Category:

Set Your Sights on 120 (or More!) Do We Have To Get Sick And Feeble To Die? NO!

7/15/2011

“’But Gloria,’ someone might say, ‘I’m not twenty. In fact, I’m past seventy. Old age has already caught
up with me; I can feel it. It’s too late for me to receive the benefits of those youth-renewing Scriptures.’

No, it’s not too late. Remember, Moses proved it. Hebrew scholars say he felt much the same way you
do now right before he got his new mission at age eighty. Even though he felt his vitality was ebbing and
he had grown weaker with age, the merit of his new mission and the power of God restored his youth and
went on to live strong for another forty years.

God can do something similar for you. He may not be through with you yet. You ought not be willing to leave
this earth until you’re sure you’ve finished the work He has called you to do.

[Moses] not only survived to 120, he thrived at that age.

His death was an astonishing event.
Ø Moses didn’t die of old age.
Ø He didn’t die of weakness.
Ø He didn’t die of sickness or disease. If fact, his body was as strong and healthy as it had been
at the beginning of his mission.
Ø He didn’t die by accident or calamity. Death didn’t sneak up on him and take him by surprise.
Ø He didn’t die a natural death.

He died a supernatural death. God caught Moses spirit away and buried his body where no one
could find it. (Deuteronomy 34:1-7)

Considering how healthy and strong Moses was at that time, we might well wonder, What caused him to die?
The answer is simple and astounding.
Moses died for just one reason – because God told him to.

He had finished the assignment he’d been given. (Deuteronomy 32:48-50)

…No matter how old we are, we don’t have to get sick and feeble to die. We don’t have to let the devil
evict us from our bodies by inflicting some kind of disease or injury upon us. We can just finish our divine
assignments and then let God gather us to Himself.”

(Gloria Copeland – excerpts from her book: Live Long, Live Strong)

I don’t know about you, but God has given me a purpose… a mission and I am going to fulfill that mission. The devil doesn’t like that and will come against us, but as Ron Carpenter said today, ‘Your life is in HIS hands! Whatever comes against your purpose is not your battle, it's the Lord's!’ So no matter what comes against me, it is the Lord’s battle. We need to keep our faith strong in the Word! (Heather)

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Set Your Sights on 120 (or More!) Are You Missing The Mark?

7/14/2011

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“To aim for the kind of long, strong life God promises us in the Bible, the first thing we must do is straighten
out our thinking. How do we do that? By adjusting our thoughts and actions to agree with God’s Word and
by aligning our expectations with the written revelation of His perfect will.”

Ø You know, most of the blogs that I have been posting have been talking about what you speak. I never really knew how important that is to our lives, but what you speak is what you think. And what you think and speak affects your mind and body. I hear all the time people having birthdays and they say they are ‘over the hill’ or ‘it’s all downhill from here.’ This is crazy talk! I’m SO happy to be alive to have a birthday and I don’t feel old at all. So be careful what you say, or you just might start becoming old and weak.

“When it comes to longevity, most believers miss the mark because they don’t have their spiritual sights properly aligned. Their expectations are askew due to wrong teachings and religious traditions. As a result, many Christians die younger than God intended for one simple reason: they are convinced it’s the right thing to do.”

Ø Okay, this is so true. Whether it is church folks or other people, they think once you reach 40 you are OLD. The way they talk they make it sound like you should be put in a wheelchair and pushed out in a pasture. I’m here to say that that thinking is WRONG!

“No wonder so many Christians start getting old and feeble around that age! They think that’s what God’s Word says they should do. And since the Bible says that ‘as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he’ (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV), if they think seventy or eighty is the age to die, their bodies will most likely accommodate them. They’ll start winding down and giving out. The devil will oblige them, too. He’ll attack them with sickness and, instead of fighting it by faith, they’ll assume illness is a natural part of old age and give in to it.“

Ø If you begin to think you’re old and start saying that, then guess what? You’ll start getting old and your body will think that. You have to believe and have faith and speak life!

“Always be sure that what you believe is scriptural, because what you believe and speak is what you get. Jesus said in Matthew 9:29, ‘According to your faith be it unto you.’

Ø I think most church people (not all of them but a good majority) think we’re supposed to die in our 70s or 80s because of the folks that wandered in the wilderness with Moses. But those people were under the curse. We are NOT under the curse. That means we are supposed to be able to live up to age 120, but that all depends on how we treat our bodies, how we think, what we believe and very importantly - our faith.

“One Jewish commentary I read said when Moses received that assignment [at age 80 to receive the Torah from God on Mount Sinai and lead the Israelites through the wilderness into the promised land], he received and extraordinary infusion of youthful energy and vitality. God so invigorated him when he was assigned this new, divine mission that his health and strength remained undiminished for the rest of his long life. He lived to be 120 years old (Deuteronomy 34:7).

That puts a whole new light on the solution to the problem of aging, doesn’t it? If we find ourselves slowing does at seventy or eighty, what we may need is a new assignment from God. Maybe we need to move into our new ministry and let God rejuvenate us!

According to the Bible, that kind of rejuvenation isn’t just for people like Moses who have a unique call of God on their lives. It belongs to all His obedient people. It’s one of the benefits of our salvation.”

Read Psalm 103, Psalm 92, and Isaiah 40.

Ø Okay, so this is what I want… a rejuvenation in my life. I’m going to continue to speak what I believe, and I believe I am going to have a strong and long life until Jesus returns. The Holy Spirit lives inside of me and He is my guide along this path/journey. As Ron Carpenter Jr recently said, God has already painted the finished picture/painting of us. He knows the beginning and the ending. We need to talk to God and allow the Holy Spirit living inside of us to guide us on the path that God wants us on.

“We should start cultivating our faith for rejuvenation BEFORE we reach [old] age.”

Ø If you haven’t already, begin believing what the Bible says… not what others may say. ‘Cause you know, they might not know what they are talking about. The Bible is the truth, but you have to believe it and live it!

(Gloria Copeland – excerpts from her book: Live Long, Live Strong)

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How Old is Old? If We’re Not Enjoying Life, We’re Not Doing It Right

7/2/2011

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“Moses got straight to the point. To paraphrase, he said, ‘If you choose to follow God and His ways, you’ll
live long and be blessed. If you don’t your lives will be short and miserable.’

You’d think that choice would be a no-brainer. Given the option of life and blessing or death and disaster,
who in his right mind would choose the latter?

Amazing as it may seem, countless people do.

That’s not God’s will for them, however. He doesn’t want anyone to choose death. He wants us all to
choose life. He said it again and again, ‘Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me
and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
(Deuteronomy 5:29 NKJV). Still, because God created us with free wills, the decision is ours. We can do
what we want.

God has already done His part. He has made His wisdom available to all of us. He has written down in
black and white the Word that will set us free and prolong our days on the earth.

God’s will for us is to enjoy length of days and years of life worth living. If we’re not enjoying life, we’re
not doing it right.”

(Gloria Copeland – excerpts from her book: Live Long, Live Strong)

For the next 3 months, I will be working on gaining wisdom, and when I started reading Gloria’s book, I
didn’t realize just how much knowledge is in there. If/when people tell you that it is not God’s will for you
to be healed or complain about life, you know you don’t really need to hear that. You have to make a
decision and decide what you are going to allow into your ears. That is SO important. It is a mind-set and
we have to change the way we may have been thinking and align it to what the Bible says.

Next week we will take a break from Gloria’s book and return with a message from Ron Carpenter.

Have a great Sunday,
Heather

Proverbs 4
New King James Version (NKJV)

Security in Wisdom
1 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,
      And give attention to know understanding;

2 For I give you good doctrine:
      Do not forsake my law.

3 When I was my father’s son,
      Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,

4 He also taught me, and said to me:
      “ Let your heart retain my words;
      Keep my commands, and live.

5 Get wisdom! Get understanding!
      Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
      Love her, and she will keep you.

7 Wisdom is the principal thing;
      Therefore get wisdom.
      And in all your getting, get understanding.

8 Exalt her, and she will promote you;
      She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.

9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace;
      A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
      And the years of your life will be many.

11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom;
      I have led you in right paths.

12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered,
      And when you run, you will not stumble.

13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
      Keep her, for she is your life.

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
      And do not walk in the way of evil.

15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
      Turn away from it and pass on.

16 For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
      And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
      And drink the wine of violence.

18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun,
      That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

19 The way of the wicked is like darkness;
      They do not know what makes them stumble.

20 My son, give attention to my words;
      Incline your ear to my sayings.

21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
      Keep them in the midst of your heart;

22 For they are life to those who find them,
      And health to all their flesh.

23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
      For out of it spring the issues of life.
       2
4 Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
      And put perverse lips far from you.

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
      And your eyelids look right before you.

26 Ponder the path of your feet,
      And let all your ways be established.

27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
      Remove your foot from evil.

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How Old is Old? God’s Words ‘Are Life To Those Who Find Them’

7/1/2011

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“Live until nothing of vital importance to you is lacking in your life. Live until you’re at peace. Finish your
life in victory as a testimony to other people. Buy up all the time you can here on earth so you can give
maximum glory to God.

After all, you have an opportunity to serve Him during your life on earth that you’ll never have again. Here
you have a choice between good and evil. You can decide to either obey God and give Him honor or yield
to the devil and give him honor. In heaven, you won’t have that choice – there’s only good. In heaven,
there’s no devil to resist.

Remember, we can’t win faith battles for Jesus on the other side of the grave. The good fight of faith
takes place here on earth.

‘Gloria, do you really believe it’s possible to enjoy the kind of longevity our scriptural ancestors did? Do
you truly think you’ll get “Bible old”?’ I feel more full of life with every passing year. Do you know why? It’s
because I partake of the tree of life every day. We have access to the Word of God, we have the
opportunity to eat every day from the spiritual tree of life described in Proverbs 3:13-18 (NKJV), which says:

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
For her proceeds are better
than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies,
And all the things you may desire
cannot compare with her.
Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her.

God’s written Word is full of His Wisdom. As we partake of it – heed, believe, and obey it – that wisdom
becomes a wellspring of life to us. It renews our youth like the eagle’s (Psalm 103:5). It makes our lives
a joy.

In 1967, when Ken and I first started putting the Word first… we fed on the Word every day. We kept that
Word in our eyes and ears almost all the time because we knew it was the key to success, prosperity,
health, and every other good thing God has to offer. We didn’t just read the Word. We determined to
believe and obey it.

God’s Words ‘are life to those who find them’ (Proverbs 4:22 NKJV).”

(Gloria Copeland – excerpts from her book: Live Long, Live Strong)

Wow! The more I read from Gloria Copeland’s book, the more I want to keep reading. It is amazing to see
how if we will just get in the Word and really take it to heart, that we will be blessed. That’s what I want to
continue happening in my life. Not only do I want to physically stay strong and healthy, I want my
‘Spirit man’ to continue to grow in knowledge, understanding and wisdom. We will continue tomorrow on
this same subject and then next week, return to Ron Carpenter.

Take a look at the chapter below from Proverbs. (Heather)
Proverbs 3
New King James Version (NKJV)

Guidance for the Young

1 My son, do not forget my law,
     But let your heart keep my commands;

2 For length of days and long life
      And peace they will add to you.

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
      Bind them around your neck,
      Write them on the tablet of your heart,

4 And so find favor and high esteem
      In the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
      And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
      And He shall directyour paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
      Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

8 It will be health to your flesh,
      And strength to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your possessions,
      And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

10 So your barns will be filled with plenty,
      And your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
      Nor detest His correction;

12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
      Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
      And the man who gains understanding;

14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
      And her gain than fine gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies,
      And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

16 Length of days is in her right hand,
      In her left hand riches and honor.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
      And all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
      And happy are all who retain her.

19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;
      By understanding He established the heavens;

20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up,
      And clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes—
      Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

22 So they will be life to your soul
      And grace to your neck.

23 Then you will walk safely in your way,
      And your foot will not stumble.

24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
      Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
      Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;

26 For the LORD will be your confidence,
      And will keep your foot from being caught.

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
      When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

28 Do not say to your neighbor,
      “Go, and come back,
      And tomorrow I will give it,”
      When you have it with you.

29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
      For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.

30 Do not strive with a man without cause,
      If he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy the oppressor,
      And choose none of his ways;

32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,
      But His secret counsel is with the upright.

33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
      But He blesses the home of the just.

34 Surely He scorns the scornful,
      But gives grace to the humble.

35 The wise shall inherit glory,
      But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

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How Old is Old? The Bible Gives Us Promises Offering Us Long, Strong, and Blessed Lives.

6/30/2011

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We return again today to some excerpts from Gloria Copeland’s book, Live Long, Finish Strong,
and some comments by me. Also, I’m reading one chapter a day in Proverbs and I’ve included this
at the end of this blog post. Tomorrow, we'll either continue on this book or return to a message by
Ron Carpenter. Stay tuned!

“Many of those promises offer us long, strong, and blessed lives. Again and again, God makes His will
and His ways clear to us through Scriptures like these.” (Gloria Copeland)
> I am going to meditate on these Scriptures and believe and receive them! (Heather)

“You must serve only the LORD your God. If you do, I will bless you with food and water; and I will
keep you healthy… and I will give you long, full lives.” (Exodus 23:25-26 NLT)

“Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above,
and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his
commandments…and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD they
God giveth thee, for ever.” (Deuteronomy 4:39-40)

“Fear the LORD they God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee,
thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.”
(Deuteronomy 6:2)

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty…
With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:1, 16)

“[Wisdom] is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared
unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.”
(Proverbs 3:15-16)

“Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have
taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.” (Proverbs 4:10-11)

“The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.”
(Proverbs 10:17)

“Evento your old age I am he… and will deliver you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

“Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well
with thee andthou mayest live long on the earth.” (Ephesisan 6:2-3)

“Since the New Testament guarantees all the promises of God in Jesus are ‘Yes, and in Him Amen’
(2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV), when we read those verses, we should agree with them.” (Gloria Copeland)
> I’m going to agree with them and continue to study the Word of God. (Heather)

“Notice I didn’t say we should just believe for a long life. I said we should expect good years…because
that’s what the Bible offers us.” (Gloria Copeland)
   > Not only should we believe for a long life while on earth, but our life should be happy and healthy
and prosperous. How do we know that is true? Look at the following verse. (Heather)

“It says if we keep God’s commandments in our hearts and obey them, we’ll have ‘length of days and
years of a life [worth living] and tranquility [inward and outward and continuing through old age till death]’ -
Proverbs 3:2 AMP. He wants our lives to be satisfying – Psalm 91:16” (Gloria Copeland)
> So, the Bible tells us what we need to do and if we do this, we will have a long life and it will be a
good life. (Heather)

“Exactly what is involved in dwelling and abiding in God? To abide in God means we stay attached to Him.
We take up residence in Him and in His Word. We’re not living for God one day and living for the devil the
next. We live for God every day. When we do sin or stumble out of His will, we repent and get right back on
the path of righteousness.” (Gloria Copeland)
> So, no matter what happens, we have got to stay on the path or righteousness. (Heather)

“…the abider has faith in God and His Word. He isn’t stressed out in fear and worry about what the future
will bring. He isn’t focusing on what the devil happens to be saying at the moment…or what the doctor’s
report contains. He is trusting God’s promises. He is praying in faith and calling on the Lord with confidence.”
(Gloria Copeland)
> I really like what this says. No matter what the doctor’s report says, you immediately have to stand
on the Word of God and believe what the Bible says. You have to have faith! (Heather)

Proverbs 2
New King James Version (NKJV)

The Value of Wisdom
1 My son, if you receive my words,
      And treasure my commands within you,

       2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
      And apply your heart to understanding;

       3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
      And lift up your voice for understanding,

       4 If you seek her as silver,
      And search for her as for hidden treasures;

       5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
      And find the knowledge of God.

       6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
      From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

       7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
      He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;

       8 He guards the paths of justice,
      And preserves the way of His saints.

       9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
      Equity and every good path.

       10 When wisdom enters your heart,
      And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,

       11 Discretion will preserve you;
      Understanding will keep you,

       12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
      From the man who speaks perverse things,

       13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
      To walk in the ways of darkness;

       14 Who rejoice in doing evil,
      And delight in the perversity of the wicked;

       15 Whose ways are crooked,
      And who are devious in their paths;

       16 To deliver you from the immoral woman,
      From the seductress who flatters with her words,

       17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
      And forgets the covenant of her God.

       18 For her house leads down to death,
      And her paths to the dead;

       19 None who go to her return,
      Nor do they regain the paths of life—

       20 So you may walk in the way of goodness,
      And keep to the paths of righteousness.

       21 For the upright will dwell in the land,
      And the blameless will remain in it;

       22 But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
      And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

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Wisdom: How Old is Old? Are We Supposed To Live Longer Than 70 or 80?

6/29/2011

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The following includes some excerpts from Gloria Copeland’s book, Live Long, Finish Strong, and
some comments by me. Also, I’m reading one chapter a day in Proverbs and I’ve included this at
the end of my blog post.

“The promise of a long and blessed life belongs to every obedient child of God. If you are a believer, it
belongs to you.” (Gloria Copeland)
✦ Before I started reading the Word of God and Gloria’s book, I thought we were only supposed to live
to 70 or 80 years of age. But I found out that is not what the Bible says! (Heather)

“All you have to do is open your Bible to find a multitude of verses that tell you God wants you to live a
long, long time… If you respond in faith and say, ‘I receive it! I believe it!’ it can revolutionize your life.”
(Gloria Copeland)
✦ When I read these verses, I’m going to believe and receive it because if the Bible says it, then I’m
supposed to believe it. I’m not going to listen to others that don’t believe it and have fear and
doubt. (Heather)

“That kind of faith response isn’t always automatic. It must be cultivated and developed on purpose.”
(Gloria Copeland)
✦ You know, the Holy Spirit told me 2 words back in December 2010: Rebuilding and Restoration (for
the next 6 months). Those 6 months ended in May 2011. I feel now that the Holy Spirit has now told
me to Gain Wisdom for the next 3 months. So, that’s what I’m going to do! I’m going to cultivate
and develop my faith and gain wisdom. This includes me going back and listening to the
Healing Scriptures CD that we created earlier this year. (Heather)

"Bible old is much older than most of us think it is. It’s older than medical science says it is. [Statistics say]
the average life expectancy has increased to 77.8 years. [w]e might conclude that 78 qualifies as old in our
generation. Many Christians believe even the Bible backs up that idea. But are they right?” (Gloria Copeland)
✦ Okay, so I used to think that too. But you know what? That’s not true. But WE have to start thinking
differently and not listening to the world. We need to actually believe what the Bible says, and It says
we’re supposed to be here way longer than 78 years! (Heather)

“The devil [has] worked overtime to convince believers that when they celebrate their 70 or 80 birthday, they
should start preparing to check out of earth and into heaven. But he has had to twist the Scriptures to sell us
that deceptive bill of good, because nowhere in the Bible do we find the average life span of God’s obedient
people to be a mere 7 or 8 decades.” (Gloria Copeland)
✦ The devil is sneaky and a liar. He doesn’t want us here and he doesn’t want us to know what the
Bible says. We, as believers, are no longer under the curse, but rather we are under the Blessing.
(Heather)

"We, as believers, [have]… found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8), and we have been forgiven
and cleansed of sin by our faith in the blood of Jesus. We have an ark – a covenant with God – through His
Word, that will protect us from suffering the effects of sin that are coming on the world.” (Gloria Copeland)
✦ So now, we have to ask ourselves this question: what do we need to do obtain this protection and
have a long life? (Heather)

"…for us to enjoy that protection and the long life that comes with it, we must build our ark by faith in
God’s promises and stay there by obeying His Word. We’re not going to live long just because we’re born
again… But to receive the full benefits of our salvation, we must walk with the Lord and obey His
commandments.” (Gloria Copeland)
✦ And that is what I want. I want His protection and long life. (Heather)

"Feed on the Word of God until that’s the biggest thing in your life. Put God first and love Him with all your
heart, soul, and might.” (Gloria Copeland)
✦ You know I have to admit that I was not in the Word like I should have been. But after that diagnosis
I received last May 2010 of 1 year to live, I got in the Word and starting listening to the
healing Scriptures. Now, I need to increase this and step up to the next level and increase in
wisdom. (Heather)

“Some claim death is natural. They say it’s just a part of God’s good creation and we should embrace it.
But the Bible… tells us that death was not a part of God’s original design.” (Gloria Copeland)
✦ So what about all the church people and believers that have told us that when we get 70 or 80 that
it is ‘time to go home’? Ugh, we just need to read what the Bible says! (Heather)

"Through [Jesus’] life, death, and resurrection, He defeated Satan and paid the price for the sin of all
humankind. Through Jesus, God has set every believer back into the garden of His goodness. He has
made available to us exceedingly great and precious promises that are divinely designed to help us escape
the corruption that is in the world through sin (2 Peter 1:4). Many of those promises offer us long, strong,
and blessed lives.” (Gloria Copeland)
✦ In tomorrow’s blog post, we will look at some of the Scriptures that show this promise of a long
and strong life while here on earth. (Heather)

Now, let’s take a look at the first chapter of Proverbs:

Proverbs 1
New King James Version (NKJV)

The Beginning of Knowledge
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

       2 To know wisdom and instruction,
      To perceive the words of understanding,

       3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
      Justice, judgment, and equity;

       4 To give prudence to the simple,
      To the young man knowledge and discretion—

       5 A wise man will hear and increase learning,
      And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

       6 To understand a proverb and an enigma,
      The words of the wise and their riddles.

       7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
      But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Shun Evil Counsel
    8 My son, hear the instruction of your father,
      And do not forsake the law of your mother;

       9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
      And chains about your neck.

       10 My son, if sinners entice you,
      Do not consent.

       11 If they say, “Come with us,
      Let us lie in wait to shed blood;
      Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

       12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,
      And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;

       13 We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,
      We shall fill our houses with spoil;

       14 Cast in your lot among us,
      Let us all have one purse”—

       15 My son, do not walk in the way with them,
      Keep your foot from their path;

       16 For their feet run to evil,
      And they make haste to shed blood.

       17 Surely, in vain the net is spread
      In the sight of any bird;

       18 But they lie in wait for their own blood,
      They lurk secretly for their own lives.

       19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
      It takes away the life of its owners.

The Call of Wisdom
    20 Wisdom calls aloud outside;
      She raises her voice in the open squares.

       21 She cries out in the chief concourses,
      At the openings of the gates in the city
      She speaks her words:

       22 “ How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
      For scorners delight in their scorning,
      And fools hate knowledge.

       23 Turn at my rebuke;
      Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
      I will make my words known to you.

       24 Because I have called and you refused,
      I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

       25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
      And would have none of my rebuke,

       26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
      I will mock when your terror comes,

       27 When your terror comes like a storm,
      And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
      When distress and anguish come upon you.

       28 “ Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
      They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

       29 Because they hated knowledge
      And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

       30 They would have none of my counsel
      And despised my every rebuke.

       31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
      And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

       32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
      And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

       33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
      And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

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Exactly what is involved in dwelling and abiding in God?

5/9/2011

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"The Bible says if we keep God's commandments in our hearts and obey them, we'll have:

► 'length of days and years of a life [worth living] and tranquility [inward and outward and continuing through old age till death]' (Proverbs 3:2 AMP).

Some Christians haven't experienced that kind of inward and outward tranquillity, so they don't want to l
ive a long time. They're not happy. Things aren't going well for them. Their lives are riddled with misery.

But those folks are missing out on God's plan. His plan includes many years of a life WORTH LIVING.
He has a divine design for us that will give us not just quantity of life but QUALITY of life while we are
on the earth.

► He wants our lives to be satisfying (Psalm 91:16).

Psalm 91 says that's the kind of life God desires for us. It also tells us that to have that kind of life, we
must dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty (verse 1).

Exactly what is involved in dwelling and abiding in God?

To abide in God means we stay attached to Him. We take up residence in Him and in His Word. We're not
living for God one day and living for the devil the next. We live for God every day. When we do sin or
stumble out of His will, we repent and get right back on the path of righteousness.

God can do great things for an abider. He can work wonders for the person will stick with Him, as Job did
in good times and bad. That kind of person opens the door for God to fulfill the promise in:

► Psalm 91:14: 'Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness - trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no never]' (AMP).

Those verses reveal another key to abiding in the secret place of the Most High. They tell us that the
abider has FAITH in God and His Word. He is NOT stressed out in fear and worry about what the future
will bring. He is NOT focusing on what the devil happens to be saying at the moment, or what the economy
is doing, or what the doctor's report contains. He is TRUSTING God's promises. He is praying in FAITH
and calling on the Lord with CONFIDENCE.

God leaves no doubt about how He will respond to that kind person. He says:

► 'I WILL answer him; I WILL be with him in trouble, I WILL deliver him and honour him. With LONG LIFE will I satisfy him and show him my salvation' (verses 15-16 AMP)."

Gloria Copeland, 'Live Long, Finish Strong', KCM

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Exactly what is involved in dwelling and abiding in God?

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