Sunday, July 31, 2016

Breaking Free From Addiction - The Sin of Rebellion and Defiance

By: Hanny Lynn Stearns




Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

“Multiplying God’s Word Around The Globe”


 July 31, 2016 The Sin of Rebellion and Defiance

When I woke up this morning I did not know where the Lord was going to take me in His word as I prepared for church. I was not feeling anything really heavy, but I was led to just pray (in the spirit) as I showered and got dressed. So I did. I opened my two Bibles before leaving the house, and as usual for me, they opened to exactly what the Lord was trying to say to me. Here are the two verses. Then I will expand on it as it all tied in perfectly with what we heard at church this morning…

Isaiah 30:15
For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
But you would not,

John 10:11-18

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
Ok, with that in mind, look at what I opened to in my Bible when I got to church…

1 Corinthians 9:27, 10:12-13, 23, 31, 33

 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

What does all this mean? Well, I am sharing with you my experience from yesterday, with the sincere desire that it will help you in whatever area you have struggled. For me it was food addiction. My mind thinks, “Gee, of all the things that had to have a hold on me, why did it have to be something I would have to face every single day at least three times a day?” But in reality, anything that has been too big for a person to kick on their own is something they will always have to be cautious of – be it food or something else.

Yesterday I had a good day, as far as eating was concerned - until last evening, that is. I made some muffins. I do a lot of muffin baking. It is my way to have a healthy, non-wheat, gluten free grain, in moderation as my food plan allows. Last night I tried a new recipe and when I was all done pouring the batter into the muffin pans, I proceeded to lick the bowl clean. Then, when the new muffins emerged freshly baked from the oven, I began to give samples to our sweet puppy. He really liked them. My husband really liked them. Then I thought I better just try a little bite or two myself.

That was the problem. I had already eaten my quota of food for the day. I did not need anything further. I was overstepping my boundaries – I was “pushing the envelope” as they say. So when I got to church and opened to these verses, my heart took me to what I had opened to at home. It all came together. Even while our pastor was preaching the offering message, I was getting my own message from the Lord. I immediately confessed my sin (of rebellion and unbelief) as I was taking notes on all this. I was hearing what the pastor was saying, but Holy Spirit was speaking to me louder. I kept writing. Tears formed in my eyes. We were scheduled to have communion today. I knew I did not want to take the Lord’s supper with guilt on my hands. So I quietly confessed and repented. He, of course, accepted my confession and forgave me – thank Him for His endless mercy!

The Lord reminded me that it isn’t always the devil causing us to do these things – it’s our own flesh. He reminded me that we have to put it under every single day – just like the passage above says. We have to bring it into subjection.

We are currently on a series at church about being willing and obedient from Isaiah 1:19. Anyone can listen to it online for free at www.faithlifechurchsarasota.org, then click on free downloads, series list, and the title of the series. (Willing and Obedient) It has been very helpful in showing us what causes us to sin in the first place – it is defiance, or rebellion, both of which are of the devil. He is full of pride and arrogance.

The reason people don’t submit to God’s will is because they don’t trust Him. Hence, the Isaiah 30:15 verse that the Lord showed me before I ever left the house. Sadly, He has had to show me this verse numerous times. I don’t want Him to have to keep going over this with me.

In 1 Timothy 1:13, Paul was defying the will of the Lord in ignorance…

although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

But Jesus rebuked this type of behavior when He dined with the disciples at the last supper…

Mark 16:14

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

He didn’t reach around the table and give them a “warm and fuzzy” hug and say, “That’s OK honey, you’ll get it another time.” No, He is not pleased with unbelief or hard hearts and He addressed it as it was. The bottom line is that faith in the Lord is a choice. If we choose to trust Him, we would not do the things we should not do. Instead of being arrogant, we would humble ourselves and trust God to help us.

Jesus gave us the example of humility in this…

Luke 2:51

Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

Jesus obeyed and honored His parents. He obeyed all the laws and customs. He honored God by honoring all the authority that was in place over Him. Jesus acted as a servant – He humbled Himself…


Luke 22:27

For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.

We need to learn from Jesus. He is meek and lowly. Not weak and spineless. It was humility that made Him shine so brightly. He didn’t take credit for anything He did – He gave all the credit and glory to His Father in heaven. He was not seeking fame and popularity. While the devil is full of pride and rebellion, Jesus is meek, humble and submissive to the Father’s will.

Philippians 2:1-11

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

After I heard all this I realized that I had not fully trusted God. If I had, I would not have traded in my blessing for a smidgen of muffin batter and half of Jesse’s muffin. Like Esau who gave up his birthright for a lousy bowl of stew, I do not want to miss out on being used by the Lord to bless you and many others. I was acting in unbelief. I didn’t need that food. I wasn’t hungry. I was done eating for the day.

Earlier yesterday afternoon, the Lord showed me that when I come home from the store, tired and hungry, and I find myself wanting to just grab anything to eat and risk blowing my food plan, I need to just walk away. He was showing me more about the command to “watch and pray.” It doesn’t mean hours of laboring in prayer like the devil would have people think. It means to just stop a minute. Look at what is happening. Leave the room and ask the Lord for help. Then, after we get the answer, we can go back into the situation with His strength instead of trying to do it on our own.

That worked for me yesterday afternoon. But I failed to consider it last evening with the muffins. Tonight I have to make more muffins. You better believe I will not be licking the bowl! Like many of you, I’m sure, I want this behavior completely out of me! I asked the Lord to create in me a clean heart, in Jesus name.

Jesus obedience gave us an example. Because of His obedience, every life was impacted on the face of the planet. We all have to remember, and I’m preaching to myself as much as anyone else here, that when we choose to walk in disobedience, we are foregoing the blessing of being used by God to help others. That is selfishness. And we miss out on our rewards. We won’t even know the fruit of our obedience if we refuse to do it. We won’t know what we have missed. That is very SADD-U-CEE!

Disobedience will mean that all kinds of things that were supposed to happen in our lives won’t happen. God will pick someone else who is willing. If Jesus had not been willing and obedient, we would all be sunk! Forever! If I don’t obey the Lord, I won’t find out whose life could be touched by my obedience. Look again at how God exalted Jesus in Philippians 2. He wants to promote us as well.

The one who is the greatest is the One who humbled Himself the most. If we give in to the flesh, we cannot be used to help others. But if I/we humble ourselves and obey, and trust God, He will put us in a position of authority – and that can only be good if we continue to lean on the Lord all the way through. The Lord can promote us and move us forward, giving us victory every step of the way – but we have to trust Him!

I hope my sharing this with you has helped you in some way today. As I come up higher, I would like to bring you with me. God has done so much for me. I want to share that with many other people – including you!

Be blessed my friends in Jesus name!

Psalm 81:10

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.



Saturday, July 30, 2016

Psalm 23 The Provisions of our Great Shepherd

Daily Bible Study for Friday July 29 2016


By: Hanny Lynn Stearns 



Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

“Multiplying God’s Word Around The Globe”


Chapter Reading for Today: Please read in your Bible before proceeding. Note that most translations are considered paraphrases. The Young’s Literal Translation provides a more accurate translation since he is the one who authored a concordance. Others are helpful for seeing a different perspective, but we cannot always depend on their wording. I hope this is helpful to you. If you are studying in another version, that is fine. I am studying from the KJV, but for the purpose of this study, I will keep it with the New King James Version.

One final note: I will put the scripture in italics to differentiate from my own writing. I am adding red to the letters when it is Jesus talking – just like the Bible. Thank you.

Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Psalm 119:93
I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life.
Psalm 100:4
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Song: Yes and Amen    By: Hillsong
Psalm 23
The Provisions of our Great Shepherd
In this all-time favorite Psalm of millions, there are numerous promises and blessings for the born again child of the Most High and awesome God. Many have quoted these verses over the years, especially in times of great trial. It has long since been a comfort to so many as folks walk through the darkness of a sin cursed, death filled world. What will the Lord reveal to us further in this beautiful Psalm today? Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father;
Thank You for the beautiful words in today’s Psalm. It brings us great comfort, peace and hope in our one true Shepherd – Jesus. Lord, we ask You to light our way in the path of righteousness that You would have us to go as we walk beside You through these verses. Father, I ask You to comfort and encourage every heart that reads this lesson, today or in the future. Show each person the wonderful truths of Your promises laid up just for us. Help us all to remember them as we traverse the roads of this life with joy in Your presence. Father, I ask You to bring this message to us unhindered and unchecked by any outside force or my flesh. Help us to be doers of Your word by the power of Your Holy Spirit, and not forgetful hearers. Thank You for always watching over Your word to perform it in our lives when we trust and obey You in Jesus name. Amen.
Don’t you wonder sometimes if we say these words out of memory most of the time rather than from a heartfelt experience? How often do we quote the word of God like we were rattling off a shopping list – proud that we know the words by heart and where they are located in the Bible? To be proud is of the devil, and that needs to be removed, both from our heart and our vocabulary. But apart from that, how often does this much appreciated Psalm get glazed over by the tongues of those professing the words without ever really grasping the meaning of them down deep in our soul and spirit? What the Lord has provided for us here is a beautiful list of promises and assurances from His word of the leading, guiding protective and loving hand of our Great Shepherd – Jesus.
Let’s go along line by line and meditate on them as Holy Spirit reveals the heart of the Lord in each one. Maybe we will never look at these versus the same way again. Perhaps the full flavor of their intent will trickle down deep on the inside of us until we finally begin to overflow with these promises actively working in our lives – hallelujah!
The Lord is my Shepherd
What is a Shepherd anyway? In the Bible we see a lot about the shepherds in the fields tending their sheep. They had to watch over their sheep very closely. Sheep have a mild temperament and are timid. They are not known to be very bright, so they need a lot of help. Sound familiar? Smile. A shepherd’s job is to feed the sheep, guard and protect them and tend to their overall needs. Jesus talked a lot about sheep in His illustrations while He was here. He referred to God’s children as His sheep.
He told Peter, His beloved disciple to feed His sheep. Jesus knew He was leaving the earth soon and He needed people, like Peter, and many others to feed His sheep so they would not starve. Yes, even Jesus needs our help to get things done in the earth.
John 17:21b
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”
As God’s children we need to be fed the word of God regularly so we can grow up in the Lord. We need His word even more than our necessary food each day. Without it, we will surely perish. We also need to be guarded from the forces of evil. Sheep had to be protected from wolves. As God’s children, we do too…
Luke 10:3
Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
Acts 20:29
For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 
There’s a lot of bad things going on around us and we need to be protected. There are many ways that the Lord provides His protection for us. He has given us “under-shepherds” to guard us – people like our pastors and other ministers. Jesus made sure that when He left, His work as a shepherd would be extended to His disciples. That is also you and me when we minister to others. We are allowing the Lord – the true Shepherd, to use us to help the flock.
The Lord tends to us every day as we spend time with Him. He knows exactly what each sheep needs every day to be well nourished in their walk through the green pastures of life on this earth. He supplies that every need as our Shepherd. He cares for us, and bears us up. He knows us, and we know Him and follow Him. So much is captured in all of this…
Psalm 28:9
Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.
John 10:11
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”
John 10:27-28
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
1 Peter 2:25
 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 5:1-4
The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
Many people have been called upon to shepherd God’s people until Jesus comes back for us. Some have been faithful to that call while others have not. Still, our Shepherd watches over us and where people fail, He will not. Hallelujah! Isn’t it comforting to know that He is watching over you like a tender little sheep? He is so loving and caring in His heart toward us. Oh that more people would see the Lord this way – the way He really is and not like some mean judge sitting in heaven slamming down the gavel every time they make a wrong move, amen?!
I shall not want
It is really neat to look all around the Bible and see the many ways that the Lord has provided for His people. Before we go any further, we must remember that there are requirements in order to see God, our Great Shepherd meet all our needs. We always have a part to play. Just like there are certain rules to abide by in getting our prayers answered, there are also certain rules that we must adhere to in order to see the Lord provide for our every need like the following verses indicate. We cannot disregard the Lord or disobey Him and expect Him to come through with His promises to those who do obey. He wouldn’t be fair then. The Lord is always 100% fair.
When His people walked through the wilderness in the desert near Mt. Saini all those years ago, He provided for them every step of the way. He fed them, even bread from heaven, and meat. Their shoes and clothes did not wear out – now that’s a miracle. The Lord is well able to take care of His people – then and now.
Deuteronomy 2:7
“For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.”’
Today many think that because they are in a state of want that it is God’s fault and that He is not who He says He is. But the thing is, those same people do not read the Bible in its entirety. They do not see that they have a part to play. Folks just want to have someone to blame for their lack, but so many do not want to do their part. So they struggle and complain, and go on and on, struggling and complaining. It gets them nowhere. That’s why the Israelites ended up in the desert wilderness for forty years, by the way. It was because of their incessant whining and complaining. What could have taken 8-11 days ended up taking 40 years, and many never made it because of a lack of faith in God. That did not please the Lord at all.
The following scriptures show a great example of what God expected His people to do so that they could enjoy the blessings of having their every need met…
Deuteronomy 8:1-10
 “Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LordYour garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you.
“Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.
So if we really do want to have the best, eat the best, wear the best and live in the best, being able to give to others our best, we have to play by the rules – amen?! Look at these additional promises from the Lord…
Psalm 34:10
The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
Remember this promise is only for those who are seeking the Lord and obeying His rules. It isn’t for everybody. Some people would rather live in a cardboard box on the street than to have anyone tell them what to do. So they lack. But that’s not you and me, is it? NO! Below is an event that took place between Jesus and the disciples. He sent them out to do His work. In this particular case, He advised them to take nothing with them. He didn’t want them to do without, but He wanted to show them that as they did His work, their every need would be met. We see in other scriptures a different occasion where He sent them out and did tell them to take provisions for the journey – but not this time.
Luke 22:35
And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”
So they said, “Nothing.”
No matter what our calling in life is, whether to clean house for a preacher, to be a preacher or to be the president of a large corporation, we will lack nothing when we make the Lord our Master. He will make sure that we have more than enough to do everything He is calling us to do as we serve Him. How is that for a promise? We just have to trust and obey. He will not withhold anything; grace, glory, provisions…
Psalm 84:11
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Friends, this Psalm should encourage all of us to know that we never have to do without a single thing when we follow after the Lord and His ways. That’s worth shoutin about saints! Glory to God! When I came to Florida and had only my car filled with all the belongings I had left in the world, I saw the Lord provide for me on every level. The car payments were behind. There were other overdue bills. I needed a job, a place to stay, and clothing. Sure enough, as I focused on Him, He brought it all in. The car was paid off, the debts were paid off, the clothes came in. Soon my career as a licensed insurance agent was restored. It was amazing to behold – and it’s still working for me today. I do not lack a single thing – praise His name forever!
He makes me to lie down in green pastures

What do you think of when you imagine a green pasture? I placed a picture for us to look at. Sheep graze in lovely pastures of green grass. When we look out at the view, it is calming, isn’t it? I have always had a passion for the country. Even though I grew up in the suburbs of metropolitan Detroit, I longed for every chance I could grab to get to go out to the country. When I would drive away from the city, I would begin to see larger fields of green sprawling out before me. My heart would suddenly become more peaceful. I felt calmed and relaxed. I would even drive below the speed limit to take it all in. I wanted to look at every blade of grass it seemed. It like medicine to the soul.
I always felt so rested after spending a day in the country. All of the chaos of the city life seemed to just melt away in the country sunshine. The animals grazing, the picket fences and long yards with cute country homes just blessed my heart. The Lord wants us to live in quiet resting places like this in our daily lives, no matter where we are planted or what is going on around us.
The Lord wants us to live in peace and quiet. So many times our lives get so busy and hectic, and we scream out for a chance to stop and rest, many times finding none. Martha was driven by the need to be constantly at work arranging the meal for Jesus’ visit, while her sister Mary wanted to just sit and rest with Jesus and listen to Him…
Luke 10:41-42
And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
If anyone understands what this feels like – I do. Not only was I addicted to food, but busyness was a real issue for me. I still have to work at sitting down and just getting quiet. The thing is friends, when we see ourselves struggling to sit down and just get quiet, it means that there is chaos going on in our souls. I notice many times that when I just sit down and turn off the “to do” lists, and the pressures of life, I will start to cry. It’s like the Lord is releasing the pressure valve in my heart. We get so busy doing this and that every day and it will wear us down like an overused set of tires. If we keep driving on a set of tires for too long, eventually the tread will wear out and the tire will blow. It’s the same with us. We have to come aside in life and just rest. Even Jesus called His disciples to do that…
Mark 6:30-32
Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.
When we take the time to sit with the Lord and get quiet, He can quiet us with His love…
Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
So many times we spend our lives running like little hamsters on a wheel, round and round we go, but really going nowhere. This “spin cycle” causes our “fuses” to blow. We get to the place where we just can’t take any more. When that happens, people do all kinds of crazy things. Ask me how I know. That is really the base of why I fell apart back in 2003, left my husband and children and ran off acting like an 18-year-old at age 47! I never really took the time to sit down and rest with Jesus. I stayed busy constantly. It was rare when I would just sit, and even then I had to have to a TV going. Most of the time I could not handle just being quiet. But my circuits finally blew, and everyone in my path suffered as a result – it was awful! Jesus calls us to come sit with Him and He will give us rest for our souls, where all the confusion lies.
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
When was the last time you took the time to sit and get quiet with Jesus? He will guide you to your desired resting place…
Psalm 107:30
Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.
He leads me beside the still waters
Along those same lines, the Lord wants to take our hands and lead us beside calm waters. What does that mean? Again, let’s think of a peaceful bed of water, like a small country lake. When we wake in the morning, the water is as “smooth as glass” while it reflects the beauty of everything around it. Looking at it makes us immediately feel peaceful and serene, doesn’t it? Maybe you live by such a lake and you know the peace it brings. Jesus is the One who can calm any stormy sea. He taught the disciples how to calm the storms they would face in life by speaking to them! Look at this…
Mark 4:39
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
Friends, this was not just a story about how Jesus, who is the Son of God, showed up on the water when the disciples were flipping out about a raging storm. It was put in the Bible so that we could learn from it. How do we speak to the storms in our lives? Be telling them to be still in Jesus name – that’s how. We have authority to do that. Jesus told us how to speak to the fig trees (things in our lives that are not bearing fruit), the mountains, (obstacles that come our way in life) and the raging seas (the storms that rise up against us).
When Jesus talked to these items in nature, He was giving us all an example of how we can speak to every situation we face in life. These illustrations from Him were to show real life examples of how to deal with the things in our lives that would rise up and try to bring trouble. Oh how long it has taken me to realize this. If more people actually knew the authority that we have been given by the Lord, we would see a lot more joy filled prospering Christians running around on the planet. He did everything necessary to teach us all we would need to live and fight successfully in this life. Sadly, many do not believe it, or they are too lazy to apply it. That’s really SADD-U-CEE!
Look at what the Lord promised us back in the book of Isaiah…
Isaiah 43:2a
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. 
God is with us when we walk through the waters of this life, whether it is ankle deep or over our head.

Psalm 65:7
You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples.
We need the Lord to calm us on the inside, and we must take authority over that which is raging around us on the outside. Hallelujah!
He restores my soul
God alone is the One who can restore our souls. He restores everything in our lives when we turn to Him. Friends, I share with you all the great things that the Lord has restored to my life when I surrendered to Him and started living for Him instead my own selfish self. He has restored to me a husband, my children, even a new dog, with more on the way. He has restored my family relationships, my finances, my friendships, and my reputation. All the things that I lost from that terrible trial I went through starting in 2003. Not only that, but He has given me so much more than I ever imagined, and He is just getting started. Hallelujah! That’s shoutin ground saints!
Of all the things I lost in life, it was the wounds in my soul, deep down on the inside that needed the healing and restoration that only Jesus could give. When we think of how He restores our soul, it is so much more than we think on the surface. The wounds in our soul from the many things that the evil one brings our way in life can only be healed by the Lord. These are wounds from abuse, neglect, trauma, and they come in all shapes and sizes. People hurt us folks. It is a fallen world. In this life we all get hurt somehow – some much more than others.
We are spirit beings. We have a soul and we live in a body while we are on the earth. But when we get hurt, it inflicts a wound deep in our soul. While the spirit is regenerated and made perfect when God’s new birth occurs for the Christian, the soul needs to be healed. You all know what I am talking about. Some things have hurt us so deeply that we find it hard to talk about them without great tears welling up in our eyes. One of the ways we know that the Lord has healed it is that if we have to talk about it, or even if the thought comes to our remembrance, the sting is gone. We no longer cry about it. The Lord has healed that pain.
Too often people hang on to those soul wounds like a baby bottle. They nurse them by talking about them over and over. In doing this they are reopening the wounds. Then the Lord has to start all over. Glory to God – so many of the things that used to hurt in my soul have been healed. And I certainly do not know all that is there. I still get moments of healing when I spend time with Him. A full lifetime of pain can take some time to be healed as we make it a point to spend time with the Lord and allow Him to do His work in our hearts.
He heals us from the inside out. I used to say the “Humpty Dumpty” story over myself when all my healing was beginning. I would say, “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again – only the King can.” But instead of the name Humpty Dumpty, it was Hanny Lynn who had a great fall. Nobody but the Lord could put me back together again! Hallelujah! And He wants to do the same for you!
Jeremiah 30:17a
For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord,
Psalm 107:9
For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
Only the Lord can truly satisfy our souls and heal them. He is so good!
He leads me in the paths of righteousness – for His name’s sake
What do you think of when you read and say this part of the Psalm? In what ways does He lead us? What does it mean, “paths of righteousness?” First of all, He leads us by His Spirit. It is the number one way that the Lord will lead us – the inner witness, the still small voice and the authoritative voice of the Holy Spirit. Those are three ways that born again Christians are led by the Holy Spirit. The next way is through His written word. The Bible is our guide for how to think, walk and talk right in our lives. The Holy Spirit will never lead us to do anything that contradicts the word of God.
Many Christians do not listen to the Holy Spirit and it gets them into trouble. He can help us to avoid accidents that can be fatal. He can help us decide which route to take to work. He wants to help us with each thing we do throughout the day by leading us along. But many don’t listen. They just listen to the flesh. Look at this…
Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Learning to listen to and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit has been the single most wonderful way for me to live since I began to realize the importance of it. He is always there to show us the way to do something, give us ideas, tell us to avoid this or do that. We are so blessed to have the one who knows all things living on the inside of us. He always leads and guides us in the right things to do…
Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.
John 16:13
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Proverbs 3:6
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
As long as we will look to the Lord to guide us in life – we will have good success. It took me almost 50 years to finally get over trying to do things and figure them out on my own. Ask me if I am so glad that the Lord was patient with me – hallelujah! The sad thing is, people really think that doing things the Lord’s way is going to be dull or boring and that somehow they are going to miss out on all the full. But what they don’t know is that we are the ones having all the fun! Praise the Lord!
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Friends, we all know this world is full of darkness. But when we are walking with the Lord, we are walking in the light, and light always dispels the darkness. The valley of the shadow of death is all around us. When people see us at peace and full of joy as we go along through our daily routines, they are going to want to ask us what we are taking. They will wonder if we are on some new drug. And why? They are listening to the news which is always doom and gloom with an occasional happy story thrown in for good measure. They are always planting fear into people’s hearts and all the “what ifs” that could happen. Folks look at the economy and their hearts melt. They see the hunger and the crime and all the bad stuff. They focus on it. So that’s what they get – darkness. But that’s not us saints, is it?
We stay in perfect peace when our minds are focused on the goodness of God, and what His word says about us. When we stay in step with Him all day and all night, we can’t possibly be sad, worried or depressed. And then people see it and want to know how we are doing it. Oh friends, what a great witness it is for people to see us happy (full of real joy) and rich - out there blessing people.
When they see us never complaining and always walking in love toward our fellow man, they will think something is up. And to that we can reply, “You’re right – something is up! God is up on the throne in my heart and because of Him I always prosper in whatever I do. I have favor with God and man and I lack nothing. I have more than enough to do everything I need to do and I am a blessing to many people because of what the Lord has done for me. How about you? Would you like to have a life like this too?”
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
And because we have Jesus, we are able to walk in the light…
John 8:12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Psalm 18:28
For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
I find it hard to believe now how much darkness I was walking in during my life before I surrendered to the Lord in 2005. I knew so little about all of God’s wonderful promises that could sustain me in this dark world. Jesus said the days were evil and things were going to get pretty bad before His second return.
When I look at unsaved people who do not know the Lord, I see such darkness in their faces – and especially in their eyes. They look so dead. It’s like they are “flat lining” right before my eyes. It breaks my heart. It really breaks God’s heart because He never wanted any darkness for the people He created. And some people just give a blank stare when we talk about the Lord. They just do not get it. But you and I can walk in the light of His countenance each and every moment that we live without a care in this world. We have things that we have to deal with, but when we cast all our cares on Him, we can be free of worry, fear, and anxiety. I want to live like that, don’t you?
I will fear no evil
While we are walking in the light in the midst of a dark world, we do not have to fear any evil. The Bible has a lot to say about not fearing, but I will try to keep this short. God is love and there is no fear in Him. Nor would any fear ever come from Him. His love in us casts out fear…
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
The devil is the one who tries to bring a spirit of fear into our lives. If he can get us to fear, then he has an open door to come into our lives to bring destruction. Every one of the points in this Psalm could warrant a full blown teaching. It is challenging to try to keep it short. This fear thing is a big subject. Too many professing Christians today are walking in fear instead of faith. The devil has nothing on us. He cannot do anything to us or in us – that is, unless we let him. But if we allow him bring the thoughts of fear and we camp on them, then we have left the faith realm and entered the reasoning realm where the enemy works, and he has us, hook, line and sinker.
God tells us over and over in His word to trust Him and not be afraid. Psalm 91 talks about not fearing the terror and the pestilence, etc. We could go from Genesis to Revelation and study the topic of fear verses faith, and what we would find is that faith overcomes fear every time. Addictions are rooted in fear. People are afraid of lacking something they need, so they grab onto something tangible that will make them feel good (for the moment). And when the good feeling goes away, (and it always does) they have to go back for another dose. There are literally hundreds of verses from the Lord (hoping we will get it) telling us not to fear…
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
There is only one kind of good fear, and it is the fear of the Lord. Having a holy, reverential awe of God is a good thing, and a necessary thing. But we are to fear Him in a frightful way. The wicked and unsaved folks will fear Him that way on Judgment Day, but we don’t have to.
He is a good God, and He will take care of us when we trust in Him. So from now on, let’s make up our minds that we will not fear anything – even death. Dying is a simple thing, like a hand slipping out of a glove. When we breathe our last, our spirit will slip out of our body and go to be with the Lord; at least those of us who are saved. And we will feel really good. Hallelujah!
1 Corinthians 15:54-57
So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we get to the place where we are ready to die at any moment, then we will not fear anything else in this life either. Praise the Lord. Dying is a glorious thing for a child of God. But it shouldn’t happen before a person is good and ready to go, having a sense of accomplishment that they have completed the work on the earth that the Lord had asked them to do. Then, like Moses, we can have a chat with the Lord and say, “I believe I am ready to come home Lord.” And it does not have to be through sickness. So let’s get rid of all fear right now and make it our goal every minute to walk in faith and trust God. He is faithful. He will never let us down.
You are with me
Like a little child who finds comfort in knowing that mommy and daddy are in the next room, we can find comfort in knowing that our heavenly Father is with us – at all times. I never knew that growing up. Even though I saw Jesus in my bedroom at the age of 13, I never even began to really develop a relationship with Him until I turned 50. All the years I wandered around feeling lonely. Even when I was with people, I still felt lonely. Granted, we need human companionship, but I felt alone when I was alone, and I felt alone even with people. Not until I started to get to really know the Lord did I begin to understand that as a born again child of God, He was always with me – living inside me. He would be there to talk with. He would talk with me and I could talk to Him. It’s a glorious thing.
Here is what He said about being with us…
Matthew 28:20b
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
When Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure from this earth, He was telling them that He would send His gift of the Holy Spirit. He was not going to abandon those who were His. By having Holy Spirit living in us, it is the same thing as having Jesus Himself living in us. Yes, He is sitting in heaven with the Father for now, but His Spirit is part of Him – all three are one in the same God. The greater One is in you and me – so we are never alone. And the more we draw near to the Lord, the more we sense His presence. There are places we can go in this world where it is difficult to sense His presence because they do not honor or love the Lord. But He is still there. He is everywhere at the same time. But when we go someplace where people love and respect the Lord, we can sense His presence even stronger. I just left church a short while ago. We have a Friday night service at 7:30 PM. It is always such a blessing to go. As we worshiped the Lord, we could sense His presence very strongly. And He said this…
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
So friends, we never have to feel alone – ever. Praise the Lord!
Your rod and staff, they comfort me
Some folks do not like the “rod” of correction, but in reality, it is comforting. If we are not corrected, we are actually hated. The Bible says so, and it is evident in our world today. Many children have grown up with no discipline or correction whatsoever, and their lives are a complete mess. It is a good thing to be corrected, and here is what the Bible says about our Father correcting us…
Hebrews 12:16
For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”
Again, we could do a several week study on these 6 short but very meaningful verses in the Bible. I am trying to keep it as short as possible for you, so thank you for bearing with me. For me personally, I would look back now in great appreciation had I had been privileged to have two loving, stable parents who chastened me and kept me out of the trouble I got myself into. I can’t blame them for all my mistakes, but I can know that if someone had been paying attention, I could have been spared a great deal of grief by having the right instruction when I was growing up. For those that are like me and didn’t, the Lord is happy to do all the parenting we will ever need, and all the while He will comfort us along the way. He is the BEST Father! Hallelujah!
The Shepherd’s staff was used to guide the sheep and keep them on the right path. We have already talked a bit about staying on the right path. Holy Spirit acts as a “staff” for us. He guides us by His gentle prodding in our inner man. He is the still small voice that tells us what to do and which way to go. That’s all I will say about that since we have already covered it. There is great comfort in knowing that no matter what, we have a Great Shepherd who loves us enough to straighten us out when we need it and also show us the ways to go to keep us moving in the right direction.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies
This is a wonderful thing to experience. When the enemy is breathing down our backs, we can be enjoying the blessings, protection and benefits of fellowship with our Savior. It is surely enough to make them “gnash their teeth!” When people who have come against us suddenly see us prospering, it will make them wonder what happened. Again, this is a great evangelistic tool. We don’t fight against flesh and blood. We fight against the spiritual forces that are working in and through people. But when those same people suddenly see the tables turn and they are the ones in trouble while we are flourishing, it can really be a remarkable voice in the darkness that there really is a God who helps His people.
I experienced this at my workplace several years ago. While others were not getting raises, I was. I was getting favor in front of the very people who had mocked and ridiculed me. I didn’t ask for any harm to come to anyone, I just asked the Lord to help me in the situation, and He surely did. It was like having a holy feast right before their very eyes. God’s takes good care of His kids! Hallelujah!
You anoint my head with oil
In the Bible, oil is a representation of the Holy Spirit. In most every passage where we see oil being used, it is for good purposes, like being anointed with the oil of gladness, or anointing someone for a commissioning of a particular job, like that of a king or priest. It was also used to heal people. They would lay hands on the sick and anoint them with oil. In this particular scripture, to be anointed with oil is to be covered with the Holy Spirit. Remember they did not have the Holy Spirit in them before Jesus came. To be covered with the Holy Spirit is a blessing on the head of God’s people. Oil is fragrant, it causes the face to shine and it is to lubricate. The Holy Spirit in us makes our faces to shine, doesn’t He? And He can soften a hard heart too!
Maybe the next time you think of the oil being poured over your head, you might picture Jesus pouring His oil over you. Just stop and think of it running down…
Psalm 133
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.
My cup runs over
What does it mean to you when you think of your “cup running over?” Some people have a “cup half full” mentality. But those of us who believe God is a “more than enough” God, know that He wants to give us “too much” rather than not enough. He fills our lives with good things, plenty of them, and in abundance…
Deuteronomy 28:1-14
 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:
“Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
“Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
“Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
“Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
“The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
“The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
“The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10 Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. 11 And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. 14 So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
And as if this were not enough to convince a person that God enjoys prospering His people and giving to them until they overflow, there many more scriptures to back up His desire to do this.
For now, we will look at a couple. Again, this could be a several week study. There is much to discuss about this. Many Christians think that to be like Jesus they have to live in poverty. It is a lie from the pit of hell. There is nothing in scripture which a person could ever use to back up such a statement – nothing!
Proverbs 3:10
So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
Malachi 3:10
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
12 “And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
Friends, I hope this helps every one of you to see that God is an abundant giver. Later on, at the end of this I will talk about how you can have all the abundance that God wants to give you so that you can prosper greatly and do the work He has designed you to do in the earth for such a time as this.
Goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life
Have you ever considered what it really means to have goodness and mercy following you everywhere? How many times have you said this verse but maybe didn’t realize the fullness of its meaning? Like most of us, we have allowed religion, (used by the enemy to draw people away from the truths of God) to glaze over the depth of what His word is really saying to us and for us. We have missed the way to really use it to our advantage so that we can rise up high above adversity and have all that we need to do everything we need to do. We can walk the paths of our lives and see God’s goodness following us everywhere we go – what a deal!
Psalm 31:19
Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!
Psalm 33:5
He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Psalm 107:9
For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
Jeremiah 31:14
I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord.”
Galatians 5:22-23a
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 
Friends, if we look back even as far as our own shadow, we have looked too far. The goodness of God is within us when we are born again. It is a fruit, (or a product of) His Spirit. His goodness is in us and goes with us every place that we go – it is never apart from us. And it is all around us. Oh that we would thank Him for this saints…
Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
And what about His wonderful mercy, always following us around every day of our life? Who doesn’t need His mercy? I, for one, have needed a major dose of it on many occasions, and I am so grateful for it – how about you?
Psalm 136:1
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
In this Psalm, this statement is repeated 26 times. Do you think He wants us to get it? LOL! Smile. His mercy always goes with us – and that’s a promise we can take to the heavenly bank friends. Hallelujah! I don’t ever have to wonder if His mercy is on me – I know it is.
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever
Forever will be a long time, won’t it? Where do you want to live in your forever? I bet you said, “Heaven!” That’s the only place to be. The other choice is no option as far as I’m concerned and we don’t want to see anyone decline the beautiful joy of living with God forever. And our forever starts right now, even while we are on the earth. Eternity does not begin after we die.
We get eternal life the day we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord, and the eternal life promise begins right then. I used to say something really stupid out of ignorance. I would say, “Lord, if I could just have a spot in the corner of heaven with You when I die, I will be happy.” How foolish that was! He is building my mansion right now -  every detail. While I am busy taking care of His house in this life, He is busy there in heaven building mine. And the same is true even while I am here – glory to God. The more rewards I get, the better. I want to dwell with Him here, and there. Don’t you get excited at the thought? There’s no better place to be. It’s what makes living among all this darkness here bearable. We will get to be with Him in glory one day, and we will never know darkness again. It is better to be with the Lord, but for now, we have work to do.
Psalm 26:8
Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells.
Psalm 27:4
One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.
Psalm 92:13
Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Psalm 84:10
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Friends, these verses, like Psalm 91 are actual words that we can proclaim over our lives. Any word of God that we speak over ourselves in faith will surely come to pass. Remember that Jesus is the High Priest of our confession. He is waiting for us to agree with and speak God’s word so He can bring it to pass for us – glory to His name forever! That’s the key to success – faith in God’s word. And we keep saying it until it comes to pass, no matter how long it takes. We do not listen to what people say, or what the devil says. We say and agree with what God says. So the next time the devil tries to tell you a lie, look back at him and tell him what God says about that and go on down the road. Leave him to lick his own dust! Ha!
I will attach a magazine article from Kenneth Copeland’s free monthly magazine. This article may be very eye opening to many – and I hope it is. It will teach everyone how to have whatever they need in life and never experience sickness or lack again. Kenneth is a grandfather in the faith and I have very high regard for him. At age 79 he is healthy and going strong as he preaches the word of God all over the world, leading many to righteousness – praise God. 
He can be seen on Roku, the internet, DISH, and other forms of media. If you haven’t listened to him, I highly recommend it. You will be glad you did. I close with this: the next time you read this Psalm out loud for yourself, I hope you will take the time to really allow the depth of it and the truth for your own life to sink down deep into your soul and spirit. As you build yourself up on your most holy faith, your spirit will grow stronger and stronger. Then the devil will get to a point where he is sorry that he ever messed with you – praise God!
Questions:

What about this Psalm encourages you the most?

Briefly describe what each verse means to you personally after reading this study. Ask God to help you see things in it just for you.

When was the last time you spoke, or professed God’s word out loud over your life?

What changes will you make in your routine because of what you learned today?

Make a list of things that you want to profess over your life. Write them down and say them every day. Agree with God’s word so that you can see it come to pass for you.

There are three main points to consider from today’s study…

This Psalm is for you personally – Your Great Shepherd has provided it for you
This Psalm will work for you when you put your faith to it
Jesus is our Great Shepherd who provides our every need

                        Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Jesus – our Great Shepherd! Thank You for the many good things that these verses promise for me. Help me to remember that all I need is to work my faith on each verse and speak them out loud. Father, according to Your word, it cannot fail. From this day forward I am putting my trust in Your word and faith in Your promises for my life. I refuse to fear, doubt or worry any longer. From now on, with Your help, I will walk out of any pit I have been in and I will live the rest of my days in the house of the Lord where Your goodness and mercy shall follow me forever in Jesus name. Amen.

Did you know that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God?

And God Said… You fill in the blanks


Isaiah 40:8

The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”


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