Daniel 6:23
So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

But there was something else mentioned about Daniel’s character that struck me in this story, and this observation came from a heathen.  The heathen king mentioned Daniel’s character when he said:

Daniel 6:16
The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.”

Daniel was known to be consistent in his character.

I have found that when all is well in life, and things are coasting along smoothly, I can be tempted to “slide” a little in taking quality time with God to worship Him, or to study the Bible, or to take time in confessing God’s Word over my life and my family.  Things are good!  Can’t I coast a bit?  Can I have a day (or a week) off?

But what I’ve discovered is that if I actually do this and take too much time “off” from keeping myself built up, then when a “storm of life” comes along I find I am not as prepared as I have been when I have kept myself built up and strong in faith.  My initial reaction to a trial, test, or storm won’t always be a “faith” response and I can even become angry that another problem has risen its ugly head.

But the exact opposite is true when I’ve remained consistent in prayer and in worship and in believing and speaking the Word over my life, in the good and easy times.  When I have remained consistent when things are smooth and good I see a very different response come from me when a trial comes along.  I have seen that there is no anger or offense that comes into my thinking at the new trial…

Matthew 13:20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

…no questioning arises in me either, as to “Why me“,  and there is no room for even doubt to arise, but rather great JOY springs up in me as I stomp my feet in worship and proclaim, “MY GOD IS FAITHFUL“.   Faith is strong and my attitude remains filled with joy.  It is truly a very clear and distinct difference!

So, may I remind you to remain consistent, even when things are going great in your life.  Take the same amount of time in praise and prayer that you do when you are thrown to your knees when facing a trial.  Pray with the same conviction and determination.  And worship God and thank Him for being so faithful and consistent with you

Building a faithful character in ourselves will keep our lives on a smoother and more joy-filled path and it is God’s will for our lives.

…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…
Galatians 5:22, NIV

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance;
2 Peter 1:5, NIV

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart
Proverbs 3:3, NIV

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(c) 2012 LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc.

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Every single day, look to His Word.

Do not look to the left hand or to the right but stay focused in God’s Word.

There are many voices out there, each with their own agenda.

Voices sent to deceive and interrupt the calling on your life.

Voices sent to deceive and interrupt the Truth planted in your spirit.

Voices meant to take you away from the plan of God for your life and the plan of God’s glory being revealed in you and through you.

But if you will stick to the Word, loving God’s Word more than all other voices and teachings … if you will hold fast to God’s Word, studying it, listening to God’s voice in His Word for your calling, for your destiny, for your direction, and if you will obey His teachings in His Word and follow and love His Word with all Your heart, then you will be lead in straight paths that wont lead you astray.  Then you will become more like Jesus day by day.  Then the Father will reveal Himself to you more and more in knowledge and in Truth.

You will grow in favor before God and man and you will be pleasing to God.

If you hold fast to His Word and His Word alone.

Weigh everything, every teaching, and every spoken word against God’s Word and if it doesn’t match up throw it aside.

Stick to God’s Word only.

“…so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.”
1 Corinthians 4:6

20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;  22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.  23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.  25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you…  27 Do not swerve to the right or the left
Proverbs 4

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true
Acts 17:11

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6Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, live forever! 7“All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den. 8“Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 9Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.

 10Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”

 14Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

    16Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

      19Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. 20When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 22“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

When things are looking bleak in your life … even though you’ve been faithful in prayer, in believing God’s Word, and in worshiping God … and when things look like they will not turn out favorable or even according to the Word STILL …

DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR FAITH

Who knows what great and glorious thing is about to break through and show the world, even unbelievers, how great our God is!

God is Great and Mighty in your life … but you must keep your eyes on His Promises,  you must keep His praise coming forth from your lips, and you must determine to stand confidently on His Word, even as Daniel “23 trusted in his God.“

God wants His Glory to be seen in and through your life, and the greater the trial the greater the glory can be to God Who can show Himself Faithful in your trial … IF …

If you will believe and not doubt and not give up on God

Look at the faith even this heathen king had when he SAID to Daniel: “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.”

Wow!  Even a heathen king had faith in the God of Daniel!

So how much more should we have faith in that God … the God Who does not lie!

Trust Him today, even if things look to be at their blackest …

the God whom you serve constantly, WILL Himself deliver you.

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(c) 2012 LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc.

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Enjoy.  And STAND IN THE GAP for your family members and loved ones!

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective
James 5:16

Stand in the Gap – Part A
Listen on line HERE

Stand In The Gap – Part B
Listen on line HERE

or

download as mp3 – Part A HERE

download as mp3 – Part B HERE

LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc.

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Filed under: Audio Teachings Tagged: confession brings possession, Norvel Hayes, rhema camp meeting, Word of Faith ]]> http://faithspeaksinc.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/norvel-hayes-mp3-stand-in-the-gap/feed/ 0 Faith Speaks Inc. http://faithspeaksinc.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/daily-routine/ http://faithspeaksinc.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/daily-routine/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:14:07 +0000 faithspeaksinc http://faithspeaksinc.wordpress.com/?p=3119 ]]> It is commonly asked of me, “What is your daily schedule like?” or “How much time did you spend with God to get yourself free?“

And although I don’t like telling people exactly how long I spend in prayer, or in worship, or studying the Word … because it can be used as a legalism when some set their clocks to match my exact schedule … I will say this:

We All Must Take Daily, Quality Time With The Lord

I truly believe there will not be great results, or great interventions by God, for those who don’t make regular time in their schedule to have lengthy worship, or prayer with confession, or studying of the Bible.  Why?  Because I believe the Bible states such, over and over.  For example:

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful
Joshua 1:8

…if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2  turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, 3  and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,  4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,  5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God
Proverbs 2

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.
Psalm 1

These are just 3 Scriptures, but the Bible is full of examples of those who spent much time in prayer, prayer with fasting, and in the presence of God.  Think about how even Jesus Christ, while walking in the flesh, took entire nights to pray and fill Himself up with the presence of God, the power of God, and wisdom from God, before ministering to others and in order to keep Himself filled with joy and protected from attacks of the enemy.

And this is the pattern that we should make as part of our daily routine.

We should be consistent in our time with God.  And we should make sure we take long periods of quality time.  Not just time in our cars as we drive to and from work.  Now, I love my time in my car when I am alone and my music is loud or Norvel is yelling away at me   However, using this time only, as our time to be with God, will not be enough to set us free and keep us free.  It just won’t.  I’ve tried it at times.

Rather, setting up a schedule where there can be one on one time alone with God, where I can focus on His character and faithfulness in worship or in quiet meditation, time alone with God where I can study His Word and/or be led by His Spirit to awesome Passages that are so important for what I am currently going through, and quality alone time with just me and the Lord as I pray and confess His Word and Promises for my life and for my family and for my situations all equal POWER and FAITH.  My spirit man is being given quality time to be built up strongly and to have time to hear from God.  My spirit man is being given time to grow in faith and being given time to truly focus on and pull down strongholds.  I am giving myself time to hear from God about areas I need to repent and change in, and I am giving myself time to be transformed into the image and likeness and power of Christ Himself.  I am giving myself time with God … the God of the Universe Who is able and willing to help in my times of need and willing and able to lavish on me freely His love and joy and peace and character.

But if I don’t make that quality time…

I rob myself.  I rob myself of God’s presence and peace.  I rob myself of hearing God’s voice direct me in life and speak life giving Promises.  And I therefore rob myself of victory and power and freedom.

So quality and lengthy time is my answer to those who ask, “How much time do you spend with God?“  Quality and lengthy time will vary depending on how many tasks I have to perform in my day, or if I have house guests, or other reasons (or excuses?) that come up with my daily living.

But quality and lengthy time periods are necessary to any one who desires to walk in continual and powerful freedom.  And Your Father will lead you to know how much time that means for you

Blessings on time with God.  I truly pray that you will be led to make more time for God this New Year so that you can reap His GREAT rewards.

LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc.

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How much more powerful will your confession be now that you are a “CHILD” of God … blood bought, blood cleansed, and filled with the power of God and His Holy Spirit … as you confess the Promises of God from your own lips, for health, for freedom, for victory, for salvation for your kids, and for everything else that God has Promised?!

So keep confessing the Word of God over your life in the present tense, as they are written!  For GREAT is the POWER of God’s Word, from your mouth!

Take … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Ephesians 6:17-18, NIV

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow
Hebrews 4:12, NIV

for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned
Matthew 12:37, ESV

I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him
Mark 11:23, NIV

consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession
Hebrews 3:1, NASB

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(c) 2011 LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc

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The key word used above is TEMPTED.  We will be TEMPTED to make all sorts of accusations against God. We will be TEMPTED to blame and question God.  We may even be TEMPTED to forsake God and His promises.

This is a trick of the devil:  “Curse GOD and die” or how about blame God and die or forsake God and die.

The temptation will always be the same for everybody.  When we are sick for any length of time, the temptation will be to state or think or question, “Why ISN’T God healing me?“  But the Bible states God HAS healed ALL of our diseases (1 Peter 2:24, Matthew 5:18).  When poverty or lack seems to have a strangle-hold on us, the temptation is to state or think, “Giving doesn’t work.  God is NOT providing for me as the Bible states” or even “It IS vanity/useless to serve God/strive after God/give the way the Bible and/or preachers state“, when in fact the Bible does state, “yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” or “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously“.

Remember, it is the BIBLE that makes these statements.  Preachers are only voicing what GOD has stated/had written for us and these Words must be Truth for God and His Word are One … even if it doesn’t seem like it, for a very long time in your life.

IF you can be FAITHFUL to God and wait the testing period out … faithful to keep believing and obey the written Word, faithful to keep giving and keep forgiving, faithful to keep pursuing holiness and seeking the Lord with all your soul and strength, etc … then you WILL see the faithfulness of the Lord in your life.  Your faithfulness to God’s Word will reap God’s faithfulness to His Word and to you.

Satan is bent on making God’s children blame God for trouble that God never intended to come to us, that God never put on us, or that God ever desired for us and Satan is bent on killing us, destroying our lives, or at the least, ripping our faith from us.

So we in turn must make a strong determination to stand against these plots of satan and STAND FAITHFUL in our good fight.

Stay faithful in believing God, knowing that God IS faithful to His Word and to those who will hold firmly to His Word.

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…that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes
2 Corinthians 2:11

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour
1 Peter 5:8

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1, NIV

faithfulness:
steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant

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(C) 2012 LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc

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For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

Below are confessions for our attitudes and thoughts:

Father I thank You for circumcising my heart and giving me a heart of flesh that fears You and wants to obey and please You;

I thank You for making me a brand new Creation, with old attitudes and habits and thoughts passing away; making all things brand new inside of me, even in my thought life and my attitude;

I praise You Father for freeing me from the power of sin so that sinful thoughts and sinful ways and desirs will no longer have hold over me, keeping me in bondage in my thinking, in my attitudes and in my habits.

I praise You for Your power conforming me into the image of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and I praise You for creating in me a clean heart and a right spirit which desires to be just like Jesus.

Old ways are passed away, behold all things have become new inside me, inside my thinking, and inside my attitudes.

I have the mind of Christ and I put off selfishness, and hatred, and strife, and envy.

I forgive and love the way that God has loved me, and I cleanse myself now, in Jesus name, perfecting holiness and purifying myself in the fear of You Lord.

I look forward to Christ’s return now, guarding my heart and my mind from evil and evil thinking, guarding what I will put into my mind and guarding what will proceed from my mouth, in Jesus name, so that when You appear, Jesus, I will not be ashamed.

I believe that I receive what I pray now … I believe I receive power to live for You and I believe I am being made into the exact likeness of Jesus, and I thank You for doing it Father! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
1 John 2:28, NIV

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5 NIV

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(c) 2011 LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc.

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For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him
NIV

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks
NLT

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks
NASB

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful
KJB

Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful
WBT

Of course the context shows that this verse in Romans 1 is talking about unbelievers, however, as I was reading this passage I was very struck with the part that reads, “Neither were (they) thankful” (KJB) or “nor gave thanks to him” (NIV).

It made me think of how I lived my first 14 years of Christianity:  in fear that God wasn’t listening to my prayers and that I was all on my own in life: in doubt that He would ever answer my prayers; in unbelief that anything in the Bible was for me and in bitterness, confusion, anger, and hopelessness at the way my life was turning out.   And honestly, listening to most Christians today, I hear the same sadness as Believers wonder where God is in their turmoil, I hear doubt that God will actually do whatever Scripture is quoted to try to encourage them, I hear bitterness at the way life is turning out for some, and I hear confusion and unbelief as they think everything bad in their life is coming from God Who is trying to strip them, humble them, and teach them lessons.

And I never hear thankfulness.

Really.  I never hear thankfulness.

So many in the body are so absorbed in their sadness or confusion or bitterness, because of whatever trial they are going through, that thankfulness is never heard … and I think thankfulness is a VERY important key to receiving from God.

Listen to what your mouth is speaking today.  Listen to even how you pray.  Rather than just always making requests from God, take some time to THANK HIM for what He has done, what He is doing, and for the Promises He has made to always “do” for you and your family.

He is Love and generous in what He has already done for each of us in our lives, and He is awesomely merciful and so long-suffering and patient with us in our weaknesses, frailty, and out-right disobedience, which makes Him SO worthy of our thanks.

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Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess (or “that give thanks to” – NASB)  his name.
Hebrews 13:15, NIV

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 100:4 , NIV

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:7, NIV

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving
Ephesians 5:4, NIV

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16, NASB

As we enter into 2012, let us start to daily give thanks to God for His faithfulness and kindness to each of us, and grow in ourselves attitudes of thankfulness and gratitude.  God bless your 2012.

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(c) 2010-2011 LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc