Category Archives: Unity

My Statement on the Roe Decision

25 Saturday Jun 2022

Posted by in God's Plan and Purpose, Grace, Healing, Mercy, peace, Prayer, Pro Life, TracyLGatewood, Unity

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I have great peace in the decision by the Supreme Court regarding Roe, however I cannot help but be reminded of the tens of thousands of women each year that deal with and will continue to experience an unplanned pregnancy.

Many women have little to no frame of reference for what we as Christians understand and how we relate to God as Father, and as the One that intentionally and precisely knits us all for His purposes and for His own enjoyment. They have no understanding of God’s infinite and immutable love and how He moves forward in circumstances over time to work things out and turn things for good. Millions of women have no true understanding of God whatsoever so we must never lose sight of this fact as we move with compassion into these circles to explain the hope that is theirs for the taking. Many young women will view this decision as their lives being destroyed, all they have ever known is their right to have a choice.

As Pro-Life people, we can rejoice for today, but the true work begins immediately to assist the traumatized and suffering who will falsely believe that their lives are forever marked, and their plans and life purposes derailed.

Although I have never had children, nor have ever been pregnant (never had to terminate a pregnancy), I can clearly see how distressing this decision could be for any woman that finds herself in an unplanned pregnancy in this day and time. Most women must work for their own survival, and to provide for another one or more, could feel like a personal death sentence.

This is a critical, even essential time for the Church to move in quickly and establish strong support systems for single pregnant women, as well as to support existing or to establish care centers for newborns who are given up for adoption. Foster parents must also move forward in great numbers over the next few years, and become front and center. There can be ZERO shame out of the Church regarding unplanned pregnancies.

Ladies, lay aside those Beth and Priscilla small group studies. It’s time to put hands to the reapers to assist in this important season of transition and healing of our nation. Not a time to preach or condemn, but to move in love – its harvest time.


Tracy Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings 2022
All Rights Reserved

Be Still and Know that I AM God

05 Thursday Nov 2020

Posted by in America, Christianity, Emotions, faith, Fear, God, Jesus Christ, Prayer, righteousness, Tracy Gatewood Prayer, United States of America, Unity, Wisdom

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As I write this, it is the day after the 2020 election. As I watch the results roll in for the United States, my synapses are active and firing at high speed. I am going to slide out on a limb – sideways and slowly – and let you know what I am thinking about this crazy season in time. These observations are my own, based on experience and watching what is happening on the earth.

What first happens in the natural then happens in the spiritual. I have personally observed this a number of times, particularly while in transition. Everything breaks loose and it was my job to remain focused on the main thing: getting to the other side then setting up camp. I strongly believe the chaos surrounding the election and its results are a precursor to a very powerful spiritual event. God is cooking up something big….. really big. Chaos and confusion is the enemy’s attempt at derailing and distracting from God’s intent – it is the job of the President to get to the other side and re-establish his camp.

The United States is headed for a re-set. The Holy Spirit confirmed this to me in August, even using the term “re-set”. I confess I do not know what this will look like or how this will happen but only that it will. He is re-setting this nation in some important way. We will see how this takes shape by Him in the coming months but it will happen. November 1st, I heard Dutch Sheets deliver a powerful special message on the election. He confirmed this re-set. (I confess, I felt more confident about my own re-set word after hearing his. )
Please see Dutch Sheet’s Re-Set Proclamations from Church of His Presence – https://storage.snappages.site/3P6XPW/assets/files/2020ResetProclamations.pdf

Sheets went on to say that God must have the United States to accomplish His plans in the earth and He is determined to have it. He went on to explain how this nation was founded, and how from its inception was a Christian nation. The Chaplain on the 1607 expedition to Jamestown, Virginia, the Rev Robert Hunt, planted a cross on the soil at Cape Henry, VA after disembarking from the vessel.

“Raising his hands to heaven, Rev. Robert Hunt claimed the land for country and king and consecrated the continent to the glory of God. In covenantal language he declared, “…from these very shores the Gospel shall go forth to not only this New World, but the entire world.”

(https://www1.cbn.com/churchandministry/faith-of-our-fathers%3A-spirituality-in-jamestown )

God has BIG plans – really big plans up ahead. Think harvest. One billion souls. Revival. Third Great Awakening. He wants us in place as His plan of action ushers in the end time harvest prior to the return of His Son. Can you see why we are experiencing such turmoil ? This nation is the lynchpin and the devil now has grasped the pin. Pulling it will result in one of his greatest achievements.

We are in for a fight. Although the fight appears to be over the office of the Presidency and control of the House and Senate (we focus on the person or the candidate) the fight is really for the control of the nation and the ability to have a free Church to move and be free to get this harvest in. The fight is over THE CHURCH. Satan does not want this harvest. He will pull out all the stops to derail this election. If the left wins, it will keep this Christian nation bound, its churches open to ridicule, dishonor, diminished credibility and limited power. The enemy would love nothing more than to see the Church in America dismantled and lose its authority.

Look what is happening to the Church in China. The CCP is blowing up churches, arresting parishioners who have now been forced underground, murdering pastors, burning bibles. Is this what the American church is in for in the coming years ? Although difficult to imagine, the answer is yes if we do not stand our ground.

Since last summer, I have been warning that we are in danger of Civil War or at least Civil Skirmishes that will systematically weaken our major cities. We have good reason to be concerned about rogue domestic terrorist groups enacting civil battles within our major cities. They have already been rioting with little to no pushback or restraint from city governments. There is also the subtle war that rages when democrats become mayors and governors, financially destroying these cities as they do not/ cannot create revenue – but only spend and raise taxes. Cities turn to decay and become rife with homelessness.

But back to the original Civil War – The American Civil War was fought from 1861 – 1865, its primary cause being that a confederation of states wanted to allow for African Americans to be bought and sold and used for labor in America. We know this as slavery. Slavery is and was very wrong. Highly destructive battles between the Confederacy and the Union armies were fought over strategic cities to destabilize and render them unproductive. Railroads were destroyed, bridges blown up, buildings and entire cities were burned to the ground – all towards the effort of crippling a city, rendering it helpless to protect its citizens or forward insurgency against the other side. We all have seen Gone with the Wind and the scenes of the burning of Atlanta, this heinous act compliments of General Sherman. The Civil War split the country in every way and is not something that we ever can experience again.

The end result of a win by the left will be the silencing of the Church. Their agenda will also include the destruction of currency and borders, the traumatizing of citizens, the dismantling of the economy through the destruction of small businesses which comprise 75% of the U.S. economy and much more. There is a systematic plan and the United States is the only nation standing in the way of releasing a New World Order. We can all see the beginnings of this process start to roll out. Shortage of coins. Flooding of borders from illegal immigrants. Shutting down of economy’s. Impending forced vaccinations. Closure of church’s. Its happening. We have a moral imperative to protect our democracy and allow God to leverage our nation for His purposes and for His glory all the way to the end.

We must pray and where possible, take peaceable, non-violent action. We are in a crucible. Yes, Jesus is on the throne and the righteous will not be forsaken but many men and women have fought and died for the rights that we enjoy today. It’s Ok to fight but do it right.

The Body must emerge from the shadows of the marketplace to preach and teach the true word of God to a dark and misled world. This will take courageous acts as many believers have never “come out of the closet” but it is time to let other people hear the testimony of God’s power in your life. This nation needs to witness evidence of what it looks like to have heard and been transformed by the Good News. We must show up stabilized in the knowledge of what Christ Jesus has provided through His finished work, carrying oneself in peaceful strength, armed with the blood of Jesus and our testimony, and clothed in His robe of righteousness.


Tracy Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings
All Rights Reserved 2020

Facebook: Tracy Gatewood Sacred Ramblings

Please visit http://www.churchofhispresence.org to watch the entirety of Dutch Sheets message delivered on November 1, 2020.




The Weapon of Praise

21 Monday Sep 2020

Posted by 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 by 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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heritageofsaints

“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.

Canva - Abraham praying

“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.

Canva - Authority gavel

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

Posted by in Blood of Jesus, Christianity, God, God the Father, Jesus, Jesus Christ, peace, Prayer, Prayer University, righteousness, Salvation, The Bible, Tracy Gatewood Prayer, Unity, Wisdom

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Canva - Crown

“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. Canva - Drowning

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.

Canva - Holy Communion

“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. Canva - Angel

” 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
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Jesus as Savior
Sacred Ramblings
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Tracy Gatewood
Facebook:  Tracy Gatewood Sacred Ramblings
Author: Doorways of Grace: My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus

 

Perspective is Everything

21 Sunday May 2017

Posted by in Christianity, God, Jewish, Joseph, Slavery, Tracy Gatewood, United States of America, Unity, Wisdom

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JosephandPotiphar

Genesis 45:4-8
“And Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me, I pray you. And they did so. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now do not be distressed and disheartened and angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.
For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years more in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a posterity and to continue a remnant on the earth to save your lives by a great escape and save for you many survivors.
So now it was not you who sent me here but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

The Old Testament story of Joseph is a verdant treasury of how to handle adversity. Many know this story well – a young Joseph boasted to his brothers that he saw them in a dream all bowing down to him. This enraged his brothers and they threw Joseph into a well then sold him to slave traders en route to Egypt. Joseph was purchased at a slave market by a man named Potiphar who was a leader in Pharaoh’s court. Joseph performed his job with such excellence for Potiphar that he promoted Joseph to a position of influence.

Genesis 39:4  So Joseph pleased Potiphar and found favor in his sight, and he served him. And his master made him supervisor over his house and he put all that he had in his charge.  Joseph definitely knew how to make lemonade out of lemons.

The story progresses where once again Joseph is betrayed by Potiphar’s own wife who lies to her husband while asking for Joseph to be put to death. Potiphar, recognizing that Joseph was incapable of what he was being accused, sent him to prison instead. The story ends in a miraculous release when Pharaoh himself asks Joseph to interpret a dream which he did successfully. Pharaoh appointed him Governor over all the land of Egypt.

Many years before – God made a covenant with Abraham and stated that his descendants would number the stars in the sky.  He made the same covenant with Abraham’s son, Isaac as well as Isaac’s son, Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph.  Joseph was promoted by the hand of God right on time to deliver not only his own family from famine but millions of Egyptians and people from surrounding nations that had no food. Joseph saved the remnant of people that God had promised to his father, grandfather and great grandfather. Joseph knew why he had been spared: Gen. 45:7 “God sent me before you to preserve for you a posterity and to continue a remnant on the earth, to save your lives by a great escape and save for you many survivors.” Joseph was strong in his own identity, and purpose and knew that God had saved him for this very important work despite a life of difficulty and a level of rejection few have experienced.

As God Himself is wisdom,  He saw the exact recipe of circumstances that would blend Joseph into the man He required, and because He has all foreknowledge knew the exact moment Joseph needed to be drawn from the oven of prison. Our God sees the end from the beginning.

“Wisdom, among other things, is the ability to devise perfect ends and to achieve those ends by the most perfect means. It sees the end from the beginning, so there can be no need to conjecture. Wisdom sees everything in focus, each in proper relation to all, and is thus able to work toward predestined goals with flawless precision. All God’s acts are done in perfect wisdom first for His own glory, and then for the highest good of the greatest number for the longest time. And all His acts are as pure as they are wise, and as good as they are wise and pure. Not only could His acts not be better done, a better way to do them could not be imagined. An infinitely wise God must work in a manner not to be improved upon by finite creatures.Oh Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom thou hast made them all. The earth is full of thy riches!”  A.W. Tozer  Knowledge of the Holy

Joseph spent 13 total years as a slave or imprisoned. He was 30 years old when Pharaoh promoted him to be Governor of Egypt. (Genesis 41:46)

Few, if any, personally know anyone that would embrace the notion that slavery was permissible or acceptable in any society. Slavery is the enslavement of an individual that historically is forced to live and work under mostly inhumane conditions, suffer abusive treatment at the hands of  “owners” – and for all of their days live a life of servitude. The slave trade in Africa began in the 15th century not long after traders from other nations like Portugal, England, Spain and Holland landed. The United States took much lower numbers of slaves than many other participating nations. By the time the united colonies became the United States of America, descendants working for landowners had been enslaved between 3 to 5 generations, with most North American slaves coming from western Africa – now modern day Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and the Ivory Coast.

Without question, the day that slavery was abolished was a Red Letter day, ending a destructive and evil culture that harmed an entire race for hundreds of years. But can we consider something new into this equation – the possibility of a new possibility regarding slavery and the perpetuation of this evil? If we understand that God sees life and all circumstances from the beginning to the end, and we believe that God is a good, good Father, is it plausible to assume that He allowed Africans to be brought to the United States, despite the TRAGIC circumstances, knowing that He Himself would produce great good from great evil? That in the United States,  Africans could be free to worship, many coming to know God as well as His Son Jesus, saving entire generations of families from eternal destruction. That when delivered to the shores of the United States these Africans and their ancestors could have opportunities and a way of living reaching far beyond what their forefathers in West Africa could ever dream?  Like Joseph, they were destined with a purpose that required them to experience hardship, not to break them, but to refine and to re-purpose.

As monuments of Confederate generals are being dismantled and removed as they serve to some as a reminder of slavery,  this raises questions. Because Egyptians enslaved the Jews for 400 years (Please Note:  the Jews are God’s Chosen People), have the Egyptians destroyed the pyramids and temples that were built as monuments to Phaorahs by the enslaved Jews because it was wrong to use slaves? Have the Italians bulldozed the Colosseum in Rome where Christians were impaled and lit on fire as human torches or fed to lions for sport? Have they destroyed monuments to Roman Emperors?  No and No and No. In fact the Colosseum in Rome is a major tourist attraction with tourism a primary source of revenue, but only ISIS and al Qaeda think its cool to kill Christians.

Despite the obvious evil that slavery is – it is pointless to erase historical references, and unnecessary if people understand and believe that their hardship can achieve or has achieved a higher, more prevailing purpose.  Through history we learn a better way,  with some history left to serve as a reminder that it never bears repeating.  When hardship does not result in God-framed and God-inspired revealed purposes, it will result in a demonstration of revealed destruction and bitterness.  Perspective is Everything.


Tracy L Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings    May 2017
Perspective is Everything: My Response to the Removal of Monuments
Twitter:  @TracyLGatewood
Facebook: @TracyGatewoodWriterTeacher
Author: Doorways of Grace; My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus

 

Prayer and the Law of First Mention

05 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by in Christianity, Emotions, Fear, God, Grace, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Law of First Mention, New Covenant, Prayer, Tracy Gatewood, Tracy Gatewood Prayer, Unity

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canva-jesus-as-high-priest
God’s Kingdom system works with a set of guidelines much different than secular processes. Leaders are promoted through servant leadership principles, as well as heart attitudes versus achievement through measurable goals and increased revenue. Finances are considered God’s and as stewards, they are protected through a system of tithes and offerings (sowing and reaping).  Prayer is considered the vehicle of communication to God allowing for wants, needs and desires to be met. Prayer offers praise to God while also releasing blessings on others, healing, prosperity, safety.

The first nod to prayer is found in Genesis 4:26 AMP “And to Seth also a son was born whom he named Enosh. At that point men began to call (upon God) by the name of the Lord.” {Seth was the son of the first Adam }. Although no “how to” guide or FAQ was provided on prayer within the Old Testament, praying to God was and still is instinctive by those in need.

The first recorded prayer is found in Genesis 18 and resembles more of a negotiation between Abraham and God regarding Sodom and Gomorrah.  Abraham petitions God repeatedly to save these cities from destruction because there were righteous (in right standing with God) people among their numbers. Abraham and God had a unique level of relationship – more like old friends, freely conversant – casual yet respectful.

Genesis 18:23-28 “And Abraham came close and said, Will You destroy the righteous (those upright and in right standing) together with the wicked? Suppose there are in the city fifty righteous ; will You destroy the place and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing – to slay the righteous fare as do the wicked! Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth execute judgment and do righteously? And the Lord said, If I find in the city of Sodom fifty righteous (upright and right standing) I will spare the whole place for their sake. Abraham answered, Behold now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. If five of the fifty righteous should be lacking – will You destroy the whole city for lack of five? He said, If I find forty five, I will not destroy it.“

This negotiation  / prayer continues until the Lord agrees not to destroy these cities for even the sake of 10 found righteous.

Can this dialogue be considered prayer? I say yes. Prayer is simply communicating with God and primarily in the form of petitions or requests to Him. 
 
(Definition of the word Prayer; http://kingjamesbibleverse.com/definitions/p/prayer/ ) .

Abraham was clearly petitioning for the survival of these cities which makes this the focus of the very first recorded prayer. A righteous man (and a prophet) stood and interceded for the cause of cities, assuming that there were righteous people living there because his relative Lot and family were in Sodom. We must therefore assume that a merciful God hears the prayers of the righteous on behalf of cities and nations even accepting prayer as the preferred method to achieve His results because of the example of the Law of First Mention.

Unfortunately, for the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, God dispatched two angels in the appearance of men to find 10 righteous. The men were themselves greeted at Lot’s home by a homosexual mob surrounding his house, demanding the two come out and “play”. Genesis 19:4-5 It is interesting to note that God, prior to the prayer conversation with Abraham, was already in the process of dispatching these two angels as intel to these cities to confirm what He already knew. Had the angels found righteousness among the people, they would have lived. Lot and his family’s lives were spared and were led from this city by the angels of God. (We know Lot’s wife did not make it out).

The bible records Genesis 29, “When God ravaged and destroyed the cities of the plain, he (earnestly) remembered Abraham (imprinted and fixed him indelibly on His mind), and He sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when He overthrew the cities where Lot lived“. Although He did not see fit to spare these cities, God remembered Abraham’s prayer and took care of his family.

The Law of First Mention means that it is the first time an important word, doctrine or principle is used in scripture therefore it is the most complete and accurate meaning serving as a key to its understanding and a foundation for its biblical concept in subsequent chapters. The fundamental concept in the first occurrence remains dominant, and colors all later additions to that doctrine.

The word ‘Prayer’ is not used in Genesis 18 but the principle of prayer is described. The first time the word ‘Prayer’ is mentioned is in Genesis when God Himself instructs Abimelech to ask Abraham to pray for him following his near miss in taking Sarah, Abraham’s wife, as his own concubine. God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and instructed him to restore Abraham’s wife so that Abraham would pray for Abimelech so that he might live. (Abimelech had unknowingly taken the wife of the prophet Abraham for his concubine which was a sin. In response, God sealed fast all the wombs in Abimelech’s house. ) When Abraham prayed for Abimelech, he, his wife and concubines were all healed.

With God’s own acknowledgement of prayer and request to pray – no one can deny the weight that it carries on the earth and in the Heavenlies as well as the authority that is held by the person praying. Even though Abraham lied to Abimelech about his wife (twice) – God rescued and brought Abraham favor because of His established covenant. (see Genesis 15 ). This was a clear act of grace.

The cities and nations of the world now more than ever before are in need of resources and protection. God has clearly provided a method to hear from Him on his strategies and to call in the forces necessary to equip us in this great time of need. Jesus Himself has paid the ultimate penalty to preserve and protect His own. It is time for the unified righteous to pray boldly and confidently as this would be the will of God in these heavy, tumultuous times.

#pray #prayer #Abraham #Genesis #God  #localchurch #church #lawoffirstmention #TracyGatewoodprayer #sacredramblings

 

Tracy Gatewood 
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Unify the Brides

01 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by in Christianity, Grace, Jesus, Jesus, Blood of Jesus, New Covenant, redemption, Unity

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John 17: 4 – 23 AMP
I have glorified You down here on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do. And now Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed. I have manifested Your name (I have revealed Your very self. Your real self) to the people whom you have given Me out of this world. They were yours and you gave them to Me, and they have obeyed and kept Your word. Now (at last) they know and understand that all You have given me belongs to You (is really and truly Yourself) For the (uttered ) words that You gave me I have given them; and they received and accepted (them) and have come to know positively and in reality  (to believe with absolute assurance) that I came forth from Your presence, and they have believed and are convinced that You did send Me.

I am praying for them. I am not praying (requesting) for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they belong to You. All things that are Mine are Yours, and all things that are Yours belong to Me; and I am glorified in (and through ) them. They have done Me honor; in them My glory is achieved. And (now) I am no more in the world, but these are (still) in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep in Your name (in the knowledge of Yourself) those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We (are one). While I was with them, I kept and preserved them in Your Name (in the knowledge and worship of You). Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has  perished or is lost except the son of perdition (Judas Iscariot), that the Scripture might be fulfilled. And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be full and complete and perfect in them (that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts.)

I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world (do not belong to the world),  just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldy, belonging to the world) just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them (purify, consecrate, separate, them for Yourself, make them holy) by Truth; Your word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, made holy) in the Truth. Neither for these alone do I pray (it is not for their sake only that I make this request) but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching.

That they all may be One (just) as You Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be One in us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be One (even) as We are one; I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become One and perfectly united, that the world may know and (definitely) recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them (even) as you have loved Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be One even as We are One: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become One and perfectly united that the world may know and definitely recognize that You sent Me and You have loved them (even) as You have loved me.

What would it look like, if our churches were not known by the name of the pastor or even the name of the church but simply identified by their  service, by their love – by their missions – by their initiatives?  That the church’s people and their work were an outflow from the very  spirit of Jesus and so identified with Him that the public barely knew the pastor’s name  because the church body had taken on the very nature of Jesus to such an extent that HIS Name was greater than THEIR Name. When non church members think about this Bride they thought only of Jesus because the very fragrance of Christ permeates this Body. This Bride is so beautifully purified it resembles pure gold – not spray painted gold, gold filled or 14K but pure gold – well positioned and fearlessly awaiting the Bridegroom. What would that look like?

What would it look like if all the Brides became One and Jesus truly lived and reigned in each One and every steepled roof confidently reached out to work with all other steepled roofs to accomplish God’s objectives and the service goals in every community? What if the spirit of competition was neutralized by the Blood of Jesus, territories were blended and  imperceptible and the arms of the Body were locked in unison to make only Jesus famous?  Every church message in every community  only resounded with Jesus; His Presence, His Name, His Blood and His Spirit were only taught as what frees, heals, teaches, comforts, provides, guards, guides, and protects from darkness – All Jesus Only Jesus All the Time.

John 17 also tells us that Jesus only prays for the ones that His Father gives Him – which sounds like he’s not praying for every lost soul wandering the earth, unless I suppose, we (the saved) ask Him because that’s our job to pray for them. He is busy up in Heaven taking care of us to God so we must get busy down here taking care of Him. There is strength and tremendous power in unity.

John 10:11 – 18 NIV
I am the good shepherd . I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for my sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice and there shall be One Flock and One Shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.  (Jesus)

Constructionzon
Tuscaloosa Alabama
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For those of you that read my articles this will come as no surprise ……..
When I go to my great reward, I plan to correctly answer those questions God asks me at The Pearlies then I will tear out something akin to Ellie Mae Clampett running off looking for her Feller-Man. Mine is Jesus, and when I find Him, I am going to tackle Him (somehow gracefully – hopefully He is still kind of skinny ) and kiss Him on each side of His face like those Europeans do then I will cry like a baby, kiss and say thank you to both of those nail scarred hands,  THEN I am going to help Him up and make Him run with me down the GOLD street, past the marble (sea – mint) pond, ’round a jasper wall and straight into the Revival tent that will be going full tilt with deafening praise and worship music.  Divinely Constructed  (finally!)   Yeeee-Haaaa!!
(But please don’t take me now Lord – way too much work yet still to do! )

Related articles:  right side/ top of this page
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/the-assignment/
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/equip-the-bride/
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/purpose-driven-bride/
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/purify-the-bride/