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Category Archives: The Bible
Daniel the Great
01 Monday Nov 2021
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“The King said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, are you able to make known to me the dreams which I have seen and the interpretation of it? Daniel answered the King, The [ mysterious] secret which the King has demanded neither the wise men, enchanters, magicians nor astrologers can show the king;
But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what it is that shall be in the latter days (at the end of days). The dream and the visions in your head upon your are bed are these: ……. ”
Daniel 2:27 – 28 AMP
In the 6th Century BC during the Babylonian reign of King Nebuchadnezzar, lived a youth born into Jewish nobility whose name was Daniel. The King had asked the head eunuch to bring to his court youths from Israel that were “without blemish, well-favored in appearance, and skillful in wisdom, discernment and understanding, apt in learning, knowledge, competent to stand and serve in the king’s palace – and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans” Daniel 1:3-4 It was the King’s intention to train these children up in the way of his own culture and for them to serve in his kingdom court. Daniel was in this group of Jewish youths that had been taken from all that they knew – loved ones, temple, rabbis, friends – and brought to a nation with a completely different set of rules, laws, gods and cultural way of life. It is in this context that we must study just how remarkable Daniel truly was-
Upon their arrival, the king set out out to change the palates of the young Jewish boys by serving them his “dainties” or rich foods and wine. Daniel wisely requested of the king’s eunuchs that he and his friends might not defile themselves (Dan. 1:8), but that instead might be allowed to consume a diet of vegetables and water. The eunuch consented but placed a restriction of 10 days on the request. After the 10 days, the young men were noticeably looking better and “had taken on more flesh” ( had gained weight). God rewarded their obedience to his laws by “giving them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all kinds of visions and dreams.”
“And in all matters of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king asked them, he found them ten times better than all the learned magicians and enchanters who were in his whole realm.” Daniel 1:20 AMP
One night King Neb (who was given to violent rants and raging ) had an unsettling dream. He called in all of his wise men; the enchanters, sorcerers, diviners to come to the palace to interpret his dream. If they were unsuccessful in the interpretation – then all of them would be killed and their homes would be covered in camel-poo; a “dunghill”.
Daniel, after speaking to the king’s guard to gain understanding, then went to the king to ask to be allowed to be given more time to hear from God. “Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of Heaven“. Daniel 2:19 Daniel then gave God all praise and worshipped Him for answering the request of the king in the interpretation of his dream. He gave an accurate interpretation to the king, thus saving his friends and the wise men from certain destruction. The dream occurred in the 2nd year of King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign when Daniel would still be considered a youth having only been in Babylon one full year.
Throughout the life of Daniel, there were a number of well known biblical accounts of hardship, persecution, and near-death experiences. God would continuously move to save Daniel, his friends; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and at least in the beginning, other wise men in the inner court of the king. Well into his 80’s, Daniel remained true and his convictions steadfast to his God. There probably was not a Jewish temple in Babylon. Daniel & Friends worshipped God and not the idols of that day. How did Daniel maintain this spirit of excellence in the matters of the spiritual without consistent formalized training and the support of teachers and rabbi’s in his surroundings ? The only answers that I can derive from reading the book of Daniel is his strong, intimate relationship with God through a discipline of prayer and remaining in close fellowship with friends and fellow Jewish believers.
From quite an early young age, Daniel must have been introduced to the stories of his forefathers; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and the great history of the people of Israel. Even as a youth, Daniel’s knowledge of God’s laws and commands were on display as he was decisive in matters of diet, maintaining a consistent discipline of daily prayer, honoring those in authority and possessing overall a spirit of wisdom and discernment in many matters. His childhood exposure to prayer would unveil living proof that the Great God of Israel would hear and respond if he released his needs and desires to heaven. Although the scriptures chose not to pull back the curtain on Daniel’s earliest upbringing, we can be confident that he was brought up in a culture that deeply esteemed and revered the One True God of Israel.
It is important to note that the Holy Spirit did not dwell within Daniel. He (Holy Spirit) was not released until after the resurrection of Jesus, hundreds of years later. (see Acts 2:1) In fact, Holy Spirit did not dwell within Abraham, Sarah, Esther, Ruth, King David, Joseph, Isaiah nor any other Jewish Old Testament Hero. The scriptures state that God was with Abraham, David, and Joseph but His Spirit did not reside within them. Old Testament heroes did not have the advantage of the Spirit’s power and might to help them accomplish the will of God as the redeemed do today.
Hundreds of years later, the beloved Spirit’s power flowed effortlessly through Jesus and his disciples in frequent displays of healing that were demonstrated across entire regions, displaying God’s heart and the depth of His concern for the oppressed. This is the same Spirit-power that raised Jesus from the dead, Who would heal the sick and the infirmed, and deliver the mentally ill and the addicted. Healing, which is typically associated with Jesus, is documented in the Old Testament, occurring in specific, infrequent circumstances and by God’s direction. The first mention of prayer occurred when Abraham was directed to pray for Abimelech and the wombs of the women in his household were healed. Genesis 20:17 ( https://sacredramblings.com/2015/12/05/prayer-and-the-law-of-first-mention ) It is interesting that God never directed Daniel to pray to heal Nebuchadnezzar in the 7 years he turned the king into a yard animal. Daniel 4:25-25
Now more than perhaps ever, it is the disciplined, excellent spirit displayed by Daniel that is required to impact our broken and failing world. It is time to stand and to wisely lead in our marketplace, in our families, and in our communities and our governments as servants of hope and agents of God. We must not only be know-ers of His word but unconfused, confident doers. Daniel was uniquely gifted by God to be His prophet for that season. It is doubtful that Daniel asked God for foretelling of futures or the ability to interpret dreams – that is why it was a gift – but it was the obedient, strategic utilization of these gifts that carried Daniel to greatness. It is the knowledge and use of your own gifts that will carry you to yours.
Sacred Ramblings
Daniel the Great
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To my Readers:
I have been “rambling” on Sacred Ramblings for 10 years because I believe that the Holy Spirit reveals insights and knowledge that the Lord would like to be made known. In researching these posts, I do not refer to commentaries but depend solely on the bible and Holy Spirit. ( I am also a TBN-aholic as well as an avid reader). This blog is utilized as a simple platform to release my work as a labor of love and expression of my thoughts on scripture, my favorite topics being the work of Jesus and emotional healing. There are many articles in my archives that stand alone and I encourage you to find ones under your topic of choice and read what the Lord has given me.
Please know these posts are never edited by anyone so at times I understand may appear abit rough as many take10-12 hours to write. It has always been my hope that the readers of Sacred Ramblings will have takeaways that provide important insights on a given topic that would be of assistance in their daily walk. ( Writing is also therapeutic and beats working in a garden.)
And finally, WordPress has changed the editing to a frustrating block format that has made inserting photo images, quotes and other visual aids much more difficult. I hope to master this change at some point in my lifespan but at this time, can make no guarantees. It is my hope that the content, on its own merit, carries each post.
I am honored that you read my Sacred Ramblings –
Thank you,
Tracy Gatewood
The Sacred Rambler
The Urgency of Faith
12 Monday Jul 2021
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” So faith comes by hearing (what is told) and what is heard comes by the preaching (of the message that came from the lips) of Christ the Messiah Himself.” Romans 10:17 AMP
“But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”. Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Romans 10:17 NKJV
Recently (like very ……… this morning in fact) I heard a respected evangelist state that the ONLY way someone can have faith is through hearing the Word of God. This means that a person cannot have faith for anything unless they can attach a person (Jesus), or a scripture verse to their circumstance. I found this comment to be very interesting.
Faith is a very powerful force for without it, we cannot please God, in fact it is impossible. (Hebrews 11:6 ) Because we are living in such challenging, even urgent times, most all of us need to have an All Access Pass to Faith.
Well what is faith ? I use this definition from the Amplified: The leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, Wisdom and goodness. The assurance, confirmation and title deed that are possessed when we trust Him.
So what do the unchurched have in their emotional arsenal since they cannot possess true faith ? They have HOPE. Hope is a confident expectation of good in every situation. Hope is a great thing to possess. Actually I believe that Hope is probably second only to faith however hope is based in emotion which is tied to the Soul. (Mind, Will, and the Emotions) Although very useful, being hopeful can still be like being ‘positive’ . No One paid a price for your Hope but a BIG price was paid for your Faith. Faith is tied to the Spirit. Hope Helps but Faith Wins.
Faith is actually anchored into someone real – JESUS. One can actually bolt themselves onto the knowledge that they are God’s Beloved and He is working behind the scenes to bring all circumstances to good for those that love Him and that are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28 ) (News Flash: We are all called according to His purposes if we have accepted His Son as Savior).
The understanding that the only way to obtain true faith is through hearing the Word of God should expose renewed urgency to the cause of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As if it were not already urgent enough, for people to actually mentally survive natural disasters, losing homes, deaths of loved ones to Covid or other maladies, and economic misfortunes – the only way to survive these extreme challenges is to rest in an unwavering faith, secured by the most powerful substance available and that is the Blood of Jesus.
To gain understanding of the payment made with the Blood of Jesus is to realize the level of sacrifice directed by God the Father to the only One that could make the exchange for our sin to save me and you. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, a virgin. (Luke 1:26-38) This allowed for a bypass of the blood line of Adam, which was a bloodline of sin. Jesus’ bloodline was required for Him to be without any sin – He had to be perfect. This was the only way that He could qualify to be the once and forever sacrifice to God on behalf of you and for me.
Jesus accepted this assignment while in Heaven from the beginning of time. He was not murdered, He laid down His life. He was/ is omniscient (all knowing) and knew exactly what would happen to Him. This is just one of the many, many reasons that we worship and exalt the name of Jesus. He is Lord and Savior of all and He earned the office of Christ – the Anointed One. This is why He was called Christ Jesus after the Resurrection, when He officially ascended into the office.
1 In many separate revelations [[a]each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets,
2 [But] in [b]the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order].
3 He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the [c]out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God’s] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high,
4 [Taking a place and rank by which] He Himself became as much superior to angels as the glorious Name (title) which He has inherited is different from and more excellent than theirs.” Hebrews 1:1-4
Faith is a gift reserved for those in relationship with the Almighty. Let us remain acutely aware that the sharing of our faith in Jesus is the only conduit by which the people that do not know Him, may access the sustained promises of the Divine.
Tracy Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings
All Rights Reserved 2021
Sharing Link: The Urgency of Faith – https://wp.me/p1zoxs-2Vy
Anchor Podcast Audio Link: https://anchor.fm/sacred-ramblings/episodes/The-Urgency-of-Faith-e1ce6je
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Author: Doorways of Grace: My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus
The Spirit of Truth
07 Sunday Feb 2021
John 14:17 AMP
“ The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you constantly and will be in you.”
In the Church today, there seems to be some confusion surrounding the role of the third person of the Trinity. Holy Spirit is not the Holy Beater, nor is He the Holy Chastiser – He is the Spirit of Jesus, Who raised Christ Jesus from the dead and Whom was released at Pentecost 50 days following the resurrection. In Acts, The Apostle Peter explains the how behind The Who:
Acts 2:38 – 39 AMP
“And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise (of the Holy Spirit) is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away, (even) to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself.”
The word ‘repent’ in Greek is described as Metanoia: to change course or direction. It does not suggest condemnation nor guilt which many modern churches teach. Jesus paid for guilt on the cross – Isaiah 53:5 ” ….. for He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities”. The Spirit of Jesus is a GIFT that is freely imparted through the acceptance of Christ. The Holy Spirit points us to answers held within Jesus. Jesus did not come to earth to condemn or judge, but only to save the lost. The reason people go to hell is not because of personal sin – Jesus has forgiven each of us. (1 John 2:1-2) People are condemned to hell because they do not accept Jesus as their payment for a sin debt they can never pay nor do they accept Him as their Lord and Savior.
John 15:26 AMP
“But when the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, Whom I send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth Who comes (proceeds) from the Father, He (Himself) will testify regarding Me.”
There is a True North, or a “true Truth” that has been established on the earth by God the Father. This “True North” is available to all that hear the voice of the Shepherd and that will read God’s Word. The absolute truth of God’s laws and principles slice through clutter and confusion, clarifying difficult topics with application to all things past, present and future. God, in His mercy, also dispatches The Gift of His Spirit with periodic customized messages direct to our own spirit that bring clarity and truth to challenging circumstances, shining a light on the way forward. There is a reason that Jesus said that we should be glad that He was going away because something better was coming. The Cavalry has now truly come but you must get to know Him, spend time with Him and cultivate His presence.
So what is Truth ? Recently I had a discussion with someone that presented a narrative on circumstances of which I had observed at close range. What was true in his mind was 180 degrees from how I viewed the exact set of circumstances. He had crafted his own truth-narrative to cover for failures that he would not own. (We are all capable of espousing creative narratives to protect our egos and reputations.) To him, the facts he stated were unequivocally true – to me they were a ridiculous lie. It was pointless to challenge his story as it would only end in an argument and nothing I said would change his mind. I decided to pray that the Spirit of Truth would take care of the matter.
Another word for Truth is also “reality” – the Holy Spirit can be considered the Spirit of Reality, God’s kingdom reality – which is the only truth that matters. There is also a term called ‘universal truth’ which means what it says that a particular truth would be universally accepted by most people or a category of people (We’ll use Christians). For example: It is universally understood and accepted by all Christians that Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit, therefore bypassing the Adamic line of sin. Although we cannot ask Mary how this happened and discern for ourselves through first person testimony, we believe the Word of God and accept the account as being true. In the above illustration regarding the opposing narratives, there is no universal truth to which to refer and it comes down to character and perception. Fortunately, with the Spirit of Truth, we can always depend on the excellence of God’s character and His nature and trust that He is only delivering to us His “true Truth”.
John 16:13 AMP
But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole truth, the full Truth). For he will not speak His own message (on His own authority); but He will tell whatever He hears (from the Father; He will give the message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears (from the Father) and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come (this will happen in the future). He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take care of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (disclose, transmit) it to you.
Pray for a strengthening of your personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to make Himself known and shown to you. Honor the Spirit and acknowledge Him when He confirms or discloses (transmits Spirit to spirit) information from God to you. He is doing it for your betterment and to glorify the work of Jesus. He truly is a Gift from the Father and paid for with the Blood of the Son.
For further study: The Spirit of Truth | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org
Tracy Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings
Prayer University
Session #14
Sharing Link: https://wp.me/p1zoxs-2SM
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Jesus, Prayer and the Law of First Mention
14 Saturday Nov 2020
As we continue our study of Jesus, the Master Teacher of Prayer we will look at Jesus as our Healer (Jehovah Rapha) and how He was intentional with His earthly ministry to fulfill the Law of First Mention for the word Pray. In the 4 Gospels, 28 of 37 miracles that Jesus performed pertained to healing, deliverance, or raising from the dead. This affirms the emphasis and importance that Jesus placed on freeing people from the bondages of disease, infirmities and conditions impacting the body and the mind (mental illness and the story of the demoniac).
In the book of Genesis, immediately following the account of the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorroh, the scripture details the story of Abraham’s journey toward the South country, where he briefly settled in the land of Gerar. There he and Sarah met the King of Gerar; Abimelech. Abraham told Abimelech that Sarah his wife was in fact his sister so as not be killed by the king. Abimelech took Sarah to be his concubine but was awakened in a dream by God who revealed to him that Sarah was actually Abraham’s wife. (Genesis 20:6) The next morning, Abimelech called his servants together to tell them and they were immediately filled with fear. He then held a firm discussion with Abraham about putting his life at risk. And Abraham responded through prayer –
Genesis 20:17-18
“So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his female slaves, and they bore children, For the Lord had closed fast the wombs of all in Abimelech’s household because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife“
The account of Abraham praying for Abimelech is the first use or mention of the word ‘pray’ or ‘prayed’ in scripture. Abraham’s prayer resulted in a heal-a-thon within the King’s household and interestingly also a grace for conception for Sarah as she became pregnant with Isaac.
When the Law of First Mention (https://www.gotquestions.org/law-of-first-mention.html ) is utilized it points to prayer as a means of healing or deliverance. The Law of First Mention should probably be referred to as a principle rather than a law. This principle dictates that the first use of a word in scripture contains its purest meaning or form. The Hebrew word for healing is Sozo. This is a word rich with additional meanings: save, preserve, protect, deliver, be well, be made whole. Therefore the purest form of the act of prayer or to pray is to heal, save, protect, preserve, or restore. Clearly God was saving, healing, preserving, and protecting all of Abimelech’s household through Abraham’s prayer. To pray is to engage the Creator of the Universe into our circumstances through praise, worship and petitions. When we pray, we actively engage God, Jesus and Holy Spirit to execute their will on the earth. Here is an insightful article on the meaning of prayer: https://www.ministrysamples.org/excerpts/THE-MEANING-OF-PRAYER.HTML
As personal testimony to the healing powers and authority given to us, I have been healed by Jesus through prayer on 3 notable occasions; twice through my own prayer and once through the prayer of an astute intercessor. I have also experienced healing by Jesus through my own prayer in a number of lesser “heals” when illness tried to creep in but instead received a well-deserved rebuke. Sickness has no legal right to me. I am a Child of God and purchased by the blood of Jesus and hopefully so are you – (If in this current Covid climate, some well-meaning person gives you a hearty “Be safe!” respond with “Fear not – for God is with you / or ” I fear not, for God is with me.” This will get their attention. )
The kind Intercessor that received knowledge of a condition in my neck discs for which I had struggled for years, had no prior information of this condition. She simply yielded to God as He revealed to her the nature of my nagging structural issue. That evening, following the prayer, I felt no change in my discomfort level however I awoke the next day to a pain -free neck with a renewed range of motion. To this day, and 14 years later, I am pain free.
My other two conditions healed by Jesus through my prayer involved the straightening of an misaligned hip that was developing arthritis and the permanent expulsion of a virus causing tinnitus, vertigo and severe headaches, making me sick enough that I had difficulty working. The latter deliverance occurred in 2009 in dramatic fashion after I prayed a Derek Prince prayer for the release of a curse. Immediately I began to feel adjustments being made to my inner ear supernaturally – cracking and popping sounds all included in the healing show. The Divine Surgeon left as quickly as He came and from that day forward my head and ear have been healed. [ Derek Prince: Prayer for Release: https://youtu.be/Wdy2oAQ0aOI ]
The Gospels tell us about Jesus launching out day after day to heal, teach, deliver and save. All of the depicted miracle and deliverance methods illustrate healing through prayer or simply a firm directive to a spirit to come out. Healing also occurred when Jesus acknowledged an individuals display of extreme faith. There was rarely discussion – nothing about genetic dispositions, what parents died from, etc – it was always the same, a prayer, or a word and a healing result (and once alittle added mud with spit – ).
Our Jesus is a Healing Machine.
The practice of healing for those that pray and intercede for others must become more normalized throughout our culture. In many cases, we carry the solution to the physical and mental issues that plague millions of people. Christ Jesus our Commander and Chief Intercessor has paid the ultimate sacrifice to provide a pathway for our own healing and the healing of others. The lashes that He took on His body laid claim to His promise of divine health. By His stripes We ARE healed and we must pray like it –
Prayer University
Session #10
Tracy Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings
All Rights Reserved
I would like to add to this post my daily regime against Covid –
Pray aloud Psalm 91
https://sacredramblings.com/2017/05/29/psalm-91-amp/
Pray aloud the Armor of God
https://wordpress.com/posts/sacredramblings.com?s=The+Armor+of+God+
Receive the Holy Communion 3-4 times per week.
Jesus the Unlikely King
19 Monday Oct 2020
Posted in Christianity, faith, God the Father, Gospel of Grace, How to find Peace ?, Jerusalem, Jesus Christ, Jesus, Blood of Jesus, New Covenant, redemption, Jew, Jewish, Leadership, Mercy, Nation, Prayer, Prayer University, Prophets, redemption, righteousness, Salvation, The Bible, Tracy Gatewood Prayer, Transformational Leadership, Wisdom
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As we continue our study of Jesus in Prayer University it is important to understand this time of history, and factors that were influencing the culture and decisions of the day.
During the time of Jesus’ life, the Jewish people were looking for their Messiah, the saviour of their people, that would liberate from the grip of the cruel Roman empire and its Kings. This Messiah was frequently referenced in the Torah and spoken of by the Prophet Moses and the Prophet Isaiah. The Jewish Messiah was to be the One to save the nation of Israel and establish it in its rightful position in the world – restoring Israel to its former glory and prominence as in the days of King David and King Solomon. The Messiah would come from the line of King David.
Then there was the issue of the Jewish Law. Chief Priests and temple priests were experts and masters of the Rabbinical Law and were held in high esteem. The attributes of this law abiding Messiah for which the Jews were seeking was reinforced by the temple priests and their teachings. There were 613 laws required for adherence to proper Judaism – laws that pertained to most every aspect of life. We are all familiar with the “Big 10” but there were 603 lesser known laws of the day. These laws were burdensome and oppressive, making Jewish life unnecessarily challenging. Jesus came to fulfill the Law.
Jesus had grown up in Nazareth in a quiet, unassuming family, the son of a carpenter. At the age of 30 when Jesus was actively inviting men to become His disciples, He met and encouraged Phillip to “Come and see”. Philip then asked Nathanael to meet his friend Jesus who was from Nazareth. Nathanael stated, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth ?” (John 1:46) Jesus was seemingly a Man of no name from no where – certainly not a mighty political or military force or even perceived religious leader possessing qualities required to lead the nation of Israel out of bondage. Yet Jesus was the most powerful Man on the earth and no leader knew Him.
Jesus migrated quietly from city to city, “conquering” these cities through healing, delivering, prayer and teaching. He primarily taught through parables or stories illustrating truthful and righteous principles that He desired people to understand. As the Son of God, Jesus was a King and represented a powerful Kingdom. On earth, He had no authority to legislate or impose rules or laws. If people were instructed by law that they could not heal on a Sabbath day, the only way He could communicate that it was the Lord’s will was through demonstration, thereby raising the ire of the Rabbinic priests.
For 3 years, The Teacher taught openly in the temples, to large masses of people in the countryside, one on one to those in need and to the 12 disciples so they could spread His Good News. The only aggression was what emanated from city leaders that resisted His teachings. His disciples were flogged, beaten and imprisoned. Following Jesus’s crucifixion, they were all individually put to death, except John the Revelator, who was exiled to the Island of Patmos. There was no violence recorded for which they were involved with the exception of Peter slicing off the High Priest servant’s ear but Jesus’ immediately restored Malchus and rebuked Peter.
Jesus’ esteem and influence grew and grew as He taught the principles that God the Father instructed Him that would reveal His true heart. Without one military strategy or tactic or any political maneuvers – Jesus and the 12 humbly and without fanfare, walked, taught and saved thousands in their surrounding region, sparking a spiritual revolution that began a new way to consider God – a way that showed Him as a loving, caring Father, merciful and full of grace for His people.
Jesus’ lowly entrance on a donkey into Jerusalem must have confounded and enraged the priests even more as they heard the citizens yelling, “Hosanna ! Hosanna!” Hosanna means “Save us, Rescue Us, Deliver Us! “. Surely this could not be the Messiah that they have been waiting for, for centuries – coming in on a donkey ? What kind of liberator of a nation arrives to save on a donkey? And He is calling Himself the Son of God – how does He know to respond I AM ? This is heresy. We MUST get rid of Him – this is what the priests had to have been thinking.
And we surely know the rest of the story. Pontius Pilate gave the people a choice between Jesus and Barabbas and the priests were wildly yelling for Jesus to die. Pilate had Jesus severely flogged first, thinking that this would assuage the thirst for His death but it did not. What they could not know was that this was the plan from the beginning of time, and part of the final assignment. After Jesus was hung on the cross, He dismissed His own Spirit and announced to the world; “Tetelestai!” All is accomplished! The temple curtain tore from top to bottom signifying no more separation between God and man. And then they knew.
Christ Jesus, the true Messiah, as prophesied, came from the line of David. His father Joseph, was a descendant of King David however Jesus’ true bloodline, was the blood of deity; the blood of God. Jesus came to earth to fulfill God’s plan to redeem His people back to Himself. He is still today seen through the eyes of those that want Him, those eyes and hearts that are opened by His Spirit – the Spirit of Truth. If you have not prayed to receive Jesus as your Messiah, and personal Lord and Saviour – You can do so today.
Lord Jesus, please forgive me for my sins. I repent and turn from my sins and with your help, I will overcome them. You exchanged my sins for Your righteousness, and paid a debt on my behalf to God that I could never pay. I acknowledge that You are the Son of God and I receive You now as my Lord and Saviour. Amen
Prayer University
Session #9
Sharing link: https://wp.me/p1zoxs-2ND
Tracy Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings
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Author: Doorways of Grace: My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus
The Weapon of Praise
21 Monday Sep 2020
Posted in America, Armor of God, Christianity, faith, Fear, God, Holy Spirit, Keys to the Kingdom, Leadership, Nation, peace, Prayer, righteousness, The Bible, Tracy Gatewood Prayer, Unity, Worship
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Driving home after a long day, my radio tuned to a worship music station, praise music saturated every inch of my vehicle’s interior. Despite the frustrations and strife of the day – the negative emotions clinging to my soul fell away, as a welcoming spirit of peace wafted through my mind, lifting up and away all the tensions of the day. This effortless transference of peace was sent special delivery from the courts of heaven. Peace is a gift bequeathed to us from Jesus, by Jesus Himself, as reward when we focus on Him.
II Chronicles 20:21-25 AMP “When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy (priestly) garments as they went out before the army, saying’Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever’!
And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were (self) slaughtered; For (suspecting betrayal) the men of Ammon and Moab rose against those of Mount Seir utterly destroying them. And when they had made an end of the men of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. And when Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked at the multitude, and behold they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none had escaped!
When Jehosophat and his people came to take the spoil, they found among them much cattle, goods, garments, and precious things which they look for themselves, much more than they could carry away, so much they were three days in gathering the spoil.
On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah. There they blessed the Lord. So the name of the place is still called the Valley of Beracah (blessing).
Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, Jehosophat leading them, to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
They came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets to the house of the Lord.
And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.”
I believe the Lord has provided a spiritual tactic designed to strategically dismantle dangerous mayhem. This is an interior piece of the puzzle given just to believers who are forced to confront a unified tsunami of opposing forces that incite strife, division and evil across the globe. The piece? The Weapon of Praise. A powerful tool that can be enacted outside of the four walls of the church, strategically positioned in external outposts at the forefront of the lines of battle.
In today’s society, the media is weaponized, some departments of our national intelligence community appear to be weaponized, and even certain members of the conservative movement are weaponized – but these are not spiritual weapons of warfare from heavenly places.
In II Chronicles, The Lord provides for us an example of ‘battle’ in spiritual places, instructing us to ‘battle’ with praise to Him then promising to deliver us from our enemies. Seems simple. So why aren’t we using it?
With the clashing of swords in this Hebrew year of 5777 (Authors Note: we are now in 5781, this post was written in 2017) , we are witnessing unprecedented levels of lawlessness and civil unrest, and not witnessed since the 1960’s. During the latter part of the Obama administration, the cities of Ferguson, Baltimore and Miami – were hosts to incendiary levels of rage and violence incapacitating city governments, in some instances, destroying the livelihoods of people that they purported to defend. Now the American people are clashing over its very history and heritage.
But what about praise? Jehosphat sent his worshippers praising God while walking ahead of these armies, each wearing priestly garments saying ‘Give thanks to the Lord for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!’ I have a theory – and as yet untested on a modern day battlefield; to release praise music in advance of or during demonstrations to disengage these spirits of violence. Like opening a fireman’s hose on a raging fire, the aggressive flames of emotional spirits of anger, hatred, aggression, murder and rage, could go silent.
I ponder why the impact of praise music would be any different within the atmosphere of my own vehicle than on any modern day battlefield. Imagine the impact of Hillsong, Chris Tomlin, Kari Jobe, Christy Nockels songs released prior to a demonstration or during the fray in the heat of the battle – singing the name of Jesus over and over and over again – above these protests. It is Jesus Christ Himself that has bequeathed us Peace. Would He not send us His Peace if we proactively sought it? Peace is a spirit. [ July 2017 The Spirit of Peace: http://wp.me/p1zoxs-24p ]
ll Timothy 1:7 AMP
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but (He has given us a spirit) of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
To effectively confront the societal enemies of our time we must come from a secret place of ‘power, and of love, and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control’. The songs of praise set us into another dimension – apart from fear, self righteousness, and our human tendency to dissect the what’s and how’s of every situation. Praising God is a declaration that He is trusted as our defender (Jehovah Nissi). Praise positions our minds for right instruction and divine strategy from Him in how to move ahead in these troubling and even dangerous environments.
Could Jehosophat have understood that the instruction from God to send the ‘Praise Team’ ahead of the armies would result in a strong confusion and in-fighting among the enemy camp? Could Jehosophat foresee that a win of his armies positioned his people for a significant wealth transfer? I doubt it. He simply followed God’s orders and won….. BIG.
We must engage in praise to God while listening for the the Holy Spirit’s direction for ourselves and our nation amidst the clamor and chaos of today. He is surely speaking.
** The Weapon of Praise is a repost and was originally written in 2017.
Tracy L. Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings
All Rights Reserved 2020
The Weapon of Praise Sharing Link: http://wp.me/p1zoxs-2iC
Twitter @TracyLGatewood
Facebook: Tracy Gatewood Sacred Ramblings
Author: Doorways of Grace: My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus
Christ, Healing, and the Power of Words
20 Monday Jul 2020
Posted in #HolySpirit, Armor of God, Christianity, God the Father, Healing, Healing and the Armor of God, Jesus, Blood of Jesus, New Covenant, redemption, Law of First Mention, Leadership, Prayer, Prayer University, redemption, Sword of the Spirit, The Bible, the Spirit, Tracy Gatewood Prayer, Unity, Wisdom
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Abraham, AbrahamandSarah, Christianity, faith, FirstMentionofPrayerrelatedtoHealing, JehovahRapha, Old Testament, Power and Authority, Prayer, Praying against a virus, Spirit of Infirmity, the Cross, TracyLGatewoodPrayer
“In the beginning was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being.” John 1:1-3 AMP
Words have Power. With no access to devices, medications, or advanced technology equipment, while moving from city to city, Jesus as The Word used His words to communicate a release of healing into the infirmed, the possessed and the diseased. The Greek word “Logos’ (lo-gaas) is translated ‘word, speech, principle or thought’. In Greek philosophy it is also translated into ‘the mind of God’ or ‘divine reason’.
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Good News (the Gospel) of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and every weakness and infirmity.” Matthew 9:35 AMP
Christ came to earth to reveal the will of the Father. It is interesting to note that two thirds of Jesus’ ministry involved healing. It was the perfect will of God for His Son to heal. When praying for healing, that oft used qualifying prayer phrase, “If it be thy will” can only be met with an emphatic “Yes!”
When learning to pray like Jesus – it is imperative to know the Word of God. Aside from the blood of Jesus and the Name of Jesus – the Word of God is power packed and the required dunamis or dynamite needed to move out negative circumstances and redeem, deliver, and heal. To pray effectively for oneself or for other’s in healing – there must be agreement with the Word of God.
The first mention of the word “prayer” was in relationship to healing when Abraham prayed to God on behalf of Abimelech, King of the Philistines so that God would forgive Abimelech for taking Sarah. His words, spoken in faith to God, produced a powerful result.
“So Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his female slaves, and they bore children, For the Lord had closed fast the wombs of all in Abimelech’s household because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.” Genesis 20: 17-18 AMP
We have no record of the actual words in Abraham’s prayer for Abimelech but Abraham operating as Priest released Abimelech of sin thereby restoring his entire household.
It is widely accepted by Christians that nothing occurs on the earth unless it is prayed into action by a Believer. God as Jehovah Rapha, is the God Who heals. It is in this knowledge of His desire and willingness to heal by covenant that we can pray boldly, and speak aloud with confident expectation. It is because of the eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ Who defeated, death, hell and the grave – the One whom took lashes on His Body for our healing, and thereby allowing access to His Name. He has enabled us to take authority and dominion over every sickness, disease, infirmity, even accidents: “and with the stripes that wounded Him we are healed and made whole”. Isaiah 54:5 AMP
There is power in every word of God.
“He sent forth His Word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction. ” Psalm 107:20 AMP
It is important to note that there is a difference between power and authority. Power is the ability to exercise one’s will in the way needed to impact a situation and authority is exercised by someone holding a position or title. There is a legitimacy or at least perceived influence by a person that holds authority. Because of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, we have both power (dunamis) and authority to influence and alter negative behaviors, patterns and circumstances in order to bring heaven to earth. We use prayer and the Word of God to accomplish His will upon the earth.
Lucas Pols, a contributor to Forbes, describes secular servant-led authority this way – “Authority is about who you are as a person, your character how you interact with others and the influence and empathy you build with people.” While this is accurate, one has a God-given authority that comes with power; ratified by the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus who was raised from the dead by the very Spirit that now lives in you.
“Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon snakes and scorpions, and (physical and mental strength and ability) over all the power that the enemy (possesses); and nothing shall in any way harm you.” Luke 10:19 AMP
It is important to highlight that all confidence and power must be placed in the authority of God, Jesus and God’s Word and not in the actual pray-er. The Word of God is oiled with the Spirit of God and referred to as “the Sword of the Spirit” in Ephesians 6:17 AMP “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.”
Luke 10 continues – “Nevertheless do not rejoice at this that the spirits are subject to you but rejoice that your names are enrolled in heaven.” This confirms that we do have power over the spirits of the earth including virus’. To be specific, the Covid-19 virus is a spirit of infirmity. Virus’ have an intelligence. Covid seeks to aggressively insert itself into cells in order to explode in growth and then mutate, thereby causing “infirmity”. In scripture “weakness and infirmity” are almost always used together. When praying for someone with Covid 19, pray in the authority that Christ has given you to dismantle and decree that this spirit of infirmity and all associated weakness must leave in Jesus’ Name.
Session 7
#PrayerUniversity
Tracy Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings
All Rights Reserved 2020
Related Article: https://sacredramblings.com/2015/06/07/healing-and-the-armor-of-god-prayer
Jesus as Savior
05 Sunday Jul 2020
“But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Saviour appeared to man (as Man), He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by the (cleansing) [bath] of the new birth and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Which poured out so richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. [ And He did it in order ] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved ). and that we might become heirs of eternal life according to our hope.” Titus 3:4 -7 AMP
Jesus, Who was with the Father from the beginning, (John 1: 1-3) was sent to earth to save all mankind through the bringing forth of the knowledge of the immutable love of God, the importance of the turning away from sin and the understanding that His own sacrifice would pay a sin debt for which no person could ever personally pay.
Most hearing the Gospel message are aware that Jesus made a way for their salvation, allowing them to spend life eternally with God the Father. Most are unaware that the word ‘salvation’ has more benefit than re-birth and a punched ticket through the Pearly Gates. (Revelation 22:21) To refer to someone that has accepted Jesus as Saviour as being “saved” is in fact accurate. A “saved person” receives the added special bonuses of deliverance from danger, access to the pathway of restoration, deliverance from shame for wrong decisions, divine healing and wholeness, and the right to possess a strong, stable (sound) mind. 
A good working definition of Salvation: material and temporal deliverance from danger and apprehension; pardon, preservation, restoration, healing, wholeness and soundness.
In fact, until one requires, yes really needs a Saviour to pull their personal wagon from out of a ditch, then and only then can the fullness of the word SALVATION by a loving Saviour be fully appreciated by a “Save-ee”. The word salvation in the Greek is ‘Sozo’ which also means to heal, to rescue or save, to deliver. Jesus has become our Savior by paying our debt of sin to God, by becoming our righteousness so that a perfect God could look upon us, hear our prayers and be gracious to us, thereby Jesus removed all separation between mankind and God. No study on prayer and how to pray would be complete without the full embrace of Jesus in His role as Savior.
“And [besides] we ourselves have seen (have deliberately and steadfastly contemplated) and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son (as the) Saviour of the world. Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he (abides, lives makes his home) in God.” 1 John 4:14 AMP
Just as Jesus exhorted His followers to “eat His flesh and drink His blood” to be saved (John 6:56), a person that is His follower must be willing to confess that Jesus is the only Son of God and that it was only His broken body and spilt blood that paid for their debt of sin and nothing they accomplished in their own strength.
“So when the Samaritans arrived, they asked Him to remain with them, and He did stay there two days. Then many more believed in and adhered to and relied on Him because of His personal message. And they told the woman, Now we no longer believe (trust, have faith) just because of what you said; for we have heard Him ourselves (personally) and we know that He truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ.” John 4:40-42 AMP
Although we are not told what Jesus said in those two days while with the Samaritans, we know that His words were compelling enough to persuade them that He was truly the Son of God. The word ‘Christ’ means Anointed One. Jesus used His anointing to heal, and to teach, and deliver. Two-thirds of Jesus recorded actions while on earth were of healing. He traveled from town to town, breaking off yokes of physical and mental illness and even raising the dead. (See Lazarus: John 11: 38-44) Jesus was a Healing Machine.
It was through these healing miracles that were witnessed and testified that spread the Good News that the true Son of God was “in the house”. But it was His own personal raised from the dead story that solidified His place as the Son of God in the minds of the Apostles and His inner circle. These first hand witnesses became messengers that took Jesus’s actions far and wide, even at the expense of their own personal safety and eventual horrific deaths. The only Apostle not murdered, the Apostle John, was exiled to the island of Patmos where he was left alone to die. It was on Patmos that he wrote 1 John as well as the Book of the Revelation. 
” I, Jesus, have sent my messenger angel to you to witness and to give you assurance of these things for the churches (assemblies). I am the Root (the Source) and the Offspring of David, the radiant and brilliant Morning Star (Isa. 11:1,10 AMP)
The Holy Spirit and the bride (the true Christians) say Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty and whoever earnestly desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate and drink from the water of Life without cost.” (Revelation 22: 16 AMP)
Oh what a Savior!
Lesson #6
#Prayer University
Jesus as Savior
Sacred Ramblings
All Rights Reserved 2020
Tracy Gatewood
Facebook: Tracy Gatewood Sacred Ramblings
Author: Doorways of Grace: My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus
Prayer and the Blood of Jesus
17 Sunday May 2020
Each week I am providing a teaching on prayer and for the next few weeks will single out a quality pertaining to the life of Jesus. Last week was His Righteousness and today is the Blood of Jesus. For many years, into decades in fact, I attended churches and engaged with ministries that taught very little about Jesus although some have now gained the understanding. Knowing Jesus and to understand His qualities, His nature, and what we have been given through Him is foundational to a powerful prayer life.
Hundreds of times, I have heard the term ‘Prayer Warrior‘ A ‘warrior’ is defined as a person skilled in combat or warfare especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class. (reference: Freebase) So for our purposes a warrior is a division, if you will, of people highly skilled in prayer and intercession. Using the Church as the tribe or clan, a Prayer Warrior would be skilled in principles of spiritual war, including strategy and tactics but most importantly a knowledge and applied understanding of the authority that they possess by being in Christ. These principles can impact the outcome of circumstances for an individual, a city, nation or really anything, through petitions to God and through the realm of the spirit. There can be no one truly worthy of being called a ‘prayer warrior’ that does not understand Christ’s sacrifice and the meaning of His blood.
The Blood of Jesus is a subject so vast that we can spend days studying it but for our purposes, I will provide highlights rather than a deep dive on the fullness of the magnificent power still held in the Blood of Christ Jesus. To begin, His blood and the resurrection served as the ratification for a New Covenant between God and Jesus and the Agreement that is a guarantee of a new and better way on behalf of all mankind.
Hebrews 7:22 AMP In keeping with (the oath’s greater strength and force) Jesus has become the Guarantee of a better (stronger) Agreement ( a more excellent and advantageous covenant).
Hebrews 9:14-15 AMP “How much more surely shall the blood of Christ, Who by virtue of [His] eternal Spirit [His own pre-existent divine personality] has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the [ever] living God? 15 Christ the Messiah is therefore the Negotiator and Mediator of an [entirely] new agreement (testament, covenant) so that those who are called and offered it may receive the fulfillment of the promised everlasting inheritance – since a death has taken place which rescues and delivers and redeems them from the transgressions committed under the (old) first agreement.”
I remember when I first began to study and learn about Jesus’ blood. I confess I had this thought, “Ugh blood ……. why blood”? Why cant it be anything else other than blood? The reason is that life – life of all living creatures – is carried and held in the blood. But Jesus’ blood was different, it was very different because it carried within it NO SIN. So how did this happen? It is because the Holy Spirit “fathered” Jesus, forming Him in the womb of His mother, Mary, thereby bypassing the Adamic line of sin. (Matthew 1:18) The final sacrifice for our freedom had to come from a sinless blood line because of God’s holiness.
Not only is Life in the Blood, the Spirit and the Blood are one and inseparable. That the outpouring of the blood of Christ was to make way for the outpouring of the Spirit – our internal teacher, comforter, healer, wisdom guide, and giver of spiritual gifts. Holy Spirit is the One that administrates and coordinates all of the gifts of the New Covenant on behalf of the Son and the Father.
The Blood of Jesus serves as the only true means of release from sin and guilt and the remission of the due and merited punishment for sin. That Christ’s Blood’s unending flow perpetually covers the sins of the Righteous and is the eternal substitute and propitiation to God. The Blood extends its grace over and above every personal sacrifice, performance based act, striving, or adherence to Law. There is no action or personal sacrifice that exalts itself above the blood of Jesus or can redeem any sin.
The Blood of Christ continually cleanses even from the beginning of our lives until the end of life. The word for this is “efficacious”. This once and for all sacrifice and the grace that has been shown to us should be respected and must be an intentional spoken action. Jesus’ blood has completely erased our sin. The devil’s biggest threat is the blood of Christ – whose continuous flow constantly reminds him that he has been defeated. When he walks about seeking whom he can destroy, he must pass you by when covered with the blood of Jesus. The Blood coupled with the unwavering knowledge that you are God’s Beloved is the greatest place of safety available to humanity. This once and for all sacrifice and the grace that has been shown to us should be respected and acknowledged by the turning away from sin. Blood is the eternal currency of Heaven.
Jesus said that “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you …. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in Me and I abide in Him”. (John 6:53-56) He spoke this in reference to the Holy Communion which is also known as the Lord’s Supper. There is no deeper or more powerful inward action that permeates the body like the taking of the Lord’s Supper which carries the very DNA of Christ. Christ stated that you have to take it.
My final point is that His sacrifice, through the shedding of His blood, covers the scope of every human need:
Healing (Rapha, Exodus 15:26)
Provision (Jireh,Genesis 22:14)
God’s presence, Victory over darkness (Nissi, Exodus 17:15)
Peace (Shalom, Judges 6:24)
Pastor/Shepherd (Ra-ah, Psalm 23:1)
Redeemer of righteousness (Tsidkenu,
Jeremiah 23:6)
Sanctifier (M’ Kaddesh, Leviticus 20:8).
Your prayers must be spoken from victory and not from a defeated stance – the battle has already been won. Honor Him by embracing and walking out your benefits. What we have been given is a miracle. Decree, make declarations and approach the throne of grace with confidence and in ever present hope. Hope means a confident expectation of good in every situation. Remain hopeful in all times.
Session #4
#PrayerUniversity
Tracy Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings
Prayer and The Blood of Jesus
All Rights Reserved 2020
Facebook: Tracy Gatewood Sacred Ramblings
Author: Doorways of Grace: My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus
Wordpress: http://www.sacredramblings.com
Tracy Gatewood 