Listen -  everything that goes into you must eventually go out of you -  food, water, air: this must be done in order to survive.  This is a Kingdom principle: we must be continually giving. We must make a practice of giving away whatever God gives us -  

"FREELY YOU HAVE RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE"

This is how Love works:  Love never takes without thinking-  who can i bless with this? And I'm not just referring to money or material possessions.  We "Christians" have no problem receiving God's love and forgiveness,  grace and mercy,  but do we give these away, to those who don't deserve them? We enjoy the fruit of God's Spirit-  Joy, peace, longsuffering,  gentleness  -  but do we give these to others we meet along Life's highway?

In Satan's kingdom,  they take what they can, as much as they can, for themselves.  Their lives are focused on themselves.  They may give to a charity or two, but it's usually done publicly so others can see how good they are -  and they never give sacrificially.  

In Christ's  kingdom-  the more you give away on earth, the more treasure you lay up in heaven. Indeed, to save your life you must give it away -  all of it - 

"HE THAT FINDS HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT; AND HE THAT LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT"

 "Suffer little children,  and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Children who grow up as God intends -  in a home full of the love of a father and a mother - grow up free from worry. They don't worry about their next meal. They give no thought to what they will wear. They don't concern themselves with whether or not they'll have a safe place to lay their head -  or a warm bed to lie down in. Why? Because from the moment they were born, and every moment since - they've known love -  a parent's love. Love has cared deeply for them. Love has met each and every need -  so why do we as adults, ever worry or fret? Or fear? My God shall supply all your needs! Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you will put on. For your heavenly  Father knows that you have need of all these things." 

This is why God demands that we love and care for widows and orphans. So the orphans will know  (just after being born) who their real father is - and the widows will know (just before they die) who their husband is. God's love leaves no one unloved.

 Being "dead" doesn't mean you don't feel. It doesn't mean you become numb or impervious to pain. You still feel deeply, both pain and pleasure,  highs and lows. Being "dead in Christ" means those feelings do not affect the "Joy of your Salvation" -  they do not move you away from Christ  - or closer to Him! It means your salvation and calling are assured no matter your circumstance.  It means you've become Christ-centered,  not self-centered.  Being "dead with Christ" means you re alive! More alive than you could possibly be without Him -  

                      "If we be dead with Christ,  we believe that we shall also live with Him"  -  we are dead and alive simultaneously! Rejection,  hate, flattery, any pain being in this fallen world causes us - we feel it all, deeply -  just like Jesus, but like Him, we do not let it alter the path our Father has us walking,  no matter how many turn against us,  hate us or try to kill us. "Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My name's sake,  said "Let the Lord be glorified" (by their hatred and rejection of you) "but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed ". "Behold, i will make them of THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN,  which say they are Jews (or Christians), and are not, but do lie; behold I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you". 

Those that hate you and declare you unfit for God's love -  will be abased while Jesus himself exalts you before their very eyes. Being dead means you do not let a root of bitterness spring up, rather you grow a "root of betterness": you become a better person through every trial, every tribulation you endure.  Persecution = better person, Amen! Trials water the fruit of the Spirit with your tears and make the fruit taste even sweeter! 

 I'd like to pause a moment to reflect on part of President Trump's inauguration speech given January 20th, 2017, because some things are worth remembering.  I believe he represented a new breed of leadership,  of a kind sorely needed in our nation's churches. Listen, and I quote - 

"TODAY WE ARE NOT MERELY TRANSFERRING POWER FROM ONE ADMINISTRATION TO ANOTHER, OR FROM ONE PARTY TO ANOTHER, BUT WE ARE TRANSFERRING POWER FROM WASHINGTON D.C. AND GIVING IT BACK TO YOU THE PEOPLE.  FOR TOO LONG, A SMALL GROUP IN OUR NATION'S  CAPITAL HAS REAPED THE REWARDS OF GOVERNMENT WHILE THE PEOPLE HAVE BORNE THE COST. THEIR VICTORIES HAVE NOT BEEN YOUR VICTORIES; THEIR TRIUMPHS HAVE NOT BEEN YOUR TRIUMPHS; AND WHILE THEY CELEBRATED IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL, THERE WAS LITTLE TO CELEBRATE FOR STRUGGLING FAMILIES ALL ACROSS OUR LAND. THAT ALL CHANGES STARTING RIGHT HERE, AND RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THIS MOMENT IS YOUR MOMENT -  IT BELONGS TO YOU! IT BELONGS TO EVERYONE GATHERED HERE TODAY AND EVERYONE WATCHING ALL ACROSS AMERICA.  THISVIS YOUR DAY. THIS IS YOUR CELEBRATION.  AND THIS, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,  IS YOUR COUNTRY. "

Hallelujah! I thank God for President Trump, spearheading a move of God, to raise up a new breed of leadership who are true servants of the people -  not lording it over them! I thank God for leadership that doesn't let position,  power, titles or authority go to their heads, that are not self-serving at all -  who will lay down their very lives on behalf of others.

Just remember you misfits, you outcasts, you shunned and rejected ones -  when YOU become the "in" crowd", do not turn around and treat people the way you used to be treated.  

Also, remember  -  "Consecration before Continuation" 

"

 Another reason to earnestly desire to hear God's voice is that Satan tries to mimic God's voice-  he wants us to believe it is God speaking to us, when it's really Satan. Remember  -  Satan cannot bear good fruit, so what is the fruit of that spiritual voice you're hearing? Do you feel condemnation? The information may be accurate-  but is it producing death to your spirit or life? When Satan tempted Jesus,  the scripture he quoted to him was accurate, but if Jesus had obeyed him, it would have brought death to him -  cutting him off from the destiny prepared for him by his Father.  

Do you feel  guilty or ashamed when that voice talks to you? This isn't how God deals with you. He doesn't respond to sin in your life like this. Our sorrow over our sin is godly when it leads us to repent and renounce our sinful lusts and desires  -  this leads us to the salvation of our souls, which leads us to life. 

"The sorrow of the world works death" because they only sorrow over the results of their sins i.e. the death it brings. They are sorry when their sin is exposed  but continue to embrace it in the secret chambers of their hearts. Satan's voice will also flatter us and try to get us puffed up with pride, especially after victories or seasons of success  in our walk with God.  The Apostles struggled with this, some wanting to lord it over the others.  The Holy Spirit will always keep us humble. He will comfort and encourage us -  but not by promoting pride in US but rather in our Lord Jesus, our Christ.  

"For we dare not make ourselves of the number,  or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves,  and comparing themselves among themselves,  are not wise. " "But he that glorieth,  let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved,  but whom the Lord commendeth". 

Satan prompts us to promote ourselves.  He wants us to engage in self-promotion,  judging our success by comparing ourselves with one another (usually those we think are successful are those drawing the biggest crowds -  this has nothing to do with success in God's eyes. We may never know of some of the most successful saints to ever walk the earth till we get to Heaven). 

Remember  -  "promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge; he puts down one, and sets up another " ( how interesting! It comes from "the sides of the North", Where God dwells! Hallelujah!)

Some of the poorest, most down trodden ones, foolish in the eyes of the world (and by many in the "churches") will be highly exalted by God in eternity.  What did they do? They loved in his name. They suffered forvhis name. They died for his name's sake, of whom the world was not worthy. Let us, with Paul, live in this manner - "neither count i my life dear unto myself,  so that i might finish my course with joy, and the ministry,  which i have received of the Lord Jesus"    -   all of us, called by God, have received a ministry from him and all of us -  have the ministry of "testifying of the gospel of the grace of God."  And we are all called to demonstrate the kingdom of Love to this wicked world,  so consumed with themselves.  By so doing we are to make the invisible God visible.  The world does good to show that they are good -  the source of good, the understanding of what is or isn't good, not our God. They are eating still from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  

Remember  -  Satan cannot bear the fruit of the Spirit (neither can he stand it). If the voice you are hearing is at all "loving, joyful,  peaceful,  gentle,  good and full of faith -  if it is meek and full of humility and encourages you to habitual moderation or self-restraint,  it probably isn't Satan or one of his own speaking to you.