to lead the Israelites into the promised Land. Let's empathize with the situation for a moment through the inquiry of human sensory logic. Just as we may often do in our own experience of challenging personal circumstances. Then after doing so, let's align what we discover with the Principles of Scripture:

First critical Question: If Adonai, the God of I Israel was indeed the ALMIGHTY ALLPOWERFUL God of the whole earth, what was keeping Him from leading His chosen people straight to victory, by instantly leading them to possess the promised land!!Why the wait? 

Second Critical Question: Why was Adonai's strategy disguised within a six-day waiting period? Why not accomplish everything in an hour, within a day?

Third Critical Question: Furthermore what was the point in a strategy of repetitive waiting when all it seemed to have accomplished for their fathers in a previous generation was total loss and devastation?

Fourth Critical Question: Most of all to 'Joshua'! What was the point Captain Joshua,  of wearing out your troops and further demoralizing them at the end of each day over a six-day period? Why continue to do so by asking them to encircle a besieged City of Jericho? 

It is always crucial to undergird any critical examination of scriptural experiences with a genuine attempt to obtain God's perspective. This is especially important if the tool we apply to such an exercise is simple logic. The danger of relying solely on our limited rational perception is, we end up on the slippery slope of pessimism. Let's highlight some of the perils of a pessimist's approach to the current situation:

🙍  This is a view that doubts the effectiveness of God's strategy of marching around the City of Jericho!: 'Captain Joshua, is our march to possess our inheritance grounding to a halt?'

🙍 The view that distrusts God's intentions: 'Adonai, the Lord almighty must be seeking a way out of this entire debacle! He wants to wear out a new generation until they also rebel in frustration as their deceased fathers had done?'

🙍 This view underestimates God's good intentions: 'What is Adonai going to do then, after wearing the people out? Would He visit judgment upon them too as He had done their fathers before them? Would he condemn them to death as He had done to their fathers before them?'

God had instructed Joshua their leader that Israelites were to be silent during that period as in v10 below:

10 But Joshua ordered the people saying: “You must not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you ‘shout!’ Then you will shout.”

As I highlighted in part 1 last week there may have been a murmuring of grievances and perhaps even outright rebellion had the Israelites not been censored from free speech!

The previous generation rebelled against Adonai because they relied solely on their critical thoughts and failed to consider that God may have their welfare at heart. They were critical in their reasoning to a degree where they slid into the pessimism of an irretrievable kind!

They saw the season of waiting as a futile exercise in which God was intentionally leading them into breaking point in order to destroy them. Sadly they failed to inherit the land of promise and instead ended up making the Sinai desert their graveyard.

NOW LET'S ALIGN OUR THINKING WITH SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES! If we do, we come to one important conclusion! That the plan and strategy of Lord Adonai, God almighty doesn't always make sense! 

I brought up the above critical questions because it is important to address similar dilemmas within our faith journey. Just like the Joshua generation, our season of waiting may have been shaped by our obedience to godly principles! 

Perhaps we have mostly held back from doing our own pleasing due to a 'forensic' pursuit of the plan of God for our lives! Now because we have diligently awaited the fulfillment of that plan we have even denied ourselves the opportunity of fulfilling alternative plans!

Here are some probable scenarios: A Single Christian lady who has turned down offers of marriage from others not sharing in her faith and commitment!! Meanwhile, God does not appear to have come through for her as yet! Perhaps you know of a Christian turning down a lucrative job opportunity that requires working on all weekend days of worship in the month. The list goes on!!

Many have made sacrifices and continue to do so in order to avoid compromising on their conviction and their faith! They have held on in steadfast dedication to serving Adonai, Lord God almighty during an extended season of waiting. Perhaps this applies to your personal situation, dear family and friend.

WHILST YOU HAVE HELD STEADFASTLY TO YOUR COMMITMENT, THE DECADES HAVE ROLLED ON, YOUR LONGHELD OPTIONS HAVE EVAPORATED AND 2022 HAS COME ANNOUNCING ITSELF ONTO THE SCENE!

 AND IT APPEARS ALL YOU HAVE TO COUNT ON IS YOUR GOD ASKING YOU TO CONTINUE TRUSTING HIM!!

If you identify with some or all of the above, then indeed you are within the camp of the Israelites who have been asked yet again to encircle the walls of a besieged City! Please note that they had already wandered in the Sinai desert for 40 years! A journey that should have only lasted for 11 days.

In Part 1 of my reflection(last week), I began reflecting on what might have been going on in the minds of the Israelites prior to the walls crumbling. Today I shall pick up briefly on that theme.

🙍 Imagine for example that after Adonai, their God had already 'delayed' them for nearly four decades perhaps they could be forgiven for being a little tired of this waiting routine. In general, the one reason for encircling a sieged City is because you are unable to gain entry! So why was Adonai, their God asking the Israelites to encircle the City of Jericho? Had He found the defenses of the walled City of Jericho too much of an obstacle and too insurmountable to penetrate! Had the God of the Israelites finally met His match in the walled City of Jericho?

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A SEASON OF  WAITING IN OUR LIVES 

 1️⃣✅In last week's reflection I stated that Waiting reveals WHAT is within us? ‼ That a season of waiting is an opportunity to acknowledge the truth about ourselves.

I'd like to highlight also that confronting the truth about ourselves often results in the painful realization of things about ourselves that may not be comfortable. What we find out about ourselves can be even discouraging and depressing!

It is also important to stress that what God permits us to experience within our season of waiting can be emotionally painful on some occasions:

We may experience rejection, disappointment, and even humiliation. Depending on our attitude towards such an experience we could end up harboring offenses and grievances against God. But If such a thing occurs in our season of waiting then it is important to experience inner healing as well from the traumas of these inner hurts. 

Therefore in order to progress further in experiencing the fulfillment of His promises, we may have to allow some inner work of grace to be done. Do we identify with the feeling of feeling let down by the Lord? Do we feel we may have been a victim of some injustice because of how long our waiting season has been/ If some or all of the above apply within our particular situation then we are certainly in good company with this Joshua generation!

Imagine what those Israelites might have been thinking during those six very l-o-n-g uneventful days!! Perhaps deep feelings of abandonment by Adonai and even fear or terror were brought to the surface within their thoughts and emotions!! 

Dear friend or family, why not take a moment, in quiet prayer and invite God to heal us of any such inner trauma, in the name of Yeshua, the Anointed Son of God

 2️⃣✅Last week I also highlighted that a season of waiting reveals WHO we really trust? The accounts in Joshua 6 are testimony to the Principle that trust in Adonai is what saw the Israelite immigrants through! However, each of us will have to exercise our TRUST in Adonai firsthand in order to obtain similar results as they did. The important lesson to learn is that the fulfillment of God's promise in our lives is conditional on placing our full trust and confidence in Him. We do so by following His instructions to the letter. As illustrated within the journey of the Israelites in the above passage from Joshua 6:

The most challenging part of our journey of faith is very likely to occur when we are closest to experiencing our blessing. As we mature in the Lord, we would come to appreciate that our breakthrough is nearer with each passing day.

The season of waiting we first undergo is designed to ensure that a process of maturity and character development is realized in us in order for us to sustain the blessing of God!😇.

A personal encouragement: Dear family and friend when your waiting season appears meaningless or without purpose take courage from the Joshua generation! Believing leads to receiving and confession to the Possession of God's promises! BUT YOU NEED TO ENDEAVOUR TO STAY THE COURSE! PLEASE PERSEVERE!Don't give up! Your miracle is on the way!🙌🙌

 3️⃣✅Last week I also highlighted that our season of waiting reveals to WHOM we are beholden and devoted to. Waiting in our faith journey provides us with an opportunity to get to know our creator more. We mustn't simply wait in silence but engage in a relationship of dialogue with Him. Listen to Him and meditate on His word, bring our puzzles and our grievances to Him. When we are invested in a relationship with Him and engaged with His process beyond achieving the results we desire from Him, then things fall in place. As we understand and gain His perspective on our situation, His divine wisdom flows through us and provides wonderful outcomes in our environment.

Another proven way of responding to whatever grievances we may have is to TRUST  Adonai God, even though He doesn't make complete sense to us at the time. We may indeed find a contradiction in why on one occasion He accomplishes the miracle of parting our Jordan within 3 days after the announcement and yet on a subsequent occasion the wait is much longer: Even 7 days; We may not understand why on the Seventh-day the wait involves further encircling the wall 7 times. 

But when we are confused about His intentions we still need to TRUST Adonai our Lord God enough to stay engaged with the program until the end! Hallelujah👐👐.

In conclusion, remember the example demonstrated by the Joshua generation who persevered in loyalty by their acceptance of their part within a Covenant relationship with Adonai. They were a generation who have become known as ones who collaborated with Adonai in a mature way, setting an example not only for posterity but for us, who have been adopted from a race of gentiles: outside the commonwealth of Israel. To Adonai forever be all honour and glory, Amen🙌🙌.

God bless you

John

Reallife: Look-Up Newsletter Issue 1 Vol 5

Reallife: Look-Up Newsletter Issue 1 Vol 5: Look-Up Newsletter Issue 1 Vol 5 Editorial Dear family and friends, shalom blessings to you from our ongoing celebration season of the birth...

RECIPES FOR SUCCESS WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL 

ISSUE 06/01/22

TOPIC: When God appears to be in waiting mode whilst we are running out of Patience😓😓😨😰😰😣!!

SCRIPTURE VERSE:

Joshua 6 Tree of Life Version 

 6 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of Bnei-Yisrael—no one going out and no one coming in. 2 Then Adonai said to Joshua, “Look, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty warriors. 3 Now you are to march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. So you are to do for six days. 4 Seven kohanim will carry seven shofarot of rams’ horns before the ark. Then on the seventh day you are to circle the city seven times while the kohanim blow the shofarot. 5 It will be when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the shofar, have all the people shout a loud shout—then the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up, everyone straight ahead.” 6 So Joshua son of Nun summoned the kohanim and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant. Let seven kohanim carry seven shofarot of rams’ horns before the ark of Adonai.” 7 Then he said to the people, “Move forward, march around the city, and let the armed force march ahead of the ark of Adonai.” 8 And it was so. After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven kohanim carrying the seven shofarot of rams’ horns before Adonai went forward and blew the shofarot, and the ark of the covenant of Adonai followed them. 9 Also the armed force went before the kohanim who blew the shofarot, and the rear guard came behind the ark, while the shofarot continued to blow. 10 But Joshua ordered the people saying: “You must not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you ‘shout!’ Then you will shout.” 11 So he had the ark of Adonai go around the city, circling it once. Then they came into the camp and spent the night there. 

 REFLECTION BASED ON SCRIPTURE:

🏹The waiting period was longer, the crowning action was short-sharp and sent shock waves to the very foundations of the walled structure and it crumbled! It is important to stress that each part is essential.The circling of the wall which appeared repetitive and ineffective.

 At the end of each day for six days and at the end of each of the six days Adona's strategy to a casual observer may have appeared  inexplicably ineffective. That is before the Israelites encircling the City of Jericho on the seventh day 

Imagine what might have been going on in their minds, prior to the walls crumbling. Had Adonai, their God found an obstacle that was insurmountable even for him?

-. -Perhaps the delay was occurring because whereas Adonai could influence bodies of water such as the Red Sea, the River Jordan, moving a walled city like Jericho was proving above His paygrade!!

-No doubt the period of waiting was a high-stakes exercise!!

-Tension was definitely mounting as the indwellers of the besieged Jericho City watched waiting with their 'heart in their mouth' so to speak at the end of the first six days.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A SEASON OF  WAITING IN OUR LIVES 

 1️⃣✅It reveals WHAT is within us? ‼The season of waiting is an opportunity to confront our inner temperaments as they surface.

Perhaps this may initially presented to us as impatience and irritability if we cannot stand the tension of waiting! But when we have to do the waiting season six days in a row, like the Israelites, how do we cope with the feelings that surface if they are uncomfortable or even unpleasant for us to deal with?

 Imagine what those Israelites might have been thinking during those six very l-o-n-g uneventful days!! Perhaps deep feelings of abandonment by Adonai and even fear or terror were brought to the surface within their thoughts and emotions!! God had instructed Joshua their leader that Israelites were to be silent during that period as in v10 below:

 10 But Joshua ordered the people saying: “You must not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you ‘shout!’ Then you will shout.”

Can you imagine if that had not been the case, the degree of murmuring and perhaps even outright rebellion that could have been expressed?

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

The circling of the wall may have appeared repetitive and ineffective. At the end of each day for six days and at the end of each of the six days encircling the walls; doing so for seven times may have appeared inexplicably ineffective. as the walls were still firmly in place.

They might even have considered that for once, Adonai(their God) appeared to have come against an obstacle that could be insurmountable. That perhaps even though He was a God who could influence bodies of water such as the Red Sea and the river Jordan, moving a walled city was proving quite a challenge, after six days of no movement as yet!!

This season of waiting and finding the motivation to see the encircling of the wall through will certainly have been a high-stakes exercise!! Tension would definitely have been mounting on both sides of the wall for two different reasons: 

A)To the indwellers of a besieged City that watched waiting with their 'heart in their mouth', they would be wondering/hoping that the Israelites enemies don't get past their defenses.

B)But to Joshua and the Israelites, after wandering in the Wilderness for their adult lives till that day, they would no doubt have been hoping that Adonai, their Lord God would come through for them as He had done on other occasions.

 NOTE OF CAUTION: The generation before who were under the leadership of Moses failed to progress to the current level. They had also encountered the imposing territory of Jericho but not from closer proximity as the generation of their children under Joshua.  

But that generation of the fathers was not as disciplined a)with their speech, they murmured and rebelled against Adonai's word and Moses' leadership. In contrast, their children under Joshua's leadership fully complied by not letting out a sound. b)The generation under Moses' leadership was notable for escaping in a feeling/illusion of instant self-gratification when they were confronted with stress and challenges. It was their often used default escape/coping mechanism.

Today the same applies to us as individuals and a corporate local community of Christian believers! 

Therefore we must pay attention to the journey of the Hebrew migrants in the above passage of Joshua 6! 

When Adonai, God appears to be delaying in response to our request it is likely the same TEMPTATIONs WOULD COME KNOCKING AT OUR DOOR:  we may be pressured to a) 'murmur' or 'complain' and

 b)to yield to Self-gratification as our default escape as we become suddenly more aware of the sensual world.

 This can occur in the form of our own heightened bodily craving for instant gratification and pleasure. Interpreting such opportunistic craving as a necessary expression of sensual pleasure(perhaps of a sexual nature, or food addiction) must not become our way of dealing with the stress that sometimes is inevitable when we are trusting God.

 ♻️It is important to note that the most stressful and challenging times often occur just before victory. In the case of Joshua and the Israelites just before day 7, round 13 and BREAKTHROUGH resulting in the walls coming down they would have been most severely tested!

AND SO WE WILL ALSO BE TESTED BEFORE VICTORY!

 2️⃣✅It reveals WHO we really trust? Whether we are ready to believe Adonai to see us through unconditionally or whether our trust is based on having quicker results.

As illustrated within the journey of the Israelites in the above passage from Joshua 6:

 Remember their breakthrough was nearer with each passing day, however they needed to first undergo a process of maturity and character development! THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A SEASON OF  WAITING IN OUR LIVES IS THAT IT LEADS TO MATURITY AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WITHIN US!!

 But at last, after the seven-round city encircling and their obedience to the command of Adonai to shout, the people experienced their breakthrough😇.

A personal encouragement: Dear family and friend are you going through a season of waiting, when God appears to be in waiting mode whilst you run out of patience? Does the waiting period appear meaningless or without purpose? Take courage from the Joshua generation!Believing leads to receiving and confession to Possession of God's promises! BUT YOU NEED TO ENDEAVOUR TO STAY THE COURSE!PLEASE PERSERVERE!Don't give up! Your miracle is on the way!

♻️This principle dawned on me in 1985. I had felt the Lord's prompting one step at a time to carry out a series of instructions. 

♻️Whilst following these instructions I began identifying that in a sense I had crossed my 'River Jordan' and now symbolically like the Israelites I had to take the next step in healing ministry by accessing territory of divine promise which laid beyond a walled city of Jericho, symbolically!

This wall was represented by the obstacles I faced within my belief and trust in Adonai !!

♻️ My main obstacle had been the wall of unbelief and self-doubt that was plaguing my mind: I was very afraid my attempt to minister to the sick would prove as unsuccessful as had been the case on a previous occasion(I had shared about this extensively in my Podcasts if you recall about a lady I had ministered to. This lady was subsequently healed when I persevered, by following Divinely inspired instructions from Joshua Chapters 1-6.

 3️⃣✅It reveals to WHOM we are beholden and devoted to: In the case of the Israelites, the period of a Six day wait tested whether they were ultimately beholden to Adonai or whether they were interested and engaged with His process ONLY so long as they could get quick results. 

On an earlier occasion, 3 days after Joshua's announcement they crossed a Jordan river in flood.Now the wait was longer: 7 days and on the Seventh day it involved further encircling the wall 7 times. Talk about a tiring marathon! But they stayed engaged with the program until the end! Hallelujah👐👐.

They had indeed demonstrated their acceptance of their part within a Covenant relationship with Adonai. They were to be forever known as the Joshua generation who had collaborated with Adonai in a mature way, setting an example not only for posterity but for us, who have been adopted from a race of gentiles: outside the commonwealth of Israel. To Adonai forever be all honour and glory, Amen🙌🙌.

God bless you

John

Look-Up Newsletter Issue 1 Vol 5

Look-Up Newsletter

Issue 1 Vol 5

Editorial

Dear family and friends, shalom blessings to you from our ongoing celebration season of the birth of our Saviour Yeshua,(Jesus), We believe He is the Jewish Messiah who is Ben Elohim(the Son of God).

Welcome to the 5th issue of our Look Up Newsletter. This Newsletter was initially designed by my children's mum, Ms. Ivy Florence Williamson. more than 10 years ago. At the time we run the Vocation 4 Life Foundation as a Prayer ministry to family and friends. Through the online outreach run by Ivy Florence, it was reaching out to individuals and family units in 15 nations around the world..

Background:: Wen she originally designed Look Up Newsletter Ivy Florence meant it as a tool to support the vision we shared: A/ To present a witness of Divine Intervention Today. and of mainly first-hand accounts of answered prayer that reflect the reality individuals were experiencing of Divine Intervention. These were reported in the Glory to God Report section of each Look-Up Newsletter.

From it's relaunch today this mission primarily to our family and friends continues after a pause of aabout 12 years. I believe it is time to unpause, in this New Year. of 2002. I have modified the format slightly to include another section, HOPE STREET with a focus on missions. A prayer diary will be an additional section in the next issue of Look Up Newsletter. Dear Friend and Family please do your part to remain safe as you and your family/household walk in the blessing of Adonai into 2022.

Numbers 6:23Aaronic Benediction

22Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying,“Speak to Aaron and to his sons saying: Thus you are to bless Bnei-Yisrael, by saying to them:

24‘Adonai bless you and keep you!

25Adonai make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you!

26Adonai turn His face toward you and grant you shalom!’

27In this way they are to place My Name over Bnei-Yisrael, and so I will bless them.”

Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society

Shalom and love 

John W x

Ps.I honor the fantastic launching of the online platforms by Ivy Florence Williamson my children's mum including all the designs she pioneered. What an enduring digital apostolic grace on her life, pray Adonai to continue to bless, prosper her as she remains the main carer and nurtures our children.. May He continue to bless our co-parenting. I am also trusting Adonai for His grace in upholding the same pastoral caring/gentle Spirit touch with which she handled the online and prayer ministry. Although she used to sign in both of our names in truth she mainly carried the work)

DIVINE INTERVENTION TODAY

In the very first two issues of Divine Intervention Today, I interviewed my nephew Pierre who completed his BSc Bio-Medical Science Degree at the University of Queensland(UQ)in Australia in the early part of 2000. Pierre had shared his remarkable journey of faith within those Newsletters, including how God faithfully provided to meet his needs including for funds to cover his education. 

Today Pierre is an Australian Citizen, a Practising Occupational Therapist who has completed a Master's Degree Qualification as well. He got engaged last year to a beautiful Australian Christian girl, Sally whom he met 10 years ago at University. On the 4th of January2022, Tuesday coming they are getting hitched! Yes, Pierre is getting married which is a real answer to prayer! I am looking forward to another opportunity to have a conversation with Pierre and possibly share his testimony to the faithfulness of God. 

GLORY TO GOD REPORTS:

🙌🙌God's Provision of work and Income: From December 20, I worked as a Tier 2 Caseworker for the NHS Test and Trace. It was Bank Work, but this gave me employment until the end of March 2021 of regular 20 hrs to 40 hrs weekly work. My current contract was with NHS Professionals/Public Health England(now the United Kingdom Health Security Agency)in the role of Tier 1 Covid Practitioner began on the 24th of May 2021 until 31st March 2022. There is some prospect of a new contract being awarded from then or possibly the current one being extended.

I also had a few weeks in April/May 2021 in which I had no employed work, however, I had been doing a number of bid writing work via my Limited company Vocation 4 Life Consultancy Services. Which was good news as from the 13th  of April 2021 I received some bid writing private contractual work through my limited company

In summary, the Lord provided for me during the period when the company I formerly worked for was no longer able to offer me work as an employee:I started my own Limited Company, something I had dreamt of doing for years and I obtained work as a Public health Employee.

John W(Abbey Wood, London, UK)🙌🙌 

🙌Look Up Newsletter will love to receive your 'GLORY TO GOD REPORTS' to inspire others: Please email them to John at jpndad@googlemail.com with Subject heading: Glory to God Reports.

HOPE STREET

💬Video from Judith Ramsay giving an update on outreach, including food distribution parcels for the Homeless in Ilford, Essex area. Assisted by daughter Harriet

Getting in touch with the Teenager in your life 2, series with Judith Ramsay B.A.Hons)Education QtS

Follow the links to other YouTube videos involving discussions with Judith, other panelists, and including one about cultivating a loving father figure(about Spiritual matters), the male and female role models to growing children.https://youtu.be/cfXW1hlKNzQ

https://youtu.be/eL6cjByfBss

💬https://youtu.be/ryMHX3h2wk4:

From John.W: My friend Rev Sammy Lartey has been reaching the Volta Region with the Gospel since I was a teenager in the mid-1980s. He is in Dzodze at a Church workers Seminar whilst his Team have been in a different area in the Volta Region in the link below:h

💬

July 2021. Rev Sammy Lartey Reporting[25/07, 20:37]: It was the last night of Crusade and a time of rejoicing. My eyes were teary seeing the joy of the people of Akome.

They will never forget the encounter with the Holy Spirit on their land. Though we still have bills to settle concerning the just ended program, our hearts are glad salvation, healing and deliverance have been made manifest in the lives of the people of Akome. If you would like to partner with Rev Sammy Lartey and the mission team please contact him directly on +233 24 426 0155. God bless you.

💬Please pray and support us as we send gifts to the aged in two small village communities in the Volta Region of Ghana, West Africa. We wish this could reach larger communities, but for financial constraints, we chose places with fewer populations. We hope to extend to bigger communities in the future. Thanks so much for believing in this ministry and being there for us. God bless you plenty plenty plenty. Rev Sammy Lartey. 

Follow the links to other YouTube videos involving.https://youtu.be/fnaOOc-upyk

💬

Look-Up, Watch this Space for Family and Education Forums to be featured, and Primary Health Panel Discussions:

https://youtu.be/YcVq6FUdLMg

https://youtu.be/hjs7iLcPWok

https://youtu.be/osxRsvBUY-I

John Agbenyega Williamson(2022)copyright.

Responding to adverse situations: Taking a leave from the Prophet Habakkuk Pt 2

Though the fig tree does not blossom And there is no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive fails And the fields produce no food, Though the flock is cut off from the fold And there are no cattle in the stalls,  Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord ; I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!  The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army]; He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility]. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:17‭-‬19 AMP

N🏹Background:

I'd like to greet you all in this New Year and New Decade season🕐🕐💖💖.
This season and timing is just perfect for what I am about to share and I'd like to lay the foundation with the above verse in Habakkuk 3:17-19 and the 3 questions as I did in Part 1?
Are you in a situation where the odds appear to be naturally stuck against you❓
Has this been your norm for as long as you can remember❓
Does the future look uncertain and does it appear that you are powerless to alter it's course❓
Dear family and friend in a new year season and especially when another decade has began it is always right for a conversation about what is real in life! Because it is obvious that the older we get or as the years pass the more important this question becomes for us! Perhaps the future looks quite uncertain or a little unpredictable to you. Maybe you are looking for some assurances that things will work out and you crave a lot more security and certainty ❗Well you are making the right decision to follow this conversation which is centred around Habakkuk's rather bleak outlook on the future?In 2020 with a drought in Australia, having bushfires which raise smoke and fumes to pollute the sky with threats of war and hostility between a major nuclear armed nation of the world and one of the most aggressor regimes of the world we can no doubt relate to the Prophet's  outlook of an uncertain  future‼

🗝The words spoken through the prophet Habakkuk clearly identify with an a)uncertain future:

❌ the fig tree does not blossom🤔that is the seasonal vegetation which could be taken for granted to produce it's leaves and blossom fails to respond in a way which is consistent with it's plant nature.
❌ there is no fruit on the vines,🤔again these are carefully cultivated  produce which means the input of human effort is futile.
❌the yield of the olive fails🤔By this time, we have the picture of a near recession.This represents a major currency of the then known eastern world.
❌ the fields produce no food🤔. Usually when the above have occurred you will have atleast something available for domestic consumption without which you can declare that a geographical location  is very close to experiencing a drought... alarmingly close to a famine.
❌ the flock is cut off from the fold🤔Animal products are stored produce in the sense that they can provide wool for clothing, they are required for their faith life to be used to sacrifice to God and the fact that these are also affected suggests that these are very dire times❗
❌ there are no cattle in the stalls🤔The picture looks even bleaker. Remember that Oxen were used as productive tools  for larger scale cultivation in those days.

 b)As highlighted in Part 1, when the above conditions are prevalent we would have expected a reaction of fear and insecurity. Such a reaction would have been a logical and a rational one to follow.
The response of Habakkuk the prophet is very unusually refreshing.Instead of giving way to despondency or influencing others to think in this way, his response is very positive! He responds with words of hope and positive affirmation and by so doing he rerouted his faith and trust in God.Amen❗
🗝Dear family and friend this is one reason the prophet remained   grounded, which helped him make sense of his life purpose amidst all the  prevailing carnage of war and destruction. In addition, there was a constant threat of war.

As in part 1, I have been asking myself the question: John, what can you learn from the book of  Habakkuk in addition to the pronunciation of an unusual name😂❓:
✅I can exercise my CHOICE:
🙏🏾Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord ; It is important to remember that neither the President of the USA or the Religious Spiritual militant leadership of the Persian gulf countries are responsible for how this world in which we live in ends!BUT THE WORD OF THE LIVING GOD IS the DETERMINANT❗Whilst the leadership of each nation is making a lot of noise and threatening about how powerful their ccountry is, we need to remember God's word sets the parameters which shapes world events.
✅I can make a CHOICE TO BE VERY VOCAL about my express hope in the INVISIBLE reality which exists in God : When these rulers boast about their destructive arsenals of war I can also be vocal about God's love, His Sovereignty and How God through His living word will ultimately carry the day, by exercising dominion via His Spoken word❗Amen🙏🙏

🙏🏾I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation! 🙏🏾
✅That when I am surrounded by adversity I can still verbalize my hope in the existence of a better situation.

🔥When I make a decision to do this, even thou it goes against the  grain of most conventional thinking I GET RESULTS‼:

🙏🏾The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];🙏🏾

🗝Dear family and friend, the invincible resources of God are accessible to us within God's divine nature. In part 1 i made reference to the fact that our universe is preprogrammed to yield to God's dominion. That this was infact initially delegated to the first created(Adam) and designed(First Woman) human couple.When they fell from God's divine nature, they were also robbed of their dominion over the earth.Which was the beginning of the falling away of creation which eventually led to the current state of our environment and human society. Now let us return to our "conversation" from Prophet Habakkuk's message.

🗝The adverse situation, the prophet Habakkuk was decrying to God happens to be indirectly a result of what was lost from the first human couple's fall from God's divine nature. If this was true centuries  ago then, it is even more so centuries later But the story ends on a positive note in our case❗Which means an interlude of History gives us even more EVIDENCE to believe in the fact that there is going to be a RESTORATION ❗It is goodnews!

🗝The goodnews is that when we become followers of Jesus Christ through supernatural Spiritual regeneration something eternal happens which later has positive consequences from our lives flowing outward and restoring our environment to God's DIVINE ORDER. Are you familiar with the term 'DIVINE NATURE'❓

🗝 Well perhaps now is the time for a brief chat about DIVINE NATURE 💖. Just as I did in Part 1,I'd like to share the following verses with you which expresses this truth principle.I have shared it in the message version and the amplified version:

🅰Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, for you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God.
1 Peter 1:3‭-‬4‭, ‬23 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1pe.1.3-23.AMP

🅱What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole. Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That’s why the prophet said, The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers droop, God’s Word goes on and on forever. This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.
1 Peter 1:3‭-‬5‭, ‬22‭-‬25 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/1pe.1.3-25.MSG

I am going to give my Conclusion after sharing the following verses as I did in part 1:

Today i encourage you once more to respond to your challenging circumstances by taking a leaf from the prophet Habakkuk👍🏾👍🏾😀.
🗝Opt out of reciting how bad things look and DRAW strength from the Holy Spirit of God by making the CHOICE to AFFIRM the authority of God over your life and your situation!
🗝Furthermore, validate your decision even further by becoming really vocal in your optimistic expressions❗Persist until your optimism and praise overwhelms your thinking RESPONSE to the situation.This is a very important exercise which enables us stay grounded in spite of being surrounded by a bleak situation.
🗝Taking this leaf from Prophet Habakkuk 's book really works. But I want to identify the process of what is actually occuring to you😁🙏.
🔑Firstly you go against the grain of what you are supposed  to do when faced with bleak circumstances.
 🔑🔐As you do you UNLOCK the restrictions placed on you by the tidal wave of despair which you are constantly feeding your outlook and your mindset! Become consistent no matter how bad things appear to you❗
🔑🔐You will be UNLOCKED from every restriction and every selfdestructive mindset which stem from discouragement!
✔En-COURAGED and em-BOLDENED as you witness firsthand the DIVINE NATURE of God RISE UP from within you and literally crush the hostility set against you.
🙏Another verse I shared in Part 1, as a part of your conclusion is the following
We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is complete.
2 Corinthians 10:5‭-‬6 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/2co.10.5-6.AMP

God bless you an Happy New Year and a wonderful brilliant decade of the 2020s❤

Responding to Adverse situations. Taking a leaf from Prophet Habakkuk .

Though the fig tree does not blossom And there is no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive fails And the fields produce no food, Though the flock is cut off from the fold And there are no cattle in the stalls,  Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord ; I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!  The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army]; He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility]. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:17‭-‬19 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/hab.3.17-19.AMP


🏹Background:

I'd like to greet you all in this season of the commeration of the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. This season and timing is just perfect for what I am about to share and I'd like to lay the foundation with the above verse in Habakkuk 3:17-19 and the 3 questions?
Are you in a situation where the odds appear to be naturally stuck against you❓
Has this been your norm for as long as you can remember❓
Does the future look uncertain and does it appear that you are powerless to alter it's course❓
The season is always right for a conversation about the unseen dimension of reality in Christ if you have answered 'Yes' to any of the above question👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾‼

🗝The words spoken through the prophet Habakkuk clearly identify with an a)uncertain future:

❌ the fig tree does not blossom🤔
❌ there is no fruit on the vines,🤔
❌the yield of the olive fails🤔
❌ the fields produce no food🤔
❌ the flock is cut off from the fold🤔
❌ there are no cattle in the stalls🤔

 b) When the above conditions are prevalent we would have expected a reaction of fear and insecurity. However instead of giving way to despondency or influencing others to think in this way, the prophet Habakuk responds rather very positively! In responding with words of hope and positive affirmation,  he rerouted his faith and trust in God.
🗝It is one reason the prophet remains  grounded, which helps him make sense of his life purpose amidst all the  carnage of war and destruction they are surrounded by. Including aconstant threat of war.

I have been asking myself the question: John, what can you learn from the book of  Habakkuk except the pronunciation of an unusual name😂❓:
✅I can exercise my CHOICE:
🙏🏾Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord ;
✅I can make a CHOICE TO BE VERY VOCAL about my express hope in the INVISIBLE reality which exists in God :

🙏🏾I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation! 🙏🏾
✅That when I am surrounded by adversity I can still verbalize my hope in the existence of a better situation.

🔥When I make a decision to do this, even thou it goes against the  grain of most conventional thinking I GET RESULTS‼:

🙏🏾The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];🙏🏾

🗝Dear family and friend, the invincible resources of God are accessible to us within God's divine nature.
🗝Our universe is preprogrammed to yield to God's dominion. Which dominion was initially delegated to the first created(Adam) and designed(First Woman) human couple.
🗝When Adam and Eve fell from God's divine nature, they were also robbed of their dominion over the earth.
🗝That was the beginning of the falling away of creation which eventually led to the current state of our environment and human society.
🗝The adverse situation the prophet Habakkuk was decrying to God happen to be indirectly a result of what was lost from the first human couple's fall from God's divine nature.
🗝The goodnews is that when we become followers of Jesus Christ through supernatural Spiritual regeneration something eternal happens which later has positive consequences from our lives flowing outward and restoring our environment to God's DIVINE ORDER.

🗝 I'd like to share the following verses with you which expresses this truth principle.I have shared it in the message version and the amplified version:

🅰Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, for you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God.
1 Peter 1:3‭-‬4‭, ‬23 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1pe.1.3-23.AMP

🅱What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole. Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That’s why the prophet said, The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers droop, God’s Word goes on and on forever. This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.
1 Peter 1:3‭-‬5‭, ‬22‭-‬25 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/1pe.1.3-25.MSG

Conclusion:
Today respond to your challenges circumstances by taking aleaf from the prophet Habakkuk👍🏾👍🏾😀.
🗝Instead of reciting how bad things look, DRAW strength from the Holy Spirit of God by making the CHOICE to AFFIRM the authority of God over your life and your situation!
🗝Then become really vocal that your optimism and praise overwhelms your thinking RESPONSE to the situation.
🗝As you do you will be en-COURAGED and em-BOLDENED as you witness firsthand the DIVINE NATURE of God RISE UP from within you and literally crush the hostility set against you.
I have one final verse for you before we conclude:

We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is complete.
2 Corinthians 10:5‭-‬6 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/2co.10.5-6.AMP

God bless you❤